Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald says the Red Sox have kicked the tires on many free agents already, with Marco Scutaro and Kelvim Escobar the newest names.  Others include Rafael Soriano, Matt Holliday, Rick Ankiel, Adrian Beltre, John Lackey, Aroldis Chapman, Billy Wagner, Mike Gonzalez, Alex Gonzalez, and, of course, Jason Bay.  Silverman cautions that not all names connected to the Red Sox have "enduring news value."

Scutaro certainly makes sense for Boston; he's the best available shortstop, considering both the free agent and trade market.  We ranked Scutaro the eighth-best free agent overall, perhaps a reflection of a weaker market this year.  It'd be nice to see Scutaro sign with the Red Sox, as we'd get at least one of our 50 predictions right. 

Aside from committing a multiyear contract to Scutaro, the Sox might have to surrender their #29 pick in the June 2010 draft to the Blue Jays.  Looking at the Elias numbers, it is possible that the Jays get screwed out of a first-rounder again, as they did losing A.J. Burnett last year (of course, the Jays failed to sign James Paxton anyway).  If the Red Sox sign Scutaro and any of Soriano, Gonzalez, Holliday, or Lackey, the Braves, Cardinals, or Angels would get Boston's #29 pick instead and the Jays would get their second-rounder (assuming arbitration is offered to those players).

As Silverman notes, Escobar would fit right in with the John Smoltz/Brad Penny signings of last year.  Those two bombed, but here's the question - what kind of success rate should the Red Sox expect from these one-year pitcher gambles?  It is OK if one out of five works out?

Mark Bowman of MLB.com discussed some of Atlanta's options in the free agent market, and here are a few of the more notable pieces of news....

• Relievers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez "will likely leave Atlanta" for greener free agent pastures, and thus the Braves are looking for new options at the back of their bullpen.  Bowman says the Braves have talked to free agent closer Billy Wagner's representatives and "won't necessarily be scared" by Wagner's Type A status since Soriano and Gonzalez are also both Type A's.  If those two were to sign elsewhere, the compensation that Atlanta would receive would more than make up for the picks they would lose for signing Wagner.  The Braves and Wagner's most recent club, the Red Sox, may end up virtually trading relievers since Soriano and Gonzalez are two names on Boston's lengthy list of possible free agent targets.
• Bowman lists former Brave Octavio Dotel as a potential set-up option, and Fernando Rodney as a signing who could serve as either a set-up man or a closer.
• There isn't anything to rumors that Atlanta will try to trade with Detroit for Miguel Cabrera, or sign free agent Jermaine Dye.  Cabrera's big contract is too rich for the Braves' blood, and as for Dye, there is no DH spot in the National League to stash a right fielder who posted a -20 UZR and -24.5 UZR/150 last season.
• Signing Marlon Byrd would make Jordan Schaefer expendable, Bowman reports.  Byrd wouldn't necessarily solve Atlanta's need for a right-handed outfield bat, however, given that Byrd's career splits against right-handed and left-handed pitching are pretty even --- a .769 lifetime OPS against southpaws and a .759 OPS against righties.  Byrd actually hit significantly better against righties (.835 OPS) last season than he did against lefties (.744 OPS).
• The Braves are prepared to see what other offers Adam LaRoche receives before they decide if they want to bring him back next season.

Jeff Passan covers a few items in this piece for Yahoo Sports, headlined by 19-year-old Cuban pitcher Noel Arguelles.  The young left-hander impressed a number of agents and representatives from various teams at a workout last month in the Dominican Republic, and the four teams most interested in signing Arguelles are the Athletics, Mariners, Rays, and (who but?) the Yankees.  Passan predicted that Argulles' deal will be worth somewhere around $8.2MM to $10MM, which match the contracts given to Jose Iglesias and Dayan Viciedo last year by the Red Sox and White Sox, respectively.

In other news from Passan's column...

