Kuzul

The MLB hot stove has officially begun to warm up.

Perhaps the most exciting time in the entire year for diehard fans and the most stressful for those working in front offices, the free-agent frenzy has great influence on the next season and beyond.

With SP Cliff Lee undoubtedly the biggest prize on the market, teams will be looking to make franchise-shaping moves in the coming weeks. While some teams may have more financial resources than others, sometimes avoiding dishing out the lucrative multi-year deal can be a better investment than reeling in a big-name bust like the Mets did with Jason Bay last season.

1. Cliff Lee, SP

As aforementioned, Lee will be top dog of the group. Expecting to command a contract that is very similar to the one CC Sabathia signed with the Yankees (seven years, $161 million), Lee’s demands could far exceed just about every team’s payroll except for one.

You guessed it, the Yankees.

While Lee’s wife has stated that she loves the time they spent in Texas, the re-invented lefty is 32 years old, and this will be his only chance to cash in on the big bucks. If the Yankees come knocking with an offer that trumps every other team’s, it’s hard to imagine him saying no.

Prediction: New York Yankees

2. Carl Crawford, OF

The closest thing to a five-tool player in the entire bunch, Crawford’s unique skill set should prove to be worth over $100 million to his new club. An original member of the Tampa Bay club, the only team he has ever known, will let him walk out the door.

While some have speculated that the Red Sox could possibly make a run, perhaps Crawford’s tenure in the AL East has led him to be somewhat calloused toward the rest of the clubs. Additionally, the Sox do not hand out long-term deals too readily, and have to worry about far too many other spots (catcher, namely) to think about throwing the big bucks at the other CC.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

3. Jayson Werth, OF

Agent Scott Boras is doing his best to sell Werth as this year’s version of Matt Holliday, but he’s going to have a tough time on that one. The Phillies took a chance on Werth prior to the 2008 season, and the bearded beast has provided a phenomenal return on investment.

There is somewhat of a hesitancy to shell out a large contract to Werth, who really didn’t do much in his career prior to his tenure in Philadelphia, but someone is certain to overpay. While Werth is certainly a talented player, his home ballpark (Citizens Bank) is considered a bandbox, and his power numbers may fall off with his new team…unless he lands back in the division where his career began.

Prediction: Boston Red Sox

4. Adrian Beltre, 3B

Notorious for performing best in the walk years of his contract, Beltre’s one-year “pillow” contract with the Red Sox couldn’t have worked out better for both sides. Unfortunately for the Sox, the third baseman most likely priced himself off of the payroll with his very good 2010 season.

An excellent defender, Beltre’s offensive statistics were his best since his 2004 farewell season with the Dodgers. Now 31 years old, the veteran will be looking for a very hefty four or five-year contract that will pay him between $15-20 million per season, and only teams with money to spend can dole out that kind of dough.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

5. Derek Jeter, SS

The stickiest contract of the entire offseason, Jeter will certainly take his sweet time in negotiating with the Yankees. With no other team expected to even call the career Bronx Bomber, both sides are going to have to get creative to satisfy one another.

While his numbers don’t justify much more than $7-$8 million per season, Jeter’s worth to the team extends far beyond what he does on the baseball field. The 27-time world champions will have to tie in personal benefits galore, lots of incentives and other crafty methods to ensure that the deal gets done, but in the end it’s doubtful to think that these two would divorce from one another.

Prediction: New York Yankees

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As of Sunday, Major League Baseball’s free agent market is open for business.  The most coveted member of this year’s free agent class is Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Rays (for now).  It is believed he could command over $20 million a year in the open market.  

Stories are already circulating about how the big market GMs are swarming like vultures around Crawford, Cliff Lee, Jayson Werth, Rafael Soriano and the other prized free agents of 2010.  It is surely only a matter of time now until all of these talents put pen to paper and sign with the richest clubs in baseball.

As a Rays fan, this is the moment that I have feared for years.  It’s the most frequent taunt a fan of a small market team receives:

“________ (your star player) will look great in pinstripes one day.”

Maybe its a testament to the organization’s lack of great players through the majority of its history, but this scenario had fortunately not played itself out previously.  The closest thing to losing one of the team’s stars to a bigger market team was the trade of Scott Kazmir to the Los Angeles Angels in 2009.   Kazmir, up to that point in time had been regarded as the premier pitcher in franchise history.  However, the trade to dump Kazmir’s large salary and acquire highly-regarded prospect Sean Rodriguez is now viewed as an overwhelming victory, as Kazmir had struggled in 2008 and 2009 with the Rays and has continued to struggle during his tenure with the Angels.

Whether its pinstripes, Red Sox white and red, or the colors of the Los Angeles Angels, it is virtually certain that Crawford is going to be wearing another uniform next year. And for the fans of the Rays, it’s going to sting.  Badly.  

Rays fans have grown to love Crawford.  For my money, he’s the most exciting player in baseball.   Nobody else in the game is as electric on the base path as he is, and nobody plays left field like him.   He is a tireless worker and has continually improved every single year as a hitter.   We have watched him make the transition from a leadoff man to a run producer and from a young, quiet kid into a respected clubhouse leader.

Crawford has been the most meaningful player in Rays history.  He is the Rays all-time leader in games played as well as its leader in 15 other offensive categories.

Before the Rays first achieved success in 2008, he was a shining star on some very bad teams.  From 2002 (Crawford’s first season) through 2007, the team finished in last place every year but one (fourth place finish in 2004).  Despite his status as one of the game’s emerging stars and being elected to the All-Star team in 2004, Crawford was excited to sign a long-term deal with the Rays in 2005.  It kept him under club control through 2010.

