When it comes to the 2012 free agent third basemen, there’s Aramis Ramirez and then there’s everyone else.
1. Aramis Ramirez (34) – The World Series isn’t even over yet and the Aramis Ramirez’s pending free agency has already gone through some twists and turns. One thing seems clear, he will opt out of the final year of his deal. At first it seemed that there was little chance that he would be returning to the Cubs, dissatisfied with back-to-back losing seasons. Ramirez made it clear that he wanted to sign with a contender and, back in September, it seemed like A-Ram’s time in Chi-town was done. But then came the fall of the Red Sox and the aftermath of chaos that followed. Because of the fallout in Beantown, it looks certain that one of the best GM’s in the game, Theo Epstein, will soon be taking over as the Cubs new president of baseball operations. That move alone signals a bold step in the right direction for the franchise.
With money to spend this offseason (I estimate as much as $50 million), the new front office team could very well convince A-Ram to come back for another couple of years, though demand for his services will be high throughout the league.
Possible destinations: Cubs, Angels, Marlins, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies,
2. Edwin Encarnacion (29) – It’s yet to be seen if the Blue Jays will pick E5’s 2012 $3.5M club option, but for the sake of giving the third base market some depth, we’ll include him here. While Encarnacion struggled mightily out of the gates last season, he picked up the pace big-time after the all-star break, hitting .291/.382/.504 with 11 home runs and seven stolen bases. He’s still Charles Barkley golf swing turrible defensively, but some times teams seem willing to give a little on that end to take the production at the plate. Realistically, he should be moved permanently to a 1B/DH role.
Possible destinations: Blue Jays, Phillies, Rays, Brewers
3. Wilson Betemit (30) – Betemit had another fine season at the plate in 2011, hitting .285/.343/.452 with eight home runs in 359 plate appearances. However, he struggled hitting from the right side, something that, save for 2010, has always been an issue over his career. 2011 also marked the second season in which Betemit posted a well above normal BABIP (.361 in 2010 and .391 in 2011). His defensive skills don’t play well third, so at best he should be viewed as a platoon player limited to 1B/DH.
Possible destinations: Brewers, Indians, Phillies, Pitares, Twins
4. Kevin Kouzmanoff (30) – Defense has never been a problem for Kouz. Actually, he has excelled on that end, but his offensive struggles have haunted him for years now. After failing to produce in Oakland last season, he was dealt to Colorado where he got a 27 game tryout of sorts. Kouz hit .255/.315/.398 with three home runs over that span, which wasn’t enough to convince the Rockies to retain his services. There is sure to be a team out there willing to take a low-risk flier on Kouz for 2012 in hopes that his bat comes back to life, at least a little bit.
Possible destinations: Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies, Reds,
5. Casey Blake (38) – Blake has been a consistently good player throughout his career, averaging about 2.6 wins above replacement per year over the past nine seasons. However, he’s 38 years old now and coming off of a season where he battled a neck injury that eventually required surgery. A team looking to bring in a cheap veteran presence will take a flier on Blake in 2012.
Possible destinations: Dodgers, Angels, Brewers, Cubs, Phillies, Reds, Rockies
6. Jerry Hairston Jr. (36) – See: Free Agent Primer: Top 10 Second Basemen
7. Nick Punto (34) – You like Gritty, scrappy players? Nick Punto everyone! It’s hard to believe that Punto made his major league debut 10 years ago. Not in the sense that he’s about to turn 34 years old, but in the sense that he has managed to stick around with a career batting line of .249/.325/.327. Punto has speed and the ability to draw a walk, but his fielding ability is his real calling card. At this point, his arm doesn’t play well at third or short, so he’s not the super defensive replacement that he might be viewed as aroudn the league. In other words, he’s exactly the type of player Tony LaRussa will want on his team in 2012.
Possible destinations: Cardinals, Brewers, Phillies, Twins
8. Gregg Dobbs (33) – Left-handed pinch hitters always seem to find work. Dobbs is one of the better ones with the ability to hit for power.
Possible destinations: Marlins, Yankees, Phillies,
9. Mark DeRosa (37) – DeRosa has battled a left wrist injury since the 2009 season. Now, at age 37, the chances of him making a big comeback continue to close. He’s already dipping his feet into the media business, so one foot is sort of already out the door. He wants to play for a team closer to his home in Atlanta. We’ll see if he garners any interest at all.
Possible destinations: Braves, Marlins, Astros, Cubs, White Sox
10. Eric Chavez (34) – Years ago, we thought that at age 34, Chavez would have a cabinet full of all-star game appearances and perhaps even an MVP award or two. As it is, he’s mostly a bench player, capable of popping a few home runs, but with the always present risk of injury.
Possible destinations: Yankees
