• John Smoltz told Dan Patrick that the Yankees and Dodgers also courted him.
• KNBR had interviews with Scott Boras and Ned Colletti yesterday.
• The Dodgers are "only monitoring" Kris Benson and Chad Cordero.
• The Phillies have "kept tabs" on Cordero and Eric Milton.
• Baseball America ranked the Rangers’ farm system as the best in baseball.
• Andy MacPhail says the Orioles don’t necessarily have to add a first baseman.
• South Side Sox and Sox Machine on the Bartolo Colon signing.
• Jon Paul Morosi says Jason Isringhausen is a "natural fit" for the Tigers.
• The Red Sox will only get a supplemental pick for Paul Byrd if he signs before the June draft.
• Barry Bloom gathers responses from baseball execs on the salary cap issue.
• Eddie Bajek made a breakthrough in his attempt to crack the Elias code.
• Richard Justice has an interesting story involving new Astro Russ Ortiz.
• Rickey Henderson says he’s still available to play.  Asked about the WBC, he responded, ""What is [the WBC], wrestling?"
• Transcript of an interview with Red Sox owner John Henry.

Type A (15 players)
A.J. Burnett
Orlando Cabrera
Juan Cruz
Brian Fuentes
Orlando Hudson
Raul Ibanez
Derek Lowe
Darren Oliver
Oliver Perez
Manny Ramirez
Francisco Rodriguez
C.C. Sabathia
Ben Sheets
Mark Teixeira
Jason Varitek

Type B (9 players)
Casey Blake
Milton Bradley
Paul Byrd
Jon Garland
Mark Grudzielanek
Brandon Lyon
Dennys Reyes
Brian Shouse
David Weathers

Surprisingly not offered arbitration:
Bobby Abreu
Joe Beimel
Pat Burrell
Adam Dunn
Braden Looper
Jamie Moyer
Randy Wolf
Kerry Wood

Of the 33 Type B free agents, which do you think will be offered arbitration Monday?  Check the box next to those who will be offered arbitration, in your opinion.  Take the poll here, see the results here.

Let’s do a reader survey on whether arbitration will be offered for each Type A free agent.  Click the checkbox next to any player you predict will be offered arbitration.  Click here to take the survey, and here to view the results.

Type A

Bobby Abreu (Yankees)
Doug Brocail (Astros)
A.J. Burnett (Blue Jays)
Pat Burrell (Phillies)
Orlando Cabrera (White Sox)
Juan Cruz (Diamondbacks)
Ryan Dempster (Cubs)
Adam Dunn (Diamondbacks)
Brian Fuentes (Rockies)
Brian Giles (Padres)
Bob Howry (Cubs)
Orlando Hudson (Diamondbacks)
Raul Ibanez (Mariners)
Jason Isringhausen (Cardinals)
Derek Lowe (Dodgers)
Damaso Marte (Yankees)
Jamie Moyer (Phillies)
Mike Mussina (Yankees)
Darren Oliver (Angels)
Oliver Perez (Mets)
Andy Pettitte (Yankees)
Manny Ramirez (Dodgers)
Edgar Renteria (Tigers)
Francisco Rodriguez (Angels)
C.C. Sabathia (Brewers)
Ben Sheets (Brewers)
Russ Springer (Cardinals)
Mark Teixeira (Angels)
Jason Varitek (Red Sox)
Kerry Wood (Cubs)

That’s 30 Type As, though Giles and Marte may have their options picked up and Mussina may retire.

Type B

Jeremy Affeldt (Reds)
Moises Alou (Mets)
Garret Anderson (Angels)
Luis Ayala (Mets)
Joe Beimel (Dodgers)
Casey Blake (Dodgers)
Hank Blalock (Rangers)
Milton Bradley (Rangers)
Paul Byrd (Red Sox)
Mike Cameron (Brewers)
Alan Embree (Athletics)
Eric Gagne (Brewers)
Jon Garland (Angels)
Luis Gonzalez (Marlins)
Ken Griffey Jr. (White Sox)
Mark Grudzielanek (Royals)
Trevor Hoffman (Padres)
Randy Johnson (Diamondbacks)
Jeff Kent (Dodgers)
Paul Lo Duca (Marlins)
Braden Looper (Cardinals)
Mark Loretta (Astros)
Brandon Lyon (Diamondbacks)
Greg Maddux (Dodgers)
Trever Miller (Rays)
Miguel Olivo (Royals)
Brad Penny (Dodgers)
Dennys Reyes (Twins)
Arthur Rhodes (Marlins)
Ivan Rodriguez (Yankees)
Rudy Seanez (Phillies)
Brian Shouse (Brewers)
John Smoltz (Braves)
Frank Thomas (Athletics)
Salomon Torres (Brewers)
Juan Uribe (White Sox)
David Weathers (Reds)
Randy Wolf (Astros)
Gregg Zaun (Blue Jays)

That’s 36 Type Bs, though Cameron, Embree, Miller, Olivo, Penny, and Torres could have their options picked up and Alou, Griffey, Kent, and Maddux could retire.

