The Money Saving Chicago Cubs

Can anyone say Milton Bradley? There is definitely something brewing on the North Side as the Cubs have pulled off two cost cutting trades in the past two days.

First, Jason Marquis to the Rockies

Then today, Mark DeRosa to the Indians

Why would the Cubs trade away two valuable pieces? The Cubs are looking to upgrade their main weakness (i.e left handed power hitter) by dumping guys who they can replace. The Cubs could afford to deal Mark DeRosa even after a career season because they already have Ryan Theriot, Ronny Cedeno, Mike Fontenot, and now Aaron Miles to cover both second base and shortstop. Also, the Cubs have five quality starters without Jason Marquis in addition to Sean Marshall and Rich Hill, both of whom could contribute at some point this season.

Simply put, the Cubs could move on without Marquis and DeRosa.

No fan likes to see their team essentially give away pretty good players, but this is only the start for the improving Cubs. Given the current market situation, the Cubs should be prime players for Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu, or the aforementioned Bradley because of the money they have saved from these two deals (roughly $12 million). That will make their lineup more balanced and dangerous considering how many formidable right handed threats they already have (Ramirez, Lee, Soriano).

If the Cubs pick up a formidable left handed hitter, they will become even more dangerous in 2009 than they were in 2008.

Who Wants To Be a Yankee?

What do these guys all have in common?

CC Sabathia:
-Never won a title
-Made ALCS with Indians in 2007; pitched terribly
-Made NLDS with Brewers in 2008; pitched terribly

AJ Burnett:
-Was on Marlins Championship team in 2003, but...was injured
-Does he get a ring for that?
-Never pitched in the post season...ever

Mark Teixeira:
-Never won a title
-Reached the post season for the first time in 2008 with Angels...played well
-Never came close to the playoff with the Rangers (4.5 seasons)

The bottom line is that none of these guys have extensive experience playing in the playoffs and winning championships. Making the playoffs and winning championships are what the Yankees are known for. Besides all the money, it's no surprise that so many players still clamor to play for the somewhat dysfunctional, pressure packed Bronx Bombers.

In the end, all that matters is winning.

Hendrickson to the Orioles

Before yesterday, the Orioles starting rotation looked something like this:

1. Jeremy Guthrie
2. ??????????

3. ?????????????

4. ????????

5. ???????????

So it's obvious that the Orioles needed to add some depth to their starting rotation, even if they have virtually no shot at competing this season. They needed starting pitchers to eat some innings in order to ease the burden off of their young starters (Liz, Olson, etc.) and conserve their bullpen.

However, is Mark Hendrickson really a viable solution? According to several reports, the Orioles are on the verge of signing Hendrickson to a one year contract that would fill one of the voids in the Orioles rotation.

My problem with the Hendrickson signing is simple: he has not been an effective starting pitcher since the first half of 2006. Since then, Hendrickson has been living in mediocrity land as his ERA as a starter has consistently hovered around 5 and peaked at 6.24 in 2008. Hendrickson does not strike out anyone (81 K in 2008) and gives up an absurd amount of base hits (148 hits in 133 innings).There is no getting around the fact that Hendrickson stinks.

Perhaps the scariest part about this signing is that Hendrickson will now be pitching a majority of the time against AL East teams, who have lineups comparable to fantasy baseball teams (especially the Yankees). A scrub like Hendrickson will be eaten alive in the AL East, much like Steve Trachsel was this year. It could get real ugly in Baltimore folks.

And finally, the Orioles needed a starter who would relive the burden off of the young starters and bullpen, but I fear that Hendrickson will be the exact opposite. There is no upside or benefit to this signing for the Orioles and I think that they would have been better off with a different veteran starter or simply letting the young guys compete for the rotation spot.

I understand that there is virtually no risk with a one year contract, but the odds of Hendrickson helping the Orioles out of the rotation is very slim.

What Next? Nationals Edition

Now that the Nationals have officially missed out on signing 1B Mark Teixeira, what should they do next?

Well, it's complicated.

Several sources have mentioned the Nationals as contenders for Manny Ramirez, who remains unsigned with few suitors. Ramirez is reportedly looking for a three or four year contract worth at least $20-$25 million per year. Even though Ramirez is one of the best hitters in baseball, Ramirez's contract wishes are pretty steep for any team besides the Yankees.

So why does Ramirez make sense for the Nationals?

Simply put, the Nationals don't have much else and Ramirez would be a star player, who could revive baseball in Washington DC and inject some life into this listless franchise. Even at age 36, Ramirez is still one of the biggest stars in baseball and he could help the Nationals sell some tickets in their new stadium and show the rest of the baseball world that the Nationals are serious about competing.

However, signing Ramirez would be a huge risk for the Nationals.

First of all, Ramirez has a history of being a cancer with the Boston Red Sox and whose to say that Manny will not continue his act in Washington. Between not playing hard and faking injuries, Manny became a major problem with for the Red Sox, which ultimately forced the Red Sox to deal him away. The Nationals cannot afford such transgressions considering that they do not have the payroll or fan base of the Red Sox. The Nationals need a sure thing, who they know will produce.

Also, the Nationals already have a glutton of outfielders. Besides the emerging Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes, the Nationals recently acquired Josh Willingham from the Marlins, which rounds out a young and potentially productive outfield. On top of those three, the Nationals also have Austin Kearns, Justin Maxwell, Willie Harris, and Wily Mo Pena fighting for at bats in 2008. Considering how many outfielders they already have, it would not make sense to throw tons of money at Manny only to replace younger and cheaper players.

And most importantly, the Nationals are probably not close to competing. Even though the Nationals have some talent, they are probably a few years away at least until they are ready to compete. How can they justify having a $20+ million dollar left fielder when they need to invest in so many other areas of the team? Ramirez would not be a cure all for the Nationals, who have several other weaknesses that they need to address.

I do not believe that Manny Ramirez is a good option for the Nationals. Same goes for Adam Dunn. The Nationals need to think long term, not short term.

With that, I believe that the Nationals need to be patient right now. It's still a buyer's market out there and there will be many good deals to be had. It's important to spend money, but the Nationals need to spend wisely even in the wake of losing Teixeira.

So here's my idea for the Nationals: go after either Orlando Hudson or Oliver Perez. Hudson would be a great fit for the Nationals, who badly need someone to lead their young group of players while providing steady production. Hudson would give the Nationals both aspects-offensively, defensively, and off the field. A perfect leader who might be had at a quality price.

As for Perez, we all know that he is inconsistent. However, Perez is only 27 years and has fantastic stuff. The Nationals would have the unique opportunity to sign Perez to a 3-5 year contract and watch him pitch in DC during his prime. That's an opportunity that would benefit the Nationals in both the short term and long term because Perez has the ability to produce at a high level throughout the length of the deal.

Perez will never be confused for an ace, but he has many qualities that should interest the Nationals. We'll see if the price comes down on Perez, especially as the suitors begin to shy away.

I'm sure if the Nationals want to spend money, the options will be out there. But do not forget about the big picture, the future, and smartly invest those dollars into guys who will help the team grow as a whole towards a winning future.

How the Wily Taveras Signing Could Make Sense

I know, it's hard to justify giving a center fielder with no power and a .308 OBP last season a 2 year contract. In most situations, this contract would be considered incredibly stupid, especially considering how bad the free agent market is right now. But considering how this Reds team is constructed, signing Wily Taveras actually makes sense.

What the Reds needed most headed into 2009 was a table setter. The Reds had a pretty good offense in 2008, but they lacked a consistent leadoff hitter who could set the table for Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, and Jay Bruce. Hell, even Corey Patterson got 82 starts for the Reds, which tells you how dire the situation was.

Also, Taveras is not a bad player by any stretch of the imagination. Sure his 2008 numbers were pretty bad (.251 BA, .308 OBP, 1 HR), but Taveras has demonstrated the ability to perform on the big league level. Taveras has a career batting average of .283 and in 2005, he was second to Ryan Howard in the Rookie of the Year voting. One down season does not diminish his previous accomplishments.

In addition, Taveras's best attribute is by far his speed. In 2008, Taveras stole a career best 68 bases while only getting caught seven times. When Taveras gets on base, he is absolutely lethal on the base paths and a near guarantee to swipe a base or two. He will add a new dimension to a Reds lineup that in 2008 ranked ninth in the NL in stolen bases (85) and second in the NL in caught stealing (47).

Reds fans are going to love watching Jay Bruce and Wily Taveras run down fly balls. These two guys are great defensive players and will be a major asset to the volatile pitching staff. Taveras uses his great speed to track down balls that most outfielders would not come close too. This aspect of Taveras's game cannot be understated.

And finally, for all these folks who are screaming and yelling about the length of the contract: remember that the Reds were looking for an outfielder who fit their specific wants (i.e: fast, cheap center fielder). Besides Taveras, there is no one else on the market who fits that description. Two years is not an unreasonable amount of time for a guy with the pedigree of Taveras. Point to his 2008 stats all you want, but two years of Taveras is not the worst thing for a Reds team that only has three outfielders right now on their 40 man roster.

If Taveras can produce at his 2005-2007 level, then the Reds lineup could become one of the best in the National League. While they lack the names of the past (Dunn and Griffey), this lineup offers more depth and options, which could make the Reds a fun team to watch. I look forward to seeing Taveras set the table for the young studs (Votto and Bruce) as the Reds continue to play high scoring games at Great American Ballpark

Will the Giants Compete With Randy Johnson?

There are many reasons to like the Randy Johnson signing if your a Giants fan.

First of all, Johnson is still a very effective pitcher, even at age 45. Last season, Johnson won 11 games with an impressive 3.91 ERA in 184 innings. The Randy Johnson of 2009 will never be confused for the intimidating strikeout machine of the mid nineties, but Johnson still struck out 173 hitters last season. Perhaps the best sign is that Johnson started 30 games last season and did not miss significant time because of injury.

He should be a very effective third or fourth starter for the Giants behind Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and maybe Jonathan Sanchez. If the Giants can get anything at all from Barry Zito, then this rotation could be one of the best in baseball. Furthermore, this rotation has great potential to win many games because have a pretty good bullpen on paper with Brian Wilson, Jeremy Affeldt, and Bobby Howry.

Another important factor in this signing is that Johnson is only five wins away from 300. Even though Johnson has never pitched for the Giants before, I'm sure that Giants fans would love to see someone in their uniform achieve one of the highest goals in pitching. Right off the bat, every game Johnson pitches in San Francisco should be a sell out, which is great for the Giants franchise and fan base.

The Giants have done a great job building up pitching depth for 2009, but I'm not sure if they will be legitimate competitors out West. The Giants offense on paper still stinks unless Travis Ishikawa and Pablo Sandoval are the real deal. This team really struggled to score runs last season and they are still in dire need of an impact bat or two.

What Next? Red Sox Edition

As the off-season began, I thought the Red Sox were going to be relatively quiet this off-season. Besides some minor tweaking, I did not expect the Red Sox to be players for any of the major free agents. The Red Sox already have a tremendous core group of players, who seem destined to win many baseball games for the Red Sox.

However, the Red Sox did not sit quietly this off-season. Concerned about aging DH David Ortiz and the injury prone Mike Lowell, the Red Sox made an aggressive push to sign free agent 1b Mark Teixeira. At times, the Red Sox appeared to be the front-runner to sign Teixeira, but ultimately Teixeira signed with the Red Sox free spending division rival-the New York Yankees.

We will never know if the Red Sox interest in signing Teixeira ultimately motivated the Yankees to make a strong push for Teixeira. However, the Red Sox must recognize that this signing puts them in a pickle-what to do next?

The Sox seem to have realized that Ortiz and Lowell are likely on the decline and that if they are going to compete with the Yankees and Rays, they will need more production from their DH and third baseman. Both Lowell and Ortiz had down years in 2008, which is a concern because the Sox no longer have Manny Ramirez to produce in the cleanup spot.

However, at this point, the Red Sox best bet is probably to stand pat and hope that Lowell and Ortiz stay healthy and productive. There is no one available on the free agent market right now that would significantly upgrade the Red Sox lineup. With that said, the Red Sox need to make sure they have quality depth on the bench should Ortiz or Lowell go down with an injury or struggle.

There is no reason for the Red Sox to panic. While it’s tough to watch the Yankees sign Teixeira, they are still in a very good position even without Teixeira.

What Next? Angels Edition

The Angels have been painfully quiet this off season thus far. They have watched all-stars Mark Teixeira and Francisco Rodriguez sign elsewhere for more money while they have been reluctant to go after any big free agents. To date, their biggest move this off season was re-signing Juan Rivera to a three year contract. Not exactly setting the bottom line on fire with these moves.

So after letting Rodriguez go free and taking themselves out of the Teixeira sweepstakes, are the Angels in danger of losing their grip atop the AL West? Probably not. But if they are going to compete with the beasts of the AL East, they need to make some moves and keep improving this team.

Here are some moves that make sense for the Angles moving forward:

1. Sign Brian Fuentes
-Even after losing Francisco Rodriguez, the Angels still have a stacked bullpen led by Jose Arredondo and Scot Shields. There is no doubt in my mind that if the Angels did not address their bullpen, that they would still survive in 2009.

However, by signing Brian Fuentes, a Californian, the Angels would be constructing a potentially dominant bullpen that would give manager Mike Scioscia lots of options and flexibility. Fuentes would give the Angels a dominate left handed presence out of the Angels bullpen and would make a wonderful 1-2 punch with Arredondo. If the Angels are going to compete in the AL, they need to have a deep bullpen to supplement their powerful rotation.

Plus, the Angels could probably sign Fuentes at a reduced rate. Because the economy is so bad, mid level free agents like Fuentes will have to sign below what the market previously demanded they receive. How often can a team acquire a three time all star at a bargain price? Gotta love this market!

2. Sign Adam Dunn
-With Teixeira gone to the Yankees, the Angels need to acquire a power hitter to add some juice to the Angels lineup. Dunn would be the perfect fit. He has hit 40 homers in each of the past four seasons and can be counted on to produce a high OBP and OPS. Dunn would thrive hitting in front of Vladimir Guerrero, who would provide great protection for the patient Dunn.

