Finally, the day has arrived. Today, we received shipment of our 2014 shirts. In years past, we created the "LeMaster" shirt, the "BOO" shirt, and an ill-fated "Sign Melky to a Contract" shirt. This year, we wanted to mix things up, and chose the legendary quote by Bruce Bochy when he informed Brandon Belt that he had made the 25-man roster in 2011. For those of you that don't remember, the scene was captured from the TV series,"The Franchise." In Bochy's office at AT&T Park, Bochy informed Belt that he made the team. Overcome with emotion, Belt started to get a bit watery-eyed and was lost for words. It was that moment, that Bochy said, "You need a beer? Grab a beer." Voila, TV gold was instantly made. So, to honor that moment, that quote is on the back of our 2014 shirts! Also new for this year is the shirt itself. In years past, we chose the Hanes 100% cotton tees, but this year we decided to support California-made tees, so we had them printed on American Apparel shirts. Slightly lighter, a bit more stylish, but still the cool Sons of Johnnie LeMaster shirt!
In accordance with our policy, NONE of our shirts are for sale. We simply give them away to deserving and like-minded diehard SF Giants fans. As usual, we have a limited supply of shirts since we flipped the bill for them, so we're gonna be picky on who gets one. Do you deserve a shirt? Tell us why? (at bare minimum, you should be following us on Twitter and Instagram)
Are the Giants cursed at 2nd base? Consider this, the GMen have had a different starting second baseman since 2008 (Ray Durham, Manny Burriss, Juan Uribe, Freddy Sanchez, Ryan Theriot, and Marco Scutaro). In all likelihood, we may see a different guy starting at second base too when opening day arrives.
As each day of spring training goes by, it becomes apparent the weakest link in our lineup is second base. As of date, Scutaro still has not swung the bat. And while we like Joaquin Arias, and are intrigued by Ehire Adrianza to play second, this is like putting the Gregor Blanco/Andres Torres LF platoon strategy to second base. It will simply not work to sustain success at the position.
If Scutaro's health doesn't improve in the next two weeks, the Giants must make a trade to get an everyday second baseman. Plain and simple. Now, we know what you're thinking … who can we possibly get now? This one is easy, Danny Espinosa from the Washington Nationals. The Nats are ready to move on past Danny, and quite honestly, a change of scenery could do him some good too. Espinosa will turn 27 years old next month, but he still has the skills set to excel at second base. Plus, his career batting average at AT&T Park is .304.
The Giants can't afford to have legit starting position players start the season, and if Scutaro isn't ready, the club needs to move on too.
Last week, the SF Giants and Brandon Belt avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.9 million. On the heels of that deal, there has been speculation the Giants might offer Belt an extended deal to buy out his remaining arbitration years before he hits the free agent market in 2018. In theory, that makes sense … however, we're pretty sure the Giants are thinking of eventually moving Buster Posey to first base. A move that the Minnesota Twins are making this year with their franchise player … Joe Mauer.
There are two factors that could possibly fast-track that possibility, the health of Posey at the catching position, and the rise of Andrew Susac being an everyday player. It's just a matter of time before those hard foul tips off of Posey's mask will take its toll and sideline him from playing everyday. Don't believe use, just reflect back on the career of Mike Matheny … a dependable catcher that had to retire early from all those hits he took off the mask. Posey is simply too valuable as a hitter to continue having him exposed at the catching position. In addition, Susac has made significant strides on becoming a dependable back stop, but more importantly, his hitting has improved as well. Those two variables could possibly mean that Belt could be the odd man out in this scenario. If anything, Belt could become a valuable trade chip for the Giants to acquire another arm or position player.
So don't be surprised if the Giants hold back on offering Belt an extended contract, but opt for a year-to-year deal. The health of Posey, and play of Susac will be the factors on Belt's future with the club. Andrew Susac stats Andrew Susac evaluation
We've all heard it before, the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. But the Giants will face a difficult stretch of road games during their first road trip in the month of May. The road trip commences on May 2 in Atlanta, and ends on May 11 in Los Angeles, with a stop in Pittsburgh in-between Atlanta and LA. That's a 10-game roadie against three playoff teams from the 2013 season. What makes this so compelling is the fact the Giants could be in catch-up mode for the rest of the season if they have a horrible road trip. Plus they play their division rivals four times on that roadie.
