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At the end of 2010 season, New York Yankees ace Andy Pettitte used the word retirement when speaking to Yankees GM Brian Cashman about whether he would return to the team in 2011.
 
For the last two seasons, Pettitte made it pretty clear that his intentions were to return for another season but the final decision would be made with his family.
 
Pettitte’s sentiments couldn’t come in a worse offseason, as the Yankees need his talents back in the Bronx more then ever. With the team failing to pick up another starter, the pressure and guilt has unfortunately fallen on Pettitte’s lap.
 
All there is to go on is unconfirmed hearsay that Pettitte is leaning toward retirement. That is what fans have to go on and it seems the Yankees don’t know much more.
 
During the Winter Meetings, Pettitte did call GM Cashman, as his main concern was that the Yankees were waiting on him. He did not want them to miss any moves or opportunities waiting on his decision. Cashman said that was the first time he became uncertain of Pettitte’s need to play baseball any longer.
 
Pettitte’s added silence is making all the retirement rumors seem more like the Yankees upcoming reality. Life in the Bronx sans the Southpaw and the core four will be no more.
 
If Pettitte waited past this week, I would be shocked because he is not pulling a Brett Favre. Rest assured, Pettitte is really torn.
 
This choice has to be unreservedly unfaltering with no regrets. I will respect Pettitte’s decision no matter what the outcome. He deserves that at the very least.

It was always an honor to cheer for Andy Pettitte, whatever 2011 brings.

As for the Yankees, it has been an offseason of waiting and so far nothing has gone their way. As they say, when it rains it pours.

“There are only two options regarding commitment. You’re either in or out. There’s no such thing as a life in-between.” – Pat Riley

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Teams just aren’t spending money like in previous times.

With several franchises hampered with lucrative long-term deals that create little financial flexibility, general managers are looking to get a little more creative these days about how they allocate payroll.

A lot of teams just don’t have the ability nor resources to spend lavishly, so every signing becomes critical in the pursuit of a World Series ring.

As the San Francisco Giants showed us in 2010, it doesn’t take a red-carpet list of athletes to take home the title, so let’s take a look at some under-the-radar squads that could be noticeably better by the end of the 2011 campaign.

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It’s been an eerily quiet offseason for most clubs.

While teams like the Red Sox, Yankees, and Dodgers have all been among the most active thus far, most have remained rather inactive in the early part of the free agent season.

With so many long-term contracts in the past that have proven to be a burden to clubs down the road, general managers aren’t spending lavishly like in previous times.

It’s a bad time to be a remaining free agent, because the amount of money left to spend is shrinking by the day. 

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The name Bartolo Colon and the New York Yankees should never be linked in a sentence again this offseason.
 
Yes, Colon won the 2005 American League Cy Young Award, but that is not what resonates in my memory.
 
Back in 2008, the Red Sox were the only team interested in signing the overweight pitcher, who stood at 5’11″ and tipped the scale at 245 pounds. Making seven starts as a member of the Red Sox, the injury-prone Colon found himself back on the DL again.
 
At the time, Colon left Boston for his home in the Dominican Republic to tend to personal issues and never left. The reason was he didn’t feel like it.
 
Colon’s attitude is why no team wanted him in the first place. Add that to all the injuries and that, my friend, is the definition of being unreliable.
 
By no means am I trying to overlook how talented Colon used to be, but since he took home pitching’s biggest honor, he has been a mess.
 
In 2005, Colon had 21 wins in 33 starts and two complete games, giving up 26 home runs, striking out 157 and pitching a total of 222 innings.
 
Then, from 2006-2009, Colon had 14 wins in 47 starts and one complete game, allowing 44 balls to go yard, recording 172 strikeouts and pitching a total of 226 innings.
 
Need I say more?
 
Actually, I forgot to add last season, but Colon didn’t pitch in 2010, making his last Major League start July 24, 2009. That was when the White Sox took a chance on Colon even after he went AWOL as a Red Sox.
 
