Best First-Half Free Agent Bargains

We saw some big-time money shelled out throughout MLB last winter for top-tier free agents like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford, but there were several low-cost signings that have done a great job rewarding their respective clubs in the first half of the season. Here are a few that have been among the most valuable, despite their payroll-friendly contracts:


Brandon McCarthy, Oakland A's (One year, $1 million)

GM Billy Beane likely didn't expect his offense to be this horrific, or to fire his manager in mid-season, but the starting rotation has been a reliable bunch for the A's to this point. Signed for just $1 million, Brandon McCarthy has given the club great value. His history of injury has always been a big deterrent throughout the course of his career (and he's already had a stint on the DL this season), but McCarthy has been able to give the A's a solid 11 starts this season. Cutting his BB/9 nearly in half compared with his career averages and keeping the ball on the ground have been key factors to his success in 2011. And to top it all off, he makes for a great follow on Twitter.

Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs (One year, $1.5 million)

It's hard to believe that the same guy who once struck out 20 in one game now toils in the bullpen of the Chicago Cubs, making just over $1 million for the season. He's quietly enjoyed a nice season as the setup man for closer Carlos Marmol, and despite a high walk rate, he's kept the ball in the park better than last season. Wood's greatest value to the Cubs could come at the trade deadline, however, as there are plenty of clubs looking to upgrade their bullpen. The D-backs have been rumored to be very interested in acquiring Wood's services, and Chicago will have all the leverage they need to bring in some young talent in return.

Miguel Olivo, Seattle Mariners (Two years, $7 million)

One can make a good argument that Olivo doesn't belong anywhere near this list based on his ugly .223/.265/.392 line and awful defense behind the plate, but Olivo's value to me is measured in his leadership. Many questioned GM Jack Zduriencik's decision to give Olivo a two-year deal (with an option for '13) but it's difficult to imagine where the M's would be without him. The catcher position has been a revolving door for the franchise since the departures of Dan Wilson and Kenji Johjima, but Olivo has brought a steady presence, despite his poor numbers. It's evident watching M's games that pitchers like throwing to Olivo and his 12 home runs this season have already surpassed the output from M's backstops all of last year. Olivo isn't necessarily worthy from a numbers standpoint (except when compared with the rest of the lineup), but you can't say that he hasn't been a positive presence during the club's surprising first half.

Freddy Garcia, New York Yankees (Minor League deal, $1.5 million)

"The Chief" is a shadow of his former self, but he still has been able to provide a steady presence in an otherwise weak bottom half of the rotation for the Bronx Bombers. He's failed to go five innings in just one of his starts this season and has only gotten better as the year has progressed. He's cut his HR/FB by nearly five percent, something that is particularly impressive for having to pitch at Yankee Stadium for half of his starts. Nobody envisioned at the beginning of the season that Freddy and Bartolo Colon would be a consistent duo at the bottom of the rotation for the Yanks, but here they are and their presence has been key for the club with the fourth-best record at the break.

Jeff Francouer, Kansas City Royals (One year, $2.5 million)

Frenchy's shine has worn off a bit since his hot start to the season, but he's still been worth nearly two WAR for an extremely young Royals club. Despite not walking enough, he's shown to be valuable on base, having nearly doubled his career high for stolen bases in the first half of the season alone. Francouer has been reliable in the field and one has to believe that his veteran presence will be only a positive influence as the Royals are well underway with their infusion of young talent at the big league level. Francouer could become interesting trade bait for a contender looking to fill a hole in their outfield, but he has said that he wants to stay and Kansas City could very well decide to keep him.

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McCutchen for MVP

Andrew McCutchen is really good at baseball. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

I don't need to list advanced metrics to prove to you that he's one of the most talented players in the game today. But unfortunately for McCutchen, he has the dubious distinction of being a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Don't get me wrong, it's not as bad being a Pirates fan as it has been even in the last two seasons. Hell, they're only one game out of first place in the NL Central as we get set to start the second half of the season.

But let's face it. We're still talking about the Pirates.

