so then why did he avoid King Felix twice, Chamberlain, Duchsherer and Verlander during the regular season this year? and then whiff or Ground into DPs against the starters in the postseason?


b/c your statement doesn't make any sense, but it obviously doesn't matter to you so i'll stop.

honestly, i think manny's a great hitter, but he's not worth the money he'll eventually get. In a world where guys like A-rod, Hanley and others are worth every penny, Man-Ram is a joke.

i'm surprised this quote, found here, didn't get more talk. I'd absolutely do this trade if I'm the sox, especially if Farrell doesn't head to Seattle. you figure its only $4 million more than you'd already be paying somebody, and the guy you're getting is 27, a lefty, and could possibly be good... as oppose to Lugo, who could possibly die from gonorrhea on the bench before somebody noticed him sitting there. I'd much rather they make this deal than try to package him with somebody else for some "potential" help.

No it didn't. You don't know what a ring feels like.

I agree. I'm not a big d-train fan but willis for lugo is more than fair.

Not sure where to put this, so:

Nov. 10: AL and NL Rookie of the Year
I know Soto will get the NL, but not sure who could take the AL, did Longoria get enough ABs?

Nov. 11: NL Cy Young
Webb's a sniper

Nov. 12: AL and NL Manager of the Year
Joe Maddon & Lou (I guess)

Nov. 13: AL Cy Young
easily, Cliff Lee

Nov. 14: The first day teams can sign any free agents
Madness ensues

Nov. 17: NL Most Valuable Player
Shouldn't be Pujols (i hate guys on losing teams win this award)

Nov. 18: AL Most Valuable Player
Dustin Pedroia

You're right, but I do know what a Stanley Cup feels like, and that's wayyy better than any ring.

Boolsheet.

i'm gonna go out on a limb and say I wouldn't know (celebrating w/ Ray Bourque doesn't count)

Great write-up with some humor added in.

The ultimate free-agent tracker
By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports
10 hours, 21 minutes ago


Here is the free-agent class of 2008-09, ranked from Nos. 1 to 183. The rankings are based on a number of variables, including each player’s history, age and potential, and should serve as an outline as to how free agency shakes out between now and spring training.

Bookmark this page and return frequently. As the offseason progresses, Yahoo! Sports will update it with news of signings and their impact on the other free agents.

1) CC Sabathia, SP: Short-term, Sabathia is unquestionably No. 1, though the risk of a six-plus-year deal can’t be understated.

2) Mark Teixeira, 1B: Switch-hitting, power-hitting, Gold Glove-winning, in-the-middle-of-his-prime, Scott Boras-represented first baseman. Has there ever been a better nine-figure recipe?

3) Manny Ramirez, OF: That $100 million he was telling his buddies in Boston about doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore, even though it would be miserably ill-advised.

4) A.J. Burnett, SP: Who cares if his ERA was 4.07 in 2008? With stuff this filthy, a feeding frenzy has already begun.

5) Francisco Rodriguez, RP: Yes, he notched a record 62 saves in 2008, but he wants about $200,000 an inning for five years.

6) Rafael Furcal, SS: With nearly a dozen teams in need of a shortstop, he’s in prime position as the best of a shortstop class that bottoms out after the first three.

7) Adam Dunn, OF: You know you’re getting 40 home runs and 100 walks, and that’s worth about $14 million a year, regardless of the defensive inefficiencies and strikeouts.

8 ) Ben Sheets, SP: Sure, he hasn’t made his full complement of starts since 2004. But if healthy, he’s better than Burnett and nearly Sabathia’s equivalent.

9) Orlando Hudson, 2B: A slight defensive drop-off isn’t a killer. Any time a second baseman can pick it well and post an .825 on-base-plus-slugging, he’s going to strike rich.

10) Derek Lowe, SP: The best pitcher in baseball over the season’s final six weeks has one number working against him: 35, his opening day age and risky territory for a long-term deal.

