The Hot Stove

It is getting close to Major League Baseball Free Agency, so lets take a look at the top guys available and guess where they will end up. (It will be interesting to see how many teams are willing to add years to these monstrous contracts in order to get them inked. I think the length of the contracts shortens a little from what the players are seeking.)

Pitchers
C.C. Sabathia - A lot of "experts" see the Yankees ultimately getting the biggest FA fish. While, they will have the most money, there are rumors that C.C. wants to go back to his home state of California. If the Dodgers can't resign Manny, look for them to get into the C.C. sweepstakes. The Dodgers will probably lose Derek Lowe and Brad Penny so they will need a SP. Prediction: Dodgers - 6 years, $140 million

A.J Burnett - Walked away from the final 2 years of his previous contract to become a FA. The Yankees saw a lot of him in the AL East. The Yanks are desperate for starting pitching and if they miss out on C.C. this one should be a lock. Prediction: Yankees - 4 years, $60 million

Derek Lowe - Very solid pitcher the last couple of years. He is looking to head back to the East Coast and will have plenty of suitors available there. Might be best value on FA market. The Mets will be looking to replace Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez in the rotation. Lowe would fit in great between Santana and Pelfrey. Prediction: Mets - 3 years, $39 million

Ben Sheets - Injuries have really hurt his value over the last couple of years. Teams love his stuff, but his lack of innings and trips the DL will bring his value down. Prediction: Astros - 4 years, $60 million

Francisco Rodriguez - Might be toughest guy to predict. The Angels love him, but haven't shown any signs of meeting his demands of 5 years and $75 million. With Shields and Arredondo ready to take over late inning duties, closer isn't a huge need for the Angels. Most big market clubs already are set at closer. The Cardinals are going to need bullpen help and could be the spot. A team that could surprise and make a run is the Tampa Bay Rays. Joe Maddon has history with K-Rod from his time in Anaheim and this signing would signal to the rest of the league that the Rays are here to stay. Prediction: Cardinals - 5 years, $60 million

Monday we look at the top 5 hitters.