Most casual baseball fans recognize the fact that McCutchen is a great player, but perhaps if he were wearing pinstripes, more would be wondering if we're seeing a once-in-a-generation player in front of our very eyes.

Ever since McCutchen arrived on the scene in Pittsburgh in '09, he's been as steady a player as they've come. But similar to the rise of fellow '05 draftee Justin Upton, McCutchen is slowly finding his way to superstar status. He's currently two RBI away from matching last season's total, in nearly 60 fewer games played. He's seen his OBP jump to .390 this season, good for 10th in the NL. He has about as good a K/BB ratio for any middle-of-the-order hitter you'll see in baseball. He's been worth the third-most wins above replacement in MLB behind Jose Bautista and Jose Reyes, unless you consider Bautista to be playing in another universe like I do.

He's also improved his play in the field, as evidenced by a UZR of 8.3 (compared with -12.3 las season), a key aspect of a Pittsburgh club that ranks among the league's best defenses.

No matter how you slice the numbers, McCutchen's consistency has been remarkable. He's improved in nearly every category you can possible think of across the board. McCutchen is perhaps the best example we have in the game today of a true five-tool player, and at just 24 years old, he's only going to get better. He's one of an elite group of players in the game today that is worth every cent of the admission price and more.

Soon enough, we'll hear rumors of every team with a payroll in the triple digits wanting a shot at McCutchen via free agency or trade, as is inevitable with any great player on a small market club. But my hope is that McCutchen becomes a player synonymous with one organization, a true franchise cornerstone. It won't be an easy road for the Pirates' brass when McCutchen begins commanding annual salaries of $20 million, but the club has some good things going for them right now and a bright future, something that McCutchen will undoubtedly be a huge part of.

Sure, this post may be a bit of a love fest. Perhaps it contains some hints of a man crush. But I'm not alone when I say that Andrew McCutchen is a special player. And it's why everyone should be watching as many Pirates games as they can for the rest of this season. I know I will be.

I'll start the campaign now. Andrew McCutchen for MVP.

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K-Rod Goes to Brew Crew

Just minutes after Prince Fielder held up a check worth far less than the one he will be holding this winter, word got out from SI's Jon Heyman via Twitter that the Mets' Francisco Rodriguez had been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for two PTBNL's and cash.

One has to think that this could be only the beginning of a massive overhaul from the Mets. But this deal may not be as bad as it appears on the surface. Many are well aware of the vesting option in K-Rod's contract that guarantees a $17.5 million option in 2012 if he finishes 55 games this season. From the Mets' perspective, you have to feel good about getting rid of that distraction, which would have become particularly troublesome toward the end of the season. Terry Collins has been somewhat generous in his use of Rodriguez throughout the season, but it's now something that the club won't even have to think about. The story in New York now shifts to what they decide to do with Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Beltran, who may also soon be on their way out of town.

As for the Brewers, Rodriguez does improve a bullpen that the club clearly believes will be a pivotal part of their chase for the NL Central title. And at this point, he only real problem the Brewers may run into with K-Rod's vesting option would be if current closer John Axford went down with an injury. The club also still has to address the shortstop position, currently occupied by the black hole that is Yuniesky Betancourt. If the Orioles' JJ Hardy becomes available, who some have mentioned as a possibility, it could put Milwaukee in a great position for a playoff run. And with the lack of depth in the Brewers' system, it's unlikely that they could have traded for a more sought-after commodity like Padres closer Heath Bell. If the Brewers end up making the playoffs this season and K-Rod helps to keep the bullpen steady, you'd have to think of this as a good deal for Doug Melvin and company.

On one interesting note, Mets GM Sandy Alderson dealt K-Rod less than 24 hours after he announced he had hired Scott Boras as his new agent. How do you like that, Frankie?

Finally, on a far less interesting note, I would like to apologize for the lack of activity on the site over the last month or so. I've ended up working a lot more than I thought I was going to (including a great 3-day trip to Utah) and haven't had the time I would like to be able to write on a consistent basis. I'll continue to put up as many pieces as I can, however, and hope you'll still enjoy reading them. I do update my Twitter regularly, though, and you can give me a follow here. I would very much appreciate it.

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