How did you not include A.J. Burnett?

He should be the #1 priority.

Other: Milton Bradley.  Two years, with an option for a third which vests if he has 900 PAs total.

other, other, other, other.....manny, aj, milton, benjamin

benjamin? Sheets?

If he doesn't sign a forty billion dollar contract with NYY/NYM/BOS/LAD or stay in MIL, then I think the Dallas resident is fairly likely to rejoin his old pitching coach, Mike Maddux, in TEX.

Our number one priority is to sign Milton Bradley to a 3 year deal in my opinion. I think that we may lose out in the bidding because we will have to heavily laden the contract with incentives. I'm thinking he should have a base of $6mil a season, with $3 mil if he reaches 500 plate appearances, $1mil if he achieves an OBP of .400 after having reached 500 PA's and $1 mil if he achieves a .500 slugging percentage. That's a potentially $11 mil a year deal with $18 guaranteed over the 3 years.

I think priority number two should be signing Ben Sheets to a similar deal except the $3mil bonus kicks in if he makes 25 starts, and the extra million for ERA's below 4.00 and WHIP below 1.20.

J.P should also kick the tires on injured pitchers like Pedro, Schilling, Smoltz, Armas and Penny. I'm sure Smoltz would never leave, but the other guys sure would like one season to prove themselves worthy of a hefty contract for 2010.

Guys J.P should have no trouble signing and mustn't fail to sign are:
one of Juan Rivera/Baldelli/Moises Alou - this is only if the Bradley signing falls through and after an attempt to sign Giambi to a payroll friendly contract fails. If one of these guys are signed, he would be the smaller part of a platoon with either Lind or Snider (the part that faces lefties) and also a guy to push Overbay for playing time at first base.
Michael Barrett - it was only a couple years ago that he was considered an all-star hitting catcher
Grudzielanek - he's a very good fielder and he allows Hill to return to his rightful position SHORTSTOP!

Alright, J.P go out there and do us proud!

I'm the only one giving love to Raul Ibanez. However, I'm higher on Bradley - so - how come I didn't  vote "other."  Brain cramp? Brainless? Moron? Pathetic?  All four?

Working thier way up in-house however, we have a surprising number of good bats with power potential including the following dirty dozen - in the order I see them in:

1) Travis Snider, 2) JP Arencibia, 3) David Cooper, 4) Balbino Fuenmayor, 5) Brian Dopirak, 6) Adam Loewen {Adam could be a REAL sleeper}, 7) Eric Thames (Eric could be a REAL sleeper as well!}, 8) Kevin Aherns, 9) Brad Emaus, 10) Jon Talley, 11) Moises Sierra, 12) John Tolisano.

There are others as well. Really, not too shabby a list!

With some quality prospects on the way, I wouldnt wan to block any with a big contract. The only place I would get a guy for more than 1 or 2 years is DH or SS. The pitching should be fine after 09, with returned players from injury and prospects. So to sign a pitcher I would only want a 1 year deal, maybe Brad Penny? The biggest thing is looking ahead and not block a quality prospect with an overpriced veteran that cannot be traded.

1. Randy Johnson - will sign for 1 year, have to overpay to get him this far from home
2. Juan Rivera - should sign for one year to a place where he can play full time and make himself into a valuable long-term signing next year
3. Pedro Martinez - More likely to fail than you'd like but if he gives you even the first few months until McG or Cecil et al are ready...
4. Freddie Garcia - if not Pedro, seems most reliable of the "make-good" options
5. Mark Prior - is it possible to pry him out of SD? Can he ever hold up a full season?

Also, try to get on minor league deals - Josh Bard or David Ross; Russ Branyan and also on minor league deals:

Joel Guzman
JR House
Tim Raines Jr
Ryan Wagner
re-sign Chris George

(obviously some of thes conflict with each other - we're not going to sign three cathers to minor league deals, but you can figure out the implication)

Yes, I have only one potential DH/OF listed - that's a sign that (a) i can't really see a difference in Giambi or Griffey or whatever other old-timer is out there; and  (b) we might need to trade for someone like Swish...oh, damn...anyway...trade for SOME player who's better than the FA options - most of which I don't really like and the others are too expensive.

