Kuzul

The city of Boston must be ecstatic tonight with the announcement of the signing Carl Crawford

Crawford’s home has been Tropicana Field for the last nine seasons, as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2010, Crawford’s batting average was .307, with 30 doubles, 13 triples, 19 home-runs, 90 RBIs and 47 stolen bases.

Add that to the other new Red Sox, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, who’s 2010 average at the plate was .298, with 31 home-runs, and 101 RBIs.

It would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t agree that the Red Sox are by far the AL East, if not baseball’s favorite heading into 2011.

The pressure is on like Donkey Kong for the New York Yankees to sign Cliff Lee. Maybe the new regime is fine with not being able to compete for a season, but that is just not going to fly.

You cannot forget the major backlash coming from Yankee fans if Lee is not in the Bronx come April. Especially with the Red Sox taking Crawford, who the Yankees were interested makes it a slap in the face.

The Texas Rangers clearly want Lee too; going as far as asking Lee’s camp what it will take to sign the Southpaw.

Lee has expressed how much he loved the Rangers clubhouse and it’s location to Arkansas where Lee lives.

GM Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner now have another reason to sign Lee.

First, the team is in desperate need to add to the starting rotation.

Second reason is pretty simply, the Yankees need to save some face considering it’s the first year the Boss is not in the background.

The rumor is that in two days, Lee will announce were he is bringing his talents in 2011, and my gut feeling is it’s not going to be to the Bronx.

Hopefully, I am dead wrong but Lee has not hinted or even given an inkling of a favorite.

This is why I believe Lee is waiting to give the Rangers a chance to match the Yankees, so he has reason to stay.

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According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Brewers GM Doug Melvin confirmed that the Brewers were one of the teams that met with Carl Pavano and his agent, Tom O’Connel, on Tuesday.

Melvin was rather tight lipped about the meeting saying, “I don’t want to get into anything other than we met with him.”

According to most, Pavano is considered the next best remaining free-agent starter after Cliff Lee and that’s not saying much. This year’s free-agent class is practically devoid of impact arms and probably the next best one, Jorge de la Rosa, has already re-signed with the Colorado Rockies.

If the Brewers are serious in their pursuit of Pavano, they will have competition. There have been multiple reports that the Minnesota Twins are making a strong push to re-sign the 34 year-old right-hander. There have also been reports that the Washington Nationals have serious interest as well. I would assume that their interest may diminish if they are able to pry Cliff Lee away from his other suitors.

Many believe that Pavano and his agent are seeking a three-year deal in the $30-$40 million range. For a pitcher with a lengthy injury history like Pavano’s, the risk with that type of deal is enormous to a team like the Brewers.

The Brewers have been through this before. This stinks a bit like that massive failure that was Jeff Suppan. If Melvin is serious and spends that kind of money on Pavano, he needs to be prepared for the backlash he will receive from Brewer Nation.

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Your 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants are officially back on the clock.

It’s a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world and with free agents signing all over the place, the impatient among the Black and Orange faithful want to know how the franchise is reloading. Adam Dunn, Jayson Werth, Victor Martinez, Derek Jeter, Lance Berkman and Rod Barajas are just a few of the bigger names who are off the big board.

Aubrey Huff and Miguel Tejada are also spoken for, but by the hometown voice so they’ll be dealt with in due course. Inquiring minds want to know what’s next.

Truth be told, there shouldn’t be much more offseason action by the Bay.

The San Francisco budget is already swollen for 2011. It’s unclear how much general manager Brian Sabean is posturing and how much of the $120 million talk is reality,  but the message is the same in either case—don’t expect a high-priced acquisition.

But before you groan about the needlessly niggardly front office, consider what is happening across Major League Baseball’s free agency landscape.

The Washington Nationals just signed Werth…the 31-year-old Jayson Werth…for seven years and $126 million dollars!?!?!

That’s one of the most insane contracts I’ve ever seen, right up there with Barry Zito’s of the exact same length. Not a good omen and it begs the question (at maximum decibel), why the hell do teams so willingly pay Scott Boras’ price?

Can you name a single one of his deals that’s been even a good idea for the club in retrospect? Forget about a great one.

Back to the point

V-Mart (32 before New Year’s Day) went for five years, $50 million to the Detroit Tigers. Dunn got $56 million for four years from the Chicago White Sox. Jeter’s albatross in New York is a special case; we all knew it was coming, but what about Hiroki Kiruda getting $12 million for one year in Los Angeles Dodger blue?

Shoot, even Aubrey’s price tag of $22 million over two years is a little staggering, though easily embraced considering he was underpaid in 2010. That and the shiny new Commissioner’s Trophy which now resides in The City.

Additionally, look at the names that have signed and are still available. They’re not necessarily game-changers aside from Carl Crawford who is being wooed by just about everyone, including the bottomless pockets in pinstripes.

In other words, I’d prepare for a calm winter from the Giants and that’s a good thing.

Having said that, there are still some tweaks to be made as dreams of repeating are indulged, so let’s take a look at the realistic best- and worst-case scenarios for each facet of the team.

