I'm beginning to realize that it is most difficult to predict acquisitions in the free agent market.

Yes, I'm playing the MLB.com's Free Agent Frenzy contest, where they have listed 15 free agents and I had to predict where they would eventually sign.

The deadline to get your picks in was Nov. 14 and since that date only three have found homes. I have correctly predicted 0 thus far.

Frank Thomas, I figured, found a home last year and would stay with the A's. Wrong. I was surprised to see him sign with AL East competition Toronto. He seems a bit out of place there.

Alfonzo Soriano I had positioned in Philadelphia. Now, I realize I was taking a bit of a risk, but I certainly did not see him getting an eight-year/17-million-dollar contract with the Cubs. Traditionally speaking Chicago has not shown players the money, though this year is most definitely different.

Nomar Garciaparra. Now, here I thought I knew my stuff. Surely he would stay with the Dodgers. But little did I realize that I had picked the Los Angeles Angels. I hate it their new name. They will forever be Anaheim to me. So even though I correctly picked it, I was wrong. My mistake I guess.

Officially I'm batting .000.

The rest of my questionable picks:

1. Matsuzaka to the Red Sox: This should be a done deal (5-years, another $50 million)

2. Carlos Lee to Houston: Looks like a number of teams will want his services, though Houston is still in the hunt.

3. Ray Durham to Giants: Where else is he to go, certainly not to Boston

4. Barry Bonds to Oakland: Looks like this may not happen, probably end up in S.F.

5. Ted Lilly to Toronto: This market is quite different than I expected. Lilly would love to go to Yankees, but other teams have expressed interest

6. Julio Lugo to Boston: Cubs look like they would like to get involved; Damn that Piniella.

7. Greg Maddux to Dodgers: Again, looks like the Cubs would like to get involved, though the big ballpark would probably serve Maddux better.

8.) Gary Matthews to Cubs: Since they've signed Soriano, Matthews is certain to go elsewhere (Anaheim)

9.) Andy Pettitte to Houston: He could iretire, go to the Yankees or stay right in Houston. Who knows?

10.) Juan Pierre to Dodgers: This is all but done (Yea! One right!)

11.) Jason Schmidt to Seattle: No one wants to be the first to sign a pitcher

12.) Barry Zito to Mets: (see No. 11)

I love this time of year. No not fall, though that in itself was beautiful, but lacked the bold reds that I love to see in October.

Instead it's the baseball offseason when anything can happen. But in all my years being a fan I can't remember a year quite like this one.

Everyone is rumored to have interest in Manny. Only a few have what it takes to take this hitting machine from the Hub.

It appears that the Angels could be the front runners considering the amount of pitching they have acquired over the last few days. Rumor has it that they may be willing to part with Scott Shields and either Ervin Santana or Jared Weaver.

Now we are getting somewhere. In fact a trade involving one more starter would surely save our pen.

How so?

Well it may mean the return of Tim Wakefield to either a set-up role or closer. I can think of worse scenarios.

I have often wanted to see Wakefield in the set-up position. His knuckler would be a sharp contrast to anything pitched before or after him. It would be most interesting to see how successful he and the Sox could be.

That would make Shields the closer. He has plenty of experience in that role and we could do worse, say Joe Borowski worse. His WHIP always near 1.00

Imagine a rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka, Santana and Papelbon.

I'm getting chills.

If you thought Boston was creating some havoc on the free agent market, take a look at Chicago.

The Cubs have re-signed their powerful third baseman Aramis Ramirez and have also reportedly signed Alfonzo Soriano to an eight-year deal worth as much as $136 million.

The Soriano signing will undoubtedly have an affect on the rest of the off-season. It leaves Carlos Lee the only other available slugger without a job, unless you consider Bonds. Rumors have Lee heading to Houston, but I'm not sure if they are willing to spend, say, $15 million a year.

