Ponson about to be a Ranger?

In talking to some baseball officials, it's clear that pitcher Sidney Ponson is becoming a hot commodity on the free agent market, judging by the number of teams that are expressing interest in him. People in the industry who predict that the Orioles will be obligated to pay the remaining $10 million on his contract after a March hearing envision a team signing Ponson at a discount rate and getting a potential 18-game winner for the middle or back end of its rotation. Whatever money he obtains from another club would be subtracted from the Orioles' ledger, so nobody will be motivated to dole out millions unless some sort of bidding war unfolds.

No matter what an arbitrator decides in March, Ponson won't secure another $22.5 million contract. He isn't holding out for one, either. He could be quite a bargain, given his age and his arm. It's just imperative that his head is attached properly.

I've talked to a few people who have seen Ponson in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and they all rave about his conditioning and his attitude. If he goes to a bar to meet up with friends, he drinks water. He's much thinner, and he's working out every morning.

I'm told that he'd prefer to pitch for a team that has a decent shot to make the playoffs, after experiencing that thrill with the San Francisco Giants in 2003. Also, a friend of mine who recently made contact with Ponson said that under the right circumstances, he'd be willing to change roles and become a closer. The old Sidney used to push aside that suggestion like a plate of cottage cheese and a non-alcohol beer, but he seems to be a different man now in many ways.

If a team with a deep rotation and a hole at the back end of its bullpen comes calling, he'll definitely listen. Hey, don't the Orioles need a closer?