"Pitcher Matt Capps on being a free agent, "Whatever happens, I'll keep the Pirates in my thoughts, and I'm not closing the door on them or anybody else."The Pirates evidently did not feel closer Matt Capps' asking price was fair market value, but the market itself -- as set by the entirety of Major League Baseball -- might disagree.

Since Capps' surprising release Saturday that suddenly cast him into free agency, no fewer than a dozen suitors have made contact with his agent, Paul Kinzer, including the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kinzer called the interest "enormous," and was emboldened enough to have told suitors Capps would prefer a multiyear deal and that having a chance to close will play "a major role" in his decision. Kinzer and the Pirates had discussed only a one-year term.

Capps, who tends not to get involved in matters handled by his agent, expressed some satisfaction at the field.

"Seems like I keep getting a new text about another team all the time," Capps said yesterday. "Whatever happens, I'll keep the Pirates in my thoughts, and I'm not closing the door on them or anybody else. But I'm going to do what's best for my family and my career, and it's nice to know there are a lot of teams asking."

Capps, 26, was the Pirates' closer for most of the past three seasons and, until a 5.80 ERA in 2009, was an effective one.

"I've been a closer, and I'd like to be that again," Capps said. "But I'm always willing to prove myself if I have to. I have a lot of faith in my ability."

The Pirates balked at paying Capps much more than the $2.425 million he made last season and declined to tender him an offer toward salary arbitration just before the midnight Saturday deadline. It is believed that Capps' asking price was in the range of $3.4 million.

The Pirates received no return for Capps, the first such event involving a significant player in general manager Neal Huntington's tenure.

Huntington and Capps have said they would be interested in his return to Pittsburgh if Capps could not find a suitor elsewhere, but the field already is such that Capps appears headed elsewhere. Teams are aware of the numbers discussed by the Pirates and Capps and probably would not call to express interest without being willing to pay at least that much."