Talking to a few people in the game, it seems that the Type A/B free agent quota depends on the number of Type A/Bs who file.  If 62 or fewer such players file (which is possible) then each team will have a quota of three Type A or B signings.  Regardless of that, teams are allowed to sign as many Type A/Bs as they lose.  As far as I can tell, the quota has never been an issue in the past.

• Type A: Orlando Hudson.  Hudson will surely be offered arbitration from the D’Backs, and will likely decline in search of a multiyear deal.  The D’Backs could snag a first-round pick if the Cardinals, White Sox, or Mets sign him (among others).
• Tybe B: Jeff Kent, Casey Blake, Mark Loretta.  Blake seems likely to get an arb offer and turn it down, resulting in a supplemental draft pick for the Dodgers if he leaves Los Angeles.
• Neither: Rafael Furcal, Ray Durham, Omar Vizquel, Felipe Lopez, and many more.  Furcal, the best available shortstop, carries no draft pick compensation penalty (nor do the Type Bs).

• Type A: Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria.  Cabrera certainly gets an offer of arbitration and signs elsewhere.  The White Sox have to be hoping the Dodgers, Blue Jays, or Twins sign him.  The Tigers offering arbitration to Renteria is a borderline call – would they be OK with him accepting?
• Type B: Mark Grudzielanek, Juan Uribe.  The Royals, hoping to try someone new at second base, may not offer arb to Grudzielanek.  Uribe seems unlikely, as his salary in ’08 was high for a utility guy.

• Type A: Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn, Pat Burrell.  Manny has already agreed to decline an offer of arbitration, so the Dodgers are getting two picks if he leaves.  The D’Backs could end up with tons of picks, with Dunn, Orlando Hudson, Juan Cruz, and Brandon Lyon eligible for free agency.
• Type B: Moises Alou, Luis Gonzalez, Mike Cameron.  Alou and Gonzalez won’t be offered arbitration.  The Brewers could offer it to Cameron if they decline his option, if they believe he would seek a contract elsewhere.

• Type A: Mark Teixeira, Raul Ibanez, Bobby Abreu, Milton Bradley.  All four will probably be offered arbitration and will decline.  Click here to see the unprotected first-round draft picks – teams may be rooting for their Type As to sign with these clubs.
• Type B: Garret Anderson, Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas.  Hard to see an offer of arbitration to any of these three.

Quota

(a) Clubs shall be limited in the number of Type A and B Players, as defined below, they may subsequently sign to contracts. The number of signings permitted shall be related to the number of Players electing free agency under this Section B. If there are 14 or less such Players, no Club may sign more than one Type A or B Player. If there are from 15 to 38 such Players, no Club may sign more than two Type A or B Players. If there are from 39 to 62 such Players, no Club may sign more than three Type A or B Players. If there are more than 62 such Players, the Club quotas shall be increased accordingly. There shall be no restrictions on the number of unranked Players that a Club may sign to contracts.

(b) Irrespective of the provisions of subparagraph (a) above, a Club shall be eligible to sign at least as many Type A and B Players as it may have lost through Players having become free agents under this Section at the close of the season just concluded.

Got all that?  There will be many more than 62 players electing free agency, so the exact number of Type A/Bs allowed per team is unknown.  It is certain that each team will be allowed to sign at least three.  191 players are potentially eligible for free agency.  It seems that if 131+ players file, each club could be allotted up to six Type A/B signings (more than enough for most).

The above-quoted section b lets certain teams sign even more than the normal allotment.  Say every team is allowed to sign six.  Two teams, the Dodgers (8) and Angels (7), could potentially lose more than six Type A/Bs.  So if the Dodgers somehow lost all eight of their A/B free agents (Kent, Furcal Blake, Ramirez, Lowe, Maddux, Penny, Beimel), they would be allowed to sign eight to make up for it.

