Official MLB Offseason Post: Michael Young asks for a trade.

[osh kosh bosh]

People worried about Lawries defense, don't people know we have Brian Butterfeild on our coaching staff, dude managed to make EDWIN ENCARNACION an average feilder. 

 

[DeadsetAce]

Originally Posted by Solemate96

Jayson Werth is not worth the contract.

A-Gon to the Red Sox. 

apparently the werth news sealed the deal for us

 

[DeadsetAce]

Originally Posted by Solemate96

Jayson Werth is not worth the contract.

A-Gon to the Red Sox. 

apparently the werth news sealed the deal for us

 

[jdcurt2]

The Nats... 

How do you not give Dunn a 4 year deal but give Werth one for 7?
Winter Meetings.

 

[jdcurt2]

The Nats... 

How do you not give Dunn a 4 year deal but give Werth one for 7?
Winter Meetings.

 

[kiddin like jason]

Winter Meetings.

Such an exciting time to be an Indians fan. 

We're about to snatch Nick Punto right off the table.

 

[kiddin like jason]

Winter Meetings.

Such an exciting time to be an Indians fan. 

We're about to snatch Nick Punto right off the table.

 

[stickmandude]

GM's around the league must be pissed at the Nationals for giving Werth that contract. Scott Boras is the man though. He gets his clients crazy contracts. I wonder how much Crawford is going to demand now that the precedent has been set.

 

[stickmandude]

GM's around the league must be pissed at the Nationals for giving Werth that contract. Scott Boras is the man though. He gets his clients crazy contracts. I wonder how much Crawford is going to demand now that the precedent has been set.

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by Kiddin Like Jason

We're about to snatch Nick Punto right off the table.

Would be a Gold Glover every year if he could hit. Ironic considering Gold Gloves are supposedly solely defensive awards.

Same with Joe Mauer... he won a Gold Glove this year but he wasn't even the best defensive catcher on the Twins.

Drew Butera was.

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by Kiddin Like Jason

We're about to snatch Nick Punto right off the table.

Would be a Gold Glover every year if he could hit. Ironic considering Gold Gloves are supposedly solely defensive awards.

Same with Joe Mauer... he won a Gold Glove this year but he wasn't even the best defensive catcher on the Twins.

Drew Butera was.

 

[proshares]

Giving a 32-year-old position player who has qualified for the batting title exactly twice in his major league career a guaranteed seven-year deal for over $100 million isn't just a bad move.

Getty ImagesTwo good years wasn't enough to justify seven more well-paid ones.

It's irresponsible.

Jayson Werth has been, for two years, an All-Star-caliber player -- one of the top 25 to 30 players in the National League when you consider offense, position, baserunning and defense -- and he was highly coveted in the free-agent market this offseason. He hits for power, works the count well and gets on base, plays good right-field defense with an above-average arm and adds value with smart baserunning.

However, he's a massive risk for a deal anywhere close to this length, given his age, injury history and the boost he received over the past two years from his home park in Philadelphia -- not to mention the combination fluke of a contract year in 2010 and a reverse platoon split he's not likely to maintain.

Corner players at age 32 are most likely at the beginning of their decline phases even if they don't have Werth's tenure on the disabled list; the Nationals appear to have bought themselves all of Werth's decline phase with an option on his post-decline phase (sometimes known as "release waivers") should it arrive a little earlier. There are no guarantees when it comes to player health, but I like playing the odds, and a player who's been hurt as often as Werth has and who has missed as much time as Werth has is likely to get hurt and miss time as he approaches the age when even normally healthy players tend to get hurt and miss time. Predicting health and performance for any player six or seven years out is difficult, but the indicators on Werth all say that you don't want to lock him up for that many years into his late 30s.

[h3][/h3]
A player who's been hurt as often as Werth has and who has missed as much time as Werth has is likely to get hurt and miss time as he approaches the age when even normally healthy players tend to get hurt and miss time.

The odd thing is that the Nationals actually received solid production from right field in 2010, particularly from the two players, Roger Bernadina and Michael Morse, who played it most often. Neither player was likely to repeat his 2010 performance, however, and it made sense for the Nationals to look to upgrade the position. This price is excessive, and the fact that it matches two of the worst and most ill-conceived contracts handed out in the past twenty years -- Barry Zito's and Vernon Wells' -- is a harbinger for the Nationals' future with Werth. They'll be lucky if they reach 2015 without looking for an escape hatch.

My guess? Washington ownership, wildly unpopular in the city, panicked when they looked at 2011 without Stephen Strasburg or any hope of 80 wins, so they told GM Mike Rizzo to go get a player (or two or three) he really liked in the free-agent market, whatever the cost. There's no other logical explanation for outbidding one's opponents by that much in years and dollars.
[h3]The 'overpay' argument[/h3]
You may hear that the Nationals "had to overpay" for Werth to get him to come to a team that hasn't been a winner. This is complete nonsense, perpetrated by agents to get more for their clients and by team executives to justify bad financial decisions. Free agents go to the highest bidder; if a losing team wants to sign a free agent, they simply have to offer more (factoring in taxes) than any other team is offering. Players like taking the most money. Agents encourage players to take the most money because it maximizes their commissions. The union encourages players to take the most money because it tends to pull up other players' salaries.

The reason losing teams often miss out on premium free agents is that they don't bid enough, because their current revenue streams don't justify higher bids, or because they are not close enough to contention to merit increasing a bid in the hopes of boosting revenues for the coming year. Very, very few take pay cuts to go to contenders or major markets -- and besides, the last time I checked, Washington, D.C. was the ninth-largest media market in the United States, according to Arbitron, so let's stop pretending that the Nationals play in Podunk even if ownership sometimes acts like they do. Every offseason, we hear some losing team say they "had to overpay" to sign a free agent. We rarely hear some winning team come to the podium and say they got themselves a bargain because a top-tier free agent signed with them for 20 percent less than anyone else offered.

And it's worth noting that if you as a GM or owner feel the market is forcing you to "overpay" for a free agent because your team isn't good, maybe you should improve your team first through the draft (where, I should point out, the Nationals spent money and added a lot of talent in 2010) and wait for that supposed free-agent premium to disappear. That is, if free agents don't want to come to your team because your team stinks, the first solution is to make your team better. Signing one premium free agent isn't the way to do it, because even if Werth matches what he did in 2010 -- away from Citizens Bank Park and no longer in a contract year -- by himself he won't turn the Nationals into more than a 74-win team.

  The first thought most fantasy baseball owners will have about outfielder http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4262">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4262')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4262" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Jayson Werth leaving the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/phi/philadelphia-phillies">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...hi/philadelphia-phillies')">Philadelphia Phillies and heading to the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/wsh/washington-nationals">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...wsh/washington-nationals')">Washington Nationals -- and it's a reasonable one -- is that his statistics will drop as a result of the move, if for no other reason than the change in home ballparks. True, the hitting environment at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park is more generous than Washington's Nationals Park, but Werth is a pretty good baseball player regardless of stadium.
Werth finished as fantasy's No. 20 hitter on the 2010 Player Rater, and he finished 23rd the year before. He has averaged 29 home runs and 18 stolen bases the past three seasons; for perspective, consider that http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28658">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28658')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28658" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Carlos Gonzalez and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6035">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6035')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6035" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">David Wright were the only big leaguers to reach both of those numbers in 2010, with http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28476">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28476')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28476" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Matt Kemp and Arizona's http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6514">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6514')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6514" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Chris Young just missing.

http:///sports.espn.go.com/espn/gallery/enlargePhoto?id=5889960&story=5889962">http://sports.espn.go.com...889960&...idth=640,height=550,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/sports/fantasy/blog?name=karabell_eric_baseball&id=5889962#">[+] Enlarge

Dale Zanine/US PresswireJayson Werth brings another right-handed bat to the middle of that Nationals lineup.

While a healthy portion of those numbers came in home games in 2010, it also looks like last season's splits were a bit aberrant for the right fielder. In 2010, Werth's OPS was 161 points better in Philly; he hit .270 with only nine home runs in road games. However, in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Werth actually hit for a better average in road games than at home, and the home runs and OPS were nearly even. For his career, Werth's home OPS is 32 points higher at home than on the road, certainly not a red flag. Also giving credence to what was clearly an odd 2010 for Werth was a horrific .186 batting average with runners in scoring position and a lack of power against right-handed pitching. Neither of those issues were problems prior to 2010, and he should return to the mean.

That said, I do think Werth is a lesser fantasy option with the Nationals than he was with the Phillies. The ballpark change does account for that somewhat, but it's more because of the difference in talent around him; the fact that his extraordinary seven-year contract is now consummated and he's no longer a free agent-to-be; and let's face it, he doesn't get to face Nationals pitching anymore. His career numbers at Nationals Park are impressive (.307 batting average, .970 OPS), but now he'll be facing http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3973">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3973')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="3973" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Roy Halladay and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4575">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4575')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4575" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Roy Oswalt, not http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28834">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28834')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28834" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">John Lannan and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4409">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4409')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4409" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Jason Marquis.

Getting back to the ballpark discussion, note that Citizens Bank Park ranked a neutral 16th among parks on our Park Factors for 2010, while Nationals Park was close by at 18th. Park Factor compares the rate of home statistics for each stadium with road numbers, regardless of a team's pitchers, so while the Phillies have strong pitching and the Nationals do not, the fact is the ballpark switch is a bit overrated. Werth can hit anywhere.

Werth will play right field -- and he's a good one defensively -- and likely replace http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4808">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4808')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4808" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Adam Dunn, who is now the designated hitter for the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/chw/chicago-white-sox">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...me/chw/chicago-white-sox')">Chicago White Sox, as the Nationals' primary clean-up hitter. He'll likely follow http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6389">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6389')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6389" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ryan Zimmerman in the order, as well as table-setters http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28885">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28885')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28885" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Nyjer Morgan and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=29646">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=29646')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="29646" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ian Desmond, neither particularly adept at getting on base. In Philadelphia, Werth batted fifth and followed, in general, high on-base options in http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5383">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5383')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5383" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Chase Utley and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6097">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6097')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6097" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ryan Howard. However, Zimmerman is a terrific player, and Werth should be able to hit at least 30 home runs, knock in more than 100 runs and, if he's so inclined, could steal 15-20 bases as well. There's ample evidence a player can choose to steal bases -- and Werth rarely gets caught --- regardless of where he hits in the lineup. He just needs to remain healthy, and after three injury-free seasons in Philadelphia, I think we can remove the brittle tag.

