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Freddy Garcia recently was speculated to be returning to the Chicago White Sox, where he’s enjoyed most of his success in the latter years of his career, but he seems to have done an about face.

According to a report in ESPN New York, Garcia has agreed to terms with the New York Yankees on a minor league contract.  Perhaps he thought he had a better chance of winning with the Bombers, or perhaps they just offered a sweeter deal.  Garcia will earn $1.5 million if he makes the team, with the chance to round that figure out to a cool $5.1 million through performance bonuses.

It’s a bit surprising that Garcia would have to settle for a minor league deal, coming off a highly respectable season with Chicago where he went 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA, and considering that he sports a 133-87 career record.  He also has established himself as a big game pitcher during his brief exposure to the postseason, where he’s gone 6-2 with a 3.11 ERA in two trips.

He’ll compete with fellow recent signee Bartolo Colon for a spot at the back end of the Yankees rotation, and will give them greater depth should the inevitable injury arise.  He’s also insurance in case Andy Pettitte stays home.  Oh wait, I already talked about that.

While the major deals of the MLB offseason have long since had all their i’s dotted and their t’s crossed, there are still some last rounds of spring cleaning that need to take place before everything is set.

A bit of moving the furniture around, if you would.  Contract extensions to be signed, arbitration hearings to be avoided, and few free agent stragglers here and there.

So without further ado, here’s a rundown of the latest news of the day in baseball.

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The Chicago Cubs have already traded for starting pitcher Matt Garza and traded away starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny this winter, and it seems very possible that that will be enough for GM Jim Hendry. There is relatively little else Chicago could do at this point, with the key free agents off the market and the team unlikely to leapfrog the Brewers and Reds into the top spot in a rational prognosticator’s picture of the 2011 NL Central division.

Of course, miracles happen every day (see Wells, Vernon), so perhaps the Cubs can find a diamond somewhere in the January rough and make themselves into a more legitimate contender either in 2011 or in the longer term. Read on for five deals the Cubs could try to swing to turn their fortunes for the better.

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This is THE year for the Brewers. Just ask anyone. If they are going to win, it will be in 2011. It is a foregone conclusion that Prince Fielder will be leaving via free agency in 2012. If you’re Doug Melvin, you’re probably already coming up with a plan of attack for 2012 and beyond. At least I hope so, because that’s what good General Managers do.

Melvin made the right moves this offseason, but he can’t afford to take any missteps moving forward. The Brewers need to put their money where they will get the most bang for their buck. Dropping a tidy sum for multiple years on Rickie Weeks will not help the Brewers moving forward.

I like Rickie as a player and a person. I certainly won’t claim otherwise, but there are three specific reasons that make keeping Weeks long-term an impractical notion.

1. A player who has played in only 65 percent of the possible games in a six-year career, is a terrible long-term investment.

You may have heard this before, but Weeks has only played in 130 games or more once in his career and that was in 2010. He put up great numbers, and he is a unique player. That is valuable to any team. The problem here is that you can’t count on Rickie to be in the lineup day in and day out.

If you don’t believe you can count on someone, why would you invest millions of dollars in him?

2. Even after all the work Weeks has put in, he is still a below-average defensive second baseman.

To most people it seems that he has improved so much, he must be pretty good by now. In actuality, he was so bad it was impossible for him not to get better. That’s like a 500 lb. person losing 100 lbs. It’s a major improvement, but still not very good. During the 2010 season, Weeks was third in errors for a second baseman in the NL.

3. Spending a lot of money on Weeks will make it harder to keep a solid pitching rotation together.

Now that Doug Melvin has finally realized that pitching wins championships, that is where he needs to invest the money. He needs to sign Shaun Marcum to an extension, which Marcum is open to. At the time of his trade to Milwaukee, Marcum and his agent were talking contract extension with the Blue Jays.

