Another new column from the hard-working Ken Rosenthal.
- Rosenthal doesn’t believe that the market for Oliver Perez is limited to the Mets; it’s more that they’re the only interested team we know about. Two teams we can cross off are the Rangers and Cubs. The Mets want to do three years for Perez while Scott Boras wants five. The Mets’ plan is to sign one of Perez, Randy Wolf, or Ben Sheets and then add a cheaper arm like Freddy Garcia.
- Rosenthal believes the Giants could justify signing Manny Ramirez as an attempt to "max out" while they still have Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum (they have Cain through 2011, Lincecum through 2013).
- Rosenthal notes that free agents who accept offers of arbitration do not have guaranteed contracts. However, players such as Orlando Cabrera and Jason Varitek would’ve had to be released for clear baseball reasons, not to save money. Otherwise the teams would be in hot water with the Players Association.
- Rosenthal notes that Scott Boras has worked out two-year deals covering arbitration years for past clients such as Matt Holliday and Mark Teixeira, so the current Prince Fielder talks don’t signify a change.
- The Pirates have no need to shed payroll.
