Meet Yoennis Céspedes: The Next Great Cuban Born Major Leaguer

By now you undoubtedly have heard the name Yoenis Céspedes. The Cuban sensation has been drawing interest from several Major League clubs including the Yankees, The Tigers, the Nationals and the Boston Red Sox.

What is all the fuss about? Let me tell you.

First of all, according to baseballprospectus.com's Kevin Goldstein, Céspedes is "arguably the best all-around player to come out of Cuba in a generation." That is quite a feat considering there has been several very good baseball players to come from Cuba, such as Yuniesky Bettencourt, Aroldis Chapman and Alexei Ramirez to name a few.

Early scouting reports state that Céspedes is a five-tool baseball player. He is listed as 26 years old, stands 6ft tall and weighs 215lbs. In other words, he sounds physically like a baseball player primed to enter the heart of his playing career.

So what has he done to garner all this attention? The first thing that stands out to me is his power. In the 2010-2011 season, playing for Cuba's premier baseball league, the Serie Nacional,

Céspedes broke the single season home run record, belting 33 long balls in just 90 games. One home run every 2.73 games, translated into Major League terms could mean the man is capable of hitting damn near 60 homers in the course of a season. Sure that is a stretch, but on average, it could happen.

It is not just his power that is impressive though. In the same season that he managed to put up the power numbers, he batted .333 with an OBP of .424 and a SLG of .667. That is quite impressive. Granted, it is against other Cuban players and not against heavy competition as he would see in in the majors, but damn good nonetheless.

As for speed, in the 2010-11 season he stole 11 bags on 14 attempts. Keep in mind again, this is in a 90 game season. By all accounts the man is fast. His range in the outfield is impressive.

Monetarily, it is rumored that Céspedes is looking to acquire a contract in the $60million range for 8-years. Are you hearing this Boston fans? That is only $7.5million per season, a little more than half of what was just shelled out for J.D. Drew and by all accounts, Céspedes will be twice the player.

I am very intrigued to see which Major League team will take a bite at this man. While we can't really be too sure as to how the man will pan out, I'll leave you with this, his 20-minute promo video put out by Céspedes to showcase his talents. I'll give him this, the film is interesting, and yet reminds me of Eastbound and Down when Kenny Powers makes his comeback video.

Enjoy!

5 AL Players to Watch in 2012

There can be no ying without the yang, no Cheech without the Chong, no.... alright, you get the picture. I already profiled 5 NL players to keep your eye on in 2012 yesterday. The time has come to check out their AL counterparts and see what talent is out there. With no further adieu:

Austin Jackson - Detroit Tigers

When the Tigers decided to let Curtis Granderson go after the 2009 season, many people wondered if perhaps they should have considered picking up another center fielder "just in case" the young Jackson would not be able to handle the pressure of the big leagues.

Handle the pressure he did indeed. He came in 2nd in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2010 posting a .293 batting average with a .345 OBP and an even .400 SLG to give him an OPS of .745... pretty impressive for a rookie. He played in 154 games and offered the Tigers a player who could get on base and provided some speed on the base paths (stealing 27 bags in 2010, 22 in 2011.)

What I like the most about Jackson is the fact that he seems to have filled in for Granderson without missing a beat. This says a lot considering they are two different styles of baseball player. The best part for Detroit? Jackson is under team control until 2016, and not arbitration eligible until 2013.

Matt Weiters - Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have themselves a blessing behind the plate. While most teams fight for quality catchers, the O's have developed their own in Matt Weiters. While only 25 years old, Weiters has played in 3 seasons and has already made his first All-Star team (2011) with a shiny Golden Glove to match.

Weiters has been on the radar of many baseball insiders since his minor-league days. While many teams have tried to lure the O's in to trading him away, ownership has seen the value that the young catcher has to offer their team. In his short career, Weiters is showing glimpses of brilliance. The numbers he has put up in his first three seasons remind me incredibly of Pudge Rodriguez - a little bit of power, dependability at the plate and a decent batting average. Sure, Pudge would go on to be a career .296 hitter, but in his first three seasons he posted a .265 BA, while Weiters is on the same path, with an identical .265 career BA.

Now, I'm not saying that Weiters is going to be the next Pudge, but he sure could be. Like Pudge's breakout 1994 season, I think Weiters will share the same success in 2012.

Michael Pineda - Seattle Mariners

If you've been reading me for a while you know that Pineda was my mid-season selection to be the AL MVP. I think the man is a beast. Pitching behind King Felix is no easy task, especially in a win-deprived Mariners organization.

Sorry Seattle, I know you're a baseball town. It's just been awhile.

However, Pineda is a bonafied Major League Pitcher and all I needed for proof was how well he handled his game in 2011. He posted a 3.74 ERA and a WHIP of only 1.099, which to me negates his 9-10 record. It is worth mentioning that his WHIP was good enough for 14th overall in 2011, behind a laundry list of 13 All-Stars and some future Hall of Fame players. No other rookie ranked higher. That says a lot to me.

The man is only 22 years old and proved in his first year he could pound the cheese. 2012 will allow him to prove his dominance in a week AL West.

Mike Moustakas - Kansas City Royals

Mike Moustakas was wildely considered to be the best third base prospect in Major League Baseball going into the 2011 season. While many (myself included) thought perhaps the Royals would use him as trade bait, they wisely decided to hold on to this young stud and ended up utilizing him in 2011 for 89 games.

While his numbers were less than impressive in 2011, all scouting reports indicate that this kid has the stuff to be a solid Major League third baseman. By many accounts, this may be my longest of shots as far as young talent goes. While in the minors, Moustakas was dominant. He showed excellent defensive flashes with an ability to get on base with a little bit of power.

Sure, playing in Kansas City might make it a little difficult to tangibly see the numbers to back up the development of this particular player. However, he is one to use your eyeball test on. From what I have seen on him play, the kid has a bright future. He is only 23 and still very wet behind the ears. It looks (doesn't it always) as though the Royals are trying to be competitive again in 2012, making a couple of minor moves that included trading away Melky Cabrera for pitching. Perhaps they think players like Moustakas will provide the offense their lineup would otherwise be missing with Cabrera's departure. Time will tell.

Last but not least....

Ivan Nova - New York Yankees

Look, I really didn't want to talk about any major market teams for this particular article, but looking at what Nova did for the Yankees in 2011, it is hard NOT to take a look at him.

As a Red Sox fan, I sat back at the start of the 2011 season and scoffed at the Yanks, rolling out "this Nova kid" in their rotation against the formidable offenses in the AL East. Yet, "this Nova kid" managed to put up a 16-4 record with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.331 WHIP. Last I checked, that worked out to be better than the Red Sox starting 5. While sure, Lester may have had a lower ERA and Beckett might have had a lower WHIP - that stat line would have been GLADLY accepted from any of the Boston starting five in 2011.

Nova has me very curious as to what he can do moving forward. Realistically, the man only has 38 games of service in the Majors, but his numbers have been out of this world. By all indication he will continue on the same path in 2012, making the Yankee search for a solid #2 starter behind CC Sabathia null and void. Realistically, they should be seeking a #3, as Nova, in my mind, has the stuff to be called an ace on most staffs, definitely #2 on the Yankees.

