The free-agent signing period begins four days from now, and we know that Matt Holliday, John Lackey and Jason Bay are going to be paid the most money. But other free agents might draw more interest, in terms of the total number of teams that get involved in the discussions.
- Brandon Lyon: There are a billion closers available on the market, so Lyon isn't going to get a big-money contract. But he is perhaps the best of the guys who might be OK coming in as a set-up man, and he's coming off a solid season in which is posted a 2.86 ERA for the Tigers, allowing just 56 hits in 78.2 innings, with 57 strikeouts. He would fit great in Philadelphia (where the Phillies could bring him in as a seventh- and eighth-inning option, while knowing Lyon has the experience to step in as a closer if Brad Lidge falls apart), with the Angels, the Yankees, the Mets, etc. And oh, by the way, he is a Type B free agent, which means that he wouldn't cost you a draft pick.
- Mark DeRosa: He can do a lot of different stuff, he can help fill in gaps created by injury because of his versatility, he hits for power, he'll give you some tough at-bats. And this is undoubtedly a number that will catch the eye of the Phillies, the team that is regarded by rival executives as the most likely to sign him (among many interested teams): He hammers left-handed pitching. He generated a .587 slugging percentage and a .928 OPS against lefties in 2009, which certainly is an indication for the Phillies that he could help balance their lineup.
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Buster Olney
