Looking Ahead To The 2010 Free Agents
wrigleyville23 — MLB Trade Rumors has next year's free agent class. Start formulating your deadline deals today.

If not Teixeira... maybe Holliday?
The Bottom Line — MLB Trade Rumors released their list of 2010 Free Agents today and one name caught my eye. Matt Holliday. matt holliday.jpg Holliday was a blip on the Red Sox radar before being ...

There's always next year
The Crawfish Boxes — There's always next year MLBTradeRumors already has a list of the 2010 Class of Free Agents.

Next year? OF could be the priority
The Sommer Frieze — ... Tim Dierkes of MLBTR has a list of free agents after the 2009 season. In looking at the list, here are my thoughts. Dierkes bolded the Boras agents and put the 2010 age of the free agents on his list. ...

What happens after next season? ‘09-’10 MLB Free Agency
Zell's Pinstripe Blog — ... available for free agency next year that might interest the Yankees. The Yankees will have LF, RF, and the DH position opened. Jason Bay (31), Carl Crawford (28) - $10MM club option with a $1.25MM buyout, Matt Holliday (30), Rick Ankiel (30), Jermaine Dye (36) - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout, Vladimir Guerrero (34), Magglio Ordonez (36) - $15MM club/vesting option with a $3MM buyout, Randy Winn (36), Aubrey Huff (33) The rest of the 2010 MLB Free Agents list can be seen on MLB Trade Rumors .——————————- Catcher Jose Molina (35) Left fielder Johnny Damon (36) Right ...

Looking At 2010 To Predict 2009
The Ghost of Moonlight Graham — ... Based on MLB Trade Rumors list of 2010 free agents, let’s take a look 1 pitcher and 1 hitter who might be in line for that “Adrian Beltre year” in 2009. ...

Hill To The Orioles, Perez To The Mets….
The Ghost of Moonlight Graham — ... A. Take a look at the 2010 free agent class. Outside of John Lackey, it’s not very impressive. Perez might actually be a better option than 99% of that class. ...

NL Central's Future: Nine Cincinnati Reds Questions with Doug Gray
MVN RSS — ... then I think the one guy to look out for is Danny Dorn. The Reds somehow failed to give him a spring training invite despite him having the best season by far of any minor league hitter in our system. He has a ton of power and really beats up on right handed pitching. He was not in Baseball America's Top 20 prospects for the Reds, although I ranked him inside of my own Top 10 for the Reds. If you could call dibs for the Reds on one free agent from the 2010 class (at his market value), who would it be? Matt Holliday is ...

Manny is a Dodger, probably a Yankee in 2010
N/A — ... So what will the Yankees do if Ramirez declines his option at the end of 2009? Next offseason, both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are at the end of their contracts freeing up $26 million. Xavier Nady will become a free agent and the Yankees seem unlikely to re-sign him. Nick Swisher is signed through 2011 but the Yankees have been willing to deal him if the right offer comes along. Plus, of all the outfield positions, Swisher has played left field the least (109 out of 552 games). Here are the available free agent left fielders in 2010 : Left fielders Garret Anderson (38) ...

Girardi reveals Matsui plan
lenNY's Yankees — ... His contract expires after this season, and I don't see the need to re-sign him.  The Yankees have too many outfielders as it is, and there will be a huge market for outfielders for next season. ...

Looking Ahead
Fack Youk — ... Back in December, Tim at MLBTR compiled a list of the free agents to be in 2010. I whittled it down to the most intriguing options, in my opinion. (The Scarlet B represents a Boras client) ...

You Want To Break Up The Mets Core? Then It's Reyes Who Goes.
The Mets Police — ... Take a look at this list of 2010 free agents ...under the assumption that a team is never going to let a stud go unless it's a walk year.  Is there someone on this list you'd move Jose Reyes for?  Cliff Lee is your best bet. ...

Bay or Holliday?
Around the Majors — ... Holliday, on the other hand, is a Scott Boras client who will almost certainly be wearing another uniform this time next spring. The slugging outfielder is considered by many to be the prized jewel of the 2010 free agent class, which is relatively thin (click here for a full list, courtesy of ...

Bay or Holliday?
Tyler's Take On Sports — ... Holliday, on the other hand, is a Scott Boras client who will almost certainly be wearing another uniform this time next spring. The slugging outfielder is considered by many to be the prized jewel of the 2010 free agent class, which is relatively thin (click here for a full list, courtesy of ...

2010 Free Agents: Bay Versus Holliday
Dugout Central — ... Holliday, on the other hand, is a Scott Boras client who will almost certainly be wearing another uniform this time next spring. The slugging outfielder is considered by many to be the prized jewel of the 2010 free agent class, which is relatively thin (click here for a full list, courtesy of ...

Whatcha Gonna Do…
The Ghost of Moonlight Graham — ... It will be interesting to see how this year plays out for Crawford and the Rays as the Rays have a club option for $10MM on Crawford for 2010. But right now Crawford is running wild and there is nobody who can stop him. ...

An Update On 2010 Free Agents: Boras Clients, Part One
Tyler's Take On Sports — ... While the class is not quite as deep, the Boras Corporation represents several big-name clients eligible for free agency in 2010 as well. There is certainly a lot of baseball left to be played, but here is an update on how Boras’ free-agent eligible clients are performing. In the first edition of a two-part series, here is a list of his position player clients. All free agent/client data courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors. ...

2010 Free Agent Update: Boras Clients, Part One
Around the Majors — ... While the class is not quite as deep, the Boras Corporation represents several big-name clients eligible for free agency in 2010 as well. There is certainly a lot of baseball left to be played, but here is an update on how Boras' free-agent eligible clients are performing. In the first edition of a two-part series, here is a list of his position player clients. All free agent/client data courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors (stats through Monday night). ...

A Look at Boras’ 2010 Class
Dugout Central — ... While the class is not quite as deep, the Boras Corporation represents several big-name clients eligible for free agency in 2010 as well. There is certainly a lot of baseball left to be played, but here is an update on how Boras’ free-agent eligible clients are performing. In the first edition of a two-part series, here is a list of his position player clients. All free agent/client data courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors (stats entering Tuesday). ...

Did the Sox drop the ball by not signing Bay?
The Bottom Line — ... Youk for the lead in BA (.319) and OBP (.456). In just 12 games this May he already matched his April totals with 5 homers, 3 doubles, 18 RBI and two stolen bases. He won't keep this pace all season, but for the record, he's on track to hit 43 homers, 35 doubles and drive 159 RBI with 500 at-bats. He's also dramatically improved him BB/K rate from his career 425/765 (.555) to a projected 120/133 (.902). Jason Bay and his peeps know that he and Matt Holliday are the big name Free Agents for 2010 ... and Bay is increasing his value with every at-bat right now. We may never see ...