Ultimately, had Werth remained a Phillie, he likely would have been recognized as a borderline top-10 outfielder in fantasy drafts, just as he was in 2010, when he was taken ninth among outfielders in ESPN average live drafts and 40th overall. So should the change in home venue, which I think is generally overrated in the first place, push Werth out of the top 10 now?

Colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft revealed his top hitters by position for 2010 in an October article and listed Werth 12th among outfielders, behind http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5035">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5035')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5035" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Carl Crawford, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28721">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28721')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28721" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ryan Braun, Carlos Gonzalez, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5940">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5940')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5940" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Matt Holliday, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4652">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4652')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4652" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Josh Hamilton, Kemp, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28841">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28841')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28841" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Justin Upton, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5880">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5880')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5880" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Alex Rios, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28701">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28701')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28701" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Andrew McCutchen, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6205">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6205')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6205" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Shin-Soo Choo and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3707">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3707')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="3707" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Nelson Cruz. Knowing Werth was likely leaving Philly, that seemed a fair rank to me. Now that he's a National, I would add http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4570">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4570')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4570" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ichiro Suzuki and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=29551">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=29551')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="29551" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Jason Heyward as outfielders I'd draft ahead of Werth, but that's about it. Some of the major upside might be gone with him leaving the Phillies, but don't drop Werth too far in your rankings. He remains a borderline top-50 choice on draft day.

As for what Werth leaves behind in right field in Philadelphia, top prospect http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=29673">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=29673')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="29673" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Domonic Brown likely will be platooned with http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28672">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28672')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28672" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ben Francisco. The Phillies have known of Werth's likely departure for months, if not longer, so it's no surprise to them. It is interesting they'll have to face him in 18 games per season, but that's a different issue. Don't drop Halladay or Oswalt on draft lists because of this! Brown might not be ready for regular duty, as he struggled against major league pitching and left the Dominican Winter League early after hitting .069 in nine games, but let's see if the Phillies make some offseason moves and what happens in spring training first.

 

The Red Sox are close to acquiring Adrian Gonzalez for three of their best prospects, including their top two, but wouldn't lose anything off the major league roster, while San Diego would get a very strong long-term return for its best trading chip but probably wouldn't see much from the trade in Petco this season. I think both sides should feel they made out well if this trade is completed.

Gonzalez might have standing for a lawsuit against the architects of Petco Park, as there's probably no other position player whose performance has been held down by his home field as much as his. Over the past two years, he's hit .311/.402/.610 away from home, with 48 home runs and 90 walks in 704 PA. He'd move to the toughest division in baseball, but with good power not just to right field but all the way over to left-center, he should be good for 40-plus doubles and 30-plus homers at a minimum. He's an excellent defensive first baseman and his presence would allow the Red Sox to slide Kevin Youkilis back over to third while saying "So long and thanks for all the draft picks!" to Adrian Beltre. While the Red Sox would give up a lot of years of control and prospect depth for just one year of Gonzalez's services, none of the three players they would trade was likely to help them in 2011, and after missing the playoffs this past season they seem to be very focused on returning there in the upcoming year.

It's widely assumed that the Red Sox will attempt to sign Gonzalez to a long-term deal, and he's the ideal candidate for the sort of overly long contract I usually hate for free agents. He turns 29 in May, so a six-year extension (seven years out) only takes him through his age-35 season, which would give Boston a good three to four years of peak and some early decline years -- but because Gonzalez is a good defender, has such an advanced feel for the zone and hits left-handed pitching so well (despite hitting left-handed himself), I like his odds to hold his value deep into such a lengthy deal. Such a contract would probably make first-base prospect Lars Anderson trade bait as well if the Sox want to make another acquisition this winter or during the 2011 season.

Right-hander Casey Kelly would be the marquee prospect name coming back to San Diego in the trade as a first-round pick, who earned a top-five bonus as the last pick in 2008's first round, as the Red Sox lured him away from a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Tennessee. Kelly was a two-way prospect in high school as a plus defensive shortstop as well as a pitcher, but 2010 marked his first year as a full-time pitcher after a hundred-odd games of struggling with the bat convinced him to accede to the Red Sox's plans to develop him on the mound.

Kelly had excellent command for a high school pitcher, with a sharp curveball with excellent depth, and will sit 89-94 in his best outings with good arm speed on a hard changeup. His performance was up and down in 2010, in part due to a badly cracked fingernail on the middle finger of his right hand, giving him trouble with both fastball command and finishing his curveball. Kelly's arm works well, with a short, simple path, and he's an outstanding defensive pitcher to the point that it's like having an extra infielder on the diamond. He's probably a 2012 debut, and he could start 2011 back at Double-A if the Padres want to keep him out of a good hitting environment in Tucson.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo would be the long-term replacement for Gonzalez in San Diego, perhaps as soon as the start of 2012, although, as he's Rule 5-eligible after 2011, he could earn a late-season call-up this year if he performs well in Triple-A Tucson. Like Gonzalez, Rizzo is a plus-fielding, plus-makeup, power-hitting first baseman, although he's probably a notch below Gonzalez as a pure hitter and has had some trouble with left-handed pitching so far in the minors. Rizzo missed most of 2008 after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in May of that year, a few months before his 19th birthday, but the cancer is in remission and he has played two full seasons since then, showing increasing power and good feel for the strike zone.

In 2002, Gonzalez played in Portland at age 20, which was a Marlins affiliate at the time, and hit .266/.344/.437 with 34 doubles and 17 home runs in 573 PA. Rizzo played most of 2010 in Portland, also at age 20, and hit .263/.334/.481 with 30 doubles and 20 home runs in 467 PA. It's not a perfect comparison, as league quality varies from year to year and Portland did alter its left-field wall in 2003 by adding the "Maine monster," but given the overall similarity and the fact that Rizzo lost a year of development while he fought cancer, it's more evidence for optimism in San Diego.

Outfielder Reymond Fuentes would be the third piece in the deal, the one guy who's not a top-50 prospect, but was a legitimate first-round talent at the time of the draft and still has a lot of potential, even though he's probably a full three years away. Fuentes is a 70-75 runner with 70 range in center, making him an ideal defensive fit for Petco's spacious outfield, and he has good feel for the bat with the potential to hit for average down the road. He really needs to get stronger -- while he'll probably never have even average power, he's still slight and needs to be able to drive the ball to the gaps and show he can handle better velocity when he reaches Double-A. His one major negative is a fringy arm, 40 or 45 depending on which day you see him, but I think he has the potential to be Jacoby Ellsbury without all the injuries.

 

Scott Boras will often make extraordinary claims -- and make almost unbelievable comparisons. The perception of some executives is that he will present really high numbers in speculation about his clients so he can make the eventual terms look more palpable to interested teams.

At the outset of this offseason, Boras compared one of his clients, Jayson Werth, to Matt Holliday -- whose seven-year, $120 million deal stunned baseball officials this past winter -- and many executives viewed the link of Werth and Holliday as more super-agent rhetoric.

And on Sunday, Werth got more than Holliday; for the first time in history, Boras might have underestimated what his client would get.

Werth's seven-year, $126 million contract immediately drew anger from rival officials who were furious about the terms. "Absolutely crazy," said one high-ranking AL official.

"You're kidding me," a general manager screamed into the phone. "What could they have been thinking?"

Mets executive Sandy Alderson offered this, dryly: "I thought they were trying to reduce the deficit in Washington."

To put this in perspective: The Nationals spent more money on Werth than all the free agents the franchise had signed in the previous 20 years combined.

Through the years, Boras has always had one or two clubs he has gone back to for his big strikes. For a time, that team was the Texas Rangers, with owner Tom Hicks, who wrote the checks for Alex Rodriguez and Chan Ho Park. For a time it was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who paid top dollar for Kevin Brown and others. In more recent years, Boras has doubled back to the Detroit Tigers, for players such as Magglio Ordonez and Johnny Damon.

The Nationals appear to be his new best friends, given the contracts worked out for Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and now for Werth. It's worth remembering as the talks continue for another Boras client -- first baseman Carlos Pena.

The Nationals went all out for Werth, writes Adam Kilgore. Werth says he didn't feel wanted by the Phillies.





Werth took big money to join a doormat, writes Phil Rogers. Werth is a nice player, writes Bill Conlin, but the Nationals' decision was awful.





In 2010, Werth led the NL in doubles (46), but was top-10 in numerous categories: extra-base hits (fourth, with 75), runs (fourth, with 106), OPS (sixth, at .921), OBP (eighth, at .38, among others.

The Nationals, meanwhile, ranked 29th in outfielder batting average (.244), 26th in outfielder slugging (.390) and 25th in outfielder OPS (.720). Werth last year: .296/.532/.921. He'll no doubt improve that area.

A problem, though: Werth hit .186 with runners in scoring position, the fifth-lowest by any player since 2000 (minimum 150 PA), the worst since Aubrey Huff hit .181 in 2006. He'll fit in with a Nationals team that hit .253 with runners in scoring position, ranked 21st in MLB and 13th in the NL.

This contract is unprecedented for the Washington Nationals franchise in a number of regards.

[h4]Buster's New Book[/h4]

Buster Olney is the author of the book "recipient[/color] of the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS.

"Surprising and unforgettable." - Mike Krzyzewski

"Olney knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter." - George F. Will

"A true inspiration." - Pat Summitt

Before this, the most they committed to a free-agent contract since the 1990-91 offseason was $20 million over two years to Adam Dunn in the 2008-09 offseason.

Before this they had signed only one player to a free-agent contract of more than three years -- Cristian Guzman got a four-year deal in 2004-05.
[h3]So what now for Carl Crawford? [/h3]
Within this piece, there is word that the Angels' preference is to sign Carl Crawford to a five-year deal. If that is, in fact, somewhere close to the Angels' ceiling for bidding, then they probably have no chance to sign Crawford, unless they're willing to pay him $25 million a year or more -- and even that might not be enough, because in the aftermath of the Werth contract, Crawford, the younger and better player, is probably is position to ask for eight years.

