The Matt Holliday trade that went down on Monday, the one that surprised most and shocked many, has served as the match to ignite baseball’s hot stove. The deal won’t be the last surprise we get, and it may not even be the biggest. As prime free agents are set to negotiate and teams look to rebuild, the offseason flurry is only now about to begin.

On one end are the impact free agents available to the highest bidders. To the surprise of none, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez are 1-2-3 on the list, all three of which figure to land in the lineups of large-market contenders.

On the other end are potential deals involving Jake Peavy, Dan Uggla, Mike Cameron and others. The baseball landscape is about to dramatically shift.

The Dodgers, in particular, have some big decisions to make. They need Manny’s big bat in the middle of their lineup, but they also can ill-afford to lose sparkplug Rafael Furcal at the top of the order and starting pitcher Derek Lowe from the top of their rotation. They are three big and varying needs that will be nearly impossible for the Dodgers to address collectively.

The New York Yankees, moving into their new ballpark in 2009, are sure to overhaul their roster this offseason. They will pursue Teixeira hard in an effort to shore up their corner infield and aging lineup, but will also be working hard to avoid the same mistakes they made with their pitching staff last season.

Last season, management put too much faith in young starters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy and struggled to fill rotation spots. With that error fresh in Hank Steinbrenner’s mind, the team could have a knee-jerk reaction and overpay for at least one potential front-line starter.

Two key parts of the Chicago Cubs pitching staff - starter Ryan Dempster and closer Kerry Wood - may be changing uniforms, but the Cubs are in fine shape if both choose to walk.

The organization still has Rich Harden and Ted Lilly to anchor the rotation and is reportedly pursuing a trade for San Diego ace Jake Peavy. Wood earned himself a big contract with his 2008 performance, maybe too big for the Cubs liking, especially if they deem youngster Jeff Samardzija ready to close.

Wood may just be a small part of the closer shuffle, with new saves record-holder Francisco Rodriguez and resurgent Brian Fuentes also on the market. The potential departures of Wood and Rodriguez should especially bring intrigue in fantasy leagues, with talents like Jose Arredondo and Samardzija waiting in the wings.

To recap what we know so far …

1.) The A’s see themselves as contenders in ‘09.
Why else would they splurge on a one-year rental of Holliday, if they don’t think they have the chops to compete? General manager Billy Beane may not be done making moves, either. A second-tier power hitter would help fill out one of the American League’s worst offenses in ‘08.

2.) Jake Peavy will be on the move.
Combine the San Diego Padres taking a $4 million deal to closer Trevor Hoffman off the table, and you’ve got two faces of the franchise leaving for greener pastures. Time to rebuild in San Diego, and management will do it around Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Headley.

3.) Probability is high for a historical Yankees spending spree.
Steinbrenner has a bitter taste in his mouth and a cash cow in the new Yankees Stadium. He may shell out nine-figure contracts to both Teixeira AND Sabathia to get things moving in the right direction.

4.) The Brewers have some work to do.
Free agents Sabathia and Ben Sheets are expected to walk, leaving new Milwaukee manager Ken Macha with Yovani Gallardo, Jeff Suppan and Dave Bush left in his rotation. Rumors are swirling about potential deals that involve Prince Fielder and Mike Cameron, who could be used as chips to land a starter.

5.) White Sox GM Ken Williams is open to any and all deals.
Williams always has been ready and willing to change the dynamic of his club. So, with stale veterans like Bobby Jenks, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye and others, he has the tools to do so. Free agent Orlando Cabrera is also likely to leave, giving Williams plenty of possibilities for a blank canvas.

And to glance at a hot button issue in ‘09 fantasy leagues: closers. Here’s where we can expect changes:

1.) Los Angeles Angels - K-Rod a near certainty to leave town, which currently makes young Jose Arredondo the frontrunner to close.

2.) Milwaukee Brewers - Salomon Torres retired, and Eric Gagne is a free agent. Something tells me their closer in ‘09 is not currently on the roster.

3.) Chicago Cubs - If Kerry Wood leaves via free agency, Carlos Marmol, Jeff Samardzija or a free agent would be left to close. No matter what happens there, we’ll get a feel for where they see Samardzija in the club’s long-term plans.

4.) Colorado Rockies - Brian Fuentes should be leaving as Huston Street is arriving. Street and Manny Corpas will go nose-to-nose for ninth-inning rights.

5.) Oakland A’s - Brad Ziegler did a noble job closing in ‘08, but is he a long-term solution? Joey Devine and Santiago Casilla are also possibilities.

6.) Atlanta Braves - Presumably, both Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano will be healthy to start ‘09. Gonzalez proved trustworthy in the second half of ‘08, which is a lot more than Soriano can say for himself.

7.) New York Mets - New York is a favorite to land Francisco Rodriguez, but if not, another big name free agent will be closing in ‘09. Stay tuned to see who it is.

8.) San Diego Padres - Trevor Hoffman was shown the door, which makes this situation tricky to predict. Does veteran Heath Bell emerge? Perhaps someone from the farm system? Will it even matter in fantasy?

9.) Detroit Tigers - They are said to be interested in Hoffman, but are in definite need of a solution regardless. Odds are best that Hoffman is wearing a Tigers uniform in ‘09.

10.) Florida Marlins - As Florida once again clears house, expect Matt Lindstrom to get the first chance at closing. Kevin Gregg, who saved 29 games in ‘08, is likely to be gone, paving the way for Lindstrom.