The 2010 World Series begins today between the Rangers and Giants, but this also signals the end of the 2010 MLB season and a start to the 2010-2011 offseason.
There are many notable free agents this offseason. Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Paul Konerko, Victor Martiniez, you name it! Here are my picks for the offseason.
With the New York Yankees officially eliminated from postseason play, it’s time to take a look at some of the moves they will make in the offseason.
One of the potential moves that has been swirling around the rumor mill here in New York is that the Yankees may look to trade Nick Swisher.
The thought process here is that the Yankees would trade Swisher in order to sign either Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford, who are both free agents. It makes sense, as I would rather have either Werth or Crawford over Swisher any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
If the Yankees were to trade Swisher, there are sure to be some suitors. Let’s take a look at the pros, the cons and which teams would be interested in the former Ohio State Buckeye.
Pros
Statistics aside, Swisher is a great addition to any clubhouse. He is a classic glue guy, and when you hear teammates talk about Swisher in interviews, they can’t say enough about how Swisher brings a positive vibe to the team.
Now on to the statistics.
If a GM is a fan of Moneyball, then Swisher is his guy. Swisher is a base on balls machine, and has finished in the top six in walks four of the past five seasons.
Swisher also has very good power. He has hit 20-plus HRs in each of his first six full seasons in the major leagues.
For those of you who think Swisher’s revival in a Yankee uniform is a product of Yankee Stadium, it’s not. Swisher played in 75 games each home and away and hit .287/.356/.498 with 15 HRs at home and .290/.363/.524 with 14 HRs on the road.
Swisher has one year and $9 million remaining on his contract with a $10.25 million club option for 2012. For the Yankees, that’s like having a guy on the team making the league minimum, but for any other team, it’s a fair contract.
He has earned $15.75 million over the last two years, and according to FanGraphs he has been around $31 million worth of value to the Yankees over that time period.
His deal is not the most team-friendly in the league, but it’s not an albatross either.
Cons
The 2010 season marked a change in Swisher’s overall approach at the plate. He saw a seven percent drop in his BB percentage from 2009 (16 to 9.1), but in turn he saw his batting average increase by almost 40 points from 2009 (.249 to .288).
However, while his batting average increase may look impressive at first, Swisher was aided by an almost unsustainable .335 BABIP.
So if you think about it, if Swisher isn’t walking as much and chances are he won’t be as lucky in 2011 as he was in 2010, then you are looking at a player that will resemble his first full year with the Oakland A’s (.236/.322/.446) more than the player with the Yankees the last two years.
One of the main reasons the Yankees have been rumored to have soured on Swisher is because of his poor postseason play. For the second year in a row, Swisher was dreadful in the postseason, and for his career he is a .162 hitter over 33 playoff games. Numbers like that don’t cut the mustard in Yankee land.
Lastly, Swisher is a terrible defensive player. Having watched him over the past two seasons on a regular basis, most fly balls to right are an adventure.
Swisher is leaning towards being a DH, but a good team can get away with putting him at right or first for a full season.
Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of the soon to be 30-year-old, let’s take a look at who might be interested in Swisher this offseason…
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers have plenty of holes to fill and plenty of money to spend. The Tigers will not pick up Magglio Ordonez‘s $15 million option in 2011, and if Detroit and Ordonez can’t agree on a way to bring him back, Swisher could be an alternative in right.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Hideki Matsui is a free agent, and if the Angels decide not to bring him back, Swisher could be an option at DH. The Angels could also decide to put Bobby Abreu at DH and move Swisher to left field.
Seattle Mariners
I don’t see the Mariners picking up the $9 million on Swisher’s contract, but the Mariners are really desperate for offense and can use all the help they can get. They could use Swisher at first base as a stopgap until Justin Smoak is ready for prime time, or as a replacement for Milton Bradley at the DH spot if the Mariners decide not to keep him around.
Atlanta Braves
The Braves recently cut former Yankee Melky Cabrera, so perhaps they want to try their hand at Swisher. The Braves need outfield help, and Swisher could fill a hole in left field.
Troy Glaus and Derrek Lee are both free agents, and if the Braves feel Freddie Freeman isn’t ready yet, they could look at Swisher for first base in 2011.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs probably need to unload salaries, not take them on, but they really don’t have a first baseman or right fielder at this point, and Swisher, a Midwest guy, wouldn’t be a bad choice to fill either of those holes.
Kosuke Fukudome isn’t the answer in right, and Xavier Nady isn’t the answer at first. Tyler Colvin could be the answer at first but has never done so at the professional level.
San Diego Padres
The Padres had one of the worst-hitting outfields in baseball in 2010. In 2011, the Padres will have Ryan Ludwick in right and will need a better option in left than Will Venable or Scott Hairston. Swisher could be that guy.