The dominoes are moving: now that Werth is off the board, Crawford will command attention from the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Angels and other teams.
[h3]Gonzo goes to Beantown [/h3]
The Red Sox and Padres finished off the Gonzalez trade. It was a strange day, writes Nick Cafardo.

It's expected that the Red Sox and Gonzalez will work out an extension for about seven years and no more than $22 million in any season; it's possible he will get a signing bonus. The player to be named in this deal is expected to be a second- or third-tier prospect, not somebody of major stature.

The bottom line was that no available player could have been a better fit for the Red Sox right now; they needed to get this done. And if this deal had fallen apart because of money, the Boston ownership would have gotten hammered on talk radio and in bar talk; remember, John Henry and Tom Werner just purchased the Liverpool soccer franchise for a whole lot of money, and the running commentary within Red Sox Nation would have been that the soccer investment had impact Henry's investment in the Red Sox. It was important for them to finish this deal for a whole lot of reasons.
[h3]The Beltre market [/h3]
The Oakland Athletics walked away from the Adrian Beltre talks because time and again, the third baseman made it clear that he had little interest in taking the offers from the Athletics, which were always the highest on the board -- over three years last year, and $64 million over five years this year.

The Athletics will look for other players now, but the reality is that this franchise continues to rot, while waiting for a decision on whether the team can move to San Jose. Agents talk about how their players aren't really that interested in the Athletics partly because of their facilities, which are the Model T version of ballparks these days. On days after the Oakland Raiders play, the sewage system flows heavily and the smell wafts in the home and visiting clubhouses. The Athletics need a decision to build hope.

Hideki Matsui is probably high on the list of Oakland targets now, writes Susan Slusser within this piece.




[h3]The Yankees' deal [/h3]
Brian Cashman climbed a building, as he prepared to negotiate a deal with Cliff Lee. The Yankees are focused on pitching. The Yankees are set to begin their push for Lee.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions [/h3]
1. The Brewers swapped Brett Lawrie for Shaun Marcum. I like this trade a lot for both sides; Marcum could really help the Brewers next season. He's such a smart pitcher and will use the weak spots in the National League lineups to navigate his way through trouble.

2. The Jays made this trade and now have an eye on Zack Greinke, writes Bob Elliott.





[h4]MAG IPAD APP FREE FOR INSIDERS[/h4]

The new ESPN The Magazine iPad app includes daily updated content and an iPad-optimized version of each issue of ESPN The Magazine.

3. The Rangers are playing a strong hand as these meetings begin, writes Jeff Wilson.





4. Orioles GM Andy MacPhail expects the winter meetings to be hectic.





5. Here are some possible free agent targets for the Diamondbacks, from Nick Piecoro.





6. Heard this: The Yankees are among the teams talking with Brian Fuentes.

7. The winter meetings offer one-stop shopping for everybody, writes Mike DiGiovanna and Dylan Hernandez.





8. Bengie Molina is being targeted by the Rockies, writes Troy Renck.





9. The Tigers are heading to the winter meetings looking for a blockbuster, writes Lynn Henning.





10. Matt Holliday may be moved to right field. The Cardinals still have needs to address.





11. The Reds are unlikely to be major players at the meetings.





12. The Indians are looking for bargains, writes Paul Hoynes.





13. The plans differ for the White Sox and Cubs, writes Dave van Dyck.





14. Heard this: A.J. Pierzynski was very, very close to making a deal with the Dodgers before he re-signed with the White Sox.

15. The Cubs will be bottom-feeding, like a lot of other teams, as Gordon Wittenmyer writes.





16. The Braves are looking to trade Kenshin Kawakami, writes David O'Brien.





17. Boras was indirectly critical of the Rays, writes Marc Topkin.





18. The Marlins won't sit idle at these meetings, writes Juan Rodriguez.





19. The Astros' options are expanded as the meetings begin, writes Zachary Levine.





20. Frank ****elly addresses the question of why the Pirates would add now.




[h3]Odds and ends [/h3]
• Derek Jeter is signed, but now comes the hard part, writes George Vecsey. The Yankees had a little vengeance in mind in these negotiations, writes Joel Sherman.



• The Reds hope to fix Dontrelle Willis.

• The Twins could use an ace like Zack Greinke.

• Businesses will go to bat for a new Rays stadium, writes Michael Sasso.





• Chuck Knoblauch once went through the same experience that LeBron James did.

• Ron Santo's success against the best shows he's a Hall of Famer, writes Mark Potash.





And today will be better than yesterday.

 

Say what you will about the Padres dealing Adrian Gonzalez for a minor leaguers-only package, but at least they are getting some premium prospects in the deal, assuming it's finalized.

• Casey Kelly didn't have the results on the field many expected while pitching at Double-A this season, with a 5.31 ERA in 21 starts, 81 strikeouts and 35 walks in 95 innings. However, given the fact that the Red Sox acquiesced to his wishes to at least let him try to play shortstop at the start of his pro career (knowing all along that his future was on the mound), and that this was his first full season exclusively as a pitcher, we can cut him a little slack.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander is probably a little closer to the major leagues than his stats would suggest, and pitching in Petco Park in the future is only going to help him. He has the makings of a solid starter's repertoire, hitting 93-94 mph with his fastball pretty regularly, along with a sharp-breaking curve and feel for a changeup that he sells well. It's all about making his pitches more consistent, and that will come with more mound experience. His relatively easy delivery allows us to project better overall command in the future. I had mentioned during the Arizona Fall League that we just need to be a little patient here, and that for those of you who play in long-term keeper or dynasty formats he was a good "buy low" candidate coming off of a rough statistical season. The move to the National League and a pitchers' park only enhances that, and Kelly, who turned 21 in October, has the ability to be a No. 2 starter in a big league rotation. I would expect him to make his big league debut in 2012.

• Anthony Rizzo is a top-five prospect for fantasy players at the first-base position, one that doesn't have as much overall depth in the minor leagues as you might expect. You could make a case for Rizzo as the third-best at the position behind Eric Hosmer and Brandon Belt, although if you wanted to put http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=30193">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=30193')">Freddie Freeman in that spot, I wouldn't argue.

Another 21-year-old, Rizzo has an offensive profile that suggests both power and a good approach at the major league level, and though hitting in Petco won't do him any favors, his raw power is good enough to still do some damage. Though he needs to be a little more consistent with his batting stroke, he started doing a better job of incorporating his lower half into his swing and getting more leverage this season. Rizzo's total profile is actually a little similar to Gonzalez, as Rizzo is also a plus defender at first. He has the ability to develop into a middle-of-the-order threat and may only be a year or two away from fantasy impact.

• Reymond Fuentes, a cousin of http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3971">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3971')">Carlos Beltran, was the Red Sox's first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2009 draft. Fuentes' primary asset in fantasy play will be his speed, as he went 42-for-47 on the basepaths this past season in the Sally League in 104 games, and his plus glove and range in center field will help him secure a lineup spot. He might not provide much in the way of pop, but he has the ability to hit to the gaps to keep outfield defenses honest, and there is some power projection as he fills out. He's drawn some http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3323">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3323')">Johnny Damon comps for his tools since he was drafted. The 19-year-old still gets a little too aggressive at the plate, chasing too often outside of the zone or at pitches he can make only weak contact with, but he does project to hit for average down the road. However, he's at least a few years away, and is not the kind of player that is likely to move quickly.

It's not always the case in a deal focused primarily on prospects, but all three players headed the other way in the Gonzalez deal have the chance to be major players in fantasy in the future. Though none of them is likely to be factors in 2011, all are well worth tracking closely in long-term formats.

For an extensive take on how Gonzalez ranks for 2011 drafts and the impact of the proposed deal on the Red Sox, please read my colleague Eric Karabell's blog on the subject.

 
http://[h3]

[h3]Pujols, Cards to talk extension[/h3]
9:19AM ET

[h5]Albert Pujols | Cardinals [/h5]


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4574Albert Pujols called out the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/stl/st-louis-cardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals a few weeks ago, telling the only major league team he has ever known that he would like negotiations on a new contract to begin sooner than later.

Cards GM John Mozeliak apparently was listening. Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune reports that Pujols' agent, Dan Lozano, is expected to talk contract extension with Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and Mozeliak during the winter meetings.

Rogers says Pujols, who is due $16 million in 2011, could seek $25 million or more per year for eight-plus years in a new deal.

Look for Lozano to pay close attention to what Carl Crawford gets this winter. If Crawford gets a deal in the range of $180 million for eight years, Pujols? price tag could approach $30 million per season.

Another benchmark is the deal the Phillies handed http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6097Ryan Howard last spring. Howard will make an average of $23 million per season through 2016, and by all accounts is not the player, at the plate or in the field, as is Pujols. ESPN Insider's Keith Law confers, saying Lozano and Pujols have "to at least argue (above) Howard, because Pujols actually is the preeminent hitter in the game."

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]BoSox alternatives to Werth[/h3]
9:04AM ET

[h5]Boston Red Sox [/h5]


We discussed last week how the Boston Red Sox met with the agents for both Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth, and it's long been believed that the Sox were the favorites to ink the former Phillies right fielder. But Werth signed a 7-year deal with the Washington Nationals Sunday. Does that make Crawford the Sox main target now?

Boston GM Theo Epstein could go in a number of directions at this stage. After acquiring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres over the weekend, Epstein and the Sox could stand pat and start the 2011 season with an outfield of Mike Cameron, J.D. Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury, or step up the efforts with Crawford, who is also believed to be drawing interest from the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels.

If it's a cheaper option Boston seeks, perhaps Magglio Ordonez could appeal to the club, though his injury history and advanced age of 37 may lend doubts to his ability to play the field regularly. On the trade fronts, the Dodgers and Cardinals have star-quality talents that might be trade bait to some level in Matt Kemp and Colby Rasmus, but the Gonzalez trade stripped the Red Sox of a good portion of their depth.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Madoff case hangs over Mets[/h3]
8:54AM ET

[h5]New York Mets [/h5]


Sandy Alderson, just a few weeks into his job as general manager of the New York Mets, has made it clear that he has no plans to spend significant amounts of money this winter on free agents.

