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Poll: Scott Downs’ Next Contract

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Earlier this evening I took a look at the free agent stock of reliever Scott Downs, arguably the best non-closer still available on the open market. Joaquin Benoit broke the ice this past week when he accepted the Tigers' contract offer of three years and $16.5MM, presumably giving Downs and his camp a comparable they can use as a basis for their demands.

There are obvious differences between the two relievers, of course. Downs is just about a year older than Benoit but his health history is considerably better. He also has a much longer track record when it comes to being a top shelf reliever, and being left-handed certainly doesn't hurt. It's reasonable to think that Downs could command a larger contract than Benoit, but it's been quite some time since a reliever landed a deal that big. Time for the poll…

Will Downs land a contract larger than Benoit's?

Click here to vote and here to see the results. Thanks in advance.

Poll: Will Arizona Deal Justin Upton?

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Recently, Justin Upton's name has popped up in trade talks as GM Kevin Towers seems willing to part ways with the 23-year-old – for the right price, of course.  Several teams have been linked to the up-and-coming star, including the Red Sox, Yankees, and even the division rival Rockies.  There's no shortage of interest in the slugger, but one has to wonder if the asking price will be too rich for everyone's blood.

Yesterday, an American League executive told Jon Heyman of SI that Arizona's asking price is "ridiculous."  The D'Backs are said to be looking for at least four or five players in return that can help them in the short-term and long-term.  Today, it was reported that half of the teams in baseball have shown interest in Upton but Towers will only ship the up-and-coming star if he comes away the clear victor in a trade.  It makes one wonder if Arizona's recently-crowned GM is looking to trade Upton or if he is simply keeping an open mind to potential offers.

Will the D'Backs trade Upton?

Click here to vote, and click here to view the results.

Poll: Are The Phillies Really Intent On Re-Signing Werth?

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For some time now, the general consensus has been that Jayson Werth would be moving on in 2011 as the Phillies are not willing to dole out the money and years necessary to retain him.  On Wednesday, a Phillies source told ESPN's Jayson Stark that there was "no chance" of the right fielder remaining in Philadelphia. 

GM Ruben Amaro now says that he needs an answer from the 31-year-old quickly, a request that seems unlikely to be fulfilled by a Scott Boras client.  Amaro wouldn't confirm or deny that the club has made Werth an offer but SI's Jon Heyman (via Twitter) hears that they are making a big push to keep him aboard.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the Phillies' push to re-sign Werth is nothing more than a public relations move.  The club, he says, wants to be able to say that they made the slugger a big offer and tried their best to hang on to him.  Is the "big push" to keep the right-handed bopper nothing more than a PR ploy?  We want to know your take on the situation.

Are the Phillies really intent on keeping Werth?

Click here to take the poll, and here to view the results.

Poll: First Big Name Free Agent To Sign

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The free agent market officially opens for business at 12:01am ET tonight, so the hot stove is about to kick into full gear. Big name free agents like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford figure to receive massive contract offers from several teams, and chances are it'll take them a few weeks to decide on their next team. Adrian Beltre and Jayson Werth will enjoy the same experience.

On the eve of free agency, it's only natural to wonder which big domino will be the first to fall. Time for the poll…

Which big name free agent will be the first to sign?

Click here to vote, and here to see the results. 

Poll: David Ortiz’s Future

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Yesterday we heard that Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is still seeking a multi-year contract, brushing off criticism about his declining offense. The one they call Big Papi hit .270/.370/.529 with 32 homers last season, but he again had to overcome a brutally slow start (.143/.238/.286 in April). After hitting .302/.402/.612 with an average of 41 homers per year from 2003-2007, Ortiz has hit dipped down to .257/.356/.498 since 2008, which is still very good production.

The Red Sox hold a $12.5MM option for Ortiz's services in 2011, and last month we heard that they were prepared to pick it up. Their alternatives would be to decline the option and make him a free agent (no buyout), or attempt to work out the multi-year deal he desires. It's not an easy call, and it's made even more complicated by Ortiz's status as a franchise icon. Time to hit the polls…

What should the Red Sox do with David Ortiz this winter?

Click here to vote, and here to see the results. 