Reality is, acquiring a self-proclaimed reformed hazard is the last thing the Yankees can afford to do.

A person’s behavior at 37 years old doesn’t ever disappear completely. Colon is already running his mouth, as he is the voice behind this Yankee rumor.
 
Nothing has come from the Yankees regarding interest in Colon and no vis-à-vis has taken place. This leads me to think it is just Colon being Colon, no matter how much weight he has lost.
 
 
“Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.”- Franklin P. Jones
 
Hopefully, the Yankees have learned enough by now, but in New York, anything can happen.

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I have mentioned this a few times already, but he is worth the attention again.
 
Rafael Soriano is still a free agent, available and on the market. Whatever it is shocking considering he was the AL’s dominate closer in 2010 with the Tampa Bay Rays.
 
Even before Cliff Lee’s decision, Soriano as a player would have been more than enough for the New York Yankees to walk away with heads high.
 
Soriano was the best closer in the AL in 2010, leading the league with 45 saves, posting a 1.73 ERA, striking out 57 in just shy of 63 innings. Soriano was named to the 2010 All-Star team, won the 2010 AL Rolaids Relief Man Award, finished eighth in CY Young and 12th in MVP voting respectively.
 
Soriano will cost his new team two-draft picks as he falls into the Type A free agent category.
 
Yes, he will not come cheap especially considering his agent is Scott Boras, but it would be money well spent.
 
Boras makes any team pay no matter what, but the greediest agent has some tainted history with the Yankees, which might drive the price up some.
 
Look it is no secret the Bombers are a tad desperate, whether GM Brian Cashman and the little Steinbrenner’s care to admit it, fans know it, the players know it and Boras knows it.
 
Soriano’s role would change, as he would set-up to the great Rivera. Soriano was in the bullpen for the majority of his early pro-years.
 
He just turned 31 years old, and giving a pitcher of Soriano’s stature three years with a fourth year option is not a bad idea.
 
Soriano is in his prime and would make Mo’s departure at least less stressful, as it will already be beyond sad and something I can’t even think about (tears).
 
Look, Soriano will make the New York Yankees better and isn’t that the point?
 
Cashman and co. better make sure our rival Red Sox’s or player favorite Phillies don’t acquire Soriano or get ready for some big trouble in the Bronx.

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There were conflicting reports this weekend that the New York Yankees were actually discussing whether or not they should bring in one-time Boston Red Sox villain and now free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez.

It was first reported on Thursday night, December 23, by YES Network’s Jack Curry that the Yankees were internally debating if they should sign Ramirez.

On Sunday, December 26, George A. King III of the New York Post reported that the Yankees do not have interest in Ramirez.

Whether the Yankees do or not, it is an interesting scenario nonetheless.

The Yankees missed out on acquiring Cliff Lee, Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. This is one of the first times in recent memory that the Yankees failed to acquire a superstar in the offseason. It seemed the Yankees were destined to land one of their desired studs, but they were ultimately shunned.

The Yankees seem to have been pushed to second fiddle in the AL East by the Boston Red Sox, who have immensely upgraded their ball club.

The Yankees need to make a splash.

Simply bringing back Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera and signing catcher Russell Martin is not enough for the “Evil Empire.”

Many believe Ramirez would be a poor fit, considering the Yankees are most likely going to keep Jorge Posada as their designated hitter.

Regardless, as Posada is aging rapidly and increasingly injury-prone, Ramirez is an option the Yankees should sincerely consider.

Ramirez had a down year. He only hit nine home runs and had 42 RBI despite hitting .298 for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

He is also a known troublemaker.

On a one-year contract with the Yankees, Ramirez would most likely be on his best behavior. More importantly, he would be determined to prove he is still a top hitter in the game.

Perhaps even more importantly, one could imagine he would love to stick it to the Boston Red Sox each and every time they play each other. Ramirez would have more incentive to perform for the Yankees than just about any other team in the league. The Yankees provide Ramirez an opportunity to win a ring and seek some revenge on his old ball club.

