Key Highlights
- 9, respectively, on ESPN's ranking of the top 50 free agents heading into the winter, and both contracts show the value of the top one-dimensional players this offseason as the teams invested in them for one main reason: their bats. Neither slugger is a major threat on the bases -- though Schwarber stole a career-high 10 bases last year.
- Defensively, Schwarber rarely plays in the outfield, and Alonso ranked just 18th among first basemen in defensive runs saved and outs above average last season.
- Yet, both players got long-term deals that will pay them $30 million annually well into their 30s. Since they signed, there has been a momentary lull at the top of the free agent market for hitters -- in part because some agents might be rethinking their strategies and wondering what these deals mean for some of the more well-rounded players available this winter. Four players in particular -- infielder Bo Bichette, third baseman Alex Bregman, first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger and outfielder Kyle Tucker -- should be the beneficiaries of how last week's deals could reset the market."It's the first thing I'm doing if I'm in the room," an agent not associated with any of the above players said via text.
- "Reminding everyone how old those guys are and what my player can do that they can't."The four hitters might also hit it big this winter because next year's free agent hitting class is not expected to be strong.
- The Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, the Blue Jays' George Springer and the Orioles' Taylor Ward are likely to be the best of the bunch. With that in mind, let's take a new look at the remaining big four, using fWAR (FanGraphs' version of WAR) as a central metric to compare across positions.