Since resigning Crawford, he has been everything the Rays hoped for and much more. He has made three more all-star teams, been MVP of one, and was awarded his first gold glove on Tuesday.  

He just turned 29 in August and is already closing in on 1500 hits.  Just entering his prime, Crawford is well on pace to reach 3000 hits, one of the few remaining rites of passage into the Hall of Fame.

As the face of a small market franchise that has been bullied by the Yankees and Red Sox on an unfair playing field for nearly a decade now, it’s hard to imagine that Crawford would join either of these division rivals.  Then again, I will never in my lifetime truly understand the difference between making $10 million a year and $20 million a year.  I usually don’t like it when fans condemn athletes for getting raises.  It’s all relative, and who can say that they wouldn’t go work for their worst enemy if they are willing to double your salary.

I’m watching with my fingers crossed that Crawford will end up in an Angels jersey, or a Dodgers one, or in one of any big market team less repulsive than the Yankees or Red Sox.  I will always cheer for him and be happy for his accomplishments.  But I really don’t want to watch him scorch the Rays on the field 18 times a year and hear some loudmouth Yankees or Sox fan gloat as if they have done absolutely anything to deserve him.

Losing your best players is a sad reality that all fans of small market clubs live with.   And it will be one that the Rays will face again in coming years with David Price, Evan Longoria, and many other members of their talented, young roster.

This is the most devastating loss in Rays history, and Carl Crawford will be sorely missed.  We will miss him next year when tough balls that he would have caught routinely will fall into the gap and bounce to the wall for doubles and triples.  We will miss him when he has his first 25-30 home run season….for somebody else.

However, none of this can take away the appreciation and gratitude Rays fans have for Crawford’s 12 years of service to the Rays organization.  He is the best player we’ve ever had.  

Thanks for the memories, Carl.  Just please, please go anywhere but Boston or New York.

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Recently, I wrote a column about Derek Jeter and the speculation about his contract status (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/510665-derek-jeter-the-ridiculous-stupid-clueless-speculation-continues).

I inflamed it to stir passion about the subject to see what people would think about Jeter and his value to the sport.

The response was about what I expected.

Derek Jeter is either one of the greatest to ever play the game or he is merely an overrated ballplayer that has been blessed from his exposure on a big market team like the New York Yankees enjoying their financial ability to surround him with players that help to elevate his game.

Some of the arguments were valid, some were not. However, all were polarizing.

Derek Jeter, the Yankees‘ cornerstone and current captain, is without contract and on the market. Nearly everyone that has at least one active brain cell expects the Yankees icon to re-sign with the only team he has ever played for.

However, the fact that Jeter is coming off a sub-par season and is currently 36 has many speculating on just how much the man is worth, how long his contract should be and what his true value is to the team and the game of baseball.

Now before I get into the guts of this story, let me be up front and honest about my affiliation. I am, and have been since 1976, a die-hard Yankees fan. To me, as a young boy playing third base in little league, Babe Ruth and eventually high school, Graig Nettles was the man. Once he retired, my allegiance moved to Don Mattingly and then inevitably towards where it now resides and has since 1995.

Jeter is my favorite current player. I fully admit that I am a Derek Jeter fan but as with everything I do, I try to be realistic and objective, even when involving my beloved Yankees and all things Jeter.

With that being said, I invite you, the reader, on a journey with me as I try to take an honest look at Jeter’s career to determine what he is worth, how long his next contract should vs. what it probably will be and how history will treat him when he finally calls it a day.

Jeter Contractually

What will he get? What does he deserve? What will he ask for? Blah, Blah, Blah…

In one camp you have the Jeterholics, the die-hard fans of the Yankee Captain. They believe Jeter should be given the stars and the moon for his loyalty to the organization, his obvious (to them) future Hall of Fame induction, work ethic, penchant for being at the right place at the right time, and offensive numbers. Not to mention that they believe he has led the Yankees to five World Series Titles (some think he did it all by himself) so far, during his tenure.

Some of these fans believe that Jeter should be given whatever he wants, a blank check if you will.

Others in this group think that he should be given $20 million per year with a lifetime services contract while a few others believe that Jeter should be kept in pinstripes at whatever cost so that he can break the all time hit record currently held by Pete Rose. Jeterholics believe that the Yankees would never have won 5 titles without his services and will be hard pressed to win in the future without them either and therefore the Yankees should do whatever it takes, whatever it costs, to keep DJ in pinstripes.

Crikey!

Then you have Jeter’s detractors. I call them Jeterbeaters. Many in this group will state that Jeter is too old, washed-up, overrated defensively—some even go as far as to claim his is overrated offensively. They cite that he is by far the worst shortstop in the game and have tons of Sabermetrics stats to back them up…they even have the infamous Penn State Study, which claimed that Jeter was the worst fielding shortstop in the game between 2002-2005. In fact, they have it memorized.

Some in this group would love to see Jeter get a long term deal with millions and millions. Why? They believe it will ensure that the Yankees will have a black hole at short, thus hurting the team for years to come (that is an evil thought process but kind of hard to argue with).

Some simply believe that Jeter is nothing more than an average player whose game has been elevated by playing for the Yankees and what they can afford to surround him by. In other words, if Jeter played for the Royals, no one would be talking about the man.

So which group is right?