It is a win-win for the Yankees. Ramirez is only seeking a one-year contract. The Yankees do need another veteran hitter with great power and vision. The Yankees need an insurance plan in case one of their hitters go down or slump. Ramirez is the type of player who can pick up the entire lineup. He is still a dangerous threat and one the Yankees need to consider taking a chance on heading into the 2011 season.

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It is no secret that the New York Yankees are winning the biggest losers contest by a landslide this offseason. 

As they cross their fingers hoping Andy Pettitte sends word he wants to play, the waiting is making things look less hopeful.

GM Brian Cashman made it clear:

“He’s not in it. He’s told me not to rely on him, so I’m focusing on what he’s told us.“

Not great news….but let’s look at the situation for what it really is, as the Yankees head  into the New Year:

Off-Season Pitchers Who Passed:

• Cliff Lee brought his talents back to the Phillies.
• Zach Greinke wasn’t worth the price, as the Royals taxed on serious demands.
• Veteran and member of the Yankee core four, Andy Pettitte has turned into as subtle version of Brett Favre.
• Felix Hernandez would rather stay on the Mariners than pitch in the Bronx, as the Yankees are in his no-trade list.
• Marlins Josh Johnson was a long shot, but worth a try.

Outlook Heading Into New Year
 
The Yankees are not accustomed to leaving gaping holes open via rejection.
 
So, don’t think for a minute this was Plan B, as Brain Cashman had one plan and it was Cliff Lee.
 
Now it is look internally or bust to complete the gaping hole in their starting rotation.
 
The Yankees farm has some serious arms, potentially on a track to becoming aces in the majors.
 
Now the managers and front office have to proceed with caution because the pressure is on again.
 
Many fans are worried because it seems like deja vu from back in the 2007-08 offseason, but that isn’t quite true. Keep in mind the first time it was by choice, currently the Yankees have no other choice but to look within.
 
If anything, the lesson has been learned that not only physically but also mentally these youngsters have to be treated as such.
 
Like the Washington Nationals did with phenom Stephen Strasburg, the Yankees need to hold a press conference stating what role along with an ideal innings limit for any prospects that will be on the roaster. This will keep the press from making harsh presumptions because they will have nothing to speculate.
 
Here are the Yankee prospects that look to be major league worthy are Dellin Betances, Manny Banuelos, Andrew Brackman and Hector Noesi.
 
Still, being valuable in the minors doesn’t remove the uncertainty that remains… are they major-league ready?
 
Who knows but from a logical perspective one will definitely be a solid starter; another one will flutter between good, greats and so-so; and the remaining two will be sent back down knowing where they need to improve.
 
Otherwise, GM Brian Cashman is banking on trading before the July deadline, eyeing teams who’s season might be tanking and would unload an ace for prospects and cash.
 
As of today, the rotation will be CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, AJ Burnett, TBD and TBD figuring Pettitte isn’t an option. Not ideal, but the Yankee bats will have to carry the team while this all gets worked out.
 
As Vince Lombardi once said:
 
“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

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It’s possible that the expectations for Erik Bedard, especially considering what Bill Bavasi sent to Baltimore to get him, added to the perception that he’s a jerk. He’s not a great interview. He gives that little smile when asked a question he doesn’t like. There is a belief that he doesn’t care.

Of course, his inability to stay on the field has added to that. When he does pitch, you see so much potential. There’s a solid pitcher in there and it drives us nuts when starts are pushed back, an entire season is lost and he goes under the knife. Again.

However, it’s entirely possible that Erik Bedard actually has something other than ice water running through his veins.

Signed for 2011 to a non-guaranteed contract for one-year and $1 million, something not too common for a major league veteran, it appears Bedard really meant it when he said he owed something to Seattle. He has, after all, received a nice chunk of change from the Mariners and spent the better part of two years getting rehab on their dime.