5 NL Players to Watch in 2012

One thing I truly love about the game of baseball is the never- ending revolving door of new and upcoming talent the game has to offer.

Every few years, a new class of player comes in and takes the reigns from those that came before them. Often times we ignore their talent while still basking in the excellence of the previous class. Baseball is starting to catch up to the idea of drafting the young talent rather than paying for it at the end of its prime.

While I'm sure we will still see teams vastly overpaying for players as they head into the twilight years of their careers (much like the Yankees did with Alex Rodriguez; offering a 10-year contract that will take him into his 40's carrying an average annual salary of $27.5million) I'm certain that we will see other teams draft well and be competitive with their young crop of players. Here are five players to watch in 2012 in the National League:

Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh Pirates

The 25-year old center fielder for the Pirates has emerged as one of the finer young talents in the National League. He is currently pre-arbitration eligible and under team control through the 2016 season. He came in 4th in 2009 in Rookie of the Year voting and has made his first All-Star appearance in 2011, not too bad for someone making $453,000.

What I like a lot about McCutchen is his consistent production and tenacious play. While he has three years of Major League experience under his belt (420 games to be exact) he has managed to hit fairly consistently and see an increase in his power numbers. His career batting average is .276, taking a dip after a low 2011 season batting .259. However, his home run total in 2011 was 23, 7 more than in 2010 and 11 more than his rookie year in 2009. Defensively, in 2011 his range factor was a 2.73, first in the National League for outfielders .

Mike Stanton - Miami Marlins

The Marlins are making a lot of noise this Hot Stove season, but some of the largest grumblings could come from their existing outfield. Stanton is just 22 years old, pre-arbitration eligible earning $417,000 in 2011, and is under team control until 2017. Stanton has only played in 250 games in the Major Leagues, but I feel he is on the cusp of really breaking out in 2012.

Entering the Majors in 2010 at 20 years old, Stanton made an immediate impact, belting in 22 home runs and 59 RBI's in just 100 games. While his batting average was just .259 his OBP was .326 and he slugged .507, giving him an OPS of .833, pretty good numbers for a rookie, let alone one so wet behind the ears. In 150 games in 2011 his numbers increased across the board. His stat line looked like this: 34 HR, 87 RBI's, .262 AVG. His OBP increased to .356, SLG to .537 and his OPS to .893. I think he is positioned for a large breakout this season. If the Marlins miss out on Pujols or Fielder, but manage to bring in Reyes - the middle of their lineup will be scary, anchored by Stanton.

Hunter Pence - Philadelphia Phillies

When the Phillies pulled the trigger to land Pence in 2011 at the trade deadline, I thought the move was brilliant. They needed to get younger and managed to land a solid rightfielder in Pence. While he may not take the spotlight from the stars surrounding him on the Phillies, his contribution in 2012 will certainly be felt.

Pence is a 2-time all star and a career .292 hitter. He has a career OBP of .343 and SLG of .485 with a .828 OPS. In other words, you know exactly what you are getting from Pence. His numbers come from four and a half seasons in the Astros organization that really had no threats around him in the lineup. Being added to such a deep lineup as the Phillies, in a full season I feel that we are likely to see Pence's numbers go up across the board. Just looking at his splits from last season, in 54 games with the Phillies he hit as many HR's as he did in Houston (11 each) but his BA went from .308 to .324, his OBP from .356 to .394, his SLG from .471 to .560 and his OPS from .828 to .954. I think this trend is only going to continue with a full season in Philly. Pence is only 28 and is in the middle of his prime.

Freddie Freeman - Atlanta Braves

Obviously I am high on Freeman, he was my mid-season pick to be NL Rookie of the Year. The man can play and I firmly doubt we will see any type of sophomore slump from the Braves first baseman in 2012.

He is only 22 years old, making $414,000 in 2011 and in my opinion, is already a stud. He placed second in 2011 Rookie of the Year voting, losing out to his teammate, RP Craig Kimbrel. In 157 games for the Braves, Freeman's stat line looked like this: 161 hits, 21 home runs, 76 RBI's, .282 BA, .346 OBP, .448 SLG and a .795 OPS. Defensively, Freeman only committed 6 errors, posting a .996 fielding percentage. Solid numbers from your first year first baseman.

It appears he is quite comfortable facing Major League pitching. If his first full season was any indication of what may come from the man, 2012 should prove to be impressive.

Last, but not least...

Justin Upton - Arizona Diamondbacks

You can make the case that Upton is already a star, but I feel the younger Upton brother is just starting to show the flashes of brilliance he has to offer. At just 24 years old, the D'Backs were wise to lock Upton up with a 6-year/$50million contract to keep him in the desert through 2015. Upton is a 2 time All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner. In 2011 he finished 4th in NL MVP voting. In short, Upton is a beast.

In 2011, Upton posted career highs in HR's (31), RBI's (88) and OBP (.369); he also managed a .529 slugging and .898 OPS, both were the second highest numbers in his career. What I like about Upton as well is his speed, swiping 21 bags. I don't want to over-step any boundaries here, but looking at Upton's young career reminds me of Barry Bonds from 1987-1991. Now, before you harp on me for that, I am a huge Bonds fan, I am well aware of his numbers for that time, and while Bonds posted better numbers than Upton, I am just trying to point out the similarities between the two.

Who is to say that Upton, again just 24 years old, can't have an MVP caliber career from here on out? After all, Bonds didn't get his first MVP until he was 25 years old.

Thankful for Curt Schilling

As a Boston Red Sox fan, today I am thankful for Curt Schilling. It was on Thanksgiving in 2003 that Curt decided to waive his no-trade clause from the Arizona Diamondbacks and agreed to come to Boston. Without Curt Schilling and his heroics, the 86 year curse may have not been broken yet and Sox fans hunger for a World Series championship would be insatiable. Thank you, Curt.

Ortiz Should Be Praying for Arbitration

There is a chance that David Ortiz could be back in Boston next season.

The Red Sox have until midnight tomorrow night to offer the slugger arbitration for the 2012 season, which would make David Ortiz mighty wealthy for one season's worth of work. As it stands, Ortiz would make in the area of $14million if he accepted the Sox arbitration offer to bring him back.

The plus side of the equation for Ortiz is that he will be making significant money to do what he has been doing well for so many years in Boston. The down side to accepting arbitration is the fact that the money he would be making is not guaranteed.

This could be cause for concern to Ortiz and his agent.

Let's look back to the 2009 season. Ortiz started off abysmally in April and May. He did not hit his first home run of the season until May 20th against Toronto, at which point he was only batting .210 with a .319 OBP. He finished the season only batting .238 but did manage 28 home runs and 99 RBI's with an OPS of .794 (his lowest ever as a full time player.)

In 2010, his April was as painful to watch as in 2009. While he managed to homer much earlier in this season (April 23rd to be exact) his bat was still a major concern. His batting average at the end of April was a dreadful .143 with an OPS of .524. Once again, he did rebound to have a fine statistical season, but in an arbitration year, he may not get a full season to turn things around.

Both years he was under contract, therefore his money was guaranteed. In an arbitration year, slow starts like in 2009 or 2010 could mean that the Red Sox would entertain the idea of cutting ties with Ortiz and have no obligation to pay him the salary.

