MLBTR Originals

Here's a look at the original reporting and analysis from the MLBTR writing team this week..

• This week, we announced our first-ever MLBTR free agent prediciton contest.  The contest is open now and runs until midnight central time tonight.  Get your picks in now for a chance at $1,000 in cash prizes to be distributed among the top five finishers.
• Tim released his own predictions for the Top 50 Free Agents of the 2011 offseason.  You can check out the entire list of available free agents here, and you can filter by position and signing team with our free agent tracker here.
• Matt Swartz has developed a very accurate model for MLBTR to project arbitration salaries.  There are almost 200 remaining arbitration eligible players and we have projections for all of them.
• MLBTR obtained the official Elias rankings for this offseason and this list includes all unsigned ranked free agents.  Eddie Bajek reverse-engineered the Elias rankings for MLBTR and was right on every free agent except for Kelly Johnson and Joel Zumaya.
• Our Offseason Outlook series rolled on with a look at the two-time defending American League champion Texas Rangers.  We also gave our take on the 2011 World Champion Cardinals and the Braves.
• Lots of teams including the Red Sox, Twins, Athletics, Cubs, and Pirates could explore the market for right fielders this year, which mostly consists of a variety of free agents.
• Need a refresher on the MLBTR commenting system?  We've got you covered.
• Determining an MLB player's representation was once a challenge for baseball fans, but MLBTR's agency database changed everything.  We've compiled agency data for nearly 1,500 players, mainly through regular contact with dozens of agencies.  Check out MLBTR's agency database today!
• On the first official week of the offseason, Mike Axisa rounded up the best baseball talk from around the web in Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
• In the last three years, Twitter has become an essential part of MLB coverage.  Nearly every baseball writer has a Twitter account, and the majority of news is broken through this medium.  If you're not already, follow MLBTradeRumors on Twitter today!
• Did you miss our Wednesday afternoon chat?  That's alright, you can check out the transcript right here.  If you want to improve your chances of having your question answered by Tim Dierkes or Ben Nicholson-Smith, then take a look at Tim's list of tips.
• Supply always seems to exceed demand for designated hitters. Only 14 jobs exist, which tends to create a late-developing buyers' market.  We took a look ahead to this offseason's available and potentially available DHs.
• Want to get in touch with us here at MLBTR?  Contacting Tim Dierkes and/or the MLBTR writing team is quite easy.  Just use our contact form, and select either "Tips, Rumors, Trades, Signings" or "Business Inquiries."  If you'd like a reply, you'll have to put in a valid email address.