Matt Treanor: Signed minor league contract with Brewers

The Brewers have major league catchers and Matt Treanor is not one of them. Treanor should remain in the minor leagues throughout the season. He doesn't bring any strength to the major league roster and if the Brewers want to have success next season, Treanor cannot make a significant contribution to the team even on the bench. George Kottaras and Mike Rivera are the two significant catchers on the Brewers in that order.

Claudio Vargas: Signed one year deal with Brewers

Claudio Vargas is a great addition to the Brewers in the bullpen only, not as a starter. He has the capabilities in a short role to throw strikes and not give up easy hits. Already the bullpen very strong and now is much stronger with twelve good relievers on the roster. The issue now is the holes in the back of the starting rotation.

Number Four Starters

Jon Garland
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Jason Schmidt
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

Mike Gonzalez: Signed two year deal with Orioles

Mike Gonzalez will be the closer for the Baltimore Orioles, barring any better relievers signed in the future. Gonzalez gives the Orioles a definite stopper in the ninth inning and completes the top six pitchers in the Baltimore bullpen.

Orioles Bullpen

CL - Mike Gonzalez (LHP)
SU - Jim Johnson (RHP)
SU - Kam Mickolio (RHP)
1 - Alberto Castillo (LHP)
2 - Brian Matusz (LHP)
3 - Chris Waters (LHP)

Ryota Igarashi: Signed two year deal with Mets

Ryota Igarashi is a hard thrower who's not afraid to stay around the plate. He doesn't give up any easy bases which makes him a strong reliever. He will be an effective part of the Mets bullpen opening day.

Lance Broadway: Signed minor league contract with Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have terrific arms in their bullpen already. Hopefully the Blue Jays will not need to use Lance Broadway at all this season in the major for any significant role or else they'll be in a little trouble. Broadway allows too many baserunners to have any effectiveness out of the bullpen. The Blue Jays have nine very good arms that can pitch in a major league bullpen, but they're still looking for the top starter to fill the void created by trading Roy Halladay.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Jason Marquis

The Blue Jays should also invite Shawn Estes to spring training. There is a chance he might have something of quality left in his arm.

John Buck: Signed one year deal with Blue Jays

John Buck is a very good doubles hitter and the Blue Jays have enough flexibility in their roster where they can fit Buck and switch a few players around to fill the holes in the lineup. He's not a great defensive catcher and won't make a run for a batting title, but he can definitely fill a good role on the Blue Jays. Now all they need is a right fielder.

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Mike Cameron: Signed two year deal with Red Sox

Mike Cameron still has a good bat with some good power, but his role on the Red Sox only need to be his glove playing with the Green Monster. At this point in his career, he is perfect for that role. His defense hasn't seemed to slip at all in the past few years and with the Red Sox lineup, his bat can be found in the bottom three and will still be productive.

Geoff Geary: Signed minor league contract with Rangers

Geoff Geary should remain in the minors for the Rangers this season. I do not see him as being a productive member of the Rangers bullpen. Geary is coming off an injury last year where he was unproductive for the limited time he was playing and he'll probably need a full season for recovery. He has a chance to make the roster after a couple of months when he proves to be ready, but right now the Rangers have better arms on their roster. The Rangers still need a third starter.

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
R.A. Dickey
Dan Giese
Noah Lowry
Odalis Perez
Joel Pineiro
Jarrod Washburn

Roy Halladay: Traded to Phillies

Roy Halladay is a top pitcher and he is going to the Phillies who already have a top pitcher in their rotation. Halladay adds more depth to a rotation that will have a number three starter pitching in the number five slot. Everyday now, the Phillies will have the edge in starting pitching over their opponent.

Current Phillies Rotation

1 - Roy Halladay
2 - J.A. Happ
3 - Cole Hamels
4 - Andrew Carpenter
5 - Joe Blanton

Cliff Lee: Traded to Mariners

Cliff Lee would be a terrific fit for anybody. He is a definite ace for any team, but he's not even the best starter on the Mariners. On opening day, Felix Hernandez will be on the mound for the Mariners. So the Mariners now have two number one starters at the top of the rotation. This fantastic depth could carry them far in a weaker AL West.

Projected Mariners Rotation

1 - Felix Hernandez
2 - Cliff Lee
3 - Ryan Rowland-Smith
4 - Brandon Morrow
5 - Doug Fister

Rodrigo Lopez: Signed minor league contract with Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks need starting pitching to fill the back end of their rotation. Rodrigo Lopez will be good to fill the back end of their AAA rotation. If the Diamondbacks have hopes of success this year Lopez will not be a part of it. The Diamondbacks don't need any high priced pitcher because they have the top of the rotation set.

Number Four Starters

Jon Garland
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Jason Schmidt
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

Hideki Matsui: Signed one year deal with Angels

Hideki Matsui is a solid hitter who will provide a good on base percentage, but the Angels need more power in the lineup. Mike Napoli and Kendry Morales are the two options for the middle of the lineup, but is it enough for the Angels? Napoli doesn't always make it into the lineup because he's a catcher and needs days off and Morales is coming off his first full season. Can Morales be banked on to provide the consistent power the Angels need? The Angels should invest in Jason Bay or Matt Holliday in left field or designated hitter. Russell Branyan is another option for the designated hitter because Morales is the better fielding first baseman.

Jamie Burke: Signed minor league contract with Nationals

Jamie Burke is a terrific fit for the Nationals. If given the everyday job, he'd be a very good hitter, which will make up for his below average fielding skills. The Nationals need some good bats and Burke can provide one. In addition, he can be a mentor to Jesus Flores, the young Nationals catcher. It is still a good idea to trade Ryan Zimmerman for a lot of young pieces and sign a defense oriented third baseman.

Third Basemen

Geoff Blum
Mark DeRosa
Troy Glaus
Mike Lamb
Melvin Mora
Juan Uribe

Mark DeFelice: Signed minor league contract with Brewers

Mark DeFelice is a solid relief pitcher and should be on the opening day major league roster for the Brewers. DeFelice is the fourth best reliever on a roster that has eleven good relief pitchers. This is adds more depth to the bullpen to compensate the lack of a back of the rotation.

Number Four Starters

Jon Garland
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Jason Schmidt
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

Logan Kensing: Signed minor league contract with Nationals

Logan Kensing should not be a major contributor to the Nationals this season. He gives up too many baserunners and a lot of runs, so he's hard to trust if he needs to relieve in mid-inning or even to start an inning. The Nationals have ten good relief arms, but they need plenty of starting pitching.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Jason Marquis

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
R.A. Dickey
Dan Giese
Noah Lowry
Odalis Perez
Joel Pineiro
Jarrod Washburn

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

The Nationals should also take a flyer on Shawn Estes by inviting him to spring training on a minor league contract.

Joel Peralta: Signed minor league contract with Nationals

Out of everything the Nationals do need coming off another poor season, they have plenty of arms in the bullpen. Joel Peralta should not be a major contributor to the Nationals this season. He gives up too many baserunners, so he's hard to trust if he needs to relieve in mid-inning. The Nationals have ten good relief arms, but they need plenty of starting pitching.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Jason Marquis

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
R.A. Dickey
Dan Giese
Noah Lowry
Odalis Perez
Joel Pineiro
Jarrod Washburn

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

The Nationals should also take a flyer on Shawn Estes by inviting him to spring training on a minor league contract.

Winston Abreu: Signed minor league contract with Rays

Winston Abreu is not a very good major league pitcher. He will probably get his work out of the bullpen in the minors, but if the Rays expect to have a good season with a good bullpen, Abreu cannot be a major part of it. The Rays have plenty of good relief arms, but what they do need is a top starter.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Jason Marquis

The Rays should take a flyer on Shawn Estes by inviting him to spring training on a minor league contract.

Brian Barden: Signed minor leage contract with Marlins

Brian Barden is a solid fielding shortstop but doesn't have a great bat. The Marlins need a good fielding second baseman, so if Barden can make the transition in the minors for part of the season, he can play in the majors everyday. There are a numerous amount of second baseman that are ready to fill the role the Marlins are looking for.

Second Basemen

Ron Belliard
Jamey Carroll
David Eckstein
Omar Infante
Mark Loretta
Argenis Reyes

Jeff Bennett: Signed minor league contract with Rays

Jeff Bennett is not a good relief pitcher and would be best for the Rays to keep him in the minor leagues all season. Bennett gives up too many hits and walks to be effective in the bullpen. The Rays have ten pitchers on the roster who are much better relievers than Bennett. The Rays still need a top starter.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Jason Marquis

The Rays should take a flyer on Shawn Estes by inviting him to spring training on a minor league contract.

Craig Counsell: Signed one year deal with Brewers

Craig Counsell is a very professional hitter and will provide a good bat at the top of the order. He'll provide the Brewers a consistent baserunner for their potent middle of the lineup. He completes their starting lineup for opening day.

