By Peter Sblendorio
Staff Writer
Today marks the one-month anniversary of the last game of the World Series. While the actual season has wrapped up for the winter, the off season in Major League Baseball is almost as eventful.
Free agency started two weeks ago, and players are just now starting to sign contracts with new teams. Some of the bigger news this week includes pitchers Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito leaving the Red Sox to strengthen Atlanta’s bullpen and shortstop Marco Scutaro leaving Toronto for Boston.
Perhaps the best available infielder, Chone Figgins of the Angels, is close to signing on with Seattle for 4 years and $36 million after an impressive season with the AL West champion Angels.
Despite all of the recent action, the biggest stars on the market are yet to sign a contract. Left Fielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay, both 30 home run, 100 RBI capable players, seem likely to sign enormous deals later on. Holliday has been discussed going to the Mets, Angels, Yankees, Red Sox, or Cardinals, and he could command more than $100 million dollars to sign.
Bay, after a career year for the Red Sox, is wanted by Boston, the Mariners, and the Mets, and could also seek an arm and a leg in contract negotiations.
This year’s market is weak in starting pitching, with John Lackey being the most appealing option. Randy Wolf, Erik Bedard, Ben Sheets, and Jarrod Washburn are other serviceable options that could come more cheaply than Lackey.
Players do not report to Spring Training until late February, but MLB should be intriguing until then with the free agent frenzy.
