Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Zambrano, Johnson, Fielder, Felix, Braves

On this date 39 years ago, the Mets purchased the contract of Dean Chance from the Indians. At the time, the Mets were 1.5 games back in the NL East. The former Cy Young winner would make only three relief appearances down the stretch and the Mets finished six games back in third place. Chance would subsequently be traded in the off-season and play just one more season. With only two weeks remaining before the start of most team's off-season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

• Goat Riders of the Apocalypse feels the reports that Carlos Zambrano is largely responsible for the Cubs' failures this season are just PR by the Cubs to make it easier to move Zambrano this off-season.
• Fangraphs makes a case that Nick Johnson's injury history could increase the number of teams that are interested in his services this off-season.
• Dodgers Rumors wonders if Ned Colletti will be back next season as the Dodgers' GM and whether he deserves to be.
• MLB Notebook breaks down the possibility of Prince Fielder being traded this off-season.
• Jorge Says No! writes about the Mariners' inability to sign Felix Hernandez to an extension.
• DC Sports Plus looks at some free agent starting pitchers that could help the Nationals next season, with John Lackey, Jason Marquis and Joel Pineiro at the top of the wishlist.
• The Ghost of Midnight Graham suggests that teams avoid Pineiro this winter.
• UmpBump takes a look at who might be playing first base for the Braves next season.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.