Bard, Estes Become Free Agents

According to MLB.com’s Corey Brock, catcher Josh Bard and pitcher Shawn Estes have elected free agency and cleared waivers.  Both players were expected to join the free agent class, though perhaps not this early.

Bard is interesting – he will be 31 in March, and was injured for much of ’08.  In ’07 he hit pretty well away from PETCO.

Additionally, pitcher Dirk Hayhurst was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays.  Hayhurst’s claim to fame is writing a "non-prospect diary" for Baseball America.