• Passan says the Yankees are much more interested in Aroldis Chapman than they are in Arguelles, and that Chapman's recent agent switch to Randy and Alan Hendricks may help New York.  Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens are/were both represented by the Hendricks brothers.
• The Royals are "going hard" to sign Erik Bedard to a short-term contract.  Passan thinks Bedard will sign with someone for an "incentive-loaded one-year deal" in an effort to prove that he's healthy and worthy of a more lucrative longer-term deal for 2011.
• Detroit seem to be becoming more determined in their quest to trade pitcher Edwin Jackson.  An unnamed executive is quoted as saying, "It’s like they want to give him away, and I don’t really understand why."

A round-up of several items from around the majors.....

• Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News reports that Jose Guillen would be willing to waive his limited no-trade clause in order to be dealt to the Mets.  The Royals have reportedly proposed an Angel Pagan-for-Guillen swap that would also see Kansas City include some cash to help the Mets pay for Guillen's $12MM salary next season.  Guillen hit .242/.314/.367 in 312 plate appearances for K.C. during his injury-plagued 2009 season, and it's probably for those reasons that Rubin thinks the trade is a long-shot to actually happen.
• The Globe and Mail's Jeff Blair (via Twitter) was told by a non-Toronto executive that there is a 90 percent chance that the Blue Jays will trade Lyle Overbay at the winter meetings.
• While talking about Josh Johnson's contract situation, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria told The Miami Herald's Clark Spencer that the club has no set policy against giving pitchers contracts longer than three years.
• Former outfielder Doug Glanville wrote an interesting blog entry for the New York Times website about the issues a player can face when entering free agency for the first time, especially if they're thinking of leaving their long-time home.
• The Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles signed southpaw reliever Mike Hinckley to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.  Hinckley threw 13.2 scoreless innings in 14 relief appearances for Washington in 2008, but his perfect streak was snapped last year when he posted a 4.66 ERA in 14 appearances with the Nationals.  He spent most of last season pitching for the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate.
• This could be an item for the 'Saying All The Right Things' file, but MLB.com's Matthew Leach reported that at the press conference for Albert Pujols' MVP Award, the Cardinals superstar said he wanted to play in St. Louis, "hopefully for 15 more years if I can play for that long and can retire as a Cardinal." 

When you prepare the turkey, don't forget to add these tidbits for flavor...

• According to Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger, Yankees GM Brian Cashman will deal with his own free agents before moving to others. "I'll talk to our guys first," Cashman told Carig. "And after I have my conversation with our guys, I'll be full blown into the marketplace." For his part, Johnny Damon wants to return.
• White Sox GM Ken Williams slammed his closer, Bobby Jenks, once again for a lack of conditioning. With Jenks set to receive a raise from his 2009 salary of $5.6MM, a trade could be in the offing. Williams isn't exactly raising Jenks' value around the league, however.
• The Red Sox have finalized their coaching staff for 2010.
• Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com report that Matt Treanor will play winter ball with Toros del Este of the Dominican Republic in an effort to show teams he is ready for 2010.
• That deal Ken Griffey Jr. signed with the Mariners could be worth as much as $3.9MM. Seattle also added several scouts.
• NPB Tracker profiles possible MLB jumper Hisanori Takahashi.
• Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that the Pirates are looking at the catcher market.
• Marty Noble believes the Marlins wouldn't trade Josh Johnson in-division.

According to Jason Grilli's Twitter account, the well-traveled pitcher has signed with his seventh team.

Grilli tweets, "Well it is official. I am signing with my 7th team. Can you guess? Drum roll please! Will let ya know when I am able."

If, as it appears from Grilli's comment, this is his seventh different team, that rules out the Giants, Marlins, White Sox, Tigers, Rockies and Rangers.

The 33-year-old righthander pitched to a 5.32 ERA in 2009 for the Rockies and Rangers.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would prefer Curtis Granderson to Edwin Jackson, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com.

The reason is simple: control of the player. Granderson is signed through 2012, with a $13MM club option for 2013. Jackson, meanwhile, can become a free agent after 2011, and with agent Scott Boras' track record, Jackson is likely to hit the open market.