C - George Kottaras
1B - Prince Fielder
2B - Craig Counsell
3B - Casey McGehee
SS - Luis Cruz
LF - Ryan Braun
CF - Jody Gerut
RF - Corey Hart

Jason Michaels: Signed one year contract with Astros

Jason Michaels is a solid double hitter and would fit very well paying right field and hitting sixth in the Astros lineup. Michaels will not hurt the Astros in the outfield. The Astros still need a second baseman to complete their lineup.

Second Basemen

Omar Infante
Felipe Lopez

Chris Duffy: Signed minor league contract with Phillies

Chris Duffy is a decent fielding outfielder, however he should be used in corner outfield positions because he's a subpar centerfielder. Duffy is not known for his bat. His role at best is a defensive replacement. The Phillies should still look to sign Juan Uribe.

Cody Ransom: Signed minor league contract with Phillies

Cody Ransom brings one thing to the table, he can hit the ball into the gaps if he can make contact with it. He's not that great of a fielder at third base and isn't really a major league hitter. The Phillies should invest in signing Juan Uribe to play third because Placido Polanco isn't the answer either.

Ramon Ramirez: Claimed off Waivers by Red Sox

The Red Sox have their second Ramon Ramirez on their roster. This one was on the Reds last year and is a little better than the one they had already. I will differentiate by their middle initials as the new one is Ramon A. Ramirez

Bullpen

CL - Jonathan Papelbon (RHP)
SU - Ramon A. Ramirez (RHP)
SU - Dustin Richardson (LHP)
1 - Daniel Bard (RHP)
2 - Ramon S. Ramirez (RHP)
3 - Hideki Okajima (LHP)

Rafael Soriano: Traded to Rays

Rafael Soriano is now the closer on Rays once again strengthening their bullpen. The Rays now have ten solid relief pitchers on their roster and Soriano is the best of the bunch. He will lock down the the ninth inning which is what the Rays truly missed last year.

Bullpen

CL - Rafael Soriano (RHP)
SU - Randy Choate (LHP)
SU - Dan Wheeler (RHP)
1 - Lance Cormier (RHP)
2 - Matt Garza (RHP)
3 - Grant Balfour (RHP)

Juan Pierre: Traded to White Sox

The White Sox needed high on base percentage personnel and needed to revamp their outfield. Juan Pierre fits both of these needs. The White Sox can start Mark Kotsay and Juan Pierre in either the center field and right field positions because the White Sox do need a power bat and those are mostly in the form of left fielders. In addition to a left fielder, the White Sox do need a third baseman.

Third Basemen

Troy Glaus

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

John Lackey: Five year deal with Red Sox

John Lackey is a solid number two starter on a good rotation. The Red Sox have Josh Beckett who is also a solid number two starter and who is a little better. Lackey could line up to be the third starter in a stacked Red Sox rotation. Clay Buchholz, the young Red Sox arm, will be forced out of the rotation. He's capable of coming out of the bullpen if the Red Sox want, but they won't need him with their current bullpen layout.

Starting Rotation

1 - Jon Lester
2 - Josh Beckett
3 - John Lackey
4 - Daisuke Matsuzaka
5 - Tim Wakefield

Scott Olsen: Signed one year deal with Nationals

Scott Olsen has not proven to be a good major league pitcher on a consistent basis. I understand he's still very young, but this season I see him with an over 5 ERA and giving up too many baserunners to be an effective relief pitcher. It's a major league deal between Olsen and the Nationals, but Olsen should be in the minors to rebuild his stock. The Nationals still need starting pitchers.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Jason Marquis

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
R.A. Dickey
Dan Giese
Noah Lowry
Odalis Perez
Jarrod Washburn

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

Raul Chavez: Signed minor league contract with Blue Jays

Raul Chavez is a below average baseball player that should be in the minors for the Blue Jays this year. The Blue Jays do need a catcher but Chavez is not the answer. They need either one with a high on base percentage or even just one that's more defense oriented.

Catchers

Brad Ausmus
Rod Barajas
Michael Barrett
Jason LaRue
Chad Moeller
Bengie Molina
Jose Molina
Eric Munson
Kyle Phillips
Paul Phillips
Mike Redmond
Yorvit Torrealba

Jason Kendall: Signed two year deal with Royals

Jason Kendall is a very good defensive catcher and a good contact hitter. Edwin Bellorin is younger and can fill a similar role to Kendall and might be able to be better. Kendall can be used as a backup and mentor for Bellorin. The Royals still need a designated hitter, third baseman, center fielder, and right fielder.

Designated Hitter

Jason Bay
Russell Branyan
Matt Holliday
Jonathan Van Every

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Juan Uribe

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Adam Miller: Signed minor league contract with Indians

Adam Miller has a ton of ability and perhaps can be a top of the line starter for the Indians in the near future. If he shows something in spring training, he should be in the starting rotation at the start of the year. Assuming Miller does look good, the Indians still need a starting pitcher.

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

Anthony Reyes: Signed minor league contract with Indians

Anthony Reyes could be a useful member of the Indians major league bullpen. He is a starting pitcher, but he doesn't show proper longevity and gives up too many runs. He'll be better suited in the bullpen, however he is the seventh out of nine useful relief pitchers on the team. The Indians still need starting pitching.

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

Brandon Lyon: Signed three year deal with Astros

Brandon Lyon immediately enters the top six in the Astros bullpen. The Astros have nine good relief pitchers now, Lyon is the third best. The Astros need to focus on getting a second baseman and a catcher.

Catchers

Corky Miller
Guillermo Rodriguez

Second Basemen

Omar Infante
Felipe Lopez

Ryan Speier: Signed minor league contract with Nationals

Ryan Speier is a very good major league relief pitcher. The Nationals can keep him in the minors until they need his use as a result of trades or injuries. They already have a top six in their bullpen that's better than Speier and the Nationals now have ten very capable relievers. The Natonals still need three starting pitchers.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvim Escobar
Jason Marquis
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez

Bruce Chen: Signed minor league deal with Royals

Bruce Chen will not be a productive major league pitcher next year. Chen should spent his entire season in the minor leagues. The Royals still need a fourth starter to complete their rotation.

Number Four Pitchers

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Todd Wellemeyer

J.J. Putz: Signed one year deal with White Sox

J.J. Putz is a solid bullpen arm who has had a recent history of injuries. He is not one of the top six members of the White Sox bullpen, but he can be useful to them. The White Sox still need a third baseman, left fielder, and right fielder.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Troy Glaus

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Josh Towers: Signed minor league contract with Dodgers

Josh Towers can be a key addition to the Dodgers pitching staff. He can be a solid number five starter along with Eric Stults, even though they already have five better starters. Towers doesn't give up a ton of baserunners, which means he can be effective in the bullpen even though the Dodgers have nine better relief pitchers. Although he won't be on top of the pecking order for the Dodgers he can perform as a fifth starter and a relief pitcher.

Boof Bonser: Traded to Red Sox

In the best case scenario, Boof Bonser is a marginal relief pitcher for the Red Sox. The Red Sox already have the top six in the bullpen who's better than Bonser. He doesn't improve the team at all.

Bobby Crosby: Signed one year deal with Pirates

Bobby Crosby isn't very good at hitting or fielding. He was rookie of the year and since then it's all been downhill. I don't see him being of any use to the Pirates because at best he's a marginal bench player. The Pirates still need a catcher, third baseman, and left fielder.

Catchers

Kenji Johjima
Jason Kendall
Chad Moeller
Bengie Molina
Eric Munson
Paul Phillips

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Juan Uribe

Left Field

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Matt Lindstrom: Traded to Astros

Matt Lindstrom allows to many baserunners to be an effective relief pitcher. The Astros already have eight relievers that could be in any teams bullpen and Matt Lindstrom isn't one of them. The Astros need a catcher and a second baseman.

Catchers

Corky Miller
Guillermo Rodriguez

Second Basemen

Omar Infante
Felipe Lopez

Phil Coke: Traded to Tigers

The Tigers were in dire need of bullpen help. Phil Coke immediately becomes the best reliever the Tigers have and most equipped to be the closer. The Tigers still need at least two more relief pitchers.

Bullpen

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Curtis Granderson: Traded to Yankees

Curtis Granderson is a very good fielding centerfielder with a power bat. He hasn't proven to hit for average but he'll be an upgrade over Brett Gardner in center field and will bat low in the lineup. The Yankees have made another upgrade.

LaTroy Hawkins: Signed two year deal with the Brewers

LaTroy Hawkins is a good reliever who is becoming a member of a very good Brewers bullpen. The Brewers have ten capable relievers on their roster, however they still need starters at the back of the rotation.

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Edwin Jackson: Traded to Diamondbacks

Edwin Jackson is a top pitcher and will add impressive strength to an already strong top of the rotation with Brandon Webb and Dan Haren. The Diamondbacks still need back of the rotation starters.

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Ian Kennedy: Traded to Diamondbacks

Ian Kennedy hasn't been in the majors for a while and hasn't proven much. He seems to give up too many runs to start and puts too many runners on base to be an effective reliever. I do not see him being a useful pitcher for the Diamondbacks this season. They still need starting pitchers.

