Kuzul

According to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com, the Brewers and Dodgers are discussing a possible trade that would send 1B Prince Fielder to the Dodgers in exchange for 1B James Loney and closer Jonathan Broxton.

The Dodgers are a team in need of power and run production which Fielder would provide. Fielder’s HR, RBI, BB and OBP numbers would all dwarf the other player’s in the somewhat anemic Dodger’s offense.

While the Brewers would not be getting starting pitching in return, they would be getting a very capable 1B and a once-dominant closer. While Jon Axford acquitted himself admirably in the closer’s role for the Brewers, Broxton would be solid insurance if Axford were to falter in 2011.

The deal makes sense for both sides. Based on what I had been hearing, I am a bit surprised the Brewers would get as much as is being discussed. If Broxton can regain his form, this could end up being a steal for the Brewers especially if Fielder walks as a free-agent.

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According to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com, the Brewers and Dodgers are discussing a possible trade that would send 1B Prince Fielder to the Dodgers in exchange for 1B James Loney and closer Jonathan Broxton.

The Dodgers are a team in need of power and run production which Fielder would provide. Fielder’s HR, RBI, BB and OBP numbers would all dwarf the other player’s in the somewhat anemic Dodger’s offense.

While the Brewers would not be getting starting pitching in return, they would be getting a very capable 1B and a once-dominant closer. While Jon Axford acquitted himself admirably in the closer’s role for the Brewers, Broxton would be solid insurance if Axford were to falter in 2011.

The deal makes sense for both sides. Based on what I had been hearing, I am a bit surprised the Brewers would get as much as is being discussed. If Broxton can regain his form, this could end up being a steal for the Brewers especially if Fielder walks as a free-agent.

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First off, I’d like to thank everyone who had the chance to read into our first player introduction of the offseason.  Informing the fans is our number one priority here at Bleacher Report.

Now, let’s take a look at the Milwaukee Brewers’ newly added defensive phenom, shortstop Alcides Escobar.

Although you may already believe to know enough about him to get by, let me be the first to tell you that you are indeed, mistaken.

Born on December 16, 1986, Escobar was declared early on as a future baseball star.  Growing up in the tiny town of La Sabana, Venezuela, helped in his early-life baseball pursuits.

Kniown for his extreme base-running speed and skills, Doug Melvin and the Milwaukee Brewers were severely interested from the very beginnings of his young career.

The 6’1”, 180-pound frame is clearly makes Escobar one of the most peculiar shortstops in the major leagues.  Along with not attending any college, Escobar is certainly one of the more un-prototypical players in the league.

After being signed by Milwaukee as an international free agent in 2003, Escobar split time between Single-A and Double-A.  Contributing his efforts in 63 games for Single-A Brevard County, as well as 62 games with Double-A Huntsville was Escobar’s official “commencement” time period.  Hitting for a combined .306 BA, with 1 HR and 53 RBI was one of the many reasons why his talents were initially noticed by Brewers’ personnel.

On September 1, 2008, Escobar was called up to the majors for the first time of his young, promising career as a defensive replacement for then starter J.J. Hardy.  In that same game, the growing Escobar recorded his first career hit.

In 2009, Escobar in the MLB future’s All-Star Game, as the starting shortstop for the World Team.  Let it be known he went 2-for-4, including the go-ahead run for the World Team All-Stars.

Following his impressive performance in the Future’s All-Star Game, Escobar was called up from AAA Nashville to replace J.J. Hardy, who would later be traded to the Minnesota Twins later that season.

In 2010, Escobar was able to total up 41 RBI, 4 HR to go with a .235 batting average.  However, the enphasis on Escobar is not primarily his offense, but his defense.

Formerly one of the most touted young defensive shortstops in the minor leagues, Escobar was able to maintain a .964 FPCT (fielding percentage).  

Seemingly making jaw-dropping plays left and right in only his 1st season as a regular starter, Escobar is already making a name for himself within clubhouses around the major leagues.

As for his role within the Brewers in 2011, Escobar is undoubtedly the starting shortstop until further notice.

Rest assured, Escobar’s importance to Milwaukee’s NL Central title hopes is absolutely vital.  He is certainly a diamond in the rough.

Make sure to get all your Brewers’ breaking news, articles, and updates at Brewers Daily

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In recent years, the Philadelphia Phillies have made most of their offseason noise in big trades and free agent signings, bringing names like Roy Halladay, Placido Polanco, Raul Ibanez and Brad Lidge to the City of Brotherly Love. However, in the past, the Phillies structured their roster in different ways, including a plethora of minor league deals, trading big names for young potential, spending heavily on the first year player draft and taking a gamble in the Rule 5 Draft. Which, in recent years, has landed All-Star outfielder Shane Victorino and long-relief man David Herndon.

