Rosenthal On Free Agents, Orioles, Ortiz

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new column up.

• Rosenthal discusses the unprecedented number of decent free agents available, a few games into the season (click here for our free agent list).  He suggests the hitters will have a harder time getting jobs than the pitchers due to the time needed to shake off the rust.  In talking with execs, Rosenthal learned that the trade market for mediocre players (Jarrod Washburn, Nate Robertson, Austin Kearns) may be depressed this summer due to the available free agents.
• As he wrote in February, Rosenthal says that Braden Looper turned down more money to play for the Orioles due to his preference for the NL.  Tim Redding also preferred the easier league.  The result of those rejections: a very questionable '09 rotation.
• Rosenthal spoke to an executive who was shocked to discover that Russ Ortiz seems to be back to his peak form.
• Rosenthal speculates that Paul Bako could help the Twins.