Sure Guerrero is aging, but he is still one of the best hitters in baseball. However, he cannot carry the load by himself. He needs help.

The Angels cannot expect to seriously compete for a pennant with their lineup as constructed. In big situations, Guerrero will be pitched around and instead of facing another prominent hitter, teams will only have to deal with Juan Rivera, Torii Hunter, and Howie Kendrick. Good players, but none are in the same category as Dunn.

However, there are several issues that we need to address here. The Angels seem to be committed to giving their young players more playing time in 2009 in light to losing Teixeira. Reggie Willits, Kendry Morales, and Juan Rivera all seem to be in line for more playing time this season, which should eliminate the Angels interest in Dunn.

In addition, where would Dunn play? The Angels are already overloaded at OF and unless Dunn is willing to play 1b or DH full time, he does not appear to be a fit with the Angels.

However, not attempting to sign Dunn would be a massive mistake. The goal should be to win right now especially after failing to win a championship in 2008. Dunn would make a perfect DH for the Angels not only for his ability, but because of his price. Like Brian Fuentes, Dunn will probably receive far less on the open market than he ever expected because of the bad economy. The Angels will probably only have to commit to Dunn for a year or two, which mitigates their risk.

And finally, Dunn should be willing to play 1b or DH for several reasons. Considering how poor this market is, Dunn should feel fortunate to play with the Angels and play in a market that will increase his stature and visibility. Playing and succeeding with the Angels could help line up Dunn for a bigger contract down the road. Also, Dunn's wants to play for a winner and play in the post season, both of which the Angels have excelled at over the years.

I still believe that the Angels will be a major factor in 2009. However, if they want to be serious competitors they need to remain active in trying to improve their roster.

Now That's An Expensive Infield

In 1910, Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack assembled the famed "$100,000 infield." The combination of Eddie Collins, Home Run Baker, Stuffy McInnis, and Jack Berry propelled the Athletics to the top of the American League and led the Athletics to three World Championships.

Mack was a firm believer that the infield was a integral part to building a winning baseball team. Therefore, Mack was willing to spend whatever it took to bring the best set of infielders to his Athletics.

Fast forward to 2008, and it appears as though Yankees GM Brian Cashman has reinvented the $100,000 infield. Cashman has assembled the best infield that money could buy (literally) and in the process has built the most dynamic set of infielders that my generation will likely see.

Let me now introduce you to the $80.5 million dollar infield:

1B: Teixeira: $22.5 mil

2B: Cano: $6 mil

SS: Jeter: $20 mil

3B: Rodriguez: $32 mil

The 2009 salary of the four Yankee infielders is more than the 2008 team payroll of sixteen teams. That's half the league!

It will be determined if Cashman's $80 million infield attains the level of success that of the $100,000 infield, but Cashman has built the present and future Yankees through the infield. If the Yankees are going to win in 2009 and beyond, these four all-stars will play a vital role in their success. Somewhere Connie Mack is smiling.

Mark Teixeira to the Yankees

Wow. After weeks of only hearing about the Red Sox, Orioles, Angels, and Nationals being involved in the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes, the Yankees ultimately landed the free agent slugger with an 8 year/$180 million contract. The contract is further proof that you can never count out the Yankees, who have now spent over $400 million bucks this off season on only five players.

This deal makes so much sense for the Yankees. For starters, the Yankees needed another potent bat in the middle of their lineup to drive in runs and come through in big situations. Teixeira fits the description perfectly; he's one of the best power hitters in baseball and has driven in over 100 runs in four straight seasons. Hitting 40+ homers with 140 RBIs should not be out of the question for Teixeira considering the vast talent in the Yankee lineup.

Also, Teixeira is only 28 years old. While age may be overrated at times, Teixeira is entering his prime right now and should have many good seasons ahead of him. It's good to see GM Brian Cashman shy away from signing older players, who are more prone to decline and injuries and instead focusing on younger players, who have room to improve and grow. Plus, the combination of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira will be absolutely lethal. Have fun pitching to those two for the next eight years, American League pitching.

The most underrated factor in this signing is Teixeira's defense. Teixeira is considered to be one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball and he won a gold glove in both 2005 and 2006. The Yankees infield defense is shaky at best: Robinson Cano is prone to mental lapses, A-Rod has experienced defensive ups and downs in the past, and Derek Jeter's defensive skills (range!) have been declining for the past few seasons. Teixeira will stabilize the Yankees infield defense because he is a major upgrade over the horrific Jason Giambi, who was a very weak defensive first baseman.

This move makes the lineup scary. There is not one weak link in this lineup and IF everyone is healthy, this lineup could and should set records for both runs and home runs. By my count, every projected starter the Yankees have right now has hit at least 20 HR in at least one big league season. The Yankees have built a modern day murderer's row.

I'm not going to lie though, I am disappointed by this signing. On one hand, I am disappointed that Teixeira did not jump at the opportunity to sign with the Nationals and transform the baseball culture in Washington DC. With the Yankees, Teixeira will just be another big star on a team of big stars instead of being the man with the Nationals. However, there was no guarantee that the Nationals would or even could compete at this point, so I cannot blame Teixeira for going for the sure thing.

In 2009, the Yankees should be a sure thing. On paper, they have the best team in baseball, but they are playing in a awfully tough division. After doling out all of this money, the Yankees are sure to be the team to watch in 2009, but we will have to wait and see if the Yankees with Teixeira can surpass the Red Sox and Rays.

The Market for Manny Ramirez

During the second half of the 2008 season, Manny Ramirez put up legendary numbers with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ramirez hit .396 with 17 HR and 53 RBI in roughly two months with the Dodgers. Ramirez's torrid hitting propelled the Dodgers to a division title and a spot in the NLCS.

However, Ramirez's market has been slow to develop despite his phenomenal 2008 season. Ramirez and agent Scott Boras seemed confident that they would be able to turn Ramirez's amazing two months with the Dodgers into a huge contract (4 years/$100 mil).

However, Ramirez has failed to come close to the huge contract thus far.

The Dodgers has reportedly offered Ramirez a 2 year/$45 million extension in November that would make Ramirez one of the highest paid players in baseball. However, Ramirez and Boras held off on accepting that deal believing that they could still do better. The Dodgers need Manny in the heart of their lineup and as the soul of their team, so it would not be surprising to see GM Ned Colletti concede some demands to Boras and Manny.

And then we have the Yankees. Even though the Yanks have already spent more than $220 million on starting pitching, Ramirez would be a great fit hitting behind Alex Rodriguez and would give the Yankees a modern day murderer's row.

So will the Yankees make a strong push for Manny? Maybe. It was reported by a Spanish newspaper that the Yankees had offered Ramirez a 3 year/$75 million contract, but Yanks GM Brian Cashman quickly shot it down. Ramirez would be a great fit for the Yankees, but paying him $75 million at this point seems rather ridiculous given the market.

And how about the rest of the league? Who knows?

The Angels might have interest now that they have moved past the idea of re-signing Mark Teixeira. They need a a bonafide star and a big hitter in the middle of their lineup to protect Vladimir Guerrero. Ramirez would instantly make the Angels heavy favorites to win the AL West and legitimate contenders to win the World Series.

The Nationals might have interest in Ramirez if the fail to land Teixeira. The Nationals are desperate to show the rest of the league that they are serious about competing and spending $20+ mil on Ramirez would certainly send that message. Also, Manny would give the Nationals the legitimate superstar that they have not had since they moved to Washington. He would put fans in the stands and give people a reason to watch the lowly Nationals.

Once Teixeira signs, the market for Manny should begin to heat up. Manny might be a head case and a clubhouse cancer, but there is no doubt that Ramirez is one of the best hitters alive right now. The market has been surprisingly been slow to develop, but like other top free agents (Sabathia, Teixeira), Manny will get his money.

Teixeira's No Angel

Yesterday, the Angels decided to withdraw their offer (probably 8 years/$160 mil (ish)) to Mark Teixeira effectively taking themselves out of the running for the slugging first baseman. According to Tim Brown of Yahoo.com,

"Sources close to the process said Angels owner Arte Moreno concluded that
Teixeira did not intend to play for the Angels and that his team was being used
to drive up the price for the other interested clubs."

This sounds like a classic play by Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, to use competition to drive up the price tag on his prized client. However, instead of getting a bigger contract for Teixeira, Boras's high asking price and negotiating tactics have taken the Red Sox and Angels out of the Teixeira sweepstakes. Nice job Mr. Boras.

So what now for Teixeira?

Fear not people, Teixeira will still get his money. Even as the suitors begin to fall, you have to remember that the Nationals are still very much involved in these negotiations. While GM Jim Bowden would probably give an arm and a leg to get Teixeira, we can only speculate the extent to which Teixeira wants to play in Washington.

At this point, the two seem like a perfect match.

The Nationals are willing to offer Teixeira the huge contract he desires. They will probably overpay if need be. If Teixeira goes to the Nationals, it will undoubtedly be because the Nationals offered him the best contract/gave him the most money.

And for Teixeira, the Nationals appear to be the lone serious suitor remaining, which would should make them the instant favorites for his services...right?

Maybe. Depending on how badly Teixeira does not want to play with the Nationals, the field (i.e rest of the league) may not be totally out of these talks. We all know how much Scott Boras loves to use competition to create a market and don't be surprised if that is exactly what he does.

With the Angels now out of the picture, maybe the Red Sox will decide to re-enter the negotiations. Their competition for Teixeira is now greatly reduced thanks to the Angels exit, which could make their previous offer a more serious one for Teixeira's services. Teixeira would be a great fit in Boston, especially for a guy that "loves the East Coast."

And don't forget about the Yankees. I know all reports have stated that they NOT going after Teixeira, but given this scenario with the current economic climate, the Yankees could take advantage of a dwindling market for Teixeira by jumping into these negotiations and signing yet another franchise player. Never count out the Yankees because hey, they're the Yankees.

And as was reported earlier in the week, the Orioles have made an offer to Teixeira as well, but many baseball people believe that their offer was too low. We'll see if the Orioles become players again in the Teixeira sweepstakes. You have to remember that Teixeira is a Maryland native, which could help the Orioles enormously in future negotiations.

If I'm Orioles GM Andy McPhail, I would call up Scott Boras today and increase the offer. This is an opportunity that the Orioles cannot afford to sit on the sidelines for, especially when the rival Nationals are the other main suitor involved.

It's the Hard Knock Life

I know this is a baseball blog, but the symmetry between the Mets and Jets, two teams that I root heaviest for, is remarkably eerie this morning.

Yay for yet another collapse!

I have been a Jets fan for as long as I can remember. And each season, they have let me down. And it seems as though this season is going to be no exception.

For all of you non-football fans out there, the Jets fell from first to third in the AFC East by losing to lowly Seattle yesterday, 13-3. The loss probably eliminates the Jets' playoff hopes and reduces Jet fans to ponder how this former "Super Bowl Contender" could have blown the division lead late in the season.

And as we all know, my beloved Mets have collapsed in September for the last two seasons, painfully losing a playoff spot on the final day of the season.

Losing is painful enough, but late season collapses are absolute torture. The highs and lows of a good, but not good enough season suck the life out of a fan base while leaving me feeling paralyzed to think about football or the Jets.

So instead, I'll leave you with a video that will better express how much it sucks to be a Mets and Jets fan right now.




We will now return to your previously scheduled baseball content.

World Baseball Classic: Who Cares?

On Friday, it was reported that Brad Lidge, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels all will not compete in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The sad part is that I can't blame these three for skipping the tournament.

I want to care about the WBC. I want to throw my support behind the US team like I do with the Olympics. I want to see this tournament succeed because the idea of the WBC is fantastic and as a baseball fanatic, the idea of watching different countries play against one another should excite me.

However, this tournament fails to excite me in any way.

For one thing, it's impossible to become engulfed in a tournament that employs different standards than the MLB. Since the tournament takes place in March, pitchers are not properly stretched out to go longer than a few innings at a time. It's no fun watching a battle of the bullpens, especially when the games are supposed to be competitive. Besides the players on the field, there is little difference between WBC games and spring training games.

Who would you rather watch pitch, Dan Wheeler or Jake Peavy?

Also, as a Mets fan, I cringe watching the guys on my team play in this tournament. Instead of cheering for the United States, I find myself cheering for my guys not to get hurt. Because in the end, this tournament is still an exhibition, a precursor of sorts for the upcoming baseball season. If David Wright hurts himself playing for the US team, I would be beside myself.

A tournament like this has so much potential to succeed, but timing is everything. I'm sure playing in March will excite some fans because hey, baseball is baseball, but this tournament will never interest me as long as it is played in March.

(Photo: SI)

It's Teixeira Time, Nationals!

The push to bring Mark Teixeira to Washington DC continues!

Last week, I wrote about why Teixeira should sign with the Washington Nationals instead of the Angels and Red Sox. I'm happy to report that it looks as though the Nationals are one of the last two teams in the running for Teixeira!

Not surprisingly, the Orioles appear to be out of the running because they will not increase their offer.

Surprisingly, the Red Sox appear to be out of the running because their offer has been topped, according to owner John Henry.

With the Red Sox seemingly out of the picture, the Nationals will be competing against the Angels for Teixeira. And no offense to the Nationals or Washington DC, but the Angels have plenty to offer Teixeira: great chance to win, winning culture, lots of talent around him, sunny beaches, etc. If his decision was specifically based around location, the Nationals would have next to no chance to land Teixeira.

However, lucky for the Nationals that Teixeira is a Scott Boras client. Boras clients are notorious for specifically going where the money takes them. If that is the case, then the Nationals only have one option.

Go big.

And when I mean big, I mean really big. With the Angels reported to go as high as 8 years/$160 million to land Teixeira, the Nationals need to take a play from the 2005 Mets playbook and go higher. The Mets never would have landed Carlos Beltran in 2005 if they had not offered him $20 million more than any other team.

If the Nationals go as high as let's say, 8 years/$184 mil or 9 years/$189 mil, will that be enough to seal the deal? Only time will tell, but the Nationals will be putting themselves in a fantastic position to land the cornerstone player they desperately need.

Yes they will need to overpay to bring Teixeira to DC, but this move will change the franchise and give the Nationals the credibility that they do not have. The Nationals must do all they can to outbid the Angels and convince Teixeira and Boras that the Nationals are the best spot.