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Kevin Millwood: Traded to Orioles

Kevin Millwood is top starter and adding a veteran presence to a young Orioles rotation will strengthen the staff. Adding Millwood to the top of the rotation shifts the entire projected rotation down a slot, forcing Brian Matusz into a relief role and strengthening the bullpen. The Orioles still need another relief pitcher.

Bullpen

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Corey Patterson: Signed minor league contract with Mariners

Corey Patterson can play good defense in the corner outfield and he's developed into a solid contact hitter. He would be a good defensive replacement and pinch hitter off the Mariners bench. The Mariners still need a left fielder and a center fielder.

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Chris Ray: Traded to Rangers

Chris Ray has yet to prove that he has fully recovered from his surgery. The Rangers would not be wise to consider him a major portion of the bullpen. They already have eight very good bullpen pitchers. The Rangers need to bring in a DH.

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Russell Branyan
Matt Holliday
Jon Van Every

Max Scherzer: Traded to Tigers

Max Scherzer is a very good starter and will be the number two pitcher in the Tigers rotation coming into the 2010 season. As a result of adding Scherzer to the rotation, Armando Galarraga is removed from the rotation and will be in the top six of the Tigers bullpen, which needed plenty of pitchers. The Tigers still need three more relievers.

Bullpen

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Daniel Schlereth: Traded to Tigers

The Tigers are in a desperate need for quality bullpen arms. Even after this trade, they only have two. Daniel Schlereth is not completely major league ready yet. He's got very good stuff and has a bright future, however the Diamondbacks called him up in 2009 because they needed arms at the time. The Tigers do need at least four more bullpen arms.

Bullpen

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Randy Wolf: Signed three year deal with Brewers

Randy Wolf is a very pitcher who I feel will provide the Brewers with a top of the rotation performance this year. The Brewers were in a dire need of revamping the rotation and they've gotten closer to a complete rotation. The Brewers still need a fourth and fifth starter.

Fourth Starter

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Todd Wellemeyer

Fifth Starter

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Ivan Rodriguez: Signed two year deal with Nationals

Ivan Rodriguez is a very good fielding catcher, but he's not the hitter he used to be. If the Nationals still have Jamie Burke on their roster, I think he should get the starting role over Rodriguez. Rodriguez will be a solid backup catcher. The Nationals should still trade Ryan Zimmerman and sign a cheaper defensive third baseman.

Third Basemen

Geoff Blum
Craig Counsell
Mark DeRosa
Troy Glaus
Mike Lamb
Melvin Mora
Juan Uribe

Pedro Feliz: Signed one yeah contract with Astros

Pedro Feliz is a very good defensive third baseman and he will fit one of the two defensive oriented holes at the bottom of the lineup. The Astros still need a catcher and a second baseman.

Catchers

Corky Miller
Guillermo Rodriguez

Second Basemen

David Eckstein
Mark Loretta

Rich Harden: Signed one year deal with Rangers

Signing Rich Harden rounds up the Rangers starting rotation and forcing others out into the bullpen. Rich Harden can be a number one starter, but of the Rangers he will be number two. The five starters and the top six relievers in the bullpen can now be filled by the Rangers.

Starting Rotation

1 - Kevin Millwood
2 - Rich Harden
3 - Scott Feldman
4 - Doug Mathis
5 - Brandon McCarthy

Bullpen

CL - Neftali Feliz (RHP)
SU - Frank Francisco (RHP)
SU - Darren O'Day (RHP)
1 - C.J. Wilson (LHP)
2 - Tommy Hunter (RHP)
3 - Pedro Strop (RHP)

Josh Wilson: Signed minor league deal with Mariners

Josh Wilson is at best a marginal bench player. If the Mariners expect to have a good season, Wilson will not be playing in the major leagues. He can't hit and he can't field. The Mariners still need a left fielder and center fielder.

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

LaTroy Hawkins: Signed two year deal with Brewers

LaTroy Hawkins is a solid reliever and adds absolute depth to a Brewers bullpen that had very good pitchers. The Brewers now have eleven capable pitchers to relieve in their bullpen, however they need a lot of starting pitchers.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvim Escobar
Rich Harden
Jason Marquis
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Andy Pettitte: Signed one year deal with Yankees

Andy Pettitte is a solid starter and will provide consistent performances for the Yankees. He moves Gaudin out of the rotation and into the bullpen, which completes the top six in the Yankees bullpen.

Starting Rotation

1 - C.C. Sabathia
2 - A.J. Burnett
3 - Phil Hughes
4 - Andy Pettitte
5 - Alfredo Aceves

Bullpen

CL - Mariano Rivera
SU - Phil Coke
SU - Chad Gaudin
1 - Mark Melancon
2 - David Robertson
3 - Michael Dunn

Robinzon Diaz: Signed minor league deal with Tigers

Robinzon Diaz is a good contact hitter which makes him an ideal pinch hitter. He is a below average fielding catcher. The Tigers already have an outfield in Don Kelly who is a better hitter and can hit in the two hole. Alex Avila bring more offense to the table and defense behind the plate than Diaz. Diaz will be a solid bench player. The Tigers still need a designated hitter and a second baseman.

Designated Hitter

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday
Jonathan Van Every

Second Basemen

Orlando Hudson
Omar Infante
Felipe Lopez

Ross Gload: Signed two year deal with Phillies

Ross Gload is a solid glove at first base. He is also a very good contact hitter which is good in a pinch hitting role. He is capable at hitting in the number two spot in the lineup if the Phillies need him to start. Obviously Ryan Howard is the starting first baseman, but Gload will be a valuable member of the bench. The Phillies still need a third baseman.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Juan Uribe

Jerry Owens: Signed minor league contract with Nationals

Jerry Owens is a good fielding outfielder. In spring training, I expect him to beat out Willie Harris to be the starting right fielder for the Nationals. His glove is about the same, but his bat is better so if there's anyway to make the team better without hurting the defense, Owens should be in Washington opening day. The Nationals would still be better off getting pieces in a trade for Ryan Zimmerman and signing a better defensive third baseman.

Third Basemen

Geoff Blum
Craig Counsell
Mark DeRosa
Pedro Feliz
Troy Glaus
Mike Lamb
Melvin Mora
Juan Uribe

Brad Penny: Signed one year deal with Cardinals

The Cardinals needed a fourth starter and that is exactly what Brad Penny is. He will pitch well and give them an ERA in the mid-fours. The Cardinals now only need a fifth starter to complete their rotation.

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Alex Romero: Signed minor league deal with Astros

Alex Romero is a very good fielding corner outfielder. He will be a very good bench player for the Astros. I would expect him to get his most playing time in right fielder to spell Hunter Pence. The Astros still need a second and third baseman.

Second Basemen (Number Three Hitter)

Omar Infante
Felipe Lopez

Second Basemen (Gap Hitter)

Ron Belliard
Felipe Lopez

Third Basemen (Number Three Hitter)

Craig Counsell
Juan Uribe

Third Basemen (Gap Hitter)

Cody Ransom

Ryan Sadowski: Signed minor league contract with Astros

Ryan Sadowski in his limited time in the majors looked like a solid end of the rotation pitcher. The Astros would be better off having him as the fourth starter in their rotation once the regular season starts. I see him as a better pitcher than Bud Norris. The Astros now only need a number two starter to complete their rotation.

Number Two Starters

John Lackey
John Smoltz

Chris Shelton: Signed minor league contract with Astros

Chris Shelton is one of those jack of all trades master on none. Clearly to be a productive starter you must fill a specific role or more than one role. Shelton is just below filling each possible role although would be a very good bench player. He can hit well with power but strikes out a little much. The Astros still need a second baseman and third baseman.

Second Basemen (Number Three Hitter)

Omar Infante
Felipe Lopez

Second Basemen (Gap Hitter)

Ron Belliard
Felipe Lopez

Third Basemen (Number Three Hitter)

Craig Counsell
Juan Uribe

Third Basemen (Gap Hitter)

Cody Ransom

Chone Figgins: Signed four-year deal with Mariners

Chone Figgins is a terrific hitter and a terrific fielder at third base. What he doesn't hit for power he has in speed and on base percentage. This is a huge upgrade over Jack Hannahan at third base, but the Mariners still need a left fielder and a center fielder.

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Henry Blanco: Signed one-year deal with Mets

Henry Blanco is a very strong defensive catcher and an overall better catcher than both Omir Santos and Chris Coste already on the Mets roster. The Mets have stockpiled plenty of defensive oriented catcher for this season. The Mets still need a first baseman.

First Basemen

Russell Branyan

Rafael Betancourt: Accepted Arbitration from Rockies

Rafael Betancourt immediately becomes a setup man for the Rockies. He bumps Franklin Morales out of the top six in the bullpen, but Morales is a good reliever. The Rockies now have seven good relievers. They still need a number two starter in the rotation.

Number Two Starters

John Lackey
John Smoltz

Brian Bruney: Traded to Nationals

Brian Bruney will add depth to the Nationals bullpen. Already the Nationals had a top six that were all better than Bruney, but Bruney can still be effective. Trading Bruney, however, has left a void in the Yankees bullpen for next season. The Nationals still need starting pitchers.

