Rodriguez received a deal worth $6 million over two seasons. The 38-year-old is likely being brought on board for his leadership — a trait that has been severely lacking in Washington the last few years.

As far as his production, Rodriguez isn’t close to his prime but he’s still pretty good. He hit .249 last year with ten homers, 47 RBIs, 55 runs and 23 doubles.

If all goes as planned, Flores will be seeing the most action behind the plate. Rodriguez will fill in when needed and help Flores master the position while also working with the young pitching staff.

Honestly, his contract sounds a bit inflated for a player who doesn’t produce much anymore but it’s difficult to fault the Nationals for looking for veteran help.

Pudge Rodriguez is moving on to the Nationals (Image: Zuma Press)

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The last four seasons, the native of the Dominican Republic played with the Detroit Tigers. Last year, Polanco hit .285 with ten homers, 72 RBIs and 82 runs. The previous two seasons, he hit .341 and .307, respectively.

This will be a homecoming for Polanco, who played for the Phillies from 2003 until the middle of the 2005 season. His two seasons with the most homers in his career came in 2003 (14) and 2004 (17).

The addition of Polanco gives the Phillies a player who can work the count and hit a lot of balls into play. When compared to Feliz, Polanco strikes out dramatically less. Feliz is the better defender and had more power but the Phillies apparently think Polanco is the better fit.

Placido Polanco signed with the Philadelphia Phillies (Image: Zuma Press)

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The 38-year-old Wagner will be Atlanta’s closer for the 2010 baseball season. Last year, he played 17 games with the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. He finished with an ERA of 1.72 and in 15.2 innings of work he gave up only eight hits wile striking out 26 batters.

For the 2009 baseball season, the Braves used Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez at closer. With both currently free agents, the move to sign Wagner means that both players will likely sign elsewhere.

This move comes with a bit of risk since Wagner had Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2008 season. If he reinjures his elbow, the Braves will be in a world of hurt.

According to multiple reports, the Braves hold a $6.5 million option for the 2011 season. Wagner will be owed $250,000 if the Braves decline the option.

Billy Wagner will be the Atlanta Braves closer (Image: Zuma Press)

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In 2008, Shoppach was impressive at the plate. He hit 21 homers, knocked in 55 runs and scored 67 times in only 352 at-bats. But last season, Shoppach struggled as he played in only 89 games. In those contests, he hit .214 with 12 homers, 40 RBIs and 33 runs.

The 29-year-old catcher is regarded as an average behind the plate and slightly above average when it comes to calling games. With the wood, Shoppach hits for power but also strikes out a lot.

Going into the 2009 campaign, the Rays were very confident in Dioner Navarro at catcher. But he struggled mightily at the plate and there were questions about his dedication and his physical shape. Now the Rays at least have competition for Navarro, who is eligible for arbitration.

Kelly Shoppach was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays (Image: Zuma Press)

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Last season, Vizquel played a bench role with the Texas Rangers. In 177 at-bats, the native of Venezuela hit .266 with one homer, 14 RBIs and 17 runs. With the White Sox, Vizquel will continue play a utility role — likely spending time at shortstop, third base and second base.

The veteran won’t hesitate helping out the younger players on the roster.

Said Vizquel: “I look at myself as a mentor to some other guys. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue. I’ve always been there for younger guys.”

Vizquel’s deal is believed to be worth around $1.4 million.

“I feel pretty comfortable that I can do the job in the field,” said Vizquel, “that I can still run and hit and do everything that a major league player is asked to do.”

Omar Vizquel signs with the White Sox (Image: Zuma Press)

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Randy and Alan Hendricks are Chapman’s agents. The Hendricks brothers are known for representing a number of players including Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees.

Why Chapman decided to switch agents has been made public. That said, it probably boils down to one thing: money. Going with veteran agents with established relationships with teams should hypothetically allow Chapman to cash in.

Chapman’s main selling points: He’s a lefty. He can throw over 100 MPH. Those two things combined will make him an overnight millionaire. The only question is how many millions.

Earlier this month, we looked at Aroldis Chapman potential destinations. Take a look to see if your favorite team is on the list.

Aroldis Chapman went big time (Image: Zuma Press)

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The good news for Looper last season is that he led the Brewers in victories with a record of 14-7. The bad news is that he didn’t pitch very well. In fact, he led all of Major League Baseball in runs allowed (123) and home runs allowed (39). The 35-year-old started 34 games and had an ERA of 5.22.

Although he’s coming off a poor year, a team will surely be interested in the free agent. He has pitched at least 175 innings and won at least 12 games in three straight years. In 2008, Looper had an ERA of 4.16.

From 1998 until 2006, Looper was a relief pitcher. He even picked up 103 saves, including 85 from 2003 through 2005. His experience in the bullpen may make him even more alluring in free agency.

Braden Looper - Milwaukee Brewers (Image: Zuma Press)

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Although not much of a hitter, Wilson is great with his glove. The 31-year-old is also known for getting clutch hits and coming ready to play each and every game.

Last season, Wilson struggled mightily at the plate. He hit .255 with five homers, 39 RBIs and 37 runs. In 31 games with the Mariners, he hit only .224 with one homer, eight RBIs and 11 runs. However, Wilson and the Mariners point to injuries as the main reason why Wilson struggled.

The contract Wilson signed with the Mariners is reportedly worth $10 over the two seasons. There are also incentives built into the deal that could push the value up another $500,000.

Jack Wilson - Seattle Mariners (Image: Zuma Press)

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Griffey began his career in Seattle in 1989. He was the Mariners center fielder until 1999 when he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. After eight and a half years with the Reds, Griffey went back to Seattle for the 2009 campaign.

In his return, Griffey hit .214 with 19 homers, 57 RBIs and 44 runs. He also drew 63 walks and had an on-base percentage of .324. Although those numbers are a far cry from his heyday, the now 39-year-old was a hit with his teammates and got credit for helping the Mariners improve chemistry on and off the field.

In 2010, Griffey is expected to play DH and likely hit in the middle of the lineup again. If he can keep fans interested and provide a little bit of pop, the Mariners will be happy with their investment.

Ken Griffey Jr. - Seattle Mariners (Image: Zuma Press)

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As it turns out, it wasn’t too difficult of a decision for the Rays. Last year, the 28-year-old left fielder had arguably his best season. He finished with a .305 batting average to go along with 15 homers, 68 RBIs, 96 runs and 60 steals. The 60 steals were a new career-high and he also posted a career-high on-base percentage of .364.

Crawford is a fan favorite in Tampa Bay and is arguably the best player in franchise history. He tops the Rays record books in games, hits, triples, RBIs, runs and stolen bases.

The Yankees owe a bit of their World Series title to Crawford since Crawford was the MVP of the All-Star Game. The American League winning the game gave New York home field advantage and that proved important in the series against the Phillies.

Carl Crawford - Tampa Bay Rays (Image: Zuma Press)

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