Again, the baseball season is marathon, not a sprint, but the Giants will be tested with 10 consecutive games on the road against potential playoff opponents.
By now, most of the SF Giants season ticket holders have received their FedEx delivery containing their 2014 season tickets. This annual rite of passage awakens the senses of each fan that the upcoming season is just around the corner. In addition, it's also fun to see how the club has designed the ticket, and which player photos will adorn the tickets throughout the season. This year, five players were selected to be featured on the season tickets: Tim Lincecum, Hunter Pence, Madison Bumgarner, Angel Pagan, and Buster Posey. Of these players, only Posey and Bumgarner were part of the 2013 design (Sergio Romo, Matt Cain, Pablo Sandoval were the others).
Just a few more days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, and it got us thinking on how baseball will look in 50 years. So much has changed in the last 50 years of the game, but the future of the game for the players and fans will probably see more changes that most of us can’t even begin to imagine.
So step into the Sons of Johnnie LeMaster time machine, and let’s see what baseball will look like in the year 2064 ...
The Game
Active rosters have been increased to 30 players, and the league now has 36 teams world wide. Teams (Kansas City, Houston, Milwaukee, and Miami) that have historically under preformed have been relocated ... abroad. The game is international now, Major League has also added a few expansion teams in Mexico, Japan, Korea, London, New Dehli, and Cuba. The designated-hitter rule is now present in the West Federation, formerly known as the National League. The WBC no longer exists, it has been replaced with the Champions League tournament - the best performing Major League club in each participating country plays in a one-and-done survivor tournament.
In addition, Major League Baseball has adopted a relegation rule. The bottom performing six clubs are replaced each year with the World League, formerly known as AAA minor league baseball, with their top six finishing teams. Most of the minor league teams have also been relocated throughout the world.
The Equipment
The biggest equipment development will benefit catchers ... think IronMan outfit, a full body armor protective suit that also has climate control features: a built-in air conditioning and heating unit to protect the catcher in any harsh weather elements. Also it will also have communications capabilities with the pitcher, an onboard system will allow the pitcher and catcher to communicate without any hand signs. How? A micro LED screen imbedded to the side of the catcher’s mask and pitcher’s cap will allow for two-way communication with mind-thinking technology.
Sponsors are now paying a premium to have their brands on Major League uniforms, but only on the back of the collar above the LED nameplate and number.
Uniforms are now embedded with smart technology that can alert the manager and a trainer when a player is fatigued or injured. There is no guess work, the staff will know immediately, and a player can’t talk there way out of it.
Gloves now have “smart technology” built into the gloves. A small LED screen displays which pitch is being thrown, and provides hitting tendencies of the batter at the plate. In addition, it allows for the manager to direct fielders on where to position them at any given time.
Eye black and sunglasses are no longer used. A special “eye contact lense” is being used by players that automatically deflects any direct sun rays from their vision, and can be preset to the player’s preference.
The Fan Experience
Giant HD scoreboards are obsolete ... instant replays are shown on the field as a 3D hologram replicating the exact movement of the ball and player(s). Natural grass has been replaced with “Smart Turf” ... a hybrid grass and synthetic strain that features LED capabilities that allows for in-game advertising on the field, and game updates. Season ticket holders no longer have physical tickets ... instead they are provided with season ticket “smart bracelets” that contains the game day bar codes for entry, information on available concessions, wait times for rest rooms, and a loaded payment account for payment for anything at the ballpark. Each year a new bracelet is distributed to season ticket holders with new enhancements and features.
The concrete floors at the ballpark have now been inlayed with LED screens that provides updates on ball park amenities and team sponsors advertisements.
As a nod to the fan experience from the 1970s, beer vendors are back at each ballpark.
Seagulls are no longer a problem at AT&T Park, but individuals with mini-drones trying to watch the game from home or outside now crowd the airspace around the ballpark.
So what changes do you think we'll see in 2063?
1999 SF Giants wearing futuristic jerseys for "Turn Ahead the Clock Night"
Earlier today, Larry Baer hinted on KNBR that a contract could be offered to Pablo Sandoval during the annual Play Ball luncheon held in downtown San Francisco before the start of the regular season. In years past, the Giants have made similar contract announcements during the luncheon, so if an offer was made to Pablo, we could expect the Giants to announce it then.