The only way to do that is to go big. And at this point, what do the Nats have to lose?

At Least AJ Burnett is Honest

At yesterday's Yankee press conference, new pitchers CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett were introduced to the NY media. Normally these types of events are rather lame and merely meant to rile up the baseball crazed fan base, but this press conference was different.

We got the money quote. Literally.

"I'm not going to say money wasn't an issue," Burnett said. "I'm not going to lie; of course money had something to do with it. But I have a chance to win five years in a row. Whether you admit you love them or hate them, everybody wants to be a Yankee." ESPN.com

It's odd finally hearing a player refer to money as one of the main reasons why he joined a team, but I must say that I enjoyed it. Considering that the Yankees probably overpaid Burnett by $10-$20 million, there is no doubt that money played a major factor in his decision.

Kudos to you AJ Burnett, for finally delivering the honest response that fans long for: "yes, the money was an important factor."

Honest guy+New York media=great interview

This quote does bring up an interesting point: if the Yankees do not blow Burnett away with 5 years and $80 mil, does he wind up in pinstripes or with the Braves? I still say Yankees simply because they are the Yankees. New York or Atlanta...I think the choice is rather clear.

Oh yeah, AJ Burnett wants to win as well.

Hammerin' Cameron

For all the slack that Yankees GM Brian Cashman will receive around the league by spending so much money on CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, it is good to see Cashman show some financial restraint with Mike Cameron.

Sure the Yankees could have used Cameron, 36, in 2009. He would be an immediate upgrade over the Melky Cabrera/Brett Gardner combination that is currently staring Yankee fans in the face.

Not to mention that Cameron is a pretty good player himself. Last season, Cameron hit 23 homers in only 444 ABs. stole 17 bases, and continued to play gold glove defense in center field. He would have been a good fit on a veteran Yankee ball club that is looking to do big things in 2009.

With that said, Cashman made the right call by not acquiring Cameron.

-Mike Cameron is a good player, but he is not worth $10 million bucks in 2009. The Yankees could spend their money wiser by going after Manny Ramirez to play left field or Derek Lowe to fill out their starting rotation. Cashman could upgrade this team even further without acquiring Cameron.

-Mike Cameron is a flawed player. He strikes out way too much (142 K's in 444 ABs in 2008) and he does not hit for average (only .243 in 2008). The 2009 Yankees could probably live with Cameron's strikeouts and poor batting average if they have everyone healthy, but a healthy Yankee team in 2009 is a big question mark at this point.

It's easy to overpay a guy when you have an endless payroll, but at this point, the Yankees could do better than Cameron. The free agent market is playing well into their hands and if they wait out the current market, they could wind up with an even better team than the one they have on paper right now.

The Market for Derek Lowe

As one of the best pitchers available on the free agent market this winter, you'd figure that Derek Lowe would have a handful of suitors lined up to obtain his services. For awhile it seemed that way, but right now, where Lowe ends up seems rather murky.

All along we have heard that Lowe would prefer to pitch on the east coast, preferably with the Yankees or Red Sox.

The Yankees seemed to be interested in Lowe for awhile and it was even reported by SI.com's Jon Heyman that the Yankees were preparing a 4 year/$66 mil offer for Lowe. But ultimately, the Yanks decided to spend big bucks on AJ Burnett, which probably takes them out of the running for Lowe.

Burnett signing with the Yankees undercut the market for Lowe. Agent Scott Boras and Lowe could no longer depend on the free spending Yankees to come up with a huge offer for Lowe despite the lukewarm interest from the rest of the league. Don't get me wrong, there are many teams that would love to get their hands on Lowe, but his asking price right now is astronomical, especially for a 36 year old.

In addition, the Red Sox interest in Lowe never really materialized as the Sox already have a deep rotation and seem focus on signing 1b Mark Teixeira.

With those two clubs probably out of the picture, the market for Lowe seems rather puzzling at this point. The Phillies seemed to have interest in Lowe from the start of free agency, but they have since signed Raul Ibanez, which might have taken Lowe out of their price range. Also, the recent signings of Jaime Moyer and Chan Ho Park probably eliminate the Phillies from the Derek Lowe sweepstakes.

So whose left? The Mets, Braves, and Cubs all have holes in their rotation and would be a good fit for Lowe, but I doubt any of those teams would give Lowe the $15 mil a year he is looking for.

The market for Lowe has been slow developing thus far despite being one of the most sought after free agents on the market. Best case scenario for Lowe: the Yankees and Andy Pettitte cannot work out a deal, which leads the Yankees to panic a give Lowe the huge deal he seeks.

But panic in this market is very unlikely given how many teams are not spending and how many quality free agents there are. Lowe will still get a big contract, but $15 mil a year might be out of the picture at this point.

Izturis Offers Stability

Trivia time: Can anyone name the 2008 Orioles starting shortstop?

Give up? Well, the answer is a somewhat confusing one.

If you want to go by who opened the season as their starting short stop, the answer would then be Luis Hernandez, who hit a measly .241 in 79 ABs. Needless to say, he lost the starting job quickly.

If you want to go by who got the most ABs, the answer would then be Juan Castro, who only hit .205 in 151 ABs. The defensive specialist is nothing more than that, a defensive specialist, and should never again be used as a starter.

The shortstop position became a revolving door for the Orioles in 2008. Winning is very difficult to do when there is no consistency, especially at a premium position like shortstop.

The Orioles finally addressed their revolving door at shortstop by signing Cesar Izturis to a 2 year contract. Izturis is known for his tremendous defense, but like past Orioles shortstops, he cannot hit. Izturis struggles to get on base and has virtually no power (1 HR last year), which definitely makes him a liability at the plate.

Sure IztuirIs has speed and can steal bases, but he offers the Orioles little to nothing more with the bat.

But you know what, I still think that acquiring Izturis was a good move for this team. The Orioles will probably not compete for anything in 2009 or 2010, but their main focus should remain to develop their young pitchers. Having a phenomenal defensive shortstop like Izturis can only help these young pitchers get outs and gain confidence that plays will be made behind them.

I'm not fond of the two year commitment to Izturis, but anything is better at this point than the Hernandez-Cintron-Bynum-Fahey-Castro merry-go-round that the Oriole experienced last year, right?

What Omar is Looking For

Right now, the Mets only have three starters that are penciled into the 2009 rotation-Santana, Pelfrey, and Maine. By all accounts, it seems as though the Mets would like to give Jonathan Niese a chance to win the final rotation spot, but even with Niese the Mets are still one starter short. So who are they looking at?

-Tim Redding?

-Randy Wolf?

-Re-Sign Oliver Perez?

What do they all three of these pitchers have in common?

Each guy is a fly ball pitcher, which have historically been the type of pitchers that GM Omar Minaya likes to sign.

Since Minaya has come to the Mets, one of his main staples has been using fly ball pitchers.
Many of these pitchers were unsuccessful elsewhere, but thrived once they got to the Mets. Fly ball pitchers like Oliver Perez, John Maine,and Steve Trachsel are all Minaya success stories from previous seasons.

Why did fly ball pitchers thrive with the Mets? Because of Shea Stadium, which was undoubtedly a pitcher's park. With it's pitcher friendly dimensions and swirling winds, Shea Stadium was a fly ball pitcher's best friend because balls that seemed to be long gone all of a sudden stayed in the yard.

However, this season will be different for the Mets. No longer will fly ball pitchers be able to come into Shea Stadium and rely on the spacious dimensions to get them through the game.

Instead, they will be pitching at the new Citi Field. The new ball park will look very different from Shea Stadium with all it's glitz, glamor, and bricks; but the dimensions are expected to be similar to Shea Stadium. That should signal that Citi Field will be a pitcher's park like Shea right?

Maybe. No one really knows for sure until they begin to play there, which makes these signings so interesting. I'm guessing that Minaya believes that Citi will play out similarly to Shea Stadium or else he would not be going after fly ball pitchers.

However, if Citi is not like Shea, the 2009 season could be a rough one for the Mets. Let's hope not.

(Photo: Queens Gazette)

Furcal Should Run to the Athletics

I'm not sure what is more surprising, that Rafael Furcal has not jumped at the Athletics rumored offer of 4 years/$40 million or that the normally cheap Athletics are offering Furcal the big money.

This will be the best offer that Furcal, 31, receives on the open market. Think about it: it has been reported that Furcal had four strong suitors-A's, Blue Jays, Royals, and the Dodgers. But where exactly are the big bucks going to come from if it is not the Athletics.

It won't be the Blue Jays, who are not currently looking to add to their payroll

It won't be the Royals, who would need to cut payroll (i.e trade Jose Guillen) before they could add to their payroll and make a serious run at Furcal.

It won't be the Dodgers, who are currently waiting out the Manny Ramirez sweepstakes, hoping that he will take their $20+ million a year offer. They could jump in later, but I doubt they will come close to what the Athletics are offering, especially if they sign Manny.

This deal makes so much sense for both sides. Furcal would get the big time contract that he has been craving even after missing most of 2008 with a lower back injury. For the Athletics, they would have a spark plug at the top of their order to set the table for Matt Holliday and Jack Cust.

Interestingly enough, this deal would be change from the moneyball philosophy that the Athletics have built their teams around in the past. While Furcal will draw some walks, hit with some power, and produce a good OBP, Furcal is known for his speed and his ability to steal bases. Speed is something that the Athletics normally do not pay big money for, but there is no doubt that Furcal would be a major upgrade to the Athletics lineup.

If Rafael Furcal thinks that he can do better than 4 years/$40 mil on the open market, then he's crazy. The market is just not there right now for Furcal, but he should feel fortunate to have a $40 million dollar offer on the table. Not accepting it would be foolish.

Really Amaro? Chan Ho!

Get ready for some moon balls Phillies fans!

According to ESPN.com, the Phillies have signed Chan Ho Park to a 1 year/$2.5 million dollar contract to compete for a spot in the starting rotation.

This move has warning signs written all over it. Where to begin?

-Park has not been an effective starting pitcher since 2001
-Park was one of the worst starting pitchers in baseball from 2002-2005 (never had an ERA below 5.50)
-Park still gives up the long ball (12 HR in 95 IP this season)
-Park has been a pretty bad pitcher everywhere he has gone besides Los Angeles

So why in the world would the Phillies sign Park with the understanding that he would be a starter? Sure he had a great year last yea, but that was in the bullpen. There is a huge difference between pitching out of the pen and starting. Park has shown nothing over the past decade to prove that he will be an effective starter in 2009.

Furthermore, Park is a horrible fit for the Citizens Bank Park, which is one of the most hitter friendly in baseball. As a fly ball pitcher, this ball park will eat Park up alive as ordinary fly balls will all of a sudden become extra base hits and home runs. I see a 5 or 6 ERA in Park's future.

It's good to see that Park was concerned as well though! From ESPN.com

"I was a little worried about the Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Phillies, which is hitter-friendly," Park was quoted as saying in The Times. "But as they considered me a starter, I signed with Philadelphia."

At least Chan Ho still has some common sense. This is a great opportunity for him to start and make money, but in reality, this contract is simply setting him up for failure.

So nice work here Ruben Amaro, you signed a pitcher who has not been an effective starting pitcher in almost a decade to be a starter. If Park was pitching out of the bullpen, this move would be a lot more positive because he was very successful in that role last season. However, this move makes no sense, especially if it means that the Phillies are no longer interested in signing Jamie Moyer.

There is no upside on this deal for Philadelphia if Park is a starter. At best, Park is a fifth starter, but more than likely, he will be a disaster.

Why Sign Andy Pettitte?

I'm sure there are many Yankee fans who really want Andy Pettitte back with the Yankees in 2009.

Maybe it's about nostalgia: the sight of seeing Pettitte pitching in the new Yankee Stadium excites many Yankee fans who remember Pettitte as the pitcher who always came up big when the Yankees needed him.

Or maybe it's about the rotation: fans salivate at the sight of seeing Pettitte, the Yankees former ace, as their fifth starter. There is no doubt that Pettitte no longer has the stuff he once did, but he is still a very serviceable pitcher, who can give the Yankees quality innings and get big league hitters out, right?

Of course he can. Last season was one Pettitte's worst seasons statistically as he finished with an ERA of 4.54, a 1.421 WHIP, and a pedestrian 14-14 record. Even though this was far from Pettitte's best season, it is still a lot better than many pitchers out there. And the Yankees know that they can rely on Pettitte to pitch well in a big game despite his declining numbers in the regular season.

So it makes sense for the Yankees to re-sign him as their fifth starter right?

No, it doesn't. While Pettitte should still be able to give the Yankees quality innings, giving Pettitte $10-$15 million dollars in 2009 coming off an average season would be crazy. Pettitte's numbers have been on the decline since 2006 and there is no sign that Pettitte will be able to bounce back with a quality season in 2009.

The best move for the Yankees would be to keep the money they would have given to Pettitte and let Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Alfredo Aceves, and whatever other youngsters they have compete for the spot. There is no doubt that these guys have talent (especially Hughes) and with the rotation the Yankees have in place already, they could afford to have a fifth starter develop on the fly.

The upside of an open fifth spot is tremendous. Instead of over paying for mediocre performance, the Yankees should let the young guys compete for the job because in the end, it could make the team stronger in long term and short term. These guys have potential to improve and develop into better pitchers, which is more than I can say about Andy Pettitte right now.

And I know there will be Yankee fans who will clamor towards Pettitte no matter what the financial implications are. I understand that; the Yankees have more money than God and there is no doubt that they can pay Pettitte $15 million bucks and not lose any sleep about it. But make no mistake about it: Pettitte does not deserve $10-$15 mil in 2009. Why should the Yanks pay for millions for a guy on the decline when they already have younger and cheaper pitchers who should be able to perform at the same level or better? That's the important point here.

The Yankees have enough stability in their rotation to move on without Andy Pettitte. Between Wang and Sabathia, they have two pitchers who should be able to give the Yankees tons of quality innings and many quality starts. And with AJ Burnett and Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees have two guys who should be dominate pitchers even with their much talked about injury history. And if you think that past injury history should force the Yanks to sign a declining pitcher to a $10 million dollar contract, then your crazy. If the Yankees wanted to sign a security blanket fifth starter, they could certainly do a lot better than Andy Pettitte especially given their current financial situation.

