Big Name Free Agents.

[rollsroyce11991]

Where do you guys think the big name free agents will end up by opening day 2006?

[rbregnard]

The entire list of potential 2005-2006 free agents..

Catchers:
Brook Fordyce
Brent Mayne (Retired) (Agent Barry Meister)
Todd Hundley
J.R. House (Rehab)
Robert Machado
Bobby Estalella
Andy Dominique
Benito Santiago
Greg Myers
Charles Johnson
Pat Borders
Ken Huckaby
Gary Bennett
Kelly Stinnett
Alberto Castillo
Todd Pratt
Ramon Hernandez
Keith Osik
Sandy Alomar Jr.
John Flaherty
Brad Ausmus
Eddie Perez
Mike Piazza
Dan Wilson (May Retire)
Bengie Molina
Ivan Rodriguez (Poss. Team Void Option)
Einar Diaz
Todd Greene (Team Option)
Gregg Zaun (Team Option)
Paul Bako
Mike DiFelice

First Base/DH:

Fred McGriff (Agent Jim Krivacs)
David Segui
Ellis Burks (Retired)
Edgar Martinez(Retired)
Robin Ventura(Retired)
Mo Vaughn
Andres Galaragga (Retired)
Phil Hiatt
Dave McCarty (Retired)
Steve Cox
Wil Cordero
Rafael Palmeiro
Jose Offerman
Frank Thomas (Player + Team option)
J.T. Snow
John Olerud
Roberto Petagine
Dave Hansen
Brad Fullmer
Julio Franco
Tim Salmon
Doug Mientkiewicz (Vesting Option)
Kevin Millar
Paul Konerko
Dmitri Young (Team Option)
Scott Hatteberg (Team Option)
Eduardo Perez
Robert Fick
Greg Colbrunn
Mark Sweeney
Tino Martinez (Team Option)
Ruben Sierra
Daryle Ward
Travis Lee
Olmedo Saenz
Erubiel Durazo
Brian Buchanan

Second Base:
Lou Collier
Homer Bush (Retired)
Bret Boone
Ray Durham (Player Option)
Carlos Baerga
Damion Easley
Fernando Vina (Expected to retire)
Frank Menechino (Team Option)(arb.)
Tony Graffanino
Todd Walker (Team + Player options)
Eric Young (Team Option)
Damian Jackson
Ronnie Belliard (Team Option)
Manny Alexander
Marlon Anderson
Mark Grudzielanek
Pokey Reese (Team Option)
Miguel Cairo
Roberto Alomar (Retired)
Enrique Wilson
Denny Hocking
Dave Berg
Joe McEwing

Third Base:
Herbert Perry
Mike Mordecai (Retired, but could be signed in Sept. to reach 10 years of service to achieve a pension)
Todd Zeile (Retired)
Mark McLemore (Retired)
Shane Halter
Dean Palmer
George Arias
Scott Spiezio
Bill Mueller
Lenny Harris
Abraham O. Nunez
Jared Sandberg
Wes Helms
Joe Randa
Chris Stynes
Jeff Cirillo
Geoff Blum
Brandon Larson

Shortstop:
Rey Ordonez (Agent Adam Katz)
Barry Larkin (Retired)
Royce Clayton
Ricky Gutierrez
Jose Vizcaino
Chris Woodward
Desi Relaford
Alex Gonzalez (FLA)
Nomar Garciaparra
Deivi Cruz
Jose Hernandez
Jose Valentin
Luis Lopez
Ramon Martinez
Alex Gonzalez (TB)
Rafael Furcal
Benji Gil
Lou Merloni
Chris Gomez
Rich Aurilia
Rey Sanchez
Neifi Perez

Left Field:
Rickey Henderson (Agent Jeff Borris) (Playing in Indep. League)
Rusty Greer (Retired)
Raul Mondesi
Ray Lankford
Bubba Trammell
Reggie Sanders
Eli Marrero
John Mabry
B.J. Surhoff
Quinton McCracken
Carlos Lee (Team Option)
Bobby Higginson
Hideki Matsui* (please see his contract for details)
Rondell White (Rehab)
Randy Winn (Mutual Option)
Jeff Conine
Jeffrey Hammonds (Retired)
Todd Hollandsworth
Marty Cordova (Retired)

