Kouzmanoff started the past three seasons at third base for the Padres and will assume the same role in Oakland. In 2009, he hit .255 with 18 home runs and a career-high 88 RBIs and made just three errors at the hot corner, posting a .990 fielding percentage. He should enjoy life after PETCO Park, as he sported a career .674 OPS at home, but a OPS of .805 on the road. Hairston, who played parts of three seasons for the Padres before being traded to Oakland last July, showed that a right-handed hitter can have success at PETCO, as he's a career .285 hitter with 19 home runs and 49 RBIs in 344 at-bats in the pitcher-friendly stadium. He is the likely candidate to take over in left field, which would push Chase Headley back to the hot corner. Cunningham, a 23-year-old right-handed hitter who batted .302 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs for Triple-A Sacramento last season, will get the chance to compete for a backup outfield role this spring.

Everidge, 26, made his Major League debut last season with the A’s, appearing in 24 games and batting .224 two homers and seven RBIs. He flashed some power in the Minors, hitting a combined .335 with 20 home runs and 94 RBIs between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Sacramento and will battle Mike Carp for the Mariners' backup first-base job behind starter Casey Kotchman.

Arizona needed the extra roster spot with the signing of Adam LaRoche, but this still has to come as a surprise. The hard-nosed center fielder was the face of the franchise in 2007, clubbing 21 homers with 83 RBIs and 50 steals, earning a three-year, $30 million contract along the way. Injury has derailed him the last two seasons, as the 33-year-old veteran collected just 445 at-bats between his '08 and '09 campaigns, hitting a combined .218 with only 14 homers and 13 swipes in that span. Now a free agent, expect Byrnes to find work quickly as he appears to be injury-free.

With youngster Lou Marson looking like the No. 1 candidate to take over behind the plate, the 38-year-old Redmond gives the Indians an experienced hand to help handle the pitching staff. Redmond is a career .289 hitter, but his average dipped to .237 with the Twins last season, and it's unlikely he'll provide much fantasy help in limited time.

The signing keeps one of the game's best young pitchers in the books through the 2013 season, taking care of his last two years of arbitration before increasing significantly in value to give Johnson security through his first two free-agent seasons. Johnson, who turns 26 on Jan. 31, finished the 2009 season 15-5 with a 3.23 ERA in 33 starts, striking out 191 and walking 58 in 209 innings while making the All-Star team for the first time. Since returning from Tommy John surgery in July 2008, the Oklahoma product is 22-6.

Detroit had a gaping ninth-inning vacancy with the departures of Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon which Valverde immediately fills after saving 25 games with a 2.33 ERA for the Astros last season. The animated fireman has been a lights-out ninth-inning man for most of his career, converting 167 of 194 save opportunities while sporting a career 3.17 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a miniscule .208 average. With Valverde now the unquestioned favorite for saves in Motown, Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry and Daniel Schlereth will assume setup and middle-inning roles in what has turned into a very hard-throwing and young Tigers bullpen.

With Matt Capps now gone, the right-handed Dotel could very well compete to be the Pirates' closer in 2010. Being given the opportunity to return to a ninth-inning role for the first time since 2007 could be quite appealing for Dotel. The Pirates' internal options of Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek would also likely get some consideration for the closer's spot. Dotel, an 11-season veteran, has a career 3.73 ERA in 562 big league appearances. He made a career-high 77 appearances in 2004 and also finished that year with a career-best 36 saves. Though the two sides are close, no agreement is in place yet. Dotel would also still need to undergo a physical before anything would become official. He made 62 appearances in 2009 and finished with a 3.32 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings.

The signing means LaRoche becomes the team's everyday first baseman. That moves Conor Jackson to left field, makes Gerardo Parra the club's fourth outfielder and leaves prospect Brandon Allen without a defined role. LaRoche batted .277 with 25 homers and 83 RBIs in 150 games for the Pirates, Red Sox and Braves in 2009. The 30-year-old lefty hitter has notched 20-plus homers in each of his past five seasons and is a safe bet to keep that streak going batting in the heart of a revamped Arizona lineup.

According to Phillies head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan, the surgery went well but the team is unsure if Lidge willl be ready by Opening Day. Lidge, 33, converted just 31 of his 42 save chances while sporting a 7.21 ERA in 2009. He spent time on the disabled list in June with a right knee injury and had arthroscopic knee surgery in March 2008.

Beltran, 32 and in position to enter the sixth season of a seven-season contract with the Mets, missed half the team's games last year because of on-going problems with the knee. Assigned to the disabled list June 22 because of what the club identified as a bruise behind the knee cap, he didn't play again until Sept 8. There had been no indication of renewed problems for the three-time Gold Glove winner who made a public appearance on Nov. 11 and said he had experienced no residual pain in the knee. The absence of Beltran is likely to put greater responsibility on Angel Pagan, the player who had been expected to serve as the team's fourth outfielder. Expected to be sidelined at least through the first week of the regular season, Beltran has become the ultimate high-risk, high-reward fantasy option and shouldn't be targeted until the mid rounds in mixed formats.

Adding Church to the organization satisfies the Pirates' need for an extra outfielder. Church has the versatility to play any of the three outfield positions and could step into an everyday role if needed. Should the Pirates stick with Garrett Jones in right field and Jeff Clement at first base in 2010, Church would be the backup outfielder in case of injury. If Clement slips at all, however, Jones could always slide back to first, leaving Church to play in right. Church split 2009 with the Mets and Braves, who acquired the outfielder for Jeff Francoeur just before the All-Star break. Church battled a back injury through much of the year and finished with a .273 batting average, 28 doubles, four homers and 40 RBIs. He's safe to ignore in most mixed formats, but is worth tracking throughout the season, especially if Clement struggles.

Bass will be yet another reliever competing for a handful of open spots in the team's bullpen. He pitched for the Orioles last season, going 5-3 with a 4.90 ERA in 48 appearances. The addition of Carlin gives Pittsburgh the improved catching depth it needed after the departure of Robinzon Diaz. Carlin appeared in 10 games for Arizona last season, but spent the majority of the season behind the plate for Triple-A Reno, batting .321 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 72 games. Myrow, who is not expected to compete for a spot on the Pirates' big league roster, simply bolsters the organization's Minor League options. The outfielder joined Triple-A Indianapolis midseason last year, after which he hit .330 in 62 games.

Hinske hit .242 with eight homers and a .780 OPS in 190 combined at-bats for the Pirates and Yankees in 2009. The 32-year-old has the ability to play both corner-outfield positions and could also serve as a backup for newly signed first baseman Troy Glaus or third baseman Chipper Jones, though he will primarily serve as the left-handed bat the Braves have been looking to add to their bench. To make room for Hinske on the 40-man roster, the Braves designated Brandon Jones for assignment.

Bourgeois didn't last long with the Astros, who claimed him off waivers from the Brewers last October. The 28-year-old batted .189 with one homer and three steals in 24 games for Milwaukee in 2009.

Valverde, the top closer left in the market, has been reportedly looking for an annual salary of $8 million -- the same he made with the Astros in 2009 -- as part of a multiyear deal. It's been reported that the Tigers have indeed made an offer to the 30-year-old right-hander and look to have the greatest need for a closer after losing Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon to the free-agent market.