11) Pat Burrell, OF: May the winner of these sweepstakes receive first-half-‘08 Burrell (23 home runs, .979 OPS) instead of the second half (10 home runs, .725 OPS).

12) Ryan Dempster, SP: Last year wasn’t exactly a fluke. The team that expects the same, though, is due a serious disappointment.

13) Bobby Abreu, OF: Six straight 100-RBI seasons is impressive, but the disappearing walk total last year is a little disconcerting.

14) Brian Fuentes, RP: Regained his closer role, struck out 11.8 hitters per nine innings and is primed to cash in big, even though he’s 33.

15) Oliver Perez, SP: The grand mystery of the Class of ‘09: Is he the guy who thoroughly dominates one start, or the one who looks Triple-A bound the next?

16) Raul Ibanez, OF: Late bloomer didn’t play full time until he was 30, and now, seven years later, he’s a .290-hitting, 20-homer, 100-RBI guy with character to match the numbers.

17) Kerry Wood, RP: Reinvention as a closer went well enough to ease worries about a right arm with an awful lot of mileage.

18) Milton Bradley, OF/DH: Should get the multiyear deal he covets, but no chance anyone goes four years for $40 million because of health concerns – physical and mental.

19) Brad Penny, SP: The Dodgers didn’t exercise a $9.25 million option, but some team will give Penny a deal based solely on his past production, even if his arm isn’t 100 percent.

20) Edgar Renteria, SS: Lost a step, certainly, though his offensive numbers should pick back up. He had a .290 average on batted balls in play despite nearly the same line-drive percentage.

21) Jon Garland, SP: The archetype is-what-he-is pitcher – gives up lots of hits, strikes out no one but logs a guaranteed 200 decent innings.

22) Casey Blake, 1B/3B/OF: Consistently good and perpetually versatile adds up to a multiyear deal and nice chunk of change.

23) Juan Cruz, RP: This year’s version of gonna-try-to-make-him-a-closer. Certainly has the stuff, with an NL-best 12.4 strikeouts per nine.

24) Junichi Tawaza, SP: The 22-year-old right-hander eschewed the Japanese major leagues and is drawing considerable interest from Atlanta, Boston and Seattle.

25) Joe Crede, 3B: A little high for someone with chronic back issues, but he’s only 30 and plays Gold Glove-caliber defense when healthy.

26) Orlando Cabrera, SS: Still good with the glove, but he simply can’t hit well. Only once in his 11 full seasons has his OPS been better than league average.

27) Mike Mussina, SP: While he won’t win 20 again, his improved control – 31 walks in 200 1/3 innings – makes him dangerous if he doesn’t retire.

28) Andy Pettitte, SP: Might join his, uh, buddy Roger Clemens on a Texas golf course. Otherwise, Pettitte is a lock to return to the Yankees.

29) Randy Johnson, SP: Not only is he motivated (five wins shy of 300), but from July 6 to the end of the year, his ERA was 2.56 and he struck out 91 in 98 1/3 innings.

30) Koji Uehara, SP/RP: Offered $3 million a decade ago by the Angels, he turned it down and has dominated with the Yomiuri Giants as a starter and closer.

31) Jason Giambi, DH: After years as a bust, he could prove a power-hitting bargain to a team in need of a designated hitter.

32) Garret Anderson, OF: He still will hit .300 with 15 home runs, not take any walks and look like Grandpa Abe Simpson when he’s running.

33) Juan Rivera, OF: After a phenomenal 2006 for the Angels, the question is: Does he have any of that in reserve?

34) Randy Wolf, SP: Killer stretch for Houston (2.23 ERA in September) might have bought him a third year on a contract.

35) Ivan Rodriguez, C: The paucity of catchers increases his value significantly, because otherwise, teams would be more concerned with 18 years of major league squatting.

36) Jamie Moyer, SP: Moyer wants to pitch until he’s 50, and the Phillies may be inclined to give him a two-year deal.

37) Braden Looper, SP: Solid, if not overwhelming, and he can always shift back to the bullpen if need be.

