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Poll: Top Free Agent Catcher

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Assuming you consider Victor Martinez a part-time catcher, part-time first baseman, and part-time designated hitter, John Buck was the best free agent catcher available this offseason. He hit .281/.314/.489 with 20 homers for the Blue Jays last year, but he's since signed a hefty three-year deal with the Marlins. As always, the number of teams looking for a quality backstop far exceed the number that are actually available, but there's still a few out there.

Miguel Olivo is a lock for double-digit homers year in and year out, and the same can be said for Rod Barajas. Both have thrown out a high percentage of would-be base stealers historically. Yorvit Torrealba has a .346 OBP over the last two years, a mark just eight other catchers can top. Jason Varitek hit for a ton of power (.473 SLG) in limited action this year. Then there's A.J. Pierzynski. He's started no fewer than 124 games behind the plate in five of the last six years, and his .284 AVG since 2008 can be topped by only three other catchers.

The Dodgers, Rangers, and Padres are known to be seeking help behind the plate, and it's safe to assume that the Mariners and Red Sox will hunt for upgrades as well. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Yankees, Rockies, Mets, or Orioles tried to improve their backup catcher situation either.

Who is the best catcher still available on the free agent market?

Click here to vote, and here to see the results. Thanks in advance.

Poll: Will Anyone Sign Manny Ramirez?

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You know a player has set lofty standards when everyone considers a .298/.409/.460 season to be a disappointment, but that's exactly what Manny Ramirez did in 2010. He hit just .261/.420/.319 in 88 plate appearances following his mid-season trade to the White Sox, and they unsurprisingly declined to offer the Type-A free agent earlier this week. MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez now wonders if this is it for one of the greatest hitters we'll ever see.

When he ranked Manny the 19th best free agent on the market (insider req'd), ESPN's Keith Law said he's "lost enough bat speed that when he squares a ball up it doesn't take off the way that it did for him before the 2009 season … The explosiveness he had at the plate well into his 30s is all but gone." Ramirez has hit 20 or fewer homers in three of the last four seasons, and his bat is no longer justifying his atrocious defense or various other antics. He also hit the disabled list three times with leg-related ailments this season.

Scott Boras recently said he's seeking a one-year, incentive-laden contract that will allow Ramirez to serve as a full-time designated hitter, but Gonzalez mentions all of the other cheap DH options on the market (Hideki Matsui, Jim Thome, Lance Berkman, Vladimir Guerrero among others) that could reasonably approximate his production. The Blue Jays seem like a logical fit, and although Manny has interest, we don't know if it's mutual.

Two or three years ago a poll question like this would have been unthinkable, but with Ramirez in obvious decline at age 38, it would not be a surprise if teams looking for a DH went in another direction. On to the poll…

Will anyone sign Manny Ramirez this offseason?

Click here to vote, and here to see the results. Thanks in advance.

Poll: Which Type B FAs Will Accept Arbitration?

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A total of 21 Type B free agents received offers of arbitration earlier in the week. They now have a few days remaining to decide whether to accept. Javier Vazquez and Trevor Hoffman have reportedly agreed to reject their teams' offers and John Buck and Joaquin Benoit have already signed deals with new teams, but that still leaves 17 players.

When voting on today's poll, keep in mind that teams won't have to forfeit draft picks to sign these Type B free agents, even though they were offered arbitration.

Which Type B free agents will accept arbitration?

Click here to vote and here to view the results.

Poll: Which Relievers Will Sign Multiyear Deals?

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The free agent market for relievers started with a bang when the Tigers officially signed Joaquin Benoit to a three-year, $16.5MM deal on Thursday.  Benoit's deal could be attributed to the Tigers' aggression and the Levinson brothers' success with their mid-tier free agent clients.  Or, the contract could be a sign that we're back to the crazy free agent days.

In each of the past four offseasons, about ten free agent relievers signed multiyear deals.  This year we've already had two in Benoit and Jose Contreras.  I've got 27 additional candidates; for this poll just select everyone who you think will sign for two or more years.

Click here to take the poll, and here to view the results.

Poll: Scott Downs’ Next Contract

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Earlier this evening I took a look at the free agent stock of reliever Scott Downs, arguably the best non-closer still available on the open market. Joaquin Benoit broke the ice this past week when he accepted the Tigers' contract offer of three years and $16.5MM, presumably giving Downs and his camp a comparable they can use as a basis for their demands.

There are obvious differences between the two relievers, of course. Downs is just about a year older than Benoit but his health history is considerably better. He also has a much longer track record when it comes to being a top shelf reliever, and being left-handed certainly doesn't hurt. It's reasonable to think that Downs could command a larger contract than Benoit, but it's been quite some time since a reliever landed a deal that big. Time for the poll…

Will Downs land a contract larger than Benoit's?

Click here to vote and here to see the results. Thanks in advance.

Poll: Will Arizona Deal Justin Upton?

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Recently, Justin Upton's name has popped up in trade talks as GM Kevin Towers seems willing to part ways with the 23-year-old – for the right price, of course.  Several teams have been linked to the up-and-coming star, including the Red Sox, Yankees, and even the division rival Rockies.  There's no shortage of interest in the slugger, but one has to wonder if the asking price will be too rich for everyone's blood.

Yesterday, an American League executive told Jon Heyman of SI that Arizona's asking price is "ridiculous."  The D'Backs are said to be looking for at least four or five players in return that can help them in the short-term and long-term.  Today, it was reported that half of the teams in baseball have shown interest in Upton but Towers will only ship the up-and-coming star if he comes away the clear victor in a trade.  It makes one wonder if Arizona's recently-crowned GM is looking to trade Upton or if he is simply keeping an open mind to potential offers.

Will the D'Backs trade Upton?

Click here to vote, and click here to view the results.

Poll: Are The Phillies Really Intent On Re-Signing Werth?

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For some time now, the general consensus has been that Jayson Werth would be moving on in 2011 as the Phillies are not willing to dole out the money and years necessary to retain him.  On Wednesday, a Phillies source told ESPN's Jayson Stark that there was "no chance" of the right fielder remaining in Philadelphia. 

GM Ruben Amaro now says that he needs an answer from the 31-year-old quickly, a request that seems unlikely to be fulfilled by a Scott Boras client.  Amaro wouldn't confirm or deny that the club has made Werth an offer but SI's Jon Heyman (via Twitter) hears that they are making a big push to keep him aboard.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Phillies' push to re-sign Werth is nothing more than a public relations move.  The club, he says, wants to be able to say that they made the slugger a big offer and tried their best to hang on to him.  Is the "big push" to keep the right-handed bopper nothing more than a PR ploy?  We want to know your take on the situation.

Are the Phillies really intent on keeping Werth?

Click here to take the poll, and here to view the results.

Poll: First Big Name Free Agent To Sign

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The free agent market officially opens for business at 12:01am ET tonight, so the hot stove is about to kick into full gear. Big name free agents like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford figure to receive massive contract offers from several teams, and chances are it'll take them a few weeks to decide on their next team. Adrian Beltre and Jayson Werth will enjoy the same experience.

On the eve of free agency, it's only natural to wonder which big domino will be the first to fall. Time for the poll…

Which big name free agent will be the first to sign?

Click here to vote, and here to see the results. 

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