From What I Read, The New York Mets Are Effed
The Mets Police — ... I think in lieu of making the playoffs, I think the best thing for this team would be for Jose Reyes to come back, have a very strong finish to the season, and then be dealt for multiple players.    Beltran has a no-trade, you can't replace a Santana (whereas you could find a serviceable shortstop), and trading Wright would be June 15, 1977 all over.     Check out the below (thanks to MLB Trade rumors) First basemen ...

Bullet in the Chamber
The Real Dirty Mets Blog — ... Given those vacancies next year and the 2010 FA outlook (thanks to MLB Trade Rumors), Omar needs to consider his draft picks for FA and also the team’s payroll. Omar also needs to consider if this team can stay close enough to 1st place for their returning offense to have any impact on the remaining season. What makes the decisions harder is the way the last two seasons ending. The collapse in 2007 and coming up just short with another injury riddled season in 2008 puts Omar in a precarious position that he must find a way for this team to get the job done. The ...

Introducing Your 2010 Detroit Tigers...?
Bless You Boys — ... Below you will find the needed links to formulate such a roster.  The 1st link has the players' current contracts.  The 2nd link is a list of available free agents after this season (or potential FA's depending on options and whatnot).  Note that the 2nd link has a link within it that also displays players who are CURRENTLY FA's (i.e Pedro Martinez, Ben Sheets, etc.) http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/detroit-tigers_21.html http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/12/2010-mlb-free-a.html *** The only twist in this is ...

Would Chad Tracy make sense...
Mets Fever — ... What will we need next year; a left fielder, first baseman, power threat and a number two starter ( basically everything we needed this year - Delgado was predictable). Looking at the 2010 free agent lists (source MLBTR), there's not much out there. ...

Cristian Guzman Claimed?
Nationals Farm Authority — ... it is take on what I view as a bad contract for the Nats in 2010. Bring up Ian Desmond from Syracuse and give him a 50 game tryout at shortstop during the rest of the 2009 season. Desmond is reaching the point in his development where the Nationals need to see if he has the ability to be  a long term answer and there is no better time than now to start finding that out. In the off-season, the Nationals can look at stopgap measures for one season if Desmond proves he’s not ready. Names like Khalil Greene, Bobby Crosby, Adam Everett and John McDonald will be out there and ...

Second Guessing
Bucs Trade Winds — ... Craig Counsell (39) Mark DeRosa (35) David Eckstein (35) Jerry Hairston Jr. (34) Orlando Hudson (32) Akinori Iwamura (31) - $4.25MM club option with a $250K buyout Adam Kennedy (34) Felipe Lopez (30) Mark Loretta (38) Pablo Ozuna (35) Placido Polanco (34) Freddy Sanchez (32) - $8MM club option with a $600K buyout; vests with 600 PAs Juan Uribe (31) from: ...

Design the 2010 Reds Outfield
Redleg Nation — ... Is there enough talent from that pool of 9 outfielders to field an above average everyday outfield, or does this team need to look outside the organization for starting outfield help? You could look outside the organization at the free agent market or via trade. ...

The Future of Vlad Guerrero
Roto Savants — ... in his knee. The Angels have to rest his knee and, when healthy, he will probably be a player who needs at least a day off per week. Looking at the free agents to be in 2010, there could be a few vacancies where Guerrero could fill in. ...

Orioles: Offseason Expectations
The Loss Column -- Baltimore's Independent Sports Talk Alternative -- a Baltimore Sports Blog and Community — ... Take a look at the list of pending free agents, however, and the air comes out of the balloon a bit. The guy we need isn’t going to be there. Not as a free agent. ...

There's a reason we got J.J., don't forget why...
Mets Fever — ... So the Mets have a dilemma in the 8th inning, they can over pay J.J. or hope he accepts arbitration, go in-house in which Elmer Dessens is there best option ( really look at the numbers, he has the lowest ERA in the majors in our pen and the most saves in Buffalo) or look at the free agent list ( source MLBTR) but there aren't many that are inspiring. ...

Yesterday's win was as much Schneider's as Pelf...
Mets Fever — ... (source NYFS) might look to move a catcher and there are a few free agents worth looking at. Bengie Molina is 35 y/o but seems to be a best hitter and staff handler of the group, Molina turned down an offer in 2006 from Omar so he could stay on the west coast. ...

First Look: 2010 Free Agent Closers
The Rays Party — ... Stats from Fan Graphs, Cot's Contracts, MLBTradeRumors 

Mets 2010 First Base- The Daniel Murphy Conundrum
The Mets Report — ... If you look at the list of 2010 free agents, there isn’t anyone at first base that really jumps out at you. But there are some good short term solutions until minor leaguer Ike Davis is ready in a year or two. The Mets could get several players that could outperform Murphy on short-term contracts. ...

Can the 2010 Astros be competitive?
The Crawfish Boxes — ...  However, it's hard to say that all aren't question marks in my mind.  I doubt that our starting rotation will include more than two of the above to start the season, as I am sure there will be some manner of reclamation project scooped up by Ed Wade this winter.  I also doubt that this unnamed pitcher will be more than a giant question mark in my mind as well.  How can I be so confident that whatever Ed Wade pulls off the scrap heap will be a question mark? Just take a look at the options. ...

The Uncertainty Over Flores
Nats320 -- A Washington Nationals Blog — ... Brian Schneider has always been able to do that. Pudge Rodriquez too. And so can Victor Martinez. All potential free agents this winter in a weak market for catchers. All of whom are nearing or are already on the down sides of their careers. ...

Potential Pitching Trade Targets
Hot Foot — ... having pitched a complete season since 2007, and by opening day 2010 he will be 31 years of age.  The rest of the free agent class includes some intriguing veterans such as Randy Wolf , but also many high upside talents that involve a fair amount of risk such as Rich Harden  or Justin Duchscherer .  Given the price tags, many of these flawed pitchers might not be the best options for the Mets this off season.  (For a full list of the free agent starting pitchers, go over to MLB Trade Rumors ).  So, below, are a list of potential trade candidates that could make sense for a ...

Pinching Pennies: First Base
Hot Foot — ... is batting .222 against south paws.  On the other hand, the only thing Nick Evans has proved that he can do effectively is hit lefties, with a .319 career major league average in 91 at-bats against lefties.  Even in the minors, Nick has failed to hit righties well, but just facing lefties he could find a niche to succeed.  Another major factor in the advantage to pinching pennies at first base is the dearth of good first basemen on the free agent market, which you can view in full at MLB Trade Rumors .  The only potential upgrades on the list are Russell Branyan , Nick ...

Minnesota Twins 2010 Roster & Payroll (Part II)
Twinkie Town — ... One look at the above depth chart and it's pretty easy to point a finger, run it across a few names and say Okay, So This Is Where We Should Start.  Those places, in no particular order, should be starting pitching, shortstop, third base and second base.  Check here for a current list of potential free agents, but here's a list of players who could potentially cost $7 million or less per season. ...