To sum it up, I don’t see any team running up against the Type A/B quota.  Comments and questions are welcome – I am not certain my interpretation of the Basic Agreement is correct.

• Type A: Francisco Rodriguez, Damaso Marte, Darren Oliver.  Not an ideal situation for Oliver, as his status will act as a deterrent to other teams if the Angels offer him arbitration and he declines.  The Angels could also get the #25 pick next year if the Mets sign K-Rod.  The Mets lost the #18 pick in ’06 after signing Billy Wagner, and the Phils used it on Kyle Drabek.
• Type B: Jamey Wright, Dennys Reyes, Alan Embree, Trever Miller.

• Type A: A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina.  Burnett seems likely to decline an offer of arbitration and sign elsewhere, giving the Blue Jays two draft picks as compensation.
• Type B: Tim Wakefield, Jon Garland, Paul Byrd.  Garland seems most likely to decline an offer of arbitration and sign elsewhere, though Byrd is a candidate.

• Barry Bonds is enjoying his freedom.
• MLB.com has a list of all the potential free agents. The Dodgers lead with 14, while the Royals and Giants have only two.
• Brewers GM Doug Melvin may get an extension soon.
• Rich Harden will have a shoulder exam soon, which will inform the Cubs’ decision on his $7MM option.
• MLB.com’s Matthew Leach sees the Cardinals letting starter Braden Looper leave, but attempting to re-sign infielder Felipe Lopez.
• The Kansas City Star’s Bill Reiter catches up with Aaron Crow, who is basically just chillin’ right now.  MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel says the Royals like Crow, but he may not be around when they draft 12th in 2009.
• Ken Rosenthal agrees that the Rays owe their success to much more than just top draft picks.
• Pete McElroy notes that Odalis Perez would love to re-sign with the Nationals.  Perez pitched 159.2 respectable innings but earned less than a million bucks.
• Eddie Bajek has his final Elias rankings for NL relievers.  Type As: Ryan Dempster, Russ Springer, Juan Cruz, Doug Brocail, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, and Jason Isringhausen.  Type Bs: Joe Beimel, Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Shouse, Bob Howry, David Weathers, Trevor Hoffman, Eric Gagne, and Brandon Lyon.  If one of these players is offered arbitration, turns it down, and signs elsewhere, his old team gets one or two draft picks.
• MLB.com’s Spencer Fordin doesn’t see the need for the Orioles to sign Jeremy Guthrie to a long-term deal this winter.

• Type A: C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Oliver Perez, Derek Lowe, and Jamie Moyer.  Moyer is on the borderline, so he could possibly end up a Type B.  He seems likely to re-sign anyway.  The other four will be offered arbitration and could sign elsewhere, netting two draft picks for their old team.
• Type B: Brad Penny, John Smoltz, Randy Wolf, Greg Maddux, Braden Looper.  Not all of these guys will be offered arbitration, though Wolf is a good bet.
• Neither A nor B: Randy Johnson, Livan Hernandez, Tom Glavine, Odalis Perez.  Johnson just missed Type B, so he might sneak in there.  It only really affects the D’Backs.

• Joel Sherman looks at what went wrong for the Yankees this year.  Did they fall too in love with their farm system?
• At least six teams have called the Pirates about third baseman Andy LaRoche in recent weeks.  If LaRoche pans out and Pedro Alvarez comes aboard, the Bucs could have a surplus at some point.
• Craig Harris examines the rise of D’Backs GM Josh Byrnes.
• Eddie Bajek updated the Elias rankings for the AL 1B/OF/DH category.  They’re fluctuating wildly.  Eddie also did catchers for both leagues; Ivan Rodriguez is headed into Type B territory.  Gregg Zaun lost Type B status.
• Mike Hindman conducted a roundtable asking what kind of contract the Rangers should offer Milton Bradley.
• 29 teams passed on Rays reliever Grant Balfour last spring.  Now he has a 1.62 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 50 innings.  Balfour’s been through a lot.
• Joe McDonald and Sean McAdam don’t see the Red Sox signing A.J. Burnett (or any big-name free agent starter).
• Padres CEO Sandy Alderson scoffed at the idea of a $40MM payroll for ’09.  I never heard that figure tossed around; Buster Olney suggested the $50MM range.
• Maury Brown heard a rumor that Thomas Ricketts won the bid for the Cubs.