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Biggest Free Agent Haul

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 11:20 AM

I was thinking about the Royals the other day, and thinking that it's amazing to think that twice in their history they hauled in (perhaps) the biggest free agent on the market. That led me to thinking... what was the best free agent heist for each Major League team? Not necessarily the free agent who turned out the best for them, but the one who was the biggest name on the day he signed, whether he worked out or not. And no re-signees either. Help me out. Baltimore Orioles: Boston Red Sox: Daisuke Matsuzaka? New York Yankees: Dave Winfield (Everybody else) Tampa Bay Rays: Toronto Blue Jays: Roger Clemens? Chicago White Sox: Albert Belle Cleveland Indians: Detroit Tigers: Juan Gonzalez Kansas City Royals: David Cone (Mark Davis) Minnesota Twins: Los Angeles (Anaheim) Angels Mo Vaughn (Rod Carew) Oakland A's: Seattle Mariners: Ichiro Suzuki (John Olerud) Texas Rangers: Alex Rodriguez Atlanta Braves: Miami (and Florida) Marlins: Carlos Delgado Philadelphia Phillies: Cliff Lee (Jim Thome, Lance Parrish) New York Mets: Carlos Beltrán (Pedro Martinez, Bobby Bonilla, Andy Hassler) Washington Nationals (and Montreal Expos): Jayson Werth Cincinnati Reds: Dave Parker Chicago Cubs: Alfonso Soriano? Houston Astros: Nolan Ryan Milwaukee Brewers: Pittsburgh Pirates: St. Louis Cardinals: Arizona Diamondbacks: Randy Johnson Colorado Rockies: Mike Hampton Los Angeles Dodgers: Darryl Strawberry San Diego Padres: Steve Garvey San Francisco Giants: Barry Zito

metsguyinmichigan Oct 31 2011 11:33 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Was Vice Coleman the biggest name out there when we signed him? (Talk about ones you wish you could take back...)

HahnSolo Oct 31 2011 11:36 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Atlanta has to be Greg Maddux, right?

HahnSolo Oct 31 2011 11:36 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Kevin Brown as an alternate to Straw in LA?

HahnSolo Oct 31 2011 11:37 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Manny for the BoSox. Wish I could think of all these before hitting submit multiple tiimes.

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 11:38 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Was Vice Coleman the biggest name out there when we signed him? (Talk about ones you wish you could take back...) Well, no, Darryl Strawberry was, and he was some sloppy-assed seconds. But even arguing that he was the best player out there after Strawberry that season, he was no Beltran. Manny --- of course.

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 11:42 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Baltimore Orioles: Boston Red Sox: Manny Ramirez (Daisuke Matsuzaka) New York Yankees: Dave Winfield (or Reggie Jackson or Everybody else) Tampa Bay Rays: Toronto Blue Jays: Roger Clemens? Chicago White Sox: Albert Belle Cleveland Indians: Detroit Tigers: Juan Gonzalez Kansas City Royals: David Cone (Mark Davis) Minnesota Twins: Los Angeles (Anaheim) Angels Mo Vaughn (Rod Carew) Oakland A's: Seattle Mariners: Ichiro Suzuki (John Olerud) Texas Rangers: Alex Rodriguez Atlanta Braves: Greg Maddux Miami (and Florida) Marlins: Carlos Delgado Philadelphia Phillies: Cliff Lee (Jim Thome, Lance Parrish) New York Mets: Carlos Beltrán (Pedro Martinez, Bobby Bonilla, Andy Hassler) Washington Nationals (and Montreal Expos): Jayson Werth Cincinnati Reds: Dave Parker Chicago Cubs: Alfonso Soriano? Houston Astros: Nolan Ryan Milwaukee Brewers: Pittsburgh Pirates: St. Louis Cardinals: Arizona Diamondbacks: Randy Johnson Colorado Rockies: Mike Hampton Los Angeles Dodgers: Darryl Strawberry (Kevin Brown) San Diego Padres: Steve Garvey San Francisco Giants: Barry Bonds (Barry Zito)

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 11:43 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Giants: Barry Bonds. Duh! I've got the Pirates on the list four times as donors, but none as recipients.

