As the free-agent spotlight in baseball shines brightly on the likes of Aaron Rowand and Andruw Jones, plenty of fantasy stalwarts remain small-print fodder, buried deep in local newspapers. UPDATE! took a long look at the current available free-agents and put together a collection of players that are not going to command top dollars, but who may pay sweet dividends come the 2008 MLB season. Track these players through the off-season, because the right team and the right situation could mean big stats:

San Diego Padres, OF
Comment: Everyone's favorite head-case had a nice 2007 — when he was actually playing. Bradley battled injuries all season long, but when he finally got healthy he played out of his mind, hitting .313 with 11 home runs, 30 RBI, 31 runs scored and three stolen bases in just 42 games before tearing his ACL in a bizarre altercation with umpire Mike Winters. Due to the injury, Bradley is likely to miss the start of the regular season. Any team that signs Bradley is likely to opt for a shorter one-year pact, inevitably motivating Bradely to put up the guady numbers that bring in a big multi-year contracts for 2009 and beyond. If he happens to land on a team with a questionable outfielder or two, he could easily find himself in a starting lineup as soon as he's ready to hit the field.

Las Angeles Angels, SP
Comment: Colon loafed his way through the 2005 and 2006 season with a litany of injuries. But if a team can afford to take on the risk involved, he could be a pleasant surprise in 2008. Remember, he is just two years removed from an AL Cy Young award, and while his weight and fragility are a concern, if you can get him on the cheap, he may be worth the gamble. The Philadelphia Phillies were rumored to be interested and a trip through the National League may be just what the doctor ordered. Depending on where he lands, fantasy owners may want to consider him a decent late-round, injury-risk pick.

Philadelphia Phillies, 2B
Comment: Iguchi's excellent defense and underrated offense make him an intriguing option. While he was used mainly in a back-up role after being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, Iguchi was considered amongst the better second baseman in the American League heading. In 2006, he hit .281 with 18 home runs, 67 RBI, 97 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 138 games. That type of production would be of great use to MLB teams and fantasy owners alike. The Angels, Astros, Brewers, Padres and Rockies are all rumored to be interested in signing the right-handed infielder. As long as he lands a starting job, he could be a solid player for fantasy purposes.

Colorado Rockies, 2B
Comment: Matsui missed 58 games in 2007 and still managed to steal 32 bases and score 84 runs, finally living up to the massive hype surrounding this Japanese exports arrival in MLB way back in 2004. There's an issue concerning his home/road splits in 2007 (home numbers: .330 AVG, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 45 R, 14 SB in 49 games; road stats: .249 AVG, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 39 R, 18 SB in 55 games), but if put in the right lineup he could be a great sparkplug. The Astros and Cubs are considered the heavy favorites at the moment, and Chicago in particular would make a favorable landing spot for fantasy purposes.

Baltimore Orioles, OF
Comment: While some high-priced names like Torii Hunter ring louder in MLB circles, Patterson is a great, cheap alternative to teams in search of a centerfielder. Once deemed one of baseball's top prospects, Patterson has failed to live up to the lofty expectations set for him. But at 28, he's still a good defensive fielder with great speed (he has stolen 82 bases in the last two seasons) and decent pop in his bat. He could be a valuable role player to a team not looking to spend a ton of money in free agency and, with the right team, he could score a lot of runs. Depending on where he ends up, a .280 average, 15 home runs, 100 runs scored and 45 stolen bags line is conceivable.



Starbonell is UPDATE! Major League Baseball Editor.