The New York Yankees have a tough rest of the season ahead of them and maybe even a potentially more difficult offseason. They have a lot to go up against in the playoffs. Even if they win the American League East they have proven they can’t beat the Red Sox during the regular season. What makes everything think they can beat them in the American League Championship Series if they meet? Even if they do beat the Sox, I don’t believe they can match up with the Phillies rotation. The Yankees have way too many questions in their rotation for me to be confident to make a solid playoff run. I believe in C.C. Sabathia. Ivan Nova is having a great season but he doesn’t have playoff experience as a starter. Burnett has no consistency, Phil Hughes is slowly getting back on track but I’ve never been sold on him either. Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia may be our best bets for number 2 and 3 starters in the playoffs but they may be burnt out by then.

So let’s say my prediction with the Yankees is correct, and they are eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. They will have a lot of decisions to make this offseason. Actually, these decisions may be made by the players themselves.

C.C. Sabathia is expected to opt out of his contract to get a bigger pay raise. In doing so, he will be leaving 4 years and 92 million dollars on the table. That means the Yankees will have to offer him more than that just to bring him back. I don’t think he is going anywhere because I don’t think any other teams can offer that much.  Also, I think C.C. really loves pitching in New York and they give him the best chance to win a title besides the Red Sox and Phillies who don’t have 25 million dollars to offer him with their high salary packed rotations.

Next Nick Swisher is in an option year. I hope the Yankees pick up his 10 million dollar option for next season because it isn’t too much for the Yankees standards and it gives the Yankees one more year to not have to work on a deal with agent Scott Boras.

Next up is Soriano which scares me a little. He has been pitching well as of late and Mariano Rivera has not. I wasn’t a big fan of the Steinbrenner’s going over Cashman to sign Soriano. However, I feel like they need him to come back next year in case something happens to Rivera. He can opt out of the final 2 years of his contract leaving 23 million on the table. I hope he doesn’t do it.

Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia are also free agents. I hope they can bring them both back but I feel like at least one of them will leave for more money. They both have exceeded expectations by far and they will look to make much more than the minimums they made this year.

Jorge Posada is a free agent and there is no way the Yankees will bring him back. I hope he retires because there is no way I can see him in another uniform. I would like the Yankees to bring him back as a coach because he brings a lot to the club house but I can’t wait to see his 13 million come off the books.

Luis Ayala has had a great comeback season in the bullpen. He may leave as well to get more money. I hope the Yankees bring him back because Joba Chamberlain will be out most of the season because of his Tommy John surgery.

Damaso Marte who has been a waste of space for the Yankees will be a free agent. If healthy, I would like to see what he can do on a minor league deal but the Yankees don’t need him with lefties Boone Logan and Pedro Feliciano (coming back from injury) in the bullpen next season.

Lastly, key reserves Eric Chavez and Andruw Jones are free agents. Both were once great players but are now way out of their prime. If the price is right, I would like them to come back. However, it won’t hurt so badly if they leave for more money.

I am excited to see what happens this offseason but I hope my playoff prediction is wrong and they can bring in another World Series Title.

After about a month since opening day their have been some big surprises in the MLB this year. The Red Sox’s were perennial favorites to win the World Series and started the season 2-10, Josh Johnson may have already solidified himself the NL Cy Young with 3 straight starts of taking a no hitter to the 6th inning, and are the Giants the team to beat in the West?

Every year is a new surprise but this year I feel something different in the air. The Yankees for the first time in years are the underdogs in their own division. After the rough start to the season for the Redsox, many Yankee fans started to think that the Redsox’s aren’t as good as advertised. Here are my 5 key main reasons why the Yankees will maintain their lead in the AL East.

1) The Resurgance of Russell Martin: Russell Martin was a low key move by the yankees this offseason. With an aging Posada, the Yankees were looking for experience behind the plate. Russell isn’t only a superior defender than Posada but he is as hot of a hitting catcher in the MLB right now with staggering numbers. If Russell can continue to produce at this rate look for him to be in discussion for comeback player of the year in the AL and being a key part of the Yankees success.

2) Bartolo and Garcia: Many questions were asked pertaining to the back end of the yankee rotation this season with the loss of long time great Andy Petittee. Bartolo Colon has become a strike out king and looks to become not just a flame thrower like he use to be but actually working around the plate. Freddy Garcia has fit in nice as well as the 5th day starter with 2 solid starts. Phil Hughes struggled in his first couple of outings and is currently on the 15 day DL. It will be interesting to see what happens when he returns.

3) Joba to Soriano to Rivera: This is what the yankees hope for, if the starter can last til the 7th inning and have it go Joba for the 7th, Soriano for the 8th and Rivera to close, 9 times out of 10 they win. Joba and Soriano have struggled a little this year with their control but look for them to rebound with continued play time. Rivera is the best closer baseball has possibly ever seen. Let the rest of the AL beware with the yanks having the lead going into the 7th.

4) AJ Burnett continues to improve: Lots of speculation were around the Yankees this spring training, not more important than whether or not AJ Burnett could rebound from his down year last year. AJ has gotten off to a good start this year and has shown more control. If Burnett can continue to be as effective as the start look for th yankees to continue to prevail.