Rosenthal and Morosi write that someone with close knowledge of the Tigers said that the "Angels have depth in three areas of need for Detroit: catcher, shortstop, and minimum-salary pitching."

And Tigers' owner Mike Illitch hardly offered a strong denial that either player could be moved. "I don't know if I want to get into that," he said. "It's something I don't want to talk about. There's so many rumors out there now."

And surely more to come.

Several teams are calling the Rangers about Nelson Cruz, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com, but the Rangers aren't inclined to move him, citing his low salary and high production.

Cruz posted a .260/.332/.524 line in 2009, but made just over $418K while earning his first All Star selection. According to the report, "Cruz could intrigue clubs such as the Braves, Cardinals and Giants if their other efforts to add an outfield bat fall short."

According to the Twitter feed of Buster Olney, "teams are being aggressive in pursuit of Randy Wolf, who is one of the best of FA starters not named Lackey."

Wolf threw 214 1/3 innings with a 3.23 ERA in 2009, though it is worth noting that it was his first 200+ inning season since 2003.

For comparison, John Lackey, who is the very best free agent starter who is named Lackey, pitched 176 1/3 innings at a 3.83 ERA. Wolf is 33, Lackey is 31.

Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Dodgers are a "long shot" to land Roy Halladay, while Los Angeles GM Ned Colletti indicated an unwillingness to add Chad Billingsley into any Halladay deal.

It doesn't take much of a leap to think the former is a result of the latter.

Colletti refused to discuss Halladay specifically, but said of his desire to improve the pitching staff, "We would like to improve our pitching, especially starting pitching. I don't believe we can subtract from it in order to improve it."

The Dodgers have plenty of prospects for a potential Halladay deal, but adding Billingsley, an established arm, would give them a leg up on other teams who would have the financial flexibility to sign Halladay long-term.

Hernandez also writes that Colletti has been in contact with Brad Ausmus, but hasn't had discussions about Brandon Phillips or Dan Uggla.

The Brewers re-signed rehabbing lefty Chris Capuano, according to Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.  Capuano had his second career Tommy John surgery in May of 2008.  He was non-tendered after that season and re-signed on a minor league deal, but setbacks limited him to nine minor league innings this year.

The Brewers are expected to sign a pair of starters from a free agent pool that includes Carl Pavano, Randy Wolf, Jarrod Washburn, Doug Davis, and Jon Garland.  But wouldn't it be something if low-risk fliers like Capuano or Mark Mulder made significant contributions?

The Mets have called to inquire on free agent Russell Branyan, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.  Branyan was the subject of a November 2nd discussion post here at MLBTR, where it was noted that the first baseman was productive only for the season's first three months perhaps due to a back injury.  At the time, interest in a Mariners reunion was mutual, with readers finding a $3-5MM base salary to be reasonable.

On-base machine Nick Johnson could be another option for the Mets at first base; his discussion post can be found here.  Johnson's agent Rex Gary told ESPN's Jayson Stark today that more than six teams have expressed interest in his client.  Stark wonders if the Giants, Mets, Mariners, Orioles, Nationals, and Red Sox are among them.

Lefty reliever Eddie Guardado intends to pitch in 2010, according to his agent Kevin Kohler (MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reporting).  A visit with Dr. Lewis Yocum has Everyday Eddie feeling better about his knee.  Kohler acknowledged that another minor league deal probably makes sense for Guardado, who would like to pitch on the West Coast.  Sullivan considers a return to the Rangers unlikely.

Guardado, 39, posted a 4.46 ERA in 38.3 innings this year, with fairly ugly peripheral stats.  He hasn't shown much of a platoon split over the last three seasons, with lefties hitting .265/.329/.449 against him.

SUNDAY, 10:37pm: The White Sox offered Vizquel a one-year pact worth about $1MM, writes Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune.

FRIDAY, 3:10pm: Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago hears that the White Sox are close to a deal with Vizquel's representatives. Levine notes that the White Sox offered Vizquel a long-term deal before the 2005 season only to see him sign with the Giants.

