With the post season now officially over (congrats to the Red Sox), it is now time to look forward and think about all of talent up for grabs. In this post, I will give you my top 5 free agents and let you know which So-Cal team(s) I feel will most benefit from the addition.

1. Robinson Cano

I think no matter who you ask, Cano would be a great addition to most ball clubs. He has already expressed an interest in “exploring his options” and I feel it will take a 10 year contract to keep him around. Although I think its likely he will stay with the Yankees, my gut feeling is that he wants to go somewhere new. Most benefit: 1) Angels 2) Dodgers

2. Jacoby Ellsbury

Ellsbury will more than likely be receiving at least a $100 MM contract. However his history of health issues and lack of power in 2013 will likely have only the big market teams chancing his signing. When healthy, Ellsbury is an All Star both with his bat and glove.  I think  there is a good chance he will leave Bean Town in search of a new team to win a World Series with. Most benefit: 1) Padres 2) Angels

3. Hiroki Kuroda

When Kuroda was let go by the Dodgers in 2011, he was, I think the best, #3 pitcher in baseball. With a declining rotation, Kuroda took over as the Ace for the Yankees and did a pretty good job. Also, flat numbers over the course of his career suggests an improvement since he left the dodgers, considering the move to the AL, and the addition of a DH. Back in the NL I think he could get his ERA as low as 2.90, which is where I hope he ends up. Most Benefit: 1) Angels 2) Padres 3) Dodgers

4. Shin-Soo Choo

Choo gets hits, steals bases, and has decent power. He has a career OBP of .389, and in 2013, he hit 21 home runs and stole 20 bases. He has also managed to stay healthy for the last 2 years. Signing him will translate into a lot more runs for teams that lean on their their power to win games. Most Benefit: 1) Dodgers 2) Angels 3) Padres

5. Masahiro Tanaka

If you haven’t heard about Tanaka, he is an absolute beast on the mound. If a team signs him, it will be his first year in the big leagues, but his numbers last year were near perfect. 24-0, 1.27 ERA, 0.43, 7.8 K/9 innings. If he is going to become a top pitcher in MLB, he will need good coaching, and a catcher who he can develop with, But out of the box, I could see him putting up numbers like Hyun-jin Ryu did last year for the Dodgers. Most Benefit: 1) Angels 2) Dodgers 3) Padres

Please let me know what you think of my list and who your top 5 free agents are. Also make sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks!

– DDB