It's that time of year again, and the Hot Stove is heating up big time in Major League Baseball. There are tons of quality free agents out there now, and there are lots of teams looking to snatch them up. Here are a few of the latest rumors:

The Red Sox are talking to FA catcher Jason Varitek and his agent Scott Boras. Right now, Boras' demands are a bit steep, and the Tigers are rumored to be interested in Varitek's services as well. Some thought the Dodgers might go for him, but that rumor was dispelled by GM Ned Colletti. That one wouldn't make much sense anyway, since the Dodgers have Russell Martin there, and he's one of the best young catchers in the league. The Rangers have a surplus of young catching, and it's likely that the Red Sox will look there for Varitek's replacement.

With the anticipated emergence of David Price as the Rays' next big starter, the Mets are looking into trading for Andy Sonnanstine and/or Edwin Jackson. The Rays are reportedly seeking Aaron Heilman in return, among others. In my opinion, the Rays would do well to keep at least one of them to stick in the closer's spot, since that was one of their weak spots last season.

Matt Holliday is on the market in Colorado. The Rockies may also be interested in some of the Rays' pitchers, but another rumor involves a 3-way deal that would eventually send Holliday to the Yankees in a follow-up deal. However, the Yankees and Brewers are discussing a CF swap, Mike Cameron for Melky Cabrera. That would negate any possibility of Holliday heading to the Bronx.

Mark Teixeira is the biggest free agent bat in this offseason. The Yankees are likely huge players in this one, but will face competition from the Angels, who desperately want to keep him.

Speaking of the Angels, record-breaking closer Francisco Rodriguez is a free agent, and some team is going to vastly overpay for him. The Mets desperately need a new closer, and they could be interested in K-Rod, or might go with the more practical (and smart) option of former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes.

Junichi Tazawa looks like the next big thing coming out of Japan, and the Braves are currently front-runners to gain his services.

The Manny Ramirez sweepstakes have begun. The Dodgers have already put in an offer, but some people aren't really buying the sincerity of it at all. The Yankees have expressed interest, and they might be the only ones willing to offer Manny the insane long-term deal that he's looking for.

Derek Lowe probably won't be returning to the Dodgers next season. The Cubs might try to replace Ryan Dempster with Lowe, and the Mets could also use the sinkerballer on the mound for them. If his price is low enough, the Braves may be an option. But with the Red Sox and Yankees rumored to be in the running, that's not likely.


There are tons more rumors flying around, and we'll keep you updated as soon as we learn anything concrete. Enjoy the wheeling and dealing, and hopefully your favorite team gets into the mix and fills their various needs.