The economics of baseball are in flux, just like the rest of the industries in the United States. But there's still a vibrant free agent market in the 2008-09 offseason. Which are the best, which are the potential land mines and which are the sleepers? A look at some of the players in this year's free agent crop. (And click here for the full list, as well as updates on where they're headed.)
The 10 best free agents of 2009
CC Sabathia: He'll essentially get whatever he wants, wherever he wants. A Cy Young winner, still young (28), never hurt, left-handed and in the prime of his career.
Mark Teixeira: He made the Angels better, both at the plate (.358, 13 HR in 193 at-bats) and at first base.
Manny Ramirez: He's a headache for a manager, but those who can motivate him get big-time results.
Francisco Rodriguez: After a record 62 saves, K-Rod picked a perfect time to become a free agent. But will his herky-jerky motion give him longevity?
A.J. Burnett: Has had bouts of arm trouble, but producted in Toronto (38-26 in three seasons) when healthy. And he's just 31.
Orlando Hudson: The best second baseman on the market, he's Gold Glove in the field and his batting average has risen in each of the past five seasons (to .305 in 2008).
Adam Dunn: Sure, he strikes out, but he also gets on base (.386 in 2008) and drives in runs (100 in 2008). He's hit exactly 40 homers in each of the past four seasons.
Bobby Abreu: He gets lost in the star cluster of New York, but he's been a big producer wherever he's played. Hits for power, average and still steals a few bases at age 34.
Oliver Perez: The top 10 might seem high, but he's just 27 and will probably command the money of the second-best lefty on the market. Good numbers: 194 innings, 167 hits, 180 strikeouts in 2008.
Raul Ibanez: He's driven in more than 100 runs in each of the past three seasons, and he's durable (149 games or more in each of the past 16 seasons).
Ten potential free-agent bargains
Juan Cruz: Has closer stuff (71 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings) in a setup role in Arizona. At age 30, he should get the chance to close with somebody.
Rafael Furcal: He missed most of last season with a back injury, which could scare teams off. But there are few with the upside of Furcal, who is still just 31.
Braden Looper: A disappointment as a reliever with the Mets, he found new life as a starter in St. Louis (12 wins in each of the last two seasons), and teams are always looking for innings-eaters.
Juan Rivera: Often the fourth outfielder for the Angels, he hit for power when he had chances and wasn't injured.
Randy Wolf: He wasn't very good for San Diego, but went 6-2 with a 3.57 ERA in 12 starts after being traded to Houston. He's left-handed to boot, and is only 32.
Ivan Rodriguez: His best days are certainly behind him, but he still has the arm and the line-drive bat. If he's willing to take a reasonable pay cut, he could be valuable.
Milton Bradley: He revitalized his career in Texas (.321, 22 HR) after a tumultous 2007, and is only 30. With some maturity, he could be a steal.
Ray Durham: His power and steal numbers are down, but he could be an ideal plug-in at second base on a short-term deal.
Brad Penny: Lost velocity after shoulder issues last year, but if he checks out, he went 16-4 and was third in Cy Young voting in 2007.
Randy Johnson: He's going to have to take a major pay cut, and he just turned 45. But he threw well down the stretch, and whichever team gets him will likely see his 300th win. He has 295.
Buyer beware on these 10
Frank Thomas: Thomas, 40, could be this year's Barry Bonds. Willing to play but no buyers. He's only a couple of seasons removed from big productivity, but was injured for most of last season. It's a young man's game, after all.
Derek Lowe: Might seem harsh on this list, as he's in demand. But he's 35, has a lot of innings on that right arm and, aside from a couple of seasons, is basically a .500 pitcher. He'll get big money, however.
Mark Mulder: He's been primed for a comeback for two years now, but that balky shoulder gets in the way. This could be his last shot, and he's only 31.
Pedro Martinez: A Hall of Famer whose time has past, his arm just can't stay healthy and the stuff just isn't as electric. He's 8-7 in 25 starts spanning the last two seasons, and likely have to take a major pay cut.
Trevor Hoffman: See above. The all-time saves leader has a velocity only in the low 80s. He'll still trick a few, but he's not worth much.
Garret Anderson: The Angels didn't want him for $14 million, and the 36-year-old Anderson will probably make around $10 million in 2009. But shouldn't that buy more than .280 with 15 homers?
Josh Fogg: He'll be 32 in spring training, and was decent in the Rockies' 2007 run, but hit a wall last season. He'll be cheap, but teams might have better options in Triple-A.
Corey Patterson: Can you be 29 and over the hill? Yes. After hitting 24 homers at age 24, he had a pitiful .238 on-base percentage for the Reds in 2008 and won't attract much attention this offseason.
Moises Alou: At age 42, it looks like end of the line for Alou, a career .303 hitter with a stellar .516 slugging percentage in his career. But he had only 49 at-bats last season.
Paul Lo Duca: A four-time All-Star, he was cut by the lowly Nationals last season. And teams would have to give up a draft pick for him. Don't wait by the phone, Paul.