This is a fantastic rotation that can afford to give guys a guy like Hughes or Kennedy a chance to take control of a rotation spot. No matter who the Yankees decide should have the fifth spot, it should not be Andy Pettitte.

Four Non-Tender Signings That Make Sense (at least in my head)

Instead of offering players arbitration, teams have the option to "non-tender" their arbitration eligible players, which would make them free agents. More free agents, yay! Given the rough economic climate we are in, it is no surprise to see teams refuse to offer contracts to productive players. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Without further ado, here are four suggestions of where some of these non-tender free agents should land.

1. Tim Redding to the Orioles
-As of this moment, the Orioles currently have one consistent, reliable starting pitcher: Jeremy Guthrie. They have lots of young pitchers who might be good, but they still need another reliable presence at the top of the rotation.

Enter Tim Redding. For the past two seasons, Redding, 30, has pitched for the Washington Nationals and for the most part, he has pitched well (aside from a 6.82 ERA in the second half of 2008). He will never be confused for an ace, but Redding is a dependable and reliable starter who can offer some stability to the young Oriole pitchers. Plus, he should be able to eat a good amount of innings that would instead be given to Brian Burress or Hayden Penn.

Having Redding pitch in the AL East might be a scary thought to many Orioles fans given his propensity for the long ball (27 last year). But considering the alternatives, Redding the best low cost, stable option for Andy McPhail. No one expects the Orioles to compete for a playoff spot next year, but this move could help ensure that the Orioles remain competitive in 2009.

2. Ty Wigginton to the Twins
-This move is obvious. The Twins need a third baseman with some power and Wigginton fits the bill exactly. Wigginton would provide the right handed power bat that the Twins were missing last season. He hit 23 homers last season to go along with his impressive .285 batting average and .350 OBP. This lineup could be scary next season with Wigginton, a healthy Michael Cuddyer, and if Delmon Young finally displays the big time power. You can count on a .280 batting average with at least 20 homers from Wigginton next season.

The real question will be what kind of contract Wigginton will warrant. Will he receive a 3 year/$17 million dollar deal like Casey Blake? I see no reason why Wigginton should not command a contract similar to that of Casey Blake. He is younger (only 30) and put up better stats this season than Blake did in 2008, but who knows if the money is out there for him at this point. Minnesota might turn out to be the only serious player for Wigginton (maybe the Giants as well...).

P.S. I know this is a pipe dream, but I would love to see Wiggy back with the Mets as a super utility type of guy. He'd be perfect, but I'm sure he can do better elsewhere.

3. Takashi Saito to the Mariners
-The Mariners are currently closer-less after trading away JJ Putz, which is the main reason why Saito makes sense here. But there is another big reason why Saito is needed in Seattle: Brandon Morrow. The Mariners should have NO thoughts about moving Morrow, who could be a future ace, back to the bullpen. This guy has a major future as a starter and he cannot be jerked around from the rotation to the bullpen simply to fit a need.

Also, signing Saito would probably confirm that Aaron Heilman will be a starter, which should be a no brainer anyway. There has been no confirmation of this yet, but trust me Mariners fans, for Heilman's mental health, he needs to be a starter.

The risk on Saito is high. He has no business being non-tendered, but the Dodgers had concerns about his arm. But if Saito is healthy, he has the potential to be one of the best closers in baseball and could stabilize the Seattle bullpen.

4. Aaron Miles to the Mets
-Does anyone outside Missouri realize that Miles hit .317 last season? Or how about this little nugget: in 379 ABs, Miles only struck out 37 times. That's a pretty damn good season, don't cha' think? Well, because of Adam Kennedy and a host of younger players, the Cardinals did not tender a contract to Miles, despite his good numbers.

Miles would be a perfect fit with the Mets as a utility man. Miles is very versatile as he can play both 2B, SS, and 3B if needed. This is especially important to the Mets because Luis Castillo is sure to get hurt and miss boatloads of time. It's an inevitable injury that the Mets need to prepare for. Should Castillo get hurt, the Mets should feel confident having Miles waiting in the wings because he can hit both lefties (.315 in '08) and righties (.317 in '08). He would be the perfect utility man for the Mets, who need to have versatile players to compliment their impressive core group.

The Market For Oliver Perez

In the aftermath of AJ Burnett's 5 year/$82 million dollar contract sits LHP Oliver Perez. Aside from Derek Lowe, Perez is the best free agent pitcher left on the free agent market. Perez has developed from a maddeningly inconsistent pitcher with great stuff and bad control to a somewhat inconsistent pitcher with great stuff and very good control. Sure he will have his bad moments, but Perez has come along way since 2006.

When I look at Perez's body of work and potential body of work, I can't help but think about AJ Burnett. Both Perez and Burnett are good pitchers right now, but both guys reek of potential and future ace. Because of their dominant stuff, Burnett and Perez can be frustrating to watch because each guy should be much better than he already is. When Burnett and Perez are on, each guy is nearly un-hittable.

And as we saw this week, teams will pay for potential. Even though Burnett is 32, the Yankees are banking on Burnett continuing his development to be a front line pitcher. For all his injury history, Burnett still got $82 million dollars because of his potential. It would not surprise me to see a team (over) pay Perez in the hopes that he furthers his development to ace status.

Furthermore, Perez is a durable pitcher with no history of major arm injuries. That's a major plus for Perez, especially given his age (26).

So Perez should have no problem getting the money he craves, right?

I'm not too sure. What team out there actually has the funds to give Perez the 5 years/$70 million he is looking for?

-The Yankees are set
-The Mets won't pay that much for Perez
-Red Sox don't need him
-The Braves are not signing any major free agents
-The field...? Royals? Orioles? Texas? Dodgers?

Where is this money going to come from? The only team out there right now that should have a desire to sign Perez is the Mets, who will not give Perez the contract he desires. This market is just not a strong one for Perez.

I would love to see Ollie re-sign with the Mets for 1-3 years. He has always dominated the Phillies and would be a nice fit as the Mets 3rd starter. But at this point, I think that's a bit of a pipe dream. It seems as though Boras has his sights set on a big contract for Perez, which should be a major test for the super agent to achieve.

It's amazing that AJ Burnett has three teams throwing big offers his way, but Oliver Perez has too sit back and wait for his market to develop. Ironically, their statistics are not too different over the past two seasons, which makes the inactivity on the Perez front even more puzzling.

Hope You Stay Healthy, AJ Burnett

It must be a very confusing time to be a Yankee fan right now. Yankee fans gotta love the fact that they are spending so much money trying to make it back to the playoffs and win a 27th championship. Yankee fans should feel very good about signing CC Sabathia, even if his 7 year/ $161 million dollar contract is bigger than his body weight. Sabathia will be the true ace the Yankees were missing over the past few seasons, which is exactly what the Yankees needed.

But AJ Burnett? Five years/$82 million dollars? How ya' feelin' bout that, Yankee fans?

I'm guessing they are rather torn.

Burnett could be a front line starter for the Yankees because he has absolutely electric stuff. With his mid/high nineties fastball, quality curve ball and improved command; there is no reason why Burnett should not be one of the better starters in the AL. When Burnett is on, he is scary good. There is still a remarkable upside for Burnett, even at age 32.

However, the big question remains, can he stay healthy? Burnett has only pitched 200 innings three times in his ten year career and is seemingly always hurt. In his career, Burnett has been on the DL roughly 10 times (by my count) so he is no lock to give the Yankees 30 starts a year or even remain healthy throughout the length of the contract (or even a majority of it). Injury history is the unquestionable downside to Burnett.

So how about committing $82.5 million bucks to an injury prone pitcher like Burnett? To most teams, this would be crazy and out of the question. But for the Yankees, this is merely spare change. They can afford to take a chance that Burnett will continue/develop into the dominant pitcher that all the scouts and executives thought he'd become. The thought of Burnett dominating the Rays and Red Sox in the frigid cold of October baseball should be very tantalizing for the Yankees, especially with Burnett's amazing stuff.

Furthermore, if Burnett does get hurt, the Yankees can simply go out and sign someone else or replace Burnett with someone like Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy (for this season). When you have unlimited resources, you can do things that most would not consider. The Yankees made themselves a better team by signing AJ Burnett, even if it was a ludicrous contract.

In his three seasons with Toronto, Burnett only had one season that was injury free (in 2008). Undoubtedly, 2008 was his best season with Toronto and probably one of the best in his career so far, but Burnett still had an ERA over 4. That doesn't sound like an ace to me.

But, the Yankees don't care. They are not only paying Burnett for his 2008 season, but they are paying him the huge bucks anticipating that Burnett will continue to develop and become another top flight starter for the Yankees.

Considering his upside, this contract makes a whole lot of sense for the Yankees, and the Yankees alone. We'll see if this deal burns the Yankees in the end, but for right now, Yankee fans should feel very good about picking up Burnett and his potential.

Your Someone Else's Problem Now, Scott Schoeneweis

Omar Minaya's purge of the 2008 Mets bullpen continues. The Mets dealt Scott Schoeneweis to the Diamondbacks for RP Connor Robertson. Also in the deal, the Mets agreed to pay $1.6 million dollars of the contract, which is important to note given Arizona's financial situation.

As a Mets fan, this deal needed to be completed. No doubt about it. Schoeneweis has not performed well during his stay with the Mets and towards the end of last season, Jerry Manuel grew hesitant to use Schoeneweis in a big spot (ruightfully so). Ironically, Schoeneweis gave up the go ahead home run in the Mets final game at Shea Stadium, which ultimately eliminated the Mets from playoff contention. This gave the boo birds at the now defunct Shea Stadium even more ammunition for booing Schoeneweis, which they did mercilessly throughout his Mets tenure.

Who knows if Schoeneweis could have rebounded with the Mets next season? They certainly could have used another lefty in the bullpen given the fact that the Phillies signed Raul Ibanez today. But Omar Minaya made the smart choice not to take a chance on Schoeneweis succeeding with the Mets in 2009. The time to cut ties was now and I'm glad this was taken care of.

This move helps separate the Mets further from the "culture of the collapse" and is a welcome signal that the 2009 bullpen will be fresh and exciting.

With that said, the Mets need to go after another lefty in the bullpen. In the previous two seasons, the Mets have had three lefties (Schoeneweis, Feliciano, and Wagner), but as of right now, they only have one. This division already has some very good left handed bats, especially in Philadelphia, so picking up another lefty option is a must at this point.

For the Diamondbacks, this deal could turn out to be very beneficial if he is used correctly. Schoeneweis was very good against left handed hitters last season (2.08 ERA against), but he struggled against right handed hitters, especially with his control (17/9 walk to strikeout ratio against righties). Even so, he is an upgrade over Doug Slaten and will undoubtedly play a big role in the Diamondbacks success in 2009.

How Raul Ibanez Will Change the Mets Plans

Just imagine this for a moment: your Mets GM Omar Minaya. Over the past two days, you have just completed two potentially franchise changing moves to shore up the bullpen by adding and Francisco Rodriguez and JJ Putz. However, upon waking up this morning, you hear that the arch rival Phillies have signed Raul Ibanez to form a potent middle of the order with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

This move should change the Mets entire off season plan from here on out. Knowing that the Phillies have three potent left handed hitters will change the how the Mets decide to shape their rotation and bullpen. Case in point:

-The Mets were considering dealing LHP Pedro Feliciano at one point in the off season, but now the Mets have to keep Feliciano to be their left handed specialist. Lefties have only hit .214 against Feliciano throughout his career and the Mets will need Feliciano to deliver in 2009 if they are going to compete with the Phillies.

-The Mets were talking about dealing LHP Scott Schoeneweis to the Cubs for Jason Marquis, who would be their 5th starter. However, with Ibanez on board, it would be ideal for the Mets to have two lefties on board to deal with the Phillies murder's row of lefties. If their going to trade Schoeneweis, they should make sure that they have a back up plan to bring another lefty on board (via trade or sign Joe Beimel/Will Ohman)

-And finally, the Mets are going to have to make a serious run at bringing back Oliver Perez. Omar Minaya recently determined that the Mets only had a "50/50" chance of bringing back Perez, but we'll see if that changes. I have never been fond of the idea of giving Perez the 5 years/$65 million bucks that he is after, but at this point, the Mets need him. Left handed hitters only hit .158 against Perez in 2008, which would make him an ideal pitcher to have against the left handed dominant Phillies. Again, a five year deal is too much for Perez, but they should be more aggressive with their negotiations. The Mets could also take a look at Odalis Perez or Randy Wolf as potential low cost options should Perez price the Mets out of contention.

It might seem foolish to change your off season plans because of one team, but the Mets have to be aware of what the Phillies are doing and organize their moves to best match up with their rival. Even though the Phillies hit left handed pitching pretty well (even the lefties), the Mets need to counter "Utley-Howard-Ibanez" with effective and competent left handed pitching because that is their best option for success. Having pitchers who are great at getting left handed hitters out is the best scenario available to the Mets right now.

Raul Ibanez is the Perfect Fit

Late last night, the Phillies apparently signed Raul Ibanez to a 3 year/$30 million dollar contract. On paper, this looks like a great deal.

Ibanez is a lock to hit 20-30 HRs with at least 100 RBI and roughly a .290 batting average. He can rake against both lefites and righties (.288 vs. RHP in 2008, .305 vs. LHP in 2008) so it will not be a problem having him hit fifth or sixth behind Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Having a lefty dominant lineup is not a problem when all the lefties can flat out rake.

Make no mistake about it, this is a fantastic signing. The Phillies offense, which was pretty darn good in 2008, now has the potential to be a juggernaut, especially at Great American Ballpark. Furthermore, Ibanez is a certain upgrade over Pat Burrell. Even though he had some great spurts during his tenure with the Phils, Burrell was never able to provide the consistent production that Ibanez will give the Phillies. Utley and Howard will put up better numbers because of it.

In addition, the Phillies signed Ibanez to a very reasonable contract. Even though he is 36 years old, Ibanez has shown no signs of decline to date and has actually put up the best numbers of his career over the past three seasons. While he could start to decline as he gets closer to 40, this deal should definitely pay off over the first year or two of the deal.

