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Trevor Bauer: Bauer has been on his own tier among free-agent pitchers ever since the World Series ended. Part of that is because he was the best pitcher available; part of it is he is several years younger than the other best pitchers available.
Why is the only ace-level free-agent pitcher on the market still dangling out there for anyone to grab? Again, there is a dual answer: His scarce combination of skill and age gives him a lot of economic leverage. Also, he's Trevor Bauer. There is a lot that comes with adding that name to your roster.
That's certainly not to suggest that teams wouldn't want Bauer because of his outspoken ways. It's more that there are a lot of atypical items on his list of wants, which makes matching up a bit more complicated than coughing up the highest AAV. Still, the bottom line is the important one, which is that Bauer is the one pitcher left on the market who most moves the competitive needle for every team in the major leagues. There hasn't been much in the way of meaty information about Bauer on the rumor mill, beyond his own confirmation that he was going to speak with the Blue Jays a couple of weeks back. That makes the task of projecting Bauer's landing place one without the guidance of many decipherable tea leaves.
Prediction: Giants. The Giants are a sleeping, well, giant with few long-term payroll commitments. Other factors: The creative fit between Bauer and the Farhan Zaidi-led front office, the ballpark, and even the proximity of the club to Silicon Valley might appeal to a player so interested in what technology can do for his game and his personal brand. It's a combination that makes this an ideal match. -- Bradford Doolittle
www.espn.com
Why is the only ace-level free-agent pitcher on the market still dangling out there for anyone to grab? Again, there is a dual answer: His scarce combination of skill and age gives him a lot of economic leverage. Also, he's Trevor Bauer. There is a lot that comes with adding that name to your roster.
That's certainly not to suggest that teams wouldn't want Bauer because of his outspoken ways. It's more that there are a lot of atypical items on his list of wants, which makes matching up a bit more complicated than coughing up the highest AAV. Still, the bottom line is the important one, which is that Bauer is the one pitcher left on the market who most moves the competitive needle for every team in the major leagues. There hasn't been much in the way of meaty information about Bauer on the rumor mill, beyond his own confirmation that he was going to speak with the Blue Jays a couple of weeks back. That makes the task of projecting Bauer's landing place one without the guidance of many decipherable tea leaves.
Prediction: Giants. The Giants are a sleeping, well, giant with few long-term payroll commitments. Other factors: The creative fit between Bauer and the Farhan Zaidi-led front office, the ballpark, and even the proximity of the club to Silicon Valley might appeal to a player so interested in what technology can do for his game and his personal brand. It's a combination that makes this an ideal match. -- Bradford Doolittle
Predictions and updates for every top remaining MLB free agent
Several big names are still available in January, so we asked our experts to weigh in on where the best will eventually sign.
www.espn.com
