Kuzul

There is only one person that can keep Cliff Lee as a member of the Texas Rangers. That is the team President and former pitcher, Nolan Ryan.

The Texas Rangers are in a position to (and certainly will) make Lee an attractive offer. But they aren’t in a position to outbid the high budget Yankees. So if it’s just a matter of current money, Lee heads Northeast (if not to New York, then to say, Boston or Philadelphia).

But there is one consideration where Texas can trump the other teams. That is what I call “A.B.,” or After Baseball.

Too many baseball, and sports players generally, take their golden years of stardom for granted, and don’t give much thought to what their careers, or lives, will be like, after they’ve left the sport.

After Ryan stopped pitching, he became an owner of minor league feeder teams (to the Houston Astros), then an Assistant General Manager, before becoming the President of the Texas Rangers. So baseball has remained a part of his life, except in managerial, rather than player, roles. “Management” is an option for Lee as well. 

So Ryan is uniquely positioned to make Lee the following long-term offer: “Wouldn’t you like to be me someday after I retire?”

It would, of course, require that Lee play several years for the Rangers, hopefully leading them to more World Series, including a victory. But Texas now has the stuff to be a contender without Lee, and could be a winner with Lee (e.g., if Lee had won his two games, allowing Colby Lewis a shot in Game 7).

The New York Yankees are a family organization, which is to say that unless you are one of two brothers named Steinbrenner, “team president” isn’t likely to be in your future. On a team of stars, even a “homegrown” Yankee might have trouble making his mark, “A.B.,” never mind an outsider. Derek Jeter is reportedly getting antsy over his future role, which would involve transitioning OFF the team.

On the other hand, the Texas Rangers is a new team, one that “transplants” well. (Nolan Ryan was such as transplant.) As an Arkansan and a fellow southerner, Lee would be a natural transplant.

At age 32, Cliff Lee is at a crossroads, with an enviable set of choices. Hopefully for him, and for Texas, an appeal will be made to his long—and not just short-term interests, and that he heeds that appeal.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For what feels like the 10th time of the decade, Andy Pettitte will once again enter the free agent market. At 38 and quickly approaching 39, Pettitte is the gold standard of wizened pro baseball players, still enjoying much success. Pettitte finished the 2010 season 11-3 with a 1.20 WHIP, not too shabby for a 38 year old. But it is in the postseason where Pettitte has earned a reputation, winning a record 19 games.

The 2010 postseason saw a continuation of Pettitte’s dominance, providing the Yankees with several quality starts, which went for naught as the squad collapsed against a superior Texas Rangers squad.

Pettite is a free agent again, and though he is 38, he still has the numbers to warrant yet another massive payday. And he probably will get one, most likely from the Yankees who will be able and willing to overpay for the dominant starter’s services yet again. And when Andy Pettitte does sign his new contract with the New York Yankees, and when Andy Pettitte is yet again dominant in both the regular and postseason, every baseball fan with a brain should raise their eyebrows.

Why should fans question Pettitte’s sustained efficiency? Because Andy Pettitte is a cheater.

In December of 2007, Andy Pettitte was named on the Mitchell Report. Less than 48 hours after being listed by Senator Mitchell, Pettitte released a statement hoping to rectify his image and sway Americans away from their bias against cheating baseball players.

Pettitte’s release said: “In 2002 I was injured. I had heard that human growth hormone could promote faster healing for my elbow…I felt an obligation to get back to my team as soon as possible…I was looking to heal.”

Despite admitting to being a cheater, Pettitte was quickly embraced by the American media and public for his decision to come clean. Despite being a cheater, Pettitte managed to completely avert the continued criticism and skepticism that plagued other dominant superstars of the era, such as Barry Bonds.

In July of 2010, Andy Pettite strained a groin, causing him to miss two months. Pettitte came back in late September, pitching a masterful and complete six innings in his return, allowing just one run.