38) Jason Varitek, C: Has value, but the intimation by Boras that an over-the-hill Varitek deserves Jorge Posada money (four years, $52.4 million) is ludicrous.

39) Mark Grudzielanek, 2B: High batting average and above-average fielding make up for Grudzielanek’s lack of power and patience.

40) Brian Shouse, RP: The good: .180 batting average and .486 OPS against, 28-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio against lefties. The bad: 1.27 ERA at Miller Park vs. 4.70 on the road.

41) Trevor Hoffman, RP: Should return for a farewell tour with the Padres– if they don’t completely gut the team and fill that tour with losses.

42) Rocco Baldelli, OF: Mitochondrial disease will prevent a team from throwing too long-term a deal at him, so he could be a steal.

43) Ken Griffey Jr., OF/DH: Power remains in the bat. It’s just limited and needs to be at DH.

44) Jim Edmonds, OF: He looked cooked before a renaissance in Chicago. At 38, Edmonds won’t get anything more than an incentive-laden one-year deal.

45) Kenshin Kawakami, SP: Previously among the best pitchers in Japan, he lost some zip on his fastball and profiles as a No. 5 starter.

46) Greg Maddux, SP: Likely to retire, which is a shame, because he remains a treat to watch.

47) Paul Byrd, SP: The pitcher equivalent to David Eckstein – and 26 spots higher than Eckstein because pitching scrappiness yields league-average performance.

48) Ray Durham, 2B: Can’t run much and is slow in the field, too, but high on-base percentage and doubles power make him a nice one-year fill-in.

49) Russ Springer, RP: Consecutive lockdown seasons out of the St. Louis bullpen are part of Springer’s late-career revival.

50) Joe Beimel, RP: Great ERA (2.02) is a bit misleading – 20 of 60 inherited runners scored.

51) John Smoltz, SP/RP: Labrum surgery could render this moot, as retirement beckons. Smoltz may have one more go at it, and four previous elbow surgeries haven’t stopped him.

52) Darren Oliver, RP: Even worse than Beimel with inherited runners (41 percent scored). Still, second-half ERA of 1.95 and nearly equal righty/lefty splits make him valuable.

53) Pedro Martinez, SP: Hasn’t looked like Pedro since 2005, and to be even a facsimile, he can’t walk nearly four batters per nine innings like he did in ‘08.

54) Juan Uribe, 2B/SS/3B: Ability to play three positions and hit home runs – well, from 2004-07, at least – makes him worth the risk.

55) Doug Brocail, RP: Would be of more value were he not a Type A free agent, which means any team outside of the top 15 draft picks that signs him loses its first rounder.

56) Damaso Marte, RP: Another Type A casualty who is limited to either bad teams for multiple years or taking arbitration with the Yankees.

57) Jeff Kent, 2B: Probably best suited as a DH, and since he’s unlikely to accept such a role, he may opt to retire.

58) Chan Ho Park, RP: He once got a $65 million contract. Just saying.

59) Mark Kotsay, 1B/OF: He doesn’t cover much ground in center field and doesn’t hit enough to play first regularly. Nonetheless, good-guy reputation will help him land a solid gig.

60) Eric Hinske, 1B/OF: Huge power and little else, even if he did steal 10 bases in ‘08.

61) Freddy Garcia, SP: Pitched well enough in his September return from surgery, and he should sign a one-year make-good deal to show himself off for one last big contract.

62) Jeremy Affeldt, RP: Could be even better away from Cincinnati, where his ERA was nearly three runs higher than his 1.77 on the road.

63) Dennys Reyes, RP: Nearly unhittable against lefties (.537 OPS), too, but value drops because he’s mostly a one-out guy.

64) Nomar Garciaparra, UT: Another injury-filled season begs the question of whether the 35-year-old can return to two-years-ago form, let alone that of his prime.

65) Will Ohman, RP: Workhorse’s 83 games pitched ranked second in baseball in 2008.

