This free agent class may be the best one in the history of free agency. Quite frankly, I have never seen this type of Class ever before in MLB the Show. It's a shame, or maybe a good thing depending on how you look at it, that McGovern isn't here to break the bank.
The top 6 doesn't really give credit to the depth of this class. Furthur down, there are type A free agents like Felix Hernandez, Brian McCann, Dustin Pedroia and Ricky Romero. You'll notice that there aren't any Padres located within the depths of the Free Agent Class, other than a couple. We exercised the options on Hunter Pence and Roy Halladay and we declined the options on Eric Chavez and Anibal Sanchez. There just wasn't any room for the latter and there is a more strategic meaning behind the options of Halladay and Pence.
But before I spoil too much, you'll notice that we are the highest bidders for Clayton Kershaw. Now before you start asking the hard questions let me explain. Within the next 2 years, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay will more than likely be retired and we'll be left with a rotation fronted by Tommy Hanson and Joe Wieland.
That duo will not win championships so we need to go hard after 1 solid free agent starter.
Now before we even began the bidding on Kershaw, the Rays changed the whole dynamic of the market.
7 years 100 million. Longo would sign that deal and suddenly every other free agent was trying to command this type of cash. I'm glad that Longo stayed with the Rays but I'm furious that they jacked up the cost on everyone else!
If only George McGovern were here....