The Missing Piece To The Mets Playoffs Puzzle
The Real Dirty Mets Blog — ... We all know the free agent catcher market is pretty weak with these guys as our options. Sure some of them are serviceable, but aside from Victor Martinez who will have his option picked up by the Red Sox, none of them can compare to The Kid, Mike or Paulie. ...

Who Do You Want To Be A 2010 Athletic?
Athletics Nation — ... base), and it's possible they aren't fully committed to Jack Cust and/or Scott Hairston as full-time players next season. Have the A's found the shortstop answer in Cliff Pennington (and we're assuming that 30 year old Free Agent Bobby Crosby will finally leave Oakland) or are they still searching for something they haven't had since Miguel Tejada (coincidentally, who is a FA of his own this year)? So who is out there for the A's to sign? View the 2010 Free Agent list. Some thoughts: First of all, I would ...

Mets 2010 Catcher- Youth Is The Way
The Mets Report — ... isn’t sold on Thole for next season, the free agent list of catchers looks pretty uninspiring. The list is filled with 30-something players whose best days are behind them including Bengie Molina and Ivan Rodriguez. These days you just can’t count on older catchers to produce. They don’t have the steroids and amphetamines anymore that used to get them through a long season behind the plate. I don’t like any of the free agents out there as anything more than a quadruple-A backup plan. ...

2010 free agent list
Talking Chicago Baseball - A Cubs and White Sox MLB blog — As we all know, both the Cubs and Sox saw their seasons come to a close this afternoon. MLB Trade Rumors has a great, comprehensive list of the upcoming free agent list. Over the upcoming weeks and months there will be plenty of offseason/free agent posts on this site. Take a look at the link above, who would you want on the Cubs/Sox?

Cubs Get 16th Pick in Next Year's Draft
The Cub Reporter (TCR) | A Chicago Cubs Blog — ... resign John Grabow, but that Type B status for Rich Harden is a bit of a godsend. Other teams are always weary of losing a first or second round pick, but with Type B status, Harden won't cost the signing team anything and the Cubs would get an extra supplemental pick if he signs elsewhere. Now the Cubs just have to offer him arbitration and they'll probably only do that if they're certain he'll sign somewhere else. Considering he's the only starting pitcher with any talent on the free agent market not named John Lackey, I think it's a pretty safe bet he'll at ...

Fixing the Tigers: Infuse a little Milton Bradley and Justin Duchscherer
It's Just Sports — ... -- spend the money on the bullpen. The Starter: Sizemore Shortstop : This is another place that needs an upgrade. I love Adam Everett defensively, and wouldn't be opposed to his return, but there has to be an affordable player who can play adequate defense and still compete at the plate. OK, just looked at the available free agent shortstops list . Just talked myself back into Everett. J.J. Hardy is out there and rumored to be available via trade, although it's not smart to part with prospects when the team has very little money to spend on free agents. Cheap alternatives ...

Offseason Review: Red Sox have limited options to fill perennial hole at shortstop
Red Sox Monster — ... . That raises the question: What else is there? A quick look at the shortstops available through free agency this offseason shows there aren't a lot of Grade A options... but here they are. Alex Gonzalez The most obvious option, considering he was Boston's everyday shortstop during the 2009 playoffs after joining the team late in the year. Gonzalez hit .284 in the American League after joining Boston, but barely ever walked (.316 on-base percentage after joining the Red Sox) and has a history for mediocre hitting. The Red Sox could pick up a $6 million team option and keep ...

MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox notes
The Bottom Line — ... and Beckett (or not)... the current roster consists of guys from the farm like Youkilis, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Lester, Papelbon and Bard. We could trade some prospects now but that will only lessen the chances of another wave of talent like that in the near future... Rocco Baldelli's future with the club is up in the air, as GM Theo Epstein said they'll "sit down and talk about what the fit looks like next year -- if there is one." MTC: I'm not sure I want Rocco back, but after looking at the free agent options , I don't see anyone that looks any better. If nothing else, ...

Did I Just Hear the Cubs Window Shut?
Zoner Sports — ... You could sign free agents, but there aren’t many good ones available. So it looks grim from where I’m sitting, alth0ugh it’s tinged with a healthy helping of 2009 disappointment. I’d be happy to be proven wrong by you. Or better yet the Cubs. ...

Johjima Leaves M’s; Johnson and Moore Move Up Depth Chart
FanGraphs Fantasy Baseball — ... The Mariners could opt to bring in a veteran via free agency, but the pickings appear slim. Assuming Seattle sticks with Johnson and Moore, fantasy owners should be rooting for Moore to grab the starting gig. ...

Jason Bay or Matt Holliday on the Red Sox? It may be neither of the above
Red Sox Monster — ... following the 2007 season. With all that in play, it's not hard to picture the Red Sox walking away from Bay, rather than signing him to a six-year deal they'd fear paying for on the tail end. This isn't to say I'm wishing for it, mind you. To the contrary, it just seems like there's enough writing on the wall to make his future in Boston unlikely. That leaves a variety of other options in left field -- none of which are as promising. Let's take them in order, with a little help from Major League Trade Rumors : Matt Holliday Which Holliday is a free agent? The one who led ...

Atlanta Braves Need Big Bat and Outfield Help
Tomahawk Take | An Atlanta Braves Blog — ... the Atlanta Braves aren’t likely to be his suitor. His agent, Scott Boras, is the Braves Public Enemy No. 1. The need for a big bat will become even more of a pressure if Adam LaRoche has to leave town for the second time in his Braves career. He turned into one of the Braves best hitters down the stretch. Carl Crawford, Johnny Damon, Jason Bay are other options but there are strings attached to them. Without a big bat, the Braves will have a hard time capturing a playoff berth. Here is the full list of 2010 free agents.

Buzz: Brian Schneider, & Free-Agent Catchers
MetsBlog.com — ... To check out the full list of potential free-agent catchers this off season, which includes Rod Barajas, Benjie Molina, Yorvit Torrealba, and Ivan Rodriguez, go to MLB Trade Rumors. ...

John Lackey Earns Big Offseason Paycheck With Postseason Performance
The Ghost of Moonlight Graham — ... What also is in Lackey’s advantage is that he is by far and away the best free agent pitcher on this year’s market. The next best pitcher after Lackey is Joel Pineiro. I don’t think it is even a question who you would rather have. ...

Free Agency Preview: Shortstops
Dugout Central — ... There are 15 major league free agents whose primary position is shortstop, and many of them are nowhere near talented enough to be everyday players. Here is a quick summary of the class. ...

