Coco Crisp as the White Sox’s center fielder next season? There’s almost no doubt Boston will trade Crisp, opening up a spot for 2008 Rookie of the Year candidate Jacoby Ellsbury. They probably will wait until after free agents Torii Hunter, Aaron Rowand, Andruw Jones and Mike Cameron are off the market but could be swamped with offers given that Crisp has two years and only $11 million left on his contract. … Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, who is close to Barry Bonds, doesn’t think Bonds will play again. He says he believes the 762-homer man is “ready to retire” rather than continue to hear boos wherever he plays. … The Cardinals are going to miss Jim Riggleman, who has been their minor-league field coordinator in recent seasons. He wants to manage again and felt he needed the visibility he will get as a bench coach for John McLaren in Seattle. … Milwaukee catcher Johnny Estrada calls his 2007 season “pathetic” but wants fans to know that he was injured most of the season, battling a strained hamstring and a bone spur in his right elbow. He threw out only six of 79 runners attempting to steal off him, including none of the last 35. He has had the bone spur and a tear in the cartilage of his left knee repaired. … The Twins apparently aren’t even going to try signing Hunter during the exclusive signing period that ends 15 days after the end of the World Series. There has been talk all season that he’s headed for Texas, where he makes his home. …
It’s hard to believe the Rangers are looking for a first baseman. They developed but failed to hang on to Mark Teixeira, Travis Hafner and Adrian Gonzalez and also had Carlos Pena when he was a kid. … The Marlins have three years left until they could be kicked out of Dolphin Stadium. MLB officials have picked up the pace in an effort to try to get funding for a stadium near the Orange Bowl. It won’t be long until someone gets serious about moving to Portland or Las Vegas. … Livan Hernandez, who won’t be back with Arizona, is looking for a three- or four-year deal this winter. He would love to join his half-brother, Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, with the Mets.
