Wednesday Applesauce

In Arizona:

• Daniel Murphy went 3-for-5 with a homerun, a walkoff double, a walk, three RBI and two runs scored. He also made a fielding error at second.
• Josh Thole went 2-for-4 with a two-run homerun, three RBI and a run scored.
• Jason Vargas allowed a run on four hits and a walk in three innings of relief.
• Eddie Kunz allowed two hits -- including a homerun -- in 1.1 innings of work, blowing a save but picking up the win on Murphy's double.

In Hawaii:

• Ruben Tejada went 0-for-5.
• Jordan Abruzzo went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
• Junior Guerra allowed three runs on two hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of relief.

In the Dominican Republic:

• Salvador Paniagua went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
• Luis Terrero went 1-for-1 with a three-run homerun.
• Eude Brito walked a batter in a third of an inning.
• Julio Polanco allowed a hit in a third of an inning.

In Mexico:

• Carlos Muniz allowed three hits and a run -- on a solo shot -- in 1.1 innings of relief.

Derek Lowe is high up on the Mets' winter shopping list, though with Scott Boras as his agent you can count on any negotiation being a protracted one. Despite his age, I think Lowe would be a great get for the Mets. He's durable and he's a groundball machine, two things I love.

Trot Nixon: Free Agent. Open the floodgates, boys.

Rob Neyer endorses any acquisition of Javier Vazquez, though he warns that it'll probably require a team to pick up the $23 million remaining on Vazquez's deal as well as a solid prospect to pry the righty from the White Sox. Keith Law says the Vazquez-to-the-Mets rumors started in Chicago (subscription required for both).

The Dodgers appear poised to decline Brad Penny's option at $9.25 million for 2009, taking the $2 million buyout instead. Penny was terrible/hurt this year, but given the cost of starting pitching, an extra $7 million for even part of a Penny season doesn't seem so bad.

Scott Boras says that Greg Maddux is likely to retire.

At Beyond the Boxscore (which is quickly becoming one of my favorite daily visits), Sky Kalkman looks at some of the prominent free agent hitters and their estimated dollar value using WAR (wins above replacement). Mark Teixeira is the clear head of the class, but Milton Bradley lands in the two spot at $22 million, which is probably $7 million (or more) than he's like to get this offseason. He could very well be a free agent bargain.