Will Adam Everett Be the Tigers' Shortstop Again?
Bless You Boys — ... June that I believed the Tigers would bring back Everett next season, if for no other reason than they didn't have anyone ready to take over at that position.  Detroit doesn't believe Ramon Santiago is a full-time shortstop.  Cale Iorg isn't ready (especially with the bat).  And though Brent Dlugach hit well this season in Toledo (.294/.349/.446), earning a September call-up, he's probably a fringe prospect at best. Plus, if you look at the free agent list of shortstops, it doesn't include many standouts.  (Tigers ...

Twins Non-Tender Candidates
Twinkie Town — ... , the free agent market for third basemen and a pair of decent third base prospects due to break into the majors at any time, I have to believe their days in Minnesota are numbered. ...

RFB’s Morning Ramble - 11/2
Right Field Bleachers — ... Finally, here’s a list of free agents. Who would you pick, especially in the starting pitching position? I like Jon Garland and Eric Bedard, but they aren’t coming. A player I’m interested in learning more about is Noah Lowry. He had something wrong with his shoulder, so I don’t know how big of a risk he is, but he’s still young and was an up and coming pitcher with the Giants before Cain and Lincecum. As you look over the list, you notice that they are mostly all risks and I realized that there are far worse names than Mulder and ...

Cubs in contract talks with Grabow
Talking Chicago Baseball - A Cubs and White Sox MLB blog — ... about a multi-year contract. This is something that has been expected since before the end of the season, and I think is a sound move if it goes through. Grabow didn't allow a run in 25 of his 30 appearances as a Cub and showed an ability to keep the ball in the park (only 1 HR allowed in 25 IP). He has shown some durability while logging 72+ innings the last two years. Grabow certainly isn't flashy, but he is a decent left-handed, veteran piece to have in the bullpen. The free agent market for left-handed relief doesn't offer much improvement either, so keeping ...

Hot Stove: Royals-White Sox
Roto Savants — ... Judging from MLB Trade Rumors' list of free agent third basemen, the kind of player needed to grab a real offensive impact would be difficult. Chone Figgins would be an impact player but other than that do these names strike you: Adam Kennedy, Melvin Mora, Mark DeRosa, Craig Counsell, Juan Uribe, Adrian Beltre. The only listed free agent under 30 in the MLB Trade Rumors list is failed Cardinals prospect Brian Barden. So the White Sox would have to skew old at another position to fill third. ...

Hot Stove: Royals-White Sox
Roto Savants — ... Judging from MLB Trade Rumors' list of free agent third basemen, the kind of player needed to grab a real offensive impact would be difficult. Chone Figgins would be an impact player but other than that do these names strike you: Adam Kennedy, Melvin Mora, Mark DeRosa, Craig Counsell, Juan Uribe, Adrian Beltre. The only listed free agent under 30 in the MLB Trade Rumors list is failed Cardinals prospect Brian Barden. So the White Sox would have to skew old at another position to fill third. ...

Design The 2010 Reds Infield
Redleg Nation — ... out of spring training – Cozart at SS and Frazier in LF. While looking at the various players in the Reds organization and the potential help outside of the organization, I found the following information helpful: The Big Board in the righthand sidebar is updated & current 40-man roster players are highlighted. Doug has long list of players who could be exposed to Rule V draft if not protected. Mlbtraderumors.com list of free agents and non-tender candidates. On the free agent list, “Type ...

Baltimore Oriole Fans File for Free Agency
Real Fake Sports - Sports Satire l Fake Sports News l Sports Parody — ... With the conclusion of the World Series, players with expired contracts were eligible to file for free agency. The list of free agents consists of some big names, including Jason Bay, Matt Holliday and John Lackey, as well as several others. The Baltimore Oriole fan base has also decided to try their luck on the free agent market.

Who's Gonna Play Short?
Fenway West - A Boston Red Sox Blog — ... Left field is the biggest hole that the Red Sox need to fill this offseason, but there is still the issue at short.  Here are the free agent shortstops from MLB Trade Rumors: ...

Another Wished for Blue Jay Trade Bites the Dust.
Bluebird Banter — ... If you are wondering what free agents are available this offseason MLB Trade Rumors has the list here. They also have a list of shortstops that might be on the  ...

Friday links
Angels blog — ... . • It always surprises me to see that, in addition to representing many of the costliest free agents,   Scott Boras represents some truly mediocre ones . Alex Cora? Rodrigo Lopez? Hank Blalock? Ron Villone? How’d these guys  convince Boras to take them on? • Congratulations to Monkey With a Halo, ...

News and Notes
Raise the Jolly Roger — ... And for everyone willing to get a head start on more hot-stove talks, the complete 2010 Free Agent list is here (the free-for-all begins November 20). ...

Free Agency: Third Basemen
crashburnalley.com — ... Per MLB Trade Rumors , here is the list of free agent third basemen: Rich Aurilia (38) Brian Barden (29) Adrian Beltre (31) - Type B Wilson Betemit (28) Aaron Boone (37) Craig Counsell (39) Joe Crede (32) Bobby Crosby (30) Mark DeRosa (35) - Type B Pedro Feliz (35) - $5MM club option with a $500K buyout Chone Figgins (32) - Type B Nomar Garciaparra (36) Troy Glaus (33) - Type B Adam Kennedy (34) Mike Lamb (34) Mark Loretta (38) Melvin Mora (38) - Type B Pablo Ozuna (35) Robb Quinlan (33) Miguel Tejada (36) - Type A Juan Uribe (31) Just out of logic, I’m ...

Third-Base Options For The O’s In 2010
Camden Crazies — ... Here’s the list, courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors (2010 age and 2009 WAR in parentheses, Type A/B free agent also specified): ...

Offseason Business
We Should Be GM's — ... Pedro Martinez- can't pitch an entire season, what's the point? 8. Scott Eyre- been great for the Phils, but they need to see how surgery goes before extended a contract. Possible Holes: 1. Backup Catcher- Yorvit Torrealba, Miguel Olivo, Ramon Hernandez. 2. 3rd Base- Chone Figgins, Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa. 3. Bullpen- Octavio Dotel, Kiko Calero, Brandon Lyon. 4. Utility Infielder- Alex Cora, Craig Counsell, Jerry Hairston Jr. MLB Trade Rumors 2010 Free Agent Database. Surgeries: 1. Scott Eyre- remove floating ...

News: Red Sox decline option on Jason Varitek
MetsBlog.com — ... To check out the full list of potential free-agent catchers this off season, which includes Rod Barajas, Benjie Molina, Yorvit Torrealba, and Ivan Rodriguez, go to MLB Trade Rumors. ...

Scouring the free agent market
McCovey Chronicles — One player you want. Cull the free agent list, and name your guy. It’s a rosterbation sensation! Nick Johnson is my guy, and I know it might not be especially rational. If Nick Johnson were a regular reader, he would probably raise his eyebrows at the suggestion that the Giants should spend a lot of money on an oft-injured, 30-year-old who plays a position at which the Giants have a decent option.   Per Rotoworld: Nick Johnson is going on the 60-day DL after raising, then straining, his eyebrows. The condition, incredulitis, is ...