Not extending Weeks would also leave some wiggle room for an eventual contract extension with Zack Greinke as well. The Brewers would have flexibility with their payroll, as well as acquiring draft pick(s) upon Weeks signing with another club.

The Brewers and Rickie Weeks’ agent, Greg Genske, had recently been discussing a contract extension, but those talks have been tabled for the time being. In my estimation, that is the prudent way to go to help maintain the future health of the franchise.

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Rickie Weeks is coming off the best season of his career in 2010. He’s also entering his final year before hitting the free agent market after the 2011 season. With the team having traded top prospect and second baseman Brett Lawrie to the Blue Jays for Shaun Marcum, it’s now more imperative than ever for them to sign Weeks to a long-term deal.

Prior to 2010, Weeks had never played more than 129 games in a season. Many speculated that if he could stay healthy, he could put up All-Star type numbers and that’s exactly what he did. In 160 games, he hit .269 with a .366 on-base percentage. He scored 112 runs while hitting 29 home runs and knocking in 83. He also led the league in being hit by a pitch, 25 times. 

Although he only stole 11 bases, he has the speed to steal 30 or more a season. Former manager Ken Macha didn’t use the running game as an effective weapon, something new manager Ron Roenicke plans on doing a great deal. With sluggers like Hart, Braun, and Prince Fielder hitting behind him, the running game isn’t a necessity for Weeks, but it’s an added weapon that should prove more effective than not over the course of the season.

Weeks can expect a significant raise for his final arbitration year. He made $2.75 million last year but should see his salary easily top $4.5 million this year. Still young (he won’t turn 29 until September), he still has several more productive seasons ahead of him, barring any more significant time spent on the disabled list.

With the very likely scenario of Fielder leaving after this season, locking up a player like Weeks becomes all the more important. The power he showed in 2010 allows him to be moved into a better run-producing position in the batting order. If Carlos Gomez could ever get on base more consistently, Weeks could be moved down in the order to give better protection to Fielder and McGehee. 

If, like most feel, Gomez never materializes into a top-of-the-order hitter, Weeks can remain in the lead-off spot and continue to be the spark plug for the Brewers’ offense.

Lawrie’s departure, along with the haul sent to Kansas City for Zack Greinke, have depleted the Brewers’ farm system. While Scooter Gennett and Eric Farris are both still young enough where a career in the Majors isn’t out of the question, neither has the tools to be a star that Weeks possesses.

The Brewers have done a great job locking up their young core to long-term deals over the past few seasons. Ryan Braun, Yovani Gallardo, and Corey Hart are all signed through at least the 2013 season. Others like Casey McGehee, Jonathan Lucroy, and John Axford are all under team control until at least the middle of the decade. 

Weeks seems open to the idea of remaining with the Brewers. The two parties have had ongoing conversations about an extension since the Winter Meetings in early December. It’s likely a deal will get done before Opening Day 2011. He’ll be a key piece for the Brewers this season, but also going forward in the post-Prince Fielder era.

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here. 

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Once one of the weaker positions in the league, second base has seen an increase in talent in recent years and there is more talent yet to come. 

Let’s take a look at how the rankings currently stand, though by year’s end there is the potential that the list will look drastically different:

1. Robinson Cano – New York Yankees
2. Chase Utley – Philadelphia Phillies
3. Dustin Pedroia – Boston Red Sox
4. Ian Kinsler – Texas Rangers
5. Dan Uggla – Atlanta Braves
6. Brandon Phillips – Cincinnati Reds
7. Martin Prado – Atlanta Braves
8. Rickie Weeks – Milwaukee Brewers
9. Ben Zobrist – Tampa Bay Rays
10. Aaron Hill – Toronto Blue Jays
11. Brian Roberts – Baltimore Orioles
12. Kelly Johnson – Arizona Diamondbacks
13. Gordon Beckham – Chicago White Sox
14. Howie Kendrick – Los Angeles Angels
15. Chone Figgins – Seattle Mariners

