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Free-agent watch

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CNNSI.com takes a look at the Top 10 players on baseball's free-agent market. The free-agency period began Nov. 11. Click on any of the thumbnails below for each player's biographical information and statistics.

Top 10 Players to Watch

Ellis Burks, OF Signed: Nov. 20, with Cleveland The Skinny: A week after withdrawing a lucrative offer to Manny Ramirez, the Cleveland Indians landed free agent Ellis Burks. Burks, 36, became the first free-agent hitter to change teams this offseason, signing a three-year deal worth $20 million. The Indians plan to use Burks in right field and as their designated hitter so he can rest his knees. Burks' aching joints have prevented him from playing in more than 120 games since 1996, and the chance to be a DH was one of the reasons he wanted to play in the AL again. By signing Burks, the Indians may have ended any possibility of re-signing Ramirez, who rejected the club's $119-million, seven-year offer.

Darren Dreifort, P The Skinny: After struggling to a 12-9 record and 4.16 ERA last season, the fireballing right-hander is looking for a big payday. Agent Scott Boras has indicated that Dreifort's asking price will be in the neighborhood of $55 million for five years. The Dodgers are having a hard time swallowing that. According to GM Kevin Malone, the team and Dreifort, 27, need "to find a place where both [sides] feel comfortable." L.A. is fine with the length of the deal but would like to reduce the cost to them by about $10 million. Dreifort rebounded with a strong second half last season, after compiling a 5.14 ERA and 4-7 record before to the All-Star break. One note of concern, though: Dreifort isn't a strong finisher, meaning prior to this year he pitched just 43 of his 474 innings in the season's final month. The Suitors: Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.

Andres Galarraga, 1B Signed: Dec. 8, with the Texas Rangers. The Skinny: In one of the year's most amazing stories, Galarraga hit .302 with 28 homers and 100 RBIs following his remarkable comeback from lymphoma cancer. It's obvious Galarraga, 39, can still play, and the Texas Rangers rewarded him with a one-year, $6.25 million contract.

Juan Gonzalez, OF The Skinny: Is his back OK? How about his frame of mind? Will the Tigers move in the outfield fences at Comerica Park per his request? Was last season's down year a simple aberration? So many questions, so few answers. For all intents and purposes, the Tigers treated Gonzalez like a king when they acquired him before the start of the last season. Detroit is definitely the front-runner to re-sign the mercurial outfielder, despite Gonzalez's apparent eagerness to test the market. The Tigers protected themselves by offering the slugger arbitration, thus guaranteeing the team two draft choices if Gonzalez should sign elsewhere. Early in the season Gonzalez spurned an eight-year offer from the Tigers reportedly worth $140 million. The 31-year-old struggled at the start of the season and the environment became so tense in Detroit in late June that GM Randy Smith had a trade worked out with the Yankees. But Gonzalez vetoed the deal, saying he wanted to stay in Detroit the entire season. Though he rallied to hit .289 with 22 home runs and 67 RBIs, Gonzalez missed the final week and a half of the 2000 season with a back injury. The Tigers requested that Gonzalez undergo a back exam, which he did. But results of the test weren't revealed. Agent Scott Boras said Gonzalez was "fine to play the upcoming season." Meanwhile, Indians GM John Hart is keeping an eye on Gonzalez in case Manny Ramirez leaves Cleveland. The Suitors: Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers.

Mike Hampton, P Signed: Dec. 9, with the Colorado Rockies. The Skinny: Despite a career 6.88 ERA at Coors Field, Hampton agreed to an eight-year, $123.8 million deal with the Colorado Rockies, the largest contract in history ... for now. The 28-year-old Texan went 37-14 with a 3.02 ERA the past two seasons (one with the Mets, the previous season with Houston) and was seeking a deal similar to Kevin Brown's seven-year, $105 million package with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The southpaw also wanted to stay in the National League, where he can bat (he just won his second consecutive Silver Slugger award as the top-hitting pitcher in the NL).

