Top Upcoming Free-Agents

[Pat]

Top five infielders:

1- 2B Desi Rochs, Philadelphia - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_574.html
Think this guy knows he is a free agent to be? This 5'8 slugger is on pace to hit 36 homeruns. His previous career high was in 1979, when he hit 17. Rochs is not a great defender, but with that kind of power for a 2B, he is going to get paid.

2- 3B Nicolas Arce, Los Almos - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...player_29.html
The Bandits just made a big trade to bring in Arce for the stretch run, and while many believe they will re-sign him, they might not. Arce is having a down year. But prior to coming to Virginia, Arce was good for 20 homeruns and 80 RBIs. He was the IL's best hitter in 1981. He is nothing great defensively, but again, it isn't easy to find 20+ HR power.

3- 2B Tomas Cirlos, Carolina - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_142.html
The two time Glove Wizard Award winner at 2B, is having a career year. Cirlos is on pace to finish the year with .294, 16 homeruns, 97 RBIs, and 34 steals. Might be the most complete infield free-agent, and at 31, he still has some years left.

4- 3B Chaim Lamberts, Washington - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_422.html
The guy turns 37 this fall, but he still has a decent bat, and is above average in the field. Lamberts is an OBP machine with a little pop.

5- 3B Rodger Gallegos, Windy City - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_515.html
Gallegos isn't a house-hold name. He missed almost all of 1982 with a shoulder injury and with Windy City struggling this year, they aren't making headlines. Gallegos is 32, and nearing the end of the line, but he is having a career year for a below average team.

Best of the rest:
SS Burl Beckford, Philadelphia - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_452.html
The guy is 40, and nearing the end of the line, he might even retire at years end. He is one of the better fielders in the league and can still hit for a decent average. Should be able to find a spot on a team as a utility player.

3B Jose Gailan, Mississippi - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_1135.html
Gailan can play 1B, 2B, and 3B at a decent level. Last year he hit .261 with 14 home runs, 31 doubles, and 91 RBIs for the expansion Storm. This year he has struggled, but he might be worth a shot.

Top five outfielders:

1- CF Subaru Hiraki, Maine - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_425.html
Probably will be the top target in free-agency. Hiraki is a four-time All-Star, the perfect lead-off hitter, and he is an amazing base runner.

2- LF Ellis Shinamius, Sin City - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_489.html
Shinamius has a history of injury, and is average at best in the outfield, but his bat is top notch.

3- RF Roger Morgan, Pawtucket - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_583.html
For the past two seasons, Morgan has hit over .290 with an OBP of .370+. He doesn't have any speed and is average in the outfield, but he can provide a solid bat.

4- RF Montez Dardon, Los Almos - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_833.html
Dardon won't hit .270, but anyone who is capable of hitting 25-30 homeruns is going to get paid.

5- LF Abran Lanbin, Baltimore - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...player_85.html
Lanbin will be 38 next season, and might retire this off-season, but if he doesn't, he still has some power in that bat.

Best of the rest:
RF Gary Lipincott, Washington - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_1606.html
Lipincott has been very poor in 1983. Lipincott is only 27, but he appears to have just lost it this season. Someone will take a chance on him to regain his 1981 and 1982 form. He is still a great fielder with amazing base running abilities.

LF Eneas Monterola, Hyundai - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...layer_495.html
Monterola is 36, and only has a .686 OPS this season. But last year he hit 17 homers with 88 RBIs, and he has never hit below .280 for a season.


-pitchers to come later-

[Sully]

Woo, it's almost that time of the year where people are paying 20 million for 5 million production!

Hiraki has a long list of injuries during his career, too. He'll still get paid, though.

[Lintyfresh85]