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Every year, members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America fulfill their duties by voting for the Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards. And every year, they find new ways to screw up.
Remember when Justin Morneau was named AL MVP in 2006? Or when Bartolo Colon took home the AL Cy Young in 2005? Just last year, a majority of voters chose Adam Wainwright over one or both of Chris Carpenter and Tim Lincecum for the NL Cy Young, therefore implicitly declaring that wins are somehow the most important pitching statistic.
When managers and coaches vote, things get even worse. What possible justification could there be for Torii Hunter being named a Silver Slugger and Derek Jeter taking home a Gold Glove after last season? Then there’s the Rolaids Relief Man Award, which is given out based solely on wins, losses and saves.
Everyone has an opinion, and everyone thinks he could do a better job. But talk is cheap, and saying you could do better is very different from actually doing better.
So Bleacher Report’s Featured Columnists decided to put our money where our collective mouth is. During the last week of the regular season, 33 FCs submitted their picks for Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, Comeback Players of the Year, Relief Men of the Year, Rookies of the Year, Managers of the Year, Cy Youngs and Most Valuable Players in at least one of the two leagues.
This slideshow, showcasing the winners of our AL Gold Glove vote, will be the first of a four-week, 16-part series featuring 110 players and managers. So read on, see how we did, and be sure to let us know what we got wrong.
I recently looked into who will be available in this year’s free agent class. There are many big names, but these names will likely come with expensive price tags. Additionally, many of these big name players are not so young anymore.
Whoever is in charge of making the decisions in Queens (which according to Jeff Wilpon we will find out shortly!), it might be a wise strategy to avoid these big-name free agents and either improve the team via trade or letting the young players develop.
Here are only some of the big-name free agents available and how the Mets should approach them this offseason.
Cliff Lee
Of all the free agents out there, Lee is the golden goose. His numbers don’t lie. This guy is at the top of his game and has proven he can be clutch in the postseason. Lee will likely get upwards of a six-year deal worth well over the $100 million mark.
As much as I and other Met fans would like to see Lee in Flushing, let’s be honest. It’s not going to happen.
Carl Crawford
Of the players available right now, no other player would more help the Mets win immediately than Carl Crawford. Crawford can do it all: hit for average, a little power, field, throw and boy can the man run.
He would be an ideal fit for Citi Field. Imagine a healthy Jose Reyes, Angel Pagan and Crawford (in no particular order) atop the Mets lineup. They would be deadly on the bases. Jason Bay would have to shift to RF if the Mets signed Crawford (don’t know how that would work out).
However, Mets fans, this seems like another deal that’s not going to happen. Crawford is about to cash in big like Lee, and the Amazins really aren’t in any position to be adding huge chunks of payroll.
And with Carlos Beltran still in house, the only way the Mets would make a play for Crawford is if they trade Beltran (seeming more unlikely each day).
Adam Dunn
In my opinion, Adam Dunn is the most consistent player in the game today. Every year, he hits 40 HR, drives in 100 runs, walks 100 times and strikes out 150 times. He is a legitimate power threat and even Citi Field cannot contain him (remember that shot he hit to the bridge?).
Dunn however is a one dimensional player. He may be better off suited to a DH role in the AL. The only reason I mention Dunn as a possibility is if the Mets trade Ike Davis for a starting pitcher, which would leave a hole at first base. I’m not saying I think or even want the Mets to do this, but I figured I would list it as a possible option.
Manny Ramirez
Oh Manny. Manny, Manny, Manny. You’re 38 now, when did that happen? It seemed like only yesterday you were crushing balls over the Green Monster and even orchestrating a late season playoff push in LA.
And now you’re a free agent again. I wonder how many teams will come knocking. I hope one of them is absolutely NOT the Mets. If this was three years ago, I’d say go for it. The man proved he could still hit like a machine despite his age. However, now is not the time to be adding Manny.
We have enough headaches as it is. Thank you K-Rod!
Victor Martinez
Ever since he came up with Cleveland, I have envisioned V-Mart on the Mets. He has serviceable (but not fantastic) catching skills, but is a terrific contact hitter with plenty of pop. It looks like the Red Sox will try to retain him in any way possible.
I like Josh Thole. He’s not going to hit home runs like Mike Piazza used to, but he can be an offensive weapon. He sprays the ball well to all fields, and has good gap power. He will most likely hit seventh or eighth.
V-Mart would be a great addition, but it looks like another deal that won’t happen.
Carl Pavano
Something should be noted about the free-agent market for starting pitchers. A guy has ONE good year, and everyone is ready to throw big bucks at him. Some examples: Gil Meche (five years, $55 million contract with KC), another one, and of course Oliver Perez (three years, $36 million…sorry I just threw up a little).