News and Notes
Raise the Jolly Roger — ... meaningful–but it is encouraging. Staying out in Arizona, the AFL’s Rising Stars game took place on Saturday. Jose Tabata and Chase D’arnaud both went 2 for 3, but Danny Moskos had a really, really, REALLY bad inning. Turning to more encouraging first-round draft picks, Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove has an interview with the great Tony Sanchez that you should check out. The Type A and Type B free agents have been announced. As always, the MLBTR list of free agents is updated with the details. Finally, Pirates.com has a ...

Tuesday: Free agents file, Phillies formulate plans
Beerleaguer - Phillies Blog, Baseball News, Trade Rumors & Spirits — ... could be in the market for two. It’s a buyer’s market for relievers as well, with many good-not-great possibilities equipped to handle the eighth and ninth innings. Other areas of need include middle infield depth and more pop off the bench. Eric Bruntlett seems likely to be non-tendered. Meanwhile, the Phillies are reportedly hot after Roy Halladay. We'll obviously keep our eyes on that. Resources: Type A and B ; Team-by-team free agents ; Cot's Contracts ; MLBTR Top Free Agents .

Free Agency, Part Two: Our greatest fears
McCovey Chronicles — The flipside. One player you’re absolutely terrified that the Giants will sign. Cull free agent list, and name your guy. I have three nominations for coveted Annual Gary Matthews, Jr. Do Not Want Award: The Overpaid, Overcommitted, and Over Here Jason Bay will get close to $100M, and that just might work for an AL team. Bay’s a remarkably consistent hitter, and he’s been healthy throughout his career. His defense is pretty spotty, but he’s still a net positive as long as he’s hitting. On ...

Red Sox could trade for a rookie short stop
The Bottom Line — ... that may have destroyed his career. That leaves the Red Sox with gaping hole at short stop and limited options to fill it. Marco Scuturo had a career year in Toronto, but do the Sox really want to overpay a 34-year old free agent with a .265 career average? Of course not. Miguel Tejada has had a nice career and the Sox have asked about him in the past, but he made $15M in 2009 and probably won't settle for less than $10M per year, despite turning 36 in May 2010. After that, the Free Agent market for short stops is just plain scary. They could dip into the farm system but ...

The Thought of Bengie Molina Returning Makes Me Wanna...
El Lefty Malo — ... , as Baggs noted yesterday. But Pudge's days as an everyday player are likely over. In nearly 450 plate appearances this year, playing his home games in hitter-friendly Houston and Arlington, he posted a .249 / .280 / .384 line. That is sub-Molina. Lightly-used backup and mentor? Yes. Everyday player? No. Please find another free-agent catcher you can envision taking over and playing several days a week. I'm not saying Molina is a great option, but as a backup who might have to play more often than expected, he's not the worst option. ...

Yankees Off-Season Talk
Sports Radio NY Blog — ... Mark Hendrickson (36) Ron Mahay (39) Will Ohman (31) - Type B Darren Oliver (39) - Type A Horacio Ramirez (30) Glendon Rusch (35) Scott Schoeneweis (36) Brian Shouse (41) - Type B Ken Takahashi (41) Jack Taschner (32) Ron Villone (40) Jamie Walker (38) I don’t know what the Yankees will do with the bullpen but something needs to be done. All free agents can be viewed at MLBTradeRumors.com So what is Mark Elliot Wishnia’s ideal starting lineup next ...

The 2010 Bench
crashburnalley.com — ... 70% of the Phillies’ 2009 plate appearances were taken by the starting eight; only 14% were taken by bench players. With Matt Stairs and Eric Bruntlett gone, the Phillies now need to look for adequate bench players either from within or on the free agent market. I’ve perused the list of free agents at MLB Trade Rumors , and I picked out a few I’d like to highlight as potential bench players for the Phillies in 2010. Join me, won’t you? Gregg Zaun, C He’ll be 39 in mid-April. Why would the Phillies sign a 39-year-old to squat behind home plate for 600 innings and take 250 plate ...

Forget Dan Uggla and Mark DeRosa
FJB — ... Going into the off-season, I thought their best course of action would be to shop for the best shortstop or second baseman that they could find. Given that the second base market is a good bit stronger than shortstop, I hoped they'd keep their minds open a bit. Mark DeRosa is a far better player than any free agent shortstop out there. ...

Could Ryan Doumit be the next to go?
Raise the Jolly Roger — ... . That’s not terribly difficult to fathom. Neal Huntington sure does love making trades, the Pirates have catching depth in the minors, and there aren’t a lot of terribly appealing catching free agents this year. Doumit, who has shown the ability to be an above-average switch-hitter while healthy, could potentially bring in a lot if the Bucs find the right trade partner. ...

Washington Nationals: Desperately Seeking Shortstop?
Federal Baseball — ... ?(No, not yet!), Adam Everett? Or someone else from this list, which MLBTradeRumors.com has compiled? What do the two players the FOXSports.com writers mentioned have in common? Neither qualified for Type A or B free agent status, so they wouldn't cost DC any draft picks...? ...

Why the Red Sox Should Sign John Lackey
Sports of Boston — ... That would leave the Sox with roughly $32 million to fill their other holes with free agents. There are some interesting names at shortstop, including Marco Scutaro, Miguel Tejada, and Bobby Crosby, but they all come with serious question marks: Scutaro played head-and-shoulders above his career averages in a contract season; Tejada is 36 and a shell of his former juiced self; and Crosby has never come close to living up to the hype. ...

Not Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay
C70 At The Bat — ... That said, without Lackey, I'm not sure what pitcher out there really puts the Cardinals into a much better position.  Lackey and Randy Wolf are the only Type A pitchers out there (and I'm sure they are hesitant to lose the draft picks that come with signing a Type A) and the rest of the squad isn't that inspiring either.  No one you want to make the face of the offseason, at least.  There are some interesting names--Rich Harden is one, though of course you might only get him for half a season due to his injury history--but no one that you can say definitely makes ...

Not Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay
Seamheads.com — ... That said, without Lackey, I’m not sure what pitcher out there really puts the Cardinals into a much better position.  Lackey and Randy Wolf are the only Type A pitchers out there (and I’m sure they are hesitant to lose the draft picks that come with signing a Type A) and the rest of the squad isn’t that inspiring either.  No one you want to make the face of the offseason, at least.  There are some interesting names–Rich Harden is one, though of course you might only get him for half a season due to his injury history–but no one that you can say ...