66) Arthur Rhodes, RP: Absolute murder on lefties, who hit .157 and slugged .200 against him.

67) David Weathers, RP: Still an effective right-handed reliever – and a rare one that gets out lefties, who had a .635 OPS against him in 2008.

68) Brandon Lyon, RP: Lyon’s numbers through June 12 last season: 2-1, 1.29 ERA, 14 saves. After: 0-4, 8.01 ERA, no more closer’s job.

69) Eddie Guardado, RP: Still going strong at 38. Years old, not mph.

70) Tom Glavine, SP: Arm surgery is one thing. But elbow and shoulder? That’s tough for anyone, let alone a 43-year-old.

71) Kevin Millar, 1B: Pulled off the rare 20-homer, sub-.400 slugging percentage season, achieved this decade by such luminaries as Richie Sexson, Tony Batista and Uribe.

72) Kyle Farnsworth, RP: Another who should improve now that he’s out of the Yankee vacuum, although a trade to Detroit last year didn’t help much.

73) David Eckstein, SS/2B: Shopping himself as a second baseman, so he can look like only a half-wimp on his throws to first base.

74) Mark Prior, SP: Hey, Wood stayed healthy for an entire year.

75) Cliff Floyd, DH: Great in a 250-at-bat role. Anything more will expose him as old and slow.

76) Scott Eyre, RP: Because of Lou Piniella’s irrational dislike, Eyre won a World Series ring. Remember, he recently had a 33-game scoreless streak.

77) Cesar Izturis, SS: Extra infielder and defensive replacement whose bat has no place in an everyday lineup. Probably will end up there anyway.

78) Sean Casey, 1B: Perfect left-handed bat off the bench, with good splits against righties and lefties and a solid glove that complements his personality.

79) Felipe Lopez, 2B/SS: His revival in St. Louis is offset by small sample size. Still an average hitter and terrible fielder.

80) Nick Bitch Punto, UT: High-energy guy who steals bases and plays stellar defense. Won’t ever hit, but then he’s best as a 300-at-bat utility guy.

81) Rich Aurilia, 1B: Great against left-handed pitching, Aurilia is pretty much mediocre everywhere else.

82) Omar Vizquel, SS: Remains in phenomenal shape, physically and with his glove. The issue: Vizquel hasn’t had a league-average OPS since 2002.

83) Kenny Rogers, SP: Decent option if he does decide to play. Second-half ERA (7.93) could scare teams away.

84) Moises Alou, OF: Even at 42, he can still rake. When healthy. Which, unfortunately, is never.

85) Jerry Hairston Jr., 2B/OF: After consecutive Mendoza-flirting seasons, hit .326, slugged .487 and stole 15 bases in 261 at-bats. Not a bad way to enter free agency.

86) Ramon Vazquez UT: Breakout candidate? He was good last year, but a .349 average on balls in play makes a regression likely.

87) Trever Miller, RP: Good lefty one-out guy who gets into deep trouble when managers try to keep him in against righties.

88) Odalis Perez, SP: The truest sign of how bad Washington was in ‘08: Perez started on opening day.

89) Frank Thomas, DH: No need to Willie Mays it anymore.

90) Gabe Kapler, OF: Took off 2007 to manage, returned and hit .301 with an .838 OPS. Could be a fourth outfielder anywhere.

91) Russell Branyan, 3B: Almost always starts the year in the minors, only to get recalled and crank home runs. Hit 12 in 132 at-bats for Milwaukee, and wasn’t half bad on defense, either.

92) David Ross, C: Lots of raw power (38 home runs between ‘06 and ‘07) disappeared in ‘08. He did show improved plate discipline, though, and could be a sleeper signing.

93) Emil Brown, OF: Nice counting stats (13 home runs, 59 RBIs) belie his terrible on-base percentage, bad baserunning instincts and laughable defense.

94) Mark Loretta, UT: Still a decent on-base guy who can play all four infield positions.