Alderson is looking to get the Mets' financial house in order and would love to gain some flexibility by unloading the burdensome contracts of, among others, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo.

The New York Times reported Sunday that Alderson's hands could be tied for another reason. The Mets may be holding back due to Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme and its effect on the Wilpon family ownership, who were substantial investors with Madoff.

There are questions that the Wilpons may ultimately be classified as "net winners" in the Madoff mess. Irving H. Picard, the court-appointed trustee now overseeing the dissolution of Madoff's firm, has a deadline of Saturday to bring legal action against those investors. At the very least, the whole Madoff mess seems indicates the Mets will not be making a big financial splash this week in Orlando.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Yanks try to swoop in on Lee[/h3]
8:30AM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers [/h5]


Yankees general manager Brian Cashman dressed up as a Christmas elf Sunday and rapelled down the side of a 350-foot building in Stamford, Connecticut as part of a "Heights & Lights" show. Now that Cashman has arrived at the winter meetings, his goal will be swoop in and land free agent pitcher Cliff Lee.

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark can't find anybody who doesn't expect the Lee auction to come down to the Yankees and Rangers.

As one Rangers official told Stark this winter, "If it's a matter of who throws the most money on the table, he'll be a Yankee." Stark's sources say neither team has made a formal offer yet, but the talks will get intense this week and a resolution to the Lee saga could come by the end of the winter meetings.

According to a tweet by Yahoo's Tim Brown, Lee has told former Rangers teammates that if the club offered him six years he'd return to Texas. The latest word is that the Rangers are only willing to go five years, which might give the Yankees the edge.

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com writes Sunday that there is a mystery team involved in the Lee sweepstakes, and his best guess is that it's the Angels, Phillies, White Sox, Tigers or Reds.

The Angels appear set in their rotation as they look to add much needed offense this winter, but if they have a trade-available bat in mind, they may need to part with a pitcher, such as Ervin Santana, to land him, thus opening a spot in their rotation.

The Tigers may still have money left to spend and don't exactly have a reliable 1-2-3 punch, with youngsters Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello backing ace Justin Verlander. The Phillies seems to be the least likely to make a play for Lee on the surface, as their payroll is already sky high, and the same goes for the White Sox, who have a full rotation and are seeking to retain Paul Konerko.

All indications are the New York Mets, who have spent lavishly in past winter meetings, have neither the desire nor the financial resources to make a run at Lee.

There have been conflicting reports whether the Yankees have offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140 million. If that is true, it might be enough to get it done.

- Doug Mittler

[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
The risks with Lee

"For the Yankees, there is risk in signing a 32-year-old pitcher to a massive contract, but that concern is mitigated by their revenue streams. For the Rangers, a five- or six-year investment in Lee is an enormous risk, because they could be committing anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of their payroll to a pitcher in his early '30s; if Lee gets hurt or his performance suffers, the Rangers' payroll structure would be devastated."

[/h3]

http://[h3]Padilla to the bullpen?[/h3]
8:03AM ET

[h5]Vicente Padilla | Dodgers [/h5]


Even though they've already signed three free-agent starting pitchers this winter, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, the Dodgers continue to show interest in free agent Vicente Padilla, their Opening Day starter last season.

A Los Angeles Times story says the Dodgers could consider converting Padilla into a closer if Jonathan Broxton fails to regain his old form.

Padilla has battled elbow and neck issues. So it's likely the Dodgers are offering him an incentive-based deal. But he did have the lowest opponent batting average (.20 of any free-agent starter, and ranked second in WHIP (1.0 and strikeout rate (7.96 per nine innings).

If the Dodgers sign Padilla, it would, potentially, give them seven starting pitchers heading into spring training: Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, Jon Garland and John Ely.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Overstating the worth of Werth[/h3]
7:54AM ET

[h5]Jayson Werth | Phillies [/h5]


The Washington Nationals were intent on making a big splash, but the stunning seven-year, $126 million deal with outfielder Jayson Werth has many in the baseball world scratching their heads.

"It makes some of our contracts look pretty good," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "That's a long time and a lot of money. I thought they were trying to reduce the deficit in Washington."

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes that the Nationals have become a cash cow for Scott Boras. Werth joins first overall draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper as Boras clients who have signed recent megadeals with the Nationals. Boras also represents first baseman Carlos Pena, whom the Nationals could sign to replace Adam Dunn at first base.

Our Keith Law checks in on the Werth deal and sees a monumental financial blunder:

- Doug Mittler

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Nats rolling the dice

"Giving a 32-year-old position player who has qualified for the batting title exactly twice in his major-league career a guaranteed seven-year deal for over $100 million isn't just a bad move. It's irresponsible. However, he's a massive risk for a deal anywhere close to this length, given his age, injury history, and the boost he received over the last two years from his home park in Philadelphia -- not to mention the combination fluke of a contract year in 2010 and a reverse platoon split he's not likely to maintain. Corner players at age 32 are most likely at the beginning of their decline phases even if they don't have Werth's tenure on the disabled list; the Nationals appear to have bought themselves all of Werth's decline phase with an option on his post-decline phase (sometimes known as "release waivers") should it arrive a little earlier."

http://[h3]$180 million for Crawford?[/h3]
7:28AM ET

[h5]Carl Crawford | Rays [/h5]


Jayson Werth is not the only person smiling after landing a jaw-dropping seven-year, $126 million deal with the Washington Nationals. The grin on the face of Carl Crawford was just as wide.

The biggest beneficiary of Werth's financial windfall will be Crawford, easily considered the best free agent position player available this weekend. Crawford was believed to be seeking a contract of up to eight years in length, and many felt something in the range $135 million over eight years would be enough to sign the Tampa Bay left fielder.

Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times says Crawford might now be seeking something closer to $180 million over eight years, which is what first baseman Mark Teixeira got from the New York Yankees two winters ago.

The Angels are believed to be the prime suitors for Crawford and are expected to get plenty of competition from the Red Sox, even with Boston's acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez.

The Yankees are expected to be in the hunt, but their immediate priority is to land Cliff Lee first. The Nationals were expected to make an offer for Crawford, but that is off the board thanks to the acquisition of Werth.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Blue Jays favorites for Greinke?[/h3]
7:04AM ET

[h5]Zack Greinke | Royals [/h5]


Speculation on the future of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5883Zack Greinke already heated up in the days leading up to the winter meetings, but what are the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-royalsKansas City Royals looking for in return?

One unnamed Royals official told Bob Dutton in Sunday's Kansas City Star: "We'd want two young players who can make a major impact, and maybe two guys who can help us out in some way. If we don't get that, we don't make the trade. It's that simple."

The Blue Jays may have the trade bait to make it happen. With Toronto?s acquisition of Brewers top prospect Brett Lawrie in the trade for Shaun Marcum, GM Alex Anthopoulos may be putting his club out front of a possible deal for Greinke.

The Jays could offer right-hander Kyle Drabek and Lawrie as part of a package, and have right fielder Travis Snider and catcher Travis d'Arnaud to dangle in front of Dayton Moore.

Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun reported Saturday that the Blue Jays remain very interested in Greinke's services.

In addition, Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com wrote Sunday evening that Greinke's no-trade clause may not be an obstacle.

One rumor shared with the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton has the Royals netting outfielder Ryan Braun in a deal with Milwaukee. The slugger is signed for five more seasons at a total of $40.5 million. The Brewers need pitching sorely.

We've hearing for weeks that Greinke would use his limited no-trade clause to block any trade to the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankeeshttp://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankeesNew York Yankees.

Greinke may have a fondness for the Big Apple after all, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. A source tells Passan that the Kansas City right-hander would happily pitch anywhere that would provide a winning team.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Sox have room for Konerko[/h3]
6:51AM ET

[h5]Paul Konerko | White Sox [/h5]


The acquisition of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4808Adam Dunn will not keep the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/chw/chicago-white-soxChicago White Sox from an all-out pursuit of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3747Paul Konerko.

A source tells Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com that White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf will do anything he can to re-sign first baseman Paul Konerko. Reinsdorf reportedly will be among the White Sox representatives meeting with Konerko's agent, Craig Landis, on Monday.

Padilla says Dunn and A.J. Pierzynski deferred money on their recently signed deals to help the Sox keep the door open for Konerko's return.

Konerko, who has spent the last 12 seasons with the White Sox, has no qualms about returning to Chicago, but is open to playing the free agent field as well. The Orioles and Rangers are believed to have shown serious interest in Konerko as well.

Jim Bowden of XM and Fox Sports Radio tweeted that the Orioles have made a "significant" offer to Konerko.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Beltre's Boston-less options[/h3]
6:36AM ET

[h5]Adrian Beltre | Red Sox [/h5]


If the Adrian Gonzalez trade is finalized Monday, the Boston Red Sox will be scratched off the suitors list for free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre. The Sox are expected to move Kevin Youkilis back to the hot corner, leaving Beltre to one fewer possibility.

Beltre reportedly was offered a 5-year, $64 million deal by the Oakland Athletics last month, and the Los Angeles Angels have long been linked to the veteran with their needs offensively and at third.

Outside those two, however, there don't appear to be many clubs able and willing to spend that kind of money for Beltre, and ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweeted Sunday afternoon that the A's appear to be out of the running. The Baltimore Orioles, however, could become a third option as GM Andy McPhail continues his search for offensive help.

If Beltre's market sinks, he could find that the National League is where it's at going forward. The San Francisco Giants could be a fit, as could the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Each of those clubs would have move some players around, however. The Dodgers, for example, could trade James Loney and move Casey Blake to first base. The Phillies might have to trade Placido Polanco or move him into a utility role.

 

[proshares]

Giving a 32-year-old position player who has qualified for the batting title exactly twice in his major league career a guaranteed seven-year deal for over $100 million isn't just a bad move.

Getty ImagesTwo good years wasn't enough to justify seven more well-paid ones.

It's irresponsible.

Jayson Werth has been, for two years, an All-Star-caliber player -- one of the top 25 to 30 players in the National League when you consider offense, position, baserunning and defense -- and he was highly coveted in the free-agent market this offseason. He hits for power, works the count well and gets on base, plays good right-field defense with an above-average arm and adds value with smart baserunning.

