Howie Kendrick and Dexter Fowler are still free agents for some reason

Listen, we know it’s tough to catch up on everything happening in the baseball world each morning. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day. Trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk just isn’t easy. It’s okay, though, we’re going to do the heavy lifting for you each morning and find the things you need to see from within the SB Nation baseball network, as well as from elsewhere. Please hold your applause until the end, or at least until after you subscribe to the newsletter.

Dexter Fowler isn’t the best outfielder around, especially since there are questions about just how well he can handle center field. Even considering that, though, his bat is legitimate -- Fowler has hit .270/.367/.420 for a 110 OPS+ over the last five seasons -- and he’s been at least an average player during those years, even if you assume he can’t play defense to save his life. If the 30-year-old is better than that with the glove, well, then he’s been an above-average center fielder for some time now. And yet, he’s still sitting out there on the free agent market waiting for someone to care.

The same goes for Howie Kendrick, who had a rough year defensively in 2015, according to the advanced metrics, but that was out of the ordinary. He’s just a season removed from being a five-win player at second base, and while no one should be in a hurry to sign a 32-year-old second baseman to a five- or six-year deal or what have you, there still should be more of a market for Kendrick than there has been. He’s been even better at the plate than Fowler since 2011, and at a position where the offensive expectations are lower.

All the attention has gone to Yoenis Cespedes since he’s a potential impact player on a long-term deal, but Fowler and Kendrick can be valuable pieces, and much cheaper ones, too. There are a number of teams who could use either, yet it’s Jan. 21 and both of them are still sitting around. Yes, it’s in part due to draft pick compensation from the qualifying offer, but giving up a pick beats failing to fill a hole at all. The Diamondbacks at least look like they’re trying to make room for Kendrick as part of their quick turnaround, but Fowler is probably going to have to wait until one of the teams who wants Cespedes fails to acquire him. At least this means we have some offseason moves left to look forward to.