So the question needs to be asked, what would a contract offer look for Pablo? Our prediction is that an offer of 5 years for $100 million would be in the range we would expect to see. This offer is based on what other premium third basemen are receiving, the lack of depth in the minor league system, and the potential payout the Giants would have to make to any other third basemen hitting the free agent market.
For comparison, in the 2014 season, the top paying players for third base are as follows:
David Wright (Mets) $20M
Adrian Beltre (Rangers) $17M
Aramis Ramirez (Brewers) $16M
Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals) $14M
Martin Prado* (Diamondbacks) $11M
Chase Headley (Padres) $10.25M
PABLO SANDOVAL (GIANTS) $8.25M
Evan Longoria (Rays) $7.5M
Juan Uribe* (Dodgers) $7.5M
David Freese (Angels) $5.05M
Alberto Callaspo* (A’s) $4.87M
Chris Johnson* (Braves) $4.75M
Pedro Alvarez (Pirates) $4.25M
Jeff Keppinger* (White Sox) $4M
Alex Rodriguez (Yankees) $3.86M (Final bonus payment; Salary is forfeited)
Our prediction for the 2014 season will see the National League West as the toughest division in Major League Baseball. While everyone may view the Dodgers as the cream of the crop, the NL West will be stacked with four clubs that have a legitimate chance for postseason glory.
The two clubs that catches our attention the most are the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks. Both clubs made significant moves this offseason to significantly bolster their lineups, and if key players are able to stay off the DL this season, the NL West will be the most competitive division in baseball. For this blog post, we’ll focus on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In Arizona, the club received a huge boost to their lineup with the acquisition of Mark Trumbo, another power-hitting right handed bat that will provide protection to NL MVP runner-up, Paul Goldschmidt. Around the horn, the D’Backs will anchor a reliable defense behind Goldschmidt, Hill, Prado, and Gregorious. However, the defense in the outfield is another story, and perhaps the only weak spot for the club. Trumbo, who is better suited playing 1B, will man RF, with A.J. Pollock taking center, and Gerado Parra
moving to right field. Only Parra has demonstrated consistent play in the outfield, and if one thing could possibly ruin the D’Backs chance for postseason, it’s their defensive play in the outfield.
As far as the starting rotation is concerned, it should be rock solid - no fancy names here, but all of these guys will eat innings and give the D’Backs a chance to win every game. Patrick Corbin, Trevor Cahill, Wade Miley and Brandon McCarthy should round out the first four spots, with Randall Delgado, Daniel Hudson and Archie Bradley fighting it out for the fifth spot. The bullpen is another bright spot for the club, they now have three potential closers that come into a game at any time. With the acquisition of Addison Reed, the club will now have Reed, J.J. Putz, and Brad Ziegler - figure this to be a huge advantage for the D’Backs in the second half of the season.
The Giants released their final promotional schedule this morning, and as expected they added a few new items that were not on the original list that was released late last year. The one new giveaway that caught our attention is the Star Wars R2D2 Beanie giveaway slated for August 31st. It's safe to say, this will be the most sought-after SGA for the entire season. The giveaway will be available for the first 20,000 fans, and yes, we expect huge lines to queue up hours before the game. Oh, by the way, the Giants are playing the Milwaukee Brewers for that Sunday afternoon game.
At this point, we still don't know what the beanie will look like or how the Giants logo will be incorporated, but we are pretty sure it will not matter to the legions of Star Wars fans out there. At best, we think the beanie will look like something pictured below. In any event, this will most likely be the most talked about giveaway item in recent memory.
This is not the exact SF Giants R2D2 beanie giveaway, but it will most likely look something like this.
In light of Gregor Blanco’s new contract ($2.5 million) for the 2014 season, it had us thinking that our preference is to have Juan Perez be designated as the fourth outfielder for the Giants for the upcoming season. At the age of 26, Perez made his Major League debut this past season, and during his brief stint (97 plate appearances and 34 games played) he showed us something. His ability to go with the pitch and hit to the opposite field, his great speed, his defensive prowess (see his catch at Chase Field, and his then perfect-game saving catch for Petit).
