Kuzul

Earlier this offseason, when the San Francisco Giants re-signed reliever Jeremy Affeldt to a three-year, $18 million contract, I argued that the club overpaid to retain the 33-year-old lefty. The Giants have since given a three-year, $15 million extension to 32-year-old reliever Santiago Casilla.In retrospect, neither player seems to have been given an egregiously large contract given the way the market has shaken out. But I generally don't like paying market prices for veteran relievers because relief pitchers tend to be more fungible than starting pitchers and everyday position players—and the latter two categories are harder to find.For example, the Giants turned up Casilla on a minor league deal prior to 2010 after he had washed out by putting up a 5.96 ERA with the A's the season before. In three years with the Giants, he's put up a combined 2.22 ERA.It's also worth noting that neither Casilla nor Affeldt ...

Free agent Nick Swisher is drawing plenty of interest this offseason, which should come as no surprise given his consistent productivity.The 32-year-old outfielder has hit 20 or more home runs in each of the last eight seasons, and he's played in at least 131 games per year over that span. In 2012, he hit .272 from the plate with 24 homers and 93 RBI while also posting the third-highest slugging percentage (.467) of his career.Given his durability and versatility—the switch-hitter played 41 games at first base last season—Swisher is one of the most sought after free agents this winter.According to Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston, the Red Sox, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants are all in the running for Swisher's services.While all four teams would provide various benefits, some situations would certainly be better for Swisher than others. Here's how I would rank his top options. 3. ...

Many of MLB's top 2013 free agents have made some surprising moves in the last week, but there still are a few great players left on the major league market.The list is shrinking at a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it pace, and these players are sure to find homes soon.Michael Bourn is at the top of the list, with rumors coming from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports that the Dodgers might even consider getting rid of Andre Ethier for the speedy center fielder.Bourn is coming off of his second All-Star season and his most productive since he entered the league. Last year, the journeyman hit nine home runs and 57 RBI, but was a productive defender and aggressive on base.It would be a surprising move, but at this point any place Bourn lands would be shocking, considering deals with the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals went sour after they looked elsewhere.Nick Swisher is still available and ...

Josh Hamilton is off the market and I'm OK with that, but not everyone feels the same way.In fact, based on the response from most of the people I've spoken to and read, the Mariners' whiffing on Hamilton is a bit of a problem.Upon hearing the news, a good friend and long-time M's fan sighed, "It's going to be a long winter and summer at the rate things are going."Another friend lamented, "Are the M's ever going to turn things around, or are we all kidding ourselves?"I tried to reason with him for a few minutes, but he wasn't having it, as the situation seems well beyond repair at this point.  Funny thing is, he wasn't even all that keen on signing Hamilton in the first place.  For some though, the lost opportunity seemed to cut deeper and offered the perfect chance to exact retribution for the team's most recent ...

We're already two weeks into December, and Nick Swisher still doesn't have a home.The former New York Yankees right fielder is still one of the top free agents out on the market, and people have been wondering where he might sign.Swisher's market has been slow to develop, but I think that's because of Josh Hamilton.I think once teams knew where Hamilton was going, they could turn their attention to guys like Swisher and Michael Bourn.With the Los Angeles Angels wrapping up their five-year, $125 million deal for Hamilton, Swisher's phone is likely about to be ringing off the hook with offers.Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News tweeted that Swisher is set to visit multiple teams next week in person. As expected, Josh Hamilton's signing is setting the Nick Swisher market in motion. Swisher will visit multiple teams in person next week.— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) December 13, 2012 Let's take a ...

The Boston Red Sox have a few glaring holes to fill this offseason, and they have yet to really dive into the free-agent market. Boston has made two complementary signings thus far—David Ross and Jonny Gomes—who will each play key roles in the coming season. But offensively, the Red Sox are still very much without a right fielder and a first baseman. Boston dealt their franchise first baseman, Adrian Gonzalez, to the Los Angeles Dodgers late last year and Cody Ross, who regularly roamed right field in 2012, is a free agent. The Red Sox have harped on making smart moves and fiscal discipline that will benefit the franchise going forward. “I think the key is we are absolutely committed to building the best team we can in 2013 and beyond, and we’re going to do that in the most disciplined way possible. When we’ve been at our best, we’ve ...

It was one of the more disappointing seasons in recent memory for the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans.While they tried to make a long-shot run at the National League's second wild-card spot late in the season, their sluggish start to the season was just too much to overcome.The Phillies did manage to fight their way back to finish with a respectable 81-81 regular season record, but missed the playoffs despite having one of the biggest payrolls in major league baseball.Phillies fans need not worry, however.They still have key contributors like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon all signed through at least next season.With a core of players that are still capable of winning in place, bringing in Nick Swisher seems like a no-brainer.Not only because Swisher is one of the better bats on the free-agent market to be signed, but also ...

After an embarrassing end to the 2012 postseason, the New York Yankees will be looking to upgrade their roster and make another run at a twenty-eighth World Series title. Age was a huge factor in the Yankees laying an egg in this year’s ALCS. This team will have to get younger to stay competitive in a league full of rising young stars. The quieting of the Yankee bats come playoff time is beginning to feel like a perennial postseason phenomenon in New York. This Yankee clubhouse is in need of a change in atmosphere and philosophy, something that can be fixed by replacing the players with reoccurring postseason slumps.Here are three Yankees who need to be replaced after disappointing postseason performances.Begin Slideshow

Technically, open season on MLB free agents does not begin until the sixth day after the World Series concludes.But you could forgive most fans for feeling like free agent season really began Friday night, with Josh Hamilton being booed off the field in his last two at-bats as the Texas Rangers bowed quietly to the Baltimore Orioles in the one-game playoff between the two American League wild cards.When Hamilton said it "doesn't matter if I play here or somewhere else," you figure he meant he'll be playing somewhere other than Texas in 2013.  He won't be the only one.Other prominent players looking for huge dollars (and possibly new uniforms) include Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton and Zack Greinke.These are just some of the players—who the likely active buyers this offseason—will be vying for.Begin Slideshow

Nick Swisher is a good Yankee.In almost four full seasons, he has a .362 on-base percentage and 101 home runs. He's a decent right fielder and has proven his worth at first base in 2012 while Mark Teixeira deals with a calf injury. He's also a clubhouse and fan favorite.Unfortunately for Swisher, who has embraced New York, his days as a Yankee are numbered.He'll be a free agent this off-season and it's difficult to see him in the Yankees' future plans, given Swisher's postseason numbers and the Yankees' desire to decrease their payroll by 2014.Swisher has always been a streaky hitter, which partially explains the Yankees' inability to keep their division lead in 2012. Since Aug. 29, he's just 7-62 (.113) without a home run. He has his share of hot streaks, too, but I sense the team is getting tired of his extreme hot and cold stretches.One thing he's never ...