Kuzul

The Boston Red Sox have tried to acquire the new American League Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez before, and it’s time general manager Theo Epstein tries again.

Hernandez signed a multi-year extension in January with the Seattle Mariners, giving them a Cy Young-caliber ace for years to come.

Seattle is a struggling team right now and has many areas it needs to improve upon, both on offense and the pitching staff.

If the Mariners decide to put King Felix on the trading the block, the Red Sox are the best team to trade with because of the quality of talent at the big league and minor league levels Boston possesses. 

Why would the Mariners dare to put Hernandez on the block?

Because they need many more quality players to be a legitimate contender, and Hernandez’s value is as high as it’s ever been.

In 2009, the Red Sox, Mariners and Padres discussed a trade that would have been an all-time blockbuster, but it did not happen due to the reluctance of Seattle to part ways with Hernandez. 

The Red Sox reportedly offered Seattle eight of their better prospects and told them to choose any five of them for Hernandez alone. 

According to The Seattle Times, Boston chose Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden, Justin Masterson, Daniel Bard, Nick Hagadone, Felix Doubront, Josh Reddick and Yamaico Navarro as the eight prospects available.

The deal also would have involved Adrian Gonzalez going to Seattle, while the Padres would receive prospects from Boston as well.

Looking back, Red Sox fans are glad Epstein did not have a chance to execute this trade.

For all the talent Hernandez has, almost all of these prospects have had major roles at the big league level or have been used to acquire other great players (e.g. Masterson was traded for Victor Martinez in 2009).

The Red Sox still have an interest in Hernandez this offseason but will not offer that many quality prospects again. Daniel Bard is the future closer, and Buchholz has become an All-Star-caliber starter.

Epstein is not armed with a lot of cash this offseason, and that can partly be attributed to the Red Sox ownership group’s purchase of the English soccer club Liverpool.

Boston’s best way to improve for 2011 is via trade. Reports from many media sources revealed the Red Sox and the Arizona Diamondbacks have discussed a potential trade involving Justin Upton, although Arizona’s initial asking price was rebuffed by Epstein.

Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres remains the Red Sox’s priority this season, but offseason surgery has teams a bit worried about trading for him now, and they will likely wait until the trade deadline next July before making a move.

Felix Hernandez is a great pitcher and deservedly won the 2010 AL Cy Young Award. But he has too much value for the Mariners not to consider trading him, because the return would help the Mariners build a contender for many years to come.

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Cliff Lee is a very good pitcher, and has had great success in both the American and National leagues during his time for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.

However, Lee is already 32 years old, and his best days are likely numbered.

The New York Yankees are ready to make another big splash this MLB offseason, and a starting pitcher is a top priority. But given Cliff Lee’s age and lack of success in the World Series, should Yankees general manager Brian Cashman find a different starter?

This winter will not be a shopping season full of great starting pitchers. The drop off in quality starters after Cliff Lee is immense, and the Yankees might not want to wait another year for a different crop of free agents.

Consider that the Yankees must re-sign veterans Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter this winter, both of whom are New York legends, and surely cannot be seen in a uniform other than Yankee pinstripes. 

Jeter and Rivera will cost a pretty penny, but not as much as what Lee will demand.

Lee will surely ask for over $100 million for at least five seasons, and could possibly look for a deal similar to what the Yankees gave pitching ace C.C. Sabathia prior to the 2009 season (seven years, $160 million).

During the regular season, Lee was not the dominant pitcher the Rangers had hoped for after giving away top hitting prospect Justin Smoak to Seattle in exchange for Lee among others.

During the 2010 MLB playoffs, Lee was spectacular until the grandest stage, the World Series. Lee was battered in Game 1 by a Giants offense that was finding it difficult to score runs, ultimately taking the loss. 

In the clincher at home in Game 5, Lee gave up a three-run homer to eventual series MVP Edgar Renteria, which was the difference in the game, giving Lee a second World Series loss, and the Giants a world championship.

Cliff Lee’s sudden collapse in the World Series should trouble every team looking to sign him this winter. Did the pressure of the World Series get to him? It’s difficult to tell because he is such a calm person on the mound, but perhaps he was a bit rattled. 

Game 1 nerves are understandable for a player starting his first ever Fall Classic game, but Game 5 was a must win for the Rangers, and Lee blew it.

What if Cliff Lee begins to show his age sooner, and does not fulfill the large contract he will receive from some desperate team? The Yankees have already blown huge contracts on A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira (who has had decent regular seasons, but very weak postseasons) and they cannot afford another.

As a franchise, the Yankees are an aging organization, and assuming they re-sign Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera they will not be allowed to usher in a younger player at the shortstop and closer positions. Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez, and Jorge Posada are all key players for New York who showed decline last season, yet do not have a solid young backup ready to fill in. 

Brett Gardner, Phil Hughes, and Robinson Cano are good young players, but they are the only ones with mild success.

Catching prospect Jesus Montero is the eventual successor for Posada, but catchers are difficult to project due to the rigor of playing the position.

New York should instead turn their attention to Rays outfielder Carl Crawford, continue to develop young pitcher Phil Hughes and look for veterans they can sign to low risk/high reward deals.

The Yankees much show patience this offseason, and not give in to Cliff Lee just because he is the only great starter available. Just because Brian Cashman has a big checkbook at his disposal, doesn’t mean he has to use it to make up for the disappointments of last season.