Bored speculation on corner IF free agents
Marlin Maniac | A Florida Marlins Blog — ... in the free agent market that may interest the Marlins. Keep in mind that this is solely SPECULATION, and that the Marlins may yet be set at this position, depending on how they feel about Emilio Bonifacio and moving Chris Coghlan into the infield. Still, I believe that, should the team (rightfully) drop Jorge Cantu for whatever they can get for him, they should be in the market for a left-handed 1B/3B who can at least platoon with Gaby Sanchez . Using MLB Trade Rumors’ free agent list, I ran down some candidates. Eric Hinske I’m just kidding, I’m not going to talk too ...

2010 Baseball Free agent list.
24 Hours From Suicide...A Day In The Life of a Met Fan — Thanks to a great site you can check out the free agent list over at Baseball rumors. All teams including our lovable,laughable Mets will be able to negotiate with all free agents in a little bit more then 24 hours from now. ...

Free Agent Primer: What To Look For This Offseason
The Ghost of Moonlight Graham — ... like Carroll on their roster. Non-Tender Candidate Sleeper: Kelly Johnson. On December 15th, hundreds of players will not be tendered contracts. The sleeper out of this bunch–Kelly Johnson. Johnson was put in Bobby Cox’s doghouse in Atlanta in 2009, but in 2007 he had an OPS of .831 and in 2007 he had an OPS of .795. He is a classic change of scenery guy. You can find a full list of this year’s free agents here. You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg ...

Acquiring Gonzalez a Necessity for Successful Offseason
Sports of Boston — ... are far from household names. The slumping economy doesn’t help either as many teams  are weary of breaking the bank for an average free agent class. ...

Terry Francona Wants A Pitcher: How About Chris Capuano?
Over the Monster — ... Sure. That sounds simple enough. But have you seen the free agent market? It's kind of ugly. Plus, what does Tito want exactly? A starter or reliever? Or a guy that can do both? Or a guy who he can beat in cribbage? Unlike ...

Under 30 Free Agents
MLB Notebook - Major League Baseball New, Notes, and Analysis — ... Complied from the ever so resourceful MLB Trade Rumors, a list of the youngest players among the major free agents this offseason with their ages in parenthesis. First up the pitchers. ...

Position-by-Position Off-Season Outlook: Middle Infield
FJB — ... round pick out of California, Kobernus got hurt right away but will be ready for 2010. He's a Mike Rizzo type--good make-up, good defensive tools, not particularly high upside. Baseball America has him as the #7 prospect in the organization, but in a top farm system he'd be closer to 15 or 20. If he advances quickly, he might have a shot to compete for a starting job at second base after Guzman leaves. Free Agents Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors, here's this year's list of free agent ...

Position-by-Position Off-Season Outlook: Corner Infield
FJB — ... Hardball Times's Projected OPS for Zimmerman was .875, just a hair below his actual OPS of .888. It's tough to expect any hitter to do this year in and year out, but I do believe that we saw the real Zimmy in 2009. Back-up first base: Mike Morse In the Minors Chris Marrero Free Agents Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors, here's this year's list of free ...

What’s Cookin on the Hot Stove-Relief Options
TYU — ... So now that we’ve established we could use an arm (or two), we move on to our free agent options. The 2010 Free agent list for middle relievers doesn’t excite me, so I’d pursue one of the closers and see if they’d be interested in setting up. The two that stand out on that list are Lefty ...

Mining the free agent list
Where Have You Gone, Andy Van Slyke? — ... Even there, I feel like I'm stretching. I know the Pirates are going to spend money this off-season, I'm just not sure who on this list that would be a productive signing considering that a team in the Pirates' situation is much better served by giving at bats to guys like Milledge and LaRoche and Clement than it is signing a stop-gap to fill their positions. The stop-gaps will always be available, but we need to know about these players now. The Pirates could certainly afford to do something like the Brewers did with Mike Cameron, but that's a much less valuable move for a team ...

Cantu to stay a Marlin?
Marlin Maniac | A Florida Marlins Blog — ... season of arbitration. He made $3.5 million in ‘09, and he ended up with 100 RBIs, hitting cleanup behind Hanley Ramirez. Hat tip to MLB Trade Rumors. Readers know my stance on this matter. Jorge Cantu is expected to make $5M that for some reason the Marlins are more than willing to pay. But the market is rife with players of similar caliber who may come cheaper on one-year deals, which is what Cantu would essentially be on as this is his last arbitration season. Take a look at the 2010 MLB free agent list provided by MLBTR. I challenge you to check out the list of first ...

All Quiet on the Giants Rumor Front, Unless...
El Lefty Malo — ... The real test of the market will come when the non-Yankee teams make their bids for the guys just below the Holliday/Bay/Lackey $15-million-per-year tier. I don't see anyone else on this list cracking $10-mil-per-year on their new contracts. Do you? A fascinating case, perhaps the bellwether of the free-agent crop, will be Brad Penny. His stuff hasn't diminished. Everyone saw him throw 95 with a nasty curve when he came back to the National League after an ugly stint in Boston. At this point, I'd take him over Oliver Perez, but no chance Penny will sniff anything close to the 3 ...

Hitting to all Fields: Black Friday Edition
TetreaultVision — ... takes a moment to put Kelly Shoppach on his shopping list.  The list of catchers available is a long one this winter, with potential trade candidates like Chris Snyder and Jason Varitek and nontender candidates like Shoppach and Dioner Navarro adding layers of clutter.  The catching market should provide an interesting test of ...

December Important Dates
Twinkie Town — ... December is usually the month with the most player movement, as free agents find employers and teams fill holes at the winter meetings. It'll be interesting to see if any of the 2010 free agents end up playing at Target Field next spring. ...

Pedroia at Short?
Fenway West - A Boston Red Sox Blog — ... plan if the Red Sox cannot find a suitable shortstop is to have Dustin Pedrioa step in according to a report from ESPN Boston: "They've asked me if I think I could play shortstop," Pedroia told ESPN's Peter Gammons. "They've put it out there and I've told them I'm all for it. I can do it. I can't wait for [Terry Francona] to call me and ask, 'can you do it?' I can do it. I really want to do it." OK so now who plays second?  Here's the list of second base free agents: Ronnie Belliard (35) - Type B Jamey Carroll (36) ...

Report: Red Sox considering moving Dustin Pedroia to shortstop
Red Sox Monster — ... Jeter-related trash talk aside, the move has several potential positives. First, if it's made soon, it gives Pedroia several months to continue working on his agility, which has already improved in the last few seasons. It also allows the Sox to consider an entirely different (and deeper) pool of free agents at second, which includes four-time All-Star Orlando Hudson and onetime All-Star and Silver Slugger recipient Placido Polanco (a longer list of options is available here ). Oh: Then there's also the Brandon Phillips option. Reportedly on the trading ...

