In light of the Nationals deciding that Cristian Guzman would not be their starting shortstop (after losing out to the great Ian Desmond), I thought it be worth a look around the majors at the most expensive bench players. Thanks to injuries, poor play, or both, these guys will be starting year doing what many us do best, sitting on the bench:Mike Lowell, Red Sox, $12 million: It...

It's been awhile since anything Rosenthal has written has made me laugh out loud. Well, this nugget did...in a good way:"Look out, Roger Federer: David Ortiz said he played tennis for the first time in his life on Saturday, volleying with his wife, Tiffany. For what it’s worth, Ortiz said he exceeded his wife’s expectations, but needs work on his serve."Any chance...

Rejoice, fellow Mets fans! It's 2000 all over again.......sort of..."The Newark Bears announced today the signing of pitcher Armando Benitez and infielder Edgardo Alfonzo to the 2010 roster. Benitez and Alfonzo were teammates for the 2000 New York Mets. 
“I am excited to add to the Bears tradition. Two more established Major Leaguers, Edgardo and Armando were both key...

Friends,After almost two years of blogging on Jorge Says No!, I have decided to start a new venture in the baseball blogging world.Effective immediately, I will begin blogging anew at my new website, www.MLBfreeagency.com. Thanks to the wonderful people at the bloguin network, the new site has been developed very quickly, looks sharp (I think), and I believe we have a strong blueprint...

Via ESPN.com chat:Jason (St. Louis)It sure seems more and more likely Mauer hits FA. If the Red Sox and Yanks get in to a bidding war on him, what potentially do you think he could end up signing for? Is 8 years 225 mil outside the realm of possibility?Jim CallisNot outside the realm of possibility if he becomes a free agent, but I still think he resigns with the Twins.Now I'...

So says Sid Hartman:So you wonder if reigning American League MVP Joe Mauer and his agent, Ron Shapiro, are concerned about the consequences of Mauer suffering a serious injury should the former Cretin-Derham Hall all-around athlete choose to not re-sign with the Twins this year and become a free agent at the end of this season. If Mauer did suffer a serious injury, the market certainly...

We'll call this a brief cameo, thanks to Bill Madden:Like everyone else in baseball, the Yankee high command is watching with keen interest how the Joe Mauer negotiations with the Minnesota Twins play out this spring. Unlike most other teams, however, the Yankees have both the financial resources to afford the MVP catcher as well as the surplus of talent it would take to acquire...

Once again, Carlos Pena professes his love for the Rays and his desire to stay there long term. I never expected to see anyone express a strong desire to stay with the Rays long term, but wow have times changed: Pena carries that mentality everywhere. So don't ask him if he is worried about his 0-for-18 start to Spring Training after missing the final 25 games of the 2009 season...

Ugly line from Ben Sheets today:0.0 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 1 BB, 1 HRYikes.Despite his poor performance, Sheets's optimistic approach reminds us all that this is spring training:"I felt great," said Sheets, who missed all of last season following Tommy John surgery. ... Today was a good day, and I felt like I was going to get in some good work." It's refreshing...

Padres closer Heath Bell will not be a free agent until after the 2011 season, but that doesn't stop folks from questioning Bell's future with the Padres. Will Bell stay in San Diego long term or will his rising salary force the Padres to eventually trade him? Common sense would suggest the latter, but Bell is willing to take less to stay in San Diego:As for Bell, the Padres encouraged...

When you think about the Red Sox from 2003-2009, the image of David Ortiz immediately comes to mind. Big Papi has been the face of the Red Sox since he burst onto the scene in 2003, but will 2010 be Ortiz's final season with the Sawx? You be the judge:Ortiz is tight-lipped when asked if there is anything that might be weighing on him. The most obvious potential source of discontent...

As Ian Desmond continues to make his case to be the Nationals starting shortstop, one has to wonder where this would leave free agent to be Cristian Guzman. The Nationals know that Guzman has lost a step defensively and is not going to be a long term asset for the franchise, so it makes sense for the Nationals to give Desmond a look...as long as the Nationals think he's ready...