My conclusion on Jeter and his worth is discussed in the next few categories and will be revealed at the end of this column. In order to get to my conclusion, I will dissect Jeter’s career by looking at several factors and the perspectives, realistic or ridiculous, of both groups.

Jeter Defensively

Everyone has seen Jeter’s famous “The Flip” post season play, his two amazing foul ball catches (one memorably against the Red Sox), both of which saw him land in the stands. Jeter’s signature ground ball to the right, leap and throw play are seared into our minds. Jeter is one of the best double play pivot men in the game and he has great range towards the outfield on those bloopers that seem to always drop in for a hit. He has a high tendency of making few errors on balls hit to him, has a knack for knowing the player at the plate and will properly position himself, and has a very strong, accurate arm.

Sounds good right? All the things you want in a shortstop. So what’s the problem?

The knock on Jeter is that he does not and cannot get to balls that most other shortstops do. The truth about Jeter’s defense is hard to deny. Jeter handles balls hit at him well, something expected of everyone at any position on the field. He goes to his right well, but balls hit up the middle have a better chance of being stopped by Robinson Cano at second than any hope of Jeter getting a glove on them.

Wait a second, crazy man! Jeter just won another Gold Glove!

Yes Jeter did win a gold glove… another one, but he has yet to truly deserve any of the ones on his mantle. Getting awarded a Gold Glove because you led the league at your position in fielding balls makes about as much sense as a toothless man entering a corn on the cob eating contest.

Speaking of eating, here is a marketing idea for any Italian restaurant in Boston. You can make a mint of this. Rename your Spaghetti and Meatballs dinner to… wait for it… wait for it… “Pasta Diving Jeter.”

We can talk about the royalties and my fee later.

It is possible for a shortstop to make more errors than another and still be the better shortstop. Shortstop is about range. Jeter lacks it. Gold Glove consideration is a joke as is most often the Cy Young process and the MVP.

I am a Jeter fan… and I can honestly say that while his defense has not cost the Yankees a trip to the post season, a pennant or a World Series Title, I can equally say that the range of Alex Rodriquez at third, Robinson Cano and second and the glove of Mark Texeira at first make Jeter look much better defensively than his stats say he is.

Jeter’s defense has not cost his team pennants, playoffs or titles but it has cost the team runs. Turn an inning around here or there and Jeter’s defense is a problem. However, for the Yankees, it’s not a dire situation due to the overall range and glove work of the collective infield backed up by an offense that can overcome runs scored or created on balls that a shortstop should get to that Jeter cannot.

The one problem I have with Jeter, and the only problem I have with the man is that he has too much pride. He should have moved to third when the Yankees acquired A-Rod, the better shortstop. Now he should move to third and Girardi should move A-rod to DH to quell his growing problems with his legs and hips, and the Yankees should be actively looking for a shortstop while they also look to land Cliff Lee.

They won’t because Jeter’s pride, as does Posada’s at catcher, won’t allow the conversation.

The Cold, Hard Truth about Jeter Defensively

As long as he has the range surrounding him in Cano and A-Rod, and the glove of Tex at first, the Yankees offense will more often then not make up for any balls that get by Jeter. However, that is unacceptable to me as a realistic fan. Jeter is in fact, statistically and in comparison to more than two-thirds of the shortstops in the game over the last 10-years, an average to below average defender. Jeter will be 37 in June and as he gets older, it’s only going to get worse.

The Jeterbeaters win the defensive argument when discussing Jeter’s legacy.

The good news for Jeter fans is that baseball is an offensive sport and when players retire, it’s the offense that is remembered and discussed, not the defense. Offense gets you in the Hall, not the defense. Chicks dig guys that hit home runs…you never hear them brag about the guy that robbed one.

Jeter Offensively

Currently, Jeter enjoys a robust .314 lifetime average, is approaching 1700 runs scored, 1200 rbi, 500 doubles and will reach 3,000 hits somewhere near mid-season in 2011.

Hello? That’s HOF worthy.

When Jeter retires, several of his offensive numbers will surpass many of his contemporaries already in the Hall. Consider that when he does make the Hall, he goes in with more hits that Dimaggio, Mantle, Ruth etc.

Those numbers are undeniable to anyone, even his detractors.

Does Jeter benefit from playing with the Yankees and all they can afford to surround him with?

Certainly, but something must be said for a man that delivers those kinds of numbers on that kind of stage. Assuming that he might not have such numbers if he played for the Royals is like speculating on where Jimmy Hoffa is… we know he is dead and that’s the cold, hard truth. Jeter’s numbers are Jeter’s numbers… it’s indisputable.

Jeter will end his tenure in baseball as the career stats leader in several categories within the Yankees Franchise, which is nothing to sneeze at. On top of that, he will also lead a few in the AL and the Majors as well. Forget Jeter taking over the all-time hits record—it’s not going to happen— but he will finish in the top five if he stays healthy and plays until he is 42, which is conceivable.

Those who claim Jeter is done after a sub-par 2010 season, his worst statistically, are more than likely short-sighted, or wishful thinkers, than they are accurate prognosticators.

To his fans…the days of Jeter hitting .340 are equally unlikely from here out until he retires.

However, .300 is likely for a few more seasons. I fully expect Jeter to bounce back in 2011… if not, then the detractors with their “Jeter is on a decline” mantra will suddenly have traction.

The Cold, Hard Truth about Jeter Offensively

No matter how much you dislike the man you cannot deny his offensive abilities. The man is a clutch hitter—he is tenacious and patient at the plate, studies the game and has a great work ethic.