Charles Johnson, C The Skinny: One of the top defensive catchers in the league this past decade, Johnson, 29, came on strong offensively last season with career highs in home runs (31), RBIs (91) and batting average (.314). Johnson, who played particularly well after being traded midseason from the Orioles to the White Sox, batting .326 with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs in 44 games, seeks about $10 million per season, according to reports. Even with that hefty price tag, a shortage of good-hitting catchers puts Johnson's services heavily in demand. The well-traveled backstop will be pursued by the Florida Marlins, one of his former clubs and one that is searching for a strong presence behind the plate to help develop its young pitching staff. In addition, the Dodgers and Giants, who will need to replace Burks' bat should he leave via free agency, will likely give Johnson's agent, Scott Boras, a call. The Suitors: Chicago White Sox, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants.

Mike Mussina, P Signed: Nov. 30, with the New York Yankees. The Skinny: The right-hander known as "Moose" was the first of the big-name free agents to ink a deal, signing a six-year, $88.5 million contract with the Yankees. Mussina, who turned 32 on Dec. 8, has a career 147-81 record and a 3.53 ERA. He has averaged more than 15 wins per year over the last 11 seasons, winning 18 or more games four times. Last season, his record was a deceptive 11-15. Despite his sub-.500 total, the veteran led the AL in innings pitched (237 2/3), and was third in both strikeouts (210) and ERA (3.70).

Denny Neagle, P Signed: Dec. 4, with the Colorado Rockies. The Skinny: The Cincinnati Reds unloaded Neagle, 32, on the New York Yankees in midseason because he had made it clear he was intent on testing the free-agent market after the season. After an up-and-down tenure with the Bombers, Neagle decided to sign a five-year, $51 million deal with the Colorado Rockies. Upon signing, Neagle said, "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know this is a tough place to pitch but I'd like to change the perception here." After a strong 8-2 start with the Reds, Neagle finished out the year going 7-7 for the world champions. His ERA ballooned from 3.52 with Cincinnati to 5.81 as a Yankee. The Yankees' acquisition of Mike Mussina assured that Neagle would go elsewhere.

Alex Rodriguez, SS Signed: Dec. 11, with the Texas Rangers. The Skinny: The most coveted free agent this season, and perhaps ever, appears to be headed for the Lone Star State. SI's Tom Verducci reports that Rodriguez has agreed to a 10-year, $252 million contract (with an out clause after seven years) with the Texas Rangers. The deal, which is near completion, would end the record-breaking sweepstakes that saw several twists and turns. The 25-year-old star -- who hit .318 and averaged 37 home runs, 115 RBIs, 122 runs scored and 25 stolen bases in his first five full seasons in the majors -- was embroiled in controversy when the free-agent signing period began. The Mets, once thought to be a prime suitor for A-Rod, bowed out of the negotiations, after Rodriguez' agent, Scott Boras, made outrageous contract demands, a charge Rodriguez denied to SI's Tom Verducci. None of it seems to matter now though, as the superstar shortstop is on his way to becoming the highest-paid player in sports history.

Manny Ramirez, OF The Skinny: One of the top RBI men in baseball history, the 28-year-old Ramirez reportedly asked the Cleveland Indians for a deal in the $18-$20 million range right after last season ended. The Indians countered with a seven-year offer worth $119 million ($17 million per year), but Ramirez's agent, Jeff Moorad, turned it down. The teams recently revisited talks, but a deal seems unlikely once again. The Boston Red Sox have now stepped up as the prime suitor for Ramirez. According to SI's Tom Verducci, the slugger has narrowed his list of potential destinations to four teams, with Boston and Cleveland among them. Ramirez has averaged 144 RBIs and 32 home runs the last three seasons, including 122 RBIs last year despite missing 44 games because of injury. Though he was disparaged for his poor defensive play and baserunning, Ramirez hit .381 with 25 homers and 109 RBIs with players in scoring position last season and will give any team that signs him a huge presence in the middle of its lineup. The Suitors: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays

--By David Harsanyi, Ken Klavon and Jimmy Traina

 

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