With Soriano off to Chicago, that leaves teams like Philadelphia, the Angels and Texas scrambling. Those teams are almost forced to talk trade with the Sox about the best right-handed bat in the game - Manny Ramirez.

Now, Manny's $20-million-a-year contract doesn't look so bad - he's downright attractive in today's market. And why not? 40 HRs and 130 RBIs is a pretty good thing to have on one's resume.

Houston if they do not sign Lee, may offer a package that includes Brad Lidge and Chris Burke. Interesting.

Texas may part with shortstop Michael Young. (I love him but chances are he's staying in Arlington; I guess the outfield would still be pretty good with Coco in left, Wily Mo in center and J.D. Drew in right)

The Angels may add Scott Shields in a package (attractive but not enough).

Philadelphia, well who knows what they'll part with.

And who really cares? With the market the way it is Manny is looking more attractive to the Sox, or at least this Sox fan.

Why would they part with him and leave a gaping hole in the middle of the lineup?

Would you pay $51.1 million for the opportunity to talk with a star pitcher?

It's a tough question, obviously no other team was willing to spend as much.

What's really striking is that it exceeds the value placed on the rest of the rotation. Schilling is due somewhere around $13 million, Beckett somewhere around $6 million, Papelbon is a cheap $335,000 and Wakefield is around $4 million. Grand total: $23.335 million and some change.

Add a deal probably worth $12 million-a-year to Matsuzaka and that $51.1 million becomes over $87 million.

Let's just say Matsuzaka signs a three-year deal. That's in essence $30 million a year, making Roger Clemens and his seven Cy Youngs and one MVP look like a bargain.

For $60 million, the Sox could have offered deals to Jason Schmidt, Barry Zito, Carlos Lee, J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo putting them in wonderful position for the future and most certainly for 2007. Heck, they could come close to that on $30 million.

That's the only word I can come up with to describe my dismay at this year's Gold Glove selection at the American League shortstop position.

I'm astonished that not one player from the M.L.B.'s best defensive team doesn't get a mention for an award.

I can understand Texas' Mark Texiera at first. He had another amazing year: 1480 PO, 88 assists, 4 errors and 158 double plays.

I can understand Mark Loretta being passed up by Royals' Mark Grudzielanek - the numbers aren't really close.

But when it comes to defensive shortstops only one guy comes to mind - Alex Gonzalez.

Yes, I'm a homie, but I can not understand how a shortstop with a fielding percentage of .975 can be given the award over a shortstop with a .985.

Derek Jeter is surely a good player, there is little doubt. He comes to the park prepared and puts in a great amount of effort to be the best he can be. But that doesn't make him the best.

The award traditionally goes to the most "superior individual fielding performance." I take that to mean fielding percentage which is gauged by putouts+assists divided by putout+assist+errors.

Alex Gonzalez put on a defensive show in most every game and he did it almost flawlessly. He recorded only seven errors all year; Jeter more than doubled that total.

Boston fans forgot about offense when Gonzalez was on the field. If he hit .240 no one would have batted an eye. Even though he played in one of the biggest and toughest markets in the league, he performed brilliantly.

With every unbelievable play (and there were many) Gonzalez brought defense back into the minds of fans from all around Red Sox Nation. Never before had I witnessed a better defensive shortstop on the Sox - a welcome change.

Sure we all love the big boppers, but Gonzalez reminded us that there was more to baseball than home runs. He reminded us that it was a team effort.

Gonzalez' fielding percentage rivals some of the best shortstops in Boston's history:

Hall of Famer and multiple Gold Glove winner Luis Aparicio never had a fielding percentage above .983.; Johnny Pesky didn't reach .980; Rico Petrocelli never passed .981; Rick "the Rooster" Burleson who won the award in 1979 had a fielding percentage of .980 that year.

So here I am dumbfounded. Derek Jeter wins his third straight Gold Glove Award, in what apparently has become a popularity contest.

What's next, an MVP?