Yes, he is coming off his worst statistical season. Every player goes through it. What compounds last season for Jeter is his age. The knowledgeable baseball fan will wait to see what he does in 2011 before writing him off just yet.

One season, good or bad, does not determine a player’s value. It takes a career, and Jeter’s is Hall of Fame worthy right now, and will be when he retires.

The Jeterholics win the offensive argument in the war on Jeter’s worth nearly every time.

The Bottom Line Cold, Hard Truth about Derek Jeter

Defensively, it is hard to say he is overrated because most knowledgeable people already know he is not a great defender, so what’s to overrate? However, the Gold Gloves are unwarranted—this cannot be argued with by anyone with some semblance of intelligence.

Offensively, his record speaks for itself. Anyone stating that Jeter is overrated offensively comes off just as clueless as those that state he is an excellent fielding shortstop because he won 5 Gold Gloves.

Jeter is a first ballot Hall of Fame player—the plaque is already made folks—that plays the game the right way. He is a positive role model and a great ambassador of baseball. In fact, he is one of the few players in the game that the game itself would be proud to have as ‘The Face of the Game”. He has the respect of his peers, even those from the rival Boston Red Sox.

As far as the contract goes, he deserves the one he will get, this much is clear. Jeter puts asses in the stands and sells a ton of merchandise. He is the leading marquee player on the leading marquee team in baseball. Baseball is a business and Jeter’s contract will reflect his value on and to the business of the New York Yankees and not entirely representative of what is expected of him on the field in the years to come.

If Jeter were to leave the Yankees, and that is about as likely as Obama getting re-elected, he would probably get a salary in the seven-10 million range for one or two years at most from a handful of teams. His draw value alone would justify the investment even for a “poor defending 36-year old shortstop.”

It’s laughable that some merely state that “no one will pay for an over-the-hill, poor defensive shortstop” as if that is all Jeter is.

The Yankees will not give him a lifetime services contract because even though Jeter is a Yankee, at heart his goal is to own his own franchise. He wants to be a team owner… a lifetime services contract will be a conflict of interest and would not allow him to pursue that dream.

I have no idea what Jeter will accept or be offered, but I can foresee the Yankees offering Jeter something in the neighborhood of a four year deal in the neighborhood of $18-$20 million per year, or possibly less if loaded with incentives or deferred money.

If he expects more, he should seek therapy. However, if the Yankees are willing to pay more than that, it’s not my money and I won’t lose sleep.

Jeter will never wear another uniform in this game and will be overpaid for what he will do on the field (as is A-Rod, Ramirez, Beckett, Halladay…no matter how good you are, no one is worth, in my opinion, that kind of money to play Baseball) but will not be overpaid in regards to his value to the marketing machine of the New York Yankees.

It’s their franchise… only they can determine what his value is to them.

After all is said and done and he hangs up his cleats for the final time, it won’t be about contracts or Jeter’s defensive shortcomings. He will be remembered as one of the greatest Yankees to ever wear the uniform, one of the best the game ever saw and one of the classiest guys to ever step foot on the field.

Jeterholics are just going to have to accept, despite the rings and the intangibles, that Jeter, while a sure fire Hall of Famer is not in the top 50 of the greatest of all time. He is an offensive superstar and a defensive lightweight. 

Jeterbeaters are just going to have to live with the fact that while their argument on Jeter’s defensive shortcomings and the amount that he is overpaid are valid, at the end of the day, they do not hold water against what history will say about the man and his role in the game we all love to debate about.

That’s the cold hard truth about Derek Jeter.

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The Seattle Mariners had a historically bad season in 2010.  They saw almost every position player on the roster perform at career-worst levels, they scored less runs than they did in a strike-shortened 1994, they fired manager Don Wakamatsu and lost 101 games just one year after winning  85 games. 

The Mariners are in desperate need of a turnaround similar to after the 2008 season in which they had an identical record as they did in 2010 (61-101).  Luckily for us Mariner fans, the oft-criticized club President Chuck Armstrong and his partner in crime CEO Howard Lincoln chose to keep general manager Jack Zduriencik on for 2011. 

Jack Z., as we so fondly call him in the Northwest, was the architect of the 2009 Mariners turnaround, and if Seattle is to do the same in 2011, he will need to make strong moves this offseason, and continue to let his fabulous draft choices mature and approach the start of their MLB careers.

The Seattle Mariners have several holes to fill before 2011 if they are to avoid a third 100-loss season in four years.  The holes include: a starting pitcher (or possibly two), an infielder, a DH (designated hitter) and lastly a fourth outfielder. 

Now the reason I said that the Mariners may need two starters is that top prospect Michael Pineda may or may not be ready to start the 2011 season in the Majors with the big boys.  Already the Seattle Mariners have found their new manager Eric Wedge, and he has assembled his staff.  So, all that is left now is to shape our roster for 2011. 

Unfortunately, GM Jack Z. has only moderate resources to put towards improving for 2011.  They have about $16 million to hand out in contracts (actually a little less because of arbitration raises and a raise to Felix Hernandez), and a few players who they could trade. 

For example look for closer David Aardsma or set-up man Brandon League to be traded, perhaps Jose Lopez or Chone Figgins could be moved as well. In what will be a multi-part series, I will go over the personnel options that the Mariners face and give my opinion on who is the best fit.  Today is infielders.  

The free-agent market for infielders is very weak this year, however, the Mariners do not need an All-Star or even a multi-year fix.  You may be wondering why the Mariners need an infielder at all.  When you look at their current roster, which has Jack Wilson, Chone Figgins, Jose Lopez, Josh Wilson and Matt Tuiasosopo it seems that the infield is full.

