Jason Bay is the most appealing free-agent bat. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday. Both elite sluggers are in their prime, both are available on the free-agent market, both are ideal teammates … who wouldn’t be interested in them both? Apparently, the Angels, who were so turned off by agent Scott Boras last offseason (in the Mark Teixeira negotiations) that they already have ruled out pursuing Holliday this offseason. However, owner Arte Moreno told the Los Angeles Times that Bay is very much on their radar. -sportingnews.com

2009 Preview: New York Mets. Expect the Mets to come out and compete for some of the higher-level free agents. The crown jewel of the offseason, outfielder Matt Holliday, will command the most attention and will most likely net the biggest salary as he is represented by penny-squeezing agent Scott Boras. Holliday and Jason Bay are viable options for the Mets, and don’t be surprised if the Mets are serious contenders for either of these players. Outside of those two outfielders, the only two type-A free agent outfielders available are Johnny Damon, who may re-sign with the champion Yankees, and Jermaine Dye.

If the Mets are serious in their agendas this offseason, an addition of either Holliday or Bay would make it clear that they want to win now. Citi Field doesn’t ideally fit either player but their presence in the line-up alone, adding protection for David Wright and Carlos Beltran, would help bring some power back into the lineup. -longislandpress.com

Mauer Expected to Win M.V.P., but That’s the Least of the Twins’ Concerns. Monday afternoon’s scheduled announcement of the winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award comes with limited drama. The Baseball Writers Association of America guards the voting results judiciously. But if Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins beats out the Yankees’ Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter for the award, industry observers will not be surprised. -New York Times