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Hot Stove Report - Ten Free Agents to Watch
Nov. 8, 1999

The annual "silly season" of baseball is upon us, and with it comes hopeful speculation on trades and free agent signings. Who will your team go after? Here are ten players certain to garner some attention (and money) in the coming weeks and months.

1.) 3B Luis Santos, 33
There are some questions about Santos, who has put up back-to-back seasons of 25-plus home runs, 120-plus runs batted in, and OPS of above .870. Prior to joining the Milwaukee Bulls in 1998, Santos had never hit more than 18 home runs or put up an average above .267. Still, his production over the last two years at the third base position will drive his price sky-high.

2.) 1B Aaron Oliver, 35
Oliver has spent the last seven seasons with the Miami Pelicans, averaging 20 homers per year. Over the last three seasons, he has put up averages of .305, .312, and .321. Last season, he hit 28 dingers and drove in 108 runs. Oliver would be the centerpiece of any lineup for at least 3 more years. Look for him to command a hefty contract in the $20 million range.

3.) SP Kenny Brown, 31
Brown put up just a 13-18 record last year, but that was with lowly San Francisco. He is just a year removed from a season in which he went 18-12 with a 2.61 ERA. His age and production make him the top starter on the market this winter.

4.) C Jose Navarro, 34
Spending upwards of $10 or $15 million on a 34-year-old catcher seems like a dicey proposition, but it's hard to find production from a backstop like Navarro provided. Kenny Brown's batterymate with San Francisco, Navarro hit .312 with 21 home runs and 87 runs batted in last year.

5.) CF Shawn Lauton, 30
Lauton, who has spent all but one major league season with the expansion Pittsburgh Miners, is still in his prime. When he's at his best, he is a machine at getting on base, and he is just two years removed from hitting 50 home runs. However, his 1998 season, in which he hit just .223, raises some red flags.

6.) SP Martin Brunt, 36
Teams seeking a veteran presence at the top of their rotation will no doubt be interested in the Canadian righty and two-time J.D. Axworthy award winner for best pitcher. Assuming his 1998 season (8-13, 5.22) with Boston was a fluke, he would be a smart investment for two or three years, particularly for a team with young, promising pitchers.

7.) SP Michael Shaner, 32
The remaining prize of the available starting pitchers is this 32-year-old lefty, formerly of New Orleans. Shaner has posted a 3.78 earned run average over his career, strikes batters out, and keeps the ball in the park.

8.) C Pedro Zumaya, 35
Another aging catcher who will command big bucks, Zumaya is a solid contact hitter and has a stronger arm than Navarro. Zumaya will earn a lucrative, short-term contract.

9.) 3B Kenneth Howard, 34
Howard is not a great average hitter (.251 last year), but his power will find him a place in the middle of someone's lineup. Howard's value is increased by his ability to play all four infield positions.

10.) RP Earl Carter, 38
Carter has a couple of seasons left in the tank as a closer. He still touches the high 90s on the gun, and has a career K/9 of over 11.