Top 2014 MLB Free Agent Signings

In a short period of time Jose Abreu has taken Major League Baseball by storm. Abreu defected from Cuba last summer and he signed with the Chicago White Sox in the fall. The White Sox signed Abreu to a six-year, $68 million contract which appears to be a song now.

Abreu’s 12 home runs and 35 runs batted in currently lead the American League. The White Sox currently find themselves in the thick of AL Central which is a far cry from a team that lost 99 games last season and Abreu is a big part of that.

After missing the playoffs last season the New York Yankees went to the Far East in search of a player that could improve their team and they found starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka in Japan. The Yankees signed Tanaka to a seven-year, $155 million contract in order for him to leave Japan and so far he has been worth every penny.

In 42.2 innings pitched Tanaka has a record of 4-0. Tanaka’s 51 strikeouts are fifth in the American League while his 2.53 earned run average is sixth. In his six starts with the Yankees, Tanaka has gone into the seventh inning in each outing which was highlighted by his performance on April 16 against the Chicago Cubs where he went 8 innings striking out 10 batters while only allowing a pair of hits. In Tanaka’s six starts the Yankees are 5-1 while they are tied for first place in the ultra-competitive AL East.

Last season the Milwaukee Brewers traded relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez to the Baltimore Orioles, but he returned to Milwaukee this season after signing a one-year deal for $3.25 million. During his first run with the Brewers, Rodriguez was used primarily as a setup man. But when relief pitcher John Axford left Milwaukee this winter to join the Cleveland Indians, it gave Rodriguez the chance to once again be a closer.

Rodriguez has 14 saves on the season which leads Major League Baseball as he has regained the form that saw him set an MLB single-season record for saves with 62 during the 2008 season as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. Rodriguez has already struck out 26 batters as he has once again developed the reputation as far as being “K-Rod”.

Entering this season 38-year old starting pitcher Tim Hudson had 205 career wins and you wondered how much that he had left in the tank. Hudson signed a two-year, $23 million deal to join the San Francisco Giants and he has added another veteran presence to their starting rotation.

Hudson has a record of 4-2 and his 1.99 earned run average is tied for sixth in the National League. In each of his last two starts Hudson has gone 8.2 innings while combining to only surrender three runs as he is seeking to be a part of a World Series Championship team for the first time in his 16-year MLB career.

Fans of the Boston Red Sox are not ready for forgive outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury for leaving as a free agent, but the New York Yankees have welcomed him with open arms. Ellsbury joined the Yankees after agreeing to a seven-year, $153 million deal over the winter and he has panned out so far. The Yankees were desperate for a lead-off hitter and Ellbsury has filled that void. In 32 games this season Ellsbury as a .317 batting average with a .380 on-base percentage. Ellsbury has 13 base on balls with 10 stolen bases. Ellsbury led the American League in stolen bases last season with 50 and he is once again on pace to be in that range. Defensively Ellsbury gives the Yankees a player in center field that has tremendous range as they are sixth in the AL in team fielding percentage at .984.

If the Yankees are able to get back to the playoffs this season Ellsbury will be a big part in them getting there and also potentially doing some damage.

For his 20-year Major League Baseball career, LaTroy Hawkins has been a starting pitcher, middle releiver, and closer. Now in his second stint with the Colorado Rockies, Hawkins is once again a closer. In 13 appearances this season Hawkins has 9 saves which is tied for sixth in the NL as the Rockies are thinking about the postseason.

Hawkins is on pace to surpass his personal single-season saves mark of 28 which he set in 2001 as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Hawkins also has a chance to eclipse the Rockies single-season saves mark which was set by Jose Jimenez in 2002.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Morse has always had the look of a power hitter, but he has never been able to put it altogether. Morse signed a one-year deal in the off-season with the Giants for $6 million and he is on pace to have his best season since 2011 when he hit 31 home runs along with 95 runs batted in as a member of the Washington Nationals.

Morse has 8 home runs which are tied for sixth in the National League and his 24 runs batted in are eighth. 

Morse has given the Giants some extra pop in their lineup as they currently are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the National League and they also have their eyes set on their third World Series Championship in the last five years.

Baltimore Orioles designated hitter/outfielder Nelson Cruz has never been known for his fielding, but he is a guy that can hit. After spending the last eight years of his MLB career with the Texas Rangers, Cruz signed with the Orioles this past off-season to a one-year deal for $8 million. Cruz came to Baltimore with some baggage as he was suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games last year in connection to the Biogenesis scandal.

Cruz has put all of that behind him as he is adding depth to the Orioles lineup. In 31 games this year Cruz has 9 home runs and 29 runs batted in as he is on pace to have his first 30-home run season since 2006. 

It sounds as if Orioles general manager Dan Duquette found himself a tremendous bargain on the free agent market.

Once upon a time Colorado Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau was one of the most feared hitters in baseball as he won the American League MVP Award in 2006 as a member of the Minnesota Twins.

After spending time last season with the Twins and the Pittsburgh Pirates, Morneau signed a two-year, $14 million deal to join the Rockies over the winter. Longtime Rockies f
irst baseman Todd Helton retired last year and Colorado needed a veteran player to replace him.

Morneau has 7 home runs and 26 runs batted in while his .331 batting average is fifth in the National League. Morneau is helping the Rockies who have one of the most potent lineups in baseball while they are just one game behind the San Francisco Giants for first place in the NL West.

For the first time in franchise history last year the Miami Marlins lost 100 games. The Marlins had one of the youngest teams in Major League Baseball and they needed some veteran leadership heading into 2014. After helping the Boston Red Sox win the World Series last year, catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia parted as a free agent to join the Marlins on a three-year deal worth $21 million. Saltalamacchia has 6 home runs and 12 runs batted in, but his biggest contribution has come behind the plate calling games. The Marlins have two young starting pitchers in Henderson Alavarez and Jose Fernandez that both have earned run averages under 3.00 which can be attributed to Saltalamacchia’s ability to call games behind the plate.

As a team the Marlins are playing with house money as they currently find themselves in first place in the National League East which can be partially attributed to Saltalamacchia.