Top Pitchers

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvim Escobar
Rich Harden
Jason Marquis
Kevin Millwood
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez
Randy Wolf

Number Three Pitchers

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Vinnie Chulk: Signed minor league contract with Pirates

As the Pirates roster stands now, Vinnie Chulk is the most qualified to be the opening day closer. He is the best bullpen pitcher on the team now. The Pirates still need more relievers.

Relief Pitchers

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Rafael Betancourt
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
LaTroy Hawkins
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Luis Cruz: Claimed off Waivers by Brewers

Luis Cruz has not been a well-known player in baseball but this is a fantastic move for the Brewers. Cruz is a good defensive shortstop who doesn't have a great bat but he knows how to put the ball in play. This is precisely the player the Brewers needed in their everyday lineup which only leaves second base to fill.

Second Basemen

Ron Belliard
Jamey Carroll
David Eckstein
Omar Infante
Mark Loretta
Argenis Reyes

Adam Everett: Signed one-year deal with Tigers

Adam Everett isn't the answer at shortstop. The Tigers would be better off with starting Ramon Santiago at shortstop. Everett is not a good hitter and a below average fielder. The Tigers need a designated hitter and second baseman.

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday
Jonathan Van Every

Second Basemen

Orlando Hudson
Omar Infante
Felipe Lopez

Carl Pavano: Accepted Arbitration from Twins

Carl Pavano is at best a relief pitcher at this point. Placing him into the bullpen will remove Glen Perkins from the top six in the bullpen. The Twins still need a top starting pitcher.

Top Pitchers

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvim Escobar
Rich Harden
Jason Marquis
Kevin Millwood
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez
Randy Wolf

Clay Rapada: Traded to Rangers

Clay Rapada is a below average relief pitcher. The Rangers did not need him in the bullpen because they already have eight good relievers. The Rangers still need starting pitchers.

Top Pitchers

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvim Escobar
Rich Harden
Jason Marquis
Kevin Millwood
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez
Randy Wolf

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Todd Wellemeyer

Rafael Soriano: Accepted Arbitration from Braves

Rafael Soriano is back with the Braves. With Billy Wagner on the roster, this move puts him as one of the setup men to the closer. Juan Abreu has been removed from the top six in the bullpen, but now on the roster the Braves have ten quality relievers on their roster. They have incredible depth.

Bullpen

CL - Billy Wagner (LHP)
SU - Rafael Soriano (RHP)
SU - Luis Valdez (RHP)
1 - Eric O'Flaherty (LHP)
2 - Peter Moylan (RHP)
3 - Derek Lowe (RHP)

Brad Thomas: Signed deal with Tigers

Brad Thomas has had very little experience as a pitcher in the majors and none of it any good. I don't expect him to do anything with the Tigers this year. If he does, expect the Tigers to be done for the year. The Tigers still need relief pitching.

Relief Pitchers

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Rafael Betancourt
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
LaTroy Hawkins
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
Carl Pavano
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Rafael Soriano
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Carlos Corporan: Signed minor league contract with Diamondbacks

Carlos Corporan is a catcher that should not see the major leagues if the Diamondbacks are looking for a good season next year. He cannot hit or field well and should spend his entire season in the minor leagues. The Diamondbacks need a fourth and fifth starter.

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Joe Inglett: Claimed off Waivers by Rangers

Joe Inglett is a solid bench player. He is a decent hitter and a decent fielder but he cannot start if the team wants to contend. The Rangers need a designated hitter.

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Russell Branyan
Matt Holliday
Jonathan Van Every

Chris Coste: Signed one-year deal with Mets

Chris Coste is a very good defensive catcher. Being the best defensive catcher on the Mets roster, he would be a very good backup to the younger Mets catchers in Omir Santos and Josh Thole. The Mets still need a first baseman.

First Basemen

Russell Branyan

Jake Fox: Traded to Athletics

Jake Fox can play all over the field, but nothing to any great level. He hasn't been in the majors to prove a consistent bat either. Right now, I'd only expect a marginal bench player and anything he gives is a bonus. The Athletics still need a shortstop and a center fielder.

Shortstops

Eric Bruntlett
Miguel Tejada

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Jeff Gray: Traded to Cubs

The Cubs have completed their top six in the bullpen with the acquisition of Jeff Gray. Gray will be a strong setup man in the bullpen because he doesn't allow a lot of baserunners.

Cubs Bullpen

CL - Esmailin Caridad (RHP)
SU - Jeff Gray (RHP)
SU - Angel Guzman (RHP)
1 - Carlos Marmol (RHP)
2 - Mitch Atkins (RHP)
3 - John Grabow (LHP)

Aaron Miles: Traded to Athletics

Trading for Aaron Miles fills the void the Athletics had at second base. He's a solid hitter and knows how to put the ball in play which good near the top of the batting order. The Athletics still need a shortstop and a center fielder.

Shortstops

Eric Bruntlett
Miguel Tejada

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Brian Buscher: Signed minor league contract with Indians

Brian Buscher is now the best option the Indians have at third base. He's a good fielder and has a good on base percentage. Coming out of spring training, I would expect to see him manning third base. The Indians still need a first baseman and a designated hitter.

First Basemen

Russell Branyan

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Mike Gosling: Signed minor league contract with Indians

Mike Gosling will not be a productive member of the bullpen next year. The Indians have enough pitchers for their bullpen. He should spend the year in AAA. They still need a number three and a number five starter.

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Jason Grilli: Signed minor league contract with Indians

The Indians had pitchers to fill the bullpen. Jason Grilli will not provide any assistance to the major league club. It would be best for Grilli to remain on the triple A team. The Indians need a number three and a number five starter.

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Luis Rodriguez: Signed minor league contract with Indians

Luis Rodriguez is a good defensive shortstop who is capable hitting in the number two hole in the lineup. Rodriguez is better than their previous best option of Niuman Romero. I would expect Rodriguez to be the starting shortstop on opening day for the Indians. The Indians still need a first baseman and a designated hitter

First Basemen

Russell Branyan

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Russell Branyan
Matt Holliday

Kelly Shoppach: Traded to Rays

The Rays did need a solid catcher and Kelly Shoppach opens up their opportunities. Instead of them focusing on a catcher that hits in the number two hole, with Shoppach being a good fielder, the Rays can look to improve the corner outfield positions. This will create more flexibility in the lineup. The Rays only need one of these position players. The following are all the options.

Catchers

Kenji Johjima
Jason Kendall
Chad Moeller
Bengie Molina
Eric Munson
Paul Phillips

Left Fielders

Matt Holliday
Jorge Padilla

Right Fielders

Endy Chavez
Ryan Freel
Brian Giles

Drew Macias: Signed minor league contract with Diamondbacks

Drew Macias can post a good on base percentage. Because Conor Jackson, Chris Young, and Justin Upton are the outfielder, it would be difficult for Macias to get playing time. The Diamondbacks still need a fourth and fifth starter.

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Josh Towers

Trent Oeltjen: Signed minor league contract with Brewers

With Ryan Braun in left field, Trent Oeltjen will not get the playing time in left field hence the minor league contract. He's a solid fielder and has the swing of a doubles hitter. He adds good depth but the Brewers still need a second baseman and a shortstop.

Second Basemen (Number Two Hitter)

David Eckstein
Mark Loretta

Second Basemen (Defense Oriented)

Ron Belliard
Jamey Carroll
David Eckstein
Omar Infante
Mark Loretta
Argenis Reyes

Shortstops (Number Two Hitter)

Orlando Cabrera
Ramon Martinez
Miguel Tejada

Shortstops (Defense Oriented)

Brian Barden
Ramon Martinez

Marco Scutaro: Signed two-year deal with Red Sox

Marco Scutaro has a lot of attributes to offer for the Red Sox. He's a good fielder with a good on base percentage. He's also capable of hitting plenty of doubles. However, Tug Hulett is a little better at providing on base percentage than Scutaro and that's more of what the Red Sox could use. Scutaro is a very versatile player who the Red Sox can use all over the field.

Gregg Zaun: Signed one-year deal with Brewers

Gregg Zaun can do a lot of things, but nothing to a major league caliber. Mike Rivera is a better overall catcher with defense and even offense. Zaun can help Rivera with guidance even though Rivera isn't a young player either. At this point, Zaun is a marginal backup catcher at best. The Brewers still need a second baseman and a shortstop.