Though the Rule 5 Draft has changed over the course of Major League Baseball history, the concept has remained the same—prevent teams from stockpiling players in their minor league system when other teams are willing to give them a chance to play at the Major League level. When the following conditions are met, a player becomes unprotected, and is then exposed to the rest of the league.

• If signed at age 18 or younger and the player has been in the organization for five years, he is eligible.
• If signed at age 19 or older and the player has been in the organization for four years, he is eligible.
• The player is not added to the Major League organization’s 40-man roster.

Drafting a player is not free, however. Any team that wants to take a gamble on a player must keep two very strategic conditions in mind: Are they willing to pay the $50,000 fee and are they willing to keep this player on their Major League roster for an entire season?

The rules of the Rule 5 Draft states that once a player is drafted, he must remain on the Major League club for the entirety of the forthcoming season. If a team wants to demote him, they must first offer said player back to his former team. If the former team denies to accept the player back, or a team keeps the player on their Major League roster for the entire season, they are then able to option him to the minor leagues.

The Rule 5 Draft is a calculated risk. Recent history has shown that the risk is well worth the reward, however, as names like Johan Santana, Evan Meek, Dan Uggla, Joakim Soria and Shane Victorino, all taken in the Rule 5 Draft, have flourished into all-stars. 

So with that in mind, the following five pitchers could all contribute to the Phillies some way in 2011, but will any of them be a true diamond in the rough?

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Chicago Cubs icon Ron Santo has passed away due to complications in his struggle against bladder cancer, according to WGN Radio.

Santo was a great third baseman for the Cubs from 1960 to 1973 and later became part of the Cubs radio team in 1990.

Regarded as one of the best players to never earn induction into the MLB Hall of Fame, Santo was a nine time All-Star in his 15 major league seasons.

Santo was one of the most passionate Cubs fans, but like many others, he was not lucky enough to witness the Cubbies win the World Series. Santo explained his devotion for the Cubs to the Associated Press in August of 2009, “The emotion for me is strictly the love I have for this team. I want them to win so bad.”

Santo battled a number of medical ailments as a player and also in retirement. He was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of 18 and up until his death he was in a fight with cancer.

Santo would not let diabetes prevent him from achieving his dream of becoming a major league baseball player, and he did not reveal to the Cubs he had the disease, until he made his first All-Star appearance in 1963.

In 2003, the Cubs retired his No. 10 jersey, placing it just below fellow Cubs legend Ernie Banks‘ No. 14. During his number retiring ceremony, Santo told the fans at Wrigley Field, “This flag hanging down the left-field line means more to me than the Hall of Fame.”

Year after year, Santo did not receive the call to the Hall of Fame, and this constant rejection brought the fans closer to him.

In his 15 seasons, Santo hit .277, amassed 2,254 hits, hit 342 home runs and scored 1,331 runs. He was a consistent player who was among the best of his era nearly his entire career.

His stats make him very worthy of admission into the Hall and even though his teams failed to make the postseason, it certainly wasn’t because of him.

Santo’s undying passion for his Cubs was evident through his final days and he’ll always be a fan favorite in Chicago.

In an EPSN.com article, last updated on December 3rd, 2010, current Cubs general manager Jim Hendry explains the man Ron Santo was.

“Ron Santo was one of the finest men—and toughest men—I’ve ever known,” Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. “He was a credit to the game and a model of what a person should be like, always giving back to others his entire life.”

Ron Santo was a great player and would have loved to receive the phone call inviting him to the hall of fame. 

For the Baseball Writers of America, it’s time to make this right. Put Ron Santo where he belongs:

In Cooperstown with the other all-time greats of baseball.

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The clock struck midnight, and the deadline for MLB teams to tender contracts passed. Of course, non-tendering doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t return to that club, but often times it’s a good sign that the team, player or both wanted to go in a different direction.

Let’s take a look at some of the players who were non-tendered and where they might catch on.

LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith, Seattle Mariners

The Skinny: 2010 wasn’t a good season for the only player in MLB history with a hyphenated last name. In fact, it was downright miserable. Converted back to a starter midway through 2008, RR-S saw relative success through 2009, thanks in part to Safeco Field being friendly to soft tossing lefties (see: Moyer, Washburn, etc…). 2010 was a disaster that saw an ERA over 6.00, a demotion to AAA Tacoma and a move back to the bullpen.