95) Brad Wilkerson, 1B/OF: Hit 30 home runs and walked 100 times only four years ago, so someone is bound to take a flyer.

96) Aaron Boone, UT: Never learned to draw a walk, though his versatility should land him somewhere.

97) Chad Cordero, RP: Former NL saves leader could miss all of 2009 recovering from a labrum tear. Would likely sign an incentive-loaded multiyear deal.

98) Luis Ayala, RP: Mercifully will not close wherever he lands.

99) Alan Embree, RP: On his way to being the Jesse Orosco of this generation?

100) Curt Schilling, SP: Oh, what the hell.

101) Rudy Seanez, RP: As this so dutifully points out, Seanez is two years from being a four-decade pitcher.

102) Damion Easley, UT: He can play every position but catcher. Biggest issue at 39 is his speed: grounded into 15 double plays in 316 at-bats.

103) John Parrish, RP: The rare left-handed reliever who’s better against right-handed hitters. A nice one-year option for a team that needs to plug a lefty hole.

104) Gregg Zaun, C: Zaun used to play every day, and wasn’t half bad. But 37-year-old catchers don’t get many opportunities to start.

105) Guillermo Mota, RP: The only older players who aren’t casualties of teams’ sprint toward youth are relief pitchers, and the 35-year-old should have a few suitors.

106) Brad Ausmus, C: Good option for a young team, especially one with an inexperienced starting catcher in need of mentoring.

107) Mike Lamb, 1B/3B: Certainly not the 26th-best player of his class, as some moron suggested last year.

108) Luis Gonzalez, OF: This year’s best candidate for 40-something to get squeezed by youth movement.

109) Craig Counsell, UT: Is he Punch or Judy?

110) Tony Clark, 1B: Good guy struggled last year, first in San Diego, then Arizona. If he wants to play, he’ll end up somewhere.

111) Keith Foulke, RP: Rather good in his return from retirement, particularly in short stints. His ERA through 15 pitches was 2.14, and after was 8.68.

112) Jason Isringhausen, RP: Not close to the Izzy of old after hip surgery.

113) Eric Gagne, RP: Not close to the Gagne of old after he stopped pumping himself full of performance-enhancing drugs.

114) Daryle Ward, 1B/OF: After two standout pinch-hitting seasons, regressed to a .216 average last year.

115) Jacque Jones, OF: Plans a comeback after taking almost all of last season off, and with the ability to play all three outfield positions, should get a shot somewhere.

116) Sidney Ponson, SP: For being on his 115th chance.

117) Richie Sexson, 1B: From consistent 30-homer masher to … below Sidney Ponson. Oy.

118) Carl Pavano, SP: Hehe.

119) Bob Howry, RP: How is he only 35? Aren’t he and Mike Timlin twins? Timlin is 42.

120) Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B: Showed tremendous plate discipline with 44 walks to 28 strikeouts, even if all his power is sapped.

121) Jorge Julio, RP: Reinvigorated himself during September in Atlanta, finishing with 11 1/3 scoreless innings and 17 strikeouts.

122) Ben Broussard, 1B: Another whatever-happened-to-him case. He went from a consistent 15-homer, 60-RBI guy to nothing overnight.

123) Alex Cora, UT: Good for a walk and has decent range in the field – though to think, some were clamoring for him over Dustin Pedroia in May ‘07.

124) Jason Michaels, OF: The Pirates declined his option, and it’s not difficult to see why.

125) Julian Tavarez, RP: Hey, he’s always up for throwing at batters, if nothing else.

126) Jay Payton, OF: Sub-.300 OBP for consecutive seasons isn’t exactly a résumé booster.

127) Adam Everett, SS: It’s been four years since he cracked the elusive .300 on-base percentage.

128) Casey Fossum, RP: He could be an effective lefty specialist (.674 OPS vs. .920 against righties)

129) Mark Hendrickson, SP/RP: Hendrickson thrived in a second-half relief role after posting a 6.09 ERA in the first half.