All of baseball bought it—Pettite was back, firing on all cylinders, and October, where Pettitte had always made his name, was two weeks away. Pettitte made two postseasons starts, allowing four runs in 14 innings pitched, with baseball fan’s everywhere drooling at the continued success of Ageless Andy, baseball’s best drug free 38 year old ever.

But lets be serious here, why on earth would we give Ageless Andy the benefit of the doubt? He is an admitted cheater, having confessed in a statement released by himself to receiving HGH injections to recover from an injury. Pettitte admitted he cheated when he was 30, in the prime of his physical fitness, to recover from an injury. Why should baseball fans believe that this same cheater, eight years later and older, would now refrain from cheating?

Andy Pettitte was 38 with a groin injury. HGH is a supplement that could definitely help a baseball player recover from an injury, as Pettitte witnessed when he cheated while on the DL in 2002. What would prevent Pettitte from turning to a PED again in 2010? Certainly his body would require this drug supplement much more than it did when he was at his athletic peak.

Why would Pettitte not take a PED in 2010? He had all the same incentives as in 2002 (remember Ageless Andy was in a contract season this year) and was once again on the DL.

Pettitte already cheated once, why should baseball fans expect him not to cheat twice?

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The MLB season is over and the offseason has officially begun. Some teams will look to improve, while others simply hope to keep the talent they have.

Many player will be on the move this offseason, perhaps a Hall of Fame shortstop, a notable pitching ace, or maybe one of the league’s best sluggers.

Regardless, always remember that these are bold predictions, and in honor of the title that they shall be.

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The 2010 postseason was one of the better of recent memory. There was dominant pitching, unsung heroes hitting three-run blasts, and teams that either had never played in October—like the Texas Rangers—or hadn’t sniffed the playoffs in a long time, like the World Champion San Francisco Giants.

I followed the Giants throughout the year, but my fandom turned religious after game 162 of the regular season. Now, while I put a Edgar Renteria jersey on my Christmas list along with  “Fear the Beard” and “Let Timmy Smoke” shirts, I wait for the chips to fall in free-agency.

The baseball season is over, which means the off-season has begun.

There is a tremendous amount of talent at the top of this year’s free-agency class. The list is headed by Cliff Lee, who is coming off a disappointing showing in the World Series. Despite his inability to defeat Tim Lincecum, the 31-year old left hander will command a multi-year contract worth $100 million and many teams will be willing to answer his request.

Who will be after him? The Rangers, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Washington Nationals, and others with money to spend will be bidding.

Texas, bankrupt earlier this year, had to borrow over $400 million from Major League Baseball. Then a group headed by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan took over the team from Tom Hicks, and all of the sudden they have the financial flexibility to give Lee whatever they desire. They intend to be aggressive with their asking price, because the know they wouldn’t have been in the World Series without him.

The Cardinals could be a dark horse in the bidding for the superstar. After missing out on the playoffs, they are sure to be aggressive and have the cash to throw at Lee. They have enough to lock him up and slugger Albert Pujols long-term.  

Signing Lee would form a three-headed monster atop their rotation, along with Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.  Their immediate insertion into playoff contention would give Pujols great incentive to re-sign. It’s just a matter if they want to put all their investment into two players.

Combined with the contract previously given to outfielder Matt Holliday, three players would be under control for an approximate total of $380 million.

I believe they will ultimately back off, considering handing out such lucrative contracts to both Lee and Pujols could hamstring the team financially over the long-haul.

A team that has, and will continue to, shell out nine-figures is the vaunted Yankees.

With the most money in a huge market and being World Series contenders year in and out, signing Lee is a reality for the Bronx Bombers. He could sign there tomorrow if he wanted to, but has to be comfortable with huge demands from the bosses and New York City media.  

His wife had a terrible experience with the fans at Yankees Stadium. She bashed them in the media, accusing them of spitting on her and spewing profanities. Not the way to make New York attractive to Lee.