Pavano has had two good years his whole career: 2003 with the Marlins that allowed him to cash in with the Yankees, and now 2010 with the Twins in which he won 17 games.
He is a solid back of the rotation option, but the Mets should stay away from him and his stache. Who needs his stache when we got Keith Hernandez?
Orlando Hudson
The O-dawg has openly expressed his interest in wanting to play for the Mets (that can’t exactly be said for many players). I have touched on this possible signing in the past. He may be a good option on a one-year deal, but with Ruben Tejada on the verge of becoming an everyday player (hopefully), I’m not sure if the Mets will pull the trigger on Hudson.
So there you have it, some free agents who are available this winter that will garner much attention from many teams. But the Mets might be better off sitting tight, maybe making a trade or two to improve and hope that they can field a competitive team.
I may have missed a few free agents this year who may be on the Mets radar. Please comment on who you think may be a good signing that I missed.
For the Mets, it will come down to patience and hope. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again.
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Free agency. It is what consumes GMs, owners, players and fans during baseball’s offseason.
This free agent market looks to rival that of 2008-09, when the New York Yankees went on a shopping spree scooping up CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, AJ Burnett and Nick Swisher.
Names like Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Jim Thorne, Derek Jeter, Josh Beckett, Mariano Rivera, Victor Martinez, Adam Dunn, Jayson Werth, Derrek Lee, Jorge De La Rosa, Brandon Webb and Javier Vazquez are all on the market.
Rivera and Jeter will stay in pinstripes, as they are the face of the Yankees and are vital elements to New York’s allure. Yankees ace Sabathia waived his opt-out clause to stay in New York through 2016.
Same story goes for Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett. Beckett is the leader of the Red Sox pitching staff, which has a lot of young talent that look up to Beckett, which means his recent back problems get over looked.
The same cannot be said for starting pitcher Javier Vazquez, whose second time around as a Yankee was even worse than the first. Neither side should want to continue this relationship because it has not benefited either. Vazquez will get offers; my guess would be mainly from National League teams.
As a Yankees fan, GM Brian Cashman first order of business should be to pick-up the option for Kerry Wood. Wood was the best pick up of the year by Cashman and he has electric stuff out of the bullpen, as well as a nice mentor to Joba Chamberlain whom the Yankees owe at least another season to straighten himself out.
Second priority, at least I hope, is that Cashman goes after Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth. Werth’s attitude, bat and personality are a perfect fit for the Yankees. Werth is a big-game clutch hitter, he can steal bases and would be a nice addition in the outfield next to Curtis Granderson.
A question remains about who would not start, Brett Gardner or Nick Swisher, if the Yankees did get Werth.
Swisher hits power, but Gardner is a pest with his legs as he is fast as hell on the basepaths. Both are known to draw long at-bats and have great eyes at the plate.
Swisher and Gardner sharing time would be a nice option for the Yankees manager to have at his disposal because Werth and Granderson will both start for the majority of the time.
Starting Pitcher Cliff Lee’s arm will be the 2010-11 offseason’s prize for sale. Everybody wants a piece of Lee because he is that good, but he is 32 years old and has suffered from back problems.
The Yankees don’t need another pitching arm of that caliber, but that is not why Lee won’t come to the Bronx. To be honest I don’t think Lee wants to be a Yankee. The Yankees need a bat like Werth to help the aging lineup and a four-man outfield of Swisher, Werth, Gardner and Granderson is solid.
I fully realize that Rays‘ Carl Crawford is a dynamite player and will be coveted by many teams. Crawford in pinstripes doesn’t work for me. Yes, Crawford’s numbers are ridiculously good, but he is young will cost more money and years than Werth. Plus, Brett Gardner is maturing and the Yankees would be dumb to let him go anywhere, just to load up on all-stars.
Another factor is how the new Yankees ownership of Hal and Hank Steinbrenner without “The Boss” in the background any longer with the final say. Let’s see how deep Mr. Steinbrenner’s sons’ pockets are in comparison to dad’s generosity.
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The aggressive pursuit of free agents by the New York Yankees has become the norm every offseason.
Now, with the Yankees on the brink of elimination, it’s time to start looking toward next year.
Before looking around the league for help, there are some pressing issues to attend to on the home front.
The Bronx Bombers need to decide what to do with aging pillars Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
Could two of the most polarizing Yankees ever really be allowed to walk?
Meanwhile, the Cliff Lee watch has already started with the lefty giving the Yanks a first-hand look at what he brings to the table.
Here’s a closer look at how free agency could shape up for the New York Yankees heading into 2011.
Sometimes when making an effort to rebuild a team, many general managers make the mistake of choosing the best player available on the market rather than addressing one particular area where the squad is weak.