The Non-Tender: Though Rowland-Smith was unlikely to see much of a raise through arbitration, considering the year he had, he asked for and was granted his release, even though he was offered a major league contract. A fan favorite, a true class act and guy you just want to root for, the Ozzie will be looking for a new team.

The Perfect Fit: Seattle really is the best fit for his skill set and would allow him to stay in a comfort zone. If he does go elsewhere, though, San Diego might be a great fit. It’s a big ballpark. It’s also the National League, so this could be a good rebound spot.

RHP Joel Peralta, Washington Nationals

The Skinny: This is an interesting one. Peralta was one of the Nationals’ best relievers, statistically, in 2010. Unless he punched a baby in the face or something, I can’t figure out why a guy who put up a similar stat line to Rafael Soriano was cut loose. True, he’s 34, and regression is in order—but I just can’t see why he’d be cut loose for nothing.

The Non-Tender: The Nats offered Peralta a one-year deal for around $2 million. He wanted two years as reward for his good season. The Nats must have decided that they’d rather non-tender him than risk a potential reward he may have gotten in arbitration.

The Perfect Fit: Teams are always looking for bargain relievers, so there should be a decent market for him. The Mets could be a team wanting to contend who could use a reliever, and Citi Field should play well for Peralta.

OF Lastings Milledge, Pittsburgh Pirates

The Skinny: Milledge is still only 25, isn’t a good defender and doesn’t hit for much power. About the only thing he may have going for him is some speed and the ability to steal a base. I go back to his age, though. Surely some team will take a chance on him—A minor league deal and maybe a fourth OF/PH/PR bench job.

The Non-Tender: The Pirates likely didn’t want to pay the salary he’d get, even though it’d probably only be in the $1.5 million range.

The Perfect Fit: Not the American League. Perhaps the Cubs or Diamondbacks with their friendly parks could use a young bench player.

LHP J.P. Howell, Tampa Bay Rays

The Skinny: Howell missed the entire 2010 season with a shoulder injury. He’s just 27, though, and put up solid numbers in 2009 including 17 saves.

The Non-Tender: This is expected to just be a payroll move, and by all accounts Howell wants to come back. You have to wonder, though, what he’d think if the right team with the right cash called, if he’d reconsider.

The Perfect Fit: Considering his desire to stay in Tampa, it would probably take a team like the Mets or Giants calling. Teams that can offer him more cash or the incentive to win. The Rays are shedding players and payroll, so they may not be able to offer him either.

C Russell Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Skinny: In the middle part of the past decade, Martin was a young up-and-coming catcher. Good defense with solid offensive potential. Some regressing in 2007 and 2008, then a steep drop-off in 2009 and 2010. He’s had some hip issues, which aren’t good for catchers. His agent claims he’s fine, but that’s his job.

The Non-Tender: The Dodgers appear to be close to re-signing Rod Barajas, so Martin becomes more expendable. The McCourts are still fighting, so budgets will remain tight.

The Perfect Fit: Two places pop into mind. First, rival San Francisco. The Giants obviously have their catcher in Buster Posey, but he’ll need days off. Martin is a few years younger than current backup Eli Whiteside. While Whiteside had a “career year,” it’s a pretty small sample. I’d expect regression for both players but more on the positive side for Martin.

The other would be Seattle. If Adam Moore gets hurt or sent down, the Mariners will want a veteran backup with passable defense and at least some offensive potential. This could be one of Martin’s better hopes for potential playing time.

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The Yankees need to set the wheels of change in motion, slowly, even though their fans may not want to yet.

Yankees fans can be loyal to a fault. We demand that the Yankees continue to win, and demand that they win with the players we have grown to love on the field. Those players have this terrible habit of aging, and that can have a negative effect on their on-field production.

Even when past their prime and no longer the team’s best chance to win, fans want to see no one else in those pinstripes. This creates a chasm between economics and management, tradition and progress, the past and the future. We need to begin a transition into a new era that loyalist fans can accept, and it needs to start before Jeter, Mo, Posada and Pettitte are gone.

My girlfriend’s mother told me that she would boo the Yankees if they did not re-sign Jeter, because he is a class act and she has always liked him. This does not have any effect from a managerial stance, since his popularity does not win them games, but means everything from an economical stance, since he and the other “dynasty” Yankees, (Posada, Rivera and Pettitte) have a decade plus of promotion and success behind them and easily hold the interest of the casual fan. They have been playing long enough together for fathers to have brought up their now-adult kids on them.

