Chicago White Sox

1B-R Frank Thomas is the only potential free agent on the White Sox. Last week, the two sides reached an agreement on the terms of his contract provided he chooses to return to Chicago. Thomas has until December 7th to test free agency while maintaining the option of accepting the renegotiated deal with the White Sox. I expect him to return to Chicago after finding a general lack of interest on the open market. After all, he'll eventually receive his money if he stays with the White Sox.

Chicago will look to add a starter if they choose to non-tender RHP Todd Ritchie. The White Sox likely will be interested in a medium priced veteran who can eat some innings to protect the younger pitchers in their rotation.

Cleveland Indians

The following Indians are eligible for free agency: RHP Dave Burba, 3B-R Travis Fryman, LHP Terry Mulholland, RHP Charles Nagy, C-R Eddie Perez, 1B-L Lee Stevens, 1B-L Jim Thome, and RHP Jaret Wright.

Travis Fryman retired. Perez and Stevens will look for reserve work somewhere else, though Stevens might be able to land a starting job with some team. The Indians maintain that they continue to desire to re-sign Thome, but I just haven't seen that in their actions. I believe they will low-ball him sufficiently that he will feel obligated to take a better offer elsewhere. Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia will compete for his services with the Phillies having the edge in the contest.

Mulholland wants to play well into his forties, so he won't retire. However after his poor 2002, he may be relegated to looking for work as a non-roster invitee in Spring Training. Nagy also should retire, but likely will try to find someone to sign him. Burba will find a job with a team that needs an innings-eater. Detroit, Kansas City, and Toronto all might be interested in his services. Cleveland declined their option on Wright, so he'll also join the free agent pool.

The Indians may look for a starter to anchor their rotation and protect their young pitchers. If Cleveland handles their rebuilding project properly, they could be back on top of the division as soon as 2004, though the Twins should provide them with healthy competition.

Detroit Tigers

RHP Juan Acevedo is the only Tiger eligible for free agency. Detroit definitely will offer him arbitration, but I highly doubt that they'll re-sign him. Unfortunately, by the time he'd increased his trade value, the Tigers essentially were past the time during which they could have dealt him for a substantial package.

With the exception of Minnesota, the entire AL Central should be in the market for starting pitching. Detroit might also want to sign some strong minor league free agents, so they're not left pillaging their minors for injury replacements next season.

Kansas City Royals

The following Royals are eligible for free agency: 2B/3B-S Luis Alicea, RHP Paul Byrd, RHP Roberto Hernandez, and OF-R Chuck Knoblauch. Kansas City almost certainly will offer Hernandez arbitration, but he wants to move to a contender, so he will likely look to close elsewhere. He's probably hoping to interest the Red Sox in his services. The Royals appear to have blown their chances of re-signing Byrd after declining to work out an extension or deal him. He may sign with another AL Central team, though I think he will look for a contender and a good-sized bag of money.

I don't expect either Alicea or Knoblauch to return to Kansas City, although it's difficult to predict where they will land.

Minnesota Twins

RHP Mike Jackson and RHP Bob Wells are the only Twins eligible for free agency. Both Wells and Jackson should depart for other teams, as Minnesota is overflowing with talent at nearly every position.

While the Twins declined their option on UT-S Denny Hocking, he has a player option he likely will exercise. Minnesota smartly exercised their options on LHP Eddie Guardado, RHP LaTroy Hawkins, and C-R Tom Prince. The club has many more players worthy of major league jobs than they possess roster spots, so I don't expect them to show any interest in free agents. Minnesota's big challenge this off-season will be in handling their arbitration-eligible players. The most important thing for the Twins to do is to lock OF-R Torii Hunter into a long-term contract, and then they likely should deal a couple of the other veterans to make room for the prospects ascending from their minors.