Second Basemen (Number Two Hitter)

David Eckstein
Mark Loretta

Second Basemen (Defense Oriented)

Ron Belliard
Jamey Carroll
David Eckstein
Omar Infante
Mark Loretta
Argenis Reyes

Shortstop (Number Two Hitter)

Orlando Cabrera
Ramon Martinez
Miguel Tejada

Shortstop (Defense Oriented)

Brian Barden
Ramon Martinez
Marco Scutaro

Juan Castro: Signed one-year deal with Phillies

Juan Castro is a very good defensive shortstop. The Phillies already have Jimmy Rollins to play shortstop who plays good defense and is a better hitter. Castro is a very good backup infielder. The Phillies do still need a better third baseman.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Placido Polanco: Signed three-year deal with Phillies

Placido Polanco was a second baseman over the last few seasons, but the Phillies have Chase Utley. Polanco has been a third baseman during his career and is a very good fielding one. The main issue is his bat has been slowing down and cannot provide the offense the Phillies may need from the third base position. I still believe the Phillies need to get a better third baseman.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Takashi Saito: Signed one-year deal with Braves

Takashi Saito is a very good relief pitcher. The Braves do have better pitchers on their staff but he adds good depth to the bullpen. On the pecking order Saito would be the tenth man in the bullpen, but he's one that can produce which demonstrates the strength of the bullpen. The Braves still need a first baseman and left fielder.

First Basemen

Russell Branyan

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Joey Devine: Signed one-year deal with Athletics

Adding Joey Devine makes him the closer because he will be the best reliever on the staff. Jerry Blevins is knocked out of the top six in the bullpen, which means much more depth in the bullpen. Their bullpen is one of the best in baseball. They all throw strikes and don't give up a lot of hits. The Athletics still need a top starter.

Top Starters

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvim Escobar
Rich Harden
Jason Marquis
Kevin Millwood
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez
Randy Wolf

Billy Wagner: Signed one-year deal with Braves

Billy Wagner is the new Braves closer. There is no debate concerning that. He is the best pitcher in the bullpen and knocks James Parr from the top six in the bullpen. Parr is a good reliever and now the Braves have additional bullpen depth.

Bullpen

CL - Billy Wagner (LHP)
SU - Luis Valdez (RHP)
SU - Eric O'Flaherty (LHP)
1 - Peter Moylan (RHP)
2 - Derek Lowe (RHP)
3 - Juan Abreu (RHP)

Brian Schneider: Signed two-year deal with Phillies

Brian Schneider is a very good defensive catcher, but not much of a hitter. The Phillies have Carlos Ruiz who is a better hitter. Schneider will be a solid backup catcher. The Phillies still need to address their third base void.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Alex Cora: Signed one-year deal with Mets

Alex Cora is a good defensive shortstop and is a solid number two hitter. The Mets already have Luis Castillo as a better number two hitter and Jose Reyes as a better hitter at shortstop. Cora would be a good player off the bench. The Mets still need a first baseman.

First Basemen

Russell Branyan

Alex Gonzalez: Signed one-year deal with Blue Jays

Alex Gonzalez is a very good defensive shortstop who can hit at little. However, he doesn't do anything notable with his bat. The Blue Jays need to give Mike McCoy a chance to start and play because he has the chance to make a much more offensive impact. The Blue Jays need the offense from the shortstop spot because Vernon Wells in centerfield and Raul Chavez at catcher are more defensive players. The Blue Jays still need a right fielder. If the Blue Jays want to start Alex Gonzalez, in addition to a right fielder, they would need to sign a catcher or a center fielder.

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Paul Hoover: Signed minor league contract with Phillies

Paul Hoover is a below average catcher. He doesn't have enough major league offensive skills or defensive skills to be an everyday player. He's could be a marginal backup catcher, but because of the contract it's obvious he's there to fill a minor league spot. The Phillies still need a third baseman.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Tug Hulett: Traded to Red Sox

Tug Hulett has shown in the minors that he knows how to get on base in many ways. He hasn't had a consistent opportunity in the majors to prove otherwise. He is a better player than Jed Lowrie and can play shortstop. This is a good upgrade for the Red Sox.

DH - Mike Lowell
1B - Casey Kotchman
2B - Dustin Pedroia
3B - Kevin Youkilis
SS - Tug Hulett
LF - Brian Anderson
CF - Jacoby Ellsbury
RF - J.D. Drew

Andruw Jones: Signed one-year deal with White Sox

At the stage in Andruw Jones's career, he is more of a defensive player. He can play the outfield very well, but he's not much of a hitter. He has impressive power if he makes contact, but he looks overmatched more often than not. He doesn't have a high enough on base percentage to provide what the White Sox need. At best he will come off a bench because I feel Mark Kotsay fills Andruw Jones's role better than Jones. The White Sox need a third baseman, left fielder, and right fielder.

Third Basemen

Brian Buscher
Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Troy Glaus

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Radhames Liz: Claimed of Waivers by Padres

Radhames Liz gives up too many baserunners to be an effective reliever. The Padres have the personnel in their bullpen to be very good and Liz doesn't help them at all. The Padres need to focus on getting a catcher.

Catchers

Corky Miller
Guillermo Rodriguez

John McDonald: Signed two-year deal with Blue Jays

Even though John McDonald's numbers do not jump out at you, I feel he is the ideal number two hitter. The Blue Jays have a void in the number two hole and third base. McDonald's defense at shortstop is a little overrated and he's capable of playing third base. If the Blue Jays start him at third, the Blue Jays will have filled another hole. Now the Blue Jays are only missing a right fielder.

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Aaron Heilman: Traded to Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks created a void in their bullpen with the loss of Doug Slaten and Yusmeiro Petit. Landing Aaron Heilman fills that bullpen and completes the top six because they didn't have any good pitchers on their roster to fill it.

CL - Chad Qualls (RHP)
SU - Aaron Heilman (RHP)
SU - Clay Zavada (LHP)
1 - Leo Rosales (RHP)
2 - Blaine Boyer (RHP)
3 - Juan Gutierrez (RHP)

Josh Rupe: Signed minor league contract with Royals

The Royals do not need another relief arm. Josh Rupe isn't a quality relief arm as it is. He allows too many baserunners to have great success. They need to focus on the starting rotation.

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Todd Wellemeyer

Andy Tracy: Signed minor league contract with Phillies

Andy Tracy has good power but not enough to be a strong middle of the lineup hitter. He's a good defensive third baseman but the Phillies need a third baseman for the middle of the order. He's good power off the bench or a defensive replacement.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Wilson Valdez: Signed minor league contract with Phillies

Wilson Valdez is not a great major league player. He's a very good AAA player. A below average bat and a below average glove is not going to get the job done even off the bench. The Phillies still need a third baseman.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Dewayne Wise: Signed minor league contract with Phillies

Dewayne Wise is a very good defensive outfielder. He will do a very good job off the bench because with Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth, Wise will not get a starting job. The Phillies still need a third baseman.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Juan Abreu: Signed one-year deal with Braves

Juan Abreu is a good relief pitcher that should get a big time opportunity with the Braves. He's better than James Parr and Kris Medlen. Abreu knocks Medlen out of the top six. Braves bullpen is deeper in with this move.

CL - Luis Valdez (RHP)
SU - Eric O'Flaherty (LHP)
SU - Peter Moylan (RHP)
1 - Derek Lowe (RHP)
2 - Juan Abreu (RHP)
3 - James Parr (RHP)

Bryan Bullington: Signed minor league contract with Royals

Bryan Bullington is a solid relief pitcher who should make the opening day bullpen. Bullington is better than Kyle Davies and Kyle Farnsworth. Kyle Farnsworth is now forced out of the top six in the bullpen, which doesn't mean he's a bad reliever, the Royals have just added a better pitcher and more depth. They still need to address their starting rotation when it comes to pitching.

Number Three Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Four Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Todd Wellemeyer

Omar Vizquel: Signed one-year deal with White Sox

Omar Vizquel is still a great defensive shortstop and will give great veteran leadership for the young infield off the bench. When giving Alexei Ramirez a day off, the defense will actually improve even though Vizquel's bat is not nearly as good. The White Sox still need a third baseman, left fielder, and right fielder.

Third Basemen

Brian Buscher
Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Troy Glaus

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Jorge Campillo: Signed minor league contract with Royals

Jorge Campillo isn't a good major league pitcher. He gives up too many runs to be a starter and too many baserunners to be an adequate relief pitcher. The Royals have completed their top six in the bullpen, but they still need a third and fourth starter.

Available Third Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Available Fourth Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Todd Wellemeyer

John Grabow: Signed two-year deal with Cubs

The Cubs needed more relief pitching and trading away Aaron Heilman didn't do them any favors. They had two holes to fill and now with John Grabow they only have one spot left to round up their top six in the bullpen.

Available Relievers

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Rafael Betancourt
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
LaTroy Hawkins
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Trevor Hoffman
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
Carl Pavano
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Takashi Saito
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Rafael Soriano
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
Billy Wagner
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Craig Tatum: Claimed off Waivers by Orioles

Craig Tatum is a catcher without any attributes of a major league catcher, hence the minor league deal. He's not a great major league hitter or defender. Michel Hernandez, who the Orioles invited to Spring Training is a better player than Tatum and should break into the major league roster with Matt Wieters, leaving Tatum behind. Orioles still should focus on a center fielder and designated hitter.

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday
Jonathan Van Every

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Jose Valdez: Signed one-year deal with Astros

The Astros needed some bullpen help and they've gone out there to bring their bullpen closer to completion. Jose Valdez has been a very good pitcher in the minors and given the opportunity, he could excel in a bullpen role. He's better than Chris Sampson and Chad Paronto and in turn forcing them into slightly lesser bullpen roles. Valdez could be a setup man with Tim Byrdak leading to Samuel Gervacio as the closer.

