FREE AGENT SIGNINGS: MOABS MAKE WAVES

Continuing their surge in organizational strength, last year's Eastern Division champion (the Brooklyn Moabs) made the biggest splash in the free-agent signing period that began at midnight on Thursday. Moabs GM Eric Caskey's cost-cutting measures left him with the hard cash to pursue and sign established stars like OF Mike Cameron and LHP Billy Wagner to major-league contracts. These deals, amounting to more than $5 million guaranteed, will ensure that Cameron and Wagner will be on the Moabs major-league roster, if healthy*

Brooklyn also bolstered their organizational depth by signing RHP J.J. Putz, RHP Jeremy Accardo, 3B Brandon Inge, OF Melky Cabrera and C Dioner Navarro to split contracts. Initially, such players are assigned to the minor-leagues and not held against cap. Once activated, they count against the club's cap but they can be shuttled back-and-forth between the minors and the parent club.**

In other signing news:

The Los Angeles PF Flyers have added RHP Tim Hudson, LHP Scott Downs, and reliever LHP Rafael Perez.

In a surprising (and irritating) move, the Arizona Thunder dumped OF Alfonso Soriano's big contract to cleap cap room, and used it so sign well-known unprotected malcontent Manny Ramirez to the biggest free agent contract of all, a one-year deal guaranteeing nearly seven million a season. Also added as insurance: RHP Mark Lowe, DH Travis Hafner, RHP Leo Nunez, C Jason Kendall, 2B Mark Ellis, 1B Casey Kotchman

The Madtown Murlocs picked up some reclamation projects for their pitching staff: RHP Jon Garland, LHP Manny Parra, RHP Matt Lindstrom

The St. Francis Friars struck pay dirt, picking up two starters on the comeback trail (RHP Chris Young and RHP Fausto Carmona), two relievers (LHP Pedro Feliciano and RHP Joel Zumaya) and AAA insurance policies: C Rod Barajas, 1B Adam LaRoche, OF/P Micah Owings

The former Fresno and newly-rechristened Oakland United signed 42-year-years-young RHP Trevor Hoffman to a guaranteed one-year deal, while adding some extras to their system in the form of: RHP Manny Corpas, OF Andruw Jones, RHP Kyle Loshe, RHP Brad Penny, RHP Tim Wakefield

Meanwhile, the other Guerra-operated BARB franchise, the Black Mesa ballclub, guaranteed over $3 million to former Worcester 3B Adrian Beltre, LHP Barry Zito and SS Jack Wilson. LHP Eric Bedard and RHP Kerry Wood were (at least initially) assigned to AAA as insurance while both attempt to rehab nagging injuries.

More free agent signing news to come.....

* Players shown bolded in red have been assigned to the major-league roster and count immediately against a club's cap

** Players shown bolded in blue have initially been signed to a minor-league contract that does not count against cap.