On the other hand, if Ortiz opted not to accept arbitration, he likely could find another offer on the market in the 2-year, $14million ballpark. This offer could come from the Red Sox, but if he declines the arbitration I could see the Sox low-balling him with a 2-year deal in the $10million range. In the event he decided to walk away from the Red Sox, he is still considered to be a type-A free agent in the new collective bargaining agreement, so Boston would gladly accept the 2 draft picks that would come in his place.

They then would find another DH in that same $10million range and be quite content.

Though I have made it clear in the past that I believe it is time for the Red Sox to move on from David Ortiz, I do think that it would make sense for both parts to be active in getting an arbitration deal done. While it is more money than what I think Ortiz is worth for a one-year deal, it would be a nice compromise in that the Red Sox could keep him on the roster on a year-to-year basis with no fully vested monetary commitment should his statistics falter.

Valentine's Day for Red Sox?

It is being widely reported that Bobby Valentine will meet with the General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, Ben Cherington, today to discuss the managerial vacancy at Fenway.

It seems a bit unfortunate that Cherington is the last of the front office to interview Valentine; considering the fact that he has already met with Henry, Warner and Lucchino. This meeting seems arbitrary, with the assumption that the job is already Valentines and the meeting with Cherington looks to be for appearances.

This is the same goofy Bobby Valentine that was ejected from a Mets game, only to come back into the dugout in disguise in order to try and be a part of the rest of the game. No, he will never live that down.

This is the same Bobby Valentine that was fired by the Mets in 2002 after finishing 75-86 with a star studded team that included future Hall of Fame member Roberto Alomar, along side stars Mike Piazza, Mo Vaughn and Jeremy Burnitz. This was a team whose chief problem was laziness and motivation. That sounds awfully familiar Sox fans, doesn't it?

It is no secret that Bobby Valentine is a Larry Lucchino guy. Valentine has gone on record to say that his relationship with Lucchino is so, he would consider calling him a friend. That sounds awfully convenient to me. It also sounds like Cherington was set up to fail in his search for a new manager for the club.

I don't want to spend the entire article bashing Valentine. Obviously there is some merit to him being considered for the position, even if I'm not particularly fond of the idea.

Valentine did see significant success with the New York Mets in 1999 and 2000. Both seasons he managed the team to over 90 wins (97 in '99, 94 in '00) and made it to the World Series in 2000. He was a very good manager for the Mets in 1997 and 1998, recording 88 wins each of those seasons after taking over the club in 1996. His progress was significant, until the World Series loss, the team seemed to just slip away from him.

While many consider him to be a system guy that can relate to players, I seem him as a .500 manager. In fact, he only posts a .510 winning percentage in his 15 years managing in Major League Baseball.

Bringing Valentine in is, in my mind, a short term solution. The man is 61 and by just looking at his numbers, a decent manager. This is not a long-term solution by any means.

Perhaps the Red Sox are bringing in a guy like Valentine because they know what to expect from him. Perhaps this is just a move to keep the seat warm for a full-court press at Joe Maddon (whose contract is up after 2012) OR John Farrell, when he becomes available.

I have no idea what the brass is thinking here. What I do know is that the fan base is starting to get restless and are certainly tired of the beloved Red Sox being a laughing stock in the eyes of the rest of the league. Enough toying around, let's start getting some business done.

WHAT IF: Torre & LaRussa ARE Being Interviewed For The Sox Gig?

What if this line of "B" list managerial prospects is nothing more than a smoke-screen by the Red Sox front office?

What if, right now, behind closed doors somewhere, Larry Lucchino is on the phone with Tony LaRussa or Joe Torre, trying to convince them that they are the right candidate for the vacant Red Sox job?

What if the first round of interviews was nothing more than pandering, trying to buy time to work a deal with one of these two coaching legends?

Listening to the radio on the way home today I heard these possibilities being tossed around, and it made me curious. Both men have the cache' to want their names kept private in the event that neither landed the position. Torre, being under contract with Major League Baseball, has a bit more at stake than LaRussa, whom is currently retired.

What this would mean for the Red Sox is a bit complicated. First, it would tell you that Ben Cherington is really just a face. He wields no actual power and Larry Lucchino is pulling all of the strings behind the scenes. Why else would he allow Cherington to go through the charade of interviewing candidates for the position that nobody seems all too excited about?

What if the Sox are on the phone with Toronto, offering up Will Middlebrooks and Anthony Ranaudo so that they could offer the managerial job to John Farrell?

I am having a hard time believing that the finalists for the Red Sox managerial job are: Torey Lovullo, Sandy Alomar and Gene Lamont with the outside possibility of Bobby Valentine. I'm not buying it. Something is going on behind the curtain.

I can certainly understand discretion in the selection. The problem is, if any of these conspiracy theories prove correct, what does that tell us about Ben Cherington's role with the team?

AL West Is Now Astro Turf

Last night Major League Baseball Commissioner, Bud Selig, announced that the sale of the Houston Astros from Dayton McClane to a group lead by Houston businessman Jim Crane.

The deal is reportedly for $610 million, which originally was slated to be $680 million, but was discounted because the Astros will be moving to the American League West division starting in 2013.

This takes Texas entirely out of the National League, bringing the Astros into the same division as their state rivals, the Texas Rangers, who play in Arlington. Aside from the elimination of the state of Texas in the National League, this approved sale, and switching of leagues is going to have substantial impact on how the game is both played and managed starting in 2013.

First things first, with Houston joining the American League, that now offers both leagues 15 teams/three 5-team divisions. In having this odd number of teams per league that will force there to be at least one inter-league series going on at a time. There are both pros and cons to this move.

The pros are pretty obvious - you get to expand the audience for every team in Major League Baseball. As a baseball fan, I can personally sit down and watch a game between the Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers and be perfectly content. Most people can only do that if one of those two teams is their home team. Most, in fact, probably could not name more than 1 or 2 players from teams that they do not see on a regular basis. This is going to change that instantly.

The beautiful thing of this for me, is that while I live in an American League city, people around here are not familiar with truly how good the National League and its players are. There is a sense of superiority in the American League. I mean, it is hard not to think that way with teams like the Yankees and Red Sox in this division.

Now, the spectrum of talent will be eye opening to many. People who have no idea how brilliant players like Justin Upton are, for example, will finally get to see him play, albeit maybe once or twice a season. Those that don't know how Cole Hammels would handle American League batters, be prepared, his day is coming.

The cons - this will force inter-league play every day. To me, I don't see the down side to this. However, there are many American League teams that will feel the pain of it, much like the Boston Red Sox complained about in 2011 - not being able to play their DH in the National League parks. While I think in the long run, Major League Baseball will inevitably turn to the designated hitter across the board, for now, the rules are simple - you play by our rules in our house.

This can lead to the demise of the last of the one-dimensional designated hitters. David Ortiz anyone? Players like Ortiz will have little value in 2013 baseball. He is not the best fielder in the world, so teams would only be looking at him for his bat - something that will only be utilized X amount of times during the season, depending on how many inter-league games are actually played.

This brings back my argument from a week or so ago that the modern DH has to be one of versatility. It is the way baseball is headed, and I think it is the right way to go. While I have a deep appreciation for National League game play, I think that the American League has it right. Let your pitchers worry about pitching, and not being an almost automatic out, and leave the hitting to the position players.