10:59am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the White Sox are close to a deal with free agent shortstop Omar Vizquel.  He says it'd be a one-year deal and Vizquel would serve as a backup.

Vizquel, 43 in April, hit .266/.316/.345 in 195 plate appearances for the Rangers this year while playing shortstop, second base, and third base.  He earned $1MM.

Some Sunday night links:

• In his latest mailbag, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the Indians are in the hunt for a first baseman that hits right-handed, in the event that Matt LaPorta isn't healthy by Opening Day.  
• Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker passes along the news that the San Francisco Giants are "showing mild interest" in Hisanori Takahashi, via Twitter.  Earlier this week, the 34-year-old reliever made it known that he wants to make the jump to MLB.
• Padres closer Heath Bell says that former GM Kevin Towers was never able to spend the way he wanted to and was "kind of a puppet", according to Kevin Tomase of the Boston Herald.  Bell also said that he hopes new GM Jed Hoyer has full rein over the club's baseball decisions.
• According to a report from MLB.com's Bill Ladson, the odds of Livan Hernandez returning to the club are "less than 50-50."  Over the last three years, the 34-year-old pitcher has recorded an ERA of 5.45 whilst eating 568 innings for five different clubs.

As Sunday afternoon crawls along at a slower-than-usual pace, we'll take a look back at the past week here on MLBTR:

• We saw one trade this week, as the Diamondbacks acquired Aaron Heilman in exchange for minor leaguers Scott Maine and Ryne White. We saw several reactions to the trade shortly after; personally, I feel like getting anything for Heilman is a solid move, as he was a likely non-tender candidate.
• The Cubs made more headlines this week, signing John Grabow to a two-year, $7.5MM extension. This move left me scratching my head, as there will likely be better options on the market, for better prices. It's hard to see Grabow fetching $7.5MM elsewhere. While he posted a solid ERA for the Cubs, his walk rate of nearly 5.0 per nine innings for the season should be a red flag.
• Sticking within the division for now, the Reds also extended a veteran, inking Ramon Hernandez to a one-year, $3MM deal with a vesting option for $3.25MM. As Tim pointed out in the post, it's a bit surprising, considering we've heard the Reds are trying to slash payroll in the past.
• Updates on the Roy Halladay sweepstakes: The Blue Jays are willing to grant teams a window to discuss a contract extension for their ace in order to increase his value. This week, we've heard that they've contacted the Cubs and that they're talking with the Dodgers. The Dodgers interest in Halladay is clear, though they're reportedly not pursuing John Lackey.
• Not surprisingly, Jason Bay rejected his initial extension offer from the Red Sox. Bay will hit the open market as one of the most highly-demanded players this offseason, and will likely listen to offers from multiple teams before deciding. Boston had offered four years and roughly $60MM for the outfielder's services.
• One team that will likely make a bid for Bay is the Angels, who consider Bay an option but have bluntly declared that top free agent Matt Holliday "will not be an Angel."
• Bad news for Marlins fans this week, as it looks like extension talks for ace Josh Johnson have failed. Johnson has stated he'd like to remain with Florida, but is that the best move at this point? The Marlins could hold onto Johnson, who's under team control for two more seasons, until the deadline or until next offseason before looking to move him for prospects. What's the best play?
• The Royals made several minor league signings this week, including contracts to Brad Thompson, Jorge Campillo, and Vance Wilson. Nice moves to add some depth to the organization, with some upside in Thompson and Campillo.
• Fresh off the heels of a fantastic 74-42 run in the NL West, the Rockies extended manager Jim Tracy for three seasons this week. It's certainly been a good couple of weeks for the NL Manager of the Year.
• MLBTR's list of the Top 50 Free Agents has been out for awhile now, and if you'd like a second opinion, check out Keith Law's list, which was released earlier in the week.
• Tim covered the Cardinals in his Offseason Outlook series this week, while Ben added to the Trades of the Decade series by revisiting the deal that sent Mark Teixeira to Atlanta. The other series update this week was the trade market for lefty relievers.

