With the Super Bowl firmly planted in the rearview mirror, many true four-season sports fans have instinctively already checked reporting dates for pitcher and catchers, and perhaps even took a glance at airfares for a quick duck into spring training next month. Yes, baseball fans, it's nearly that time again.
One problem, though. There is a lengthy list of major league-quality free agents who have yet to find employment. We're not just talking about big-dollar, multiyear contract-seekers, we're talking the whole gamut, from the one-year "pillow" contract types all the way down to the minor league deals with invites to spring training. So what gives?
Well, there are an awful lot of factors at play, and some aren't all that obvious to the naked eye. Let's put some of those factors on the table and gauge their effect on some of this group's leading lights, qualifying offer recipients Yovani Gallardo, Dexter Fowler and Ian Desmond, as well as next-tier leaders like David Freese, Juan Uribe, Austin Jackson, Jimmy Rollins and Mat Latos.