This season saw one of the best crops of free agents in recent memory. Even after Buffalo and Mexico City snapped up some of the prime players, there were still some highly talented players left for the taking.
Buffalo stayed highly aggressive, adding former Bandits CF Paul Turnbow to the fold. He gets a guaranteed 3-year, $22.5 million contract with a team option for a 4th year which would bring the contract to $30 million and a full no-trade clause.
To replace Turnbow, Atlanta grabbed veteran CF DeWayne Castillo from Las Vegas at a reasonable 2-year, $8.6 million price tag. The Bandits will be his 6th major league team.
Las Vegas will also be without RF Steve Sweeney this season, as he hops a flight east to Philadelphia. A 3-year, $15.3 million contract (the third season is a mutual option) got his attention and, more importantly, his signature.
Ted Reese's 5 1/2 year run with Vancouver has ended, as the lefty reliever signed a 2-year, $9.4 million contract. Reese crackd the 200 save plateau last season.
Two of the biggest free agents waited until the tail end of the free agency period to sign. Boston fans got good news and bad news.
First, the good news for Beantown. 1B Ruben Hernandez left Salt Lake City for Fenway Park. The league's all-time RBI leader signed for 3 years at $18.3 million, with a mutual option for a 4th year at $6.1 million.
Ace starter Fred Carter will not be a teammate of Hernandez, as he will be leaving Boston for greener pastures in Houston. There may not be many pastures in Houston, but they'll be plenty of green for Carter, as he received a guaranteed 5-year, $89.5 million contract. which I believe is the largest contract in the history of The Bigs.
On another note, our blog hits another milestone, as this is the 600th post for the TBDN staff.
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