A few Sunday links to peruse....

• Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports ranks his top 20 free agent starting pitchers not named John Lackey.
• Jonah Keri of The New York Times warns the Yankees against getting complacent, outlining why the team needs to get younger.
• Within a piece focusing on Clay Buchholz, John Tomase of the Boston Herald writes that Jason Bay's defense shouldn't concern the Red Sox much, given Fenway Park's "cozy left field."
• In another article, Tomase examines the big free agent signings of the last few years and notices a "disturbing trend of underperformance."
• MASN's Phil Wood questions Phil Rogers' prediction that the Washington Nationals will be interested in signing Vladimir Guerrero.
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Tigers are currently paying the price for their failed win-now approach in 2006.
• Even though Adrian Beltre struggled in 2009, it won't be easy for the Mariners to replace his production at third, according to Larry LaRue of The News Tribune.

Let's round up some leftover Thursday links....

• The Boston Globe's Amalie Benjamin spoke to Joe Urbon, Jason Bay's agent. Urbon suggested that discussion would continue with the Red Sox, but that interest in his client so far has been "extraordinary."
• Larry Stone of the Seattle Times warns Mariners fans not to get too excited about rumors of a three-way deal involving Brandon Morrow and the Tigers' Edwin Jackson. He thinks Morrow could be a valuable trade chip for Seattle though.
• In a Baltimore Sun column, Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly point out that the Baltimore Orioles' lack of big contract commitments puts them in a great spot if they want to pursue free agents this winter. The article also examines what players the Orioles might go after.
• MLB.com's Corey Brock writes that the San Diego Padres could have a little bit of "wiggle room" to sign players this winter, though their payroll will once again be minuscule.
• The Mets need to take the same approach this offseason that the Yankees did last year, according to Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
• Marty Noble shares his own thoughts about the Mets' offseason strategy in his latest MLB.com mailbag.
• Paul Lo Duca wants to make a comeback after spending last year out of the league. Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News passes on the comments Lo Duca made on Sirius XM about returning.
• The Chicago Cubs might not be done moving arbitration-eligible players to save money, according to the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan.
• MLB.com's Bill Ladson recaps some of the big names that the Washington Nationals have already been linked to this month.
• Speaking of Ladson, be sure to follow him on Twitter for the latest Nats updates.

Plenty of baseball writers are already offering their opinions on the Diamondbacks' acquisition of Aaron Heilman, and speculating about what the pitcher's role might be in Arizona....

• Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that some Diamondbacks execs have viewed Heilman as a starter in the past.
• MLB.com's Steve Gilbert, however, suggests that the team plans to use Heilman out of the bullpen.
• In a separate article, Gilbert writes that he likes the deal for Arizona, as a low-risk move with upside. He notes that the two prospects the D'Backs gave up "were not exactly setting the world on fire."
• R.J. Anderson of Fangraphs leans the other way: He applauds the Cubs for getting anything for Heilman, and wonders if "giving up anything of value for a middle reliever" is smart for the Diamondbacks.
• Matthew Pouliot at NBC Sports thinks that both sides did well. He says that Heilman is a durable pitcher with upside, but that he wasn't in the Cubs' plans, and Chicago probably couldn't have gotten a better return elsewhere.

Scott Lauber of The News Journal spoke to Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. today about some of the team's offseason plans. Here are a few of the highlights from Lauber's article:

• The Phillies' offseason wishlist: a third baseman, bullpen help, bench depth, and starting pitching depth.
• The team expects to have about $120MM committed in salaries and $20MM to spend to fill their needs.
• Amaro Jr. doesn't comment on specific free agents he's interested in, but Lauber suggests Mark DeRosa and Placido Polanco are still the club's top targets.
• The "greatest challenge" Amaro Jr. will face in attempting to sign free agents could be persuading players to assume lesser roles. That could mean convincing a closer such as Fernando Rodney to assume a setup role, or asking someone like Juan Uribe to come off the bench.
• Amaro Jr. expects relievers Chan Ho Park and Scott Eyre to test the free agent market. Eyre has said he'll only pitch for the Phillies, but the Phillies GM is skeptical about whether that's really true.