Now, along with the announcement of the sale of the Astros, Selig also announced the addition of 2 wild card teams, starting presumably at the end of the 2012 season. This brings a total of 10 teams into the mix at the end of the season for a shot at going to the World Series. If this isn't incentive for those borderline teams to make moves this off season, I don't know what is.

By all accounts it appears that the 2 wild card teams would have a one game playoff to determine who would move on to play the division champions. This is a fantastic idea. How many times have teams been shafted, specifically in the American League, because one division has been so strong that the wild card gets locked up fairly early on? This gives teams a reason to fight, and I love it.

There we have it folks, Selig changing the game for the better right before our eyes. The landscape is changing. How the game is going to be played is changing. Everything is just going to be getting more and more exciting for the sport of Major League Baseball.

Red Sox Notes: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

It appears as though the Red Sox have been making minor headlines in the past 24 hours, here is a look at a handful of notes to satiate the appetite of the Nation.

THE GOOD.

By all accounts, it appears as though the Sox are going to try and address their pitching issues. According to Alex Speier on WEEI.com, the Red Sox met with agent Bob Garber last evening in Milwaukee. Garber represents free agent right-hander Roy Oswalt and left hander C.J. Wilson.

Many have thought that Oswalt would be an instant fit in Boston for the past several seasons. I, for one, would love to see the man come to town. Oswalt would bring with him a career 3.21 ERA and 1.194 WHIP. You could make the argument that since Oswalt has only ever pitched in the NL, his ERA would jump a whole point in his first season in the AL - but would a 4.21 ERA be that bad as a 4 or 5 starter? That is exactly what he would be in a rotation that includes Beckett, Lester and Buchholz at the front of it.

C.J. Wilson is another interesting candidate. Though I think he is a great pitcher, I don't think he would be more than 3rd in your pitching depth chart in Boston. I also fear for how he would react to the pressure that Boston puts on players. He has a career ERA of 3.60 and a WHIP of 1.291, all while playing in the American League.

A case can be made in favor of Wilson in the AL East though. Looking at his splits, he has faced the Yankees 1 time. In that game the Yanks batted .250 against him with a .364 OBP and only a .649 OPS. Wilson faced the Blue Jays once, they hit .412 with a .500 OBP and a 1.206 OPS. He has faced the Red Sox twice. The Sox batted .217 with a .280 OBP and a .541 OPS. He faced the Rays 3 times. They managed a .147 batting average with a .247 OBP and a .526 OPS. In other words, in his 7 games against the AL East, teams batted .256 against him with a .348 OBP and a .730 OPS, largely thanks to the offense provided by the Blue Jays. It appears he could handle his own, who knows?

THE BAD.

Looks like the Red Sox will not be landing the manager many thought would take the place of Terry Francona. The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, ESPN Boston and WEEI are all reporting that Dale Sveum is close to signing with the Chicago Cubs to be their new manager. This throws a kink in the plans of Ben Cherington and Co.

While I was never on board with bringing in Sveum, I was on board with getting a manager in place and allowing this team to move forward. It appears as though there will be a delay in that happening.

From what I have been hearing, Pete Mackanin is out of the race. That leaves Sandy Alomar, Jr., Torey Lovullo and Gene Lamont as the three remaining previously interviewed candidates. In my opinion, Lovullo would then be the clear leader in the clubhouse, but I have been wrong before. Though I would still love to see Ryne Sandberg or Dave Martinez, I think this is Lovullo's job to lose.

THE UGLY (Part 1.)

This is part truth and part speculation. The truth is that the Red Sox have made an offer to David Ortiz. After the offer was extended, Ortiz made it public that he would be willing to allow any other offers made to him to be matched by the Red Sox.

My speculation: Ortiz is not at all happy with the offer the Sox gave him. If you are in the "bring Ortiz back" camp - this may be ugly for you, as he may not be back.

THE UGLY (Part 2.)

Heidi Watney is leaving NESN for a new position with Time-Warner Cable, working for the Lakers. Watney will be missed.

The Marlins Mean Business

Regardless of if you like the new logo and uniforms, it is apparent that the Miami Marlins will have more going for them in 2012 than just new colors and a new ballpark.

While still somewhat early in the Hot Stove season, the Marlins keep making headlines in all of the right places. It appears that they are big on the right free agents to develop the team and garner significant attention in their new home.

A few days back, Ken Rosenthal and John Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com reported that the fish offered free agent shortstop Jose Reyes an initial offer of 6 years and $90million to bring his talents to South Beach. On the heels of his 5-year, $37.75million contract that offered him an annual salary of $6.75 million, this new offer is a significant upgrade, with an annual value of $15million. Though many believe that Reyes is looking for $100million from a club to get the deal done. From what I have been hearing, there are only two legitimate suitors for Reyes, the Marlins and the Mets. Let's face it, the Mets won't get anywhere near $100million right now.

An interesting tid-bit about this offer came to light earlier in the week as well. According to The Miami Herald's Chuck Spencer, Marlins current all-star shortstop Hanley Ramirez has no interest in switching positions to make room for Reyes. Though many people perceive Reyes and Ramirez to be friends, that appears to not be the case. More on this in a minute.

More recently, the Marlins have set their sights on arguably the biggest free agent in years, Albert Pujols. According to Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown, the club offered Pujols a 9-year contract, the value of which has not been said. It has also been reported by ESPN.com's Jerry Crasncik that the Marlins brought 10 players to assist in recruiting Pujols in an effort to "make the organizations interest clear."

That's not all. The Marlins have also been after starting pitching, but on a lesser level. It appears they want to lock up their 2 major free agent signings before dedicating money towards pitching. Their name has been floated around Mark Buehrle in recent weeks, which would make for a fine addition to their young pitching staff as a solid number 2 or three behind Josh Johnson.

Another thought I have, based ENTIRELY on speculation. There is no rumors on this, there is no inside information, it is just something I found as interesting last night on Twitter. Ozzie Guillen tweeted the following:

"I think Carlos Zambrano going to kick some behind this year." He then added, "And I hope he prove(s) people wrong."

Would it not be interesting to see the Cubs work a trade that sends Big Z to Miami? I think that Guillen is the type of personality that would get the most out of Zambrano, and the fresh start is obviously needed for the guy. Odds are, the Marlins would require the Cubs to pick up a large portion of his contract, but it would make for a very, very interesting landing spot for him.

Speaking of speculation, and back to the Hanley Ramirez issue. IF the Marlins do decide to sign Reyes, could Reyes move over to third base and be effective if Hanley would not? Would the Marlins then try to trade their previous face of the franchise? I think this all would hinge on how the courting of Reyes and Pujols goes, but I don't think it is as far-fetched of an idea as it may have been in previous years.

The Marlins are in a really good place right now, with excellent young talent in the outfield in Logan Morrison and Mike Stanton. The young pitching staff is bolstered by the young fire-baller, Josh Johnson.

I'm not sure where this Marlins team is headed right now, but by all indication it would be the right direction, and it certainly is going to be entertaining.

A-Rod's Time Has Come... To DH

When the New York Yankees take the field on Opening Day 2012, the team should look a little different.

The time has come for Alex Rodriguez to take over as the primary designated hitter for the Yankees. My argument is one that walks a bit of a fine line, but allow me to make my case.

