Free Agents: Ranking the Best Available Players

We all know that the Mets need a closer and one or two starting pitchers. There’s a hole in left field right now and several spots on the bench are open. The Mets have an underperforming second baseman and several relief pitchers that aren’t getting the job done.

There aren’t any secrets about what the Mets need. And Jon Heyman of SI does a nice job of ranking the available players in his column and projects potential contracts for many of the players. Heyman always does a nice job with the baseball scuttlebutt and it’s rumored that he’s a sounding board for “anonymous” Mets front office personnel in the form of Jeff Wilpon.

CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and Francisco Rodriguez highlight the list of free agents this off-season. But there are plenty of good, if not great, players out on the market right now and that doesn’t even include the players being offered up as trade bait like Matt Holliday.

Check out Heyman’s column here.

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Randolph Hired By Brewers

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Willie Randolph landed a job in Milwaukee as Ken Macha’s bench coach. That’s a good move for Randolph, as a stop-gap job while he waits out a managerial opening. From ESPN:

“We are very pleased to add Willie to the organization as he brings recent National League expertise and success to our coaching staff,” general manager Doug Melvin said. “His reputation as a player is a quality that will be valuable in his teaching and coaching of our talented young team. Willie is a professional both on and off the field.”

The Brewers may end up being in the playoff hunt again next season. It’ll be a lot more difficult without CC Sabathia. But working the bench for a successful team will keep Randolph on the radar of teams looking to make a managerial change during the season.

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Explaining Type A and B MLB Free Agents

If you’ve ever wondered how Major League Baseball determines the categories for free agency, here’s the column for you to read from MLB.com. Marty Noble does a great job of explaining how MLB determines the categories for free agents and the impact it could have on the Mets decision-making this off-season.

Specifically, Derek Lowe and Brian Fuentes are examined. Their status as Type A free agents could hinder the Mets motivation to pursue them. The recent success of teams like the Rays have shed light on how to build a successful team through the draft.

Phillies Are World Series Champs

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The NL East division winner Philadelphia Phillies now have a target on their backs for the 2009 season. They dropped the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series by taking four games to one.

Congratulations to the Phillies and their fans. I guess we know that Philly really is the team to beat next season.

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