Some more links to read through as we count down the hours until teams can start serious negotiations with all free agents...

• GM Neal Huntington tells MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch that the Pirates won't be spending big on relievers this year: "Our focus is going to be more on the borderline-type guys that may not get $3-4 million or may not even get a Major League contract," Huntington said.
• The Cubs probably can't afford Rich Harden or Reed Johnson, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.
• Harden and Erik Bedard appear on Jeff Zrebiec's list of ten free agents the O's might target.
• Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun says the O's need at least one middle-of-the-order bat.
• The Cubs don't intend to pursue Pedro Martinez this offseason, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
• David Ortiz tells WEEI.com that the Red Sox can always use more power.
• The Astros have already offered LaTroy Hawkins a contract, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
• Peter Gammons of ESPN.com shows that the low-budget Marlins have had a lot of recent success because they're well-run.
• Giants GM Brian Sabean hinted that he could approach ownership with creative offers for big-name free agents, according to MLB.com's Chris Haft.

They may be looking for starting pitching , but the Dodgers don't plan to pursue John Lackey, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. Team president Dennis Mannion told Shaikin that the team has reservations about making a big free agent commitment.

"You can't ignore the fact the economy will be level at best for next year," Mannion said. "We're not going to make any outlandish-type decisions in a rough economy."

That doesn't mean the Dodgers will have to trade arbitration-eligible players to save money. The team's ownership is in flux because of the McCourt divorce, but the Dodgers intend to keep players like Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley as they become more expensive.

Some more links to check out as you celebrate the end of the work week...

• MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez confirms that the Red Sox did indeed meet with John Lackey's agent. This morning we learned that Boston expressed preliminary interest in the free agent hurler.
• ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Rangers asked the Rays about outfielder B.J. Upton as part of their offseason routine, but no talks are ongoing.
• Rockies' GM Dan O'Dowd said that they will only look at a one year deal for the arbitration eligible Jorge De La Rosa, according to Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
• ESPN's Keith Law writes that Indians' closer Kerry Wood could be a "nice pickup on the cheap for a team unwilling to go multiple years" on some of the free agent closers. Wood is owed $10.5MM in 2010, with an $11MM club option for 2011 that could vest based on games finished.
• The Pirates intend to be more aggressive in Japan, says MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. Picking up Akinori Iwamura will help put the team on the radar of Japanese players looking to come to the U.S.
• ESPN's Peter Gammons writes about the impact of the economy on the free agent market, among other things.
• Giants' prospect Angel Villalona had his visa revoked by the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, reports Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. Villalona was charged with killing a man in the Dominican back in September.
• Ben Kabak at River Ave. Blues takes a look at each of the Yankees' five arbitration eligible players.

Diamond Leung passes along a report which indicates that Eric Gagne told Canadian reporters that he will attempt to get back into the big leagues next year, and wouldn't rule out a return to the Dodgers. Gagne reportedly said that he is willing to sign a minor league contract, and wouldn't mind pitching in Double or Triple-A.

Gagne, 34 in January, last pitched in the majors with the Brewers back in 2008, spending last season with the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can Am League. Working as a starter for the first time since 2001, Gagne threw 102.2 innings (17 starts), striking out 64 and posting a 4.65 ERA for the team with the best record and highest attendance in the league.

The Nationals have expressed interest in free agents Mark DeRosa and Mike Gonzalez, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.

Washington had the worst bullpen in baseball last year, posting a league worst 5.09 ERA in well over 500 IP. Gonzalez and his 2.42 ERA and 10.9 K/9 would be a welcome addition to the Nats' end-game picture. DeRosa, meanwhile, could be a fit for all 30 clubs given his versatility, though Ladson says the team most likely sees him as a second baseman or leftfielder.