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The MLB offseason is already in full swing, and many top free agents have already been taken off the board.

So who’s left? And what players might be available for teams that don’t have the pocket change to go out and sign a free agent?

Begin the slideshow to see the top five players available to sign or trade for at each position.

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There has been talk and speculation that the New York Yankees and free-agent outfielder Carl Crawford have spoken and that there is interest on the part of the Yankees.

The Yankees were informed by Crawford, however, that he really wants to play in Anaheim, and that he prefers the more laid-back attitude of the West Coast. The California money isn’t bad, either.

The reason why Crawford’s name has come up now might be to drive up the Angels’ price, but the lack of talk here at the meetings over Crawford likely indicates his sole desire to play in California.

Crawford would be making an already decent Los Angeles Angels lineup much better, and adding him along with the return of Kendry Morales gives the Angels a nice middle of Crawford, Torii Hunter and Morales.

The Yankees’ primary concern is Cliff Lee, and I was told that the Yankees do not believe there is any legitimate seven-year offer on the table for Lee—not from the Texas Rangers, not from the Washington Nationals and certainly not yet from the Angels.

It appears like every team is trying to sign its primary focus: the Yankees and Rangers with Lee and the Angels with Crawford. Then each club will worry about the other player later, probably immediately afterward.

Crawford supposedly informed the Yankees that while his desire is to play in Southern California, he would play for the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox if he had to choose between the two.

It’s a small consolation for the Yankees, but at least for now they can concentrate on Lee.

As I said, the Yankees believe there is no seven-year offer, but if push comes to shove, they would be willing to go that seventh year if it meant getting Lee. I have said several times this week I felt the Yankees would do so kicking and screaming. They need Lee very badly.

The Yankees are not worried about reports that Andy Pettitte will retire. Unless they hear those words directly from Pettitte’s mouth, they are assuming Andy is returning for the 2011 season, which will likely be his last.

But while the Yankees feel there is no current seven year offer for Lee, they also believe the Rangers are desperately putting together a big offer. Reports are that Nolan Ryan is pulling together money from other sources to push in Lee’s direction.

The Yankees are worried about Lee going back to Texas more than they are with any other team.

But I still feel the Angels will be players in the Lee sweepstakes, especially if they sign Crawford relatively quickly.

If the Yankees fail to sign Lee, one fallback option is the trade market. Forget about Zack Greinke, as the Yankees are just not interested. But they have indicated interest in a player who is currently being shopped here at the Winter Meetings—Ricky Nolasco of the Florida Marlins.

Nolasco has talent and put up a 14-9 record and 4.51 ERA last year. But the Yankees feel Nolasco is a better pitcher than his 2010 record showed.

Nolasco’s peripherals in 2010 were strong with a 1.9 BB/9 and a K/9 of 8.4. His career rates of 2.1 BB/9 and 8.0 K/9 are similar to his 2010 season, showing tremendous consistency. 

The Yankees would know what they are getting with Nolasco.

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According to ESPN.com, the Minnesota Twins are making a “serious push” to re-sign Carl Pavano.

Pavano has spent the last year-and-a-half in the Twin Cities after being acquired from the Cleveland Indians in 2009.

Last season Pavano stepped up as a top-of-the-rotation starter for the Twins, going 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA.

Pavano has drawn interest from other teams besides the Twins this offseason, including the Washington Nationals and the Florida Marlins.

Pavano, a Type-A free agent, declined arbitration from the Twins and would give them two compensation draft picks in the 2011 MLB draft should he depart.

It comes as something of a surprise that the Twins are such heavy players in re-signing Pavano. They already have Liriano, Baker, Blackburn, Slowey and Duensing under contract for next season. The Twins also have Kyle Gibson waiting in the minors for an opportunity.

Pavano should be able to demand close to $10 million per season on his new contract. What may be a sticking point for the Twins is the third year that Pavano wants. If Pavano is willing to accept a two-year deal, the Twins should pull the trigger.

This signing may allow them to package a couple of their other starters, and possibly make a bigger splash with a trade. Zack Greinke is a possibility—though not a likely one, as Kansas City is unlikely to trade within the division.

The Twins may be feeling pressure to bring back Pavano after the big splashes already made by the Chicago White Sox (Adam Dunn, re-signing Paul Konerko) and the Detroit Tigers (Victor Martinez).

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As soon as GM Theo Epstein & Company completed the trade to acquire Adrian Gonzalez, and long before they boarded a plane for Florida to attend the MLB Winter Meetings, their collective attention immediately turned to other priorities. What is next on the agenda?

Epstein has made it clear the club has a couple of needs that need to be addressed this week: a pair of relievers and a right-handed bat.

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Now that Jayson Werth has signed his jaw-dropping contract with the Nationals, the hot stove dominoes are likely to start falling.  Werth’s contract, henceforth known as the Nationals’ Deficit, gives Carl Crawford more leverage than a supermodel at a Star Wars premiere.  Multiple sources are now reporting Crawford’s agent is seeking eight years and $180 million, or 2 ½ times the total payroll for the 2010 Tampa Bay Rays.  It’s likely that the only way Crawford would get more money is if his agent was also Scott Boras, and the Nationals were competing against themselves to sign him.

