Kuzul

For most teams coming off a disappointing season, it’s relatively simple to evaluate the current roster, take a look at the payroll budget, have the coaching staff gather and brainstorm, then come up with a new, enthusiastic game plan for the upcoming year.

But for the Los Angeles Dodgers, about the only thing certain is that new manager Don Mattingly will be running the show on the field for the Boys in Blue.

With the McCourt divorce seemingly an infinite monkey on their backs, the Dodgers are unsure of the payroll parameters for next year, and with more than a handful of gaps to fill in terms of player personnel, it’s difficult to guess the complexion of next season’s roster. 

Still, even before Los Angeles considers adding new players to the roster, Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti must agree upon a coaching staff who will help guide the squad in 2011.

The Dodgers still have a formidable core of players in which to build around, but Colletti had already stated that no job is safe and that Los Angeles could be in for a large roster shake-up heading into next season.

Several trades are possible, but with the decision in the divorce trial looming, Los Angeles may be forced to remain inactive at the winter meetings, unless some type of budget guidelines are established before a verdict is rendered.

As for the free agent market, the number of high quality starting pitchers is limited, but there are quite a few power bats available—one area the Dodgers must certainly address. With Manny Ramirez out of the picture, and Jason Schmidt, Orlando Hudson and Nomar Garciaparra finally off the deferred money list, there may be enough cash to go after a few big names.

The following slides show eight players who the Dodgers may take a look at in the offseason, and explain why each player may be a good fit for Los Angeles.

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With the 2010 postseason fast approaching, the MLB awards will be announced in the coming weeks. One thing baseball lacks, unlike the NFL and NBA, is that there is no All-MLB team announced. They simply hand out individual awards. Given the timing, I decided to make an all-playoff team that consists of nine players from teams still in contention that need to come up big for their team to advance in the playoffs.  These players have displayed not only excellent skills, but also that clutch gene, which so many great athletes possess. So let’s start it off with an obvious name…

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This offseason, Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford will be headlining this year’s free-agent class.  Both players will be demanding major contracts, and both players might end up in New York.

Well, Lee will be in the Bronx, but the verdict is still out on Crawford.

For teams that can ill-afford to get the “Big Fish,” they must look at other options—the second-tier players.  Guys that can still contribute, but will be affordable to acquire. 

With the start of the offseason just five days away for the teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs, here are the 10 best “Buy Low” Candidates for this offseason.

You will not agree with all of my selections.  You will mention guys that I left off.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but this one is mine.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Let’s play ball. 

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The Philadelphia Phillies are the hottest playoff team in baseball right now, sporting the MLB’s best record at 94-63. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games and recently had an 11-game winning streak. They are playing outstanding baseball and look to be in postseason form, and have also clinched their fourth consecutive NL East title.

With the Phillies playing this well, can they be stopped? They have been to the past two World Series, and won it all in 2008. It will take a lot for a team to stop the Phillies once the postseason starts.

The Phillies look like they will coast through the playoffs to another World Series. It is very possible that the World Series will be their first true challenge. With that being the case, lets look at 10 reasons the Tampa Bay Rays currently are the biggest threat to the Phillies.

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The Boston Red Sox are for all intents and purposes finished with their 2010 season. It has been a long and tough campaign which saw them virtually eliminated by their own inability to stay on the field.

Too many key injuries will derail any team let alone a team faced with a game of musical chairs with Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.

The Red Sox still retain a solid core of players and with the chance that Tampa Bay may not be able to afford some its talent with expiring contracts, those Red Sox fans already moving onto the 2011 season have a few reasons to smile.

With that said this is a team that needs a few serious improvements and here are the top five changes that need to be made in order to both make the playoffs and contend for a World Series in 2011.

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have gone through a season in which could best be described as abysmal. Missing the playoffs for the first time since 2006, they will be embarking on a sport in October that has been unfamiliar to them: golf.

The Angels will be celebrating their 50th birthday next season, and owner Arte Moreno and general manager Tony Reagins will undoubtedly be looking to put together a team in 2011 that will showcase their year-long celebration.

The 2011 MLB free agent class is certainly an option in which Moreno and Reagins will explore and invest in. Although the class itself may not be one of the better free agent classes in recent history, there are names on that list that will generate much interest among many teams, including the Halos.

As mentioned in a previous article, the Angels will have money to spend in the upcoming offseason. Between trades and expiring contracts of players who most likely will not be returning, the Halos will have approximately $25.5 million with which to play with.

Two of the biggest names in free agency that will generate a great amount of interest are Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cliff Lee and Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Jayson Werth.

While both players clearly have their upsides and have contributed mightily to the success of their current teams, there are other options available in which Reagins and the Angels could, and should, explore.

Here are ten reasons why the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim should pass on the temptation of signing either Cliff Lee or Jayson Werth, and utilize the money for options that will best serve their needs in 2011.

Looking for more great Angels coverage? Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

You can also follow Doug’s featured articles at Green Celebrity Network.

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The Chicago Cubs will be among four teams most eager to sign free agent-to-be Carl Crawford this offseason, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney (via Twitter).

If true, this is a stunning development for a team with a bloated payroll to which owner Tom Ricketts has thus far seemed unwilling to add substantial amounts.