No one in Major League history has played more games at shortstop than Omar Vizquel, who this year served as a mentor to Elvis Andrus in Texas while doubling as a valuable option off the bench. We know that Vizquel will not be returning to the Rangers in 2010, and instead is looking for a similar role with a more high-profile team.

The 42-year-old continues to be a marvel on defense, posting well-above-average UZR/150's at second, third and short this year. Unfortunately, Vizquel ceased being an offensive weapon several years ago, though his .266/.316/.345 batting line in 2009 was his best offensive season since 2006. He signed a minor league deal last offseason that paid him $1MM.

Where do MLBTR's readers see Vizquel playing next year? Could a return to Cleveland be in order? What about a get together with the Red Sox, who are perpetually looking for a shortstop? Tell us what you think in the comments.

4:04pm: Kovacevic confirmed it, the deal is worth $10MM.

3:58pm: Kovacevic says the deal is believed to be worth a total of $10MM.

3:33pm: The Mariners signed shortstop Jack Wilson to a two-year deal, according to a team press release.  Terms were not disclosed, but the sides were said by Dejan Kovacevic to be discussing a deal worth more than $8MM.  Wilson's new deal overwrites an $8.4MM club option for 2010.

Wilson, 32 in December, is renowned for his defensive ability.  In Wilson and Franklin Gutierrez, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik has acquired two of the game's best defenders at their respective positions in his year with the club.  The Mariners' left-side infield could be a wall if Zduriencik re-signs Adrian Beltre or inks Joe Crede.

3:55pm: The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers tweets that the Cubs are not yet involved in trade talks for Granderson, "but will become aggressive when the Tigers are ready for offers."

9:38am: The Angels and Tigers have discussed a trade for center fielder Curtis Granderson, according to Ken Davidoff of Newsday.  Davidoff says the Halos would use Granderson in left field and either shift Juan Rivera to DH or trade him.  In my opinion, the Angels could fill several needs cheaply for the Tigers with players such as Mike Napoli and Brandon Wood.  Davidoff adds that the Yankees "think very highly" of Granderson and the Cubs are "expected to inquire."  Talking to the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers, Baseball America's Jim Callis suggested the Cubs are in the best position of these three suitors to acquire Granderson.

Granderson, 29 in March, hit .249/.327/.453 in 710 plate appearances this year.  His defense is at least respectable.  His contract is reasonable - $25.75MM guaranteed over the next three years.  ESPN's Keith Law, however, considers Granderson a platoon player given his inability to hit lefties.

The only sure thing the Marlins obtained on Thanksgiving Day 2005 was salary relief. Yes, they acquired Hanley Ramirez, Jesus Delgado, Harvey Garcia and Anibal Sanchez, but none of them were considered certainties. For the four players, the Marlins gave up Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota.

The Marlins had to shed payroll, but they weren't going to relinquish Beckett in a deal that didn't include a top prospect. Hanley Ramirez fit that description perfectly. Baseball America named Hanley Boston's top prospect every year from 2003-05 and they considered him one of the game's most promising players.

But Hanley hit a pedestrian .297/.352/.430 in the minors, never tallying more than eight homers in a season. So Baseball America's Jim Callis described him as "something of an enigma" at the time of the trade.

"He has the bat speed, raw power and pitch recognition to hit .300 with 20-plus homers per season," Callis wrote. "But he has yet to show the focus and preparation to get him there."

Beckett, meanwhile, had already graduated from top prospect status to become one of the game's best young pitchers. In his last season with the Marlins, Beckett, then 25, pitched to a 3.37 ERA in 29 starts, lighting the radar gun up with a fastball that helped him strike out nearly three times as many batters as he walked. It didn't hurt that he was named 2003 World Series MVP after pitching the Marlins past the Yankees.

Beckett had a history of blister problems, but the Texan still drew interest from a number of teams, including the Rangers. He was two years away from free agency, set to make $4-5MM in arbitration.

