Over at MLB Trade Rumors, Tim Dierkes listed his top 50 free agents of the offseason with his predictions for their landing spots. Kevin Youkilis, A.J. Pierzynski and Francisco Liriano each made the cut:
27. Kevin Youkilis - Phillies. Youkilis' numbers have been trending downward, but the third base market is terrible and he could still secure a multiyear deal. The Phillies have the need, though signing both Upton and Youk would put them near their limit. The Orioles, Dodgers, and Indians are other options if the White Sox don't re-sign Youkilis.
28. Francisco Liriano - Red Sox. Liriano posted a 5.34 ERA in 2012, walking five batters per nine innings. He had the same ugly walk rate in 2011. Nonetheless, his 2006 and 2010 seasons are tantalizing, and the 29-year-old can probably be had on a one-year deal. All kinds of teams will line up to try to fix him; the Padres, Blue Jays, Cubs, Royals, and Astros seem like good fits as well.
30. A.J. Pierzynski - Rangers. Pierzynski, 36 in December, put on a surprising power display in 2012 with a career-high 27 home runs. He slugged .412 on the road, though, and that's a reasonable projection moving forward. It's difficult to picture A.J. leaving the Sox, though he nearly signed with the Dodgers during the 2010-11 offseason before owner Jerry Reinsdorf stepped in. The White Sox could give the catching job to Tyler Flowers, while Pierzynski could replace Napoli in Texas.