It appears that free agent Cuban first basemen Leslie Anderson and Jose Julio Ruiz are unlikely to sign with a team this week. At this point, it appears that Ruiz, 25, is the more coveted of the two even though Anderson, 27, was more accomplished in the Cuban National Series and was a member of Cuba's National "A" team for more than five years. Ruiz's agents are sifting through several offers and it's unlikely that he'll sign anytime before Monday. Teams are intrigued with Ruiz's batting prowess and at least several are debating whether he could immediately step in and contribute at the major league level. According to several sources, the Red Sox are among his suitors.

Anderson's situation appears to be less favorable. Last Friday, he held an open workout in Cancun, Mexico, yet only nine teams showed up according to a source who was present. None of the nine teams sent a GM.