Olney Dishes On: 2013 Free Agents, Red Sox, Phillies

Some notes from ESPN's Buster Olney this morning:

• Olney starts out talking about the 2013 free agent class, and what he sees with it. He says that this year's free agency period is slow because some teams are waiting for the labor dispute to end first. He says that some teams may just wait for next year, a potentially stronger class.
•  His top ten free agents for next season are: Cole Hamels, Josh Hamilton, Matt Cain, Mike Napoli, Andre Eithier, John Danks, Zack Greinke, Michael Bourn, Howie Kendrick and BJ Upton.
• Olney says that in spring training, no one though of Ryan Madson as the Philadelphia Phillies long term closer. The Phillies, in fact, though about trading for Heath Bell or Mike Adams in the middle of the season.
• There have been no actual talks between the Boston Red Sox and Carlos Beltran.

• Dan Duequette, the new general manager of the Baltimore Orioles, will have to back up his talk, Olney writes. He also mentions that Duequette sees big free agents like Prince Fielder risky.
• Some rival evaluators see Ryan Verdugo, the other player going to San Fran in the Giants trade from Kansas City, as having more long term value than Jonathan Sanchez.