Pitchers and Catchers are going to report in about a month, and there are several big name free agents out there who still remain unsigned. Michael Bourn is one of them. Bourn began the off-season with many suitors, but interest in him quickly faded away after those teams acquired different players via trade. Bourn also declined the qualifying offer that Atlanta offered him, so he will now be linked to draft compensation. Therefore, many teams are very reluctant to sign him, but Bourn is going to have to sign somewhere soon before his value goes down. So, here are his top 5 suitors as of January 13, 2013.
5. New York Yankees
Lemme start out by saying that the Yankees want to get their payroll lower. With that being said, they could trade Curtis Granderson and his contract to an opposing team and sign Michael Bourn to a cheaper deal. We all know that Granderson's numbers are currently being inflated by Yankee Stadium's hitter-friendly dimensions, and I personally don't think that he is worth $15 million. Michael Bourn would be a good fit for the Yankees, and it wouldn't cost a huge multiyear commitment to bring him in.
4. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are supposed to be rebuilding, but they have come out this off-season and made some decent signings (Scott Baker, Scott Feldman, Nate Schierholtz, etc.) They have shown that they are willing to spend money to upgrade the organization, and Bourn may find the money he desires from Theo Epstein and Co. If Bourn signs a deal with Chicago, he would probably slide in as the team's lead-off hitter, with All-Star shortstop Starlin Castro hitting in the 2 hole.
3. Atlanta Braves
When the Braves signed B.J. Upton, many of us thought that they were going to quit their pursuit of Michael Bourn. However, they are still having conversations with him, and want him to be their left-fielder in 2013. I don't know if Bourn would be content with settling in that role, but it definitely seems like the Braves want him back.
2. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have been interested in just about every free agent out there this off-season, and they would like to continue to upgrade their offense. They acquired Mike Morse and Kendrys Morales, but are still looking for a center-fielder, and have been involved heavily in the Michael Bourn pursuit ever since the season ended last fall. The Mariners are going to be willing to give Bourn a multi-year deal, and I wouldn't be surprised if they quietly snag him.
1. Texas Rangers
The Rangers have had an interesting off-season, to say the least. They lost out on the Josh Hamilton sweepstakes, leaving a huge hole in center-field. They still have an above-average lineup, particularly because of the addition of A.J. Pierzynski. The Rangers have shown interest in Bourn throughout the entire off-season, and it seems likely that they overpay for him. Additionally, Bourn would probably want to join Texas because the hitter-friendly confines of Rangers Ballpark would certainly inflate his numbers.
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