However, he's a massive risk for a deal anywhere close to this length, given his age, injury history and the boost he received over the past two years from his home park in Philadelphia -- not to mention the combination fluke of a contract year in 2010 and a reverse platoon split he's not likely to maintain.

Corner players at age 32 are most likely at the beginning of their decline phases even if they don't have Werth's tenure on the disabled list; the Nationals appear to have bought themselves all of Werth's decline phase with an option on his post-decline phase (sometimes known as "release waivers") should it arrive a little earlier. There are no guarantees when it comes to player health, but I like playing the odds, and a player who's been hurt as often as Werth has and who has missed as much time as Werth has is likely to get hurt and miss time as he approaches the age when even normally healthy players tend to get hurt and miss time. Predicting health and performance for any player six or seven years out is difficult, but the indicators on Werth all say that you don't want to lock him up for that many years into his late 30s.

[h3][/h3]
A player who's been hurt as often as Werth has and who has missed as much time as Werth has is likely to get hurt and miss time as he approaches the age when even normally healthy players tend to get hurt and miss time.

The odd thing is that the Nationals actually received solid production from right field in 2010, particularly from the two players, Roger Bernadina and Michael Morse, who played it most often. Neither player was likely to repeat his 2010 performance, however, and it made sense for the Nationals to look to upgrade the position. This price is excessive, and the fact that it matches two of the worst and most ill-conceived contracts handed out in the past twenty years -- Barry Zito's and Vernon Wells' -- is a harbinger for the Nationals' future with Werth. They'll be lucky if they reach 2015 without looking for an escape hatch.

My guess? Washington ownership, wildly unpopular in the city, panicked when they looked at 2011 without Stephen Strasburg or any hope of 80 wins, so they told GM Mike Rizzo to go get a player (or two or three) he really liked in the free-agent market, whatever the cost. There's no other logical explanation for outbidding one's opponents by that much in years and dollars.
[h3]The 'overpay' argument[/h3]
You may hear that the Nationals "had to overpay" for Werth to get him to come to a team that hasn't been a winner. This is complete nonsense, perpetrated by agents to get more for their clients and by team executives to justify bad financial decisions. Free agents go to the highest bidder; if a losing team wants to sign a free agent, they simply have to offer more (factoring in taxes) than any other team is offering. Players like taking the most money. Agents encourage players to take the most money because it maximizes their commissions. The union encourages players to take the most money because it tends to pull up other players' salaries.

The reason losing teams often miss out on premium free agents is that they don't bid enough, because their current revenue streams don't justify higher bids, or because they are not close enough to contention to merit increasing a bid in the hopes of boosting revenues for the coming year. Very, very few take pay cuts to go to contenders or major markets -- and besides, the last time I checked, Washington, D.C. was the ninth-largest media market in the United States, according to Arbitron, so let's stop pretending that the Nationals play in Podunk even if ownership sometimes acts like they do. Every offseason, we hear some losing team say they "had to overpay" to sign a free agent. We rarely hear some winning team come to the podium and say they got themselves a bargain because a top-tier free agent signed with them for 20 percent less than anyone else offered.

And it's worth noting that if you as a GM or owner feel the market is forcing you to "overpay" for a free agent because your team isn't good, maybe you should improve your team first through the draft (where, I should point out, the Nationals spent money and added a lot of talent in 2010) and wait for that supposed free-agent premium to disappear. That is, if free agents don't want to come to your team because your team stinks, the first solution is to make your team better. Signing one premium free agent isn't the way to do it, because even if Werth matches what he did in 2010 -- away from Citizens Bank Park and no longer in a contract year -- by himself he won't turn the Nationals into more than a 74-win team.

  The first thought most fantasy baseball owners will have about outfielder http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4262">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4262')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4262" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Jayson Werth leaving the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/phi/philadelphia-phillies">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...hi/philadelphia-phillies')">Philadelphia Phillies and heading to the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/wsh/washington-nationals">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...wsh/washington-nationals')">Washington Nationals -- and it's a reasonable one -- is that his statistics will drop as a result of the move, if for no other reason than the change in home ballparks. True, the hitting environment at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park is more generous than Washington's Nationals Park, but Werth is a pretty good baseball player regardless of stadium.
Werth finished as fantasy's No. 20 hitter on the 2010 Player Rater, and he finished 23rd the year before. He has averaged 29 home runs and 18 stolen bases the past three seasons; for perspective, consider that http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28658">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28658')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28658" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Carlos Gonzalez and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6035">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6035')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6035" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">David Wright were the only big leaguers to reach both of those numbers in 2010, with http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28476">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28476')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28476" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Matt Kemp and Arizona's http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6514">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6514')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6514" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Chris Young just missing.

http:///sports.espn.go.com/espn/gallery/enlargePhoto?id=5889960&story=5889962">http://sports.espn.go.com...889960&...idth=640,height=550,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/sports/fantasy/blog?name=karabell_eric_baseball&id=5889962#">[+] Enlarge

Dale Zanine/US PresswireJayson Werth brings another right-handed bat to the middle of that Nationals lineup.

While a healthy portion of those numbers came in home games in 2010, it also looks like last season's splits were a bit aberrant for the right fielder. In 2010, Werth's OPS was 161 points better in Philly; he hit .270 with only nine home runs in road games. However, in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Werth actually hit for a better average in road games than at home, and the home runs and OPS were nearly even. For his career, Werth's home OPS is 32 points higher at home than on the road, certainly not a red flag. Also giving credence to what was clearly an odd 2010 for Werth was a horrific .186 batting average with runners in scoring position and a lack of power against right-handed pitching. Neither of those issues were problems prior to 2010, and he should return to the mean.

That said, I do think Werth is a lesser fantasy option with the Nationals than he was with the Phillies. The ballpark change does account for that somewhat, but it's more because of the difference in talent around him; the fact that his extraordinary seven-year contract is now consummated and he's no longer a free agent-to-be; and let's face it, he doesn't get to face Nationals pitching anymore. His career numbers at Nationals Park are impressive (.307 batting average, .970 OPS), but now he'll be facing http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3973">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3973')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="3973" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Roy Halladay and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4575">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4575')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4575" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Roy Oswalt, not http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28834">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28834')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28834" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">John Lannan and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4409">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4409')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4409" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Jason Marquis.

Getting back to the ballpark discussion, note that Citizens Bank Park ranked a neutral 16th among parks on our Park Factors for 2010, while Nationals Park was close by at 18th. Park Factor compares the rate of home statistics for each stadium with road numbers, regardless of a team's pitchers, so while the Phillies have strong pitching and the Nationals do not, the fact is the ballpark switch is a bit overrated. Werth can hit anywhere.

Werth will play right field -- and he's a good one defensively -- and likely replace http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4808">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4808')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4808" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Adam Dunn, who is now the designated hitter for the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/chw/chicago-white-sox">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...me/chw/chicago-white-sox')">Chicago White Sox, as the Nationals' primary clean-up hitter. He'll likely follow http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6389">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6389')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6389" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ryan Zimmerman in the order, as well as table-setters http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28885">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28885')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28885" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Nyjer Morgan and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=29646">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=29646')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="29646" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ian Desmond, neither particularly adept at getting on base. In Philadelphia, Werth batted fifth and followed, in general, high on-base options in http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5383">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5383')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5383" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Chase Utley and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6097">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6097')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6097" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ryan Howard. However, Zimmerman is a terrific player, and Werth should be able to hit at least 30 home runs, knock in more than 100 runs and, if he's so inclined, could steal 15-20 bases as well. There's ample evidence a player can choose to steal bases -- and Werth rarely gets caught --- regardless of where he hits in the lineup. He just needs to remain healthy, and after three injury-free seasons in Philadelphia, I think we can remove the brittle tag.

Ultimately, had Werth remained a Phillie, he likely would have been recognized as a borderline top-10 outfielder in fantasy drafts, just as he was in 2010, when he was taken ninth among outfielders in ESPN average live drafts and 40th overall. So should the change in home venue, which I think is generally overrated in the first place, push Werth out of the top 10 now?

Colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft revealed his top hitters by position for 2010 in an October article and listed Werth 12th among outfielders, behind http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5035">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5035')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5035" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Carl Crawford, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28721">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28721')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28721" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ryan Braun, Carlos Gonzalez, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5940">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5940')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5940" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Matt Holliday, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4652">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4652')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4652" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Josh Hamilton, Kemp, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28841">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28841')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28841" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Justin Upton, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5880">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5880')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="5880" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Alex Rios, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28701">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28701')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28701" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Andrew McCutchen, http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=6205">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=6205')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="6205" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Shin-Soo Choo and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3707">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3707')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="3707" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Nelson Cruz. Knowing Werth was likely leaving Philly, that seemed a fair rank to me. Now that he's a National, I would add http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=4570">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=4570')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="4570" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ichiro Suzuki and http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=29551">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=29551')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="29551" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Jason Heyward as outfielders I'd draft ahead of Werth, but that's about it. Some of the major upside might be gone with him leaving the Phillies, but don't drop Werth too far in your rankings. He remains a borderline top-50 choice on draft day.

As for what Werth leaves behind in right field in Philadelphia, top prospect http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=29673">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=29673')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="29673" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Domonic Brown likely will be platooned with http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28672">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28672')" img_path="http://games-ak.espn.go.com/s/flblm/08/images/design07/playerpop" game_root="flb" player_id_type="sportsId" player_id="28672" tab_id="0" team_id="-1" league_id="-1">Ben Francisco. The Phillies have known of Werth's likely departure for months, if not longer, so it's no surprise to them. It is interesting they'll have to face him in 18 games per season, but that's a different issue. Don't drop Halladay or Oswalt on draft lists because of this! Brown might not be ready for regular duty, as he struggled against major league pitching and left the Dominican Winter League early after hitting .069 in nine games, but let's see if the Phillies make some offseason moves and what happens in spring training first.

 

The Red Sox are close to acquiring Adrian Gonzalez for three of their best prospects, including their top two, but wouldn't lose anything off the major league roster, while San Diego would get a very strong long-term return for its best trading chip but probably wouldn't see much from the trade in Petco this season. I think both sides should feel they made out well if this trade is completed.