I don't see the downside of this deal for the Phillies, who now look like strong competitors to win their third straight NL East title. Kudos to GM Ruben Amaro Jr for making this move; the Phillies are a much stronger team with Ibanez on board.

(Note: Take a look at my free agent projection for Ibanez a month back. You might find some additional insight there. And again, my projection was only $3 million dollars off! Damn you, economy!)

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Josh
-jorgesaysno

Omar Minaya Must Love Awesome Names

In a span of 24 hours, the Mets have picked up two guys with phenomenal names.

1. JJ Putz
-acquired via trade last night

2. Rocky Cherry
-acquired via rule V draft today

Seriously, dude's name is Rocky Cherry. Who came up with that name? Is it a nickname? Either way, it's an absolutely fantastic name. I'm amazed that a human being could have such an amazingly unique, yet puzzling name.

I can see it now, the NY Post headline after Cherry blows his first big game as a Met:

"Cherry Bombed"
or
"Cherry Rocked"

Too bad the Mets did not trade for Coco Crisp...you know how awesome the "J.J. Putz-Rocky Cherry-Coco Crisp" combination could have been!

Gonna be a fun season, Met fans.

Tony LaRussa Has A Crush On Brian Fuentes

Lots of love and good feelings coming from Tony LaRussa these days regarding Brain Fuentes. Wonder if Fuentes is feeling this man love as well?

LaRussa on Fuentes (STLtoday.com):

"From Day One, he's been the guy that fit us best," La Russa said Wednesday. "We have a strong righthanded core, whether it's a veteran like Ryan (Franklin) covering (Josh) Kinney or Brad Thompson or the two kids (Perez and Motte). A quality lefthanded reliever like Brian ... from Day One, he's the guy who was our first choice. And I'm excited that here we are, we're still in the hunt and he's still available."

Added La Russa: "I know he likes our situation; we like him. It seems like it's the perfect fit."

Ahhh, perfect fit you say. That's some high praise! But wait, there's more! LaRussa then went on to talk about a rumored fling with Trevor Hoffman, but apparently he doesn't fit the bill. LaRussa has his eyes fixated on another closer. I wonder who LaRussa is talking about....?

"I mean, I love and respect Trevor Hoffman," said manager Tony La Russa. "But I don't know that that's the guy we've talked about a lot."

I have to admit that it would be tough to turn down Tony LaRussa when he's this excited. Sign on the dotted line Mr. Fuentes, just watch out for the long and awkward hugs coming your way from the Manager. And by the way, who made Tony LaRussa the General Manager? Why is commenting on Fuentes?

Kansas City Signs Farnsworth(less)...Huh?

The Royals signed Kyle "Farnsworthless" Farnsworth to a 2 year/$9.25 million dollar deal last night.

Keep laughing Yankee fans, you know I am.

And yes folks, you did read right, Kyle Farnsworth got a two year deal. Somehow in this horrible economic climate, Farnsworth is the guy who gets the ridiculous contract. How the hell did that happen?

It's not like two years is a lot of time or that $9 million bucks is a ton of cash, but really Dayton Moore? Did you look at Farnsworth's stats over the past few seasons? This is a guy who has produced an ERA under 4 only once in the last five seasons and whose WHIP has increased in every season since 2005.

Oh, and did I mention that he cannot pitch on back to back days?

Where is the upside in this signing? I know, I know, Dayton Moore wants stability in his bullpen after trading away Ramon Ramirez and Leo Nunez, but there are better guys available, who do not require this kind of commitment (Jesus Colome, Guillermo Mota, Luis Ayala). Hell, I didn't even think Farnsworth required two years, but Dayton Moore made it happen.

I guess this proves the point that you have to overpay to get guys to play in Kansas City. But when you have to overpay Kyle Farnsworth to play in KC, that's just sad. I really doubt that Farnsworth offers up the stability that Dayton Moore craves. Farnsworth is a hard thrower who likes to nibble on the corners and is very hittable. Ask any Yankee fan, they'll tell you that Farnsworth has tremendous stuff, but he has never and will probably never put it all together. Very frustrating.

I tell you this though: I am going to enjoy watching the Kyle Farnsworth/Jose Guillen combination in Kansas City. There is something about these two guys that screams out "oil and water" to me. Have fun with this one Kansas City.

Why Mark Teixeira Needs To Sign With the Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals are terrible. The team has finished in the NL East cellar in three of the last four seasons and the Nats lost 102 games this season. Also, they never seemed to have to much of a direction. Ownership seemed reluctant to spend money on big time free agents as GM Jim Bowden stuck with signing aging veterans and AAAA players. It is no surprise that the Nationals have struggled.

So why in the hell would a big time free agent want to come to Washington? Good question.

For most, the answer would be, "there is no reason, go elsewhere," but Mark Teixeira is a different kind of free agent. Teixeira, only 28, is a franchise player entering the prime of his career. He has hit at least 30 homers with at least 100 RBI in each of the past five seasons. Also, Teixeira is a fantastic defensive player, who has won two gold gloves already in his short career. The accolades for Teixeira are endless; this guy is a stud.

Given his stature, age, and potential, Teixiera should be in line for a huge contract. Somewhere in the 8-10 year/$160-$200 million dollars has been discussed. Big market teams like the Angels, Yankees, and Red Sox have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on Teixiera, who is about as clean cut and marketable as they come. He could go to either place and probably win multiple division titles and perhaps even a few world championships or MVPs. Winning is the ultimate goal and if you want to win consistently, Anaheim (Los Angeles!), Boston, and New York are the places most should go.

But as I said before, Mark Teixeira is different. He has a unique opportunity to develop something big with the Washington Nationals. As a franchise player, Teixeira has the power to change everything about baseball in DC. Think about it: there is no buzz in DC about the Nationals right now, signing Teixeira would change all of that. It would signal to the rest of the league that Washington is going to be a competitive ball club and that the rest of the NL East better watch out for the Nats in the years to come.

For Teixeira, a Maryland native, he has the opportunity to be the man. He has the unique opportunity to revive baseball in Washington area and change the entire culture for this struggling franchise. He would be the guy that the fans come to see, the players look up too, and that free agents want to talk with. All of a sudden, DC doesn't look so bad because the lowly Nationals would have a big player to build around for the next decade. That's something Washington(ians) can get excited about.

And people want good baseball in DC. I know it because I go to school here (American University). If the Nationals were any good, they would have no problem selling out Nationals Park. The fans want good baseball and they want a winner. Teixeira could be the beginning of all that and the fans would fully embrace him for that, more than they ever could in Boston or Anaheim. Winning is embedded in the culture there while there is no history of winning for the Nationals. This place would explode for a winner.

Sure it would take some time for the Nationals to turn things fully around because hey, Rome wasn't built in a day. But if Mark Teixiera wants to become a legend and be remembered forever, he will sign with the Washington Nationals. This is the only opportunity for Teixeira to be truely remembered as the man instead of just another high priced all-star with the Yankees, Angels, or Red Sox. Those teams are littered with expensive players and established stars, while Washington is led by Ryan Zimmerman and Lastings Milledge. Not exactly comparable.

Washington D.C is the untapped goldmine of professional baseball right now. The place is ready to explode for a winner and throw itself at a major star. Signing with the Nationals is undoubtedly a risk and highly unconventional, but the opportunity is oozing with potential. This is your chance to start something big.

So sign on the dotted line Mark Teixeira, your once in a lifetime chance to be the man awaits you.

What the Putz!

Talk about overhauling your bullpen! For specifics on this mega-massive deal, check here or here.

Obviously, Putz is the important piece in this deal. What an impressive move by Omar Minaya. He essentially gave up one quality reliever, one very unsteady pitcher, a fourth outfielder, and a minor leaguer to get Putz, who was one of the better closers in baseball.

Tremendous deal.

The upside for the Mets is obvious here: our bullpen was absolutely terrible last year and under no circumstances will that happen again. If Putz and K-Rod perform as expected, the Mets have the ability to shorten the games to only seven innings. The culture of the Mets and their bullpen needed to change. Mission accomplished. The message to the fans: we got K-Rod and Putz, you all can keep your sanity.

For the Mariners, this deal boils down to the potential of Aaron Heilman. I would still love to see Heilman get a chance to start for the Mariners because of his fantastic stuff. Plus, I don't think he is cut out for the bullpen and while he accepted that role, Heilman always wanted to start. It would not surprise me at all to watch Heilman succeed as a starter, a potentially great one.

Sadly the Mets gave up Endy Chavez in this deal as well. Chavez has been nothing short of a God at Shea Stadium since his INCREDIBLE catch in the 2006 NLCS. But there is no denying it: Chavez is not a starter and never will be. He is a fourth outfielder at best, who succeeds because of his defense and speed. I would love to see Endy play center field at Safeco Park for the Mariners, just to watch him cover ground and cut off balls in the gap.

I'll be honest, I never saw Joe Smith being traded. Smith was one of the Mets best relief pitchers last season (not saying much) and he was great against right handed hitters. But like Chavez, he is what he is: a right handed specialist who does not do well against left handed hitters. Great pitcher, great guy, and I'm sure he will thrive with the Indians. Good pickup, Mark Shapiro.

The Mariners picked a terrible time to want to trade their closer. Coming off an injury plagued season in a market littered with closers, now was a tough time to get maximum return on Putz. From the looks of it, they did alright, but this deal will come down to Aaron Heilman. The ceiling on Heilman is high and if he achieves his potential as a starter, this will a huge success for the Mariners.

Gotta love three team trades, especially when it involves a guy named Putz (who by the way is a very cool looking dude...right)! There is nothing better than a dude named Putz pitching in Queens, NY. Now all we need is a Mench...Kevin Mench!

The Sabathia Opt-Out

CC Sabathia's agent Greg Genske had a very good day today. On top of the large commission he is about to receive from the $160 million dollar contract, Genske orchestrated a fantastic contract for his most high profile client.

The best part of this contract for Sabathia is the opt out clause after year three. There is nothing but upside here for Sabathia. Think about it: if he has three great seasons with the Yankees, then he can opt out of his contract and perhaps go after an even bigger contract in 2011. Keep in mind that Sabathia received the largest contract ever for a pitcher in probably the worst economic climate in years.

That's impressive.

In addition, if Sabathia decides that NY is not right for him or his family, then he can just leave after year three. Sure cash is important, but comfort is mighty important as well. The Yankees better do everything in their power to make Sabathia happy in NY.

And let's just say for argument's sake that Sabathia goes Zito on the Yankees and stinks up the joint for the next few seasons. He can simply refuse to opt out and remain the highest paid pitcher in baseball.

Who knows? Maybe Sabathia will lead the Yankees to a title or two in the next few years and all this talk about an opt out will be for naught. I'm sure Yankee fans would love to have Sabathia for the next seven years, as long as he pitches at an optimal level.

I look forward to a potential "A-Rod" situation during the 2011 season where Sabathia will be asked every day whether he plans to opt out or not. I can already see the eight million "no comment" or another three million "I'll deal with this after the season" coming from Sabathia. He will be pestered more You can bank on it.

For the Yankees, including the opt out was probably the only way this deal was going to get done. They needed Sabathia...badly. They would have done anything short of killing a guy to get this deal done. And thanks to Brian Cashman and deep, deep, deep, very deep pockets of the Steinbrenners, Sabathia is theirs for at least the next three years. Celebrate now, worry later.

By including an option in this contract, Genske has given Sabathia all the power in the future. Well done sir. Unless Sabathia completely falls apart as Yankee, like Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano before him, I see no reason why Sabathia should not opt out after 2011.

C.C. You in NY, LeBron

For all the hoopla surrounding the huge $160 million dollar contract given to CC Sabathia, the real story that benefits both Mets and Yankees fans from this deal is obvious, especially considering the friendship between Sabathia and the King....

LeBron in 2010!

If CC Sabathia has anything to do with LeBron coming to the Knicks in 2010, the $160 million the Yankees spent on him today will have been well worth it. And this is coming from a Met fan.

(Note: You know what's funny, LeBron is the best player in basketball today, but there is NO chance that he will ever sign a contract as big as Sabathia's. Gotta love the NBA salary cap and max contracts!)

(photo: Bleacher Report)

How The Yankees Single-Handedly Cured the Recession

By infusing large amounts of capital into the economy, or so it appears that way. Somewhere Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and President Bush are smiling. At least someone has money to spend during the holiday season!

SI.com is reporting that the Yankees are close to signing free agent pitcher Derek Lowe to a 4 year/$66 million dollar contract.

Once again, WOW.

I'm not big on reporting rumors, that's what the good folks over at mlbtraderumors.com are for, but this is absurd. For all of you counting at home, if this deal goes down, the Yankees will have spent $226 million dollars today on two pitchers.

Let's take that in for a moment, Two Hundred and Twenty Six Million dollars.

By the year, the combination of these two deals is roughly $40 million per season, which is more than the entire 2008 payroll of the Florida Marlins and almost the entire 2008 payroll of the division winning Rays. Anyone else think the economics of baseball are borderline ridiculous?

What's amazing is that the Yankees can still make another big move. With $80 million coming off the books after 2008, the Yankees are only half way through devouring through their new found cash. Mark Teixeira, your next.

While most of the baseball world struggles to regain their financial footing in this rough economy, leave it to the Yankees to blow every other offer out of the water. At whatever the price, the Yankees needed starting pitching, and they appear to have gotten a lot of it today.

More on this deal once/if it becomes official.

I Guess the Yankees Really Wanted That Sabathia Guy

7 years/$160 million.

WOW

That's a lot of loot to give to anybody, let alone a starting pitcher. Seven years is unheard of for a starting pitcher (unless your name is Kevin Brown) and is a very risky move. However, there is no doubt that the Yankees needed to get this deal done, at whatever cost.

Sabathia is a different kind of pitcher and certainly a different kind of free agent: he is just entering his prime (28 years old). The Yankees finally have the ace they have been lacking, but the pressure is now on Sabathia to deliver in New York. It certainly looks like the Yankees are back to buying the best free agents on the market; difference is that Sabathia is not in the backend of his prime yet like Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, or Jason Giambi.