Thought I'd help out on the pitching side... Mostly in alphabetical order...<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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SP Juan Boladeres, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Maine</st1:State></st1:place> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_469.html<o:p></o:p>
32 years old but seems to have some gas left in the tank... a sub 3.75 ERA in the DL can only up his chances of a big pay day.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Tajo Delclos, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pittsburgh</st1:place></st1:City> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_498.html<o:p></o:p>
One of the top three FA’s of the pitching class, Delclos at times can be flat out dominant... at other times he can't find the plate... with close to 100 walks this year he'll be headed for back to back 100 walk seasons... never a good thing when looking at starting pitchers. With that being said, his stuff can be dominant and I expect him to get paid big time this off-season.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Issam Ghaniy, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:State> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_282.html<o:p></o:p>
Ghaniy in my mind is one of the five best pitcher in the upcoming free agent market... he's more consistent than Delclos but is not as explosive when ON his game. Good bet to eat 200+ innings at a some what decent price.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Alonzo Gugierrez, Los Lunas - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_282.html<o:p></o:p>
29, reliable, and sometimes dominant, Gugierrez is a top 5 pitcher in the free agent market... only thing that may scare some people away will be his enormous price tag.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Walter Lacour, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Philadelphia</st1:place></st1:City> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_595.html<o:p></o:p>
Who knows if Lacour will even come back for another year as he'll turn 42 in the midst of next season, but if his numbers are any indicator, he's got plenty left. Comes cheap and gets the job done.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Larry LaRochelle, <st1:place w:st="on">Los Alamos</st1:place> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_438.html<o:p></o:p>
LaRochelle may actually be the biggest wildcard out there of all the free agents... mainly because he is still young. One problem is his rise in ERA every year he has been in the league (sans this year which looks like a step up from last) but he is still young and could be an anchor to one the expansion teams or someone like <st1:State w:st="on">Mississippi</st1:State>, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State>, or Indy.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Jorge Lorral, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Philadelphia</st1:place></st1:City> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_1246.html<o:p></o:p>
Another Philly pitcher, Lorral is good enough to get a decent contract, but probably not strong enough to ever grace an all-star team.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Joe O'Connelan, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Sin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">City</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_500.html<o:p></o:p>
Another Joe Chavarraga? Although older, his career path seems to follow... they both keep getting better with age. At 12 million bucks a year though, look for O'Connelan to ask for something in the range of 15-20... And probably get it.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Carl Pateshall, <st1:place w:st="on">Los Alamos</st1:place> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_2204.html<o:p></o:p>
Top flight FA that will score big in the BLB arms race. Only 30 so he's got plenty left... Seems to fit best in the IL as he's never faced off against the DL.<o:p></o:p>
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SP Jason Peyton, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wilmington</st1:place></st1:City> - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/players/player_591.html<o:p></o:p>
Peyton has been a steady fixture of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Wilmington</st1:City></st1:place>'s rotation for the last 3 1/2 years... at 520K a year; it's time for him to get paid!<o:p></o:p>
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[Jistic]

You might be adding McEvoy to this list.

[Lintyfresh85]

I don't know how I missed him!

Edit: Oddly enough, the game doesn't list him in the upcoming free agents list. Thanks for the heads up!

[Andrew]

I don't know how I missed him!

Edit: Oddly enough, the game doesn't list him in the upcoming free agents list. Thanks for the heads up!

He has a mutual option for 1984, which I assume he'll turn down. The game doesn't list players with options.

[Sully]

Yeah, Stiver's another guy that could make the list.

[Clay]

Herbert Dunlop has a TEAM OPTION for next season. I'm guessing Carolina will let him go for financial reasons.

[spot]

How can you tell when a player reaches his service time? Pateshall is listed as arbitration eligible but possibly a free agent.

[Clay]

How can you tell when a player reaches his service time? Pateshall is listed as arbitration eligible but possibly a free agent.

If they pass the 6 year mark during the season they'll be a free agent. Service time accumulates from opening day until the end of the regular season. 172 days = 1 year.

[Andrew]

How can you tell when a player reaches his service time? Pateshall is listed as arbitration eligible but possibly a free agent.

Look at his MLB service time. Once he reaches 6 years, he is eligible for Free Agency at the end of that season. 172 days of service time = 1 year. I think there are 56 days left to this season, which would put him at 6 years. So yes, I think he'll be a Free Agent at the end of this season if he isn't sent to the minors or placed on the 60 day DL.

[Sully]

MacCabe falls short by 3 days. Yay! Delarruz would've been a FA if he didn't get hurt.

[Andrew]

btw, don't quote me on the 56 days. I just got that by subtracting 116 (days accumulated this season by most players) from 172. I know there was a bug in previous versions where players accumulated more than 172 days of service time in a single season. Not sure if it's been fixed yet.

Either way, you'll have a chance to re-sign them after the regular season and before FA when you know for sure.

[spot]

btw, don't quote me on the 56 days. I just got that by subtracting 116 (days accumulated this season by most players) from 172. I know there was a bug in previous versions where players accumulated more than 172 days of service time in a single season. Not sure if it's been fixed yet.

Either way, you'll have a chance to re-sign them after the regular season and before FA when you know for sure.

Or...

I think he may need to work on his mechanics for a few weeks in AAA.

[Jistic]

btw, don't quote me on the 56 days. I just got that by subtracting 116 (days accumulated this season by most players) from 172. I know there was a bug in previous versions where players accumulated more than 172 days of service time in a single season. Not sure if it's been fixed yet.

Either way, you'll have a chance to re-sign them after the regular season and before FA when you know for sure.

Andrew how much time before options are exercised and F/A opens. I wanna know when McEvoy declines his option how much time I have to sign him, if any.