That said, Lee has such a cool, calm, and collected persona, that he would thrive with the Yankees.

But I don’t believe he will end up there.

Many experts do, and I’m sure some MLB executives and General Managers do too.

But he enjoyed being a Ranger. His presence in the clubhouse and on the field was tremendous. He was repeatedly praised by their organization.

The team could give him what he’s worth.

And, which could be the deciding factor, he would only have to pay $2.25 million in taxes in Texas compared to $11 to $15 million in New York.

Taking all of this into account, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him with Texas long-term.

In fact, I would be shocked and disappointed if he wasn’t.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

MLB Rumors: The most burning question of the offseason is…?

Well there are plenty. And they affect plenty of teams in both leagues, and at just about every position.

There’s a lot of uncertainty heading into the next MLB season, and the “Final Four” of the 2010 season—San Francisco, Texas, Philadelphia and the New York Yankees—are the most at risk.

Inside we rank the top 10 questions heading into the 2011 season.

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Over the years, October has been the time of the year for which baseball fans yearn. The drama and thrill of postseason baseball is among the greatest shows in American sports. Legacies are sculpted in October, players are immortalized and teams written in stone.

Great hitters such as Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson (and 25 other Yankees) have wowed with the wood, while others, such as Ozzie Smith, have put on sudden, clutch power displays.

Infamy has stalked many a postseason athlete, whether it be a blown save or a late-game error. Managers have been exulted or scorned for brilliant lineup and pitching decisions or boneheaded moves (ahem, Dusty Baker).

However, nothing quite garners respect like dominant postseason pitching. While hitters can be clutch, this is still a pitcher’s game, and dominant pitchers can literally define an entire postseason through their own efforts.

It is here that we will count down the top 15 single postseason performances by the great hurlers through the years, documenting their brilliance.

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For those of us who are huge baseball fans and enthusiasts, this is our favorite time of the year, especially those of us whose season came to an end over a month ago.

Free agency, trades, the general manager meetings and the winter meetings. All things where we fans salivate and we check every single, solitary, baseball website we can get our beady little eyes on.

There will be rumors from here until teams start to report to their respective spring training camps in Florida and Arizona.

The teams we root for will begin to take shape and we’ll watch and hope the players we want are interested in coming to our town.

Until then, we wait and we get ready for what could be the most interesting offseason in a long time.

But that’s why we love this time of year.

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Baseball is the only sport, in my opinion, where the season lasts 365 days a year. Major League Baseball’s offseason is unlike any other.

The “Hot Stove” is always cooking something.

Nothing like going to bed with a rumor and waking up to a new player on your team.

Teams can officially start negotiating with free agents come 12:01 Sunday morning. Teams that are likely to spend are, of course, the New York Yankees, who are looking to get younger and get back to the Fall Classic.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are looking to have a bounce back year and regain their AL West crown.

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Despite a disappointing ending, 2010 was a fantastic year for the Texas Rangers; they won the AL West, and captured their first AL pennant in team history.

However, if the Rangers want to rebound and make it back to the Fall Classic in 2011, there are a few things they have to address.

Like every team, the Rangers have questions at a few positions that must be answered during the off season.

These 10 moves could help bring the rangers back to post season success.

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The Tigers did pretty much as expected in 2010. Maybe not the way it was expected or with the intangibles (*cough* UMPIRES *cough*). 

Looking ahead to 2011, it is very promising. Millions and millions of dollars are being freed up and we could have a lot of fun these coming months.

This is a preview of the 2011 Offseason tied in with my prediction for it. The format will go as follows…

Page 1: Introduction

Page 2: Payroll Check

Pages 3 – 13: A look at each position and it’s 2011 preview

Page 14: Payroll Check

Pages 15 – 20: Free Agent and Trade possibilities for each position of need

Page 21: 2011 Offseason Predictions and Explanations

Page 22: 2011 Opening Day Predictions

Page 23: Final Payroll Check

Page 24: Conclusion

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