The reason that they need an infielder, however, is that the Mariners are expected to move Figgins back to 3B, where he is strong defensively, and release the former 3B Jose Lopez.  Now you might be wondering why the Mariners would release Lopez and that is simply because he is not the type of baseball player that good teams employ.  His failures are well documented; he makes continual mistakes on the base paths, has unreliable power, is perceived as lazy and fails to work counts or draw walks.

So with that in mind let’s look at the criteria for the man who will start at 2B next year in Seattle. 

1. He needs to be cheap.

2. He needs to be able to handle 2B and SS with at least passable defense.

3. He needs to be benchable, for the time when phenom Dustin Ackley is ready to take over at 2B for the M’s.

4. He needs to be willing to sign a one-year deal.

So, with those criteria in place, I can narrow the market down to just a few names.

The first guy that Seattle should look at is Christian Guzman.  Who last year played SS primarily, with some innings at 2B and in RF for the Nationals then the Texas Rangers.  As far as cheapness goes, Guzman will cost little more than $1 million.  He also fits the bill in respects to being able to handle 2B and SS, even if it is only passably. 

In 2010 he posted negative UZR/150 ratings.  UZR/150 is used to judge a player’s defense in terms of runs prevented.  At SS he posted a -5.9 (so in a 150 games he would cost the M’s six runs on D), and at 2B he recorded -5.3 UZR/150. 

In no way are these numbers terrible, but the M’s will likely try and do better.  Guzman is also easily benchable, as he rode the pine for the Nationals and then spent most of his time in Texas on the pine.  Guzman can also be expected to be had for one year.  Last year he hit .266 so he has a little bit of upside with the stick.

The second infield option the M’s will consider is Nick Punto.  Punto has spent his entire MLB career to this point with the Minnesota Twins and the Phillies.  Punto profiles as a completely opposite player to Guzman.  He is a “defense first” type guy.  He posted solid UZR/150, and would profile as a Gold Glove-caliber defender according to this metric. 

At 2B Punto posted a 13.7 (that means he would save almost 14 runs per 150 games) and at SS he was even better.  In 2010 at SS he posted a 22.2 UZR/150.  As far as cheapness and contract length Nick Punto would probably be more expensive than Guzman but still affordable: a one-year player at $4 million-plus.  He doesn’t hit much either, hitting just .238 in 2010 with absolutely no power.

The third serious candidate would be the most costly, and the mostly likely to have multi-year contract offers.  Juan Uribe was a big contributor for the 2010 champion San Francisco Giants.  He brings something to the table that no other free-agent option does: real pop. 

In 2010 Uribe smashed 24 home runs in a park that is similar to Safeco, meaning it is a major pitchers park.  His UZR/150 numbers are solid as well, being a 16.0 defender at 2B and a 3.3 defender at SS.  Uribe will likely cost around $6 million a year, and require two years, but is a significant upgrade. 

He, however, does not fit in with the requirement that he can be easily benched when Ackley arrives.  Though if the M’s went the Uribe route he could just as easily start every game at SS once Jack Wilson goes to the DL, as is inevitable.

In conclusion, I feel that the best infielder fit in Seattle for the 2011 season is Nick Punto.  The only reason I think he is a better fit than Juan Uribe is that ultimately he is more affordable and the M’s have several more pressing needs, such as DH.  However, if the Mariners choose to go with Uribe, who could blame them?  His bat has to appeal to a team with such offensive woes.

Nick Punto does all the small things right, which helps profile him as the type of infielder Jack Z. prefers, just look at Jack Wilson.  When rating the likelihood that one of these guys starts in 2011 for the Mariners it would be Punto, Guzman, then Uribe.  However, when you look at improvement that they would bring to Seattle, Uribe tops the list by a great margin.

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After another fine season and trip to the postseason in 2010, Derek Jeter got a little more good news on Tuesday afternoon when it was announced that he’d received his fifth American League Gold Glove award in honor of his tremendous defensive play at shortstop.

This award could not have come at a better time for the shortstop, as Jeter is a free agent and will soon be negotiating his latest, and potentially last, contract with the New York Yankees.

And while there will be those who say that Jeter had a down year in 2010, and that he may be at the beginning of the downside of his career, to this we say “hogwash.”

Derek Jeter proved once again in 2010 with not only his play but with his leadership and gamesmanship that he remains one of the elite players in Major League Baseball on both sides of the ball, and deserves to be paid like it.

With this in mind, we present: Eight Reasons Why Derek Jeter Deserves To Be Amongst the Highest-Paid Players in Baseball.

Begin Slideshow

So far the Detroit Tigers have locked up Brandon Inge and Jhonny Peralta. Yet there is still a boatload of money to be spent and several key positions it needs to be spent on. The following are who I believe the Tigers should target and why.

C/DH Victor Martinez

Martinez provides the Tigers with two of their needs. One, he is a switch hitter and two, he can play catcher. The Tigers need to add some pop and protection for Miguel Cabrera. Martinez is a professional hitter (.302, 20 HR, 79 RBI). V-Mart can also spell youngster Alex Avila when the Tigers face a LH pitcher. 

LF Carl Crawford (.307, 19HR, 90 RBI)

The Tigers have been talking about being aggressive and targeting some offensive help. Crawford helps solidify the outfield defense and his a track record of being able to hit for both average and power. He has tremendous speed, and has hit in the No. 3 spot for Tampa (also where I think he would hit for Detroit). While his home run numbers may drop in Detroit I think his triples would increase.

