With the Winter Meetings just around the corner, the San Diego Padres are in a position to possibly make a few moves to turn this team into a contender in the National League's West Division.

The payroll may not reach more than $40 million next season, but new general manager Jed Hoyer admitted that they may have some wiggle room to sign one or two free agents.

Elmer Dessens very quietly had a nice year for the Amazins in 2009. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Matt Holliday...Roy Halladay...this offseason is so damn confusing. But we know one thing - both players are available and at least one will sign a huge deal this off-season. Will one of the teams that bites be the Red Sox?

Look, with apologies to Jason Bay and John Lackey, Matt Holliday is the best free agent on the market. Lackey is good, to be sure, but he's the best starting pitcher in a weak market.

Yes, the last dozen years have been particularly painful for Baltimore Orioles fans, but as we observe the Thanksgiving Holiday we still have much to be thankful for.

As an Orioles fan for 40 years, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 things I think Orioles fans can be thankful for. If you are a fan of the Orioles, I’d welcome hearing other things you think we should appreciate during this time of thankful reflection.

Before they became a dysfunctional, injury-ridden 92-loss laughingstock, the New York Mets were actually not a bad team. Sure they had two consecutive meltdowns, one of colossal proportion, yet leaving room for hope until the bitter end, game No. 162.

It seems like ages ago, but the Mets were arguably the best team in baseball three short years ago, and fell a Carlos Beltran gapper short of a World Series berth. Also, remember that that team featured neither ace Johan Santana nor saves king Francisco Rodriguez.

Whether you've heard of him or not, Jason Heyward is good. Really good.

I suppose those of you who are still uninformed need an explanation.

Heyward, age 21, was born in McDonough, Georgia, also the hometown of outfielder Matt Murton. As the crow flies, The Geranium City, as McDonough is known, is just 27 miles away from Atlanta, home of the Braves.

According to several media outlets, the Philadephia Phillies have agreed to terms with free agent Juan Castro on a one-year contract with a club option for 2011 pending a physical. The signing is expected to be announced next week.

Castro is listed as a shortstop, but he's a utility player who will replace Eric Bruntlett on the roster for the 2010 season. In 2009, Castro played 20 games at second base, eight at third, and two in left field.

"Really?"

These were the first words out of my mouth when I read the voting results for the National League MVP.

Somebody thinks that Jeremy Affeldt is the tenth best player in the National League. This is what I knew:

Today, José Alberto Pujols Alcántara, was named the unanimous choice for his third National League Most Valuable Player award. It wouldn't surprise me if he is soon named captain of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Pujols has clearly exemplified what it means to be a Cardinal. He is a hard working, honest, good man. It is hard to find a time in Pujols' day when he is not at the ballpark taking swings or donating his time to a local charity.