Nobody wants the group to disband or for the ride to end. That’s what this season will be about. 2011. The season of denial.

The 2010 Yankees performed as well as they did in spite of the production of “dynasty” Yankees Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. (Jeter did not sniff .300 and Posada batted below .250 for the first time since 1999.) Their fielding left much to be desired as well. Jeter’s Gold Glove felt like the punchline to a season-long joke and Posada threw out a Piazza-esque 15% of would-be base-stealers.

While those players own the hearts of New Yorkers, they are quickly becoming a liability on the field and at the plate. Mariano Rivera has remained productive as the closer and Andy Pettitte had another consistent season, but as evidenced by the 2-year deal that Rivera inked yesterday and Pettitte’s retirement indecision, neither has many seasons left at this level. The “dynasty” Yankee window is closing, and the team has to show fans that they are prepared to move on in a way that is acceptable to those fiercely loyal fans. 

Reduce the roles of Jeter and Posada
Derek Jeter is still an everyday ball player. He is still the Captain, still plays his heart out, and should be on the field as often as possible as a leader. Gold Glove award aside, he should be at a less demanding position than shortstop. Luckily, the Yankees already have an established player who has been called a better defender at the shortstop position.

He plays right next to Jeter: Alex Rodriguez. 

When the Yankees acquired A-Rod, there was much debate as to who should play the 6-spot, since almost all experts agreed that Rodriguez was the better defensive fielder, but the position belonged to Jeter. The time has come for them to switch spots. Jeter does not need as much range to play third, and a less demanding position may rejuvenate him at the plate. 

Worst case scenario: Jeter takes the position change personally and it affects his play, although his career of professionalism suggests that this will not happen. Jorge actually has two replacements at his spot in Francisco Cervelli and Jesus Montero.

Cervelli does not appear to have the offensive potential of Montero, while Montero definately does not have the offensive potential of Cervelli. Combined though, they have the talent to give Posada the rest he needs to stay productive behind the plate. Posada catches, Montero DHs. Cervelli catches, Posada DHs. Find a timeshare of that that keeps Posada fresh for the postseason, and we keep Jorge involved while grooming a replacement. 

Cervelli is the replacement in my book. He had a clutch year at the plate — .316 BA with runners in scoring position — and looked comfortable behind the plate. (Ironically he threw out a lower percentage of base stealers than did Posada — 14% vs 15% — and their other defensive comparisons last season are comparible, right down to their pitcher’s ERA and RAvg (Posada: 4.13, 4.35 Cervelli: 4.04, 4.33). Perhaps I was too harsh on old Posada before, or too high on Cervelli. 

Either way, Cervelli has my vote of confidence going forward, whatever that is worth. 
Montero is a fantastic hitter, but everything I have read about him says that he will not stay at catcher. He’s an older Bryce Harper-type with a slightly lower ceiling and is destined for the outfield or a DH spot in the AL. So be it.

Worst case scenario: Neither performs well this season and Cashman panics and goes crawling back into a trade for Bengie Molina.
Bengie Molina is such a sucker for Peter Gabriel

Name a replacement for Mo
This one was easy. We did it a few years back, but it was too easy and we had too much time to think about it blew it with Joba Chamberlain. Like an easy pub trivia question.

Q. Who painted the Mona Lisa?

Me: Da Vinci. But that is way too easy. The question guy is trying to throw us off. Didn’t he design it and have one of his students paint it? Who was a famous student of his?

Friend: Raphael might have been. That’s why he was in the Ninja Turtles I bet.

Me: Genius. We’re gonna be the only ones here who get this right.

He had all the tools to be a dominant closer, and with him in the setup spot, the Yankees were gold with a lead in the 7th.”Yeah, but what if he were a starter and we got that type of performance for seven innings every fifth game?” — Brian Cashman’s evil internal Jimminy Cricket.A couple years of that not working leaves Joba with a shattered confidence and no role back in the bullpen.

Super.

We have three options: Fix him, and frankly none of us know what it will take to do that. Audition the role and hope for the best or find a free agent when Mo retires.Audtion the role?

Yankee closer, 2015
I want to give Joba another shot at the setup role this season. He has the capabilities, but needs to get his head back. He is an emotional guy, and the role calls for a collected individual who reacts to nothing. Watch Rivera close out a game. He looks like he is playing chess while listening to a Bernie Williams album. He is concentrated yet laid back. Joba looks like he just finished off an MMA fight after each inning of work. Since Kerry Wood was not resigned, (why, when he was so reliable?) we let Joba set up until the end of May and make the call then.