SP Carl Pavano (17-11, 3.75 ERA, 117K)

I really think Dave Dombrowski goes after Pavano to be the fifth starter in Detroit. I think management would love the No. 5 spot to be a left-hander, but Pavano would give the Tigers a reliable inning-eater at the back of the rotation (221 in 2010). DD tried to sign Pavano in 2005 and I think he succeeds this year.

RP J.J Putz (2.83 ERA, 54 innings, 65K) or Matt Guerrier (3.17 ERA, 71 innings, 42K)

The Tigers need a right-handed reliever and either of these pitchers would be a great addition. Putz would be a nice addition to Perry in the set-up or seventh-inning role. Guerrier has been a solid relief pitcher and would provide a reliable veteran presence in the pen.

RP Pedro Feliciano (3.30 ERA, 62.2 innings, 56K) or Scott Downs (2.64 ERA, 61.1 innings, 48K)

With the Tigers moving Phil Coke to the rotation there is a major need for a solid left-handed pitcher in the pen. Feliciano has put up solid numbers, but is more of a situational lefty, putting up much better numbers against left-handed hitters.

Downs has quietly been one of the most reliable and quality lefties in baseball. He is effective against both righties and lefties, which provides added value in Detroit.

I think the Tigers would like to sign five players to major league contracts. I expect at least 2-3 of the above players to end up signing in Detroit. I think if they were able to sign five they would place themselves in a position to be the favorites in the AL Central and would be able to make a serious run for a World Series title.

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The Yankees have many things on the to-do list this offseason, including re-signing a pair of legends in Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.

On top of this, the Yankees need to replenish a roster that came up well short of their championship goals. For now let’s look at 10 players the Yankees should target this offseason.

This list includes players on the team last year that the Yankees need to bring back and free agents or trade possibilities they should take a look at.

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Now that the 2010 MLB season is over and the San Francisco Giants emerged as the world champs, we now move into that time of year that fans so affectionately refer to as the Hot Stove. There are plenty of big names on the free agent market and plenty of teams with holes to fill.

Will Cliff Lee pitch in pinstripes next season? How much money will Jayson Werth command and who’s going to give it to him? Will the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim snatch up all the big names available after a disappointing season?

There are plenty of big questions and the free agent signing period has barely begun, but there have been a few moves and positioning from teams looking to make a change for the 2011 season. Let’s take a look.

Cliff Lee, SP (Regular Season: 12-9, 3.18 ERA, 185 SO. Postseason: 3-2, 2.78 ERA 47 SO)

Cliff Lee picked a great time to pitch well in the postseason, as he is definitely the most coveted free agent on the market. And like most highly coveted free agents, the New York Yankees have their eye on him. It was no secret during both the regular season and postseason that the Yankees were going to make an offer for Lee’s services.

Sunday was the first day of the free agent signing period and the Yankees contacted Lee’s agent on the very first day, according to The Associated Press. The Yankees have plenty on their plates already. They have to negotiate the contracts of their own free agents, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter, but are most definitely going after Lee hard.

Lee is expected to command a contract of four to six years and around $100 million. We’ll have to wait and see how much time and money the Yankees are willing to commit to Lee.

Jayson Werth, OF (Regular Season: .296 27 HR 85 RBI .388 OBP/Postseason: .200 2 HR 6 RBI)

Most people waffle between whether Werth or Carl Crawford is the best free agent outfielder available. Werth is best known as a gritty, all-or-nothing type of player, whereas Crawford is a slick-fielding, defensive specialist. Werth will give a team more with his bat and has a solid arm in right field.

Werth is reportedly on the radar of the Boston Red Sox, who have already contacted Werth’s agent, Scott Boras. Having Boras for an agent could make negotiating with Werth expensive and difficult and the Red Sox most likely have their eye on Crawford also.

The Red Sox were hampered by injuries to their outfield during the regular season and will look to add some durability in players like Jayson Werth.

Aubrey Huff, 1B (Regular Season: .290, 26 HR, 86 RBI. Postseason: .268, 1 HR, 8 RBI)

The San Fransisco Giants will look to resign their big first baseman for the 2011 season and beyond. Huff was a risky pickup entering the 2010 season but went on to lead the Giants in all three Triple Crown categories. He’s still relatively young, 33, and the Giants have plenty of questions to answer in the offseason, but resigning Huff has to be a no brainer.

The Giants have already reached out to Huff’s agent, but they may also give it a little time to let their world championship sink in before they make an offer. One thing is for sure, Giants fans want Huff back.

Adrian Beltre, 3B (Regular Season: .321, 28 HR, 102 RBI)

Beltre had a monster season for the Boston Red Sox but declined his $10 million mutual option for 2011 and will test free agency. Beltre should get a good multi-year contract from whoever signs him. He played a solid third base to go along with his big offensive numbers.

The Angels are possibly the frontrunner to sign Beltre, and also shouldn’t be counted out of signing other big free agents like Jayson Werth and Carl Crawford; they may even try to wet their beak on the Cliff Lee talks. So far there hasn’t been any news regarding Beltre as far as teams that have inquired about his services, but I’d expect the Angels to make the biggest push.

Adam Dunn, 1B/OF (Regular Season: .260, 38 HR, 103 RBI)

Dunn is a model of consistency. He’s almost guaranteed to give any team 35-40 home runs and 100-105 RBI each season. Dunn is coming off a two-year, $20 million contract with the Washington Nationals. The Nats have made it clear that they’d like to resign their big slugger and Dunn has also expressed interest in staying in Washington.