Instead of paying millions for a superstar, then trying to find out how or where a certain player will mesh with the team, the good general managers will first break down the specific needs of the club and make a checklist, then when considering any new additions, they check to make sure that each prospective player meet the required criteria.
Such should be the case with the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason.
Many people, including Los Angeles General Manager Ned Colletti, continue to refer to the Dodgers’ “core” talent of players. There’s no question that a core of talent does indeed exist, but there are a few tweaks that are required and several areas that need to be addressed before the Dodgers can once again become contenders.
Seemingly, money will be the biggest question mark for Los Angeles when assembling a roster and preparing for next season. However, several experts, including Tony Jackson of ESPN Los Angeles, believe that owner Frank McCourt will do all that he can to push the team payroll up to the $100 million range.
After all, the Dodger fan faithful is the driving force of the franchise, and if the fans aren’t happy, then the seats aren’t filled at Dodger Stadium, and the team doesn’t generate dollars. Without question, after everything the McCourts have put the organization through, Frank should be on the ground kneeling to his own employees and the fans in an effort to assure them that he will do his best to put the Dodgers back on the right track.
This includes spending money on several high-quality big market players, and not your everyday 10-year veteran who is lurking in the bargain basement. Whether it be through free agency or trades, there isn’t any reason that Los Angeles shouldn’t at least improve from the 2010 season if careful moves are made.
Yet before even targeting a specific player, Colletti should make a list of specific needs, prioritize them, then decide which available players on the market fulfill the requirements he chose to list.
The following slides show five specific areas that Colletti should consider when putting together the Los Angeles Dodgers roster this winter.
The 2010 ALDS was probably one that I will say I hadn’t seen before for one reason alone. The home team didn’t win a single game the entire series.
Texas took the first two games in Tampa and the Rays repaid them by taking two in Texas to bring the series back to their home stadium for game five. They still couldn’t get it done as Texas took game five to move on to the ALCS.
It’s widely known that the Rays’ front office is planning on cutting payroll from this past year which means they will probably not re-sign a few of the free agents that are on their list.
Here are 10 things the Rays can do to get to the 2011 ALCS despite their lower payroll.
As a diehard Rays fan, last night’s Game 5 loss hurt especially hard. Yes, it was an elimination game that ended what I thought would be a season ending with the World Series coming to Tampa.
But it also means the likely end to 1B Carlos Pena, LF Carlos Crawford and closer Rafael Soriano.
Crawford—the heart and face of the franchise for the past nine seasons, will likely (and rightfully so) seek greener pastures next season. But contrary to popular belief, the Rays will be just fine come next season.
It is at this stage of the year when we see which GMs have done a great job of building a team. Unfortunately, the Mets are not one of those teams that are still in World Series contention. As a result of the fourth straight October without playoff baseball in Queens, Omar Minaya is gone and the Mets are searching for a new GM.
There was a youth movement on the field for the Mets this year and this should continue with the management. The Mets should look no further than 40-year-old Josh Byrnes. The former GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks was 29 when he was first hired as an assistant GM for the Colorado Rockies in 1999. Then, in 2001, Byrnes left the Rockies to work within the same capacity for the Red Sox under Theo Epstein. From 2005 to July 2010, Byrnes was the Diamondbacks GM.
With the size of the Mets payroll, it is not about how much money they spend. It is about what players they spend it on. Byrnes is the man who will be able to make the correct decisions.
Byrnes is known around the baseball community as a sabermetric “geek.” This is exactly what the Mets need. They need someone who can truly evaluate what players are overvalued and what players are undervalued. Byrnes most likely picked up his penchant for sabermetrics while working under Theo Epstein. Epstein even went as far as hiring famed sabermetrician Bill James to work for the Red Sox. Epstein’s deals and signings led the Red Sox to two World Series championships within five years.
Byrnes can do the same thing for the Mets. If Byrnes becomes the GM Mets fans should look forward to a few deals over the offseason and at least one big free-agent signing. Byrnes would likely be able to move Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez or John Maine.
Byrnes would also not be afraid to challenge the Wilpons to open up their checkbook for Cliff Lee. Lee’s 7.0 WAR led all pitchers this year. This is a stat that is loved by sabermetricians like Byrnes.
Carl Crawford, another potential free agent, posted a 6.8 WAR this season, ninth highest of all position players. Crawford could be a target to take over in center field if the Mets and their new GM are able to move Carlos Beltran in a deal for someone such as Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Josh Byrnes would represent the change that is so greatly needed in New York. He would once again bring the Mets back to prominence. His sabermetric approach would push the Mets back towards the top of the new age of baseball.
To read about the other possible GM candidates visit MetsGazette
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