The Major League Baseball hot stove season is going strong, and speculation is heating up across baseball. Here is what our writers are hearing today: Complete hot stove coverage MLB Free-Agent Tracker | Rumors
Crasnick's take: Mat Latos hit the free agent market in November fresh off a very forgettable season. He was dogged by knee problems and the continued perception that he's immature and a negative presence in the clubhouse. But he appears to have a brisk market shaping up as a potential bounce-back candidate in 2016. The Royals, Orioles, Rays, Pirates and Brewers are among the clubs monitoring Latos, who will most likely sign a one-year deal to re-establish his value after going 4-10 with a 4.95 ERA for the Marlins, Dodgers and Angels. Latos just turned 28, and he notched three 14-win seasons in a span of four years with San Diego and Cincinnati from 2010-13. So the upside is there if he can stay healthy and a team can find a way to get him back on track. Pittsburgh pitching coach Ray Searage has enjoyed success with several pitchers similar to Latos, and Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has made a career of looking for value plays while other clubs are spending big in free agency. "Latos is right up Dan's alley,'' said one MLB observer.
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