It's funny, because all we kept hearing about yesterday was about how Sabathia wanted to go West and at one point, had actually turned down the Yankees' offer. That all changed within eight hours. How you ask? The Yankees added another year onto this already massive contract and even included an extra $20 million. That's impossible to turn down.

Good luck CC, hopefully you fare better than Barry Zito.

Francisco Rodriguez Should Have Taken a One Year Deal

If I am Paul Kinzer, the agent of Francisco Rodriguez, I am kicking myself today. It should have been a jovial day, given the fact that your prized client Francisco Rodriguez signed with my beloved New York Mets today.

However, the terms of the deal were rather unimpressive. I understand that the current economic climate seriously hindered your chances to land the huge contract for K-Rod, but settling on a three year deal was stupid in my eyes.

This market had no advantages for Rodriguez. Not only was there a dearth of closers available, but only one team (the Mets!) was in dire need of a top flight closer. Kinzer had no chance to build up a market because there was no competition for Rodriguez's services. Because of this, Kinzer was never fully able to play up the fact that Rodriguez is one of the best closers in the game and he is only 26. The best years of his career and conceivably still ahead of him.

With a one year deal in hand, Rodriguez could have come back onto the market after the 2009 season, hopefully a successful one, and prayed that the economic conditions improved. At worst, he would sign a contract similar to the one the Mets gave him, while the best case scenario is that some team handsomely rewards Rodriguez with the lavish contract he and Kinzer hoped he would get this year (5 year/$75 mil).

There is always the concern that guys will get hurt and miss out on potential dollars by taking short term deals, but this market was horrible. Rodriguez had no chance to receive the lucrative long term deal he coveted. Hell, even Francisco Cordero got a bigger contract than K-Rod! Kinzer should have bailed out on free agency, taken the one year deal, and rebooted for free agency in 2009.

Ramon Hernandez Traded to the Reds

I have been pushing for Orioles to get aggressive and trade away veterans like Ramon Hernandez and it is good to see them finally make some noise. Good for you, Andy McPhail.

It appears as though Orioles have traded starting catcher Ramon Hernandez to the Cincinnati Reds for Ryan Freel and two prospects. This move makes all the sense in the world for both sides, which seems to be rarity on the trading market these days.

For the Orioles, Hernandez became expendable because of the assent of C Matt Wieters, who will likely start next season for the Orioles. Wieters is one of the best prospects in baseball and the Orioles should be committed to letting him play and develop. This is a sound move for the Orioles' future and fans should flock to Camden Yards to see young Wieters behind the dish.

We'll see where Ryan Freel fits in with the Orioles plans. There is no doubt that the guy is a gamer, who can flat out fly, but you have to winder whether Freel can stay healthy or not. At worst, Freel is a quality utility man, who can pinch run late in games. But, if it was up to me, I would trade Melvin Mora and have Freel play third. I have written before that the Orioles need to maximize the potential return for Mora to aid their rebuilding process, and now is a great time to move Mora.

As for the Reds, this move was an absolute necessity. The Reds have no capable catchers on their 40 man roster and Hernandez provides them stability for the upcoming season (and beyond if they pick up his option). Hernandez is much better than anyone the Reds could have gotten via free agency and should benefit from playing in the hitter friendly environment of Great American Ballpark. Freel was a good player for the Reds, but I guess they viewed him as expendable because of his inability to stay healthy. It's hard to judge a guy's performance, when he cannot consistently get on the field.

I still don't think this move makes the Reds competitive in 2009 because they still have yet to address their central need: pitching.

Adios, Luis Ayala

As much as it pains me to say this, Luis Ayala will not be the Mets closer in 2009. Tear, tear.

Anyone upset? Anyone at all? (Crickets chirping) Ok well....

THE METS GOT K-ROD!!!!!! (it looks very very good right now)

According to ESPN.com, the Mets and K-Rod are closing in on a 3 year/$37 million dollar pact. And I could not be happier. Sure, sure this move will great for the team and all that jazz, but I'm thinking long term, about my health. I honestly cannot take another year of a shameful, pathetic, and feeble bullpen blowing every lead in sight. My fragile heart can only take so much pain and anguish.

If K-Rod can bring some stability and much needed dominance to the ninth inning, he will be more popular in Queens than Vincent Chase.

So welcome aboard K-Rod, hope you got a lot of saves left in that arm. Oh yeah, bring the enthusiasm too, lots of it.

What If the Yankees Don't Sign CC Sabathia?

It's the question that nobody wants to ask. With Yankee Land seemingly revolving around the gigantic left handed planet known as CC, we should take into thought what would happen should Sabathia spurn the Yankees $140 million dollar offer and sign elsewhere. I shutter to think.

Would the world end?

I suppose not. But I think some sort of mass hysteria would ensue in Yankee-ville. Fans, who thought this deal was a slam dunk from the start, would have their hearts ripped out as Sabathia "selfishly" chooses comfort over cash. Since when has a big free agent rejected the Yankees? Uh, never. That'd be enough hysteria to make Hank Steinbrenner's blood boil.

Where and who would GM Brian Cashman turn to next? Now with $140+ million bucks to spend, Cashman can have a grand ole' party on the free agent market.

Target #1: Mark Teixeira
-This is the scenario that Scott Boras falls asleep to every night. Boston and New York fighting over the most coveted free agent on the free agent market...and did I mention that he's only 28! Forget 8 years/$160 million dollars, the bidding on this one could go into the next galaxy as the Yankees try to use their financial might to try and persuade Teixeira to stay away from Bean town and sign with the pinstripes. Just like CC, will he go with the heart or with the cash?

Target #2: AJ Burnett
All of a sudden five years don't seem so bad, huh? After losing out on Sabathia, the Yankees will heavily pursue Burnett, the next best pitcher on the free agent market and throw him an offer he cannot refuse. Fourth year mutual option...pssh! We're going five years guaranteed on this one!
(Note to AJ's Agent: you might want to wait a little while to see what happens with CC before you do anything. Just some food for thought)

Target #3: Derek Lowe
Up until this point, Lowe has been unable to find a team willing to offer him the 5 years/$15 mil per season that he is looking for. And I don't care what happens with Sabathia, there ain't a chance in hell the Yankees give him that deal. With that said, if they don't sign CC, all bets are off. I say three years for sure, with four years not being too far out of the picture probably somewhere in the $10-$13 million dollar range. Lowe would love to pitch in NY again and the Yankees would love to have him. If CC and Burnett are off the board and the Yankees are pitcher-less, Lowe picks up a major bargaining chip.

AND IF ALL ELSE FAILS!

Target #4: Manny Ramirez
Yes, I said it. The Manny Ramirez show would be natural fit in the middle of the Yankees order and would give them a lineup that should only be believable in fantasy leagues. But hey, if they ain't got no pitching, then how are they going to win? Lots of 12-10, 9-8 type of ballgames. Furthermore, without the Sabathia hype rockin' the new stadium, the Yankees will need some sort of buzz to enter the new yard. Enter: Manny Ramirez.

I cannot wait for Sabathia to make up his mind. It seems as though every time Sabathia speaks or merely walks to the left, someone has to report it as a rumor (thanks Ned Colletti). It takes a mountain of a man to reject $140 million bucks, but maybe Sabathia is just that kind of dude. Or maybe he's not a NY kind of guy.

Furthermore, I would love to see the kind of reaction that Sabathia gets the first time he steps into Yankee Stadium wearing another team's colors. The boos will be intolerable, bigger and brasher than Mike Hampton boos at Shea Stadium, circa 2001. Yankee fans will be relentless, and rightfully so ("He was supposed to be ours!"). What a sight that'll be.

Tigers on the Prowl

After last night's Gerald Laird extravaganza, the Tigers have followed that up today by signing Adam Everett to be their starting shortstop. This is only a one year pact, which means that Everett is likely a stop gap for the tigers until they find a better option in the future.

I think this is a fantastic move.

As I said last night, the Tigers do not need any more offense and every move they make this off season should focus on the other aspects of their ball club that need improvements: namely pitching and defense.

Sure enough, Everett is a fantastic defensive shortstop who will offer up stability to the middle of the Tigers infield (stability...that word sounds familiar). Everett cannot hit at all, but this should not concern the Tigers, who are loaded hitting wise.

With shortstop and catcher now filled, the Tigers can focus on the area of the ball club that needs the most assistance: pitching. Kudos to GM Dave Dombrowski for getting these two deals done quickly, putting his limited resources to good use. Now go get some pitching and a quality closer (JJ Putz?), and call it a day.

Why the Brewers and Jake Peavy are the Perfect Match

Even though the winter meetings have began, I have heard almost nothing regarding the Jake Peavy talks except for a potential trade to the Chicago Cubs. To me, that trade is nothing more than a pipe dream because the Cubs do not have much to offer the Padres for Peavy. The inclusion of a possible third team keeps this potential deal on life support, but I don't see it happening.

The Padres are struggling to find a suitor for their former CY Young award winner. There is no doubt that they are in quite the pickle. Owner John Moores impending divorce means that the Padres need to cut more payroll beginning with Peavy. And as we have discussed before, Peavy's no trade clause complicates matters greatly. GM Kevin Towers is in a bind, and everyone is baseball knows it.

But I still think there is a team that makes a whole lot of sense for Peavy and the Padres.

The Brewers.

Yes the Brew Crew, who are coming off an improbable playoff birth over my beloved New York Mets would be a perfect fit. Let's go down the list:

1. Peavy wants to be traded to an NL team:
-the Brewers obviously fit the bill

2. The Brewers will probably need two pitchers to replace Ben Sheets and CC Sabathia, both of whom will probably leave via free agency. Most importantly, they will need to find an ace:
-Peavy obviously fills this potentially glaring hole for the Brewers.

3. The Brewers have salary constraints:
-Have no fear! Peavy is signed to a very reasonable contract that runs through 2012 with a club option for 2013. If the Brewers are going to get an ace at an affordable rate, Peavy's their guy.

4. The Padres want young players are prospects in return:
-A potential deal with the Braves hit a major snag when the Braves refused to part with some of their better prospects, but I don't think the Padres would encounter the same problem here.

For starters, the Brewers have a pretty good farm system led by Mat Gamel, Alcides Escobar, Jeremy Jeffress, Cole Gillespie, Taylor Greene, Lorenzo Cain, and Angel Salome. The Padres could definitely get one, probably even two of those guys in any deal for Peavy (NOT Gamel though).

Also, the Padres would have a pretty good selection of young players to look at from the Brewers major league club: OF Tony Gwynn Jr, SS JJ Hardy, P Manny Parra, and P Carlos Villanueva. These guys are young, talented and cheap; which is exactly what the Padres are looking for. There are countless scenarios in which the Brewers could come up with a package that would satisfy the Padres asking price.

And finally, I think the Brewers would be more willing to trade their prospects because Sabathia and Sheets are type A free agents, meaning that since the Brewers offered each guy arbitration, the team will receive two high draft picks as compensation. Their farm system will be quickly replenished with talent and their major league club would have an ace.

So let Sabathia and Sheets go Doug Melvin...and bring Peavy to town. This move works in both the short term and long term. Make it happen.

And as for you Mr. Peavy, I can understand not wanting to go to Milwaukee, but it's going to be mighty awkward returning to San Diego...don't cha think? Waiving your no trade clause to pitch for Brewers offers you stability and most importantly, a place where your wanted. Can't put a price on that, can ya?
(Photo: CNN)

Jerry Crasnick Agrees With Me

Nice to see ESPN's Jerry Crasnick steal my thunder! Garland would be a good fit for the Cardinals...where have we heard that before? Hey wait, I said that!

Jorge Says No! (last week):

-The Cardinals struck gold last season when they signed SP Kyle Lohse during spring training to a modest 1 year/$4 million deal. The move shored up the Cardinals rotation and allowed the Cardinals to compete for a playoff spot into September. I think that signing Jon Garland would be a shrewd move for the Cardinals, alot like signing Lohse was a year ago. You what your going to get with Garland: very few K, lots of innings, lots of hits, very few walks, and lots of ground balls. He will never be confused for an ace, but then again, he will cost alot less than Javier Vazquez. His style would fit very well with the Cardinals, who shored up their already stellar defense by acquiring Khalil Greene yesterday. In addition, Garland would offer more stability to a rotation that has many questions: Will Chris Carpenter be healthy? Will Todd Wellemeyer repeat his break though 2008 season? What will they get out of Joel Pineiro in 2009?

Crasnick (via ESPN.com):

The Cardinals could ultimately emerge as a fit for free agent Jon Garland, given St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan's track record for getting the most out of pitchers ranging from Jeff Weaver to Kyle Lohse. Garland went 14-8 for the Angels this season, but his ERA (4.90), strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.53) and other underlying numbers weren't pretty. The consensus in baseball circles is that he could benefit greatly from a shift to the National League. It's doubtful that the Cardinals would want to go beyond a two- or three-year deal, however, given the money the team is obligated to pay Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Lohse in the coming years. Garland could also be a possible fallback for the Brewers, Dodgers and other clubs with starting pitching plans that are currently in a state of flux.

Hey, great minds think alike...or so I hope.

And yes, it's finals week for me, so I might have gone a bit crazy by now.

Have Fun Building a Market for Jason Varitek Now, Scott Boras (Laird to Tigers)

Well folks, it looks like a deal finally went down tonight. Let's hope this one sticks.

If this report is true, the Tigers acquired Gerald Laird from the Texas Rangers for AA pitcher Guillermo Moscoso and another prospect. Laird is signed for another two seasons at the reasonable rate of $3 million per season.

On the surface, this looks like a good deal for the Tigers. They finally got the starting catcher they coveted and hey, it looks as though it did not cost them an arm and a leg. Also, Laird is/should be a pretty good player. Even though Laird has not caught more than 120 games in a season, he does have some pop, can hit for average, and is regarded as a strong defensive catcher. Exactly what the Tigers needed!

Plus, this year's catching market is pretty weak. I would much rather have Laird over Jason Varitek, Gregg Zaun, or Ivan Rodriguez. Laird is younger, cheaper, and has considerably more upside than any of these declining players.