130) Michael Barrett, C: He hasn’t been the same since Carlos Zambrano whaled on him in the clubhouse.

131) Jon Lieber, SP/RP: Is there another season left in the arm? He turns 39 right before opening day.

132) Orlando Hernandez, SP: Teams could bring him back at 60 and he’d still throw the same stuff he does now at 43. He’ll get a look somewhere if he wants it.

133) Livan Hernandez, SP: Teams could bring him back at 60 and he might have a difficult time fitting through the doorway. As is, he’s not very good at 33.

134) Mike Lincoln, RP: Workmanlike return to the major leagues after a four-year absence buys him another shot.

135) Greg Norton, UT: He can hit right-handers well (.841 OPS last year, .792 career), and that should find him a paying gig until he wants it no more.

136) Alex Cintron, UT: Never developed into an everyday guy, but Cintron is serviceable in a utility role.

137) Matt Herges, RP: He returned to form after a career year in 2007, allowing 79 hits in 64 1/3 innings.

138) Chris Gomez, UT: The consummate journeyman, Gomez is looking for his ninth team after cracking 1,500 career games last season.

139) Ron Villone, RP: Truly an anomaly: survived Joe Torre and lived to tell about it without a scar on his pitching arm.

140) Mark Sweeney, 1B/OF: Sweeney lost his pinch-hitting touch last year, going 12 for 78 with only three extra-base hits, all doubles.

141) Ramon Martinez, UT: Three more seasons and he’ll actually have had as long of a career as the good Ramon Martinez.

142) Mike Timlin, RP: Wait. He’s really not Bob Howry’s twin?

143) Josh Fogg, SP: Penance for accepting the nickname "The Dragon Slayer" is a 7.58 ERA the next season.

144) Horacio Ramirez, RP: The White Sox actually gave up a player to trade for him in ‘08.

145) Bartolo Colon, SP: Ate himself into oblivion. A sad story, actually.

146) Mark Mulder, SP: Also a sad story: The victim of injuries has thrown only 17 1/3 innings since June 20, 2006. He probably will end up with a minor-league deal.

147) Jason Jennings, SP: Flexor-tendon surgery in consecutive years is the stuff of which minor-league contracts are made.

148) Tom Gordon, RP: Flash missed most of the season with elbow surgery, and at 41 later this month could be a long shot to play again.

149) Paul Lo Duca, C: It’s bad when you’re below a bunch of guys recovering from injuries.

150) Kevin Mench, OF: He could end up in Japan.

151) Jamey Wright, SP/RP: Another candidate for Japan, unless he wants to do the whole stay-in-the-minors-waiting-for-an-injury thing again.

152) Corey Patterson, OF: He turned in one of the truly awful seasons in history for a full-time outfielder. Safe to say greatness isn’t in the stars.

153) Marcus Giles, 2B: From MVP votes three years ago to unemployed last season, he’ll try to make it back once again.

154) Glendon Rusch, RP: Some lucky team will get to celebrate the momentous 100th loss of Rusch’s career. Yippee.

155) Kip Wells, SP/RP: So promising once, he hasn’t finished with an ERA under 5.00 since 2004.

156) Juan Rincon, RP: Used to be a great setup man. Used to take steroids. Any correlation?

157) Jose Vidro, 1B/DH: Coming off the third-worst DH season of all time for players with at least 300 at-bats, his .612 OPS was unfathomably bad.

158) Willie Bloomquist, UT: Part of an illustrious group that includes Manny Alexander, Mark Lemke, Freddie Patek and others to have somehow received 1,200 career at-bats with a slugging percentage of .324.

159) Miguel Cairo, UT: Seattle gave Cairo, Bloomquist and Vidro nearly 700 at-bats combined last season. Is it any wonder the Mariners lost 100 games?

160) Pablo Ozuna, UT: Only five players in history have had as many at-bats as Ozuna (677) and drawn fewer walks than his 23. So why, again, is Tony Pena Jr. (18 in 778) a major leaguer?