Pass on all and save the payroll. If the Jays are in it near the deadline, then that is the time to take on salary. Old and/or injured- no thanks!

I don't know about the Jays, but it wasn't difficult to predict who would be Number 1 on the Yankees list....

I would be willing to giver Oliver Perez a similar contract to what we signed AJ Burnett with.  Oliver requires no compensation and is only 27.  He has potential, and we know Arnsberg loves working with young pitchers.

Penny also has upside and doesn't require compensation.

I'd really like Ibanez as a DH/LF, but his type A status is pretty unattractive.  Bradley (type B) and Giambi (no compensation) are more attractive candidates on a cost basis.

I vote other, Manny Ramirez.

Randy Johnson has said he'd only play, "For a contender or nobody." Fortunately, we qualify under the "nobody" clause!

What's the latest Sheets rumors?  I'm guessing The Brew Crew will offer him a multiyear deal after they lose out on CC, but there is a chance he wont get the deal he wants in which case he may take a 1 year deal here.  Something along the lines of 1/16 or 1/18. 

I also think Pedro wouldn't mind coming here.  As mentioned there would be a good chance of failure and it would give JP the chance to potentially release a HOFer 2 years in a row, but if he can still hit 88-90 he can still pitch.

Offense should really be the priorty but would require much more commitment. 
If you're going to offer Bradley 3 years then just offer him 4 and he'd be almost certain to accept something like 4/40.  In addition to this I'd try and get Giambi on a 1 year deal.  Adding BOTH would drastically change the offense.  Something like

Rios
Bradley
Wells (by default)
Giambi
Lind
Rolen
Hill
Barajas
Scutaro

Under this scenario Lind would have to play the bulk of 1st base where he can't be any worse then Giambi.

I changed my mind - sign MANNY! I have calculated that then can afford it with a relatively modest increase in payroll over the next 4 years.

...IF we deal Overbay and Ryan before 2010

Ideally, I would dump Ryan and Overbay, even if we get nothing in return. Think the Mets would give up a B prospect for Ryan? I think so, if they lose out on free agency. Seeing what the Marlins got for Kevin Gregg (who won't even close), I think Ryan could fetch something decent from a team that can eat his salary. I doubt the market for Overbay will be substantial, but a team like the Phillies or Milwaukee could use his defense in later innings (and start him for Interleague play).

Anyway, with free agency, I like Bradley as a player, but I can't trust him to duplicate 2008. I'd take Manny in a heartbeat, but it seems unlikely. Ahhh, the heck with it.

Manny, four years, $100M

Oliver Perez, four years, third and fourth year options, $45M... Something similar to Burnett. I think he's criminally underrated and a power lefty is rarely a bad thing.

Absolutely have to try and get Manny...  I dislike his shenanigans, but there's simply no other bat available that would help this team in the way that he would. Yes, his contract would be ridiculous, and yes he's likely to act like a knob constantly, but you can't argue with his numbers.

He's old, yes, but he freakishly hasn't shown any signs of decline, and it's a risk I'm willing to take that would turn this line-up around. It also sounds like he's willing to become a fulltime DH, if not this year than soon.

If, and only if, we fail in the hunt for Manny, I would go after Parker-Brothers... uhh... Milton Bradley... You know what I mean...

According to mlbtraderumors...

Yanks are offering AJ Burnett 5 years/$80 million ($16M per year, Jays reportedly have offered 4/$54M - $13.5M per)

An unknown team has offered Furcal 3 years/$39 million

Pedro will definately pitch next year,

1. Bradley (2 years + vesting third year)
2. Burnett (4 years/$64M)
3. Penny/Johnson/Martinez (1 year incentive-based contract)

That would be a pretty good off-season (the team might have to move Overbay and/or Ryan to make these moves, though I would prefer they keep both). I can't really see Manny, Furcal or Lowe happening.