Vance Wilson: Signed minor league contract with Royals

Vance Wilson is a solid defensive catcher and will be a good backup for Edwin Bellorin, provided that both make the team. Bellorin is a much better hitter and he should make the major league roster. The Royals really need to place more focus on their starting lineup as they now have good depth in the catchers spot.

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Brad Thompson: Signed minor league contract with Royals

Brad Thompson is a solid fifth starter and slightly better than Brian Bannister. Bannister is in turn forced out of the rotation, but can be a productive member of the bullpen. Bannister is better than Kyle Davies and Kyle Farnsworth. The Royals still need a number three and number four starter.

Current Bullpen

CL - Joakim Soria (RHP)
SU - Carlos Rosa (RHP)
SU - Juan Cruz (RHP)
1 - Brian Bannister (RHP)
2 - Kyle Davies (RHP)
3 - Kyle Farnsworth (RHP)

Available Third Starters

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Available Fourth Starters

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Todd Wellemeyer

George Kottaras: Claimed off Waivers by Brewers

George Kottaras is a good fielding catcher, similar to Mike Rivera who is already on the Brewers roster. Kottaras is a solid sixth hitter, but Corey Hart is an overall better hitter, as is Mike Rivera. Kottaras would be a good backup catcher to Rivera. The Brewers still need a second baseman and shortstop.

Second Basemen (Number Two Hitter)

David Eckstein
Mark Loretta
Placido Polanco

Second Basemen (Defensive Oriented)

Rob Belliard
Jamey Carroll
David Eckstein
Omar Infante
Mark Loretta
Placido Polanco
Argenis Reyes

Shortstops (Number Two Hitter)

Orlando Cabrera
Alex Cora
Ramon Martinez
John McDonald
Luis Rodriguez
Miguel Tejada

Shortstops (Defensive Oriented)

Brian Barden
Juan Castro
Alex Cora
Alex Gonzalez
Ramon Martinez
Luis Rodriguez
Marco Scutaro
Omar Vizquel

Ramon Hernandez: Signed one-year deal with Reds

Ramon Hernandez is not a spectacular defensive catcher, but he is a good number two hitter. The Reds already have Ryan Hanigan to catch and they already have Brando Phillips who can hit number two in the lineup. Hernandez would be a decent backup catcher. The Reds still need starting pitchers.

Starting Pitchers

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvim Escobar
Rich Harden
Jason Marquis
Kevin Millwood
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez
Randy Wolf
John Lackey
John Smoltz

Edwin Bellorin: Signed minor league contract with Royals

Edwin Bellorin is a solid fielding catcher, which the Royals needed. Also, he is capable of batting second in the lineup, which the Royals should do. The Royals have finally adequately filled one of their many holes in this lineup. The Royals still need a designated hitter, third baseman, center fielder, and right fielder.

Designated Hitters

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Right Fielders

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Wlson Betemit: Signed minor league contract with Royals

Wilson Betemit can play multiple positions, but none of them to any excellence. In addition, he's not a great hitter. Overall he's better than Josh Fields who the Royals acquired earlier in the offseason, but he present any starting qualities. The Royals still need a designated hitter, catcher, third baseman, center fielder, and right fielder.

Tim Hudson: Signed three-yeal deal with Braves

The Braves did not need another starting pitcher, however adding Tim Hudson makes the rotation much stronger. As a result, Derek Lowe gets bumped from the rotation and in turn completes the vacant slot in the bullpen. Lowe is better than James Parr and Kris Medlen.

Starting Rotation

1 - Jair Jurrjens
2 - Tommy Hanson
3 - Tim Hudson
4 - Javier Vazquez
5 - Kenshin Kawakami

Bullpen

CL - Luis Valdez (RHP)
SU - Eric O'Flaherty (LHP)
SU - Peter Moylan (RHP)
1 - Derek Lowe (RHP)
2 - James Parr (RHP)
3 - Kris Medlen (RHP)

Jack Wilson: Signed two-year deal with Mariners

Jack Wilson is a good fielding shortstop who can hit in the number two spot in the lineup. The Mariners already have Jose Lopez, who is a better hitter and can hit second, and Matt Tuiasosopo who can play shortstop and has a better on base percentage. Wilson can be a solid bench player. The Mariners still need a left fielder and center fielder.

Ken Griffey Jr.: Signed one-year deal with Mariners

Ken Griffey Jr. really doesn't have anything useful left to contribute to the Mariners. The Mariners do not improve their team at all with this signing. They still need a left fielder and a center fielder.

Left Fielders

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday

Center Fielders

Jonathan Van Every

Jason Varitek: Player exercised option with Red Sox

Jason Varitek is a good defensive catcher and is capable of being a doubles hitter. However, the Red Sox already have Victor Martinez, so Varitek will be the backup.

Carl Crawford: Rays exercise option

Bringing Carl Crawford back is good for the outfield defense. Crawford also has a very good bat. It moves Matt Joyce to the DH spot and Carlos Pena back to first base. The Rays still need a catcher.

Catchers

Edwin Bellorin
Ramon Hernandez
Kenji Johjima
Jason Kendall
Chad Moeller
Bengie Molina
Eric Munson
Paul Phillips

Armando Gabino: Claimed off Waivers by Orioles

Armando Gabino is a solid pitcher, who the Twins should not have put on waivers. If given the opportunity, he should perform very well in the majors in a pitching rotation. The Orioles have filled another hole this offseason. Now the Twins have a gap in their starting rotation.

1 - Armando Gabino
2 - Brad Bergesen
3 - Koji Uehara
4 - Jeremy Guthrie
5 - Brian Matusz

Victor Martinez: Red Sox exercise option

Victor Martinez is an upgrade over Dusty Brown, who would have done a good job behind the plate. Martinez is an overall better hitter and will post a good on base percentage. The Red Sox didn't have any holes remaining in their team, so the rest of the offseason will be upgrading their team.

DH - Mike Lowell
1B - Casey Kotchman
2B - Dustin Pedroia
3B - Kevin Youkilis
SS - Jed Lowrie
LF - Brian Anderson
CF - Jacoby Ellsbury
RF - J.D. Drew

Mike McCoy: Claimed off Waivers by Blue Jays

Mike McCoy is a shortstop that sings a solid bat. The Blue Jays needed some hitters and a shortstop and selecting McCoy was a great move. Since one hole has been filled, all the Blue Jays need now is a third baseman and a right fielder.

Third Basemen (Leadoff Hitter)

Brian Buscher
Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Troy Glaus

Third Basemen (Number Two Hitter)

Pedro Feliz
Melvin Mora

Right Fielders (Leadoff Hitter)

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Right Fielders (Number Two Hitter)

Endy Chavez
Ryan Freel
Brian Giles

Ramon Ramirez: Claimed off Waivers by Rays

Claiming Ramon Ramirez might have giving the Rays the closer they've been looking for all 2009. Ramirez knocked J.P. Howell out of the top six in the bullpen, but that doesn't mean J.P. Howell isn't a good reliever. The Rays now have a deeper bullpen and Dan Wheeler moves to the setup role with Lance Cormier.

CL - Ramon Ramirez (RHP)
SU - Dan Wheeler (RHP)
SU - Lance Cormier (RHP)
1 - Matt Garza (RHP)
2 - Grant Balfour (RHP)
3 - Randy Choate (LHP)

Tim Wakefield: Signed two-year deal with Red Sox

Tim Wakefield completes the Red Sox rotation. They needed a fourth starter and that's what Wakefield is.

1 - Jon Lester
2 - Josh Beckett
3 - Daisuke Matsuzaka
4 - Tim Wakefield
5 - Clay Buchholz

Carlos Gomez: Traded to Brewers

Carlos Gomez is a good defensive center fielder, but they already have Jody Gerut who is a better player. Gomez can be a good replacement off the bench.

J.J. Hardy: Traded to Brewers

J.J. Hardy is a good defensive shortstop which is exactly what the Twins needed and have filled the final hole.

DH - Jose Morales
C - Joe Mauer
1B - Justin Morneau
2B - Alexi Casilla
3B - Matt Tolbert
SS - J.J. Hardy
LF - Jason Kubel
CF - Denard Span
RF - Michael Cuddyer

Cliff Lee: Phillies exercise option

The Phillies already had a solid rotation as is. Bringing back Cliff Lee stacks the rotation, however it pushes Jamie Moyer out of the rotation. Moyer is good enough though to be a member of the bullpen. Moyer is better than Condrey, Kendrick, and Lidge.

Manny Ramirez: Player exercised option with Dodgers

Manny Ramirez is a solid cleanup hitter. Although, the Dodgers didn't need him, he's a good upgrade and luckily for the Dodgers, they don't have any holes, this offseason is about upgrading.