In 2011 Alex Rodriguez played in the fewest number of games as a full-time major league player in his 18 year career. Think about that for a second, A-Rod has been in the league for 18 years. He is 35 years old. That is a lot of mileage on those legs.

While Rodriguez is the single largest investment that the Yankees have right now (in the middle of a 10-year contract he signed with the Yankees in 2007) that carries an annual average salary of $26.9million. He figures to make $29 million this season, $30million if he hits 30 or more home runs. It is a lucrative deal for a lucrative player. Arguably on of the best to ever play the game. The problem with A-Rod is that he does not appear to pass the eyeball test any longer.

Sure, he had a .973 fielding percentage in 2011, but he also managed to commit 13 errors. Is he the crux of the Yankees problems this off-season? Not at all. Could he help fill another void in the lineup? Absolutely.

I admit, it might call for some creativity on the side of Brian Cashman and Co. There only figure to be 2 bonafied every day third baseman available through free agency: Aramis Ramirez and Wilson Betemit.

Ramirez is obviously the best third baseman on the market. The problem I see with him is that he is 33 years old and is going to command top dollars. Not that paying for a player has ever been an issue for the Yankees, but I see them starting to make some wiser baseball decisions as of late and perhaps giving big money to an older player may not be a priority. Sure, he hit .306 with an OPS of .871 with 26 homers in 2011, but offense is not the problem for the Yanks. Ramirez's .953 fielding percentage in 2011 is no upgrade over A-Rod, and thus, negates the true need for him.

Betemit may not be high on the radar of Yankees fans. After his abysmal stint in New York in 2007 and 2008, Betemit has proven himself to be a solid player at third. He would be a low cost option, but again, no upgrade defensively as he posted a .947 fielding percentage in 2011. If the Yankees were to bring in Betemit again, you might see them sign Eric Chavez to come back and platoon the position.

The real solution that may be viable would be through a trade with the Kansas City Royals.

Going in to the 2011 season the Royals had the single highest rated third base prospect in all of Major League Baseball: Mike Moustakas. Moustakas is only 23 years old and got the call-up to play 89 games this season. That is the entirety of his major league experience. His bat is not there yet, and his fielding percentage was .954 - which is pretty damn good for a kid getting his first licks in the majors. (In his first 63 games in the majors A-Rod posted a .934 fielding percentage.)

The question becomes, why would the Royals trade him? They seem to be re-tooling right now. Just a few days back the Royals traded (former Yankee) Melky Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants to bring in Jonathan Sanchez. What if the Yankees put together a package surrounding A.J. Burnett, a man who has had major issues performing in New York? Burnett flourished in smaller markets like Florida and Toronto. Kansas City might give him the fresh start he needs.

The catch would be that the Yankees would have to eat a majority of his salary so that the low-budget Royals may bite at the offer. This would give an immediate boost to their starting rotation while allowing the Yankees to get a little bit younger in a position that could use it.

It may not be realistic, but it is one viable way for the Yankees to move forward, securing their largest asset for the long run.

Papelbon is Gone, Time to Fill Some Shoes

Jonathan Papelbon stopped the revolving door of closers in Boston from 2006 through 2011.

During that time frame he managed to rack up 219 saves for the Red Sox. That number obliterates the previous record of saves (132) held by Bob Stanley.

Guess what Boston? That era is over. Time to move on. Time to get going. I've seen a fair amount of people that were upset to see Papelbon go, but on the other hand I have seen far too many people that are actually glad to see him go.

Really? After all the man has done for this town people are already happy he's gone? Let's look back a few weeks and remember, Jonathan Papelbon was one of the good guys in this clubhouse in 2011. He was respectful, accountable, and didn't imbibe in beer and fried chicken.

Having said that, his departure is of no surprise to me. Since my first post regarding the future of the Boston Red Sox I have felt that Papelbon would indeed move on. Of course, we all were aware that he wanted to try and set the market for closers (which he did) and make some big bucks. He never wavered from those intentions. He played it year to year in Boston, getting his money through arbitration. He did exactly what he said he was going to do.

I respect him for that.

The other hard point to make is this: even if the Red Sox were to offer him the same exact contract that the Phillies offered him, Jonathan Papelbon would have left anyway. Not because he didn't like it in Boston. Not because he doesn't like the fans. He would have left because of the mess that is going on here, and not one person can really blame him. He held his stuff together while the team crumbled. He's won a ring here, it was his chance to move on.

I have already made my case for Heath Bell coming in as the next closer for the Red Sox. Since that post I have heard a few objections that I find to be noteworthy. I want to also examine a few other options and arguments that have emerged in light of Papelbon's departure.

First of all, there have been concerns about Heath Bell performing in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. This is true. Petco is HUGE. I did Bell a bit of an injustice by not examining his splits accordingly while making my argument for him. Shame on me.

There are other names being floated as potential replacements for Pap. The other three that I personally am hearing the most about are: Daniel Bard, Ryan Madson, and Joe Nathan. The lot of potential replacements actually embody four different routes the Red Sox could take in both structure and progress. Allow me to explain.

Daniel Bard is the player that many thought would just step in when Papelbon left and become the next closer for the Sox. Though I think he is a hell of a pitcher, I think he proved at the end of the 2011 season that he is either a) not ready to be the closer or b) is more suited to be a starting pitcher. I think the answer is b. Though Bard has been working to develop a third pitch, people still believe he could close for the Red Sox. He is the cheapest option and would allow them to set their free agent focus towards other issues. However, 2011 brought forth Bard's career high 5 saves. He's not ready, I promise you this. Thrusting him into the role of closer after how the 2011 season ended will not be a wise move, even if he only makes $500k per season.

Heath Bell makes the most sense. Just read my previous article "For Whom Heath Bell Tolls" for the complete argument, but I want to supplement a couple of points. Looking at his splits for the 2011 season, Bell had a slightly higher ERA on the road (2.15 vs 2.88) but had a lower WHIP (1.195 vs 1.080.) This tells me that though he allowed fewer runners on base on the road, slightly more were apt to score than at home.

The irony is, Papelbon was the exact opposite as a pitcher here. His home ERA was 3.16 while his away ERA was 2.73. His WHIP at home was .957 vs .909 away. Papelbon had a tougher time pitching in Fenway than he did away. It is also worth mentioning that Bell actually closed out a higher percentage of games away from Petco than at home (26 of 27 games away, 28 of 37 games at home.) It is fair to say that Bell's numbers come from his road victories and would be a fairly affordable option for the next 2-3 years.

Ryan Madson is basically Jonathan Papelbon 2.0. The problem with Madson, like Bard, is his lack of experience. The Phillies wisely reneged on their 4 year $44million offer to Madson after realizing he had only closed for 1 full season, racking up 32 saves. He benefited greatly from having Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee in the starting rotation. His home ERA was crazy good: 1.64, while on the road it almost doubled to 3.25. That is a HUGE jump.

Madson's WHIP is also indicative of the luxuries brought forth pitching at home. He posted a 1.121 vs a 1.193 on the road. The Phillies brass realized that 2011 was a solid year for him, but teams will catch on and he could really be exposed in 2012 and beyond. Better to save the money on him and offer it to a player that has proven his abilities over the past several years to perform in a pressure cooker.