While he could have easily gone to another team for a similar deal, perhaps even better, he stayed here and has a contract that might earn him nothing, but also has tons of incentives.

Reports are that Bedard could see as much as $5.6 million from the contract. The bonuses start at 50 innings and eight starts, and go all the way up to 190 innings and 30 starts. Chuck in nearly another half million if he’s an All-Star or wins a Cy Young or Gold Glove. Heck, there’s even a structure in case the team decides he’d be a better fit for the pen. It seems as though Bedard is open to anything, including being compensated fairly if he performs well.

So, what are the two ideal scenarios that could come from this? Let’s examine.

Ideal Scenario Number One—Mariners Contend in the AL West

This is unlikely. Really unlikely. Baseball is a strange game, though. Never have we seen so many players have the worst year of their career and perform as badly as we did with the 2010 squad. So, while not probable, it’s possible as many players have career years in 2011, right?

What if Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley and Michael Pineda burst onto the scene? What if Chone Figgins, Milton Bradley, Franklin Gutierrez and Brendan Ryan have significant bounce-back seasons? What if Ichiro defies age again, Miguel Olivo earns that contract and Michael Saunders makes huge strides?

Oh, and what if Erik Bedard stays healthy, pitches 30 games and gives Seattle a strong first three with Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda?

Yeah, and what if the sky turns purple and cows walk up-right? I know, not likely. But unlike the sky and cows transforming over night, there is a non-zero chance of this Mariners squad shocking the AL West. One percent is still better than zero, after all.

According to fangraphs.com‘s WAR, Bedard was worth 5.0 and 5.4 wins above a typical AAA replacement player in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The going rate for a win this off-season is $5 million. If Bedard could even hit, say, 3.5 WAR to account for age and regression that would make him “worth” $17.5 million if he got the going rate.

At that point, $5.6 million if he hit every single bonus would be a huge bargain. The risk is small, and the potential reward is huge.

Ideal Scenario Number Two—Bedard builds trade value

While perhaps the odds of this are as good as Milton Bradley and Eric Wedge being caught skipping down Edgar Martinez Drive together, it’s still possible.

We can also look back to recent history to see what happened with Jarrod Washburn. All it takes is one good half of baseball, and an albatross all of a sudden becomes useful warm bodies. Neither Luke French or Mauricio Robles were blue chip prospects, but both filled holes in a soft upper minors system for the Mariners and add legit options to a major league club.

There is almost no chance Bedard is a Mariner on August 1st if he’s healthy. Contending teams are always looking to add to their rotation, and in Bedard’s case, he’d make a cheap addition to a team that could use a starter, spot starter or legit long man for the dog days of summer.

Other Scenarios

• Cut with no loss.
• Becomes a mop up guy in the pen.
• Spot starts to reduce the innings for Pineda.

Whatever the end result is, the risk is small. Let’s try this one more time, Erik.

Alex Carson is a Seattle Mariners writer and blogger. You can follow him on Twitter @AlexCarson or email him comments, questions or concerns at alexcarson.br@gmail.com

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Chien-Mang Wang is a National again this year.  To many it may be surprising that he even was a National last year considering he never pitched an inning.  Wang must have made strides rehabbing last year though because he was offered and accepted a $1 million contract (with $5 million in incentives) from the Nationals.  

This deal is a very savvy move by Nationals GM Mike Rizzo because the Nationals have added a pitcher that has good upside for a very low price.  If Wang can reach the pitchers mound he will easily be worth his contract.

When healthy, Wang won 19 games in back-to-back seasons and had an ERA under four. Wang gained this success with control, not speed.  Wang never was a hard thrower and only topped 100 strikeouts in a season once. If he can pitch to hitters and keep his walks very far and in between he could be a consistent starter, something the Nationals desperately need.  