It just happens that there is one other free agent linchpin seeking similar money—Cliff Lee—and exactly two teams with the capital to sign them.  Though the Rangers and Angels have thrown their hats in the free agency ring, the most likely scenario still has it that the Yankees and Red Sox will rochambeau for Crawford and Lee.  That would leave the rest of the league, henceforth known as the Other 28, to compete for the services of the remaining outfield options.  And there are some needy competitors.  The Rays will have to replace the bats of Crawford and Carlos Pena, the Angels will look to improve their lineup after a sub-.500 season, and the Tigers appear poised to keep spending.

Here then are the ten best likely available outfielders once Crawford signs…

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Free-agent ace Cliff Lee is burning his talents right through the MLB winter meetings this week.

Just a week ago Lee was on his way to New York, unless the Rangers could convince the southpaw he had good reasons to stay in Texas.

Well things have certainly changed, as rumors that the Nationals, Angels, Phillies and two unknown suitors want a piece of Lee.

Is the New York motto, what the Yankees want, the Yankees usually can bankroll still in tact?

Yankee fans sure hope so, but the hourly Lee updates are starting to cause some concern.

Especially now with the Boston Red Sox, who finally acquired their version of Teixeira in Adrian Gonzalez.

Add that fact to the seeming retirement of Andy Pettitte and the possibility Carl Crawford heads west to the Halos.

Yankee Universe doesn’t just want Cliff Lee—they need him—at least for next season. That would be plenty enough if the Boss was still in charge.

Now, the question remains does GM Cashman and Baby Hal Steinbrenner want to win in 2011, enough so that Lee can stay six years after that?

Yankee fans sure hope things haven’t changed this much.

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The baseball world is still whining and complaining about Jayson Werth’s seven-year, $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals.

Let ’em whine, I say.

For some reason, the Nationals just can’t placate anyone, so why try? For years, the team has been slapped about because they refused to spend millions of dollars on players who wouldn’t help them become a contender.

Now the team thinks they are close enough to contending that they give a very good player $18 million a year and what happens? Those same people whine and complain that the Nationals pushed the pay scale up for the remaining free agents, costing other teams millions of dollars.

Let’s be clear: I don’t care about all the other teams. And why should I? They didn’t much care about us while they were beating our brains in on the field, filling up our stadium with their fans and mocking us off the field.

If the Mets or Angels or whoever have to pay a few million more for Carl Crawford because of the Nationals, I say that’s great.

There is no doubt that the Nationals overpaid for Jayson Werth. A couple of analysts on XM Radio said that the team gave Werth two more years and $4 million more per season than any other team; they were negotiating against themselves.

They were right but couldn’t be more wrong.

The Nationals couldn’t have signed Werth by giving him one more year at $1 more than the next closest team. No, they had to obliterate the competition and they had to do it fast. There is no doubt that the dollars and years of the contract were the absolute minimum it took to get Werth to Washington.

The only scenario that would make this a bad contract would be if this was the only contract that Washington signs this offseason. But the timing tells me that’s not going to happen. The team announced the signing on Sunday, before the winter meetings even began. This was a signal to free-agent players and their agents that the team was open for business. If a player wasn’t certain that the team was committed to winning, they are now.

Some random thoughts, in random order of course:

• Though I love Josh Willingham, now is the time to trade him. Though he isn’t Nick Johnson-fragile, he is close. The team could get two prospects in return and if they move Mike Morse to left, they wouldn’t lose much in the way of offense. Morse’s 2010 numbers (.289-15-41) works out to .289-32-90 for an entire season. No, I don’t think he’ll hit that well but he’ll hit 25 homers and drive in 80 runs easily.
• Many are upset that manager Jim Riggleman said that Nyjer Morgan was going to be the team’s center fielder next season, but really, 2010 was his first bad year. Prior to last season, Morgan averaged .303/.362/.391 with 42 stolen bases over a 162-game season. The team can afford to give him another chance with Roger Bernadina in reserve should he falter.
• I would much rather have Adam LaRoche at first the next couple of seasons than Carlos Pena. Last season, LaRoche batted .261-21-100, typical numbers for the 30-year-old. Pena, on the other hand, has seen his numbers decline each of the last four seasons.
• I hope the Nationals re-sign Chien-Ming Wang. He has said he’ll return if no one else offers him a major-league contract. He was too good over his career (and looked good during the Instructional League last fall) not to take one more chance. And while they are at it, here’s hoping the Nationals sign Brandon Webb too.
• Reports out yesterday morning hinted at a “Tyler Clippard and Ian Desmond for Matt Garza” trade. Garza, just 26, went 15-10, with a 3.91 ERA for Tampa Bay. The Nationals are deep in the bullpen and have Steve Lombardozzi ready to take over at second while Daniel Espinosa would return to his natural position, shortstop. I’d do it in a heartbeat.

I have little doubt that the Nationals will end the week a much-improved team, one that perhaps will be good enough to play .500 ball next year. That’s .500 ball without Stephen Strasburg. Imagine what they might be able to do with him in 2011.

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