Pettitte is gonna do his thing
Pettitte has left for Texas before. He has said he was going to retire before. We will always take him back, but it has been made clear long ago that we need him more than he needs us.

No hard feelings. If we lose him again, it will probably hurt fans the least of the four, yet it will still hurt.
Andy Pettitte has been the rock of the Yankee pitching staff. He hasn’t been a Cy Young candidate in years, but every time he steps on the mound, he gives us a chance to win. 
This one is the toughest to call, since starters only pitch every five games, nobody would really be replacing him if he left. Someone else is in his spot four out of five games anyhow, unlike Jeter who is always between second and third and Rivera who is always on with the lead on the line. Pettitte’s spot is in the playoffs when we need a win, and he was not started in that spot in the ALCS. Game 6 went to Hughes, who took the loss. 
Since the Yankees management already took the role away from Pettitte, and he has always felt like the most likely to leave, losing Andy Pettitte doesn’t seem like the deathblow that fans find the idea of losing the other three. If he stays we’ll be happy. If he leaves it will not affect ticket sales.

Worst case scenario: Sergio Mitre is our fourth starter if Pettitte goes and we do not get Cliff Lee. I take it back. Losing Pettitte could be terrible. 

Promote the heck out of the rest of the farm-raised team
As I said before, the Yankees did as well as they did in large part because of the up-and-comers on the team. 

Yes, free agent mercinaries like Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez played a large role, but where would the Yankees have been without the production of Brett Gardner, Robinson Cano, Phil Hughes and Francisco Cervelli? 

Each of them came through the Yankee farm system and shown that they can be mainstays in pinstripes for years to come. (Speaking of farm-raised stars, I cannot wait foe Ivan “Super” Nova to break out in another season and a half.) We can even include Nick Swisher in the group since he blossomed in New York after forgettable seasons in Oakland and Chicago. 

With a small change in promotion tactics, the Yankees look like they are rebuilding with youth even though they are basically maintaining the status quo. These are the Yankees that will inherit the team when Jeter and company retire, even though that will not be for a few years. It will be a lengthy transition, but that is how the fans will best accept it after fifteen years of this core group.

Worst case scenario: None. The Yankees are just shifting focus. Nobody will forget about the veterans.

All this leads to Derek Jeter’s contract.

Critics say he is worth no more than the average shortstop and should accept a short contract in case he breaks down. Fans will not accept an abrupt departure and will blame the Yankees if he is not retained. 

Frankly, I have no problem with a contract in the 15-20 mil a year range. (I’m not paying it and he plays on my television for free.) I would simply include a team option for a position change. Nobody else will offer him that much per year to play shortstop. 
That way, he gets his money, the fans keep him, and the team gets better. We all win. Especially the team. Enough to get to the World Series with the “dynasty” Yankees for one last hurrah, while preparing fans for what is to come.

For more sports coverage from your friendly upstate New York neighborhood sports department, visit saratogian.com/sports.

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Adrian Beltre is in the Dominican Republic for David Ortiz’ charity golf tournament.

This afternoon he provided an exclusive interview to the Boston Globe in which he said, “There’s a lot going on right now, but I do hope I stay with the Red Sox.”

Was he speaking from the heart, or was the sound bite given to him by Scott Boras to keep the Red Sox front office biting at the bait on the agent’s hook?

Only time will tell, but it would be nice to think that Beltre understands the benefits of playing with a contender—in Fenway Park—in a perpetual playoff atmosphere.

His comments will serve to give the Red Sox Nation hope that he will return to the hot corner in Boston.

Here are a few more of Beltre’s comments—

“I got used to seeing the park full in the first inning and still full in the ninth inning. I liked that atmosphere…”.

“If everything was close to the same, I would go back to Boston. But we have to see. The number of years is what is important to me.”

“I would to play with these guys again, (they) are my friends and they made me feel part of the team. I was disappointed Victor (Martinez) left because he helped make me comfortable. But I had a feeling that would happen because he wasn’t happy with how (the Red Sox) approached (negotiations) with him. But I would still come back. I liked playing there and I want to be with a contender.”

Hmmm, does that mean if the years are right he might give the Red Sox a hometown discount to get a deal done?

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The St. Louis Cardinals made their first move toward upgrading their offense on Tuesday, trading right-hander Blake Hawksworth to the Los Angeles Dodgers for shortstop Ryan Theriot.