Gonzalez might have standing for a lawsuit against the architects of Petco Park, as there's probably no other position player whose performance has been held down by his home field as much as his. Over the past two years, he's hit .311/.402/.610 away from home, with 48 home runs and 90 walks in 704 PA. He'd move to the toughest division in baseball, but with good power not just to right field but all the way over to left-center, he should be good for 40-plus doubles and 30-plus homers at a minimum. He's an excellent defensive first baseman and his presence would allow the Red Sox to slide Kevin Youkilis back over to third while saying "So long and thanks for all the draft picks!" to Adrian Beltre. While the Red Sox would give up a lot of years of control and prospect depth for just one year of Gonzalez's services, none of the three players they would trade was likely to help them in 2011, and after missing the playoffs this past season they seem to be very focused on returning there in the upcoming year.

It's widely assumed that the Red Sox will attempt to sign Gonzalez to a long-term deal, and he's the ideal candidate for the sort of overly long contract I usually hate for free agents. He turns 29 in May, so a six-year extension (seven years out) only takes him through his age-35 season, which would give Boston a good three to four years of peak and some early decline years -- but because Gonzalez is a good defender, has such an advanced feel for the zone and hits left-handed pitching so well (despite hitting left-handed himself), I like his odds to hold his value deep into such a lengthy deal. Such a contract would probably make first-base prospect Lars Anderson trade bait as well if the Sox want to make another acquisition this winter or during the 2011 season.

Right-hander Casey Kelly would be the marquee prospect name coming back to San Diego in the trade as a first-round pick, who earned a top-five bonus as the last pick in 2008's first round, as the Red Sox lured him away from a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Tennessee. Kelly was a two-way prospect in high school as a plus defensive shortstop as well as a pitcher, but 2010 marked his first year as a full-time pitcher after a hundred-odd games of struggling with the bat convinced him to accede to the Red Sox's plans to develop him on the mound.

Kelly had excellent command for a high school pitcher, with a sharp curveball with excellent depth, and will sit 89-94 in his best outings with good arm speed on a hard changeup. His performance was up and down in 2010, in part due to a badly cracked fingernail on the middle finger of his right hand, giving him trouble with both fastball command and finishing his curveball. Kelly's arm works well, with a short, simple path, and he's an outstanding defensive pitcher to the point that it's like having an extra infielder on the diamond. He's probably a 2012 debut, and he could start 2011 back at Double-A if the Padres want to keep him out of a good hitting environment in Tucson.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo would be the long-term replacement for Gonzalez in San Diego, perhaps as soon as the start of 2012, although, as he's Rule 5-eligible after 2011, he could earn a late-season call-up this year if he performs well in Triple-A Tucson. Like Gonzalez, Rizzo is a plus-fielding, plus-makeup, power-hitting first baseman, although he's probably a notch below Gonzalez as a pure hitter and has had some trouble with left-handed pitching so far in the minors. Rizzo missed most of 2008 after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in May of that year, a few months before his 19th birthday, but the cancer is in remission and he has played two full seasons since then, showing increasing power and good feel for the strike zone.

In 2002, Gonzalez played in Portland at age 20, which was a Marlins affiliate at the time, and hit .266/.344/.437 with 34 doubles and 17 home runs in 573 PA. Rizzo played most of 2010 in Portland, also at age 20, and hit .263/.334/.481 with 30 doubles and 20 home runs in 467 PA. It's not a perfect comparison, as league quality varies from year to year and Portland did alter its left-field wall in 2003 by adding the "Maine monster," but given the overall similarity and the fact that Rizzo lost a year of development while he fought cancer, it's more evidence for optimism in San Diego.

Outfielder Reymond Fuentes would be the third piece in the deal, the one guy who's not a top-50 prospect, but was a legitimate first-round talent at the time of the draft and still has a lot of potential, even though he's probably a full three years away. Fuentes is a 70-75 runner with 70 range in center, making him an ideal defensive fit for Petco's spacious outfield, and he has good feel for the bat with the potential to hit for average down the road. He really needs to get stronger -- while he'll probably never have even average power, he's still slight and needs to be able to drive the ball to the gaps and show he can handle better velocity when he reaches Double-A. His one major negative is a fringy arm, 40 or 45 depending on which day you see him, but I think he has the potential to be Jacoby Ellsbury without all the injuries.

 

Scott Boras will often make extraordinary claims -- and make almost unbelievable comparisons. The perception of some executives is that he will present really high numbers in speculation about his clients so he can make the eventual terms look more palpable to interested teams.

At the outset of this offseason, Boras compared one of his clients, Jayson Werth, to Matt Holliday -- whose seven-year, $120 million deal stunned baseball officials this past winter -- and many executives viewed the link of Werth and Holliday as more super-agent rhetoric.

And on Sunday, Werth got more than Holliday; for the first time in history, Boras might have underestimated what his client would get.

Werth's seven-year, $126 million contract immediately drew anger from rival officials who were furious about the terms. "Absolutely crazy," said one high-ranking AL official.

"You're kidding me," a general manager screamed into the phone. "What could they have been thinking?"

Mets executive Sandy Alderson offered this, dryly: "I thought they were trying to reduce the deficit in Washington."

To put this in perspective: The Nationals spent more money on Werth than all the free agents the franchise had signed in the previous 20 years combined.

Through the years, Boras has always had one or two clubs he has gone back to for his big strikes. For a time, that team was the Texas Rangers, with owner Tom Hicks, who wrote the checks for Alex Rodriguez and Chan Ho Park. For a time it was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who paid top dollar for Kevin Brown and others. In more recent years, Boras has doubled back to the Detroit Tigers, for players such as Magglio Ordonez and Johnny Damon.

The Nationals appear to be his new best friends, given the contracts worked out for Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and now for Werth. It's worth remembering as the talks continue for another Boras client -- first baseman Carlos Pena.

The Nationals went all out for Werth, writes Adam Kilgore. Werth says he didn't feel wanted by the Phillies.





Werth took big money to join a doormat, writes Phil Rogers. Werth is a nice player, writes Bill Conlin, but the Nationals' decision was awful.





In 2010, Werth led the NL in doubles (46), but was top-10 in numerous categories: extra-base hits (fourth, with 75), runs (fourth, with 106), OPS (sixth, at .921), OBP (eighth, at .38, among others.

The Nationals, meanwhile, ranked 29th in outfielder batting average (.244), 26th in outfielder slugging (.390) and 25th in outfielder OPS (.720). Werth last year: .296/.532/.921. He'll no doubt improve that area.

A problem, though: Werth hit .186 with runners in scoring position, the fifth-lowest by any player since 2000 (minimum 150 PA), the worst since Aubrey Huff hit .181 in 2006. He'll fit in with a Nationals team that hit .253 with runners in scoring position, ranked 21st in MLB and 13th in the NL.

This contract is unprecedented for the Washington Nationals franchise in a number of regards.

[h4]Buster's New Book[/h4]

Buster Olney is the author of the book "recipient[/color] of the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS.

"Surprising and unforgettable." - Mike Krzyzewski

"Olney knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter." - George F. Will

"A true inspiration." - Pat Summitt

Before this, the most they committed to a free-agent contract since the 1990-91 offseason was $20 million over two years to Adam Dunn in the 2008-09 offseason.

Before this they had signed only one player to a free-agent contract of more than three years -- Cristian Guzman got a four-year deal in 2004-05.
[h3]So what now for Carl Crawford? [/h3]
Within this piece, there is word that the Angels' preference is to sign Carl Crawford to a five-year deal. If that is, in fact, somewhere close to the Angels' ceiling for bidding, then they probably have no chance to sign Crawford, unless they're willing to pay him $25 million a year or more -- and even that might not be enough, because in the aftermath of the Werth contract, Crawford, the younger and better player, is probably is position to ask for eight years.

The dominoes are moving: now that Werth is off the board, Crawford will command attention from the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Angels and other teams.
[h3]Gonzo goes to Beantown [/h3]
The Red Sox and Padres finished off the Gonzalez trade. It was a strange day, writes Nick Cafardo.

It's expected that the Red Sox and Gonzalez will work out an extension for about seven years and no more than $22 million in any season; it's possible he will get a signing bonus. The player to be named in this deal is expected to be a second- or third-tier prospect, not somebody of major stature.

The bottom line was that no available player could have been a better fit for the Red Sox right now; they needed to get this done. And if this deal had fallen apart because of money, the Boston ownership would have gotten hammered on talk radio and in bar talk; remember, John Henry and Tom Werner just purchased the Liverpool soccer franchise for a whole lot of money, and the running commentary within Red Sox Nation would have been that the soccer investment had impact Henry's investment in the Red Sox. It was important for them to finish this deal for a whole lot of reasons.
[h3]The Beltre market [/h3]
The Oakland Athletics walked away from the Adrian Beltre talks because time and again, the third baseman made it clear that he had little interest in taking the offers from the Athletics, which were always the highest on the board -- over three years last year, and $64 million over five years this year.

The Athletics will look for other players now, but the reality is that this franchise continues to rot, while waiting for a decision on whether the team can move to San Jose. Agents talk about how their players aren't really that interested in the Athletics partly because of their facilities, which are the Model T version of ballparks these days. On days after the Oakland Raiders play, the sewage system flows heavily and the smell wafts in the home and visiting clubhouses. The Athletics need a decision to build hope.

Hideki Matsui is probably high on the list of Oakland targets now, writes Susan Slusser within this piece.




[h3]The Yankees' deal [/h3]
Brian Cashman climbed a building, as he prepared to negotiate a deal with Cliff Lee. The Yankees are focused on pitching. The Yankees are set to begin their push for Lee.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions [/h3]
1. The Brewers swapped Brett Lawrie for Shaun Marcum. I like this trade a lot for both sides; Marcum could really help the Brewers next season. He's such a smart pitcher and will use the weak spots in the National League lineups to navigate his way through trouble.

2. The Jays made this trade and now have an eye on Zack Greinke, writes Bob Elliott.





[h4]MAG IPAD APP FREE FOR INSIDERS[/h4]

The new ESPN The Magazine iPad app includes daily updated content and an iPad-optimized version of each issue of ESPN The Magazine.