Thoughts:

• I recently gave my thoughts on Gordon Beckham, which you can check out by clicking here.  The bottom line with him is that there is some risk involved, but he came on strong in the second half and should be a good buy as a middle infielder or low-risk option.
• On mlb.com (click here for the article), the Brewers’ new manager, Ron Roenicke, was recently quoted as saying, “At times, you’re going to say, ‘Why are you running so much? Why are you getting thrown out trying to take extra bases?’”  That brings hope for Rickie Weeks potentially reaching the 20/20 plateau, something that was basically impossible under the old regime as they rarely were active on the base paths.  It certainly gives him a boost up in our rankings.
• Since the last time I did the rankings, Uggla has been dealt to Atlanta.  It certainly doesn’t change his value much in either direction.  Joining Brian McCann and Jason Heyward in the middle of the order, it’s very possible he will exceed 30 home runs for the fifth straight season (almost a given) while going 90/90 as well.
• Speaking of Atlanta, Martin Prado will be shifting to the outfield while maintaining his eligibility at 2B and 3B (and 1B if you play in a league that only requires 5 games played for eligibility).  You have to love that type of flexibility.
• There are several young second basemen who could make an impact in 2011 including Dustin Ackley (click here for my thoughts), Brett Lawrie (click here for my thoughts) and Jason Kipnis (click here for my thoughts).

What are your thoughts on the rankings?  Who’s too high?  Who’s too low?

**** Make sure to pre-order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here. ****

Make sure to check out our 2011 rankings:

• Top 15 Catchers
• Top 15 First Basemen
• Top 15 Third Basemen
• Top 15 Shortstops
• Top 30 Outfielders
• Top 20 Starting Pitchers
• Top 15 Closers
• 2011 Fantasy Draft First Round Breakdown

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported via Twitter that the Milwaukee Brewers are in the process of completing a trade for RHP Shaun Marcum, 28, of the Toronto Blue Jays. It appears to be a done deal with only the formalities and paperwork remaining.

A Canadian source has confirmed to Haudricourt that Milwaukee Brewers’ top prospect and 2008 First Round pick 2B Brett Lawrie will be going to the Blue Jays in the deal. Originally it was believed the Jays would be getting pitching prospects in return.

Obtaining Lawrie is a no-brainer for Toronto, as Lawrie is Canadian native born in Langley, British Columbia. He also played for the 2008 Canadian Junior National Team, as well as their 2008 Olympic squad. He has steadily moved up the ladder in the Brewers’ minor league system.

Marcum has proven to be an effective starting pitcher for the Jays and is a solid addition to the middle of the rotation. However, he is not a top of the rotation difference-maker. He does do something many of the Brewers’ starters have struggled with in recent memory.

He gets hitters out.

I am a bit stunned to see Lawrie involved in a trade for Marcum. I would think that, for the organization’s top prospect, Doug Melvin could have a aimed a bit higher. I like Marcum, but he’s a number three starter in my opinion. I just hope Melvin didn’t give up any other high level prospects in the deal.

This probably means a contract extension for 2B Rickie Weeks isn’t far off.

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Did Rickie Weeks finally put things together in 2010?  He’s been talked about as a potential breakout star for some time, though injuries and inability perennially short-circuited those hopes.

The 2010 season was the first time Weeks played in more then 129 games as he posted the following impressive line:

• 651 At Bats
• .269 Batting Average (175 Hits)
• 29 Home Runs
• 83 RBI
• 112 Runs
• 11 Stolen Bases
• .366 On Base Percentage
• .464 Slugging Percentage
• .332 Batting Average on Balls in Play

Now, the question is, can he replicate this success in 2011?

