Lots of free agents this offseason and they can't all sign with the Yankees. What moves do you think your team should make this offseason? Which free agents should they try to resign? Which should they let go? Which would you like your team to go after?

MLB Free Agents

First and foremost, I want my Twins to keep Brad Radke. They should also try and hold on to Christian Guzman but not overpay for him. Corey Koskie is expendable in my mind. Use the money they might use to resign him to hang on to Radke. Hopefully Joe Mays comes back healthy next year and the Twins will have one of the most solid starting rotations in the majors.

[ October 29, 2004, 03:16 PM: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]

The Marlins need to try to keep as much as they can....They will lose Pavano, but if they can keep most everyone else, they should still be competitive...hopefully the stadium deal will go thru, which will enable them to stay competitive....the White Sox will lose Mags, unfortunately, but if they can pick up a couple of free agents, they should be ok....

Well, the Marlins are off to a good start in that regard. The team and Mike Lowell restructured his contract -- his deal previously had an opt-out feature so he could file for free agency if the Marlins' stadium deal wasn't in place by Monday, but now his next 3 years are guaranteed (for $25.5 million) so he's in place.

Phillies: since they're not going to fire the GM, they need to hire a (hopefully) good manager and (hopefully) get a new hitting coach, fix their starting rotation, get a centerfielder, and perhaps get lucky enough to unload a contract or two (Lieberthal? Burrell?) in order to fix their other problem areas.

[ October 29, 2004, 08:40 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

If the question is what would I do for my team given unlimited funds and decision making, I would take Martinez, Leiter, Beltan and Beltre off the free agent market. But since we don't live in fantasyland or even Yankeeland all those pickups will never happen.

I would let Millwood and possibly Milton go. They are both already making over 9 mill a year and may want more. Milton pitched well record wise, but gives up way too many homeruns and his good luck may run out. I may keep Cory Lidle who was only making 2.75 mill and is mainly a groundball pitcher, a plus at Citizens Ballpark.

Then I would try to get Al Leiter and maybe take a look at Derek Lowe. Pedro M. is already making 17 mill a year so he is probably out of reach. I would also like get Carlos Beltran if at all possible. Bottom line is one stud pitcher and centerfielder would do it.

[ October 29, 2004, 09:08 PM: Message edited by: phillyrunner ]

Given that the Blue Jays are in the same division as the World Champion Red Sox and the second place Yankees, it doesn't look good.

And with perhaps slightly more than $50 million to spend (vs. $127+ for the Red Sox and $184+ for the Yankees), there isn't much they can do.

Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells and Eric Hinske are all due raises, and while we may save money on Carlos Delgado (please, please, please sign with a non-AL East team), we need to replace his power and run production (team leading 32HR, 99RBI) and that ain't easy. Raphael Palmeiro might have been a good pick up, but I believe he re-signed with Baltimore.

There had been talk of a Hinske for Austin Kearns trade. Hinske has not really lived up to his rookie of the year standing, and Kearns is oft-injured, averaging only 293 ABs over the past 3 years.

We expect Hallady to rebound from this season, and have some potential good young arms in the minors such as Guastavo Chacin who had 2 stong starts as a September call up. Still, we need another starter and an entire bullpen.

Hitting-wise, we need power and run production. A couple of years ago the Jays were one of the top offensive teams in the league; not including Delgado, our top run producer in '04 was Hinske's 69 and Wells' 67 RBIs. By comparison, Boston and New York both had 6 players with more than 70 RBI, while the Jays had 1--and that player, Delgado, we can't afford to re-sign.

In other words, it doesn't look good... frown

The Dodgers should make an all-out effort to keep Beltre, but who can tell what the McCourts are going to do?? For all we know, they'll sell off everything and put office buildings--with profitable parking structures--in Dodger Stadium.

~Adam

I think the SF Giants should just dump everyone except Barry Bonds and Jason Schmidt, and just start over. In the meantime, bring back Dusty Baker and put the old coot Alou out to pasture where he belongs.

For the Cubbies, 1) go after Beltran 2) re-sign either Rusch or Clement. If Rusch can keep his renaisaance going I wouldn't mind him at a much cheaper option than Clement 3) go for one of the prime SS on the market, if Nomar bidding gets too high, see how badly the Cards want Renteria 4) shore up the bullpen (Troy Percival?), if no Percival watch Robb Nen, if he looks good and comes cheap (go for it, it's worked with Dempster and Rusch)

You forgot to mention dumping Sosa!

For the Cubs, since they're saying bye-bye to Mark Grudzielanek, do you think they're going to try to acquire Jeff Kent?

~Adam

Remains to be seen if this is something "Your Team Should Do This Offseason", but the Arizona Diamondbacks have named Wally Backman as their new manager.

If the Dodgers don't come to terms with Adrian Beltre--they better!!--they will make a move to get Troy Glaus whom the Angels let go.

~Adam

Here we go...Carlos Beltran's agent, Scott "Evil" Boras, told a TV station that his client wants... a TEN-YEAR contract. eek!

Considering the amount of money he'll be asking for, which Boras didn't mention, do you think there's even a one percent chance he'll sign with anyone but the Yankees?

Over the weekend, there were reports the Dodgers and Cubs were in talks to send Shawn Green (the big-eared but very cute fielder & quiet team leader) to Chicago for Sammy Sosa (disgruntled, corked-bat wielding egomaniac.) In the days immediately following the Dodgers' playoff loss to the Cardinals, Green talked about how much he wanted to stay with the team & that the nucleus of a successful team was already in place, "if the Dodgers keep us all together." Today both teams denied such trade talks are taking place, so I figure it's just a metter of days until the Dodgers wind up with Sammy Sosa. Ick!!

