Major League Baseball moved up its date for negotiating with free agents, but it has not had any impact on signings yet.
Cliff Lee, the top pitcher on the market, is only beginning to hear pitches from prospective suitors. Outfielder Carl Crawford, a five-tool threat, is available, too. In fact, the open market seems to be moving as slow as ever.
"I think it's moving at a regular pace, normal pace," Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "You don't know what page all the other clubs are on, from our standpoint, I think it's been this way every off-season."
This year baseball and its union allowed teams to discuss contracts with free agents five days after the World Series, instead of the former 15-day delay, meaning the market opened for business on Sunday night.
But unlike the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association, where the big names seem to drop as soon as teams are allowed to sign players or announce their signings, there has been little of note this week.
"It seemed a lot quicker last year, maybe because there was the lull of not being able to talk financial parameters," Anthopoulos said. "The first few weeks, a lot of people are kicking tires. Everyone's gathering information because there are a lot of options. You're trying to sift through all the options that are there, all the GMs are trying to work through connecting with all the teams to see if any [trades] line up. The same with free agents. People are making calls and trying to get a sense of where the market is for certain players."
Player agent Paul Cohen seconded the notion that little had changed this year.
"I haven't seen anything overly dramatic as opposed to other years," said Cohen, who represents Colorado Rockies pitcher Jorge de la Rosa, among others.
Cohen did suggest that, despite what is seen as a shallow talent pool of free agents, the market could be vigorous after a couple of relatively down years for big contracts.
"Generally I'm an optimist," he said. "With the economy somewhat stabilizing -- maybe it's not what it was a few years ago -- my hope and expectation is we have a fluid market that is positive for everybody."
There will certainly be a big market for Lee, the left-hander many believe is seeking a contract similar to the seven-year, US$161-million one the New York Yankees gave good friend CC Sabathia two years ago.
Although, at 32, he is four years older than Sabathia when the Yankees handed out his huge deal, Lee is a former Cy Young Award winner who helped Texas reach the World Series this year. He is 7-2 with a 2.13 ERA in 10 post-season starts over the last two years.
Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, made clear in comments to the New York Post this week that his client is open to anything, though that is a common negotiating tactic of agents seeking to drive up offers.
"He has worked very hard and persevered through a lot," Braunecker said. "For him to close down things at this point wouldn't make sense."
Among the other big names in this year's group of more than 160 free agents are Philadelphia outfielder Jayson Werth, Boston third baseman Adrian Beltre and defensively challenged first baseman Adam Dunn of the Nationals.
Others on the market include White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, Tampa Bay closer Rafael Soriano and future Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, both of whom have spent their entire careers with the New York Yankees.
Both Yankees legends are widely expected to wind up back in pinstripes.
The rest of the market seems to be waiting, as it always does, for one shoe to drop.
"It all depends, someone always has to go first," Anthopoulos said. "I don't know that there's one catalyst per se. Everyone's in talks, everyone has dialogue. It's just a matter of how quickly people work through the process. Things get slowed up because people have alternatives and they have an option, that's what it comes down to."\
THE TOP FREE AGENTS
CLIFF LEE
Starting pitcher, Texas
2010: 12-9, 3.18 ERA
JAYSON WERTH
Outfielder, Philadelphia
2010: .296, 27 HR, 85 RBI
CARL CRAWFORD
Outfielder, Tampa Bay
2010: .307, 19 HR, 90 RBI
ADAM DUNN
First baseman, Washington
2010: .260, 38 HR, 103 RBI
THE TOP FREE AGENTS
PAUL KONERKO
First baseman, Chi. White Sox
2010: .312, 39 HR, 111 RBI
MARIANO RIVERA
Relief pitcher, N.Y. Yankees
2010: 3-3, 1.80 ERA 33 saves
RAFAEL SORIANO
Relief pitcher, Tampa Bay
2010: 3-2, 1.73 ERA, 45 saves
VICTOR MARTINEZ
Catcher, Boston
2010: .302, 20 HR, 79 RB
AUBREY HUFF
First baseman, San Francisco
2010: .290, 26 HR, 86 RBI
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