Our fear is that the Giants front office will give Blanco the fourth outfielder tag, instead of looking at who is actually the best player for the job. In his 2013 campaign, Perez batted .258 with 23 hits, 1 HR, 8 RBI, and two stolen bases. Defensively, he had a .987 fielding percentage, committed just one error, and had eight assists. What we like most about Perez is that he just looks like a better overall player than Blanco, and given the opportunity, would put up better numbers than Gregor. As always, as the season plays out, players that deserve playing time will get it. If Perez is able to continue how he ended the 2013 campaign, he’s in line for a lot of playing time.
Juan Perez making a spectacular catch at Chase Field on June 9, 2013.
Soon, Major League clubs will converge to Arizona and Florida for their annual rite of passage - the start of spring training. Each spring, all 30 clubs approach spring training with hope, optimism, and the dream of postseason glory. Originally, spring training was a platform for ballplayers to get into shape for the upcoming season. It wasn’t long ago when players had to supplement their income in the offseason by having seasonal jobs. In doing so, physical fitness and staying in shape wasn’t the highest priority for ball players. Now, being a professional Major League ball player is a full time job, and players are diligent in staying in top physical form to be ready for spring training and a 162-game schedule.
This year, pitchers and catchers will report on February 14th, and then the full squad reports four days later. On February 26th, most clubs, including the Giants will start their spring training schedule. What entails soon after are 40 games in the Cactus League, including split squad games, followed by another three games in the Bay Area for the the Bay Bridge Series against Oakland. All told, we’re looking at 43 spring training games before the season even starts. Now, we know what the club owners and front office folks are going to say to substantiate the high number of games. We want to evaluate our 40-man roster, and our minor league prospects, blah, blah. However, the real truth is, the clubs do not want to give up the extra revenue that is generated from spring training. Spring training in recent years have become a big business for everyone involved. Which includes hotels, restaurants, bars, golf courses, rental car agencies, and so on.
No one wants to kill the golden goose. But the question remains, is it necessary to have so many spring training games? Players have never been more well equipped, and have never been in better shape. The purpose of spring training has diminished, and players and coaches themselves have even expressed that it’s just too long. With Major League Baseball on the verge of making some historical changes to the game (Buster Posey rule, instant replay), isn’t time for them to curtail the spring training schedule too? If we had our way, the spring training schedule would cap out at 30 games - that’s more then enough games to evaluate talent and form your 25-man roster. Let’s save the players for the regular season.
We just finished viewing the 60 Minutes’ interview of Anthony Bosch, founder of former South Florida anti-aging clinic Biogenesis, and the man that cooperated with Major League Baseball to bring down one of the most prolific hitters of all time. During the interview, one thought continued to resonate with us ... what type of arrangement did Barry Bonds strike with Greg Anderson. Anderson if you remember was Bonds' former trainer, who has now served more than a year in jail for refusing to testify against Bonds in the BALCO grand jury proceedings as well as three months' prison time for his role in BALCO. In essence, Major League Baseball would have loved for Anderson to fold and cooperated in indicting Bonds for using banned substances, but that never happened.
The difference between ARod and Bonds comes down to the relationships they had when it came down to their respective handlers. Bosch didn’t have any loyalty to ARod, and why would he, they didn’t grow up together and weren’t even friends before all of this. In fact, Bosch even remarked in the 60 Minutes interview that he felt he wasn’t being paid enough. Anderson, on the other hand, grew up with Bonds and his family, probably knew more about Barry than anyone else. And with that, perhaps there was an agreement already in place, you take the bullet more me and I’ll take care of you and your family. Perhaps if ARod deployed the same strategy, he wouldn’t be looking at a complete ban from competing in the 2014 season.
We all know how successful the Giants have been in recent years (see 2010 & 2012 trophies), and what that comes significant demand from fans to attend a game(s) at AT&T Park. For those individuals that are not season ticket holders, typically you're at the mercy on what's available with the Giants ticket office or you scan the secondary market for better selection and/or a better deal. In previous years, online sites such as Stubhub and eBay filled that void. However, in 2014, another entity has entered the market - TicketMonster. Ever hear of it? Don't worry we haven't heard of it either. TicketMonster is a Korean-based ticket and e-commerce company that was acquired by Groupon in November, 2013. The sale was finalized earlier this month, but the question remains, how is Groupon going to leverage this acquisition in regard to game day tickets with the Giants? TicketMonster has already produced a press release regarding game dates for the Giants, we must assume they will become an open marketplace for tickets. The follow-up question, since Groupon now owns TicketMonster, will 2-for-1 deals now be the norm? How will that impact the secondary market? How will that impact season ticket holders that are paying full price?