Center Field:
Ruben Rivera
Eric Owens
Tom Goodwin
Doug Glanville (Retired)
Chris Singleton (Pursuing broadcasting)
Marquis Grissom
Brian L. Hunter (playing in Indy league)
Michael Coleman
Roger Cedeno
Jacque Jones
Carl Everett (Team Option)
Craig Biggio
Preston Wilson
Kerry Robinson
Jay Payton (Team Option)
Bernie Williams
Kenny Lofton
Curtis Pride
Roosevelt Brown
Johnny Damon
Dee Brown
Peter Bergeron
Trenidad Hubbard

Right Field:
Orlando Merced
Jong-Soo Shim (Agent: John Kim)
John Vander Wal (Retired)
Armando Rios (Playing in Atl. League)
Darren Bragg (Playing in Atl. League)
Michael Tucker
Sammy Sosa (Team Option)
Larry Walker (Team Option)
Juan Encarnacion
Gabe Kapler
Matt Stairs
Orlando Palmeiro
Jose Cruz Jr.
Jacob Cruz
Richard Hidalgo
Juan Gonzalez
Dustan Mohr (Mutual Option)
Moises Alou (Player Option)
Jeromy Burnitz (Mutual Option)
Danny Bautista (Retired)
Brian Jordan
Matt Lawton
Brian Giles


Pitchers:

RHSP:
Paul Abbott (Playing in Indy League)
Jeff D'Amico
Joey Hamilton
Pat Hengten(Retired)
Shane Reynolds
Albie Lopez
Jimmy Haynes
Robert Person (Playing in Atl. League)
Miguel Asencio
Aaron Sele
Kevin Appier (Retired)
Steve Sparks
Pedro Astacio
Andy Ashby
Matt Morris
Scott Elarton
Ariel Prieto
Elmer Dessens (Mutual Option)
A.J. Burnett
Jeff Weaver
Jason Schmidt (Team Option)
Jeff Suppan (Team Option)
Jason Bere (Retired)
Hideo Nomo
John Thomson (Team Option)
Steve Trachsel (Team Option)
Brett Tomko
Kevin Brown
Brian Moehler
Jason Johnson
Paul Byrd
Joe Mays (Team Option)
Aaron Myette
Jamey Wright
Jose Lima
Ismael Valdez
Kevin Millwood
Todd Ritchie (Retired)
James Baldwin
Rick Helling
Esteban Loaiza (Mutual Option)
Roger Clemens
Scott Erickson
Tony Armas Jr.
Greg Maddux (Vesting Option)

LHSP:
Omar Daal
Denny Neagle
Kirk Rueter
Darren Oliver (Retired)
Tom Glavine (Mutual Option)
Al Leiter
Brian Anderson
Mark Redman (Mutual Option + Player Option)
Jamie Moyer
Kenny Rogers
Ted Lilly
John Halama
Shawn Estes
Jarrod Washburn
Glendon Rusch (Player Option)

LHRP:
Lance Painter
Nick Bierbrodt (playing in Atl. League)
Franklin Gracesqui
Mark Guthrie
Rigo Beltran
Nate Bland
Grame Lloyd (Retired)
Eddie Oropesa
John Rocker
John Franco
Donovan Osborne
Scott Eyre
Valerio de Los Santos
Mike Stanton
Dennys Reyes (Temp. Retired till the off-season)
Armando Almanza
Mike Remlinger
Felix Heredia (Team Option)
Alan Embree
Joey Eischen
Ricardo Rincon
Scott Sauerbeck
Terry Mulholland
Mike Myers
Jason Christiansen (Team Option)
Chris Hammond
John Franco
Mike Matthews
Buddy Groom
B.J. Ryan
Tom Martin
C.J. Nitkowski
Gabe White

