1. Matt Holliday
Although his time with the A’s may lower his stock a bit, he’s still a very productive player who still has upside.

2. Jason Bay
When it comes to hitting, Jason Bay likely is the free agent most likely to shine next season.

3. John Lackey
He’s not a big name but John Lackey is a starting pitcher a team can count on to produce when the lights are shining bright.

4. Aroldis Chapman
The Cuban defector has huge potential but also a lot of question marks. Who will pay to roll the dice?

5. Andy Pettitte
Andy Pettitte is a big game pitcher who isn’t afraid of any situation. A playoff team would love to have him.

6. Joel Pineiro
Last season, Joel Pineiro was very good. However, teams will wonder if he can keep it up.

7. Orlando Hudson
Orlando Hudson played well for the Dodgers last season but there are signs of decline.

8. Chone Figgins
When it comes to leadoff hitters, Chone Figgins in the best on the market.

9. Rafael Soriano
A team that needs a closer should take a long look at Rafael Soriano. When healthy, he’s elite.

10. Randy Wolf
For depth in a starting pitching rotation, Randy Wolf is a great arm to have in the mix.

Matt Holliday is the best of the best free agents (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Top Ten MLB Free Agents

On the season, Holliday is hitting .286 with 11 homers and 54 RBIs. He’s also sporting a .378 on-base percentage and 12 stolen bases. The 29-year-old slugger was traded to the A’s prior to the season after playing for the Colorado Rockies during the first five years of his MLB career.

While his numbers with the A’s were good, they weren’t close to his great numbers with the Rockies. In 2007, Holliday hit .340 with 36 homes, 137 RBIs and 120 runs.

Now that he’s with the Cardinals, Holliday will likely hit fourth in the lineup — right behind Albert Pujols. If he can get hot, he could help the Cardinals keep their lead in the NL Central. Currently, St. Louis has a 1.5 game lead in the division.

Matt Holliday - St. Louis Cardinals (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Matt Holliday Traded to the Cardinals

Everyone please stand up. OK. Now – put your hands together and start clapping. Why are you clapping? Because Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has finally arrived for the 2008 season. Last night – Tulo went 5-for-5 at the plate in his first game back since slicing his right hand when he shattered a bat in frustration on July 4.

Tulowitzki tied a single-game high for hits last night for the Rockies during his perfect game at the plate. It’s about time too. The former Long Beach State standout is definitely experiencing that “sophomore slump.” The Rockies sit seven games out of first place in the ugly National League West. Believe it or not – after their horrid start – they still have a chance. If Tulo starts hitting (and stays healthy) and the Rockies don’t send Matt Holliday packing before the trade deadline – things could get really interesting for the defending NL champions.

Maybe Tulo had a sip of Kevin Youkilis’ slump buster drink. Or maybe he finally realized the season had started and he forgot to show up for the first four months. Either way – for Tulowitzki to show that he’s earned that new contract, he needs to hold his batting average above the Mendoza Line (which currently sits at .192). He also needs to help sure up the left side of the infield for Colorado with his glove.

Post from: EveryJoe

Have a day Tulo

Here it is:

Top 10 Worst Major League Baseball Teams of 2008

10. Houston Astros – Sure, many experts didn’t expect the Astros to compete in the National League Central this season. Mainly because of the Astros’ suspect starting pitching rotation. After you get past Roy Oswalt – it was expected that Houston was in trouble. Well – unfortunately, even with Oswalt on the mound this season, Houston is having problems. If it weren’t for Lance Berkman, the ‘Stros could already be in the NL Central cellar. However, Berkman’s offensive numbers have helped keep Houston in the middle of the division so far. Yet, the Astros are falling fast and could drop far enough out of contention before the All-Star break even makes it here.

9. Cincinnati Reds – The Reds are the worst team in the NL Central. Even super rookie Jay Bruce hasn’t been able to right the ship. However, the Reds will not finish in the cellar this season, but don’t expect a playoff run either. The problem with the Reds is plain-and-simple. No pitching. Sure, Edinson Volquez is having a great season, but what about the rest of the staff? How about looking at earned run averages that are all above 4.30. Three of the other four starters have ERA’s above five, including Matt Belisle, who boasts a 7.28 ERA. Combined, the entire Cincinnati staff has a 4.54 ERA.

8. San Diego Padres – If it were not for the great pitching by the Padres, San Diego would be the worst team in baseball. San Diego’s offense is struggling. Coming into Thursday, the Padres had score less runs that everyone in the National League, except the Washington Nationals. At 3.6 runs per game – you are expecting a lot out of your pitching staff. The Padres pitching staff has done a good job this season, keeping this team out of the NL West cellar, however, the entire offense boasts only one hitter with a .300 batting average. As a team, San Diego is batting .243 overall and has struck out 528 times (7.9 per game) this season. If only Jake Peavy could hit like Micah Owings (or any of the offensive player could hit like Ownings for that matter).

