Another week went by this MLB offseason without there being significant action on the free agent market. Infielder Daniel Murphy signed with the Washington Nationals, but other big names such as Alex Gordon still remained unsigned.
Rumors suggest the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants are waiting for Gordon's market to further develop, as the market for outfielders as a whole has been undefined for the most part.
Last week a report surfaced that indicated the Royals have no shot at retaining Gordon with their current contract offers, which, if those reported offers are indeed true, is no surprise. It was said Kansas City was lowballing Gordon with four-year contract proposals in the $50 million range.
On the other hand, both the White Sox and Giants are believed to be looking to add another impact bat, but reports say the price must be right. Chicago spent a lot last offseason and their payroll restrictions may not allow them to add another big contract. As for San Francisco, they've already spent $220 million on pitching this offseason, but they still have some room in the payroll moving forward. Earlier rumors indicated the team was not willing to add another $150 million contract to the books, which will not affect their pursuit of Gordon since he's expected to get $90-$100 million.
Here are some notes from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe regarding each team and their status on Gordon:
Royals - "Gordon is still drawing a lot of interest and prefers to stay in Kansas City, though that dream may be fading."
White Sox - "Don't be surprised if the aggressive White Sox rush to the front. The White Sox have already traded for Todd Frazier and would like one more significant hitter."
Giants - "The Giants are also expected to be in on Alex Gordon, whose demands seem to be less than those of [Yoenis] Cespedes."
The reality is all three of these clubs need a left fielder or could use an upgrade at the position. Gordon is regarded as the best defensive left fielder in the MLB and his left-handed bat is also a plus. He's a gem in this market because the flashier names such as Cespedes and Justin Upton are expected to land deals in excess of $100 million when there's certainly an argument to be had about Gordon being the more valuable all-around player.
It's surprising teams haven't pounced on the opportunity to sign him, but it's also understandable because right now it's not clear how Jason Heyward's $184 million deal has affected the market for outfielders.
Gordon will be 32 before next season, so perhaps teams are hesitant about giving him a lucrative four- or five-year contract. Then again, Gordon hit his stride just five seasons ago at the age of 27 and that may indicate he'll play well into his mid-to-late thirties.
