Hot Stove Roundup - Free Agency Heating Up

Finally, with Winter Meetings about to start, some moves are being made:

Free Agency:
The big winners this past week were the teams of the NL East. For starters, the Phillies signed C Brian Schneider and Placido Polanco, who is expected to play third next season. The Schneider signing is more about taking away an asset, as he was signed from the Mets. He is expected to back up Carlos Ruiz, but other than their differences in age, their pretty much interchangeable. Neither will give big offensive numbers, but on the Phillies lineup, they don't really have to. The Polanco deal is a much better signing. He is a huge improvement over Pedro Feliz, and has a history in Philly, where he had career high in homers in 2003 and 2004 before being traded mid-season in 2005. His career +.300 batting average and .348 on-base will fit right in the lineup.

The Braves made moves to help their pitching staff, specifically their bullpen. Needing an experienced closer, their first move was to sign Billy Wagner. While rehabbing after Tommy John surgery, Wagner was traded to the Red Sox, where he showed he still has life left in his arm at the end of the season. The limited sample size of his late-season performance coming off major surgery makes this deal a bit risky. No one knows if his arm can hold. up over a full season of pressure as a closer. With the Sox, he was used mostly as a set-up man, and was limited in appearances. Only time will tell.

Fortunately, Wagner isn't the only former Sox on the Braves next season. They also signed Takashi Saito to a one-year deal to be his set-up man. The fear in signing him to a long term deal is two-fold. First, Japanese pitchers in MLB have so far had very short shelf-lives before starting to fall apart. Second, Saito will be turning 40 around the start of next season. He may have a career 2.05 ERA in 245.1 innings, but how much longer can that last? Even if he breaks down this year, at least he'll only be on the payroll for one season.

The big news of the week was the signing of Marco Scutaro by the Red Sox. This was pretty much the only move the Sox could make, with a fairly weak SS class behind him and Alex Gonzalez, who the Sox let go. Having a breakout year at 34 does have to make you think, though. Not to mention the fact that this will be his first time play SS full-time, and he's coming off a minor injury at the end of last season. Still, this looks like a good signing, and shows the Sox are still looking to stay in the playoff picture and compete with the Yankees.

In head-scratching news, the Millwaukee Brewers signed Gregg Zaun to be their full time catcher for next season, with an option for 2011. By letting Jason Kendall go, the Brewers basically gave up a 35-year-old everyday catcher in exchange for a 38-year-old with slightly better numbers. And even then, Zaun's best years were 2004-'07, and he's never played in more than the 133 games he played in 2005. After finishing 2 games below .500, and 12 out of their division lead, the Brewers should be looking to rebuild or improve. Signing Gregg Zaun, even if its just for a year, is the wrong move.

Trades:
Out of the ashes of the Gregg Zaun deal comes a trade that sends C Kelly Shoppach to the Rays for a player to be named later. The Rays had nothing to lose in making this deal. They gave up Zaun to free agency, giving them a draft pick in return, and needed a catcher to fill the void. Shoppach and regular Rays C Dioner Navarro both struggled last year, but with Shoppach four years younger than Navarro and both one year removed from strong 2008 seasons, this deal could give the Rays strength behind the plate for years to come.

Rumors:
A deal that would have Chone Figgins playing for the Seattle Mariners for at least the next four years is almost in place. The only thing standing in its way is a physical, and the rest of the league. No deal is done until the contracts are signed, so any team could swoop in and make a better offer. The deal being reported is 4 years at $36 million, with a $9 million vested option for 2014. I don't see another team swooping in to steal him, but its still possible. Assuming the deal goes through, this clearly shows the Mariners are trying to emulate the success the Angels have had over the last few year. Building a team on the speed of Ichiro Suzuki and Chone Figgins at the top of the order is a great place to start. With Seattle rumored to be looking hard at John Lackey and Rich Harden, 2010 could be a season that shakes up the AL West.

Winter Meetings begin this week, and every GM and agent will be decending on Indianpolis and working on deals. With the Yankees now clear on their budget for 2010, this week could decide who they go after. Also, Roy Halladay has said he won't wave his no-trade clause after spring training starts, so look for the Blue Jays to be pushing to trade him this week. I wouldn't be surprised if the beginnings of a deal are worked out in the next week, and completed by the end of the year.


Free Agent of the Week:
Adrian Beltre
Though Figgins, Lackey, and Harden would be great improvements in Seattle, that all falls apart without Beltre. The good news is that he isn't a true free agent yet. Seattle offered him arbitration, and his status on the team hinges on his acceptance. Losing him would be a huge blow for the team needing power to compliment speed. After leading the team in home runs in '07 and '08, he had a down year in 2009, dealing with injuries and only playing in 111 games. Much like Wagner, he didn't play a lot after coming back from shoulder surgery, but his production when he did was solid, and points to a return to form next season. However, if he declines arbitration, he may be looking at a week market of teams worried about trips to the DL. I doubt he'll miss much time next season, but I'm expecting him to accept arbitration and stay in Seattle. Turning 31 at the start of next season, he'll have plenty of time to test free agency once he proves he can bounce back from his injury.