(Just a fair warning, get ready for a bunch of bahooey)
Here is a condensed, explanation-less list of my free agent predictions in early November:
- Albert Pujols to St. Louis
- Prince Fielder to Chicago (Cubs)
- CJ Wilson to Washington
- Jose Reyes to the Mets
- Jimmy Rollins stays in Philly
- Michael Cuddyer staying in Minnesota
- Aramis Ramirez in Miami
- Mark Buehrle back with the White Sox
- Edwin Jackson with the Yankees
- Johnathan Paplebon with Boston
- Carlos Beltran in Bean Town
- David Ortiz in Oakland
- Hiroki Kuroda in LA with the Dodgers
- Heath Bell in San Diego
- Carlos Pena in Seattle
- Roy Oswalt in a Rangers uniform
- Coco Crisp back in Cleveland
- Kelly Johnson in Miami
- Grady Sizemore in the Emerald City
- Erik Bedard, ditto
- Paul Maholm in Toronto
- Chris Capuano in Pittsburgh
- Ramon Hernandez in Cleveland
- Jason Kubel in Chicago
- Ramon Santiago with the Tigers
- Jamey Carroll in Minnesota
- Clint Barmes in Queens
- Kerry Wood back with the Cubs
- Frank Francisco in Oakland
- Jason Marquis with Anaheim
- Joel Pinero in a Mets uniform
- Jonathan Broxton in Toronto
- Bruce Chen in Seattle
- Brad Penny in Cincinnati
- Rafael Furcal in St. Louis
- Aaron Harang in Baltimore
- David Dejesus in Cincinnati
- Jeff Francis in KC
- Jamie Moyer back with the M’s
- Casey Kotchman back with the Rays
- Josh Willingham in Colorado
- Bartolo Colon in Miami
- Ryan Madson in Philadelphia
- Francisco Rodriguez with the Marlins
I got six of the predictions correct. That’s seven percent of them right. I can count them on my two hands. Point is, look how smart I am!
Jimmy Rollins, Ramon Santiago, Jamey Carroll, Rafael Furcal and Jeff Francis were my only answers that warrant a “ding” noise on a game show.
Outside of that I had Albert Pujols back with the defending champs, the Prince in Chicago with the Cubs (to be honest I am perfectly OK with getting that one wrong, seeing as, you know, he’s a Tiger now). I had Jose Reyes staying in New York as the Mets cornerstone. I stated that guys like Michael Cuddyer, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell and Jonathan Paplebon would never leave the cities they have spent their careers in and that their teams would do everything they could to keep them. Well, turns out Paplebon is in Philadelphia, Buehrle and Bell are in South Beach and Cuddyer is a member of the Rockies.
I then had moves that were similar to what the teams did to address a need, it’s just they didn’t take my oozing-with-credibility advice.
See Edwin Jackson with the Yankees. The Yankees needed pitching and I thought Jackson was a decent investment. Turns out they went and got Michael Pineda and Kuroda instead.
I had David Ortiz going to Oakland. Turns out the A’s might be interested in Manny Ramirez. (Key word is might.)
I had the Cubs getting Jason Kubel to play a corner outfield spot for them when in fact they went out and got David DeJesus.
Brad Penny to the Reds was another failed prediction as reports are that he could be going to Japan.
I was also oblivious to the fact that the Rays and Phillies would find replacements for Ryan Madson and Casey Kotchman with free agents. Which screws up an eleventh of my predictions right there.
I did all right with middle infielders, which means nothing at all.
I also didn’t partake in the Yu Darvish predictions because of the fact that he might become a free agent due to the posting process.
Fielder’s signing completely blew me out of the water. As did the Bell and Buehrle going to South Beach. I thought the Marlins would overspend on some guys, just thought it would be Bartolo Colon and Aramis Ramirez.
So there you have it. I am terrible at picking where free agents will sign. Here’s to next year when I go for a big improvement at 9 for 50.