At stake in today’s arbitration decision
Angels blog — ... B free agent). Darren Oliver would seem likely to be offered arbitration, and he is the most likely to accept. Indeed, being offered arbitration might limit his options to go anywhere else, as teams would hesitate to sacrifice first-round picks for a middle reliever. (Last year, Oliver was one of only two free agents to accept arbitration.) The Dodgers won’t offer arbitration to any of their eligible players, which means no compensation if they lose Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson. MLB Trade Rumors has some of the players who have and haven’t been offered arbitration so far. ...

Arbhanistan
El Lefty Malo — ... About half the teams have made their calls, and a few are significant for the Giants. For example, Florida didn't offer arbitration to Nick Johnson, which means signing him doesn't require the surrender of a draft pick, which also means more competition for his services. MLB Trade Rumors has a running list of offer/no-offer players here. ...

Arbitration Monday
True Grich — ... To keep track of all the arbitration cases – you should also visit mlbtraderumors list of 2010 Free Agents – which they update regularly. It’s kind of like watching the stock market, minus all the ticker symbols. ...

Red Sox News: Wagner, Arbitration
The Bottom Line — ... – They also have the full list of players that were offered, or not offered arbitration yesterday. “>MLB Trade Rumors – There were also a number of players that did not receive and arbitration offer… some of whom have already been connected to the Red Sox this offseason: Orlando Hudson, a Type A FA, was not offered an arb deal by the Dodgers and can now be signed by another team without costing them a draft pick. The Red Sox aren’t likely to move Dustin Pedroia to shortstop, but it is a last resort and Hudson might be a nice fit at second base if they do. So would ...

Arbitration Round Up
Fack Youk — ... Meanwhile, the details are in from yesterday's arbitration-palooza. MLBTR has the full rundown of who was offered and who wasn't. For the Yankees' purposes, the only players of concern are Type A free agents who were offered arbitration. Signing any of these players would result in the Yankees forfeiting their first round pick, thirty second overall. Signing more than one, as they did last year, would result in the forfeiture of additional picks. ...

Mets May Play 'Name That Molina'
Bats — Conventional wisdom suggests that the Mets lucked out on Tuesday, when the Giants declined to offer arbitration to Bengie Molina , a Type A free agent who otherwise would have cost the Mets a second-round draft pick. And that makes sense: Molina, whose 20 homers in 2009 would have fit nicely into the Mets’ lineup, is generally regarded as the best free-agent catcher available. The Mets, as you may have heard, are looking for a starting catcher and some power. So, done deal, right? Maybe, maybe not. Molina, 35, wants a multiyear deal – which healthy free agent doesn’t? – but the Mets are not bound to give it to him just because he may be ...

Position-by-Position Off-Season Outlook: Outfield
FJB — ... HoodStill not 20 years old, Hood is another classic Jim Bowden tools guy. Quick hands, good raw power, not much with the glove, and no strike zone awareness. Hood was a two-sport player signed away from Alabama football, and he faces the challenge of developing from an athlete to a ballplayer. Between Burgess, Maxwell, Dukes, Milledge, Pena, and Hood, maybe just maybe one of them will turn into something. Free Agents Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors, here's this year's list of free agent outfielders: ...

Position-by-Position Off-Season Outlook: Starting Pitching
FJB — ... rates, and pitched well in Harrisburg after coming to the Nationals. Barring injury, he'll get his shot in 2010. Brad MeyersThe Nationals minor league pitcher of the year, Meyers rocketed up the organizational ladder in 2008. A fastball, slider, and change-up give him a good chance to make it in the majors as a swingman. He's another guy who should get a shot at some point next year. Free Agents Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors, here's this year's list of free agent starting pitchers: ...

Position-by-Position Off-Season Outlook: Starting Pitchers
FJB — ... rates, and pitched well in Harrisburg after coming to the Nationals. Barring injury, he'll get his shot in 2010. Brad MeyersThe Nationals minor league pitcher of the year, Meyers rocketed up the organizational ladder in 2008. A fastball, slider, and change-up give him a good chance to make it in the majors as a swingman. He's another guy who should get a shot at some point next year. Free Agents Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors, here's this year's list of free agent starting pitchers: ...

Don't Overlook Holes In The Red Sox's Bullpen
Over the Monster — ... The names aren't sexy, but they have arms that could potentially work within the Red Sox's bullpen. Of course, these are only internal options. We haven't looked at the external options yet, which don't give off many good vibes either. ...

Complete List of 2010 MLB Free Agents
yankeesdaily.com — ... (36) Ron Mahay (39) Will Ohman (31) – Type B, not offered arb Darren Oliver (39) – Type A, not offered arb Horacio Ramirez (30) Glendon Rusch (35) Scott Schoeneweis (36) Brian Shouse (41) – Type B, offered arb Ken Takahashi (41) Jack Taschner (32) Ron Villone (40) Jamie Walker (38) Cot’s Baseball Contracts and MLB4U were used in the creation of this list. YankeesDaily got the list from MLB Trade Rumors

Washington Nationals' 2010 Middle Infield Update.
Federal Baseball — ... • After Saturday's midnight non-tender deadline there were 266 free agents on the market, with just 22 middle infielders amongst them. Here's the current list, (according to MLB Trade Rumors.com): ...

Bargain Hunting Dodger Style
True Blue LA — ... MLBTR has updated their 2010 Free Agent List  with the recent non - tenders who have not signed. Not surprisingly the ...

The Abreu Gambit
El Lefty Malo — ... Great. Perhaps I'm too skeptical. Perhaps I haven't gotten over my bad case of Renterrheia from last winter. After all, there are still plenty of names on the board, and they all can't end up in Houston and Kansas City. See? Optimism! Sabes, fuggedabout this Nick Johnson mope. He took the easy way out. That's not the Giants Way. Stay strong, pal, you're playing this market like a freakin' Stradivarius.  ...

Morning links: Rolling in relief
PBC Blog — ... Weathers Jeff Weaver Jamey Wright And these are the lefties: John Bale Joe Beimel Alan Embree Scott Eyre Eddie Guardado Mark Hendrickson Ron Mahay Wil Ohman Horacio Ramirez Glendon Rusch Scott Schoeneweis Brian Shouse Ken Takahashi Jack Taschner Ron Villone Jamie Walker Check here for a breakdown of age and Type A or B status. A ...

End of the year inventory time
True Grich — ... Anderson, Jarrod Washburn, Adam Kennedy, Orlando Cabrera, Vlad Guerrero, Rob Quinlan, Alfredo Amezega, Darin Erstad, Scott Schoenweis, Justin Speier, Jeff Weaver, Brendan Donnelly, Bartolo Colon, and Kevin Gregg. That’s a lot of ex-Halos looking for work. Other names still out there include Johnny Damon, Adrian Beltre, Hank Blalock, Adam LaRoche, Miguel Tejada, Joe Crede, Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Khalil Greene, Jose Valverde, and Randy Johnson. For a complete list, visit mlbtraderumors.com I am trying to remain optimistic about 2010. I don’t want to go back ...