Theriot became expendable earlier this week when Los Angeles signed Juan Uribe, who can play multiple infield positions like Theriot, but has a little more pop.

Theriot, who holds a career batting average of .284, represents a significant offensive upgrade for a team that got a combined .244 out of their middle infielders in 2010, and a .221 mark out of their shortstops.

Theriot also has 165 of his 589 starts at second base, where he could spell Skip Schumaker against lefties. Schu holds a .220 career average against left-handers, and a .303 average against righties. Conversely, Theriot holds a .302 average against lefties, and a .277 average against righties.

A former Cub, Ryan also has experience in the National League Central. He holds a .303 average against NL Central pitchers.

At this point, Theriot will likely lead off, although he will need to improve his .323 on-base percentage from last year, a career low. Theriot brings speed to a previously plodding lineup, as he’s stolen at least 20 bases in the past four seasons. Last year, Albert Pujols led the team with 14 steals.

Now that Theriot projects as a starter in the middle infield, either Brendan Ryan or Skip Schumaker may be expendable next week at the Winter Meetings. The Cardinals would still like to improve their offense, and may package one of their middle infielders in a deal.

Then again, they may decide to head into 2011 with a deep middle infield consisting of Ryan, Theriot, and Schumaker, all relatively low-cost options. Theriot is under contract through 2012, and made just $2.6 million in 2010.

The Cardinals will send Blake Hawksworth to L.A. in the deal. Hawksworth experienced some success as a swingman for the Cardinals in 2009 and ’10, but the Cardinals had a surplus of right-handed relief.

In a not entirely unrelated move, the Cardinals may have solved another issue, signing left-handed reliever Brian Tallet to a one-year deal. Tallet was released by the Blue Jays last month, and the Cardinals, who were looking for a left-handed specialist to replace Dennys Reyes, snatched him up.

Tallet had a 6.40 ERA last season, and coughed up 20 homers, but he also held left-handers to a .176 average. The Cardinals plan to employ him as a specialist, so he may have more success in limited action.

Theriot and Tallet were teammates at Louisiana State University, where they won a national title in 2000. The Cardinals are hoping that they can duplicate that success in the majors.

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According to ESPN and the New York Post, the New York Mets are deep in talks with hurler Chris Young.

While Buster Olney says the Mets are “closing in on a deal” for the 31-year-old former All-Star, the Post is reporting that they are “not close” to signing the lanky right-hander.

I can understand why some people consider him a relatively cheap short term option; I just don’t see too much value in going after him.

His price tag is way too high for someone who will enter the season as an almost unknown quantity and the risk outweighs the reward.

Nobody knows just how his surgically repaired right shoulder will hold up under the rigors of a 150-inning campaign, and even if he does have a clean bill of health, the fact remains that he’s not really been a solid pitcher since 2007.

His velocity was down when he did pitch in four games in 2010 and, coupled with a highly restrictive budget, it just doesn’t make sense to blow it all on one aging guy who may or may not contribute much in the coming season.

The Padres, who paid him $11 million for the last two years, had a pretty simple decision to make in not picking up his hefty $8.5 million option for 2011 and the Mets should give him a wide berth, too.

I know the pitching rotation is in a state of flux with Johan Santana starting the year on the DL, but the team has holes all over the place, most notably in the bullpen now that Pedro Feliciano has declined arbitration.

Depending on who you believe, the Mets have anywhere from $5 to $10 million in the budget this year. They played a risky—but probably worthwhile—game in their dealings with Feliciano this past week, and they would be advised to pass on Young.

In short, Young isn’t the same pitcher—injury or not—that posted back-to-back seasons of double-digit wins. His strikeouts have been on the decline since 2007, his command has slowly worsened and hitters are doing a much better job of putting the ball in play. Young doesn’t have the stuff to make hitters scared and because of his declining skill set, they can wait on pitches in the zone and drive them hard somewhere.

The trend over the last three years that he was healthy is that a) batters are swinging at fewer pitches and b) making better contact with the pitches they do swing it. Young has no deception and no ability to blow guys away. It’s all fastball-slider and neither pitch can be considered a “plus” offering any more.

Fans tend to remember the 6’10” Young as the San Diego All-Star who consistently tossed low-90s fastballs on the black. The reality is he’s a mid-80s guy whose best days are behind him.

New York has the luxury of pitching in a pitchers’ park, so Young may very well be able to post a sub 3.75 ERA there. With the price and risk, though, it’s better to look for cheaper options elsewhere.

2011 is not the year to be inheriting risky arms with inflated contracts.

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