3. The Rangers are playing a strong hand as these meetings begin, writes Jeff Wilson.





4. Orioles GM Andy MacPhail expects the winter meetings to be hectic.





5. Here are some possible free agent targets for the Diamondbacks, from Nick Piecoro.





6. Heard this: The Yankees are among the teams talking with Brian Fuentes.

7. The winter meetings offer one-stop shopping for everybody, writes Mike DiGiovanna and Dylan Hernandez.





8. Bengie Molina is being targeted by the Rockies, writes Troy Renck.





9. The Tigers are heading to the winter meetings looking for a blockbuster, writes Lynn Henning.





10. Matt Holliday may be moved to right field. The Cardinals still have needs to address.





11. The Reds are unlikely to be major players at the meetings.





12. The Indians are looking for bargains, writes Paul Hoynes.





13. The plans differ for the White Sox and Cubs, writes Dave van Dyck.





14. Heard this: A.J. Pierzynski was very, very close to making a deal with the Dodgers before he re-signed with the White Sox.

15. The Cubs will be bottom-feeding, like a lot of other teams, as Gordon Wittenmyer writes.





16. The Braves are looking to trade Kenshin Kawakami, writes David O'Brien.





17. Boras was indirectly critical of the Rays, writes Marc Topkin.





18. The Marlins won't sit idle at these meetings, writes Juan Rodriguez.





19. The Astros' options are expanded as the meetings begin, writes Zachary Levine.





20. Frank ****elly addresses the question of why the Pirates would add now.




[h3]Odds and ends [/h3]
• Derek Jeter is signed, but now comes the hard part, writes George Vecsey. The Yankees had a little vengeance in mind in these negotiations, writes Joel Sherman.



• The Reds hope to fix Dontrelle Willis.

• The Twins could use an ace like Zack Greinke.

• Businesses will go to bat for a new Rays stadium, writes Michael Sasso.





• Chuck Knoblauch once went through the same experience that LeBron James did.

• Ron Santo's success against the best shows he's a Hall of Famer, writes Mark Potash.





And today will be better than yesterday.

 

Say what you will about the Padres dealing Adrian Gonzalez for a minor leaguers-only package, but at least they are getting some premium prospects in the deal, assuming it's finalized.

• Casey Kelly didn't have the results on the field many expected while pitching at Double-A this season, with a 5.31 ERA in 21 starts, 81 strikeouts and 35 walks in 95 innings. However, given the fact that the Red Sox acquiesced to his wishes to at least let him try to play shortstop at the start of his pro career (knowing all along that his future was on the mound), and that this was his first full season exclusively as a pitcher, we can cut him a little slack.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander is probably a little closer to the major leagues than his stats would suggest, and pitching in Petco Park in the future is only going to help him. He has the makings of a solid starter's repertoire, hitting 93-94 mph with his fastball pretty regularly, along with a sharp-breaking curve and feel for a changeup that he sells well. It's all about making his pitches more consistent, and that will come with more mound experience. His relatively easy delivery allows us to project better overall command in the future. I had mentioned during the Arizona Fall League that we just need to be a little patient here, and that for those of you who play in long-term keeper or dynasty formats he was a good "buy low" candidate coming off of a rough statistical season. The move to the National League and a pitchers' park only enhances that, and Kelly, who turned 21 in October, has the ability to be a No. 2 starter in a big league rotation. I would expect him to make his big league debut in 2012.

• Anthony Rizzo is a top-five prospect for fantasy players at the first-base position, one that doesn't have as much overall depth in the minor leagues as you might expect. You could make a case for Rizzo as the third-best at the position behind Eric Hosmer and Brandon Belt, although if you wanted to put http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=30193">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=30193')">Freddie Freeman in that spot, I wouldn't argue.

Another 21-year-old, Rizzo has an offensive profile that suggests both power and a good approach at the major league level, and though hitting in Petco won't do him any favors, his raw power is good enough to still do some damage. Though he needs to be a little more consistent with his batting stroke, he started doing a better job of incorporating his lower half into his swing and getting more leverage this season. Rizzo's total profile is actually a little similar to Gonzalez, as Rizzo is also a plus defender at first. He has the ability to develop into a middle-of-the-order threat and may only be a year or two away from fantasy impact.

• Reymond Fuentes, a cousin of http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3971">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3971')">Carlos Beltran, was the Red Sox's first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2009 draft. Fuentes' primary asset in fantasy play will be his speed, as he went 42-for-47 on the basepaths this past season in the Sally League in 104 games, and his plus glove and range in center field will help him secure a lineup spot. He might not provide much in the way of pop, but he has the ability to hit to the gaps to keep outfield defenses honest, and there is some power projection as he fills out. He's drawn some http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=3323">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=3323')">Johnny Damon comps for his tools since he was drafted. The 19-year-old still gets a little too aggressive at the plate, chasing too often outside of the zone or at pitches he can make only weak contact with, but he does project to hit for average down the road. However, he's at least a few years away, and is not the kind of player that is likely to move quickly.

It's not always the case in a deal focused primarily on prospects, but all three players headed the other way in the Gonzalez deal have the chance to be major players in fantasy in the future. Though none of them is likely to be factors in 2011, all are well worth tracking closely in long-term formats.

For an extensive take on how Gonzalez ranks for 2011 drafts and the impact of the proposed deal on the Red Sox, please read my colleague Eric Karabell's blog on the subject.

 
http://[h3]

[h3]Pujols, Cards to talk extension[/h3]
9:19AM ET

[h5]Albert Pujols | Cardinals [/h5]


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4574Albert Pujols called out the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/stl/st-louis-cardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals a few weeks ago, telling the only major league team he has ever known that he would like negotiations on a new contract to begin sooner than later.

Cards GM John Mozeliak apparently was listening. Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune reports that Pujols' agent, Dan Lozano, is expected to talk contract extension with Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and Mozeliak during the winter meetings.

Rogers says Pujols, who is due $16 million in 2011, could seek $25 million or more per year for eight-plus years in a new deal.

Look for Lozano to pay close attention to what Carl Crawford gets this winter. If Crawford gets a deal in the range of $180 million for eight years, Pujols? price tag could approach $30 million per season.

Another benchmark is the deal the Phillies handed http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6097Ryan Howard last spring. Howard will make an average of $23 million per season through 2016, and by all accounts is not the player, at the plate or in the field, as is Pujols. ESPN Insider's Keith Law confers, saying Lozano and Pujols have "to at least argue (above) Howard, because Pujols actually is the preeminent hitter in the game."

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]BoSox alternatives to Werth[/h3]
9:04AM ET

[h5]Boston Red Sox [/h5]


We discussed last week how the Boston Red Sox met with the agents for both Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth, and it's long been believed that the Sox were the favorites to ink the former Phillies right fielder. But Werth signed a 7-year deal with the Washington Nationals Sunday. Does that make Crawford the Sox main target now?

Boston GM Theo Epstein could go in a number of directions at this stage. After acquiring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres over the weekend, Epstein and the Sox could stand pat and start the 2011 season with an outfield of Mike Cameron, J.D. Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury, or step up the efforts with Crawford, who is also believed to be drawing interest from the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels.

If it's a cheaper option Boston seeks, perhaps Magglio Ordonez could appeal to the club, though his injury history and advanced age of 37 may lend doubts to his ability to play the field regularly. On the trade fronts, the Dodgers and Cardinals have star-quality talents that might be trade bait to some level in Matt Kemp and Colby Rasmus, but the Gonzalez trade stripped the Red Sox of a good portion of their depth.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Madoff case hangs over Mets[/h3]
8:54AM ET

[h5]New York Mets [/h5]


Sandy Alderson, just a few weeks into his job as general manager of the New York Mets, has made it clear that he has no plans to spend significant amounts of money this winter on free agents.

Alderson is looking to get the Mets' financial house in order and would love to gain some flexibility by unloading the burdensome contracts of, among others, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo.

The New York Times reported Sunday that Alderson's hands could be tied for another reason. The Mets may be holding back due to Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme and its effect on the Wilpon family ownership, who were substantial investors with Madoff.

There are questions that the Wilpons may ultimately be classified as "net winners" in the Madoff mess. Irving H. Picard, the court-appointed trustee now overseeing the dissolution of Madoff's firm, has a deadline of Saturday to bring legal action against those investors. At the very least, the whole Madoff mess seems indicates the Mets will not be making a big financial splash this week in Orlando.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Yanks try to swoop in on Lee[/h3]
8:30AM ET

[h5]Cliff Lee | Rangers [/h5]


Yankees general manager Brian Cashman dressed up as a Christmas elf Sunday and rapelled down the side of a 350-foot building in Stamford, Connecticut as part of a "Heights & Lights" show. Now that Cashman has arrived at the winter meetings, his goal will be swoop in and land free agent pitcher Cliff Lee.

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark can't find anybody who doesn't expect the Lee auction to come down to the Yankees and Rangers.

As one Rangers official told Stark this winter, "If it's a matter of who throws the most money on the table, he'll be a Yankee." Stark's sources say neither team has made a formal offer yet, but the talks will get intense this week and a resolution to the Lee saga could come by the end of the winter meetings.

According to a tweet by Yahoo's Tim Brown, Lee has told former Rangers teammates that if the club offered him six years he'd return to Texas. The latest word is that the Rangers are only willing to go five years, which might give the Yankees the edge.

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com writes Sunday that there is a mystery team involved in the Lee sweepstakes, and his best guess is that it's the Angels, Phillies, White Sox, Tigers or Reds.

The Angels appear set in their rotation as they look to add much needed offense this winter, but if they have a trade-available bat in mind, they may need to part with a pitcher, such as Ervin Santana, to land him, thus opening a spot in their rotation.

The Tigers may still have money left to spend and don't exactly have a reliable 1-2-3 punch, with youngsters Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello backing ace Justin Verlander. The Phillies seems to be the least likely to make a play for Lee on the surface, as their payroll is already sky high, and the same goes for the White Sox, who have a full rotation and are seeking to retain Paul Konerko.

All indications are the New York Mets, who have spent lavishly in past winter meetings, have neither the desire nor the financial resources to make a run at Lee.

There have been conflicting reports whether the Yankees have offered Lee a six-year deal worth $140 million. If that is true, it might be enough to get it done.

