littlevisigoth had wondered the other day when the Elias lists that determine free agency type would be released, et voila, here they are, released yesterday:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2007-10-31-elias-rankings-complete_N.htm
Carlos Lee trails only Matt Holliday among NL outfielders, and Roy Oswalt is fourth among NL starters.
The ranking system--which was agreed to by the players and the union as part of a strike settlement back in the 1980's--takes into account this year and last year, which makes Lance Berkman's 7th place finish among first baseman and outfielders more comprehensible.
Of our free agents, Mark Loretta and Trever Miller are type B, while Mike Lamb, Brian Moehler and Orlando Palmeiro are unrated.
If I understand, this means that the Astros would receive a sandwich pick between the first and second round of next June's draft if Loretta or Miller bail, but would receive nothing if Lamb, Moehler or Palmeiro do.
The deadline to offer arbitration is December 1st, and the players involved have 'til December 7th to render a decision.
Interesting also to note that both Aaron Rowand and Torii Hunter, for whom the Astros have shown at least polite interest, are considered by the system to be type A free agents. A team that finished in the first division would lose a first-rounder for signing either of them, but because the Astros sucked so much in '07, their first rounder is protected, and we would lose only our second-round pick.
Again, if I've got it right.