Potential 2016 Free-Agent Targets

[clvclv]

Cs:
Matt Wieters

OFs:
Yoenis Cespedes
Dexter Fowler
Jason Heyward
Austin Jackson
Denard Span
Drew Stubbs
Justin Upton

SPs:
Johnny Cueto
Doug Fister
Hisashi Iwakuma
Scott Kazmir
Ian Kennedy
John Lackey
Mat Latos
Rick Porcello
David Price
Jeff Samardzija
Jordan Zimmerman

[nsacpi]

As a complement to that list, here's a brief examination of what we know about salaries in 2016.

The following players have increases from 2015 to 2016 in their contracts: Freeman (3.5M), Melvin Upton (1M), Kimbrel (2M), Chris Johnson (1.5M), Teheran (2.3M) and Simmons (3M). The total is 14.3M.

In addition, several players currently on the team will be getting raises through arbitration from 2015 to 2016. They include Minor, Miller, Gattis and Carpenter. The total increase for those four is likely to be in the 10-15M range. There is a chance Wood will qualify for arbitration as a Super 2.

So raises from contracts and arbitration are likely to total close to 30M.

The contracts going off the books are Uggla (13M), Justin Upton (14.5M), Russell (around 2.5M), Callaspo (3M), Jim Johnson (1.6M). The total is 34.6M.

We will have to spend to replace some of those guys with expiring contracts. Others we can hopefully replace with guys coming up through the farm system.

Of course there is also the possibility of trades to move one or more player making significant money.

[sturg33]

We should go after Heyward and Upton

[chop2chip]

We should go after Heyward and Upton

Cosign

[clvclv]

We should go after Heyward and Upton

I'm in assuming Jason's open to moving to CF full-time. I fully expect Heyward will be patrolling RF in the Bronx starting in 2016. Assuming that's the case, my next choice would be Justin and Fowler.

[Heyward]

Good pitchers market.

Dont see us signing what Jason/Justin will get.

I'd like Span if the Nats wont pay him. Fowler wouldnt be bad either.