~Adam

The Angels have already made a couple of bold moves. They got rid of the Troys--Glaus and Percival. Technically, they can still sign them and anyone else who does before December will owe the Angels draft picks. I don't have a problem with letting go of Glaus--two awful shoulder surgeries in two seasons = damaged goods. He's probably done as a regular 3B and they don't need a 1B--they have a Gold Glover there in Erstad--or DH. The rookie Dallas McPherson will be the regular 3B. They let Percival go because they're making Frankie Rodriguez the closer.

I think the Angels need a shortstop--much as I love and adore David Eckstein, he's not the long term answer. There's some good SS available and I wouldn't mind the Angels getting one of them. They also need a solid #4 pitcher, someone good for 12-15 wins a year. The Jose Guillen thing is up in the air--he wants to come back but he may have burned yet another bridge and be traded. Garrett Anderson has to be healthy too.

Unlike other years after the Angels have made the playoffs, I'm optimistic about the teams chances the following year. There's rumors that the A's are shopping one of their big 3 pitchers, so they might be in transition and I don't see the Mariners improving much--they're more a 3-5 years rebuilding project--so the West could come down to the Angels and Rangers.

Adam, what do Dodger fans and media feel about Green? Seems like a good guy from this coast. I can't see why they'd want an aging malcontent like Sosa.

Shawn Green is well-liked by the local media (always willing to answer questions) and--until this past season--extremely well-liked by fans. His subpar performance this season lessened his popularity but I don't understand why the Dodgers would trade him. Especially for the "aging malcontent" (great description!!) and his way-too-bloated salary.

~Adam

I think the Dodgers are working on the theory of "get rid of a player a year early rather than a year late". Of course, that doesn't make sense if they had planned to get Sosa. Now the Dodgers are talking about a Mike Piazza for Shawn Green swap. I mean, I hate the Dodgers, so I'm really glad they traded Piazza away--which lead to years of general suckiness--but if they're serious about rebuilding instead of doing a nostalgia trip, they should resist the oh-so-not-gay steroid freak Piazza.

[ November 10, 2004, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Jim Allen ]

If the Dodgers want to take Mikey back, let em. Yep. Let em! Call it Todd Hundley Redux-Redux.

Before the D'Backs came to town I was a Dodger fan, and I could never understand why Fred Claire traded Mike Piazza, so if he comes back that would be good, I think it would revitalize them. But now the D'Backs are my team (111 lossses and all). We need to keep Randy Johnson, and add a FA pitcher, hopefully Carl Pavano. Since Sexson isn't re-signing, we need to get 2 bats in the lineup, hopefully Steve Finley will return. Rich Aurilia would be an improvement over the current SS, and we need to find a way to keep Scott Hairstons speed, and bat in the lineup. The catching situation needs a veteran, my dream/wish addition to the team - Jason Varitek.

A couple of the sports-talk hosts don't think Green, who has a no-trade clause, will waive it to go to NY and doubt the sincerity of the Green-Piazza rumors. I was never a Piazza fan so I hope trade rumor is just a rumor. Maybe the Cubs and Mets can work something out between Sosa and Piazza?? wink

~Adam

Comcast Sportsnet has the following rumors/media reports involving the Phillies: they're said to have contacted the agents for many starting pitchers but seem to have special interest in making offers to David Wells and Brad Radke; supposedly they've also contacted Barry Larkin's agent; and they're supposed to be interested in trading for Scott Podsednik.

Meanwhile, Larry Bowa has an offer to join the Marlins' coaching staff (if you can't beat 'em, join 'em?) but is said to be waiting because ESPN may offer him a full-time job.

ESPN.com list the top 50 free agents.

Top 10:
Carlos Beltran
Adrian Beltre
Roger Clemens
Edgar Renteria
Pedro Martinez
Carlos Delgado
Magglio Ordonez
Jason Varitek
Carl Pavano
Richie Sexon

"My" team, the White Sox, should sell the team. Mark my words: There is NO way this team will ever go anywhere as long as that ass**** Reinsdork owns it.

Once again, this team is getting rid of its best players in yet another attempt to rebuild (meaning they're too cheap to pay good players money).

I hate Reinsdork so much it's not funny, and his patsy GM Kenny Williams is the laughingstock of MLB's GM's from what a Sox employee tells me. That doesn't surprise me one bit.

Omar Vizquel to sign a 3-year $12.25 million deal with the San Francisco Giants.

So much for Kenny Williams telling Sox fans that Omar was going to sign with the White Sox. Now that Magglio's gone and Konerko's to be traded (probably for several players to be born later), why don't the White Sox just concede the 2005 season.

Can someone please tell me how a team "rebuilds" by going backward, getting rid of its top players and getting nothing good in return? :mad:

I'm excited about the Giants signing Omar Vizquel at short. I think he'll definitely fill the shoes of Rich Aurillia, who has been missed this past year. But I have reservations about Vizquel's age and despite a great year after surgery, worried about whether he may still have effects from his surgeries. But we'll see. At least, he's a nice addition in the eye candy department with his nice salt-and-pepper hair. He's a real daddy! wink

Vizquel should be a great fill-in at SS. I haven't done the math, but I bet that the Giants are the oldest team in MLB if you add up everyone's age??

I'm sure Jim Allen, a resident Angel, has heard the rumor all over local sportstalk: his team is working hard to acquire Jason Varitek. One of the local stations says "it pretty close to being a done deal, unless things fall apart." Aren't pretty much all deals described similarly?

~Adam