C - A.J. Ellis
1B - James Loney
2B - Tony Abreu
3B - Casey Blake
SS - Chin-Lung Hu
LF - Manny Ramirez
CF - Xavier Paul
RF - Mitch Jones

Josh Fields: Traded to Royals

Josh Fields does not bring anything to the table as a starting player. Below average hitter and below average fielder. Royals have yet to address any real needs.

Chris Getz: Traded to Royals

Chris Getz is a good defensive second baseman with an average bat. The Royals already have Alberto Callaspo who is a better player for a second baseman. The Royals need a catcher, third baseman, center fielder, right fielder, and designated hitter. I suppose the Royals can move Callaspo to fill the DH role and have Getz play second, but then they won't have the power from the DH spot they need.

Mark Teahen: Traded to White Sox

Mark Teahen can do a lot of things, but nothing nothing with any excellence. He will be a bench player. White Sox traded Chris Getz and Josh Fields for him. Getz would have been the starting second baseman as one of the defense-oriented players. Now that Getz is gone, Mark Kotsay can slide into the starting role as the everyday center fielder, which shifts their needs to a third baseman because Gordon Beckham is moving to second base. In turn this trade just shifts their needs, but doesn't lessen them.

Third Basemen:

Brian Buscher
Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Troy Glaus

Left Fielders:

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday
Manny Ramirez

Right Fielders:

Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Brandon Webb: Diamondbacks exercise option

Brandon Webb is a top starter and the Diamondbacks needed three starters. Brandon Webb moves Dan Haren and Max Scherzer lower in the rotation and now they only need a fourth and fifth starter.

Number Four Starters:

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Tim Wakefield
Todd Wellemeyer

Number Five Starters:

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Brad Thompson
Josh Towers

Bobby Abreu: Signed two-year deal with Angels

The Angels have improved their lineup and right field situation. Bobby Abreu is more of a proven commodity than Chris Pettit, who I felt could have handled the job well, and has a better on base percentage. Now the Angels need to buckle down and add some pitchers to their rotation.

Jeremy Hermida: Traded to Red Sox

Jeremy Hermida is not very spectacular at anything. He doesn't hit for a great average. He doesn't have much power. He doesn't have a great eye. He doesn't really field that well either. The Red Sox didn't need to obtain anyone to start for them, but he could be a marginal bench player.

Hunter Jones: Traded to Marlins

Hunter Jones struggled mightily with the Red Sox in 2009, he wasn't going to be needed in Boston, but the Marlins don't really need him either. Marlins still need a starting pitcher and this move doesn't address anything.

Mark Kotsay: Signed one-year deal with White Sox

Mark Kotsay can play all three outfield positions and can hit second in the lineup when he starts. Even though the White Sox do need a complete revamp in the outfield, Kotsay isn't the answer as a starter, but can play a role on the bench.

Left Fielders:

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday
Manny Ramirez

Center Fielders:

Mike Cameron
Endy Chavez
Coco Crisp
Jeff Fiorentino
Jonathan Van Every
Randy Winn

Right Fielders:

Bobby Abreu
Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Yusmeiro Petit: Claimed off Waivers by Mariners

Yusmeiro Petit, if used in the bullpen, can be a very useful righthanded arm in the Mariners bullpen and will be used frequently. Bullpen help was not a great priority for the Mariners, but Petit will be a good reliever. Ironically, the Diamondbacks have created a void in the bullpen by putting both Petit and Doug Slaten on waivers.

Scott Proctor: Spring Training Invitee with Braves

The Braves do need some bullpen assistance and inviting Scott Proctor to Spring Training is the best offer Proctor would get. He has nothing left and the Braves will see that in March and still need to find another reliever.

Doug Slaten: Claimed off Waivers by Nationals

Doug Slaten is good lefty reliever. The Nationals do have the personnel to field a good bullpen, but Doug Slaten definitely adds depth to the bullpen. They need to find some starting pitching.

Michel Hernandez: Spring Training Invitee with Orioles

Michel Hernandez was one of the catchers I previously listed for the Orioles to look at to help the progress of Matt Wieters. I understand it's only an invitation to Spring Training, but the Orioles made the right move and now have lessened their needs.

Jarrett Hoffpauir: Claimed off Waivers by Blue Jays

Jarrett Hoffpauir is a second baseman that can hit sixth in a lineup. He could have gotten his opportunity this year in the major leagues with the Cardinals. Aaron Hill is coming off a great offensive year, but expect his numbers to come back to earth a little. If Hoffpauir gets consistent at bats, he can be a solid hitter and will be slightly better than Aaron Hill. Adding Hoffpauir allows a slight reshuffling of the lineup, which will allow Vernon Wells to play as more of a defensive oriented player and any offense will be a bonus, therefore no need for the Blue Jays to sign a centerfielder.

Jesse Chavez: Traded to Rays

Jesse Chavez, righthanded reliever, is not poised for a good season next year and the Rays already have good arms in the bullpen. The Rays did not address the need for a catcher or fifth starter.

Akinori Iwamura: Traded to Pirates

Akinori Iwamura is a good defensive second baseman who can bat sixth for the Pirates. I slotted Neil Walker in as the starting third baseman to bat sixth and the Pirates needed both a second baseman and a left fielder. Now filling the second base void, third base is opened up.

Third Basemen

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Freddy Sanchez: Signed two-year deal with Giants

Freddy Sanchez is a solid number two hitter and a good defensive second baseman. As a second baseman, Scott Downs will not get opportunity in the lineup where he would bat sixth. I had Emmanuel Burriss slotted in the two hole and playing shortstop because he's suitted for that role and is not versatile enough to have any other role. Adding Sanchez adds the need of a shortstop in addition to a right fielder/leadoff hitter.

Leadoff Shortstops

Marco Scutaro

Sixth-Hitting Shortstops

Eric Bruntlett
Marco Scutaro
Miguel Tejada

Leadoff Right Fielders

Bobby Abreu
Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Sixth-Hitting Right Fielders

Marlon Byrd
Frank Catalanotto
Darin Erstad
Gabe Kapler
Jason Michaels
Fernando Tatis

Jason Bourgeois: Claimed off Waivers by Astros

Jason Bourgeois is a solid defensive outfielder that can play all three outfield spots. In addition, he can bat second in an everyday lineup. With the roster before, Jeff Keppinger could have played second base and batted second, however with Bourgeois playing center field, one from the crop of free agent second basemen would fill the final hole in the lineup.

Second Basemen

Ron Belliard
Akinori Iwamura
Felipe Lopez

Alejandro De Aza: Claimed off Waivers by White Sox

Alejandro De Aza will provide good corner outfield defense off the bench. They still have Alex Rios who should play a similar role to De Aza, although Rios is a better defender and can also handle centerfield. White Sox do not have any everyday outfielders.

Left Fielders:

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday
Manny Ramirez

Center Fielders:

Mike Cameron
Endy Chavez
Coco Crisp
Jeff Fiorentino
Jonathan Van Every
Randy Winn

Right Fielders:

Bobby Abreu
Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Offseason: New York Yankees

2007: 94-68
2008: 89-73
2009: 103-59

Offense/Defense Lineup

DH - Juan Miranda
C - Jorge Posada
1B - Mark Teixeira
2B - Robinson Cano
3B - Alex Rodriguez
SS - Derek Jeter
LF - Nick Swisher
CF - Brett Gardner
RF - Melky Cabrera

Starting Rotation

1 - C.C. Sabathia
2 - A.J. Burnett
3 - Phil Hughes
4 - Chad Gaudin
5 - Alfredo Aceves

Bullpen

CL - Mariano Rivera (RHP)
SU - Phil Coke (LHP)
SU - Mark Melancon (RHP)
1 - David Robertson (RHP)
2 - Brian Bruney (RHP)
3 - Michael Dunn (LHP)

Offseason: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2007: 94-68
2008: 100-62
2009: 97-65

Offense/Defense Lineup

DH - Terry Evans
C - Mike Napoli
1B - Kendry Morales
2B - Howie Kendrick
3B - Freddy Sandoval
SS - Erick Aybar
LF - Juan Rivera
CF - Torii Hunter
RF - Chris Pettit

Starting Rotation

1 - Discussed Below
2 - Jered Weaver
3 - Joe Saunders
4 - Ervin Santana
5 - Discussed Below

Top Starters:

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvin Escobar
Rich Harden
Tim Hudson
Cliff Lee
Jason Marquis
Kevin Millwood
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez
Brandon Webb
Randy Wolf

Number Five Starters:

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Brad Thompson
Josh Towers

Bullpen

CL - Robert Mosebach (RHP)
SU - Jason Bulger (RHP)
SU - Brian Fuentes (LHP)
1 - Jose Arredondo (RHP)
2 - Scott Kazmir (LHP)
3 - Fernando Rodriguez (RHP)

Offseason: Boston Red Sox

2007: 96-66
2008: 95-67
2009: 95-67

Offense/Defense Lineup

DH - Mike Lowell
C - Dusty Brown
1B - Casey Kotchman
2B - Dustin Pedroia
3B - Kevin Youkilis
SS - Jed Lowrie
LF - Brian Anderson
CF - Jacoby Ellsbury
RF - J.D. Drew

