By Joey Cantelone

Nostalgia brings a slight tear to the eye when you glance over the free agent list and you see the three top leaders in hits still teamless with spring training coming to an end. Artie Marsh, Steve McDonald, and George John all second basemen and all proficient at getting hits have gotten no love from teams this offseason. The reasons range from age, injury history, and price tag. But surely each has proven himself and deserves another contract? Let’s take a look.

Artie Marsh was selected by the New Jersey Gothic Nights (now the Hitmen) with their first round pick in the inaugural draft. The choice was interesting as Marsh was a poster child for obp but was weaker than sun tea made on a rainy day. Well, he could hit doubles at an average clip, but you cringed when you watched him try to play second base unless you like errors, in which case you were privileged to witness 14 errors in the inaugural season. Artie also got a ring that year with those intrepid Nights, a feat he would later repeat twice with the Bears. The defense got better (at least the voters said so in 2011 when they gave an All-Leather award), and he represented the Bears twice at the All-star game. Marsh’s 2016 campaign was one of his best, but after a down year and a request for big money he has spent spring training twiddling his thumbs. Marsh sits atop the hits leader board just 86 hits from 2000.

Stevie Mc was a constant presence for Aurora Borealis’ decade of domination. 9 of 11 years he ended his season with a batting average above .300 (2007 it was .299). Last year, he struggled which led to him being traded away. Mc was an all-star 5 times and even demanded money usually not reserved for diminutive infielders at 44,000,000 over 2 years. He has won the all-leather once in his career. At 31 compared to Marsh’s 34, Steve has plenty of time to catch and pass Marsh – if he stays in the PEBA. After superstud Pat Lilly jumped ship to play in the LRS, the door opened for anybody to follow suit. And as PEBA teams seem to be hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal that would land McDonald, that may be where he is headed. Right now McDonald currently has 1,855 hits.

George John was selected just one pick later than Marsh by the Nutmeggers. Good middle infielders have always been in short supply in the PEBA, and so teams might have felt like they had to grab them while they were around. But not many teams have built their future foundation on limited power hitting second baseman. After an injury filled 2012 and 2013 John found himself a new home in Omaha, where for a time he seemed almost revitalized. John, for all his many hits, has not been able to break through the popularity ice that Steve McDonald has. His contract never got close to 20 million. The difference between toiling in limited success and the bright lights of the top stage. A down 2017 has him looking for another new home. He currently has 1,836 hits.

If none of these guys signs on anywhere could we see a new leader take the top spot this season? The closest and most likely to surpass these guys is Omaha’s franchise player Narahiko Imada at 1,828 hits. Imada had a down season last year and so it will take a solid effort for him to catch up and surpass.

But what would really be astonishing would be for Artie to catch on somewhere for one last swan song and push past 2000 hits. Doesn’t someone have some dough for this hitman?