Furthermore, Laird offers the Tigers something that they lost last season when they traded Pudge Rodriguez to the Yankees: stability. There is no doubt that Laird will be the starting catcher on the Tigers next season, which means they can do as they please with Brandon Inge now and align their defense accordingly. Having stability behind the plate is the key to pitchers establishing a comfort level with the catcher.

The real grading point of this deal is going to be how Tigers pitchers react to Laird and whether their numbers improve from an anemic 2008 season. The Tigers have more than enough offense to win ball games, but what they should be looking for is defense and intangibles to balance their roster. Laird appears to bring both to the table, which is why I like this deal for the Tigers.

Should be fun to watch Scott Boras try to muster up a market for Jason Varitek now that the Tigers are set behind the plate. Four years, $52 million dollars? Yeah right. Varitek will be lucky to get a two year deal from anyone other than the Red Sox now.

Detroit seemed to be Varitek's best match from the start, so with them out of the picture, I would assume that Boston is the most likely destination for the declining catcher in 2009. The move just makes too much sense. Oh yeah, any guess who Gerald Laird's agent is?

Scott Boras. (Big surprise, I know)

Classic Kenny Williams (Edit: No Deal!!!!!)

If this report is true, then this deal is classic Kenny Williams. By acquiring Homer Bailey, Williams would be acquiring yet another potential stud player, who is coming off a tough season. Williams did the exact same thing in 2007 by acquiring SP Gavin Floyd and 2008 by picking up MVP candidate OF Carlos Quentin. Each guy was at one point a highly touted prospect, but because of struggles (Floyd) and injuries (Quentin), neither was able to reach their vast potential. However, these deals have paid large dividends for the White Sox who now have quality, young players at cheap prices. Consider this another "buy low" attempt by Williams.

I assume that Kenny Williams sees the same kind of potential in Homer Bailey. Entering the 2007 season, Bailey was regarded as the Reds best pitching prospect and one of the best prospects in baseball. However, two sub par seasons and questions about his passion for the game have lowered Bailey's standings amongst baseball people.

This could be a fantastic move for the White Sox in the long term, but could hurt their chances to succeed in 2009. However, at the same time, I don' think that the White Sox were going to have a legitimate chance to compete for a title in 2009. By identifying this now, Williams has a real opportunity to build a team that can be a winner for a long time to come. Not too mention that this move clears out even more salary for the White Sox to spend in the future.

There is no doubt that this move is a risk. No one knows what Bailey is capable of accomplishing in the majors, which should be a scary notion for White Sox fans. However, if Bailey pans out, this move will be a major boon for the White Sox.

As for the Reds, this move has me quite perplexed. Gm Walt Jocketty must think that the Reds can compete with the Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals next season or else there would be no point in acquiring Jermaine Dye for one season. Dye is only signed through 2009 for $11 million, which is a good price, but the Reds really should be focusing on pitching right now. Even with Dye, I don't think that the Reds have enough pitching depth to compete for a playoff spot next season. That's a major problem.

I understand that Jocketty wants a right handed power hitter in between lefties Jay Bruce and Joey Votto, but in Great American Ballpark, offense will not be too difficult to come by. Pitching has been noticeably absent in the organization for along time and they need to smartly invest in young arms, not give them away.

Update: So Hal McCoy was wrong. Should have seen that coming. This deal is not official and does not look close to being completed.

(Side note: Maybe it's because of blogs, but more and more rumors are begin mistaken for facts as reporters rush to get the latest scoop. Just last week we saw three different versions of the Javier Vazquez trade from three different websites, all of which claimed to be true. Hopefully this is just a trend, but I won't hold my breath.)

Why I Would Stay Away From AJ Burnett

As the rumors begin to heat up during the Winter Meetings, one name that I guarantee will be talked about incessantly is AJ Burnett. Teams view Burnett as one of the best free agent pitchers this off season and there have been a long list of suitors so far. The Braves, Yankees, and Blue Jays appear to be the most willing to open up their checkbooks for Burnett, who is looking for a five year deal in the range of $12-$15 million dollars per season. That's an ace contract for a guy who has ace stuff. Burnett can throw in the upper nineties with absolutely filthy breaking stuff and when he is on, he's dominant. What's there not to like...right?

With that said, I would NOT go after AJ Burnett.

First off, a four or five year pact with Burnett reeks of trouble. Burnett has always been hurt throughout his entire career and is very likely to spend lots of time on the disabled list in the coming years. Throughout his ten year career, Burnett has only pitched 200 innings three times and has been on the disabled list roughly fifteen times (by my estimate). Odds are very good that Burnett will miss time (potentially lots) during the four or five year contract. That's not a chance I'd want to take.

Teams seem to be in love with the potential that AJ Burnett brings to the table, but GMs need to be reminded of a few things:

1. Burnett has not been a winner
-Whether this is his fault or not, Burnett's inability to get the W needs to be stated. He has only won 15+ games once in his career and has historically been nothing more than a .500 pitcher. Does that sound like an ace to you?

2. Inconsistency
-Sure the numbers look nice on the surface, but they do not tell the whole story. In 2008, probably Burnett's best season as a pro, he only ranked 75th in quality start percentage (56%), which means that Burnett is inconsistent. When he is good, he is very good; but he is not consistently good. You cannot honestly think that AJ Burnett is going to give you 25 quality outings every season...he has never been that good of a pitcher. I would not want to pay $15 million bucks for inconsistency.

And in closing, should it surprise anyone that Burnett delivered the best season of his career in a year where he could opt out of his contract? The whole "best performance in contract year" thing brings up too many bad memories of Gary Matthews Jr and Knicks C Jerome James for me....stay away.

It's not that Burnett is not a good pitcher, but for $15 million, I'd rather spend that money elsewhere.

Don't Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out, Greg Maddux

Greg Maddux will likely go down as the greatest pitcher of this generation. Maddux was an absolute master at his craft, compiling an amazing 355 wins and 18 gold gloves through guts, guile, smarts, athleticism, and control. Maddux never could throw very hard, but he did not have too. Maddux dominated hitters with his fantastic control and made countless hitters look absolutely foolish. Seriously, I have never seen a pitcher make so many hitters look bad. Maddux could do things to a baseball that most of us can only dream about doing. What an impressive sight to watch.

Think about this, Maddux dominated in an era where many ball parks got smaller, many players got bigger (juiced!), and the number of home runs increased dramatically. The idea that Maddux was this dominant without any kind of enhancement still boggles my mind. But he never needed steroids, Maddux's smarts coupled with his amazing athletic ability were enough to dominate many chemically enhanced freaks. His dominance was special, the kind of dominance that we will likely never see again.

With that said, I am happy to see Maddux retire. I respect and admire Maddux for his dominance and how he pitched, but Maddux was a Met killer. Maddux won 35 games against the Mets throughout his career and always seemed to always come up big when the Braves needed him. I cannot tell you the amount of times Mets hitters would flail at a Maddux offering or blankly stare as a backdoor slider slowly crept back over the outside corner. Too many times, the Mets had no chance against Maddux. And we all knew it.

Even though Maddux has not been with the Atlanta Braves since 2003, I always thought that Maddux would somehow continue to haunt the Mets. And how could I not, the guy had done it so many times before! But now that he has decided to hang up his spikes, I can rest easy knowing that Maddux will no longer be around to dominate the Mets.

You Know the Media Is Bored When...

So there is nothing happening on the free agent front. Who is the media to write about to fill their columns? Super agent Scott Boras, of course!

Proof:
here.

here.

here.

here.

Wow. Need anymore proof that the off season has been slow? It's amazing, the most interesting guy this off season is not name Sabathia, Teixeira, or any other player for that matter; instead, it's Boras. How amazing is that?

I know a lot of baseball fans despise Boras and his money hungry tactics, but I for one think the man is a genius. He knows how to exploit the market and get his clients the best deal possible. I have no doubt that he will be able to work in the market even with these tough economic times.

Lucky for us, the winter meetings begin on Sunday, which means we will be hearing a lot more from and about Boras. Whoopdie-doo!

Shrewd Kenny Williams

Genius? Not quite. But very smart? Yes indeed. By moving Javier Vazquez to the Braves, Williams accomplished a number of important tasks.

First off all, Williams rid the White Sox of the 20+ million dollars that is going to be owed to Vazquez over the next two seasons. That's a lot of money to spend on a pitch who has been nothing more than fourth starter for most of his career. While his 200 innings pitched leave a big hole in the starting rotation, his performance left much to be desired and should be filled by a cheaper alternative.

Next, you have to give Williams credit for the package he received for the over hyped Vazquez. Even though Vazquez has the stuff of an ace, he has woefully underperformed throughout his entire career. By getting back four minor leaguers, Williams strengthened the organization and replenishes a farm system that had been decimated by the Nick Swisher trade a year ago.

There is no denying that the guys that Williams got back actually have some talent. Catcher Tyler Flowers looks like the cream of the crop in this bunch because of his power potential and his ability to get on base. Finding a good, young, power hitting catcher is very difficult to do, so I think Williams did especially well with Flowers.

And I really like the acquistion of Brent Lillibridge. One think that Williams does especially well is "buy low" on guys after they have had bad seasons. After being ranked as the Braves #6th best prospect entering 2008, Lillibridge hit only .220 in AAA this season and looked over matched during his time in the majors. However, this is still a good pickup despite Lillibridge's horrific 2008 season. This guy still has tremendous ability to get on base, steal bases, hit for average, and play multiple positions. He should compete to be the White Sox second baseman in 2009 and at worst in a future utility man.

The odd thing about this deal to me was that Jo Jo Reyes was not included. The inclusion of Jo Jo Reyes would have been classic Kenny Williams, buying low on a pitcher after one bad season (Gavin Floyd). I'm surprised that he did not go that route, but I assume it is because he is confident in either Jeffrey Marquez or some other trick up his sleeve.

I'm sure that Manager Ozzie Guillen is thrilled by this move after Guillen challenged Vazquez to pitch well in a big game. As we all know, Vazquez floundered. It's hard to imagine that Guillen had much faith in Vazquez after that, which made this move inevitable. Considering the inevitability of this deal and Vazquez's contract, I am surprised that the Braves gave up as much as they did in this trade. I think Kenny Williams played the Braves desire for a consistent starting pitcher into a potential major boon for the White Sox.

Wahoo Sam Crawford!

I'll be the first to admit that I am a huge baseball history geek. There is something unusually fascinating to me about old school baseball. And by old school, I mean way old school...like baseball 90-100 years ago old school. Now that's old school.

And speaking of school, in one of my many moments of finals procrastination, I (with the much needed help of my roommate) discovered articles from Baseball Magazine, a publication that ran from the deadball era into the 1950s. What a find! After about five minutes of searching through the articles, I realized that I had just stumbled upon a baseball nerd's dream. Articles from the deadball era!

The most interesting piece that I read yesterday was written by hall of fame OF Sam Crawford aka Wahoo Sam. For those of you who do not know, Crawford was one of the most feared hitters of the deadball era and actually holds the record for most lifetime inside the park home runs. How about that!

So anyway, in the article (found here), Crawford discusses the aura surrounding 3,000 hits and his goal of getting 3,000 hits. At the time the article was written, there were only three men (LaJoie, Anson, and Wagner) who had 3,000 hits, which gave the record a fantastic aura around it. I imagine that 3,000 hits was similar to what the home run record (755) is/was-before Barry.

Crawford comes off to me as a very humble guy. He understands the baseball has given so much to him and at the same time, he believes that he can still hit and just needs the opportunity to play. Furthermore, Crawford understands the importance of 3,000 hits, which would permanently cement his place in history next to the greatest players in the game.

However, this tale has a sad ending. Crawford fell just 39 hits shy of 3,000 after being reduced to pinch hitting duties in 1917. Crawford's hatred of pinch hitting is evident throughout the article, so I guess it is no surprise that he was not a successful pinch hitter.

What a fascinating article, especially for those who love old time English!
(Note: my favorite line: Crawford writes, "Now there was a time when I could have made 39 hits in a single month of healthy swatting."

I hope everyone enjoyed the article. If I find any other gems, I'll be sure to post them.

Five Free Agent Signings That Make Sense (at least in my head)

1. Jason Giambi to the Giants
-I know, I know, he cannot play defense. The obvious downside of this deal is that the Giants would be stuck playing the Giambino at first base 120-130 times a season, which is ugly at best. But think about it this way: the Giants just went out and spent roughly $30 million dollars on three players, SS Edgar Renteria, RP Bobby Howry, and RP Jeremy Affeldt. The Giants obviously think that they can compete in 2009, especially with their starting pitching and revamped bullpen. But the one thing that the Giants are sorely lacking is an impact, power hitter. Giambi fits the mold perfectly: walks alot, gets on base, lots of power, and is left handed. Last season, the Giants anemic offense ranked last in home runs, 14th in OBP, and 15th in runs scored. Yikes...those are terrible numbers. Furthermore, Giambi would probably only command a one year contract in this market, which makes him all the more appealing to Sabean and the Giants.

2. Adam Dunn to the Athletics
-Dunn is exactly the kind of player that GM Billy Beane craves: walks alot, hits tons of home runs, and has a high OBP. In most years, Dunn would have been one of the most coveted free agents out there, but because of the economy, teams are shying away from Dunn and refusing to hand him the long term contract he seeks. This would be a great time for the Athletics to dive in and sign Dunn. First of all, after trading for Matt Holliday, the Athletics are clearly going for it this season and a lineup with both Adam Dunn and Matt Holliday would be potent and powerful. Second, it is likely that the Atheltics would not have to give Dunn the long term contract that he was seeking. He would actually be better off signing with a team like Oakland for a season and then testing the free agent market again in 2009. Once again, this is the perfect scenario for the normally frugal Atheltics to make a big splash.

And selfishly I want to see this deal happen because having Adam Dunn and Jack Cust on the same team would be amazing. Think about it, they are both slow, power hitting, walk machines, who strikeout alot and cannot hit for average. There is no doubt that the Athletics would lead the league in walks, strikeouts, and maybe even OBP and HR. How cool would that be?