Starting Rotation

1 - Jon Lester
2 - Discussed Below
3 - Daisuke Matsuzaka
4 - Discussed Below
5 - Clay Buchholz

Number Two Starters:

Josh Beckett
John Lackey
John Smoltz

Number Four Starters:

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Tim Wakefield
Todd Wellemeyer

Bullpen

CL - Jonathan Papelbon (RHP)
SU - Dustin Richardson (LHP)
SU - Daniel Bard (RHP)
1 - Ramon Ramirez (RHP)
2 - Hideki Okajima (LHP)
3 - Enrique Gonzalez (RHP)

Offseason: Los Angeles Dodgers

2007: 82-80
2008: 84-78
2009: 95-67

Offense/Defense Lineup

C - A.J. Ellis
1B - James Loney
2B - Tony Abreu
3B - Casey Blake
SS - Chin-Lung Hu
LF - Andre Ethier
CF - Xavier Paul
RF - Mitch Jones

Starting Rotation

1 - Chad Billingsley
2 - Clayton Kershaw
3 - Hiroki Kuroda
4 - James McDonald
5 - Charlie Haeger

Bullpen

CL - Jonathon Broxton (RHP)
SU - Hong-Chih Kuo (LHP)
SU - Cory Wade (RHP)
1 - Ronald Belisario (RHP)
2 - Travis Schlichting (RHP)
3 - George Sherrill (LHP)

Offseason: Philadelphia Phillies

2007: 89-73
2008: 92-70
2009: 93-69

Offense/Defense Lineup

C - Carlos Ruiz
1B - Ryan Howard
2B - Chase Utley
3B - Discussed Below
SS - Jimmy Rollins
LF - Raul Ibanez
CF - Shane Victorino
RF - Jayson Werth

Third Basemen:

Craig Counsell
Chone Figgins
Juan Uribe

Starting Rotation

1 - J.A. Happ
2 - Cole Hamels
3 - Andrew Carpenter
4 - Joe Blanton
5 - Jamie Moyer

Bullpen

CL - Tyler Walker (RHP)
SU - Ryan Madson (RHP)
SU - Sergio Escalona (LHP)
1 - Clay Condrey (RHP)
2 - Kyle Kendrick (RHP)
3 - Brad Lidge (RHP)

Offseason: Colorado Rockies

2007: 90-73
2008: 74-88
2009: 92-70

Offense/Defense Lineup

C - Chris Iannetta
1B - Todd Helton
2B - Eric Young
3B - Discussed Below
SS - Troy Tulowitzki
LF - Discussed Below
CF - Discussed Below
RF - Brad Hawpe

Third Basemen:

Pedro Feliz
Melvin Mora

Left Fielders:

Jason Bay
Matt Holliday
Manny Ramirez

Center Fielders:

Jonathan Van Every

Starting Rotation

1 - Ubaldo Jimenez
2 - Discussed Below
3 - Jorge De La Rosa
4 - Aaron Cook
5 - Jason Hammel

Number Two Starters:

Josh Beckett
John Lackey
John Smoltz

Bullpen

CL - Huston Street (RHP)
SU - Matt Daley (RHP)
SU - Matt Belisle (RHP)
1 - Ryan Speier (RHP)
2 - Esmil Rogers (RHP)
3 - Franklin Morales (LHP)

Offseason: St. Louis Cardinals

2007: 78-84
2008: 86-76
2009: 91-71

Offense/Defense Lineup

C - Yadier Molina
1B - Albert Pujols
2B - Jarrett Hoffpauir
3B - David Freese
SS - Julio Lugo
LF - Nick Stavinoha
CF - Shane Robinson
RF - Ryan Ludwick

Starting Rotation

1 - Adam Wainwright
2 - Chris Carpenter
3 - Kyle Lohse
4 - Discussed Below
5 - Discussed Below

Number Four Starters:

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Tim Wakefield
Todd Wellemeye

Number Five Starters:

Cha Seung Baek
Shawn Estes
Braden Looper
Pedro Martinez
Brad Thompson
Josh Towers

Bullpen

CL - Jason Motte (RHP)
SU - Blake Hawksworth (RHP)
SU - Dennys Reyes (LHP)
1 - Kyle McClellan (RHP)
2 - Discussed Below
3 - Discussed Below

Order of the bullpen will vary based on offseason acquisitions. Bullpen pitchers of interest are as follows:

Danys Baez
Joe Beimel
Joaquin Benoit
Rafael Betancourt
Chad Bradford
Kiko Calero
Buddy Carlyle
Jesus Colome
Bartolo Colon
Jose Contreras
David Davidson
Elmer Dessens
Brendan Donnelly
Alan Embree
Scott Eyre
Josh Fogg
Ryan Franklin
Edgar Gonzalez
Mike Gonzalez
Tom Gordon
John Grabow
Kevin Gregg
Eddie Guardado
LaTroy Hawkins
Mark Hendrickson
Matt Herges
Rich Hill
Mike Hinckley
Trevor Hoffman
Bobby Howry
Jason Isringhausen
Masahide Kobayashi
Brandon Lyon
Carlos Martinez
Justin Miller
Trever Miller
Guillermo Mota
Bill Murphy
Brett Myers
Joe Nelson
Tomokazu Ohka
Will Ohman
Darren Oliver
Chan Ho Park
Carl Pavano
J.J. Putz
Fernando Rodney
Rich Rundles
Glendon Rusch
Billy Sadler
Takashi Saito
Brian Shouse
Alfredo Simon
Rafael Soriano
Justin Speier
Ken Takahashi
Brett Tomko
Jose Valdez
Jose Valverde
Claudio Vargas
Luis Vizcaino
Jason Waddell
Doug Waechter
Billy Wagner
David Weathers
Kip Wells
Jamey Wright

Offseason: San Francisco Giants

2007: 71-91
2008: 72-90
2009: 88-74

Offense/Defense Lineup

C - Buster Posey
1B - Jesus Guzman
2B - Matt Downs
3B - Pablo Sandoval
SS - Emmanuel Burriss
LF - Fred Lewis
CF - Aaron Rowand
RF - Discussed Below

Right Fielders:

Bobby Abreu
Chris Denorfia
Brian Giles
Magglio Ordonez
Gary Sheffield
Randy Winn

Starting Rotation

1 – Tim Lincecum
2 – Matt Cain
3 - Jonathan Sanchez
4 – Ryan Sadowski
5 – Madison Bumgarner

Bullpen

CL - Dan Runzler (LHP)
SU - Sergio Romo (RHP)
SU - Brian Wilson (RHP)
1 - Jeremy Affeldt (LHP)
2 - Brandon Medders (RHP)
3 - Barry Zito (LHP)

Offseason: Florida Marlins

2007: 71-91
2008: 84-77
2009: 87-75

Offense/Defense Lineup

C - John Baker
1B - Discussed Below
2B - Dan Uggla
3B - Jorge Cantu
SS - Hanley Ramirez
LF - Chris Coghlan
CF - Cameron Maybin
RF - Cody Ross

First Basemen:

Russell Branyan

Starting Rotation

1 – Josh Johnson
2 – Discussed Below
3 – Chris Volstad
4 - Ricky Nolasco
5 – Anibal Sanchez

Number Two Starters:

Josh Beckett
John Lackey
John Smoltz

Bullpen

CL - Leo Nunez (RHP)
SU - Andrew Miller (LHP)
SU - Dan Meyer (LHP)
1 - Christopher Leroux (RHP)
2 - Tim Wood (RHP)
3 - Burke Badenhop (RHP)

Offseason: Texas Rangers

2007: 75-87
2008: 79-83
2009: 87-75

Offense/Defense Lineup

DH - Discussed Below
C - Taylor Teagarden
1B - Chris Davis
2B - Ian Kinsler
3B - Michael Young
SS - Joaquin Arias
LF - David Murphy
CF - Julio Borbon
RF - Nelson Cruz

Designater Hitters:

Jason Bay
Russell Branyan
Matt Holliday
Manny Ramirez
Jonathan Van Every

Starting Rotation

1 – Discussed Below
2 – Scott Feldman
3 – Discussed Below
4 - Discussed Below
5 – Brandon McCarthy

Top Starters:

Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Kelvin Escobar
Rich Harden
Tim Hudson
Cliff Lee
Jason Marquis
Kevin Millwood
Eric Milton
Odalis Perez
Brandon Webb
Randy Wolf

Number Three Starters:

Aroldis Chapman
Doug Davis
Noah Lowry
Andy Pettitte
Joel Pineiro
Jason Schmidt
Jarrod Washburn

Number Four Starters:

R.A. Dickey
Jon Garland
Dan Giese
Shawn Hill
Vicente Padilla
Brad Penny
Tim Wakefield
Todd Wellemeyer

Bullpen

CL – Neftali Feliz (RHP)
SU – Frank Francisco (RHP)
SU – Darren O'Day (RHP)
1 – C.J. Wilson (LHP)
2 – Willie Eyre (RHP)
3 – Pedro Strop (RHP)