by Ken Rosenthal

The Indians explored signing Hudson before trading for Mark DeRosa to play third base. The Nationals, White Sox and Giants all have needs at second base, whether they admit to them or not.

The Braves still could acquire a second baseman and move Kelly Johnson to left field, though they are unlikely to spend big on another free agent. The Mariners also could be in the market at second if they move Jose Lopez to first base.

Hudson, coming off surgery on his left wrist, has resumed all baseball-related activities. He continues to seek a contract of three or more years, executives say, but ultimately could settle for a shorter term with the right team — say, the Mets or Yankees.

Both of those clubs currently are set at second, the Mets with Luis Castillo, the Yankees with Robinson Cano. A trade of either appears unlikely, but Hudson could land with another team — most likely, the Nationals — if his market in New York fails to develop.

Trading Cano and signing Hudson would work for the Yankees financially — Cano is owed $25 million over the next three seasons, and the Yankees could pay Hudson a similar figure. But the Yankees, confident that Cano will rebound from an off year, only would trade him if they received a significant return.

The Mets, on the other hand, would love to get rid of Castillo, who bombed last season in the first year of a four-year, $25 million deal.

Castillo, 33, batted .245 and missed nearly two months with a strained left hip flexor, and no team is willing to take the rest of his contract.

"No, Castillo did not have a good year last year," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said Friday. "But we're talking about a guy who for 10 years was close to a .300 hitter (Castillo entered last season with a .294 career average). We feel he's going to bounce back."

Minaya mentioned Thursday on the Mets' cable network, SNY, that the team might sign a free-agent hitter to a one-year contract once it polishes off its rotation. When asked to clarify, he sounded cool to the idea of adding a left-handed hitter such as Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu or the most expensive right-handed hitter on the market, Manny Ramirez.

"Most of the hitters are left-handed — I don't see us doing a left-handed hitter," Minaya said. "It's going to be a real low-end right-handed hitter if we do anything."

Hudson is a switch-hitter. His effervescent personality would be perfect for a Mets team that has collapsed in each of the past two Septembers. And the high-energy, slick-fielding double-play combination of Hudson and Jose Reyes would be a fan's delight.

The problem is, the Mets already are paying two managers, Willie Randolph and his replacement, Jerry Manuel; and two closers, the injured Billy Wagner and his replacement, Francisco Rodriguez.

Paying two second basemen would be a stretch at a time when the Mets' bigger priority is probably upgrading the combination of Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis in left field. But the only way the Mets could move Castillo would be if they assumed the bulk of his remaining salary.

Hudson will find work. The question is where.

The Freddy Files

The White Sox are willing to offer free-agent right-hander Freddy Garcia a spot in their rotation even after signing another physically questionable pitcher, Bartolo Colon. The Mets, too, envision Garcia as a potential starter even if they re-sign lefty Oliver Perez; they could move another recent addition, righty Tim Redding, to the bullpen.

However, the Rangers no longer are in the Garcia sweepstakes.

Garcia would prefer a major-league deal, which would guarantee him termination pay if he were released in March, but he could accept a minor-league deal if he receives a better chance to start.

Around The Horn

The market for free-agent left-hander Oliver Perez remains unclear, but several executives find it difficult to believe that only the Mets are interested in a 27-year-old lefty with terrific stuff, if inconsistent performance. The Diamondbacks do not want to pay big money for a starter. The Brewers have indicated that they are not interested in Perez. The Nationals, Orioles, Tigers and Rangers are among the other teams in need of starting pitching ...

Free agent second baseman Mark Grudzielanek figures to sign with one of the teams that is unable to land Hudson. Grudzielanek, 38, missed the final two months of last season with a sprained right ankle, but his batting average/on-base/slugging line the past three years is .299/.345/.399 ...

Encouraging news for the White Sox: Right-hander Jose Contreras, recovering from a ruptured left Achilles tendon, has lost 25 pounds and already is throwing off a mound. Contreras was expected to miss at least nine months after undergoing surgery in August. His timetable could be accelerated.