Two sports posts in a row (and a third to come this weekend with my picks post). What can I say? There’s only so much room for me talk about race. Judging by the total lack of comments on Tuesday’s post, either I summarized everyone’s feelings or no one read it (latter!).

My favorite sports season began yesterday and you likely didn’t notice. That would, of course be, the Hot Stove season. The Hot Stove season is where baseless arguments are made. And I love those. No one has any idea how a player is going to fit on a club. No one knows if someone is going to click on a club. Everyone just likes to think they know. Myself included.

With that, I’m going to build my All-Free Agent team. A number of players filed for free agency yesterday and looking at the list, I realized that I could build a great team. So, I’m going to. Complete with the salary that I think is fair to ink them at, based on the current state of baseball. Yesterday, Bobby Abreu re-signed with the Los Angeles Anaheim Angels of California for 2 years/ $19 million. He played last year for $5 million. So yea, it’s going to be a wallet busting season on the stove. Here is my All-Free Agent Team (with middle relief men missing because I don’t want to fall asleep looking at their names). (Teams listed are who they played for last year)

Catcher: Josh Bard (Washington Natinals). As a general rule in baseball, if you have a very good catcher, you don’t get rid of him. Hence, there are so few quality, everyday catchers available right now. This came down to Bard and Pudge Rodriguez, but I think Bard has more, albeit marginal, upside at this point in their careers. But make no mistake about it, this is a weak spot.

Contract: 1 year/$1,500,000

First Baseman: Aubrey Huff (Detroit Tigers). This came down to Huff and Delgado, but I have my concerns with Delgado and think Huff can be had for cheaper. Keep in mind that Huff, over the last two years, has hit 47 Home Runs and 193 Runs Batted In. He’s a marginal to below marginal on-base guy, but there is certainly pop in his bat.

Contract: 2 years/$11,000,000

Second Baseman: Orlando Hudson (Los Angeles Dodgers). Much like Bobby Abreu, Hudson was a very late signee going into the 2009 season, and much like Abreu, he was a key contributor on a division winner. Hudson played 149 games for the Dodgers and put up quality numbers (for an albeit light-hitting second baseman): .283/.357/.417. And he played quality defense with only 8 errors in those 149 games. And he made the NL All-Star team. Not bad for a guy who was jobless in Februrary.

Contract: 3 years/ $15,000,000

Third Baseman: Mark DeRosa (St. Louis Cardinals). I really like Mark DeRosa. I don’t know why. His numbers aren’t great. He’s not stellar defensively. But he is a gritty “ball player.” And I respect that. He’s hit 20+ Home Runs in each of the last two seasons and even though he doesn’t get on base as much as I would like, clearly that’s not a direction I am going in at the moment with this team.

Contract: 2 years/ $12,000,000

Shortstop: Adam Everett (Detroit Tigers). Adam Everett is one of my least favorite baseball players. He’s not even a baseball player. He is the worst hitter I have ever seen. He is, also, to this point, the only shortstop who has filed for free agency.

Contract: 1 year/$1,000,000

Left Fielder: Matt Holliday (St. Louis Cardinals). Finally, we have a real debate, one that a few teams are going to have to wrestle with in the coming weeks. Holliday or Jason Bay? Holliday is 2 years younger, so that is a big check on his side. Their offensive power numbers (HR/RBI) project out to be equal based on games played (Bay has played in about 100 more games and has about 100 more at-bats than Holliday. Bay and Holliday have very similar OBPs with the very slight edge going to Holliday. As far as fielding, Holliday has committed more errors than Bay. For me though, this comes back to the age. Both of these guys are long-term signs for whoever picks them up. Give me the guy who has fewer miles on his odometer.

Contract: 7 years/$120,000,000

Centerfielder: Mike Cameron (Milwaukee Brewers). His defense is great and he hits home runs. His batting average and OBP will never impress you. Despite his age, I like him better here than Rick Ankiel, who I’m not sure is a Major League hitter without the aid of performance enhancers. Cameron is not a favorite, but he’s the best option until Chone Figgins files for free agency.

Contract: 1 year/ $5,000,000

Rightfielder: Rocco Baldelli (Boston Red Sox). Truth be told, I’d sign Scott Podsednik and move him to right field in this situation, but I’m going to stick to my rules and go with a sentimental choice. Rocco does not do anything very well and there still have to be concerns about how his body would hold up over a 162 game schedule where he would play at least 145 games. But I’d cross my fingers and also sign Reed Johnson as an insurance policy.

Contract (Rocco’s, not Reed’s): 1 year/$2,000,000

Starting Pitchers: John Lackey (LA Angels), Jason Marquis (Colorado Rockies), Brad Penny (San Francisco Giants), Jarrod Washburn (Detroit Tigers), Justin Duchscherer (Oakland Athletics). The only one that needs any real explaining is probably Justin Duchscherer, who I’m frankly willing to take a flier on in the short term and hope that he has his depression in order.

Contracts:

John Lackey: 5 years/$70,000,000

Jason Marquis: 4 years/$44,000,000

Brad Penny: 2 years/$10,000,000

Jarrod Washburn: 3 years/$33,000,000

Justin Duchscherer: 1 year/$2,000,000

Closer: Ben Sheets (Free Agency All-Stars). I’m throwing a curveball because Sheets has been a free agent since last offseason. Injury problems have put a huge halt on his career progress, maybe for good, but I look at this as a project with the opportunity for great success. Will his arm stay in one piece? Maybe not. But at this point in his career and with only mediocrity available to me, I’m in the mood for a project. And I’d do the same thing with Rich Harden.

Contract: 2 years/$10,000,000 (An enormous financial risk, I know, but enough that I think it would interest Sheets in a pitching lifestyle change.)

Finally, my batting order would look like this:

Orlando Hudson

Mark DeRosa

Aubrey Huff

Matt Holliday

Mike Cameron

Rocco Baldelli

Josh Bard

Adam Everett

Starting Pitcher

Predicted 2010 Record: Not good.