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 12:11 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Padres: Oscar Gamble?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 31 2011 12:16 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Garvey for the Padres, unless he was traded there. Joe Rudi to the Angels was a big move as I remember it. Brewers: Randy Wolf. Reds made a celebrated/mocked move for Francisco Cordero not long ago. Blue Jays could be Clemens or Burnett even. Both used douchebags by the time they got to MFY's. Cardinals signed Holliday as a FA, if he qualifies.

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 12:23 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Holliday certainly qualifies. Pirates: Burnitz?

TransMonk Oct 31 2011 12:35 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Brewers: Randy Wolf. I'd argue Jeff Suppan was bigger. And bust-i-er.

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 12:39 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

How about Larry Hisle? He signed with them after leading the league in RBI.

HahnSolo Oct 31 2011 12:41 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Toronto: Paul Molitor? He had a monster year his first year with the Blue Jays.

Frayed Knot Oct 31 2011 01:58 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Holliday was traded to StL before later signing his FA deal with them. Not sure if that mitigates the equation any.

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 02:03 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Yeah, you're right.

batmagadanleadoff Oct 31 2011 02:18 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Albert Belle -- Orioles. How 'bout Reggie/MFY's?

batmagadanleadoff Oct 31 2011 02:20 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

A blast from MLB's earliest days of free agency --- Wayne Garland, Indians.

Frayed Knot Oct 31 2011 02:25 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Or go back to the original big Yanqui FA: Catfish Hunter - although I suppose you could argue that he was the only FA in his year since he had become one due to a contract violation by Oakland owner Charlie Finley and not the play-out-your-option process that came up a year or three later. Still, if you are the only FA that year you're sort of by definition the biggest. Also Fisk leaving the BoSox for the ChiSox was triggered by a similar contract snafu.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 31 2011 02:26 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

For the A's: Esteban Loaiza? Frank Thomas that one year?

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 02:56 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Albert Belle -- Orioles. How 'bout Reggie/MFY's? Yeah, I'm going with Reggie over Winnie. I was kind of loathe to include Albert Belle a second time. The Orioles dropped a ton of money for him, but there was something sloppy seconds about the whole affair.

Ashie62 Oct 31 2011 07:08 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Twinkies signing of Jack Morris.

Ashie62 Oct 31 2011 07:09 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Red Sox Ortiz 2003? By the way..Andy Hassler?

Edgy MD Oct 31 2011 07:17 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Ortiz was certainly among their best, eventually, but I was thinking which was the biggest on the day it went down, and that went under the radar. Unlike the Tom Hausman deal, which launched a press conference featuring the Rockettes, traffic stopping in Times Square, parades, and joyful incredulity throughout Metdom.

Centerfield Nov 01 2011 11:55 AM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Biggest Free Agent Hauls: Mo Vaughn CC Sabathia Prince Fielder (soon to be)

smg58 Nov 01 2011 12:13 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

The Bobby Bonilla signing might have been bigger than either Pedro or Carlos taken individually. Has to be Reggie for the Yankees. Holliday was traded to Oakland before he signed with St. Louis.

metirish Nov 01 2011 01:18 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Cubs - Soriano? never mind

metirish Nov 01 2011 01:24 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Angels - Vladimir Guerrero?

metirish Nov 01 2011 01:25 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Seattle - Beltre?

smg58 Nov 01 2011 02:53 PM Re: Biggest Free Agent Haul

Vlad is an interesting case. Like Vaughn, he was an elite power hitter when he signed, but the Vlad signing may have been bigger news in New York than it was nationally on account of him not coming here. It's tough to gauge the Carew signing in comparison. One, my memory is hazy that far back, but I don't remember it being huge news given a lot of other big-name FA signings. On the other hand, Carew is in Cooperstown while Vaughn is not and Vlad wasn't quite that level either.