Non-Tender Candidate: Mike Fontenot

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In mid-August the Giants struck a deal with the Cubs to acquire infielder Mike Fontenot in exchange for minor league center fielder Evan Crawford.  The Cubs chose to part ways with the 30-year-old who was unable to give an encore performance of his strong 2008 campaign.  In that season he delivered a slash line of .305/.395/.514 with nine homers.  His flat 2010 numbers with the Cubbies (91 OPS+) and the rise of Starlin Castro made Fontenot expendable. 

Fontenot didn't set the world on fire at the end of the Giants' regular season either, hitting .282/.329/.310 in 76 plate appearances.  While he has the ability to play shortstop and third base, his best position is second base.  Second base is, of course, already occupied by Freddy Sanchez, who is under contract through 2011.  While he could conceivably be a cheap alternative if the Giants choose not to retain Juan Uribe, his light-hitting and weak play at shortstop make that unlikely.

As for Fontenot, he earned $1MM and will head to arbitration this winter for the second time.  While he's not a bad utility option to keep around, the Giants could very well choose to non-tender him.  After all, they didn't exactly give up a ton to acquire him this year.  What do you think San Francisco will do with Fontenot?  Click here to vote, and here to view the results.

Poll: Ozzie Or Stanton

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Ozzie Guillen for Mike Stanton? It's not as outlandish as it sounds. There was some discussion about a trade that would have sent the White Sox manager to Florida for the young Marlins slugger, according to Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Stanton entered the year as the third-best prospect in the game, according to Baseball America. He hit .313/.442/.729 in the minors with 21 homers and followed that up with 22 more long balls and a .259/.326/.507 line in the majors. He's just 20 years old and he's under team control through 2016. They don't come much cheaper or much more powerful than Stanton.

Guillen wouldn't be easy to replace, either. He's charismatic, energetic and vocal – sometimes opinionated enough to make the White Sox uncomfortable. Chicago won the 2005 World Series title under Guillen and the team has a 600-535 regular season record since he took over.

Even if the trade was 'discussed' it doesn't mean both sides seriously considered it, so let's not kid ourselves: this deal isn't going to happen. But we can still ask the question…

Which team would have won the Guillen-Stanton swap?

Click here to vote and here to view the results.

Non-Tender Candidate: Fred Lewis

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Next season in Toronto, the Blue Jays will likely roll out an outfield of Jose Bautista, Travis Snider, and Vernon Wells.  Meanwhile, Fred Lewis says that he considers himself an everyday position player.  The veteran will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter and is due for a raise.

In 480 plate appearances this season, Lewis hit .262/.332/.414 with eight homers.  While the soon-to-be 30-year-old jumped out to a hot start with the Jays, he received less playing time late in the season. 

Even if Lewis does have a change of heart and agrees to stay on in a reserve role, Toronto could still go in a different (and cheaper) direction by using DeWayne Wise as their fourth outfielder.  While Wise likely won't bring the same offensive production as Lewis, his defense (career 8.4 UZR/150) tops what Lewis has been able to do in the outfield (career -2.6 UZR/150)

With all of this in mind, do you believe that the Blue Jays will non-tender Lewis this winter?  Click here to vote and here to view the results.

Poll: Who Will Win The World Series?

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Although it briefly appeared as if we may have been heading for a Phillies/Yankees rematch, this year's World Series will feature some new faces. The Giants are aiming to win their first championship in San Francisco, while the Rangers are playing in the Series for the first time in franchise history. No matter which team wins, two things appear certain: one side's fanbase will be devastated, and Bengie Molina will end up with a World Series ring.

When we asked you for your ALCS and NLCS picks, votes were nearly evenly split. Let's see if there's a consensus choice for this year's champion.

Who will win the World Series?

Click here to vote and click here to view the results.

Poll: Mets’ Next General Manager

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After a first round of interviews, the Mets have narrowed their general manager search down to two candidates: Sandy Alderson and Josh Byrnes. Both have experience running a team, Alderson with the A's (1983-1997) and Byrnes with the Diamondbacks (2005-2010), and both surely have different strengths and weaknesses. Byrnes gives them a younger exec perhaps more well-versed in today's game, Alderson a veteran front office presence with deep roots in the game.

Both Alderson and Byrnes will interview for the second time this week, and a decision will presumably be made shortly thereafter. Time for the poll…

Who should the Mets hire to be their next GM?

Click here to vote, and here to see the results. 

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