Will 2016 produce some free agent surprises?

With now about six weeks to go before the start of another spring training, the market remains flush with some big name position players. Chris Davis, Yoenis Cespedes, Alex Gordon and Justin Upton are all still out there.

Jason Heyward signed an eight-year deal for $184 million with the Chicago Cubs. It contains - of course - an opt-out clause and the potential for a second one. His signing was supposed to signal the startup of outfielders coming off the board, but so far that has not happened.

Are we in for some surprises this year?

Surprises would include one of those players signing for an amount well under their projected $100 million-plus deals. A surprise would include a player taking a one-year deal to start over again next winter. A real surprise would include a player signing after the start of the draft next June, when they would no longer have a draft pick attached to their signing.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Friday that the Chicago White Sox would like to sign either Cespedes or Gordon - but to a deal of no longer than three years. That sounds like a nice goal, but one they very likely won't be able to achieve.

Three years or less for those two? That would also fall under the surprise category for me. Unless the money was just beyond any of their expectations, I would think a top free agent would rather take a one-year deal and start over next winter than a shorter deal of three years.

By the way, does the Heyward deal of $184 million set the market for the other outfielders? Some might suggest if Heyward got that much, then clearly Upton is worth $120 or $140 million or more.

I've never completely understood how one team's decision should so heavily impact the other 29, but I also realize it often does.

This high-dollar stare down contest of players, agents, owners and general managers has now reached a new year and probably the homestretch. Davis' offer from the Orioles is off the table. But they could revisit it. He could still take it. They might still offer it. Yep, I'm confused by all this, too.

It is a bit surprising that 2016 is here and some big-name players are unsigned. Are more surprises soon in store for us?