Top Free Agents Available

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training in just a few weeks I thought it'd be a good idea to highlight some of the free agents that are shockingly still available:

1. Orlando Hudson: I'm really surprised he is still available. Granted the O-Dog was lost playing time at the end of last season, but he was still productive with an OPS of .774. He is probably overvaluing himself right now which is why some teams aren't eager to sign him because he is 33. I still think he could be productive and unfortunately I see his destination being Washington.

2. Johnny Damon: Damon hit a career high 24 home runs and had a career high .854 OPS last season, so on the surface it's hard to see why he doesn't have a job yet. But when you look a little deeper, the question has to be asked how much help did Damon receive from the new Yankee Stadium being a launching pad for home runs? Is he worth his desired $13 million? No, but he definitely deserves a pretty good pay day because he isn't showing signs of breaking down and being unproductive. I see Damon and the Yankees striking a deal in the near future.

3. Jermaine Dye: Jermaine Dye doesn't want to DH full time yet, but his defense is declining so he's put in a tough situation. The Cubs have called and seem interested in him as a 4th outfielder, I don't see Dye taking that unless there are no other options. I think he's better suited to be a DH/4th Outfielder type, a logical choice would be the White Sox, but I don't see it happening.  I don't really have a clue where he could wind up, but I'll just guess that it's the White Sox or the Cubs.

4. Erik Bedard: If you're like me, you'll notice that you probably haven't seen much on Bedard this offseason since he had surgery in August and won't be ready for the the first half of the season it looks like. When healthy, Bedard is a very good starter and could have a Pedro Martinez like impact this season for the club that signs him. I have nothing to suggest this will happen but my guess is that Bedard ends up in St. Louis, he just seems like a Cardinals like signing to sure up the back of the rotation down the stretch.

5. Ben Sheets: Sheets has been throwing for clubs recently and looks to be close to signing somewhere with a lot of interest. Sheets is a lot like Bedard in that he can be filthy when healthy, he's just never healthy. The Mariners have been touted as the winner of the off-season and I think they really think they can win it all and will look at Sheets to fill the rotation out after King Felix and Cliff Lee. The Mariners are my guess but the Dodgers or Mets might not be far behind.

Top Ten Athletes from the 2000s in Chicago Sports

It's not hard to argue that Chicago is full of the most die hard sports fans in America. Wherever you go, you can count on some sort of conversation about the latest news a Chicago sports team is making. The stress and expectations can drive some athletes out of the city (Milton Bradley), but it can also lead to other sport figures to be celebrated long after they retire (Coach Ditka (Why are we so blessed?)). With the first decade of the 2000s coming to a close in a mere 10 days, I thought it was time to take a look at the next crop of athletes who might be as celebrated as Da Coach is when they retire.

10. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews: When I told Tom that I was thinking about making this list and decided that Kane and Toews have tied for the 10th spot, he said I had to choose one of them. The thing is that as long as Kane and Toews are playing in Chicago together, they will be mentioned together for the rest of their careers. They have both been dynamic players and have played an equally major role in bringing the sport of hockey back into the forefront of Chicago. Kane is a superstar in the making while Toews is developing into a true leader and everything you want in a Captain of your hockey team to be. They are only at #10 because of their short amount of time playing in Chicago.

9. Devin Hester: Remember the days when Hester would be waiting for a kick or a punt and everyone would stop what they were doing? Well that threat and ability that Hester once showed is the reason he is at #9. With 11 returns for TDs, he is only two away from tying the all-time record, and maybe, just maybe, he can reach that record if a certain coach puts him back where he belongs, returning kicks.

8. Sammy Sosa: Sosa finished playing in Chicago in 2004, so he was only in Chicago for a portion of the past decade but he was a huge force while in the Cubs lineup. Besides being an absolute monster with the bat, he provided many interesting moments from his corked bat, to injuring himself while sneezing. Sosa played a major role on the Cubs team that almost reached the World Series in 2003.

7. Frank Thomas: The Big Hurt saw a decline in his numbers as his time on the South Side ran up. But that doesn't discount what he did in 2000 when he hit 43 home runs and drove in 143 runs while finishing second in MVP voting, (he should be given the award after Jason Giambi admitted to steroid use, but that is another rant for another day). He played a major role in the 2000 division title for the Sox, and contributed slightly in 2005 with a surge of power during the Summer before being shut down due to injury.

6. Jermaine Dye: World Series MVP for a Chicago baseball team, that alone should warrant a spot in the top ten. However, Dye was also mightily productive throughout his entire time with the White Sox. He averaged 33 home runs and 92 RBI in his five seasons and was a leader on the field and off. He left all he had on the field day in and day out, and always wanted to be out there whether or not he was hurt.

5. Paul Konerko: He has simply been a staple in the White Sox lineup this entire decade. Besides being named the captain of the team, he is in the top five of many of the all-time offensive categories for the White Sox. Konerko's defense is extremely underrated and is a player that could have his jersey retired with the other White Sox greats.

4. Carlos Zambrano: When he's not arguing with umpires or bashing gatorade dispensers, Zambrano has been quite productive with the Cubs. He has a no-hitter to his credit, as well as 10 home runs for a pitcher. His antics shy away from his productivity, and while he's never won more than 14 games in a season, the talent is obviously there and will continue to be there for the Cubs.

3. Aramis Ramirez: He could be a major reason that Jim Hendry still has a job with the Cubs. The acquisition of Ramirez from the Pirates has been nothing short of huge for the Cubs. Ramirez has seemingly gotten better as his time here has grown, and he's become a major force that opposing pitchers have to account for when they take the mound against the North Siders.

2. Brian Urlacher: Urlacher has caught some criticism recently for perhaps being a little overrated. That being said, he has been a remarkable linebacker for the Bears for his entire tenure. The play of the defense really decreases when Urlacher is not on the field. Pro Bowls, Defensive Player of the Years aren't accolades that overrated players get repeatedly. Urlacher has been a great player while in Chicago, he just needs to stay healthy and he will continue to contribute.

1. Mark Buehrle: It really is hard to argue against Buehrle being in this spot. He has the individual accolades, (No-hitter, Perfect Game, Gold Glove) and he also has the greatest accolade one can get from being on a team, (a World Championship). Buehrle has been the ultimate team player in more than just what is seen on the field, and when the time comes for him to retire, I can guarantee one thing, he will not be paying for drinks as long as he is in Chicago.