We're pushing towards March, MLB Spring Training is in full swing and there are still a handful of impact players still available on the free agent market.

Who are these impact players still out there? Where may they end up? Why are they holding out? We'll answer all of these questions and give you some stats on each one of these guys.

We're going to exclude Bryce Harper for the sake of this piece because you know him, you know what he's looking for which is a long-term contract for lots and lots of cash money.

Free Agents Still Available:

  • Dallas Keuchel-(31 years old, 3.6 WAR) Last season: 3.74 ERA, 12-11, 204 IP, 153 k's, 58 BB, opposing hitters hit .263, 1.31 WHIP with 34 starts. *Last year he made $13.2M* I forsee him maybe waiting on a deal like Jake Arrieta did last season (March 11) and he got a 3 year, $75M deal.

Best Fits: Milwaukee Brewers-Their starters have only a combined 7.6 WAR, they've got money in cap space ($121M right at league average)

Arizona Diamondback-Starters have a solid WAR of 12.8 but the team lost hitting this off-season in AJ Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt. ($117M salary cap)

San Diego-Desperately need starting pitching to compliment Machado and the offense 9.9 starters WAR, they've still got cap space (salary cap $87.4M)

  • Gio Gonzalez-(33 years old, 2 WAR) Last season: 4.21 ERA, 32 starts, 171 IP,148 k's, 80 BB, opposing hitters hit .256. *Last year he made $12M*

Best Fits: Could see every team in on Keuchel in on Gio other than maybe the Brewers.

Oakland A's-The team he started with and they're desperate for starting pitching as they have one of the lowest starters WAR's in the league at 6.3. (They're at $83M in salary cap)

  • Carlos Gonzalez-(33 years old, 1.7 WAR) Last Season: He hit .276, 71 R, 64 RBI, 16 HR, 32 Doubles, played in 132 games. *Last year he made $8M*

Best Fits: San Francisco Giants-They've had a hole in right field and Cargo could certainly help fill that for a couple years especially in Bruce Bochy's final season. Their right field WAR was next to worst in the league at 0.1. The only problem is they don't have a lot of money as their salary cap is already at $164.5M, he may have to take a hit money wise.

Cleveland Indians-Another team who's had a low WAR in right (0.9 WAR) and their outfield is pretty weak. You're looking at Tyler Naquin in right as it sits right now. The team should have some money to spend as their salary cap is at $112M

  • Craig Kimbrel-(31 years old, 1.5 WAR) Last Season: 42/47 saves, 2.74 ERA, 31 hits in 62 IP, 96 k's, 31 BB, opposing hitters hit .146, .99 Whip. *Last season he made $13M*

Best Fits: Colorado Rockies-They always need pitching help and specifically in the pen as coming into this season their relief pitching has just a 1.9 WAR. Their salary cap is currently at $114M and signing Nolan Arenado to a long term deal shows this team wants to win now. The team signed Wade Davis last season but if you pair him with Kimbrel it could make for a deadly backend of the pen duo.

St. Louis Cardinals-They signed Andrew Miller this off-season but again if you combine Miller with Kimbrel it could be deadly. Their salary cap is $154M

  • Adam Jones-(33 years old, 0.5 WAR) Last Season: He hit .281, 54 R, 63 RBI, 15 HR, 35 Doubles, played in 145 games. *Last season he made $17M*

Best Fits: I could see Jones fitting with similar teams as Carlos Gonzalez.

 

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