7. New York Mets – Surprised? I am. This team should not be on this list. Not with the players they have on their current roster. Sure, if the Mets don’t get into contention anytime soon with the hot Florida Marlins, you can bet Willie Randolph’s days will be numbered. Before we go on and blame this underachieving season on injuries – I will say that the Mets have been playing a little better lately. However, it’s still not good enough to be the team everyone expected them to be before the 2008 season began. Only one .300 hitter (with over 100 at bats) is on the roster (Ryan Church). This team seemed to be lifted by the return of none other than Fernando Tatis, but even he can’t help out that much. The problem is too many players on the offensive end that are just trying to get through another season. Carlos Delgado is getting old. Carlos Beltran is not the big-money player everyone thought he was in the 2005 playoffs. Even David Wright is not putting up the best numbers right now. With the best pitcher in baseball (Johan Santana) and a couple of the best young stars (Wright and Jose Reyes), this team needs to get things together, and quick.

6. Washington Nationals – Do you remember opening night (well, opening night in the United States) this season on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball? The Nationals started Odalis Perez and won the game on a walk-off home run by Ryan Zimmerman. Nats fans were celebrating the opening of their new ballpark with a bang. Well – that’s ages ago (at least it seems like). Now, the Nationals are the worst team in the NL East. The team batting average is .234 and the pitching staff has combined for a 4.56 ERA. Skipper Manny Acta is in for a long season. The Nationals just don’t have the star power to really put up much of a fight this year and most likely will end up with the worst record in the National League.

5. Kansas City Royals – Much like the Nationals, the Royals started out the year looking like a .500 ball club. However, things change fast. Kansas City has slipped to the bottom of the American League Central, even below the woeful Detroit Tigers. The Royals are just too young across the board to even compete. The offense is churning out only 3.7 runs per game, while the pitching staff is allowing 4.8 runs per game. Manager Trey Hillman is in a race, but it’s not for the divisional lead. He’s in a race to keep his job and he seems to be losing. The only question is whether Hillman or Seattle Mariners manager John McLaren gets the ax first.

4. New York Yankees – Yes, I know the Yankees are .500 now. Congratulations. It seems that the order of the universe is almost restored, Hank. Except, it’s not. New York is at the bottom of the AL East, tied with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles. They are chasing the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. Never thought you would hear that one, right? The Yankees seem to be that team that just can’t catch a break this year. Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada have all caught the injury bug at one time or another this year. And the pitching staff is in shambles. Joba Chamberlain was supposed to be inserted into the rotation to help stop the bleeding, but he hasn’t really taken off in that role. I doubt anyone in New York would have guessed that Mike Mussina would be the owner of the best ERA in the starting rotation (3.82). Now – if the Yanks want to catch the Red Sox or even the Rays, they need to start clicking right now. They can’t wait until after the All-Star break. They need to get momentum going into the All-Star break and begin putting together 4-5 game win streaks regularly.

3. Detroit Tigers – Like the Yankees, the Tigers had high expectations. Many thought they would see a Tigers-Yankees AL championship series. However, that idea is in danger. The Tigers acquired Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera prior to the season with hopes of having one of the best offensive lineups in the league. Yet, Cabrera hasn’t produced and Willis has been shipped down to the minors. The entire pitching staff is having problems this season. Justin Verlander hasn’t been dominating and his velocity has slipped. The Tigers’ best pitcher was brought up to take Willis’ spot in the rotation early on in the season (Armando Galarraga). Yes, Detroit has had many injuries. But, give me a good reason why they are just above the AL Central cellar. I don’t think anyone can really explain it.

2. Seattle Mariners – The Mariners recognize that they are not doing well this year. However, they are playing the blame game. The pitching staff is complaining that catcher Kenji Johjima’s pitch selection is leading to the sixth-worst ERA in the majors this season. Management decided to blame hitting coach Jeff Pentland for the fourth-worst batting average in the majors (.247) and fired him. How does the acquisition of Erik Bedard look now? Bedard is 4-4 with a 4.26 ERA. Not exactly ace-like numbers. On the offensive side of things, not one player (not even Ichiro) is hitting over the .300 mark. Skipper John McLaren better pack his bags and keep them packed. He’s the next to go.

Matt Holliday and the entire Colorado Rockies team are heading for the worst record in baseball if things don’t change quick. Photo: Newscom

1. Colorado Rockies – How do you go from winning the NL pennant a year ago to being the worst team in the NL the very next season? I’m not sure how it happened, but things are not looking up for the Rockies. Now – looking at the Rockies stats, they aren’t the worst in the league. However, they aren’t the best either. Colorado is near the bottom in ERA (4.74) and close to the middle in batting average (.256). It’s been the slow starts by many of the offensive players that have really hampered the Rockies. Matt Holliday is hitting .314 but only has eight home runs. Todd Helton is hitting .294 and Troy Tulowitzki has been really slow to get going this season with a .193 average. No one has expected the Rockies pitching staff to ever be the best in the league, especially pitching in the thin air. However, outside of Aaron Cook (9-2), no Rockies pitcher has over two wins. I think it’s safe to say that there will not be a repeat appearance in the World Series for the Rockies this season.

Post from: EveryJoe

Thursday 10 – Worst Major League Baseball teams of 2008