- Doug Mittler

[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
The risks with Lee

"For the Yankees, there is risk in signing a 32-year-old pitcher to a massive contract, but that concern is mitigated by their revenue streams. For the Rangers, a five- or six-year investment in Lee is an enormous risk, because they could be committing anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of their payroll to a pitcher in his early '30s; if Lee gets hurt or his performance suffers, the Rangers' payroll structure would be devastated."

[/h3]

http://[h3]Padilla to the bullpen?[/h3]
8:03AM ET

[h5]Vicente Padilla | Dodgers [/h5]


Even though they've already signed three free-agent starting pitchers this winter, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, the Dodgers continue to show interest in free agent Vicente Padilla, their Opening Day starter last season.

A Los Angeles Times story says the Dodgers could consider converting Padilla into a closer if Jonathan Broxton fails to regain his old form.

Padilla has battled elbow and neck issues. So it's likely the Dodgers are offering him an incentive-based deal. But he did have the lowest opponent batting average (.20 of any free-agent starter, and ranked second in WHIP (1.0 and strikeout rate (7.96 per nine innings).

If the Dodgers sign Padilla, it would, potentially, give them seven starting pitchers heading into spring training: Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, Jon Garland and John Ely.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Overstating the worth of Werth[/h3]
7:54AM ET

[h5]Jayson Werth | Phillies [/h5]


The Washington Nationals were intent on making a big splash, but the stunning seven-year, $126 million deal with outfielder Jayson Werth has many in the baseball world scratching their heads.

"It makes some of our contracts look pretty good," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "That's a long time and a lot of money. I thought they were trying to reduce the deficit in Washington."

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes that the Nationals have become a cash cow for Scott Boras. Werth joins first overall draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper as Boras clients who have signed recent megadeals with the Nationals. Boras also represents first baseman Carlos Pena, whom the Nationals could sign to replace Adam Dunn at first base.

Our Keith Law checks in on the Werth deal and sees a monumental financial blunder:

- Doug Mittler

[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Nats rolling the dice

"Giving a 32-year-old position player who has qualified for the batting title exactly twice in his major-league career a guaranteed seven-year deal for over $100 million isn't just a bad move. It's irresponsible. However, he's a massive risk for a deal anywhere close to this length, given his age, injury history, and the boost he received over the last two years from his home park in Philadelphia -- not to mention the combination fluke of a contract year in 2010 and a reverse platoon split he's not likely to maintain. Corner players at age 32 are most likely at the beginning of their decline phases even if they don't have Werth's tenure on the disabled list; the Nationals appear to have bought themselves all of Werth's decline phase with an option on his post-decline phase (sometimes known as "release waivers") should it arrive a little earlier."

http://[h3]$180 million for Crawford?[/h3]
7:28AM ET

[h5]Carl Crawford | Rays [/h5]


Jayson Werth is not the only person smiling after landing a jaw-dropping seven-year, $126 million deal with the Washington Nationals. The grin on the face of Carl Crawford was just as wide.

The biggest beneficiary of Werth's financial windfall will be Crawford, easily considered the best free agent position player available this weekend. Crawford was believed to be seeking a contract of up to eight years in length, and many felt something in the range $135 million over eight years would be enough to sign the Tampa Bay left fielder.

Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times says Crawford might now be seeking something closer to $180 million over eight years, which is what first baseman Mark Teixeira got from the New York Yankees two winters ago.

The Angels are believed to be the prime suitors for Crawford and are expected to get plenty of competition from the Red Sox, even with Boston's acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez.

The Yankees are expected to be in the hunt, but their immediate priority is to land Cliff Lee first. The Nationals were expected to make an offer for Crawford, but that is off the board thanks to the acquisition of Werth.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Blue Jays favorites for Greinke?[/h3]
7:04AM ET

[h5]Zack Greinke | Royals [/h5]


Speculation on the future of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5883Zack Greinke already heated up in the days leading up to the winter meetings, but what are the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-royalsKansas City Royals looking for in return?

One unnamed Royals official told Bob Dutton in Sunday's Kansas City Star: "We'd want two young players who can make a major impact, and maybe two guys who can help us out in some way. If we don't get that, we don't make the trade. It's that simple."

The Blue Jays may have the trade bait to make it happen. With Toronto?s acquisition of Brewers top prospect Brett Lawrie in the trade for Shaun Marcum, GM Alex Anthopoulos may be putting his club out front of a possible deal for Greinke.

The Jays could offer right-hander Kyle Drabek and Lawrie as part of a package, and have right fielder Travis Snider and catcher Travis d'Arnaud to dangle in front of Dayton Moore.

Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun reported Saturday that the Blue Jays remain very interested in Greinke's services.

In addition, Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com wrote Sunday evening that Greinke's no-trade clause may not be an obstacle.

One rumor shared with the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton has the Royals netting outfielder Ryan Braun in a deal with Milwaukee. The slugger is signed for five more seasons at a total of $40.5 million. The Brewers need pitching sorely.

We've hearing for weeks that Greinke would use his limited no-trade clause to block any trade to the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankeeshttp://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankeesNew York Yankees.

Greinke may have a fondness for the Big Apple after all, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. A source tells Passan that the Kansas City right-hander would happily pitch anywhere that would provide a winning team.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Sox have room for Konerko[/h3]
6:51AM ET

[h5]Paul Konerko | White Sox [/h5]


The acquisition of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4808Adam Dunn will not keep the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/chw/chicago-white-soxChicago White Sox from an all-out pursuit of http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3747Paul Konerko.

A source tells Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com that White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf will do anything he can to re-sign first baseman Paul Konerko. Reinsdorf reportedly will be among the White Sox representatives meeting with Konerko's agent, Craig Landis, on Monday.

Padilla says Dunn and A.J. Pierzynski deferred money on their recently signed deals to help the Sox keep the door open for Konerko's return.

Konerko, who has spent the last 12 seasons with the White Sox, has no qualms about returning to Chicago, but is open to playing the free agent field as well. The Orioles and Rangers are believed to have shown serious interest in Konerko as well.

Jim Bowden of XM and Fox Sports Radio tweeted that the Orioles have made a "significant" offer to Konerko.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Beltre's Boston-less options[/h3]
6:36AM ET

[h5]Adrian Beltre | Red Sox [/h5]


If the Adrian Gonzalez trade is finalized Monday, the Boston Red Sox will be scratched off the suitors list for free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre. The Sox are expected to move Kevin Youkilis back to the hot corner, leaving Beltre to one fewer possibility.

Beltre reportedly was offered a 5-year, $64 million deal by the Oakland Athletics last month, and the Los Angeles Angels have long been linked to the veteran with their needs offensively and at third.

Outside those two, however, there don't appear to be many clubs able and willing to spend that kind of money for Beltre, and ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweeted Sunday afternoon that the A's appear to be out of the running. The Baltimore Orioles, however, could become a third option as GM Andy McPhail continues his search for offensive help.

If Beltre's market sinks, he could find that the National League is where it's at going forward. The San Francisco Giants could be a fit, as could the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Each of those clubs would have move some players around, however. The Dodgers, for example, could trade James Loney and move Casey Blake to first base. The Phillies might have to trade Placido Polanco or move him into a utility role.

 

[mez 0ne]

NYM Sandy Alderson on Werth deal: "It makes some of our contracts look pretty good ... I thought they were trying to reduce the deficit in DC."



Gotta love it.

Crawford is salivating right now.

 

[mez 0ne]

NYM Sandy Alderson on Werth deal: "It makes some of our contracts look pretty good ... I thought they were trying to reduce the deficit in DC."



Gotta love it.

Crawford is salivating right now.

 

[mrdozo]

Being a die hard mets fan, I can't help but laugh when I see how busy the winter meetings are. And the only news involving the Mets now is Madoff and K-Rod not going to jail. Smh, lol.
And 1 more thing, Scott Boras should go to the hall of fame, that guy has skill with all the crazy contracts he gets. I'm sure he makes more than some of the athletes when you add up his percentages from his clients.

 

[mrdozo]

Being a die hard mets fan, I can't help but laugh when I see how busy the winter meetings are. And the only news involving the Mets now is Madoff and K-Rod not going to jail. Smh, lol.
And 1 more thing, Scott Boras should go to the hall of fame, that guy has skill with all the crazy contracts he gets. I'm sure he makes more than some of the athletes when you add up his percentages from his clients.

 

[curtiscarter23]

CUBS fans...

would you want the cubs to put together a package of Cashner, Starlin, and couple other lower level prospects for Greinke?
Would that be enough to land Greinke?

 

[curtiscarter23]

CUBS fans...

would you want the cubs to put together a package of Cashner, Starlin, and couple other lower level prospects for Greinke?
Would that be enough to land Greinke?

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by CurtisCarter23

CUBS fans...

would you want the cubs to put together a package of Cashner, Starlin, and couple other lower level prospects for Greinke?
Would that be enough to land Greinke?

  

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by CurtisCarter23

CUBS fans...

would you want the cubs to put together a package of Cashner, Starlin, and couple other lower level prospects for Greinke?
Would that be enough to land Greinke?

  

 

[proshares]

That doesn't come close to what Toronto or Texas could offer. Cubs farm is pretty barren anyway, you guys should be working on restocking it and aiming for contending in 2012.

 

[proshares]

That doesn't come close to what Toronto or Texas could offer. Cubs farm is pretty barren anyway, you guys should be working on restocking it and aiming for contending in 2012.

 

[curtiscarter23]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Originally Posted by CurtisCarter23

CUBS fans...

would you want the cubs to put together a package of Cashner, Starlin, and couple other lower level prospects for Greinke?
Would that be enough to land Greinke?

  

believe me... I KNOW!! i got into an argument with my boy about that! Starlin is gonna be a star.
I wish there was a way we could land greinke though. If he ends up on the brewers ill be F****** pissed!

  

 

[curtiscarter23]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Originally Posted by CurtisCarter23

CUBS fans...

would you want the cubs to put together a package of Cashner, Starlin, and couple other lower level prospects for Greinke?
Would that be enough to land Greinke?

  

believe me... I KNOW!! i got into an argument with my boy about that! Starlin is gonna be a star.
I wish there was a way we could land greinke though. If he ends up on the brewers ill be F****** pissed!