In just one season, Mike Lowell had become a major hindrance for the Marlins. After averaging 25 homers per season in the five years preceding 2005,  Lowell stopped hitting. He managed just a .236/.298/.360 line with just 8 homers in 150 games. He was due to earn a total of $18MM in 2006 and 2007, so the Marlins couldn't afford his contract 

The Red Sox, under Bill Lajoie and Craig Shipley, could absorb it, so they took it on, insisting that the third baseman could revive his career.  Theo Epstein was on leave at the time of the deal.

"It's not that we had to take Mike," Lajoie told the Boston Herald. "It's that we wanted Mike.''

The Red Sox were onto something. Lowell has turned in four solid seasons with the club, hitting about 20 homers per season and never posting an OPS below .798. The former Gold Glover lost a considerable amount of range this year (according to UZR) after undergoing hip surgery last offseason.

Much to the dismay of Red Sox Nation, Beckett struggled throughout his first season in Boston, allowing 36 homers and posting an ERA over 5.00 for the first time in his career. But he's been effective and durable since and hasn't come close to matching that 5.01 ERA. Only a handful of pitchers have out-performed Beckett since his first season in Boston, even though he's been playing in the AL East.

When Beckett won 20 games and Lowell slugged .501 in 2007, the Red Sox won it all. That World Championship alone makes this deal worthwhile for the Red Sox, despite what they gave up.

Hanley is one of the game's best players now, but as Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe wrote at the time, he was far from a sure thing in 2005.

"What's the worst that can happen here?," Ryan wrote. "Hanley Ramirez turns out to be the next Barry Larkin or maybe even Derek Jeter?"

Four years later, Baseball-Reference lists Jeter as the most statistically comparable player to Ramirez (for his age) in baseball history. Hanley hasn't posted an OPS below .940 since his 2006 Rookie of the Year campaign and this year's NL batting champ has even become an average defender at shortstop, according to UZR.

Hanley wasn't even the only useful player the Marlins acquired. Control issues still trouble Sanchez, who's now 25, but he can strike people out and he pitched well this past season. It all came together for him when he no-hit the Diamondbacks in 2006.

Could the trade have worked out any better for the two clubs? The Marlins got the salary relief they needed and an elite shortstop to build around. Beckett and Lowell led the Red Sox to their second World Championship of the decade.

But that doesn't mean they wouldn't like Hanley back. Theo Epstein has tried to reacquire him before, so it's not hard to imagine a return to Boston.

Another stash of links for the afternoon...

• FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal says Red Sox GM Theo Epstein will have to be creative to keep the team competitive in both the short and long-term.
• Contrary to a report last month, Yahoo's Tim Brown says former Mets executive Tony Bernazard is not working for Scott Boras.
• Brown talked to Barry Bonds' agent Jeff Borris, who said he has not filed retirement papers because Bonds is "not retired - he was run out of the game."
• WEEI's Alex Speier talked to Jason Bay's agent Joe Urbon, who said "interest has been well distributed between the two leagues."
• Astros GM Ed Wade spoke to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart about his unsettled bullpen situation.
• Dialogue has continued between the Brewers and Mark Mulder's agent Gregg Clifton, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
• NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman passes along a report indicating the Braves are interested in 36 year-old Japanese righty Hidetaka Kawagoe.

The New York Post's Bart Hubbuch has some good Mets info this afternoon, though it is unfortunately broken up into three tweets.

• Hubbuch learned that Mets GM Omar Minaya intends to watch Carlos Delgado in winter ball next month.  Delgado could probably be re-signed cheaply after hip surgery limited the 37-year-old to 112 plate appearances this year.
• Cross Jeff Francoeur off the list of non-tender candidates - Minaya said Francoeur will be back and also mentioned that an extension is a possibility.  Mets fans - do you believe Francoeur's 308 plate appearances with the club represent a reformed hitter?
• Hubbuch says Mets officials "plan to look hard" at the group of non-tendered players.  Those additional free agents will be known on December 12th.  Here are our candidates.