Some might call him an underachiever, but Fields is still the premier bat to be had at shortstop. Fields would provide an offensive boost to any team and expect his next contract to reflect that.
While Walters career numbers are not very impressive, his stats are on the upswing the last two seasons. After playing for three different teams over the last two years, the third baseman is finally looking for his chance to score a big contract and find a permanent home.
Morales already has two championship rings and just made two consecutive All-Star rosters. Now entering his seventh season and with only a few more dominant years left, Minnesota decided to let Morales walk, calling him "not worth his demands" and also saying "we'd rather have the Type A pick." Suitors are hoping this will motivate Morales towards more All-Star appearances.
Widely considered the best pure hitter available this offseason, first baseman/designated hitter Watkins is going to see serious cash coming his way from many directions. Expect Watkins to go to the team where he thinks he has the best chance of winning a championship.
Martin is certainly one of the lesser known first baseman in the league. His zero All-Star appearances is a testament to that. So why is he on this list? Well, before he saw very limited playing time in Houston last year, Martin was a lock for 30 home runs and 90 RBIs. Martin might not be the most high-profile guy available, but he's certainly ready to contribute to a contender.
He might be 36 years old, but you try telling Hasegagwa that he's lost a step. He has had one of the best careers in Metropolis history, highlighted by a ridiculous Season 2 campaign during which he won the NL Cy Young. He told us just last week that "I feel just as good I ever have."
At 34 years old, Kimura is starting to look towards his life after baseball. He wants to get paid and he wants to sign with a team he knows he'll retire with. After finally finishing with an above-.500 record with St. Louis for the first time in four years, Kimura wants to see where his services are needed most and wants to help someone win a championship.
Montero gears up for what might be his second big payday. After scoring a huge contract from Chicago in S4, he largely struggled and has since regretted the decision. Colorado bought out his $18M option for this season and could very well bring him back for less, even considering the buy-out.
Last year, Lincoln won 15 games, but much of that can be attributed to his 37 starts. "Being in a four-man rotation may have helped," he joked with us earlier. Even so, put with the right team, he feels he can achieve similar results for at least another two years.
Kwon had 159 saves during his first five seasons with Ottawa, during which time period the team was borderline shameful. But the emergence of relievers Norberto Vazquez & Matt Gibson diminished Kwon's role in the bullpen and this past winter, Ottawa elected to let him go. Kwon says he is ready to close again and would like to play for a team where he can be a large contributor as well as a clubhouse leader.