The strikeouts, which have always been at least a little concern, is growing larger and larger as each season passes.  Just look at his marks the past three seasons:

• 2008 – 24.2%
• 2009 – 26.5%
• 2010 – 28.3%

That certainly helps Weeks need a lot of luck to post a usable average.  Does he have the speed to backup his 2010 mark?  He does, but he hadn’t really come close to it the prior three seasons (.287, .277 & .313).  Yes, they were all marred by injuries (he didn’t have more then 475 AB in a year), but it needs to be mentioned all the same.

The power will also play a role in the average (since the fewer home runs, the more balls that are put in play).  I’m just not sold that he can maintain a 29 HR pace.

First of all, he actually only had one month with more then five home runs in 2010 (he hit nine in July).  That’s only the second time since 2006 that he achieved that feat.  If he’s only going to average four or five home runs a month, it’s impossible to imagine him replicating a mark of 29.

Secondly, he posted a fly ball rate of 35.8 percent (similar to his career mark of 36.7 percent) and a HR/FB of 17.3 percent (his career mark is 13.7 percent).  I know people are going to point to 2009, when he posted a HR/FB of 19.1 percent, but that came in just 147 AB, too small of a sample size to draw any conclusions from.  Look at his prior three seasons (all at least 359 AB):

• 2006 – 9.1 percent
• 2007 – 13.2 percent
• 2008 – 9.9 percent

Couple the potential drop in power to the decrease in luck and there is a realistic chance that Weeks posts an unusable average.  I would put the odds better that he hits .240 then him hitting .280.

A potential decrease in average and home runs will likely come with a decrease in runs and RBI, as well.  Of course, improvements from Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun will help Weeks at least come close to his run total if he were producing.  If he struggles, it’s no guarantee that he remains hitting atop the Brewers order, which would only further hurt his potential production.

If you couldn’t tell, I’m not a big proponent of Weeks for 2011.  I wouldn’t over reach for him based on his 2009 production because there are a lot of reasons to be skeptical of him repeating those numbers.  I’d consider him more of a last resort option on draft day as opposed to a player I would count on.

What about you?  How do you expect Weeks to perform in 2011?  Can he replicate his 2010 success?

Make sure to check out some of our 2011 projections:

• Butler, Billy
• Freese, David
• Jaso, John
• Morrow, Brandon
• Reyes, Jose
• Willingham, Josh
• Young, Michael

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM.

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Dear Doug,

I understand that you are a creature of habit. Sometimes that can be a good thing, but in 2010 it was a fatal flaw to the success of the Brewers. Strictly relying on offense to win games at the expense of solid pitching does not work. The San Francisco Giants went with solid pitching over offense, and you saw what happened. If you continue to solely rely on your offense, striking out at a pace reminiscent of a Bugs Bunny cartoon is totally unacceptable. These habits must be broken now if you are serious about winning and not just merely competing. The status quo will lead you to the unemployment line.  

Be Aggressive

You cannot sit back and wait for trade offers to pour in. Last season you admittedly waited for teams to call about Prince Fielder. Why? You knew there were interested parties. Everyone knew that. Sitting back waiting for the elusive perfect offer is a loser’s modus operandi. According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Brewers could “probably” have had Daniel Hudson from the White Sox for Prince in a one for one deal. But you wanted more. Now it seems Arizona has an ace in the making. Recently there have been rumors linking a trade of Fielder again to the White Sox for Edwin Jackson and Gordon Beckham. This would probably make the most sense if Rickie Weeks is traded. Beckham could step into Weeks’ spot at second base. I have always believed that if there is a player you covet, go ahead and overpay a little.You have to give to get what you want. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works anyway.

Don’t Rely on Old Veterans to Make Significant Contributions

Now there is a difference between a seasoned veteran and an old one. A seasoned veteran is similar to a Vladimir Guerrero, Aubrey Huff or even Melvin Mora. They may be past their prime, but they can still bring it. One name I would have to look closely at this off-season is Brandon Webb. An injury history yes. A chip on his shoulder? Most likely. He’s going to want to prove that he’s still got his old mojo working. While I don’t know what his contract demands will be, he should have little leverage since he has not pitched in almost two years. If you recall,l he’s got that heavy sinker which results in ground balls galore. Ground balls make me smile.