A lot questions remain, but it's tough to answer them since the rollout of TicketMonster has not commenced.
After the Mike Morse signing, we were thinking on how the 2014 lineup might shape out, and we developed the lineup listed below. Yes, we know that we predicted the 2014 opening day lineup on our Sept. 30, 2013 blog post, but we're calling an audible … in the words of Colin Kaepernick, "kill, kill, kill, kill, kill."
Our philosophy is that the best hitter on the team should bat third. The strategy is based on the fact that the third batter gets up to the plate in the first inning, and he'll get at least four at-bats. However, more importantly, in the case of the Giants, opponents will be forced to pitch to the third hitter if they want to avoid the big bats that are stacked up behind him. So in this case, Posey bats third in our lineup, followed by Pence, Sandoval, Morse, Belt, and Crawford. In the three hole, Posey's career numbers includes a .346 batting average compared to .298 in the cleanup spot. He also bats .325 (with 11 HR, 68 RBI) when he appears in the first inning versus batting .302 (5 HR, 10 RBI) in the second inning. So in theory, Pence, Sandoval and Morse will also force pitchers to pitch them to avoid going to the next big bat.
We know that a lot of fans want Brandon Belt to bat third, but in this case he's not the best hitter on the team nor does he intimidate the opposition in the same way that Posey would. Assuming everyone stays healthy (knock on wood), several Giants are in for a career year - especially Pablo. This could be an exciting team to watch at the plate, maybe, just maybe this lineup could be a modern-day version of Murderer's Row ala the 1927 New York Yankees.
Well, we woke up to some pleasant news this morning when Bobby Evans announced that the club has agreed to terms (1-year deal) with Mike Morse to be our new left fielder. Morse was on our short list of free agents that the club should pursue, and we think he'll be a great fit for the club. A classic slugger, he reminds us of Giants alum - Jack Clark, he stands at 6'5 and 245 lbs and should serve as the power right-handed bat we have desperately been seeking.
Morse's best season as a big leaguer was in 2011 when he belted 31 home runs, 95 RBI, and batted .303 for the Washington Nationals. The fact that he's played in the National League will serve as a significant bonus for the Giants. One interesting note about Morse, he's hit the majority of his career home runs after an 0-1 count (40 HR, 131 RBI)
Here are some interesting stats associated with Morse ...
Career Numbers at NL West ballparks:
AT&T Park: 1 HR, 4 RBI, .316 BA
Dodger Stadium: 1 HR, 4 RBI, .261 BA
Petco Park: 1 HR, 5 RBI, .333 BA
Chase Field: 3 HR, 9 RBI, .275 BA
Coors Field: 2 HR, 11 RBI, .500 BA
One last thing, Morse's walk-up music is "Take On Me" by A-Ha, and fans are involved in singing the song when it's played. Do you think this will catch on at AT&T Park?
Not sure where to start, but this has to be the worst promotional schedule that we’ve seen released by the Giants in years! The list is uninspiring, and only a few giveaways are must-haves that will create buzz among the faithful. Not sure what the thinking was by the Giants marketing group, but this is embarrassing. We guess missing the playoffs does that - create a promo schedule that lacks any excitement. So, as in year’s past, we’ve taken the liberty to rank the promo giveaways based on appeal and estimated demand. Here we go ...
The Must-Haves: Is the bobblehead giveaway slowly going away? Usually, the Giants are good for at least six or seven giveaways each year, but 2014 only lists four bobbleheads - only three are current players. Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford will be featured in ’14, along with Duane Kuiper. We’re surprised that Angel Pagan wasn’t included, but perhaps his stint on the DL in 2013 might have been a factor - he just didn’t play. Continuing the trend set last season, bobbleheads will be given away to the first 40,000 fans, so at least the club maintained that.
