Mike Cameron

With the Winter Meetings just around the corner, the San Diego Padres are in a position to possibly make a few moves to turn this team into a contender in the National League's West Division.

The payroll may not reach more than $40 million next season, but new general manager Jed Hoyer admitted that they may have some wiggle room to sign one or two free agents.

As the San Diego Padres approach the Winter Meetings under new owner Jeff Moorad and new general manager Jed Hoyer, there are decisions that this team will need to make to shape the 2010 squad.

One decision that the team is already working on is the future of first baseman, and the new face of the franchise, Adrian Gonzalez.

With Trevor Hoffman in Milwaukee and Jake Peavy a member of the Chicago White Sox, the Padres will do everything they can to ensure Gonzalez remains a Padre for years to come.

The 2010 MLB free agent market has many players including many former New York Mets.  Here is an in-depth look at the fielders.  This is Part 1.  There will be a pitchers one in the near future.

Catchers

Ramon Castro—Castro was a member of the Mets from 2005 to the middle of this season when he was traded to the White Sox for Lance Broadway.  In 2007, Castro had his best year as a Met, playing in 52 games and batting .285 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs.

This has to be my favorite time of year. The beautiful leaves have fallen. The air is getting much cooler. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Gone is summer—the long days, the starry nights.

College Football Bowl season is so close we can taste it, NCAA Basketball holiday tournaments are getting ready to begin, and Hot Stove League baseball is in hyper mode.

The latter of that trio is one of my favorite aspects of the great sport of baseball. That time where everyone is 0-0. Every team has a shot.

No, it hasn't come to fruition yet, but I suspect that it's a phrase that we should all start practicing.

The Milwaukee Brewers acquired center fielder Carlos Gomez in a swap with the Twins for J.J. Hardy, relegating Mike Cameron, at least temporarily, to the ranks of the unemployed.

Mat Gamel or Matt LaPorta? That was the question facing Milwaukee Brewers' GM Doug Melvin last season when it became clear that the Brewers were the front runner to obtain pitcher CC Sabathia.

Melvin and the Indians agreed to send Matt LaPorta to Cleveland and the Brewers made the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. Mat Gamel, along with Alcides Escobar, became 1A and 1B in the farm system's top prospect ratings.