Old veterans include players like Gregg Zaun, Mike Sweeney and Jason Giambi. Relying on them for anything significant is pure foolishness. Offering a contract to Eric Hinske is a start. You might want to take a look at Adam LaRoche if you move Prince or even at Brad Hawpe. LaRoche would significantly upgrade the defense at first base and is a solid hitter. In Hawpe’s case, Corey Hart could move to first base with Hawpe taking over in right or Hawpe could just stay at first. He played 9 games there in 2010. Brad Hawpe had an off year in 2010 but is primed to bounce back.

Be Willing to Trade Prospects for Established Players

You did it with C.C. Sabathia, but why not since? How have Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley panned out for the Indians? That’s what I thought. There may be a couple of prospects you prefer not to part with and that’s understandable, but keep an open mind. If certain players become available, you should be willing to consider making Brett Lawrie, Jake Odorizzi, Amaury Rivas or Jeremy Jeffress available in a deal. A young veteran with a proven track record is worth much more than a couple of top prospects. You need to not only realize that, but be willing to make it happen when the right deal comes along. Even if one of those prospects becomes a really good player for someone else, you still have the player you wanted and he’s helping the team right now.

Don’t Overvalue Mediocre Talent in the Free Agent Market

Did you overpay for Randy Wolf last year? Probably, but at least he’s been relatively durable and consistently pitched a lot of innings. He has had six seasons of 30 plus starts and five seasons throwing 200 plus innings. His career ERA is more than respectable at 4.13.

Now on the other hand take a guy like Jorge de la Rosa. He has been touted by many as being in the next tier of pitchers in this free agent class after Cliff Lee. The former Brewer has had one season of 30 plus starts and the most innings he has ever pitched in a season is 185. Don’t even entertain the idea Mr. Melvin. He’s an average pitcher at best. You’ve had enough of those. You need to do better.

Seriously Consider Trading Rickie Weeks

This may be an unpopular idea to many, but hear me out. Yes he is a unique player, but he has significant flaws in his game, his free agency is fast approaching, and his injury history is significant. Those lasers he hits all over the field have a tendency to obscure the fact that a contract extension could be quite dangerous to the franchise.

Rickie has only played more than 130 games in a season one time which was in 2010. He struck out 184 times last season good for third in the National League. He did improve turning the double play and led the league in put outs. Unfortunately he was third in the N.L. in errors for second basemen and his fielding percentage of .980 was eighth. His fielding is still an adventure. I still cringe every time a ball is hit his way.I have a feeling you do as well.

Despite those shortcomings, his trade value may never be higher than it is right now, and his unique skill set is bound to interest a number of teams. At least dangle that carrot out there. There are at least 13 teams in need of a quality second baseman. Eric Farris, Brett Lawrie and Cutter Dykstra are all stacked up in the Brewer’s system just waiting for their chance. You have options.

 Build a Balanced and Competent Bench

You might want to have both right-handed and left-handed hitters on your bench this year. Maybe it’s just me, but that seems to make sense. It’s also imperative to have seasoned veterans on the bench that have been there and done that. Some players who make sense include Eric Hinske, David Eckstein, Reed Johnson, Gerald Laird and Ty Wiggington. All of them can still play and aren’t going to kill you if they have to start for period of time. I’m sure you recall just how productive Jody Gerut, Brad Nelson, Chris Duffy and Trent Durrington were. Don’t go there again. Brandon Boggs and Chris Dickerson are NOT the kind of players you should be looking for.

The Bottom Line

This Brewers team will not fix itself. That’s why you have your job. It may be helpful to keep this letter with you wherever you go. You never know when someone might give you a call. Better yet lay it down on your desk, give it a once over and dial some digits. Who knows? Something good may actually happen.

