Now that the fans are hyped up to spending Ricketts phantom money on pitching for 2015, a quick review of the potential free agent class, per MLBTR:
Brett Anderson (27) – $12MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout
Josh Beckett (35)
Chad Billingsley (30) – $14MM club option with a $3MM buyout
Joe Blanton (34)
A.J. Burnett (38) – mutual option
Chris Capuano (36)
Bruce Chen (38) – $5.5MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Wei-Yin Chen (29) – $4.75MM club option with a $372K buyout
Kevin Correia (34)
Johnny Cueto (29) – $10MM club option with an $800K buyout
Jorge De La Rosa (34)
Ryan Dempster (38)
Gavin Floyd (32)
Yovani Gallardo (29) – $13MM club option with a $600K buyout
Jason Hammel (32)
J.A. Happ (32) – $6.7MM club option
Aaron Harang (37)
Dan Haren (34) – $10MM player option if 180 innings reached in 2014
Roberto Hernandez (34)
Hisashi Iwakuma (34) – $7MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Josh Johnson (31) – $4MM club option
Kyle Kendrick (30)
Hiroki Kuroda (40)
Jon Lester (31)
Colby Lewis (35)
Francisco Liriano (31)
Paul Maholm (33)
Justin Masterson (30)
Brandon McCarthy (31)
Brandon Morrow (30) – $10MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Felipe Paulino (31) – $4MM club option with a $250K buyout
Jake Peavy (34)
Wandy Rodriguez (36)
Ervin Santana (32)
Joe Saunders (34)
Max Scherzer (30)
James Shields (33)
Carlos Villanueva (31)
Ryan Vogelsong (37)
Edinson Volquez (30)
Jerome Williams (33)
For all the promise that the Cubs could assemble an All-Star rotation by this Christmas, the above list is really very thin of "ace" material. Most of the pitchers on the list are past their prime, injured, bouncing from club to club as journeymen, and AAAA quality relievers in training. With teams on the cusp of winning pennants like the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles, Angels, Mariners and Tigers willing to spend big money on stars, the Cubs will not be on the radar as a great landing spot for the 2015 FA pitching crop.
Lester, Scherzer, Shields, Liriano and Santana seem to be the best options which means the high cost alternatives to one's own pitching prospects. Lester, Scherzer and Shields will be pushing $20-22 million/ year long term deals. Liriano and Santana may be second tier value, but still pushing $17-19 million per season in mid term deals.