Washington Nationals: Winter News, Links.
Federal Baseball — ... available as options at second, according to MLBTraderumors.com's Tim Dierkes' free agent list and ...

Add More Pitching Before You Add More Hitting
El Lefty Malo — ... Remember, a five-man rotation can be fudged the first couple months of the year. The Giants have four off-days in April and three more in May, and no visits to Colorado. With some noodling around, guys like Joe Martinez and Kevin Pucetas can patch around a big three of Lincecum, Sanchez/Cain, and Zito, plus an innings-eating type whom the Giants should be able to pick up on the cheap between now and January. There are a lot of pitchers left on the market, and the start of spring training is not far away. It would be nice to reduce the pressure to put Madison Bumgarner in ...

Sunday notes
Viva El Birdos — ... If we don't sign Holliday, there still appears to be a wealth of potentially valuable free agents still on the market.  MLB Trade Rumors keeps an up to date list of all remaining free agents, but I'll just list the ones who I think would be the best options: ...

Long Time, No Blog, Let's Talk LF
Baseball & The Boogie Down — ... dead on but I distinctly remember him using the words "so far." That to me says the door isn't closed, though it's probably not open too wide. Cashman has also said that the team isn't going to be sending any big money guys. That would rule out Matt Holliday. Mark DeRosa has signed with the Giants. Marlon Byrd is signing with the Cubs. The pickings are getting slimmer. MLBTradeRumors has a list on their site of the available free agents. There are currently 18 LFs still on the market: Garret ...

Morning links: All quiet in arbitration
PBC Blog — ... little stuff from yesterday. From other realms ...  > Bert Blyleven narrowly misses Hall induction. > Transcript of Frank Coonelly's monthly chat, in which he discusses pursuing outfield and bullpen help, as well as the impact that has on the Legend. > The full list of remaining free agents, from MLB Trade Rumors. ...

Bench help: Cross off Cust and Hinske
lenNY's Yankees — ... Since there are so many players still on the market who fit the bill, it's almost impossible to tell who will be the guy. Below are some potential options. ...

Olney: Yanks in no rush to find a righty hitting leftfielder
River Avenue Blues — ... . He says the team will simply wait out free agency to see how the market develops for Reed Johnson, Jonny Gomes, and the like. It makes perfect sense for the Yanks to operate like this, as there is no shortage of qualified players on the open market, and frankly because we haven’t heard of too many teams being interested in Johnson or Gomes or Rocco Baldelli or whoever else. ...

Be Still, My Beating Heart
Ducksnorts — ... I responded that I’d like to see a big-league center fielder and/or a veteran backup for Nick Hundley behind the plate. I’ve since perused the list of available free agents at MLBTradeRumors, and it ain’t pretty. There are a few intriguing names, but they all fall into the “Padres can’t/won’t pay for their services” category (insert small market/competitive balance rant here if that’s your thing). ...

Morning links: Frozen Florida?
PBC Blog — ... to a source outside the team. > Editorial: Our board weighs in on the Pirates' new mental skills coach. From other realms ...  > MLB and the union push the Marlins to spend, with coverage from Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post. > A keepsake .pdf file of all payrolls from 2002-08, courtesy of Maury Brown at the Biz of Baseball. > Find the Pirates' mystery third reliever. > Doug Drabek ...

Notes: or, the last time I mention Mark McGwire, at least this week
Viva El Birdos — ... , and I have no idea why nobody's done it yet. But after looking at the remaining free agents—I used this list—I realized that if Ryan Franklin were a free agent available on an affordable one year deal I would probably be writing similar things about him, anyway. ...

Q&A: Wayward long relievers?
PBC Blog — ... As I type this, there are 44 relievers still out there, a month before pitchers and catchers report: 33 righties, 11 lefties. It would take some research to figure out if that is a lot at this stage, as measured against previous years, but I do know that baseball people see it that way. And this glut comes when many of the musical chairs are filled, notably at closer, leaving the rest, no doubt, a little antsy about hooking up. ...

Who is the mystery reliever?
BUCCO Fans.com — ... Overall it's not out of the question that the mystery reliever who is signed will come at a discount.  It's late in the off-season, and there are still plenty of options available on the free agent market.  That said, I think it's wishful thinking that someone like Calero, Donnelly, Springer, or Park will be signed.  The Pirates are close to signing Octavio Dotel, have Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek as their seventh and eighth inning guys, and have two other spots basically filled with Javier Lopez and D.J. Carrasco.  Whoever they sign will likely be in the ...

Poll: Settle on Gardner, or Keep Looking Elsewhere?
Yankees Chick — ... The Yanks have not yet formally announced who they plan to have in left field this year, but with Damon out of the picture, they essentially have three options: make a trade, sign a free agent, or put Brett Gardner out there. Making a trade seems unlikely - who would they be trading for? And who is left to give up? - and the list of free agents that fit the criteria the Steins have in place for their 2010 left fielder ("will work cheap" and "doesn't suck too horribly") is dwindling by the day (although Gary Sheffield is still available! I'm surprised - who ...

The Mets Are Running Out of Potential Pitchers
The Sports Section — ... So, who's left? Looking over the list of possible free agents, the pickings are gettin' slim. The highest upside pitcher is probably injury-prone Ben Sheets, who ...

So Who’s Next?
Mike Scioscia's tragic illness — ... . Otherwise, looking at the list of available outfielders… let’s just say, it’s not pretty. The most prominent lefty outfielder still available is Johnny Damon, who’s certainly not going to accept a pure backup role or the limited funds the Dodgers have left. Other viable lefty options include… ...

Jim Edmonds? Ehhh, Whatever…
Right Field Bleachers — ... It wasn’t like the Brewers passed up great free-agent options to get him. Aside from Gabe Gross, who I would’ve like to have seen back in Milwaukee, the remaining back-up outfield options are pretty uninspiring. Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye (who teams seem to be looking at as more of a DH than an outfielder) are looking for starting roles. Eric Byrnes, Reed Johnson and Marcus Thames would be options, but none of them stand out as head and shoulders above Edmonds. And Edmonds bats lefthanded and plays centerfield, two qualities that I’m sure weren’t lost on Melvin. ...

If not Johnny Damon, then who?
Bless You Boys — ... Well, looking at MLB Trade Rumors, there aren't a lot of palatable options for the infield. Detroit could try to nab Tiger-killer ...

More Free Agent Signings?
Bucs Trade Winds — ... Carrasco and [Javier] Lopez signings and several Minor League free-agent signings, it is likely that we will head into Spring Training with the current group. We are, however, keeping tabs on certain free agents who might be a fit if their financial demands soften. Coonelly and crew are “keeping tabs on certain free agents who might be a fit if their financial demands soften.” Who would “fit” if they soften enough? Let me compile a list from the MLBTradeRumors.com free agent list: Outfield First, let us ...