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The Mets are closer to being a contending team than you may think.  The incoming GM could make these simple and, perhaps more importantly, cheap changes to have them competing next year and for years to come.

Jettison Bad Karma: On paper, the Mets have been a competitive team for the past three years.  In reality, however, their high paid “stars” have underachieved, they have suffered an unlucky proportion of injuries and their fan base has grown impatient and cynical (I left out angry and borderline hostile). 

Now, the booing and empty seats at the otherwise charming Citi Field have become both a symptom and a cause of the general malaise of the team.  Not to go too new age on you, but the energy surrounding the team is negative, they have developed a culture of losing, perhaps traceable to their epic late season collapses in ‘07 and ‘08. 

Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez and John Maine are the three major players that have come to symbolize this.  Castillo can be unloaded, the Mets could pay for half his six million dollar price-tag and sell him off as an ideal veteran bench piece, a one day per week starter, pinch runner, and situational pinch hitter. 

Perez’s value is minimal at best, but the Mets could sell him as a situational lefty vs. lefty match-up guy.  In fact, lefties have hit 50 points lower vs. him over the course of his career. They should even go so far as to pay 20 of his remaining 25 million if necessary, in a clear case of addition by subtraction.  John Maine is an easy fix, they should not tender his option and part ways cleanly. 

Get Stronger up the Middle: With Reyes at SS and either Beltran or Pagan in CF, to get stronger they must shore up 2B and C.  With strong catching options sparse in the bigs, the Mets should groom Josh Thole to fulfill his potential as an above average major league catcher. 

Then they need to sign a veteran caddie such as John Buck from Toronto and they will be covered at the catcher position.  At second base it is finally time to sign Orlando Hudson, the grizzled, slick fielding, switch hitting veteran who has long wanted to play for the Mets. 

The Mets should pay him nine million for three years.  He can play some still, and can teach Tejada about being a major leaguer, all while giving Tejada time to develop until it is the youngster’s time to shine. 

Another option here is Ricky Weeks of the Brewers who is set to be a FA after the 2011 season.  The Brewers are worried about signing Prince Fielder and would likely make Weeks available for a reasonable price.

Get rid of Jason Bay/Get Faster in the Outfield: Jason Bay is a bad fit for this team.  Although very talented, he is also a slow prodding runner/fielder whose right-handed power stroke is not complemented by the dimensions of Citi Field.  

The Mets would have been epically better off waiting for Carl Crawford this year but since they don’t have a time machine, they should wait till midseason when Bay’s value is back up and deal him and his contract away.  His replacement should be a centerfielder type player with good tools, decent pop and the speed to make the Mets outfield defense a team strength.

Sign their arms: Because of Johan’s uncertain injury status, there is an added urgency for the Mets to retain Pelfrey and Dickey.  Both are arbitration eligible, both should be signed to long term deals and both could be had at a reasonable price.

The Mets need to do this.  Jonathan Niece is their fourth starter, but could easily wind up being their second best per inning starter behind only a healthy Johan.  The last spots in the rotation would be up for competition, with guys like Dillon Gee (bad stuff, good command) and Henry Mejia (good stuff, bad command) competing for innings. 

Signing additional arms should be a priority as well, with a preference toward unheralded fly-ball pitchers to take advantage of the cavernous Citi Field dimensions at a relatively low price.

Hire Bobby Valentine: He is a polarizing figure, a baseball genius, has had success managing the Mets, brings competitive energy and an alpha dog to boot.  The Mets need an infusion of life and a spark to get the attention of the fans and the respect of the league. 

Bobby Valentine, for better or worse, elicits such an emotional response. After the hyper mellow (almost comatose really) managing style of Jerry Manuel, the young core of the Mets needs to be awoken from their slumber of mediocrity.  Bobby Valentine is credible and authoritative enough to get them to change their bad habits and is the manager the Mets Alderson should sign.

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