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Rob Neyer

  (12:00 PM)

Ha! And you thought I was going to be late again...

Craig (Washington, DC)

Rob, What free-agents do you suspect will see the most interest in free agency this off-season? Not a lot of superstars out there.

Rob Neyer

  (12:02 PM)

No, not a lot. And no huge difference-makers, though I suppose John Lackey's close to bullet-proof. Obviously Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, and Chone Figgins will all do nicely for themselves.

Matt (San Diego)

Can you shed some light on how Billy Wagner is a Type A free agent and Mark DeRosa is a Type B free agent? I doubt there is a team in baseball that would rather have Wagner over DeRosa.

Rob Neyer

  (12:04 PM)

A lot of questions about the classifications ... Of course some of them seem crazy, because it's a ridiculous system. Why is it ridiculous? Because when it was instituted, the people who ran such things were foolish. Why hasn't it been changed? Because the owners and the players would have to agree on any change, and it's hard for the owners and the players to agree on *anything*.

Jake (Iowa City, IA)

Whats your best guess for where Milton Bradley ends up in 2010?

Rob Neyer

  (12:08 PM)

The Rangers could certainly use a bat, and their experience with Bradley seems to have been largely positive. But considering his salary, there are a lot of moving parts here...

Dan (Bristol, CT)

Rob, I live literally about a minute away from ESPN headquarters and was wondering what you are doing for lunch today...kidding...maybe. Anyway, I was wondering what your thoughts are on who the better OF free agent option is for an AL team - Holliday or Bay? Bay's defense is a bit more suspect, but he has had more success in the AL than Holliday.

Rob Neyer

  (12:11 PM)

Hey, I would meet you for lunch ... Except I'm not allowed within 10 miles of Bristol. It's just better for everyone that way. Anyway, Bay and Holliday both have their limitations. I suppose I'd lean toward Holliday because he's a bit younger, but I'd probably wind up taking whichever was cheaper.

Jerry (Kansas City)

Ok, Rob, let's get the daily Joba question out of the way. While he is no longer the 99mph demon out of the bullpen, he seems to be more effective and suited for that role. What do you think?

Rob Neyer

  (12:14 PM)

I don't think that decision must be made today. If the Yankees can't find a good starter (or two) this winter and they need one in March, then I'd give Joba another shot. It's not like he was a disaster this year, or that the Yankees are desperate for relief pitchers. But if Wang comes back strong and Hughes is ready to start ... then yeah, maybe it's time to give up.

Phan (Phila., PA)

Do you see Lidge as closer next year for the Phillies?

Rob Neyer

  (12:15 PM)

Sure, if he's healthy and throwing well in March.

Nathan (MN)

Rob, I seen a report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Gardenhire said with Hardy at ss, he would like Cabrera at 2nd and Punto at 3rd. Would this be better than getting a free agent at 3rd, and not having Cabrera?

Rob Neyer

  (12:16 PM)

That's a little bit nuts, and I hope is just Gardenhire making the best of what's at hand for the moment. Because you really don't want to go into spring training having already punted two positions.

Jerry (Lindstrom, MN)

If Joe Crede would sign an incentive laden deal, should the Twins take another shot with him? He was pretty solid when healthy.

Rob Neyer

  (12:20 PM)

I would rather hope that Crede's healthy than hope that Punto learns to hit.

Bill (Scotia, NY)

Rob, should Met fans hold out any hope for next season, or are we looking at yet another year of pain?

Rob Neyer

  (12:22 PM)

There's always hope (or should be) when you've got three superstars in the lineup (or four when Santana starts). But the front office has to do a better job of filling in around them.

Kid67 (New Haven, CT)

Kid66 is back onboard!

Rob Neyer

  (12:22 PM)

Happy to see that. But at this point it's definitely one year at a time (and yes, I know it's a two-year contract but you know the Sox won't mind eating $1.5 million in 2011).

chuck (Philly)

Given his low price tag and limited free agency crop, does it not seem odd that the Phillies would decline the option of Feliz?

