Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Dodgers, Red Sox, Iwamura, Matsui

On this date 33 years ago, Bill Campbell became one of the first players to sign a contract with a new team under baseball's new free agency system. After saving 20 games with the Twins in '76, Campbell signed a four-year, $1MM deal with the Red Sox. In his first season in Boston, he would save 31 games and make his only All-Star appearance. As we enter the 34th Hot Stove season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

• MLB Notebook suggests Ben Sheets or Erik Bedard for the Dodgers over Vicente Padilla.
• Around the Majors breaks down why Jeremy Hermida is a good pick-up for the Red Sox.
• Fire Brand of the American League explores what it will cost the Red Sox to sign Josh Beckett to an extension.
• Where Have You Gone Andy Van Slyke? likes what Akinori Iwamura brings to the Pirates both on the field and off.
• Raise the Jolly Roger wonders if Iwamura is worth the cost-controlled Jesse Chavez.
• Baseball Daily Digest says that the Iwamura acquisition is the Pirates latest move into the international market.
• Beyond the Boxscore feels the Pirates got a steal, noting that Iwamura is worth $7.5MM more than his $4.85MM salary
• Twins Geek laments the near-acquisition of Iwamura by the Twins. 
• Mets Fans Forever hopes the Mets pass on Hideki Matsui.
• Crawfish Boxes takes a look back at every move the Astros made before and during the '09 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.