2) Will Barry Bonds leave San Francisco?

The Giants have suggested they will not be offering Bonds arbitration on Friday. Since Bonds made $18 million in 2006, he would have been assured of getting at least that much, if not more, through arbitration. But they will continue to talk to him. And it says here both sides eventually put away the boxing gloves and come to an agreement they can live with.

Bonds and the Giants are like an old married couple. There's lot of fighting and complaining, and some honest-to-goodness animosity as well, and yet they still know they're better together than apart. The Giants have made passes at almost every available outfielder but so far they're striking out. They don't appear likely to land Manny, and they also know they can't replace The Great Bonds with just some guy off the street.

Ultimately, they know Bonds brings in fans. They understand best how to coexist with him and would probably regret watching him break the record elsewhere. The guess here is they sign him to a one-year, $15 million deal, eventually.

3) Where does Greg Maddux wind up?

Another coin-flip proposition. It's down to the Dodgers and Padres, who are equidistant from his Dana Point, Calif., home.

Maddux enjoyed his revival in L.A. immensely, much more so than his return to Wrigley Field. He liked it so much at Chavez Ravine he wants to play two more years there. The thinking is that whoever comes up with a viable two-year deal is the one who gets the 333-game winner. It could go either way, but I'll go with the Padres.

4) What about Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt?

Word is, the Zito market is heating up, and it's within the realm of possibility he signs by next week. The Mets have long been considered the favorite but they've also been exploring trade options (with the White Sox and possibly Oakland), and Zito has several large- and mid-market suitors, no surprise considering his career-long consistency and durability. While Zito's surely leaving Oakland, one thing to keep in mind is that he's 41-16 lifetime vs. AL West teams.

Folks scoffed when it was suggested Zito sought Kevin Brown's $105-million, seven-year deal. But in this red-hot market, it shouldn't surprise anyone if he joins Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee as a third nine-figure man. That's my call here. He gets his $100 million.

Schmidt is just as talented but is six years older and hurt by a couple runs to the shoulder doctor, not to mention the pervasive perception (probably true) that he badly wants to remain on the West Coast.

The Cubs have joined the fray that includes the Mariners, Dodgers and possibly the Padres. Not too much has been heard from Schmidt's old team, the Giants, but one competing executive said he wouldn't be surprised if the Giants weren't merely "laying in the weeds" and came out of nowhere to keep Schmidt. Maybe so, but I'm going to go with the archrival Dodgers.

5) Will Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte return?

Pettitte has said he's leaning toward retirement, but his natural loyalty may push him back toward the Bronx. A few years ago, Pettitte refused to take Boston's offer of $54 million because he didn't want to be on what he saw as the wrong side of the rivalry, and he still may have a soft enough spot for his old friends that he puts the pinstripes back on.

Clemens doesn't have too many soft spots. But he is quite interested in greenbacks and marketing opportunities. And Boston would be best on that score. The Red Sox are forming a superb rotation. But they'll always have room for ol' Roj'. In any case, don't expect a decision by either veteran pitcher anytime soon; Clemens may take months.

6) Will Daisuke Matsuzaka sign with Boston?

Too early for that one. This is the one with the deadline, but it doesn't come until Dec. 15, and nobody thinks any deal will be done until that very day.

The sides are well apart, with agent Scott Boras holding out for market value for a No. 1 pitcher with international appeal, while Boston wants to pay far less than market value since they've already agreed to invest $51.1 million and know Matsuzaka's options appear to be somewhat limited by the unfair posting system. It could get dicey, but folks think it's eventually going to get done. The guess here is they meet in the middle at $52 million for four years, which puts Boston's annual outlay at close to $26 mil per.