161) Scott Podsednik, OF: Gone is his speed on the basepaths and range in center field. Which renders him … a minor leaguer.

162) Brendan Donnelly, RP: Gave up as many earned runs (13) last season in 13 2/3 innings as he did over 74 innings in his 2003 All-Star season.

163) Henry Blanco, C: And the annual run on backup catchers begins.

164) Toby Hall, C: He is better known in the White Sox clubhouse for his facial hair than his talent.

165) Paul Bako, C: Rather Dunnian – perhaps even Howardian – in his strikeout prowess: 90 in 299 at-bats.

166) Javier Valentin, C: Actually isn’t half-bad.

167) Gary Bennett, C: Actually is.

168) Adam Melhuse, C: He holds the lowest batting average among available catchers at .167. A mark of honor in these quarters.

169) Luis Rivas, 2B/SS: One of the rare cases of Minnesota rushing a player, Rivas never recovered from early failures and is little more than a bounce-around guy.

170) Tony Armas Jr., SP: For all of his talent and hype, Armas is one of the great disappointments of the past decade.

171) Rob Mackowiak, UT: The Odalis Perez corollary: Couldn’t even cut it with the Nationals.

172) Trot Nixon, OF: Those who leave Boston tend to hit quite rapid descents, huh?

173) Kent Mercker, RP: Drink that Goose in peace, kind sir.

174) Matt Wise, RP: Wise missed almost the whole season with a shoulder problem, and already has had two surgeries on his right arm.

175) Jason Johnson, RP: Eleven big-league seasons. What’s the lesson? Sometimes it pays to be just a warm body.

176) Ricardo Rincon, RP: And its cosmic counterpart: left-handed, has pulse.

177) Sal Fasano, C: Hey, Joe, you’re passé. This country needs Sal the Plumber.

178) Juan Encarnacion, OF: The saddest case of all: Freak injury – struck by a batted ball while in the on-deck circle – will, in all likelihood, end his career.

179) Chad Moeller, C: Here’s to franchise No. 7 being the lucky one.

180) Juan Castro, UT: How is he not nicknamed the Twinkie? Castro has inexplicably survived for 14 major-league seasons despite a .579 career OPS.

181) Elmer Dessens, RP: He finished fifth-worst in last season’s rankings. Moving down in the world.

182) Chad Fox, RP: Fox has pitched a grand total of 22 innings in the majors since 2004.

183) Vance Wilson, C: Mr. Irrelevant is a guy who hasn’t played in the major leagues since 2006. Seriously, it is impressive to appear on MLB’s official free-agent list despite missing two full seasons. Wilson probably will retire because of elbow problems, so congratulations are due on this final accomplishment. What a way to go out.

good stuff. thanks for posting!

Matt Holliday to the A's

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3694100

WOOHOO!!! The best of all worlds, he's out of the West...and out of the NL! Cheers!

the A's? really? like they're going to sign him?

They're looking to add payroll and they have so much young talent, Beane can put up a strip club in downtown Salt Lake and wouldn't have a problem. But he's a Borass client, its a gamble.

i did hear he's looking to add payroll, but it's still billy beane, so i imagine he'll be listening to trade offers all season long while holliday plays not nearly as well as he did in colorado.

Honestly. I am in a panic as a Rocks fan. What are we getting...if this is an actual trade?

boy did they fade fast...

wonder if losing in the world series had anything to do with it?

just since 2000, the losing team in the WS hasn't done too well in the following seaons... only the yankees and cardinals made it all the way back, strangely both did so two seasons after losing... and only the cardinals managed to win the second time...

good thing the phillies won or it might of been some time before they finally got theirs!

so where's Kerry Wood gonna pitch?

Marlins' Gregg to the Cubs for Ceda

I guess St. Louis . . .

who else needs a closer?

St.L
NYM
Ana
Cle
TB?
LA?
Fla?
Was?
Chisox?
Arz?
Mil?
Oak?
SD?