Free Agent Leftovers

Originally Posted on 1/26/08

We're less than a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training sites in Florida and Arizona and yet we still have a huge surplus of Major League veterans waiting around by the phone for their next opportunity to come knocking and in some cases, it may not happen.

It seems most teams are content with where they currently stand, although we do still have multiple trade rumors. Mostly swirling out of Baltimore with the Orioles (pitcher Erik Bedard, 2b Brian Roberts and others) and the Twins in Minnesota (star pitcher Johan Santana). My guess is once these big names move to their new homes, we'll have a few more free agents signed and then there are other teams still looking for a few final pieces and additional Spring Training invitations that some will accept. Overall, most teams are happy to advance their minor league talent and see how they fare before committing extra dollars to veteran commodities that aren't huge difference makers to begin with.

So in lieu of Spring Training and the homeless names out there, here are a list of players that may interest your favorite squad: INF Sean Casey (1b), Tony Clark (1b), Pedro Feliz (3b), common pitch hitters, Mark Sweeney and Olmedo "Killer Tomato" Saenz, utility guys Todd Walker, Eric Hinske Ramon Martinez, John McDonald. OF Bobby Kielty, Reggie Sanders, Shawn Green, Shannon Stewart, Steve Finley, Corey Patterson, Trot Nixon, Kenny Lofton, Luis Gonzalez and of course potential Hall of Famers in Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds. On the pitching front, we still have available, former Cy Young award winner, Bartolo Colon, starters Odalis Perez, Steve Tracshel, Jeff Weaver, Livan Hernandez, Eric Milton, Brian Lawrence, Kyle Loshe, Kip Wells, David Wells and oft-injured Kris Benson and Freddy Garcia. Need some relief pitching help, how about former closer Armando Benitez, or Roberto Hernandez, Antonio Alfonseca, Aaron Sele, Ray King, Jorge Julio, Rudy Seanez, Trevor Miller and Darren Oliver. And then you have the other big name, Roger Clemens, who still hasn't officially retired.

Plenty of names still listed as Free Agents... besides the names of Bonds, Piazza, Sosa and Clemens, does it really matter? What does matter is trades but those talks still are just that, talks.

If you're interested in seeing some team previews for the upcoming season then check back as I'll start to post some organizational outlooks for 2008.