While this acquisition while bolster a pitching rotation that features Livan Hernandez, Jason Marquis, Jordan Zimmerman and a whole mess of others the Nationals will still end up at the bottom of the barrel in the NL East.  Livan Hernandez had a tremendous season last year posting an ERA of 3.66, his last three seasons averaging out to be above a five ERA.

I wouldn’t find it very surprising at all if his ERA went back to his career average of 4.39. Marquis was a 2010 offseason acquisition who couldn’t get an out and is battling for a spot in the rotation.  

Jordan Zimmerman is a young pitcher still struggling in the big leagues who will be competing with Josh Lannan and a host of others.  What the Nationals do have is a young and talented bullpen which had to pitch the most innings of any major league club (545.2), but finished at No. 5 in ERA at 3.35.  However, the Nationals still lack an ace, a solid rotation, and an imposing offensive unit.  

The Nationals offense now finds itself weaker then a season ago with the departure of Adam Dunn and the trade of Josh Willingham to the Athletics for prospects Corey Brown (OF) and Henry Rodriguez (RP).  Jayson Werth was brought in to fill in for Adam Dunn who provided the Nationals with 38 home runs and over 100 RBIs for back-to-back seasons.  

While Werth has had an amazing career in Philadelphia, he played in a hitter’s ballpark with a lineup that included Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, etc.  In the last three years, Werth has hit 13 more home runs and slugging .04 higher at Citizens Bank Park.  

While his power numbers increased at home his average and on-base percentage stayed the same.  With this in mind, Werth will probably be able to provide some pop for the Nationals, just in the park of 25-30 home runs.  While he will be a defensive upgrade from Dunn, he will not be able to fill in the power vacuum left by Adam Dunn.  

The only other notable offensive unit added to the Nationals is Rick Ankiel, who signed a one-year deal for $1.5 million plus incentives which will platoon in the OF.  Jayson Werth and Rick Ankiel are not the men who will be able to rally around Ryan Zimmerman and give the Nationals a winning team.  

Jayson Werth and Rick Ankiel are by no means better then the combination of Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn that the Nationals had last year.  At this point I just start to feel bad for Ryan Zimmerman.  Zimmerman will once again have to carry the Nationals offensively in what is sure to be another losing year.

But the worst thing for the Nationals is that every team in the NL East improved in some way this offseason.  The Braves gained power-hitting second baseman Dan Uggla and utility man Erik Hinske while bolstering its bullpen with George Sherill.  

The Marlins signed Javier Vazquez and shored up its bullpen dilemma via free agency and trade.  

The Mets added very few players this off season, but have added Carrasco to replace Feliciano and are looking to a team that features Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes healthy.  

Finally, the Phillies have added Cliff Lee to its rotation to create one of the best rotations in Major League history.     

The Nationals will be a team to look out for in the future with such stars as Strasburg, Harper and Ramos.  For the 2011 season, though, the Nationals will still finish last in the division due to a horrible rotation, a lack of offense and an improved division.

I predict the Nationals will therefore regress this season, eventually finishing the year at 65-95.         

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With Christmas just around the corner, and the Winter GM Meetings already a thing of the past, Major League Baseball’s Hot Stove league is well underway.

Going into this offseason, there was much talk about guys like Cliff Lee, the one true ace available, Jayson Werth, considered the best offensive threat on the market, and Carl Crawford, the superlative all-around threat coming off of arguably his best season.

Now, all of those names are spoken for with nine-figure contracts.  Lee has taken his talents back to Broad Street, Werth won’t get to reunite with Lee as he bolted for the Nationals, and Crawford will be fronting a revamped Red Sox lineup that will also feature Adrian Gonzalez, acquired in a trade with San Diego.

So where does that leave everyone else? 

There is still plenty of talent left out there, and a number of teams looking to fill holes going into 2011.  Well fear not, fearless reader!  In this feature, we count down the top ten remaining free agents, and predict where they might be headed.  So read on to make sense of the free agent landscape as it currently stands.

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