MAILBAG: Dec. 6

Q: With the focus on contraction, what exactly is Bud Selig's stance on a salary cap and improved revenue sharing? In my mind, contraction is a Band-Aid for a gaping wound. -- Justin Lytle, Minneapolis, Minnesota
PWG -- Selig would love a salary cap, but that's not going to happen without shutting down the game for a year. He wants more revenue sharing -- which is tied to fewer non-revenue teams receiving aid and helping mid-market teams (like Milwaukee) compete with the big boys -- but that cannot happen without the consent of the Players Association, and thus far they have not wanted it because they feel it penalizes the richest players; and this has always been a star-driven guild. Contraction is about getting the owners' some leverage.

	Barry Bonds is testing the free-agent market after a record-setting season.

Q: What's up with Barry Bonds? There was a lot of press about him when the free-agency season started, now he's not even in Rumor Central.

Given the New York Mets' owner/payroll situation, was all that Mets' talk just hype? -- B. Dahill, San Diego
PWG -- Yes, it is hype. Now, if they could move Robin Ventura and Todd Zeile (no way, operation) it might happen, but Bonds thus far has the San Francisco Giants.

Scott Boras has put out feelers to the Mets and Braves -- who can't afford anything close to Bonds -- but sometime he will have to dance with the Giants.

Q: Has anyone ever considered moving the attendance-challenged Montreal Expos into the AL East? Having the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays in Montreal over and over would help attendance and perhaps save the team. -- Chris Poshpeck, Johnson, Vermont
PWG -- Great idea. Montreal would be helped by being in the AL East, Tampa Bay would be better in the NL East. Wanna be commish for a day?

Q: I am an avid New York Yankees fan and hope they sign several big free agents this offseason, but will it do any good? What I mean is, will there even be a season next year? How does the strike situation look? -- Brent Thompson, Elizabethtown, Kentucky
PWG -- I don't think there will be a work stoppage, but the Yankees are gearing up for big revenue-sharing changes and changes in the draft. If George Steinbrenner is going to be hit by revenue sharing and not be able to draft top players, he damn well is going to load up: Steve Karsay, Jason Giambi and Wednesday I hear Moises Alou is close to done and Sterling Hitchcock won't be far behind (goodbye El Duque?).

Q: The Atlanta Braves need a serious offensive weapon to complement Chipper Jones. Is Tino Martinez coming to Atlanta? Has he hinted to where he will go? Do the Braves have the means or desire to acquire Cliff Floyd or Gary Sheffield? -- Hayes Moody, Atlanta
PWG -- They have the young players to get Floyd, but the Marlins have been told they cannot trade until they know what Jeff Loria wants to do with the club once he has it from John Henry.

Q: I just read that the Boston Red Sox are trying to deal Carl Everett to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Greg Vaughn. Has Everett's trade value really gone down that much? Who else could the Sox get for Everett? -- Kevin, Brookline, Massachusetts
PWG -- I don't think that will happen. Everett told Dan Duquette Tuesday night he wouldn't mind coming back. The Tampa deal makes no sense. One that might is Everett and two prospects and cash to San Diego for Ray Lankford ... you get the point. Any deal they make is a loser.

Q: What are the chances of the Chicago Cubs getting Scott Rolen? And if they do, would it be worth trading Jon Lieber to get him? -- James Green, Oklahoma City
PWG -- I think they could get him, but it would cost David Kelton, Juan Cruz or Lieber and Carlos Zambrano ... too much for the future. People aren't trading prospects unless they're one of the three big markets.

Q: I think it would make sense for the St. Louis Cardinals to sign Johnny Damon for left field (if the price is right), put Albert Pujols at first and strongly pursue/trade for a closer. What do you think? -- Jon Megahan, New Prague, Minnesota
PWG -- When the games settle, that makes sense, as long as Damon comes in off $10 million.

Q: Will the Cincinnati Reds sign any free agents? I've heard they want Jeff Shaw back. Any new rumors about trading Dmitri Young or Pokey Reese? -- Brian, Concord, North Carolina
PWG -- They think they can move Young and Reese at the meetings next week, but getting two starters will be tough. They've talked to a number of teams, including the Dodgers for Danny Graves, which would open the door for Shaw.

Q: Do you think it would be a good idea to trade Roberto Alomar now for some good young pitching and let Jolbert Cabrera or John McDonald play second base? If so, what could the Cleveland Indians get for Alomar in return? -- Steve Haverdill, Delaware, Ohio
PWG -- Alomar is the Indians' best player. They have made it clear they will move Omar Vizquel, but not Alomar unless they could get Edgardo Alfonzo and Alex Escobar from the Mets.

Q: If the Florida Marlins survive contraction -- and it looks like they will -- are they still on track to officially change their name to the Miami Marlins? I hope so, because not only does that sound better, but the larger market in Florida deserves to have the team named after the home city. -- Lin Hernandez, Burbank, California
PWG -- If they get a downtown ballpark, they will. If they get a park north of Miami, they won't. If they don't get a park, it won't matter.