RHRP:
Mike Crudale
Dave Burba
Willis Roberts
Mike Jackson (Retired)
Dave Veres
Scott Service (Playing in Atl. League)
Tim Harikkala
Al Levine
Brian Boehringer (Retired)
Steve Reed
Curtis Leskanic (Retired)
Mike Fetters (Retired)
Rod Beck (Retired)
D.J. Mattox
Kevin Frederick
Rich Garces (Agent Jeff Borris)
Josias Manzanillo
Jose Jimenez
Juan Acevedo
Mike James
Seung Song
Luis Pineda
Scott Strickland
Bob Howry
Dan Miceli
Danny Graves (Team Option)
Byung-Hyun Kim
Grant Roberts
Mike DeJean
Ricky Bottalico
Brian Falkenborg
Kyle Farnsworth
Cal Eldred
Steve Karsay
Russ Springer
Darren Dreifort (Expected to Retire)
Ryan Dempster
Julian Tavarez
Tim Worrell
Felix Rodriguez
Paul Quantrill
Tom Gordon
Mike Timlin
Scott Sullivan (Team or Player Option)
Doug Brocail
Shigetoshi Hasegawa (Vesting Option)
LaTroy Hawkins (Player Option)
Matt Herges
Lou Pote
Rudy Seanez
Jason Grimsley
Todd Jones
Al Reyes
Antonio Alfonseca (Vesting Option)
Brian Meadows
Terry Adams (Expected to Retire)
Turk Wendell (Retired)
Chad Fox
Roberto Hernandez
Scott Williamson (Team Option)
Jay Witasick
Antonio Osuna
Paul Shuey (Retired)
Jay Powell
Jeff Nelson
Jim Mecir
Kerry Ligtenberg

Closer:
Rocky Biddle (Rehab)
Robb Nen (Retired)
Billy Koch
Trevor Hoffman
Octavio Dotel (Rehab)
Braden Looper (Team Option)
Billy Wagner
Jose Mesa (Team Option)
Bob Wickman
Eddie Guardado (Mutual Option + Player Option)
Ugeuth Urbina
Matt Mantei

Managers with expiring contracts:
Jack McKeon
Lloyd McClendon (Team Option)
Bobby Cox
Ken Macha

General Managers with expiring contracts:
Brian Cashman
Theo Epstein
Mike Flanagan and Jim Beattie
John Schuerholz (Team Option)

Players in foregin countries who want to come to MLB:
The Japanese-MLB posting system: If a Japanese player wants to make the move to the majors before qualifying for free agency, the player is put up for auction under the posting system. The team posts the player, then American teams have 4 days to place a bid for the players. The players exclusive negotiating rights are then given to the highest bidder. Once a team is awarded the player, they must negotiate a contract with the player.

Daisuke Matsuzaka: pitcher from Japan- eligible for free agency in Japan in 2007, but could possibly be posted after 2005 season(will make 2.4M in 2005 with the Seibu Lions)

Koji Uehara: pitcher from Japan- eligible for free agency in Japan in 2007 and hopes to pitch in the majors in 2006 via the posting system (he hoped to be posted in 2005, but decided to sign a new deal with this club)

Kei Igawa: pitcher from Japan- eligible for free agency in Japan in 2007, but could be posted after 2005 season

Toshihisa Nishi: 2Bmen from Japan- is a current free agent in Japan and is looking for a contract in MLB for 1M or more or will stay in Jap. (he re-signed in Japan on 12/29/04) Agent: Scott Boras

Naoyuki Shimizu: SP for the Chiba Lotte Mariners wants to come to MLB via posting system this off-season (specifically would like to join CHW) Agent: Don Nomura

Hirotoshi Ishii: lefty reliever for Yakult Swallows will likely be posted after 2005 season

Kenji Jo(h)jima: a 29-year old catcher for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks wants to play in MLB next season. He speaks no English so a position change may be needed, but he may be the best right-handed hitter in Japan. Mets, Dodgers and Mets will likely pursue him.

Kenji Jojima, 29, could become the first Japanese catcher to play in the majors next season

[dps]

Kenji Jo(h)jima: a 29-year old catcher for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks wants to play in MLB next season. He speaks no English so a position change may be needed, but he may be the best right-handed hitter in Japan. Mets, Dodgers and Mets will likely pursue him.

Are the Mets going to bid against themselves for him?