Best Seven Free Agents After '09 Season

Best Seven Free Agents After '09 Season

If you are a Royals, Mariners, Padres, or Nationals player or fan, here's what you have to look forward to next year. Warning: These pickings are slim.

1. Matt Holliday, OF, StL - Trade to the Cardinals could net him millions.

2. John Lackey, SP, LAA - I'm not sure why the Angels haven't locked him up long term.

3. Jason Bay, OF, Bos - Quiet, dependable, solid.

4. Chone Figgins, 3B, LAA - Table setter that makes a lot of sense on the South Side of Chicago.

5. Rich Harden, SP, Chi - When healthy, he's been dominant. Could fit into the category below.

6. Bobby Abreu, OF, LAA - His one year gamble should pay dividends.

7. Orlando Hudson, 2B, LAD - See Abreu, Bobby.


Others To Watch: Healthy (alphabetical)

Johnny Damon, OF, NYY
Aubrey Huff, 1B, Bal - Quietly won the AL Silver Slugger Award this season. He'll be 33 at the end of the upcoming season so he'll be looking for his last long-term contract.
Marco Scutaro, SS, Tor
Miguel Tejada, SS, Hou - Does anyone know his actual age yet?

Others to Watch: Injury Concerns (alphabetical)

Adrian Beltre, 3B, Sea - Probably on the downside of the career but still only 30 years old.
Erik Bedard, SP, Sea - Will he ever be the dependable workhorse he was? Doubtful.
Hank Blalock, 3B, Tex
Carlos Delgado, 1B, NYM
Vladimir Guerrero, OF, LAA
Brandon Webb, SP, Ari


Notes: I fully expect the following team options to be picked up or these players would rank much higher: Victor Martinez (Red Sox), Carl Crawford (Rays), Cliff Lee (Phillies) and Jermaine Dye (White Sox).