Rob Neyer

  (12:24 PM)

Nah, not really. There are other third basemen out there, and some or most of them can be had for that same $5 million or less. And the Phillies can still re-sign Feliz if they want.

Paul (Irvine)

Was Harden just hurt this year? He has some of the most amazing stuff when healthy. Do you see a team like the Yankees taking chance on him, much like they did with the oft injured Burnett?

Rob Neyer

  (12:26 PM)

Um, Paul? Harden is ALWAYS hurt. He hasn't thrown even 150 innings in a season since 2004. You're right: He's got amazing stuff when healthy, but you just don't know when he'll be healthy. Nice low-cost option for some team looking to get lucky.

Steve (Boston, MA)

Give up on a Joba as a starter? Come on, go look at the struggles of Cliff Lee and Halladay, imagine if their teams had given up on them being starters. That's just crazy. Joba had almost zero minor league experience and low innings totals. That being said, he posted a 3.58 ERA in his first 110 innings this year, as a 23 year old. Halladay's era as a 23 year old was over 10. Average starter>>>Great setup man, and Joba has the potential to be better than average.

Rob Neyer

  (12:27 PM)

I understand all of that, Steve. I'm just saying that if the Yankees have six or seven starters and Chamberlain's one of them, he's probably the odd man out.

Jason (South Dakota)

you wrote in the SweetSpot a few days ago that the Twins overpaid for another veteran player (Cuddyer). While I agree $10.5 mil is a lot for a middle of the road outfielder, I really don't think its on par with previous moves by the Twins (livan, mike lamb, rondell white, etc). agree?

Rob Neyer

  (12:29 PM)

You forgot Craig Monroe. But no, it's not a perfect parallel. Cuddyer's a longtime Twin, plus he's better than those guys. But I still say it fits the pattern of overvaluing veterans.

Ron (NYC)

Rob, a little break from the offseason stuff and tapping to the historian in you: where do you rank Pujols among all-time first basemen? Is he third already (behind Gehrig and Foxx)? If so, who's number four? Thanks

Rob Neyer

  (12:34 PM)

Oh gosh, I can't imagine Pujols already ranking so high. Just due to service time. But I'm conservative that way. At the moment I might have him fifth, behind Gehrig and Foxx and also Bagwell and Frank Thomas and maybe Willie McCovey. I'm conservative that way. But yes, he's likely to someday rank second or third, and I don't think we should discount the possibility that he'll top even Gehrig, by virtue of his superior defense and baserunning.

Drew (Philly)

WIP in Philly said the Phillies may try to trade for Ryan Zimmerman? Any chance that happens and what would they have to give up?

Rob Neyer

  (12:36 PM)

I don't think the Nationals would trade Zimmerman, and even if they would, I don't think the Phillies have enough prospects left to swing that sort of deal. (Zimmerman is great. All hail Zimmerman.)

Brian (Brooklyn NY)

I actually though that the Mets had done a decent job last year of filling out the roster. At the start of the year their bench had Sheffield, Tatis, Pagan, Cora and Santos. Granted that isn't a great bench and those guys flopped when thye had to have extended palying time but I think the process was correct.

Rob Neyer

  (12:41 PM)

It's true that the Mets might have scored plenty of runs if not for all the injuries. On the other hand, they did lose 92 games. Last winter, Omar Minaya spent most of his organizational capital on improving the bullpen, which generally is a waste of organizational capital.

David (Raleigh, NC)

Rob, this is a weird one... Do you think that in even the smallest of ways, maybe even in a subconscious way, Pedro enjoys losing to the Yankees? He's phenomenal, but watching him in the series and in the past I can't help but wonder if the strange appreciation he has for the poetry of it all makes him sort of enjoy it, on some level. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he throws games, but I'm not sure he minds losing them, in the Bronx.