That's is everything doesn't pan out with the Twins of course....“In the end, I think the Twins sign him,’’ said a National League assistant general manager. “If they don’t, my bet is Boston. First of all, there’ll be a limited market. Two or three teams? One of them will be the Yankees, but if you know Mauer, he’d pick Boston over New York.’’“If he doesn’t...

Setbacks are always frustrating especially when they come in a player's contract year. Tough break for Brandon Webb, who is set to be a free agent after the season:Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb is almost certain to open the season on the disabled list, multiple sources said Friday, and the team is now examining at least one way to increase its rotation depth.In time, Webb needs...

Nearly a month ago, Brian Cashman declared that there will be no talks with either Derek Jeter or Mariano Rivera regarding contract extensions:When Brian Cashman looks at Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Joe Girardi, the Yankees GM paints his shortstop, closer and manager with the same brush.And with spring training opening next week in Tampa, Cashman has no plans to stray from his...

The Mets say yes. Reyes says no. Who to believe?Mets:Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid. The Mets said late Tuesday that tests administered in New York on Monday confirmed the original diagnosis. The club said little else except that Reyes is to remain in New York for additional blood tests, which will determine how he is treated. The results of those tests are not expected before...

After weeks of positive reviews, free agent to be Brandon Webb has experienced a set back: Webb initially was going to throw to hitters Sunday or Monday, but that session was pushed back a couple of days. Manager A.J. Hinch said Webb might throw a bullpen session next instead of live batting practice, but did not set a date. "He's not feeling bad, but he's not...

Not such a good start yesterday from free agent to be Jeremy Bonderman, who will be a free agent after the season:0.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2 HRI don't want to make too big of a deal about one spring training performance, but considering that Bonderman's last good season was 2006 and his last full season in the majors was 2007, this is not a good sign. Hopefully...

According to Nick Cafardo, the contact talks seem to be progressing:4. Josh Beckett, RHP, Red Sox - One major league source indicated that there’s more optimism about the Sox and Beckett reaching a contract accord this season. It seems talks have been amicable, if not productive. The Sox could insist on medical language similar to what’s included in the deals of John Lackey and...

Can the Brewers keep Prince Fielder past 2011? Doug Melvin thinks so, but the debate lingers on:So is it possible to pay Fielder what the market might bear in two years, thereby allocating a disproportionate chunk of a small-market team's payroll to one player? ...

Will 2010 be the last season for Derrek Lee as a Cub? Perhaps, but it looks like there is mutual interest on both sides:The last time Derrek Lee was up for a new contract, he signed a five-year extension at the outset of the 2006 season and suffered a season-changing wrist injury a couple of weeks later.Now Lee is in no hurry to get a deal done before he enters his second "walk...

2010 is a big year for free agent to be Kevin Correia. And he knows it:“I want to repeat and improve on what I did last season,” the right-handed starter said Saturday. If he does, the 29-year-old native San Diegan could be sitting pretty this time next spring. Correia is a free agent at the end of this season. After going 12-11 last year with a 3.91 ERA in 33 starts, Correia...

With the baseball season right around the corner, anything is possible. Spring means a new beginning and renewed optimism for beleaguered and tortured franchises. Hell, even the Royals think they can win a World Series right now!But the odds are that the Royals will not win the World Series. Why? Because their talent is vastly inferior to other teams in the AL Central and in the...

While all the recent talk around MLB centers on Mark McGwire and steroids, it’s easy to forget that Spring Training is creeping up.Cactus League play begins on March 3 and Grapefruit League starts a day before that.This is a good time to look at the future baseball odds currently have posted.New York YankeesWhen we last left MLB, the New York Yankees were hoisting their 27th World...

So says Beckett:Speaking on CSNNE’s “SportsNet Central” Thursday night, Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett said he would most likely not negotiate a new contract with the Red Sox during the 2010 season, saying “Probably not,” when asked if he would participate in any in-season talks. Beckett had said during a press conference Sunday at the Red Sox’ minor league training facility...