Joe Nathan is the last name being floated around and to me, for comical reasons. I've heard the argument that the Red Sox do not want to spend a lot of money on a closer, so they would try to land Nathan on a 1-year deal. Really? The people saying this obviously aren't aware that Nathan earned $12.5million in 2011 and has the cache' to cash in. With 269 career saves, Nathan could easily ask for - and receive - $12million and multiple years, yet people think that the Sox could potential woo him for just one season... at age 36... looking for one last pay day?

The reality is, the argument I have made for Heath Bell previously is still the strongest argument for any closer out there. Would you rather see the Red Sox rest on their laurels and roll out Daniel Bard/Bobby Jenks as your closing committee in 2012, or would you rather have a bonified, high-intensity guy like Bell come in and handle the business in the 9th inning?

Take a deep breath, Boston. As Bob Marley said, everything's gonna be alright.

Are the Red Sox Interested in Beltran... as a DH?

I keep reading about how the Boston Red Sox are "favorites" to land Carlos Beltran.

There seems to be a large number of people that believe that Beltran would be a fit for Boston and that he could solve their right field issues. After all, he is a switch hitting, high OPS guy with plus power. What is there not to like about him?

The Red Sox lineup is filled with left handed batters and Beltran would offer the option of batting from either side of the plate. His splits are not too different regardless of which side of the plate he bats from (slight edge to the left side of the plate.) He is a 3 time gold glove winner, 6 time all-star, won the rookie of the year in 1999 and has a couple of silver slugger awards on his resume. In other words, the man is a well decorated outfielder.

Here's the catch, he's 34 years old and is coming off his first healthy season in 3 years. He is a bit of an injury concern if he is playing the outfield on a daily basis.

But what if he isn't?

From what I am hearing the Red Sox have an idea on what David Ortiz's market value is. Though GM Ben Cherington has alluded to ongoing conversations with Ortiz, one would think that the sides are at odds in either compensation or years. The fact of the matter is, Ortiz is 35 years old and can DH, that's it.

It is true that in 2011 Ortiz had another fine season. He played in 146 games, knocked in 29 home runs, scored 84 runs, knocked in 96 while batting .309. His on-base percentage was .398 and his slugging percentage was .554, giving a fantastic OPS of .953. This was accomplished for $12.5million and again, he only DH'd.

Carlos Beltran on the other hand also had a fine season. He played in 142 games, knocked in 22 home runs, scored 78 runs, drove in 84 while batting an even .300. His on-base percentage was .385 while his slugging percentage was .525 giving him an OPS of .910. True, he made $19.3million in 2011, but it was the final year on a lucrative contract he signed back in 2005.

I don't believe Carlos Beltran is looking to "cash in" once again, as I think he is smart enough to know that he doesn't merit another large contract after 3 of the last 4 seasons were injury plagued. What he showed in 2011 is that he still has the ability to play baseball every day and perform well.

I believe Beltran will be looking for the same type of contract that David Ortiz is looking for, both in monetary value as well as years. Though I have heard some ludicrous claims that Beltran will be looking for $18million annually, which, will never happen, I think he is probably in the $12-14million range, right about where Ortiz is now.

The question that begs to be answered by the Red Sox brass is: Are the Red Sox in on Beltran to replace David Ortiz with a more rounded player? Beltran played for six and a half years in New York for the Mets and performed admirably. He was then thrust into a playoff rush in San Francisco where he absolutely crushed it in 44 games batting .323, with an OBP of .369 and a SLG of .551 for an OPS of .920.

I could see the Sox pulling the trigger on Beltran and letting Ortiz walk. This organization needs a bit of a face lift, and sadly that could mean the end of Ortiz's stay in Boston.

Cherington Has Proven Me Wrong

Ben Cherington has proven me wrong in regards to the Boston Red Sox managerial search. Back on October 29th I posted a blog predicting Dave Martinez of the Tampa Bay Rays would take over the reigns in Boston, becoming the Red Sox 42nd manager in club history. It seemed like a solid choice at the time.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and this morning on the Remy Report, Jerry linked to an article posted on ESPN Boston stating that Ben Cherington was quoted as saying "I wouldn't rule out adding another person, but there are no plans to." This was in response to the 5 managerial candidates that the Red Sox are interviewing for the position: Pete Mackanin, Dale Sveum, Sandy Alomar Jr., Torey Lovullo and Gene Lamont.

In my original piece I had written off Sveum as being not "high profile" enough, while I stated that according to information posted by Buster Olney, Torey Lovullo appeared to be staying put in Toronto. Sandy Alomar was number 2 on my list while Pete Mackanin was number 4. Gene Lamont was not even on my radar, which says something considering I listed a total of 17 names that were heavily rumored to be "in" on the position.

Of the remaining five candidates my prediction world has been rocked upside down. I still maintain that I do not find Mackanin or Alomar (as much as I like him) to be the man for the job. Gene Lamont would probably have to fall into the 5 spot for me, considering my lack of consideration beforehand. Dale Sveum does not come across to me as the type of manager that would be able to walk into the Red Sox organization and steer this ship. I do think he would make for a fine manager of the Chicago Cubs.

That leaves Torey Lovullo, a man I had written off because of what appears to have been a bad tip. Why does he appear to be the best fit for this team? First of all, he has been in the Red Sox organization, formerly managing the Pawtucket Red Sox. He is well aware of the expectations fans in Boston have of their team. Secondly, he is an 8-year veteran of Major League Baseball, playing 8 seasons between 1988 and 1999. Third, he is only 46 years old. He is young enough to relate to this team.

Lovullo has been coaching for 10 years, breaking in with the Cleveland Indians organization back in 2001. He has been widely considered a rising star in the managerial ranks, doing a fine job everywhere he has been. Lovullo comes across as a man that can handle the pressure in Boston and be able to handle some pretty significant egos in the process.

So, Ben Cherington you proved me wrong. Dave Martinez is not the next manager of the Boston Red Sox; Torey Lovullo is. That is my final answer and I am sticking to it.

For Whom Heath Bell Tolls

There is a strong possibility Jonathan Papelbon will be closing games for another team next year. Red Sox Nation needs to prepare themselves for this reality. Fear not though faithful freaks of Fenway, Heath Bell could be the simplest solution to this problem.

If Papelbon is truly intent on setting the market for a closing pitcher, Boston can surely afford not paying for his services. It is true, there is some value to be had in having been able to perform well in the pressure cooker known as Boston. However, overpaying for that luxury is not worth it in my opinion.

Let's take a look back at the stat line for both Heath Bell and Jonathan Papelbon over the past 3 seasons. While a majority of his career was as a set-up man, Bell moved into the the closer role in 2009 and has performed admirably in that time frame.

The first statistic people tend to look at for a closer is the number of saves he provided for his team. Let's get that out of the way. In 2009 Heath Bell had 42 saves (4th in all of MLB) while Papelbon had 38 saves (6th in all of MLB.) In 2010 Heath Bell had 47 saves (2nd in all of MLB) while Papelbon had 37 saves (9th in all of MLB.) Lastly, in 2011 Heath Bell had 43 saves (6th in all of MLB) while Papelbon had 31 saves (18th in all of MLB.) There, the arbitrary number of saves is out of the way. Obviously Heath Bell had more saves in that time frame, but that is not what I am basing my argument on.