Hunter Pence Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Wednesday, April 8 vs. Arizona)
1954 Giants World Series Replica Ring, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, April 26 v. Cleveland)
MadBum Camo Cap, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, June 14 vs. Colorado)
Brandon Belt or Brandon Crawford Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Saturday, June 28 vs. Cincinnati)
Cool, I want one: These items feature some of the standard items, shirts, towels, and fedora.
Giants Scarf, First 20,000 fans (Thursday, April 10 vs. Arizona)
Duane Kuiper Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Friday, April 25 vs. Cleveland)
Tim Lincecum Orange Friday Jersey T-Shirt, First 20,000 fans (Friday, May 16 vs. Florida)
Giants Fedora, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, May 17 vs. Florida)
Hello Kitty Giants Plush, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, June 8 vs. New York) *we’re not fond of this giveaway, but a certain demographic is extremely excited for this giveaway.
Eh, I'll take one, but I won't wait in line for it: These items are standard on almost every promo schedule, the calendar, magnet schedule, adjustable cap, etc.
Opening Day Calendars, First 40,000 fans (Tuesday, April 8 vs. Arizona)
Sports Bag, First 20,000 (Saturday, April 12 vs. Colorado)
Magnet Schedule, First 20,000 fans (Monday, April 8 vs. Colorado)
Giants Cap, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, May 24 vs. Minnesota)
Giants BBQ Apron, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, May 25 vs. Minnesota)
Giants Beach Towel, First 20,000 fans (Monday, May 26 vs. Minnesota)
Giants Father’s Day Necktie, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, June 15 vs. Colorado)
So there you have it ... the 2014 Giants promo schedule - it's bland and boring, and we can only hope that the club will add some more creative items before the season starts.
This holiday we want the lonely to find company; sick to gain health; sad to find levity, unemployed to find work; broken-hearted to endure; and another San Francisco Giants World Championship parade down Market Street in 2014.
Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings starts today and its no secret what the SF Giants need to do … obtain a left field that can hit. With that said, we don't expect the Giants to open up the war chest or risk losing a draft pick to one of the high-profile outfielders that are currently available. So don't expect the club to go after Shin-Soo Choo or Nelson Cruz, especially after the Jacoby Ellsbury signing.
So who are the Giants going to sign then? We don't expect a trade either, we just don't have a surplus of prospects to trade away, and the guys we do have are just a year or two away from making the club. So here's a list of free agents that could be had for a decent contract … some may be considered as high risk, but with a low base salary plus an incentive based deal, one of these guys could make sense to join the club.
Corey Hart: He didn't play in 2013 due to knee surgeries, yes surgeries. Both knees went under the knife this past year, so his health will be the primary concern for any club looking to sign him. But earlier indications are that he's good to go, and is moving well in off season workouts. He'll turn 32 by the time opening day starts, but his career stats can't be ignored. His yearly career average is 26 HR, 87 RBI, .276 BA. In his final year with the Brewers he earned $10M, he should expect a considerable cut in salary if he wants a multi-year deal.
Mike Morse: Injuries have impacted Morse throughout his career, but IF he can stay healthy, he can flat out put some monster numbers - see his 2011 season: 31 HR, 95 RBI, .303 BA. So that will be the big question, can he stay healthy? This is a situation where Sabean will need to conduct his "due diligence." In 2013, Morse earned $6.75M, so he will be affordable by club standards.
Tyler Colvin: A former first-round pick, Colvin has two solid seasons where he showcased why he was picked so early, but back injuries has dropped him off the Rockies. If he's healthy, he's worth signing to a minor league deal … talent never goes away, and he has plenty of it. In 2013, he earned $2.75M playing for Colorado.
Brennan Boesch: A 2006 third-round pick by the Detroit Tigers, he was released by Detroit in 2012, and then signed a free agent contract with the New York Yankees in 2013. He was released in July due to a bad shoulder, but has recovered nicely since then. As an everyday outfielder for three years in Detroit, he averaged 14 HR, 58 RBI. He's currently playing for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Republic in winter ball, and his Major League salary was for $1.5M.
Grady Sizemore: Last, but not least is Grady Sizemore. Yes, we know he hasn't played since 2011, but he's intriguing because we all know what he can do. The relative question is if he's finally healthy enough to compete for a Major League job. If his medical records check out, he's worth a look and a low-end deal.
