So Ends 2006

At least, so far as the baseball season is concerned. In this topsy-turvy post-season, it only makes sense that the Cardinals would win the World Series, right? How could this have ended any other way?

The free agency period begins tomorrow, and to my knowledge players have 15 days to file for free agency. It really is a mere formality - every player who is eligible to file, will file (they should really just make this an automatic process, but there's probably a reason they don't).

For the Twins, the eligible free agents are: Phil Nevin, Shannon Stewart, and Rondell White. Brad Radke is also eligible to file, and even though he is widely expected to retire, he too will almost certainly file for free agency, if only to keep his options open should he later change his mind.

The Twins will also need to make a decision in the next few days on whether or not to pick up Carlos Silva's option (I believe his contract calls for a decision to be made on the option within 5 days after the end of the World Series, so we should know by Wednesday of next week). With Liriano looking increasingly doubtful for 2007, I'm more convinced than ever that the Twins will gulp, sigh, and pick up the option.

I'll post on the outfielders and pitchers who are eligible for free agency sometime in the next few days, and then shift gears to talk about arbitration eligibles and players who should/may be added to the 40-man roster.