I like to look at both WHIP and ERA to examine the true measure of a pitcher. To know how many walks and hits a pitcher gives up per inning pitched is really the nitty gritty of the position. When examining these two pitchers Heath Bell holds the advantage over Papelbon in 2 of the 3 years examined. In 2009 Bell posted a 1.120 WHIP while Papelbon posted a 1.147. Hardly much of a difference just eyeballing it, however, in all of Major League Baseball, Bell finished with the 58th best WHIP among pitchers, Papelbon with the 76th.

In 2010 Bell posted a WHIP of 1.200 and Papelbon posted a 1.269. Again, both numbers seem reasonable for a closer. Again, in all of MLB, Bell finished with a ranking of 130 and Papelbon a ranking of 179 overall. It's crucial to remind you here, these were two of the best closing pitchers in the game.

2011 was the year of Jonathan Papelbon. Sure, he only saved 31 games, but he also did not have that many save opportunities. This is a perfect example as to why I think WHIP is a far better statistic in determining your closer than saves. In 2011 Bell posted a 1.149 while Papelbon put up a .933. Bell finished 127th overall while Papelbon finished 32nd. Lights out.

The last statistic I like to look at is ERA. Of those players that made it on base against these guys, how many crossed the plate? Heath Bell's three years looked like this: 2009/2.71, 2010/1.93, and 2011/2.44. Papelbon's seasons looked like this: 2009/1.85, 2010/3.90, and 2011/2.94.

"Wait a minute... I thought Papelbon was 'Lights Out' in 2011. How come his ERA is higher?"

This is where the complexities of baseball come forth. Papelbon rarely let people on base in 2011, but if runners got on base, they had a pretty good chance of scoring. You can chalk that up to defensive ineptitude if you'd like, though both Boston and San Diego were "middle of the pack" defensively. What this tells me is that once Bell allows runners on, he keeps them from crossing home plate.

The other advantage to selecting Bell as your next closer, he is going to be a hell of a lot cheaper than Papelbon. In 2011, Cinco Ocho commanded $12million in arbitration. He will surely be looking to get a minimum of $15million per year. Heath Bell made $7.5million in 2011. The Red Sox could literally sign up for 4 years of Heath Bell at$30million versus 2 years of Papelbon for the same $30million.

In my eyes, it is a pretty easy decision.

Andre Ethier: Fodder for Thought

Even a rational Red Sox fan has his white whale. Listen, over the past few months I have given up my personal pipe dream of a Hanley Ramirez reunion with the Red Sox and in his place I have developed a strong liking for Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder, Andre Ethier.

Here's the kicker though - as much as I acknowledge the fact that Ramirez was never coming back to Boston, there lives a strong possibility that Ethier could come to Boston for the right circumstances. Let's just get a couple of things out of the way, first being that he has publicly stated he would love to end his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks playing with Dustin Pedroia. They played together at Arizona State University and are friends. It is a nice gesture.

Secondly, over the summer Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman wrote an article on Ethier and his displeasure with the Dodgers, stating that he (Ethier) had "Boston in his mind."

This reminds me a lot of the whole Jarred Saltalamacchia thing back when he was with Texas. There were trade rumors that Boston was interested and Salty went on record stating he would love to play here. Fast forward three years and we finally landed him.

The stars could potentially be lining up for an Ethier-to-Boston type of move. Frank McCourt has agreed to sell the Dodgers. This could actually hurt the potential of Ethier coming to Boston. His displeasure with the team stemmed directly back to ownership. However, the Dodgers have taken measures to have suitable replacements for their right fielder (Juan Riveira, Jerry Sands, Tony Gwynn Jr. to name a few.)

There has been rumblings that the team has been looking to move on from James Loney as well, their first baseman. Depending on what the Dodgers view as needs, the Red Sox do have several options they could offer up for Ethier to make a deal work. In my quick glance at the team, the Dodgers have needs in the middle infield as well as possibly the outfield. This could, COULD be a scenario where the Red Sox could base a package around a Jed Lowrie/Ryan Kalish or Josh Reddick deal. The Dodgers ownership might be looking to cut back on some spending while beefing up their offense. A move based in that foundation could be the start of a legitimate trade conversation.

However, on the flip side, the new Dodgers ownership might want to come in with guns blazing. For example, if Mark Cuban buys the team, he could address the needs by adding Pujols, Reyes and C.J. Wilson for the fun of it.

As I stated before, this could be just another pipe dream of mine, but it looks like there is a basis for a conversation to be had. For those unaware - Ethier is only 29. He hits in the .300 range consistently, can average 80 RBI's and 20 home runs and has a career OPS of .843; in other words, he's just the type of player the Red Sox like in right.

Trade Kevin Youkilis for David Wright

Meet Kevin Youkilis, your 32 year old third baseman for the Boston Red Sox. A perennial American League MVP candidate, Youk is entering into the final year of his team friendly contract.

Youk is slated to earn $12million in 2012 with a team option for 2013 of $13million, or, there is a $1million buyout.

In his 7 years of service time, Youkilis has been an All-Star 3 times, won a Gold Glove award and placed 3rd in MVP voting in 2008, 6th in 2009.

In other words, Kevin Youkilis has been pretty damn good for the Boston Red Sox.

Meet David Wright, the 28 year old third baseman for the New York Mets. A perennial National League MVP candidate, Wright is also entering into the final year of his contract.

Wright is slated to earn $15million in 2012 for the Mets, with a team option for 2013 at $16million, or a there is also a $1million buyout.

In his 7 years of service time, Wright has been selected to the All-Star team five times, finished 4th in MVP voting in 2007, 7th in 2008. He has 2 Gold Glove awards to match his 2 Silver Slugger awards.

In other words, David Wright has been pretty damn good for the New York Mets.

Baseball nerds, prepare yourself for a bunch of statistics here: According to Baseball Reference, Kevin Youkilis' 162 game stat line would look something like this: 101 runs, 165 hits, 41 doubles, 3 triples, 23 home runs, 85 base on balls, 98 RBI's, 5 stolen bases (getting caught twice), a .289 batting average, .391 OBP, .492 slugging, .883 OPS and a .967 fielding percentage (at third - .993 overall.)

David Wrights 162 game stat line would look like this: 102 runs, 183 hits, 41 doubles, 2 triples, 27 home runs, 78 base on balls, 106 RBI's, 22 stolen bases (getting caught 6 times), a .300 batting average, .380 OBP, .508 slugging, .887 OPS and a .951 fielding percentage.

What do all those numbers translate in to? Basically, Youkilis has the advantage in triples, walks, less times being caught stealing, OBP and Fielding Percentage. Wright has the advantage in runs, home runs, RBI's, stolen bases, batting average, slugging and OPS. Either side of the scale you look at, the advantages are minimal at best - they are fairly identical players.

The question is, why would the Red Sox want to trade Youkilis for David Wright? The answer is simple, Kevin Youkilis is not capable of playing third base at this stage in his career. The Mets are in need of a first baseman. They also need to shed payroll in any way possible. Though the difference in salary is only roughly $3million for 2012/$3million in 2013, beyond that the Mets would likely be unable to sign Wright back.