Crawford is certainly the winter’s big catch: He has speed beyond anything seen in Chicago since the failed Juan Pierre experiment of 2006 and plays his position (left field) better than anyone since Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Crawford has also put together his best all-around offensive season in 2010, batting .306/.358/.492 with 16 home runs.

There is no question, then, why GM Jim Hendry and the Cubs would have interest in Crawford. Even with their crowded outfield, Crawford would be a huge addition both in the field and at the top of the lineup.

However, there is ample reason to believe that Crawford and the Cubs are no match.

First of all, the team’s finances could stand in the way. Crawford should command at least $75 million on a four-year deal, and given the level of interest, both figures could be higher.

The Cubs already have Alfonso Soriano (to be discussed more very soon), Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez, Ryan Dempster, and Kosuke Fukudome on the books for over $14 million each in 2011, and big raises are due to Geovany Soto, Carlos Marmol, and Sean Marshall. Unless Ricketts is willing to allow the team to spend in excess of $143 million again next season, the budget may not be big enough for Crawford.

Even if the team can find room on its books for Crawford, they would have a troublesome logjam in the outfield. Marlon Byrd has presumably played well enough to keep his place in center field, and Crawford is unlikely to want to switch out of his comfortable domain in left field anyway. To make way for him, then, the team would need to move Soriano to first base, where there is no apparent incumbent.

This idea isn’t altogether unpalatable: Soriano’s fielding has improved on the order of leaps and bounds since 2009, but he remains an unsteady fielder in left and has the lithe build of a first baseman. His rejuvenation at the plate in 2010 (after a miserable 2009) makes the thought even more plausible.

Still, it seems unlikely that the Cubs are ready to add Crawford and risk moving their worst defensive player to a more prominent spot on the diamond. Crawford will probably get better offers elsewhere, and thus the point may be moot. If the Cubs can afford and accommodate the four-time All Star, however, it may make for a fast track back to prominence in the NL Central.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The rain knocked A.J. Burnett out of the game and the Yankees B-squad bullpen let them down as they lost at home 7-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays to drop to just 1.5 games up in first place.

Here are some highlights:

• Because of the rain, Burnett pitched just three innings and allowed only one run and got credit for the loss.
• The Yankees were fortunate that the rain knocked Wade Davis out of the game after he held them hitless over 2.1 innings, but they couldn’t take advantage it though as they scored just 2 runs in 6.2 innings off the bullpen.
• Derek Jeter and Lance Berkman lead the offense with 2 hits apiece. Berkman hit his 1st homer as a Yankee.
• The Yankees came within one-run of the lead twice, when it was 2-1 in the fifth and then when it was 3-2 in the sixth.
• David Robertson was unavailable last night because of back pains. MRI’s came back negative.
• Joe Girardi loves Chad Gaudin and Gaudin cost the Yankees yet again as he allowed back-to-back home runs to Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria in the seventh. The Yankees were trailing 3-2 at that point.

This is a game where the Yankees probably could have won, but Girardi went to the B-squad relievers in order to avoid burning out the big guys he’s going to have to lean on in the playoffs. It’s hard to watch these games, but it’s hard to argue with that tactic since it appears the Yankees will easily make the playoffs.

Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot is down to three. They can clinch as early as tomorrow against the Red Sox.

Related Stories

• August 30, 2010 — Yankees: Worst Rotation, Best Bullpen Last 30 Days
• September 12, 2010 — Yet Another Walk-Off
• August 30, 2010 — Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Burnett, Berkman, and Matchups
• August 28, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Burnett, Pettitte, Aceves, Berkman, and Nova

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There is a saying that bad news doesn’t get better with time. However, announcing plans to cut payroll while your team is in the middle of a division race can’t be a good idea.

That’s exactly what Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg did when he announced that even if the Rays win the World Series payroll will be cut in 2011. The current estimate is that the Rays will cut this year’s $72 million payroll by $15-20 million.

Prior to Tuesday’s game Sternberg said,  “Unfortunately there’s nothing that can happen between now and April that can change that unless Joe Maddon hits the lottery and wants to donate it, or I hit the lottery.”

This is the reality of having one of the best teams on the field coupled with one of the worst attendances. The Rays have done everything to try to boost attendance and revenue including hosting postgame concerts on Saturday’s in the summer. There were even empty seats when the Yankees and Red Sox recently played in Tropicana Field.

With the upcoming reduction in payroll the Rays will be fielding an even younger team. The starting lineup this season has an average age of 26 years old.

Here are four Rays rookies that will be critical in the franchise’s future.

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Most years, when it comes time to select the MVP of each league, there is one standout candidate. Almost no one raised any dispute to the selections of Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols as the most valuable players of their respective leagues in 2009, and Pujols was similarly incontrovertible as the NL MVP in 2008.

In the American League this season, the super-stud is Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Hamilton has missed time with injury, but belted 31 home runs and posted a .361/.414/.635 line through Sunday’s action.

But what if Hamilton were less dominant? Better yet, what if (and it isn’t a stretch to suggest it) the voters don’t recognize his many dimensions of voluminous value? Who would win? Who WILL win?

If the answer isn’t Hamilton, then justice will not have been served, Still, it can’t hurt to dream a little bit. Here are the best cases to be made for four American League maulers who have garnered less fanfare than Hamilton, and an argument for the man himself.

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