Kuzul

The Miami Marlins have reportedly offered Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes a monster contract, although the exact amount of the deal is in question.

The Spanish blog Cafe Fuerte initially reported that Miami offered the 26-year-old a six year, $40 million deal. If true, it would be the biggest contract ever handed out to a Cuban-born player.

However, shortly after the report surfaced, Marlins beat writer Clark Spencer tweeted that the club offered Cespedes less than $40 million.

Although there is some debate over the exact figure, an offer has definitely been made. And unless the initial number was greatly exaggerated, Cespedes will still surpass Aroldis Chapman of the Reds as the highest paid Cuban player in the MLB.

The addition of Cespedes would be another big offseason splash for the Marlins, who have already reeled in Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and manager Ozzie Guillen. The organization appears determined to distance themselves from last season, when they finished last in the NL East with a record of 72-90. 

Recently, Guillen himself said that whoever signs Cespedes is “gambling.” However, I like the Marlins decision to push all their chips to the center of the table.

Cespedes is a pure power hitter and would certainly improve the Marlins lineup that finished 23rd in the MLB in runs last season. He’s also a quality defender that can play in right or center field.

Cespedes hasn’t signed anything yet, and with the Cubs, White Sox, Tigers and Orioles expressing interest in him, there’s no guarantee that he winds up in Miami. But if he does, the Marlins will have another promising new addition to their team.

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While many MLB players enjoy time away from the spotlight during the offseason, Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes has been far from low-key.

Since last season, Reyes has ditched his old team, cashed some fat checks and posed nude on camera. Now he’s done the unthinkable.

Reyes had his trademark dreadlocks chopped off on the MLB Network Friday night, by a man identified only as Jordan from Jordan’s Barbershop in the Bronx. The trim was an order from Reyes’ new bosses at the Miami Marlins, who won’t allow players to have hair below their helmet line.

It was clearly a painful moment for the star shortstop, as he’s been rocking the Rasta locks for the better part of three years. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the hairstyle has also coincided with some of the best seasons of his career.

In 2011, Reyes won the National League batting crown with a career high .337 average. He also posted career bests in slugging (.493) and on-base percentage (.877).

Although he will have to adjust to the new look, Reyes can take solace in the fact that his hair will help the less fortunate. MLB Network spokeswoman Lorraine Fisher said the haircut will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida.

As of now, it’s unclear how the loss of his dreads will impact Reyes’ play in Miami, but we do have some historical precedent.

Ricky Williams also ditched his famous dreads when he joined the Miami Dolphins in 2002. He had two great years before entering a horrible downward spiral.

Of course, Williams was battling depression and smoking enough weed to kill a large animal, so Reyes will probably be fine.

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The Oakland Athletics are reportedly negotiating with journeyman pitcher Bartolo Colon, but the 38-year-old right-hander won’t change Oakland’s fate in 2012.

Colon resurrected his career in 2011 with the Yankees, pitching better than his 8-10 record suggests. Prior to last season, he hadn’t thrown a pitch in the majors since July 2009. Striking out 135 and posting a 1.29 WHIP in 26 starts however, he had a solid year for New York.

Colon was reliable for the Yankees, and with Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill leaving in recent trades, the A’s need to bring in someone.

Oakland’s rotation has weakened and they have done little to improve a lineup that finished 20th in runs, 22nd in on-base percentage, 24th in batting average and 25th in slugging percentage last season.

Meanwhile, the Angles have added Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, and the Rangers will be as dangerous as ever. Sure, the A’s can beat up on the Seattle Mariners again this season, but I would be shocked if they win more than 66 or 67 games.

Again, Colon was decent last year, but A’s fans would be foolish to expect him to return to greatness. The 2005 AL Cy Young winner is just 22-31 since 2006.

He can still be productive and it’s never bad to have a veteran option at the back of your rotation. Still, there is a bleak cloud hanging over Oakland’s 2012 season, and the addition of Colon will do little to change that.

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The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly won the bidding war for Japanese sensation Yu Darvish, and they will immediately become playoff contenders if they can sign him.

It will cost them between $40-50 million to negotiate, plus the five-year, $75 million deal that Darvish is seeking. But it will be worth it.

Many major league fans are wary of Japanese pitchers after disappointments like Hideki Irabu and Daisuke Matsuzaka. However, Darvish can’t even be compared to them.

The right-hander is massive (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) and incredibly durable. In his first four professional seasons, he threw 40 complete games. In 2011, he pitched a career-high 232 innings.

The 25-year-old also has ridiculous stuff. He possesses a diverse arsenal of pitches, throwing six with consistency.

He throws a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, and a vicious cutter, all of which clock in the low to mid-90s.

He also has a mean curveball, a horizontally breaking slider, and a deceptive downward breaking slider.

The pitches have given Japanese hitters fits. In seven professional seasons, Darvish is 93-38 with a 1.99 ERA.

I expect him to have similar success in the majors. He would give the Blue Jays a solid top three in the rotation, with Ricky Romero and strikeout machine Brandon Marrow on board.

Toronto already has a potent offense and they may be getting stronger. Only five teams scored more runs in 2011, and they could be adding free agent slugger Prince Fielder. 

If the Blue Jays can deliver on these big offseason moves, they will immediately become contenders in the brutal AL East.

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Ryan Howard‘s unfortunate Achilles injury, combined with his postseason ineffectiveness, has proven that the Phillies made a mistake by awarding him a $125 million extension in April 2010.

In the Phillies’ final at-bat of the season, Howard made solid contact with the ball before crumpling as if he got shot on his way out of the batter’s box. It was later revealed that he suffered a torn Achilles, although the severity won’t be known until an MRI is conducted.

Judging by Howard’s postgame comments, it doesn’t sound good at all.

“I was trying to run, and I felt a pop,” Howard said. “It felt like the whole thing was on fire. It felt like I was on a flat tire. I tried to get up, but couldn’t go.”

Obviously hindsight is 20-20, but Howard’s injury is just the latest piece of evidence in the ever-mounting case that his massive contract extension was a mistake.

The 31-year-old first basemen’s production has been steadily declining the last two seasons.

Howard averaged 49.5 home runs from 2006-2009, but hit just 31 and 33 in the two years since his massive payday.

He’s also had dramatic drop-offs in batting average, RBI, slugging percentage and on-base percentage since ’09.

Howard was somewhat terrible in his five playoff games this season. After hitting a three-run homer in Game 1 of the NLDS, Howard had just one more hit in the series, finishing 2-for-19 with six strikeouts against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Achilles injury aside, these are not good numbers for a man that will be making $25 million per season through 2016. Philadelphia has little to no financial flexibility over the next half-decade, with a ton of money tied up in a poor defender whose offensive production is on the decline.

Now add in the possibility that Howard may miss the entire 2012 season and it’s undeniable that Howard’s huge extension was a mistake on the part of the Phillies.

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