Dunn isn’t a very solid defenseman, having committed 13 errors at first base last season. The Chicago Cubs are likely to make a push to sign Dunn, wanting a big offensive slugger to stick into the middle of their lineup, something they didn’t really having during the regular season.

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B (Regular Season: .298, 31 HR, 101 RBI, .511 SLG)

Gonzalez exercised his $5.5 million option for 2011 with the San Diego Padres, so he is not a free agent. But he will will most definitely test free agency at the conclusion of the 2011 season, so will the Padres look to move Gonzalez knowing they wont be able to resign him?

Gonzalez has been one of the most underpaid and underrated players in baseball. He has languished in San Diego as the best hitter in the lineup. With almost no protection around him, Gonzalez still manages to average 32 HR and 99 RBI per 162 games over his career.

There are going to be a ton of teams looking to make a deal for Gonzalez during the Winter Meetings, but the Padres are going to ask a lot in exchange for their All-Star first baseman. If the Padres do make a deal for Gonzalez, the team who acquires him will hopefully also be a team who would be able to sign him long term. Gonzalez could very well ask for Ryan Howard (five years, $125 million) or Mark Teixeira (eight years, $180 million) money as a free agent.

The Hot Stove is going to heat up over the next few weeks heading into the Winter Meetings. Plenty of teams have holes to fill and big expectations entering the 2011 season. We’ll have to wait to see what names pop up on team’s radar as the weeks go on.

Have any free agents you want to see your team pursue? Leave them in the comments section.

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Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants for winning the World Series, but that was last season. The offseason has begun and the trade rumors and free agency questions are flying all over the place.

This year, there will be plenty of money to throw around. With so many disappointing seasons from big-market teams such as the Boston Red Sox, New  York Mets and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, teams will be throwing large sums of cash at both worthy, talented players and overrated bums.

Every team dreams of the free-agent acquisition that will put them over the top. For 22 teams every year that don’t make the playoffs, those players just don’t work out. Whether $100 million gets you your ace in Johan Santana or a guy who is left off the playoff roster in Barry Zito, is just one of the factors that makes baseball so interesting.

Here are the top 10 free agents and their possible destinations:

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Derek Jeter’s 10-year, $189-million contract with the New York Yankees came to an end with the final out of the 2010 World Series. With that, thousands of clueless neanderthals speculated on his possible future.

Free agency now beckons the 36-year-old whose future now appears to be quite murky after coming off the worst offensive year of his illustrious career.

I suppose I should clarify the aforementioned statement. His future is only murky to those that are totally clueless in the way of the New York Yankees and Derek Jeter.

Consider this column an open letter to ANY buffoon, be them a professional writer or Red Sox fan, that actually wasted their time and mine by even speculating on Jeter’s future as anything but a Yankee or his ability to still play the game after an off-year.

Let the education begin…

At the ripe old age of 36 and coming off the worst offensive year of his illustrious career, Jeter is apparently done according to the self-proclaimed Einsteins of the web.

This of course is what Jeter’s detractors (mainly comprised of Red Sox fans, some Mets fans and the entire staff of ESPN, you know “The Red Sox Network”) want us to believe.

It’s interesting that when posting such a claim they forget to include the following about Jeter’s 2010 season:

A) Every player in every sport experiences a down year. Jeter apparently just experienced his.

B) Unlike players like David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa and others, Jeter’s offensive decline did not come in the wake of his being named as a steroid abuser. Yes, I omitted A-Rod because unlike the others, so far, his power outage seems to be due from injury. 

C) While it is true that some of Jeter’s offensive numbers were not “Jeter-esque” such as the .270 BA and leading the league in outs made, placing fifth in the league in grounding into double-plays they conveniently forget what he actually did do from a leadoff spot minus the bat of A-Rod and the slow bat of Texiera behind him for much of the season…

• His 663 at bats where the most he has had since 2002 and second-most in the league in 2010.
• He led the league in plate appearances.
• His 30 doubles were three more than the previous season when he finished third in MVP voting, and were his most since 2007.
• He drove in 67 runs from the LEADOFF spot, one more RBI than last season when he finished third in MVP voting.
• He was 10^th in the league in Times on Base.
• He lead the league in fielding percentage at short.

Any other team, in contention or not, with a shortstop leading the league in fielding, scoring over 100 runs and driving in nearly 70 from the leadoff spot would be considered successful.

However, because the numbers were posted by Jeter, the world and seemingly his career, is coming to an end.

Excuse me if I don’t rush to get my affairs in order.

Now being realistic and objective, something Jeter detractors never experience, Jeter could very well be on a decline. His age suggests his best years are behind him. He has played a lot of games over his career and after 15 years, the opposition is going to find out how to pitch Jeter and defend against his hitting spray.

However, the decline of most athletes that have enjoyed a relative injury-free career as has Jeter experience the natural, imminent decline over a period of years. Jeter does not show that pattern just yet. If Jeter experiences a similar season in 2011 then the detractors might have something. Until then, it’s merely wishful thinking on the part of the currently clueless, jealous and jaded.

Jeter needs to move to the outfield. His defense is too poor and he is too old to move continue to play that position.

I really love this argument. Nothing makes a Jeter detractor sound more ignorant than this old chestnut.

Let’s just be quick about this one shall we?