The Yankees will always have money, but their ability to spend it wisely will determine their future success. Cliff Lee, at 32, is not a smart investment for the Bronx Bombers.

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The 2010 World Series could not have started worse for the Texas Rangers, who return to Arlington, Texas down 2-0 to the San Francisco Giants.

Returning home for three straight games is the best news for the Rangers right now, and to be fair, the Giants have only won two home games, which is what you’re supposed to do.

Cliff Lee will pitch again, and the offense is almost certain to wake up.

The boost the Rangers need may come from their fans, who will no doubt be very wild for Game 3, which will be the first home World Series game in the history of the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers are still a legitimate threat to the Giants, and here’s 10 reasons why.

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The 2010 World Series is not over yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to talk about players who could be changing teams this offseason.

Notable playoff players such as Texas Rangers pitcher Cliff Lee, Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth and Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford all could start with different teams next April on opening day 2011.

Free agency and trades make the hot stove season very exciting, and this winter is sure to see major players switch cities.

Next, we will look at 10 significant players who are free agents or may likely be traded this winter.

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Before the 2010 World Series began last night, the common consensus was the San Francisco Giants had to score more to have a chance of winning the World Series.

The Giants pitching staff is excellent, but could they win a slugfest against the offensive prowess of the Texas Rangers?

Game 1 was labeled as an all-time pitching showdown. The matchup between Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee and the San Francisco Giants two-time defending NL Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum was billed as a classic to be.

However Game 1 was an offensive battle, and the Giants proved they could win a game when they needed to score many more runs than their accustomed to.

With Cliff Lee not able to get the victory for the Rangers in the series opener, how good are the Rangers’ chances to win the title now, against a Giants rotation that continues to impress after Lincecum?

Now we’ll review several important points we learned about Game 1 of the 2010 World Series, as well as some interesting, unknown statistics that may surprise you.

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The 2010 ALCS taught us a very important lesson: Homegrown talent wins championships. The Texas Rangers are finally seeing the maximum performance expected by many of their young players when they were drafted.

Homegrown players do not even need to play for your team for a long time to have a lasting impact on your franchise’s success. General managers can trade top homegrown talent for superstars at the trade deadline; that can make the difference in the post season.

Justin Smoak, a Rangers top prospect, was the centerpiece in the Cliff Lee trade, which has turned out to be one of the best midseason acquisitions ever.

The Yankees know how to win with homegrown talent. Their dynasty of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s was built on great homegrown talent like Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.

The Yankees need to revert back to that format, because the best way to build a perennial winner is to build it yourself, and not reach out to outside sources, such as free agency.

Now we will look at several reasons why the Yankees need to copy their strategy from the early 1990’s if they want to build another Yankee dynasty.

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Jay Bruce and Joey Votto are not yet household names among baseball fans. Soon, they will be.

In about a week’s time the Cincinnati Reds will be playing in the National League playoffs for the first time in 15 years as the 2010 NL Central Division champions.

The Reds have endured some of the worst seasons the franchise has ever seen the last 15 years. All the hardship was washed away last night as the Reds clubhouse was soaked with champagne for the first time in the history of the Great American Ball Park.

The method for the Reds’ success was a patient approach to building a winner.

Cincinnati’s great start to the season was not taken seriously. They couldn’t last the whole season—not a young and inexperienced team. However, not only did they play a full season of winning baseball, the reigning NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals were the team that collapsed amidst their own high expectations for 2010. 

The engine driving the Reds is their first baseman, Joey Votto. Votto, the leading MVP candidate among experts, means more to the Reds than any other player in the National League. Joey is having a monster season, batting .325 with 37 HR and 111 RBI, ranking in the top three in the NL for each category.

Votto is just one of the many talented young players the Reds have received major contributions from this season.

Jay Bruce, last night’s hero with a walk-off home run vs. Houston, has had his struggles in 2010. Dubbed a surefire All-Star by baseball scouts, Bruce has had a very inconsistent MLB career since an impressive debut last season.

The Reds’ patience in Bruce is not just good for the franchise, but also sends a message letting players know they’ll get their shot, a welcoming thing for drafted players and free agents.

The majority of Cincinnati’s best players under 30-years-old, including a quartet of quality pitchers: Johnny Cueto (24), Aroldis Chapman (22), Homer Bailey (24), and Edinson Volquez (27).

The youth of the Reds will keep them a contender for many years to come, but they are not lacking experience, a flaw many in the mainstream media think will be their downfall come October.

Cincinnati has been brilliantly directed by veteran manager Dusty Baker, who last night became the ninth manager to lead three different teams to the playoffs (Giants and Cubs, previously).

On the field, former World Series champions Orlando Cabrera and Scott Rolen will provide the leadership and knowledge to guide the young players through the postseason.

Cabrera’s story is unique, as he helped end 86 years of baseball torment for Boston in 2004, while Rolen, after failures in Philadelphia, finally helped the St. Louis to glory in 2006.

Sports is not a patient business, and with an economic recession, teams are pressured to make risky moves now.

The Reds have showed us taking a patient approach to developing talent, building team character, and mixing youngsters with veterans is a great recipe for success.

This plan will not only help the Cincinnati Reds’ 2010 campaign but will also give them many, many years of championship-level baseball.

Are the Reds baseball’s new dynasty in the making?

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