A look at some of the free agent predictions

By my count, the Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers led the majors by making three qualifying offers each. The Nationals, Cardinals and Padres made two QOs each and eight different teams made one offer each.

Again, if I have figured correctly, only three teams (San Diego, Seattle, Chicago White Sox) that made qualifying offers won fewer than 81 games last year. Those three teams (with four total picks) would get compensation picks ahead of the Orioles if the players they made QOs to turn them down and sign elsewhere. All this likely means the Orioles' compensatory picks if any or all of Matt Wieters, Chris Davis and Wei-Yin Chen leave the team would come in the low to mid 30s in next June's draft.

Only 12 players received qualifying offers after the 2014 season and a record 20 got them this year.

MLBTradeRumors.com listed its top 50 free agents according to earning power and predictions where they will end up:

No. 5 - Chris Davis going to St. Louis for six years, $144 million
No. 13 - Wei-Yin Chen going to Detroit for five years, $80 million
No. 15 - Matt Wieters going to Washington for four years, $64 million
No. 32 - Gerardo Parra going to Washington for three years, $27 million
No. 33 - Darren O'Day going to Boston for three years, $22.5 million
No. 43 - Steve Pearce going to Texas for two years, $14 million

So they have the Orioles going 0-for-6 with their own free agents. My first reaction to these predictions is that Davis will get more money and if Chen gets $80 million, the Orioles clearly have to pass on that. If O'Day signs for that exact contract, it should be the Orioles that get that done. I will be surprised if Wieters gets that deal, but with such a weak catcher market, it could happen. If Pearce can get two years, I don't see why the Orioles should match that. As I've written before, I didn't see Parra worth a Nick Markakis-type deal of four years, $40 million. He could be worth that three-year deal, but then he will need to play much better than he did as an Oriole after the trade.

That list had left-hander Scott Kazmir ranked 18th and signing with the Orioles for four years at $52 million. It had the club signing No. 45 John Jaso for two years at $12 million and No. 48 Justin Morneau for one year at $8 million.

This is just one outlet's prediction, but if the winter goes as that article predicted, I can't see O's fans being too excited about that. If the Orioles are not going to be in the hunt for a $200 million pitcher like David Price, maybe they need to pursue a Johnny Cueto or Jordan Zimmermann. They need rotation upgrades.

What is your take on some of the predictions you have seen?