PHILADELPHIA (KRT) – Five questions to gnaw on as baseball’s hot stove fires up:

How quickly will the free-agent market move?

Many executives at last week’s general managers’ meetings said they believed this market will be slow to develop, with signings stretching well beyond next month’s winter meetings.

There are a number of top-tier free agents, led by centerfielder Carlos Beltran and third baseman Adrian Beltre. Both are represented by Scott Boras, who typically bides his time in an effort to squeeze every dollar out of the market.

Other notable free agents are likely to wait until the bar is set for the top guys before they slot in.

On the pitching side, free agents are likely to watch what Pedro Martinez and Carl Pavano get before making their moves.

Protecting draft picks will be another factor that slows the market. Many teams won’t sign players until after Dec. 7, so they don’t lose picks.

Will Sammy Sosa be traded?

Sosa’s production and popularity have slipped in Chicago, and it might be best for all sides if he moved on.

Omar Minaya, the Mets’ new general manager, scouted and helped sign Sosa when he worked for the Texas Rangers. There are signs that Minaya would like to bring Sosa to Queens, but it won’t be easy.

Sosa is owed $17 million next season, and he has an option for $18 million in 2006. If he is traded, that option becomes guaranteed.

The Mets would have to clear payroll to take on Sosa. They could do that by dealing Mike Piazza, who is owed $15.5 million next season, and Cliff Floyd, who is owed $13 million over the next two.

None of this will be easy, and the Mets would need to enlist multiple teams to make the deal happen.

“Too complicated,” said Adam Katz, Sosa’s agent. “I don’t think he’ll be traded.”

They said the same thing about Alex Rodriguez last winter. Stay tuned.

Will Randy Johnson be traded?

At this time last year, Curt Schilling was making noise that he wanted out of Arizona. Johnson is a little more subtle, but his goal is the same as Schilling’s was – he wants to go to a contender. That became clear over the summer and again last week when Johnson’s agent, Alan Nero, told The Sporting News: “I don’t think (Johnson) fits into a rebuilding situation with any club. What was important to Randy months ago hasn’t changed.”

Johnson would have waived his no-trade clause to go to the Yankees in July, but a deal couldn’t be struck.

In the wake of their ALCS loss to the Red Sox, the Yankees’ thirst for pitching is stronger than ever. It’s likely that Johnson’s desire to leave Arizona has also increased in recent days.

Despite leading the NL in strikeouts and finishing second in ERA, Johnson finished second to Roger Clemens in the NL Cy Young voting last week. Johnson was clearly hurt by his 16-14 record, which would have been better if he had pitched for a team with more firepower.

Johnson, 41, has 246 career wins and could approach 300 if he got to the right team. The Yankees are the right team. They can afford his $16.5 million salary. The D’backs say Johnson isn’t on the trading block, but that could all change if Johnson makes enough noise. The White Sox are interested in Johnson, but something tells us he’ll end up in Yankee pinstripes, squaring off against Schilling next season.

Where will Beltran end up?

The Yankees want him to succeed Bernie Williams, whose contract runs out after next season. There have been signs that Beltran wants to play for the Yanks, but some baseball insiders wonder whether that notion has been exaggerated because Boras knows how important it is to have the wealthy Yankees lead the bidding.

The incumbent Astros will do all they can to re-sign Beltran. The Angels and Cubs have interest, and the Orioles and Mets could make a play, as well.

The Phillies have spoken with Boras about Beltran, but it’s extremely doubtful they will be serious players for him. Beltran is looking for a 10-year deal that could approach $20 million annually. The Phils are stretched thin on long-term deals and don’t have that type of room in their budget. They are expected to make an offer to free-agent centerfielder Steve Finley this week.

Will the Angels make another big splash?

Last year, they spent more than $140 million on free agents, including the biggest of the bunch – Vladimir Guerrero. Now, they have freed up money with the departures of Troy Glaus, Troy Percival and Aaron Sele. The Angels appear to be in a position to make a serious run at Beltran, and there are some indications the Puerto Rican-born outfielder is intrigued about playing in Anaheim. The Angels have a heavy Latin influence, which includes owner Arte Moreno.

The Angels could also make a run at Pavano and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra.

The winter meetings will be held in Anaheim, and there is some belief that the Angels will look to do something big in their hometown.

Phillie phodder. Rumble out of the GM meetings had the Phillies offering Marlon Byrd for Montreal/Washington outfielder Endy Chavez. There did not seem to be a match. … One name to watch as a possible backup catcher for the Phils is free agent Sandy Alomar Jr. Alomar played for Cleveland when the Phils’ new manager, Charlie Manuel, was there as hitting coach and manager. People who know Manuel say he is fond of Alomar and the positive clubhouse presence he could bring. The Phils have been in contact with the representatives for a number of free-agent catchers, including Alomar.

Several teams asked for slugging first baseman Ryan Howard at the GM meetings. “We’re not anxious to move Ryan despite the fact that we have Jim Thome,” GM Ed Wade said. “If it got to the point where we’d consider moving him, it would have to equal significant quality in the player or multiples of players we’d be getting in return. Power isn’t an easy tool to develop. This guy brought it with him, and he’s honed his other hitting skills nicely.” . . . Howard hit 48 homers between the minors and majors this season, and he has been tearing up pitching in the Arizona Fall League. “An assistant GM told me he’s the best hitter in the AFL,” Phils assistant GM Mike Arbuckle said.

Texas general manager John Hart said that he was prepared to hire Manuel as the Rangers’ hitting coach if the Phillies hadn’t hired him as their manager.