Kuzul

According to MLBTradeRumors.com, there are seven remaining free agents on the open market from their top 50 free agents with predictions list.

Most of the bunch are pitchers, with the exception of center fielder Michael Bourn and first baseman Adam LaRoche—but all have value and could contribute next season for the right suitor.

With the top two free agents already signed—Zack Greinke with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Josh Hamilton with the Los Angeles Angels—where do you think Michael Bourn (No. 3 on the list) will land?

Will Jose Valverde (No. 44 on the list) call it a career and retire or find a new home elsewhere since the Detroit Tigers have already announced that they will not bring him back next season? 

There’s certainly a lot to speculate upon, but let’s take a look and see where the remaining seven players will most likely end up.  

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As recently as 2008, the National League West was considered a sub-par division and filled with mediocre teams barely breaking the .500 mark.  

In 2005, for instance, the Giants, Dodgers, Rockies and Diamondbacks all finished the season with losing records, while the San Diego Padres won the division with a mere 82-80 mark.

Mediocrity aside, 2013 looks to be an exciting year for the National League West and its fans.  

The Dodgers, with new ownership in place, have already proven that they are not afraid to spend and—on paper—are beginning to look like Yankee teams of the recent past.  The San Francisco Giants are the reigning World Series Champions and have won the title two of the last three years.  And though it may look to be a tough year for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks, both teams have decent leadership and could make some noise next season.

The San Diego Padres, moreover, finally look ready to compete.  With new ownership in place, a solid group of players largely unchanged from last season and one of the strongest farm systems in all of Major League Baseball, the Padres are looking to turn some heads in the National League in 2013.

Let’s look at six reasons why the San Diego Padres should be a contender in 2013 and beyond:

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As the San Diego Padres continue their search for an additional starting pitcher, one name that has stuck out as a potential trade candidate is Detroit Tigers’ starting pitcher Rick Porcello.

Porcello is in an odd situation with the Tigers, as the team has six qualified starting pitchers but only one available spot left in their rotation. Led by veteran hurlers Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister and newly signed right-hander Anibal Sanchez, the final spot in the rotation will either go to Porcello or lefty Drew Smyly. 

Smyly put together a respectable rookie season in 2012, so it looks like Porcello could be the odd man out.

The Padres could benefit from a pitcher like Porcello in their lineup.  

With only two starters last season (Clayton Richard and Edinson Volquez) that pitched over 180 innings, the Padres are in desperate need of a workhorse pitcher that can stay healthy and take them late into games.

Porcello has averaged 174 innings over the last four seasons and is just the kind of innings eater that the Padres need. He is also a ground ball-inducing pitcher who should fare well in spacious Petco Park. With an above-average fastball and a decent arsenal of pitches at his disposal, Porcello would be a wonderful addition to the Padres rotation.

He is only 23 and could benefit from the tutelage of Padres’ pitching coach Darren Balsley as well as manager Bud Black, who was also a former pitcher.  

In my eyes, Porcello is the ideal trade candidate for GM Josh Bynes and could make a fine addition to the Padres staff for many years to come.

Who else do you think the Padres should trade for, should signing a free-agent acquisition prove to be too costly?

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According to Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com, the Cleveland Indians have agreed on a one-year contract for corner infielder Mark Reynolds. The deal is valued at $6 million, but could be worth as much as $7.5 million if he reaches certain performance bonuses.  

Though the Indians now have a first baseman for next season (also an experienced designated hitter and third baseman), allowing for 24-year-old Lonnie Chisenhall to take over at third base, the Tribe definitely paid too much for Reynolds’ services in 2013.

Reynolds is coming off of a year where he saw his power numbers take a dip, batting a mere .221 with 23 home runs and 69 RBI.  He owns a lifetime .235 batting average, and though he has some good pop to his bat, he has struggled to bat over .221 the last three seasons.  

If you ask me, a guaranteed $6 million dollar contract doesn’t warrant the numbers he put up in 2012 where he made $7.5 million with the Baltimore Orioles.  I’m not sure what the Indians front office was thinking, but it seems their current commitment to fans includes players that struggle to hit for average. Even though the team is young and looking to rebuild, guaranteeing Reynolds this much money, even for only one year is absurd and could have been spent on improving other aspects.

If Reynolds can somehow find a way to replicate the numbers he put up in 2009 with the Arizona Diamondbacks (.260 average, 44 home runs, 102 RBI), perhaps this deal will look like a steal. However, with three consecutive years of average baseball, my guess is this contract will turn out to be a big waste of money.  

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