Kuzul

Philadelphia Phillies fans were devastated when they heard the news, especially the fact that it was so sudden.

It can also be said that it was shocking to see our everyday right fielder, Jayson Werth, sign to a team within our own division.

Well, like normal, Philadelphia fans panicked immediately, just like every time when something like this happens.

It’s hard to admit, but as a Phillies fan myself, it’s true.

But let me be the first to tell you that there isn’t too much to worry about.

Yeah, we lost our right fielder, but that’s why we have young prospects to take his place.

Not only that, but it will also make every other player know that they lost something valuable and they must step up their game in place of it. 

Without further ado, the 10 ways the Phillies can make up for the loss of Werth.

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If the Florida Marlins brass thought they were in the driver’s seat in order to compete with the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves, think again.

After Philadelphia remained fairly quiet in the news last week after their former outfielder Jayson Werth signed a mega deal with the Washington Nationals, they now have attracted the spotlight for all the right reasons.

The hottest ace on the free agent market, Cliff Lee, announced he would be taking his talents to South Street, again. This doesn’t help the Marlins’ cause in their aspirations to be a competitive team in 2011 or 2012.

The fact that the Marlins had to face Roy Halladay (who hurled a perfect game against them in May and threw a no-hitter against the Reds in the postseason), Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels was scary enough, and now they’ll have to face 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee.

At least on the bright side of things, Jamie Moyer—who, unlike Lee, Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels, wasn’t a power pitcher—won’t be pitching for Philadelphia or anywhere this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Moyer was the one pitcher that had the Marlins’ number since joining the Phillies in 2006. He went 13-6 (7-0 between 2006 and 2007) with a 3.09 ERA in 19 starts against Florida. 

However, the Marlins have themselves to blame for the position they are now in. Had they kept Miguel Cabrera back in 2007 instead of trading him for a pair of busts (Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller) and not given even more firepower to the division rival Atlanta Braves this offseason by trading Dan Uggla for a less than stellar return, then the Marlins might be a force to be reckoned with, but that’s not the case, now is it? 

Here are 10 things that must happen for the Florida Marlins to have hope of any October baseball in 2011.

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Zack Greinke’s tenure with the Kansas City Royals could very well be coming to an abrupt end this week. 

Although two years still remain on the 2009 AL Cy Young’s contract, the Royals are trying to maximize his value by trading him now. They are of course counting on the fact that they likely won’t be competing for a playoff spot anytime soon. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Royals would like to receive ”two young pitchers with Greinke-like potential in any trade for their ace.” While that request isn’t mandatory, it is what the Royals will be looking for.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 10 teams that the ace could find himself on next year. 

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Carl Crawford has signed a seven-year, $142 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. He joins Adrian Gonzalez as the second huge catch the Red Sox have landed this offseason.

The Red Sox are clearly going for it all this year.

Whenever the hot stove heats up with a flurry of blockbuster deals occurring within such a short period of time, it’s only natural that a number of subsequent questions arise.

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Now that catcher Victor Martinez is gone, where do Red Sox fans turn?

Who is going to be behind the plate next season. Will it be Varitek, Saltalamacchia….Kevin Cash?

These (okay, so hopefully not Kevin Cash) are all possible choices for the Red Sox in 2011. One thing has to be said, though: the market is incredibly short for catchers. If you want a grade A catcher, he’s got to come up through the farm system, plain and simple.

I humbly present five possible catching scenarios that could happen for the ’11 Sox.

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With the Major League Baseball Hot Stove season almost at its boiling point, many fans across Dodgertown can’t help but recollect the most notable trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.

Since officially moving to Los Angeles in 1958, many player trades occurred that were instrumental in winning nine National League pennants and five World Series championships. However, along with the deals that were beneficial came the deals that were dreadful, and people wonder what may have transpired if a number of these trades could have been undone.

The following slides rank the 50 worst trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as well as offer a bit of commentary for each transaction. Please note that the rankings don’t include any free-agent signings, nor do they contain any deals made prior to the Dodgers moving to Los Angeles. The list is not syndicated in any fashion and it is purely opinionated and subjective.

Although some of the transactions listed may seem more prominent than others, the logic used in the rankings is based on the players ability at that time and into the future, weighted against what the Dodgers actually received in return.

Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride through 52 years of Dodgers history.

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Whether you think the Boston Red Sox was seemingly out to lunch on resigning Victor Martinez or the Detriot Tigers overpaid for a big bat that comes as a defensive liability, there is one thing for sure, Boston has a big bat to replace in their lineup.

Martinez was the only catcher in the MLB to bat over .300 while hitting 20 or more home runs in the season.

He was the number three hitter in their lineup and one of the most productive hitters on the team in the past few seasons, and he will be tough to replace.

The Red Sox will be hard pressed to equal his production with a free agent signing this season, as this year’s class is nowhere near as good as last season’s, but here are a few players that could help the team ease the burn.

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It’s official: free agent catcher Victor Martinez has signed a 4 year, $50 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, leaving a noticeable void behind the plate for the Boston Red Sox.

Let it be known that Martinez did not want to leave. He wanted to know where he would likely play out the remainder of his career, and where he would likely retire. He wanted to know where his son, Victor Jose, would be going to school. He wanted to know where he and his family would be calling home for the foreseeable future. The Red Sox provided no certain answers to any of these questions, so V-Mart had to leave.

Some people have blamed the Red Sox for letting one of the most important pieces leave. Others have applauded it, saying that most catchers decline rapidly once they hit their 30s, so Martinez won’t be worth the money.

I don’t think letting Victor leave was a good idea, and here’s why; without further ado, I present “10 Reasons Red Sox Will Regret Losing Him.”

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Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was named the American League MVP Tuesday, receiving 22 first-place votes.

He beat out Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista for the award.

Hamilton, 29, batted .359/.411/.633 in 571 plate appearances in 2010, belting 32 home runs along the way. His 1.044 OPS led the American League.

Because Hamilton missed substantial time during the final weeks of the season, many had thought Cabrera would have the inside track on the award. While he was on the field, however, Hamilton was clearly the best player in baseball in 2010.

Here are five reasons Hamilton deserved to win this award, starting with the simplest one, already mentioned.

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Terry Collins has been selected as the new manager of the New York Mets, a source confirmed to MLB.com on Sunday evening.

He wasn’t my first choice to replace Jerry Manuel, but I’ll support him and trust that Sandy Alderson and Co. have made the right decision.

Now the Mets have a manager for the 2011 season, there’s work to be done and Collins will have a busy offseason.

Some things will take time, such as learning how to deal with the media. Others might be a little simpler, like immediately moving Carlos Beltran to right field. Whatever happens, let’s hope Collins has a successful first year, because 2012 is when the Mets could really come into their own when payroll dead weight is slashed.

Fans, both before and after his two-year hire, have had things to say on the state of the club. James Stewart-Meudt said fans should just let events run their course as they play a “sit and wait” game. Sammy Makki has written a great article on what to expect next season and featured columnist Robert Knapel has posted a piece about why Collins was the wrong man for the job. Jim Mancari has also written an article about ways the Mets can look to improve.

Still, he’s here and he will be introduced to the media over the next day or two. Here are 10 things Collins needs to sort out as soon as possible.

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