David Price
It is clear that David Price is the best pitcher on the free agent market. David Price is a past CY Young award winning pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays who is going to be entering his 9th season in the big leagues at 30 years old. This is one of the most durable pitchers in the game today. Since he has been a full time starter Price has only finished under 200 innings pitched in a season one time. Not only is he a durable pitcher, but a strike out artist he has finished with 200 plus strike outs four times in his career. Even though Price is 30 years old he will be looking for a long term contract worth more than 200 million dollars. I believe that David Price will be looking to go to the National League after playing in the American League his whole career. There are only two teams that have the money and need for a pitcher of his status. The St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants are the two likely landing spots for Price. After the Cardinals lost Lance Lynn for the year because of Tommy John, top prospect Alex Reyes to a 50 suspension, Carlos Martinez might not be back for the start of the season, and Adam Wainwright is coming off a full season injury. Plus John Lackey is no guarantee to resign with the Cardinals. The San Francisco Giants are coming off a terrible season and were lacking in the pitching all year. They have saved a ton of money from the world series victory, and from cutting contracts the previous year. I would be looking for them to be making a big splash.
Zach Greinke
Zach Greinke is the only pitcher that gives David Price a run for his money for the best free agent pitcher available. Greinke is coming off a career year for the Los Anglos Dodgers. Zach Greinke is just like David Price in the way that he is very durable, and a past CY Young award winner. The 32 year old Zach Greinke will be entering his 13 season as a big leaguer. You think you would be seeing some kind of decline in his game now that he is getting older, but that is quite the opposite after he posted a career best 1.66 ERA this season. Even though Zach Greinke is 32 years old he will be looking for a long term contract worth up to 200 million dollars. The two teams I see him signing with are the Los Anglos Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. Greinke has made it clear that he likes playing in Los Anglos and they like having him. It gives the Dodgers the best one two combo in the game. The other team, the Boston Red Sox, has a huge need at the starting pitcher position. The Red Sox biggest need this offseason is starting pitching, and I see them going all out for it. I also see the Red Sox trying to make a trade since they have a surplus of young players.
Johnny Cueto
Johnny Cueto has been quietly one of the best pitchers in baseball for the past couple of years for the Cincinnati Reds. If you look at his past 3 seasons he was healthy, in 2013 he was hurt, he has a combined 50 wins with an under 3.00 ERA. I think what happen with the Kansas City Royals was a fluke, and can blame it a number of things. I don't think he is a American League pitcher. Johnny will be entering his 9th major league season at 29 years old. The concern that most ball clubs have with Cueto is the fact that he gets injured and hasn't had much success in the playoffs. It is tough to say where he will end up and I think the teams that don't land the the top two pitchers will land Cueto. The two teams I see most likely to sign Cueto are the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants. I wouldn't be surprised if the New York Yankees got into the mix because they have just as big of a need at the starting pitcher position as the Red Sox and Giants.
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