Rob Neyer

  (12:45 PM)

I think he does have a deep appreciation for the experience, win or lose. I think he also would much rather win.

Ben (Brainerd, MN)

Since yesterday was the day that Type A and B FA was put out, is there a copy of that were a baseball fan can look at it?

Rob Neyer

  (12:47 PM)

I'm sure there are lots of places, Ben. But here's a PDF from the union: http://i.usatoday.net/sports/baseball/Elias-rankings.pdf

Robert (Monrovia, Ca)

How much would the Yankees defense improve if they let Damon walk and signed Mike Cameron to a 1-year deal, moving Melky to left field? How much would their offense suffer?

Rob Neyer

  (12:48 PM)

Well, who's going to DH? That's the question you have to answer. Obviously the defense would be much improved.

Danny (New York)

Considering his recent injuries and the fact that he has won 15 games only once in his career, do you think Lackey is just an overpriced #3 pitcher, his price being inflated not because of how good he is but because of how bad he is not?

Rob Neyer

  (12:50 PM)

Well, before signing him you'd want some assurance that he's healthy. But over the last five seasons he's got a 128 ERA+ and he's *generally* been healthy. Seems better than a No. 3 to me.

Mike (New York)

You listed some firstbasemen, but what about Pete Rose?? What position would Rose be considered?? He played a little of everything.

Rob Neyer

  (12:50 PM)

Rose has a category to himself, but Pujols has been (and will remain) a superior player.

Steve (NY)

$36M to Oliver Perez says all you need to know about the Mets. Sheffield was obtained as an after-thought, basically after the season started. Imagine if he *hadn't* fallen into their laps? Omar is in over his head.

Rob Neyer

  (12:52 PM)

The Perez contract was then, and is especially now, indefensible. As we observed at the time. But at least we'll always have Scott Boras's Sandy Koufax comparisons when we need a good laugh.

Old Hoss Radbourn (The ultimate bullpen)

Rob, when people ask about wins and the like, does it bother you? I've been dead for over a century and even I know wins are overrated.

Rob Neyer

  (12:52 PM)

Not really. I figure new converts are being born every day...

Burt (Idaho)

Baseball jerseys on regular guys in day-to-day life start becoming embarrassing at what age? Is anyone's jersey (Jackie's?) expempt, or do all balding, middle aged guys like me just look silly?

Rob Neyer

  (12:54 PM)

I wore my Royals jersey on Halloween, which was the first time I'd worn a jersey in a few years. To each his own, though ... I probably would feel less silly if I were in another line of work. Can you imagine Jayson Stark wearing a Phillies jersey to the mall?

Matt (Enid, OK)

How is Carl Crawford a type B free agent?

Rob Neyer

  (12:56 PM)

Hey, I told you it's a crazy system. But I'll bet it's because he's a left fielder who doesn't drive in a lot of runs.

Harry (MN)

Will there ever be another Mariano Rivera in the MLB? The guy throws one pitch and is simply amazing. Can you give us some closers who you think (in the future) could be top notch closers?

Rob Neyer

  (12:58 PM)

To me, what distinguishes Rivera isn't his one pitch or even his brilliant performance; other closers have done similar things. What's most amazing about Rivera is that he's been able to sustain his excellence for so many years. And it's essentially impossible to predict which of today's young closers will still be dominant at 40.

Matt (Philly)

I can't even imagine how you compare Gherig and Pujols defensively. Is there any reliable method to compare defense from two eras that seem totally disparate, at least in terms of record keeping?

Rob Neyer

  (1:01 PM)

Sure there is. Of course it's easier with sophisticated tracking of batted balls -- which we've got only for the last 20-25 years -- but Bill James did some wonderful things with the basic fielding stats. We have good-but-not-great idea of how good the fielders were, going way, way back.Thanks for all the questions, America (and Maine). Don't forget, if you don't like my principles, it's okay; I have others.