Wright is the perfect age to come to Boston and take over for Youkilis at third and bat in the three or five spot on this Red Sox lineup. He is a classy player that does not ever seem to have his name in the papers for negative purposes. It would be a wise move for the Red Sox if they are indeed looking to move on from some of the old familiar faces in town.

Giants Trade Lincecum? For Shame!

The Hot Stove is officially starting to warm up and with that come the trade rumors and speculation of great players being moved or signed. Unrealistic trades are debated among baseball fans across the country and all reason is thrown out of the window.

This morning I read an article on Fox Sports by Jon Paul Morosi asking the question, "Is the Giants' best hope trading Lincecum?" You can read that article here:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/San-Francisco-Giants-Tim-Lincecum-will-team-trade-ace-110311

From what I have read following that article, Morosi has managed to anger many Giant fans. I don't think that was his intent, and he did bring up several points to argue his case. So, let's take a look at the uproar.

It is a fact that after next season 3 of the Giants top 4 starting pitchers will be free agents: Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Ryan Vogelsong. Lincecum is a free agent the following year. Looking back at the previous handy work the Giants have done signing pitchers (*ahem* Barry Zito anyone?) it may be wise to think about trading one of your stars now so that you can sign the other three back.

Morosi argues that trading Lincecum would also allow the Giants to spend on a big bat - something that the 2011 team could have used badly down the stretch. Do I think that the Giants (even if they trade away Lincecum) have a shot at Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder? Not unless they are willing to break the bank for them. I guess you can't entirely rule them out, as they did have the 8th highest payroll in MLB in 2011, but an important factor to remember, the Cubs had the 6th highest payroll, and have a need for a first baseman.

Other free agent bats are out there and available for the Giants to scoop up. For example, there is a good chance they could re-sign Carlos Beltran. Bringing back the veteran coupled with a healthy Buster Posey could provide just the offensive pop the Giants lacked last season.

The funny thing I find about the Morosi article is that he does not initially say to trade Lincecum. He talks about trading one of the starting chips, though Lincecum would prove to be the most attractive to many teams if the Giants are looking to acquire offense. It makes sense, financially to explore this option, but it brings up a whole separate argument; do you consider Tim Lincecum to be a Major League "Ace" and if so, how many actual "Aces" are there in baseball?

Think about that for a second. What is an "ace" these days? He is a stopper. A guy that you know is more than likely going to get a "W" for you every five days. These guys are few and far between. CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander, Tim Lincecum... other than that - you have a lot of good pitchers out there, but there are many that are hard to label "aces."

So my question for the Giants fans, do you really think trading your "ace" is something General Manager Brian Sabean takes lightly? IF he explores it, which there are no indications of that at this point, it would bring about a slew of young talent and would free up cap space to make another splash in free agency.

A Couple of Noteworthy Bits

Okay, I usually don't react to baseball news on a dime, but I have come across a couple of things tonight while trolling Twitter that has prompted me to react. First of which being the fact that, according to ESPN Chicago as well as several other sources, new President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs Theo Epstein gave a "courtesy" call to Ryne Sandberg today to inform him that he was NOT a candidate for the Cubs vacant managerial position.

That is shocking to me.

Ryne, RYNO, Sandberg, one of the greatest Cubs in their storied history is being told to eff off. That is unreal to me and goes against everything I thought Theo & Co. would do. Ryne Sandberg has not been the Hall of Famer banking on getting a managerial position solely on his namesake.

Sandberg has been paying his dues and cutting his teeth managing the Peoria Chiefs in the Midwest League, The Tennessee Smokies in the Southern League, The Iowa Cubs in the Pacific Coast League and most recently the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. The man is (next to Ernie Banks) Mr. Cub! I guess Epstein is looking to rid the Cubs of all their history, not just the bad. This was shocking to me.

The other bit of news I found interesting involves free agent slugger David Ortiz. He was on 93.7 WEEI sounding off about not having received an offer from the Boston Red Sox yet, saying "I know everybody has priorities, and to be honest with you, I thought I was one of them."

Really, Papi? Really?

It is time to get over yourself. Yes, you are a good hitter. You spent a good portion of the 2011 campaign being more of a distraction to this team than a positive force in the clubhouse and you're surprised less than 24 hours removed from becoming a free agent you haven't received an offer yet? Get over yourself!

It is worth noting that the Red Sox have yet to offer free agent reliever Jonathan Papelbon anything yet either. Papelbon, by many accounts, is a much more sought after free agent this season.

I hate the attitude out of Ortiz this year. Listen, I get it - you want to stay in Boston, but you also want a big contract. Time to pick one. The Red Sox are far better off paying "Ortiz Money" to a guy like Jason Kubel to come in here and DH. He's younger, more versatile, and put up similar numbers to Ortiz in 2011.

I love the Hot Stove - time to see where this all goes!

Terry Francona Should Replace Tony LaRussa

Take a good look St. Louis, this is the man that will steer the ship for the Cardinals in the 2012 season.

Sure, I have heard plenty of rumors regarding Terry Francona and what he may do next season. There has been rumblings about Tito joining Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer in Chicago. There has been talk about Tito taking a year off. There has been talk of Tito doing T.V. for a year. I don't think that any of those options are realistic. When it comes down to it, Terry Francona is the perfect candidate to take over for Tony LaRussa.

No matter what, replacing Tony LaRussa is going to be very difficult. I have heard the rumors that third base coach Jose Oquendo is primed to take over for LaRussa. Rumor has it that Pujols will only return to St. Louis if Oquendo is the coach. Guess what? Pujols will return to St. Louis if they give him the best deal.

Period.

Other names that have been floated to take over for LaRussa: batting coach Mark "Big Mac" McGwire as well as Chicago Cubs legend and current AAA coach for the Phillies, Ryne Sandberg. Here is the deal with McGwire, the guy was a hell of a baseball player, albeit with steroids later in his career, but overall, he was a great player. He came out, apologized for taking banned substances and has quietly been trying to gain a positive reputation back in Major League Baseball. I respect that. I just don't see him being ready to take over for a Major League Club yet.

Ryne Sandberg on the other hands, as you know if you've read any of my posts before, I would love to see in Boston. With my Boston argument, I have the same reasoning why he will not be coaching in St. Louis - the Cubs would be foolish NOT to hire him to be the coach in 2012.

Sure, there are other names out there that could replace LaRussa, but not many have as good of a record as Francona posts. While LaRussa coached for 2,728 wins and 2,365 losses over a 35 year career that saw him coach just 3 different teams, the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A's and St. Louis Cardinals. LaRussa chalked up 6 pennants and 3 World Series Titles with his .536 winning percentage.

In his 12 years coaching just 2 Major League clubs (The Phillies and Red Sox), Terry Francona has coached 1,029 wins and 915 losses, or a .529 winning percentage. It is worth noting that while in Boston, Francona had a .574 winning percentage and in that same time frame, LaRussa's Cardinals posted a .554 winning percentage.

Terry Francona will be loved in St. Louis, both by the players (as he is very much a players manager to the end) and by the fans/media. Tito is always very candid and open about his coaching, and in a baseball town like St. Louis, they will love having a guy like Francona whose life IS baseball leading the charge.

If St. Louis manages to bring back Pujols and sign Terry Francona on as their manager in 2012, this team has a legitimate chance of repeating as World Series Champions.