• Jeter led the league at short in fielding percentage.
• Jeter’s FA combined with his offensive contributions, even in a “off-year” made him more valuable than most at his position.
• Jeter’s strong accurate arm shows no sign of the advanced “age” that he is constantly tagged with.
• Jeter is a student of the game and leader on the field. He knows how and where to position himself per batter and communicates this knowledge to those in the field with him. It’s called intangibles—this does not show up in the box score or on a stat line, but it is infinitely more valuable.
• Jeter has a head for the game—when is the last time you saw Jeter make a “bonehead” play—he is a thinking man’s player that always make the ‘right” out.

To be fair, the range of Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano on either side along with the glove of Mark Texiera help Jeter, but that is what an infield is supposed to do.

The suggestion of speculation that Jeter needs to move to the outfield is a laughable one that clueless people that know nothing about baseball continue to make.

If Jeter is to be moved, and that is questionable, it would make more sense to move Alex Rodriguez to DH which would possibly help reduce what appears to be chronic leg and hip issues and move Jeter to third where his strong arm would feel at home and his range issue won’t be so much a factor.

The problem with moving Jeter anywhere is the Yankees do not have his replacement lined up (if you believe the Nunez stuff, I am laughing at you right now) so get used to seeing him at short for the next year or two.

Posada, Chamberlain, Burnett, one more starter and the pen are all more pressing problems than anything real or perceived about Jeter.

Still concerned with Jeter at short?

Ask yourself one question: How many games, regular season or playoff, has Jeter’s glove, arm or range cost the Yankees during his career?

What was that? That’s what I thought. You can collectively shut up now.

Jeter is not worthy 20-million dollars a year and is not worth what he expects or will ask for.

I love this one, I really do. I’m laughing at you.

1) It’s not your money, why worry? Save me the “the more money he makes the higher the ticket prices…” etc.  Is Jeter’s salary responsible for the rising cost of gas, milk, etc.? It’s called inflation. Look it up.

2) Baseball is a game that we played in little league. It’s a game that our kids play at the park. Jeter is a professional Major League Baseball player and Major League Baseball is not a game, it’s a business. The Yankees are the most valued franchise by far in MLB. In the first year of their new stadium, the Yankees NETTED $441 million. That’s after all the bills were paid, including the luxury tax, player and staff salaries, etc. Pretty successful enterprise I must say—and Derek Jeter plays a large roll in that profit.

Merchandise with Jeter’s name on it sells more than any other Yankee and quite possibly more than most players in the game. His continued presence in the lineup sells tickets. His pursuit of career and MLB milestones opens all kinds of opportunities for revenue. Jeter is a money-making machine and for the Yankees, the near $20 million a year investment has been well worth it.

3) Jeter is a private person and has never come out and revealed what he wants, expects or is willing to play for. What he has done is accepted what was offered.  No one, not professional writers or armchair hacks know what Jeter wants or is willing to play for. As for what he deserves, until you are running the Yankees and paying their bills opinions on his worth and value mean nothing more than what can be scraped off the bottom of his cleats.

In terms of advertising, merchandise, stature, reputation, image to the league, franchise and the game, Jeter, more so than many in the game, is worth every penny he has earned.

The Yankees need to think younger, and in order to land Cliff Lee the Yankees might need to dump Jeter and Mo.

I actually read that in a column right here on The Bleacher Report. Are you done laughing yet? Yes, it took me a while to stop too.

I won’t spend too much time on this because it’s so…Red Sox “stupid-esque.”

Jeter is a career-Yankee. He is this generation’s DiMaggio. He is 73 hits shy of 3,000 hits for his career, a feat few players have reached and one that no other Yankee in history has reached. It’s another revenue opportunity for the Yankees and Jeter is responsible for it.

Anyone actually speculating that Jeter will reach that milestone in another uniform is in need of immediate therapy and possible medication.

Mariano Rivera is still dominant in his role—regardless of age.

The idea that the Yankees would even consider dropping these two iconic, franchise players for any reason, let alone acquiring someone like Cliff Lee is amateurish speculation at best. It’s simply laughable.

Lee will be a free agent and if he want to play for the Yankees as much as the Yankees want him no other team will be able to outbid the Bombers for his services. The Yankees want to stay within a budget, but make no mistake about it, they have the revenue to get the job done without dropping their cornerstones to do it.

Will Jeter be in another uniform next season?

Yeah, I laugh at this one, too. While no one knows for certain because hey, sh!t happens, it’s very hard for a logical, forward-thinking, upright-standing non-low-browed human to picture Jeter in another uniform. Unless Minka likes to play dress up in the bedroom.

Bottom line people…

Derek Jeter is a Yankee for life. Anyone thinking otherwise is clueless, a disgruntled Mets fan or a wishful thinking, bitter Red Sox Fan. It’s laughable to think anything else.

If I had to guess, and why not, everyone else is…

Derek is not a “hang-around” type player—if he is not performing to a level that he feels he should play, he will retire mid-contract.

I see Derek getting $16-18 million per year for three to four years (taking him to age 40). Depending on how he performs will determine one-year contracts after that. He might even ask for percentages of profit or may accept less with a more incentive-laden contract.

As for next year, when Jeter once again hits over .300, the roaches, I mean his detractors, will return back under the woodwork.

Derek Jeter is a first ballot Hall of Famer that has played the game the way it should be played. Sabermatricians that churn out stats as to his fielding ability or lack thereof and anyone else that detracts Jeter are merely jealous that he does not play for their team of choice.

The man’s record speaks for itself.

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