3. Jon Garland to the Cardinals
-The Cardinals struck gold last season when they signed SP Kyle Lohse during spring training to a modest 1 year/$4 million deal. The move shored up the Cardinals rotation and allowed the Cardinals to compete for a playoff spot into September. I think that signing Jon Garland would be a shrewd move for the Cardinals, alot like signing Lohse was a year ago. You what your going to get with Garland: very few K, lots of innings, lots of hits, very few walks, and lots of ground balls. He will never be confused for an ace, but then again, he will cost alot less than Javier Vazquez. His style would fit very well with the Cardinals, who shored up their already stellar defense by acquiring Khalil Greene yesterday. In addition, Garland would offer more stability to a rotation that has many questions: Will Chris Carpenter be healthy? Will Todd Wellemeyer repeat his break though 2008 season? What will they get out of Joel Pineiro in 2009?

4. Ben Sheets to the Rangers
There is no team in baseball that needs starting pitching more than the Rangers do. It's not like they have not tried before to bring in quality arms (cough...Chan Ho Park, Kevin Millwood, Vincente Padilla), but with each big contract comes another big failure. Sheets is a whole different animal though. He has absolutely filthy stuff and has the potential to be a bonafide ace, but his health has always been up in the air. When healthy, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball...and for the pitching impaired Rangers, that kind of talent isn't available every day.

So here's a little tip for GM Jon Daniels: go after Sheets hard, but do NOT under any circumstances give Sheets a 4-5 year contract. Stick to a 1-2 year deal that would protect the Rangers if Sheets were to get hurt. That would mitigate the risk out of this contract and give the Rangers the ace that they have not had in roughly a decade. Plus, I think Sheets would prefer a shorter contract right now so that he can prove that he can stay healthy and be in line for a huge pay day down the road.

5. Trevor Hoffman to the Indians
-I know that Hoffman might not like the idea of going to Cleveland too much, but if he wants a shot to win, the Indians might be his best bet. The Indians are only a year removed from the ALCS and still have a solid core group of guys. Their 2008 season was ravished by injuries and dominated by the CC Sabathia trade talks, but I look for the Indians to rebound in a big way in 2009.

And that's where Hoffman comes in. It's true that Hoffman is no longer a dominant closer and will probably only play for another season or two. But what Hoffman offers the Indians (experience, stability) is much better than anything else they have currently in their bullpen. Sure Jensen Lewis is a good pitcher and could wind up one day as a great closer, but for right now, he would be better suited as a set up man. The Indians currently lack depth in the bullpen and they need to find a way to build a bridge to the ninth inning. Signing Hoffman would enable them to begin building an effective bridge that could lead the Indians back to the playoffs.

And look on the bright side, Hoffman is much better than Joe Borowski!

Greene Pasture

It has been reported that the Cardinals have traded for Padres SS Khalil Greene. The cost cutting Padres will receive two prospects in return.

NYPOST:

"In a continuing attempt to reduce payroll, the Padres were closing in on trading their starting shortstop, Khalil Greene to the Cardinals. Greene is due $6.5 million next year in the final season of his contract.
The expectation is that Greene will be moved even before the Winter Meetings start in Las Vegas on Monday. The Cardinals are said to be giving up two relief prospects to obtain Greene, sources tell The Post."

(Note: Who the hell are these sources???)

As long as this move goes down, I think this was a major coup for the Cardinals. Greene is a good baseball player with lots of skills, but his performance tailed off dramatically in large part because of PETCO Park. Take a look at the home/away splits over the past three seasons:

Home Away

2006: .210 .280

2007: .216 .288

2008: .215 .212

It’s obvious that Greene statistics took a major hit from playing at PETCO Park. The wide dimensions and spacious field eroded away Greene’s power and extra base ability. I expect Greene to thrive in St. Louis, where he will actually be playing in a normal sized stadium surrounded by good hitters including some guy named Pujols. Furthermore, 2009 is the final year of Greene’s contract, which means that he will have extra motivation heading into this season.

Greene has always been an asset defensively, but his offense will determine the direction of Greene’s career. He needs to take more walks, improve his OBP, and most importantly, show the promising power and consistency that made him such a fun player to watch back in 2004.

This is a classic “buy low” move for the Cardinals. Greene is coming off a bad year and needs a good season to turn his career around. I love the potential this move brings for the Cardinals and I think the Padres needed to cut ties with Greene, especially after the contract dispute with the Padres.

Javier Vazquez to the Braves

In trading for Javier Vazquez, the Atlanta Braves got exactly what they needed. After losing Mike Hampton to the Astros, Tim Hudson to Tommy John surgery, and potentially John Smoltz to free agency; the Braves needed a solid starter who the Braves could rely on to take the ball every fifth day. They needed someone to offer some stability for young pitchers Jair Jurrjens, Charlie Morton, and Jorge Campillo.

Javier Vazquez fits the description perfectly.

Since 2000, Vazquez has pitched at least 200 innings in every season except for one. Vazquez has always possessed fantastic stuff and consistently strikes out lots of hitters with a very impressive strikeout rate (200 K in 208 IP in 2008). Vazquez has all the makings of a dominant pitcher if he ever could put it all together.

And that's where the problem lies: Vazquez has never put it all together.

Since his days with the now defunct Montreal Expos, Vazquez has consistently underperformed despite his fantastic stuff. The Yankees traded for Vazquez thinking that he was their future ace, but by the end of the season, they were convinced that he could not pitch in New York. The White Sox traded for Vazquez in 2006 in one of Kenny Williams classic "buy low" attempts, but in three seasons with the Sox, Vazquez has produced two sub-.500 seasons. By the end of 2008, Manager Ozzie Guillen even dared Vazquez to pitch well in a big game. Needless to say, Vazquez floundered.

Furthermore, in four of the last five seasons, Vazquez's ERA has been above 4.40, which is awfully average for any pitcher. Just to put that into perspective, Paul Byrd and Edwin Jackson had better ERAs than Vazquez in 2008. I know ERA is not the best statistic to judge pitchers, but Vazquez should be much better than both of those pitchers based on his stuff.

If the Braves are depending on Vazquez to be an ace, they will be gravely disappointed. Vazquez has disappointed every team he has pitched on since the Expos because of his maddeningly inconsistent performance. Sure he'll take the ball every fifth day, but which Javier Vazquez are you going to get? Will it be the potential ace that every team craved back in 2003 or will it be the underachieving Vazquez that baseball people have come to expect?

At some point, teams are going to begin to shy away from Vazquez. Because underneath the phenomenal stuff and untapped potential is a guy who has been simply average throughout his career. And at 32 years old, what are the chances Javier Vazquez suddenly becomes the pitcher we all thought he'd be and is no longer just average? I say slim to none.
Because if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

Once this deal becomes official, Mets fans should be thrilled. Vazquez is a good pitcher, but he is no Jake Peavy. This trade almost certainly eliminates the possibility of Peavy, a former CY Yonng award winner, landing in the NL East. I would much rather face Javier Vazquez than Jake Peavy; especially in crunch time.

(Note: Since the deal is not yeat finalized, I am going to hold off addressing the White Sox end of the deal until I know for sure whose involved.)

The Vazquez Trade: Can Anyone Get This Right?

Well, at this point in the night I have no idea who the White Sox acquired from the Braves for Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan. Amazingly, I am still unsure about who the White Sox got in return. The three following scenarios have been reported:

White Sox get (ESPN.com)
-Brent Lillibridge
-JoJo Reyes
-top prospect

White Sox get (Foxsports.com)
-Brent Lillibridge
-Tyler Flowers
-2 minor leaguers

White Sox get (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
-Brent Lillibridge
-Tyler Flowers
-Jon Gilmore
-Sergio Rodriguez

Geez, how different scenarios can we get? How can three news agencies have such different proposals? I know the hot stove is non existent, but c'mon, this is ridiculous. All I know is that Brent Lillibridge better pack his bags.

More analysis of this deal tomorrow, but here's a few teasers:
-As a Met fan, I love this deal.
-And the Kenny Williams genius watch MIGHT be officially back on

Brilliant!

Yankees GM Brian Cashman made another very solid move yesterday by NOT offering Bobby Abreu salary arbitration. I'm sure there are some Yankee fans who look at Abreu's production (20 HR, 100 RBI, .296 BA) and think that signing Abreu for another season would be a good thing. Offering Abreu salary arbitration would have ensured that. Also, I'm sure some Yankee fans are upset that they will not receive the two compensatory draft picks that Abreu would have netted (he is a Type A free agent). Well Yankee fans, don't fret, this was a fantastic move for several different reasons.

1. Flexibility
-The Yankees have roughly $80 million bucks coming off the books this offseason, which already gave Cashman tons of maneuverability to go after Sabathia, Burnett, Teixeira, etc. By not offering Abreu arbitration, Cashman does not have the potential $16 million dollar Abreu option to think about and he can proceed to go after whatever free agents he chooses. The chances that the Yankees make a big splash increase because of this move. The door is wide open CC!

2. $$$
-Even if Abreu's numbers are very good, he is not a $16 million dollar a year player anymore. His OBP, HR, and walks have all dipped since joining the Yankees and it does not look like Abreu is a star player anymore. Sure he can get on base and still hit for some power, but the signs of decline are evident in the fading numbers.

3. Is he a winning player?
-Let's call this the Jamal Crawford syndrome. Crawford, who was recently traded from the Knicks to the Warriors, is a very good basketball player with tons of talent. However, every team Crawford has played on has never reached the playoffs. I think Abreu is the same kind of player. Even though he reached the playoffs with the Yankees in 2006 and 2007, Abreu never struck me as a winning ball player. He always seems rather careless on the field and often surprisingly looks lost on the field. Remember, the Phillies remained in neutral until they traded Abreu away in 2006. After the trade, the Phillies thrived.

Looks good on paper...but can he deliver the goods?

4. Defense
-At one point in his career, Abreu was one of the best RF in the game. However, at this point in his career, Abreu is a terrible right fielder who consistently refuses to run into (or near) walls. Yankee fans know what I'm talking about when I note that watching Abreu in the outfield is painful and frustrating...

Plus, with Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady already entrenched in the 2009 Yankee outfield, Cashman needs to find a quality defensive center fielder so that Damon and Nady can stick to the corner spots...where they belong. Putting the emphasis back on defense and speed will ultimately help the Yankees win some ballgames.

5. Negotiation
-Just because the Yankees did not offer Abreu arbitration, they still can re-sign him. Who knows? Maybe Abreu will find that there is just no market out there for himself and come crawling back to the Yankees at a reduced rate. Or maybe the Yankees will strike out on several big name free agents and come looking to sign Abreu later in the offseason? A deal is still possible, but the Yankees put themselves in a much better position to negotiate.

Yankee fans can mourn the loss of two potential draft picks all they want, but this move reeks of sensibility and logic. Not too mention that the Yankees already have a stacked farm system, which makes a decision like this all the easier to swallow. Good to see the Yankees curtail spending....for now.

Long Live the Head

Sad news today as OF Kevin Mench signed with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan. Mench had several very good seasons with the Texas Rangers, but really struggled over the past few seasons with the Brewers and Blue Jays respectively. Despite Mench's recent struggles, he will still make $2 million bucks next season. That's alot of yen.

What legacy has Mench left in America? His gigantic head and strange resemblance to an ogre.

Seriously, biggest head in baseball! Take a look!

.......................
.................
...........
.....

Oh wait...that's Shrek! How'd that happen?


Ladies and Gentleman, that is a size 8 head. That's alot of brain. Hopefully he knows some Japanese.

Konichiwa.

Take Your Time CC...but Please, Hurry Up

As any baseball junkie can tell you, the 2008 offseason has started very slowly. While the trade market has been somewhat active, the free agent market is very quiet as only two free agents have signed contracts thus far. So what will it take for us to get some moves?

CC Sabathia must sign a contract. Once CC sets the market, the dominos will begin to fall into place. Or so they say....

But is it really possible for Sabathia, the best free agent on the market, to sign a contract so quickly? Much to my chagrin, I say no.

Think of it like this: Sabathia is the very attractive girl in high school with all the guys trying to go out with her.

In one corner, Sabathia has the Angels, who have alot to offer Sabathia. The Angels are the cool, rich guy who everyone else in school envies. Armed with vast resources, a trendy owner, and lots of sunshine, the Angels seem to be the perfect fit for Sabathia. They can offer Sabathia a large contract (probably Zito-esque) and offer him the comfort of living in California for the next 5-7 years. they are a very attractive option for Sabathia. And on top of everything, the Angels have a very good chance to enchance Sabathia's social standing (i.e win a championship) because their resources are so deep and their team is loaded. Sounds pretty good , huh?

But then in the other corner, we have the Yankees. The Yankees were the rich, big man on campus a few years back, but after graduation, they slowly plunged their way into oblivion. They are looking to do everything in power to rule the high school once again and signing Sabathia will go a long way in restoring their glory. The Yankees will offer Sabathia whatever he wants short of the stadium to bring him to the Big Apple. The problem is that Sabathia is hesitant to date someone who already graduated high school (i.e move to New York) and may have to turn down whatever riches the Yankees throw his way. As we all know, money cannot buy happiness.

Furthermore, all of CC's friends (the good folks at MLBPA) want Sabathia to be in NY because it would set a good precedent for the rest of the starting pitching market. If Sabathia takes $30-$40 million dollars less than he should, then it is possible that the other free agent pitchers will not achieve their full earning potential. That's alot of pressure to put on CC. Oh the drama!

And the finally, we have the Brewers. The Brewers are the really nice, but sorta awkward guy who thinks that he has a shot at Sabathia because of his great personality Sabathia loves the Brewers, but as a boyfriend or just a friend? Even though Sabathia enjoyed his time with the Brewers, he probably will not commit to them because of their low profile and limited resources. Economically, the Brewers are not in the same league as the Yankees or Angels. Even though the Brewers are willing to spend more money on Sabathia than their budget allows, their offer will probably be $30-$40 million less than the Yankees and maybe the Angels as well! The Brewers and their fans have an intense love for Sabathia, but look for him to spurn the small market club for the bright lights of New York or California.

No matter who Sabthia picks, he will be handsomely compensated. This decision really comes down to money vs. comfort. With so much on the line (a new relationship!), you can see why CC would want to take his time in making this decision.

But as a baseball fan, for the love of God CC, can you sign already? This offseason has been brutally slow so far...and I need baseball! Only you can make that happen big guy!