More big names expected to be on move during winter meetings

Shin-Soo Choo is the top remaining player on the free-agent market.

Al Behrman/AP

There have been various reports that Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon and Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips have been shopped around, but the sheer logistics of finding a partner willing to make a worthwhile deal for either means a trade is unlikely. After all, Papelbon, who turned 33 last month, saw a precipitous decline in his strikeout rate (from a career 10.8 K/9 to an 8.3 K/9 last season) and is owed $26 million the next two seasons with a vesting option for a third year at $13 million if he finishes 100 games the next two years or 55 in '15. Phillips, who'll turn 33 in June, is owed $50 million over the next four seasons and just had the worst OPS (.706) of his eight seasons in Cincinnati.