5) Playing with a chip on there shoulder: The yankees have always been the high spending offseason team that always expects a World Series championship. After losing the bidding war for hot free agent Cliff Lee and allowing Boston to acquire Crawford, GM Brain Cashman was highly criticised for not making the big block buster move but instead made small moves to help improve an already star studded team. Lets hope that they keep the momentum and make it back to the world series.

Just about a month away from the offical start of the MLB 2011 season. Many offseason publicity and free agency moves make this year in the MLB very interesting. Crawford to the Red Sox, Cliff Lee back to the Phillies, Werth to the Nationals, and Rafeal Soriano are only some of the new faces, in new places from this years offseason transactions. Here is my run through on my projections for this year:

AL East:

1) Red Sox; It kills me to put the Soxs as my division winners being a diehard Yankees fan but the Red Sox really beefed up their line up with the acquisitions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Their line up is as good as any in baseball and their pitching staff when healthy is top 5 in the league. Look for the Sox to make it back to October with either a division title or a wild card spot.

2) Yankees; Many Yankee fans look at this offseason as a failure. Not being able to convince Cliff Lee or Zach Greinke to come to New York was a tough pill to swallow. Their line up is still as lethal as any in the game and with the acquisition of Rafeal Soriano to help set up Rivera in the 9th really helped the needs of the bullpen. The starting pitching is going to be the real question mark throughout the season. If Burnett can turn his season around, Nova can turn into an every 5 day starter and the Mark Prior project can make strides, the Yankees will be pushing for yet another division title. Look for them to contend with the Sox until the last month of the season and either walking away with a wild card spot or best case scenario a division title.

3) Orioles; The Orioles are my surprise team of the league this year. They have done a great job of loading up on young talent and I feel that 2011 is the year they start making some noise. With Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Matt Wieters being the focal points of this team, the pitching talent needs to step up and you may be looking at a very dangerous team in the next few years. Look for the Orioles to have an above average year and finishing 3rd in the AL East.

4) Tampa Bay; Tampa Bay is in a transitioning period. They lost Crawford, Garza, and Soriano to free agentcy/trades and that leaves some big holes to fill for some young talented players in their farm system. With the acquistion of Manny and Damon, the Rays bring in some experience to their club with a more risk/reward mentality. The Rays staff is still a dangerous one lead by David Price and Evan Longoria will only improve and maybe a darkhorse candidate for MVP this year. Give the Rays some time to develop and they will be back in the postseason within the next couple of weeks.

5) Toronto; With still lingering questions on what Toronto’s next move is going to be, look for them to have a down year this year. Jose Bautista coming off a 54 home run year campaign and getting an extention I could see having a downer year. With some young potential pitching talent, look for the Blue Jays to use those as trade bait especially strikeout specialist Brandon Morrow.

AL Central:

1) Twins; It is difficult for me to pick a winner in this division being as the parity is so well distributed, so I will take experience and choose the Twinkees as the division winner. With Morneau coming back and the ability to resign Pavano, who is an innings machine, the Twins are poised to be the front runners of this jam packed division. If Nathan comes back healthy from his season ending surgury last year look for the Twins to be the winners of this division.

2) White Sox; Last year was a disappointment for the White Sox. With much publicity hovering over Ozzie Guillen, the White Sox struggled for most of the season. With the key offseason acquistion of Adam Dunn and resigning Paul Konerko this team will have quite a powerful 4 and 5 spots in their line up. Also, Buerhle leading the staff followed by Floyd and Danks, look for this team to contend with the Twins for the division title and the loser will be in the wild card hunt.

3) Tigers; The Tigers 2011 season is on the shoulders of how healthy/sober Miguel Cabrera can be. The man has as much talent as their is in the MLB but, off field troubles have put the Tigers in a spin. Offseason acquistion Victor Martinez adds some power to a line up that was in desperate need for help around Cabrera.  Verlander leads this young staff, and when he is on is one of the most powerful pitchers in the league. A sophmore slump from promising young star Rick Porcello was a key difference maker in the Tigers 2010 season. If Porcello can get over his 2nd year struggles, look for the Tigers to contend for a majority of the season, but I feel the off the field publicity and inexperience in pitching will lead them to a 3rd place finish.

4) Royals; Its been a bad decade for the Royals but, this year,  I can see them making some strides to becoming a better squad. Alex Gordon needs to become the player we all thought he would become when he was drafted 4th overall in 2005. Luke Hochevar splashed onto the scene last year with a decent season and showing signs he could become a decent starter at the Major league level. The Royals still have a long way to go but, if their draft picks start stepping up the next 5 years could look promising for this squad.

5) Indians; The Indians are in the rebuilding stage as an organization. With many young prospects gained from the Cliff Lee trade and Victor Martinez trade, look for this team to show a lot of new faces this year. Shin soo Choo is a rising star in the outfield showing signs of power and batting average and a good piece to build around. This will be a struggling year for the Indians and will stay that way unless they make some noise at the trade deadline.

AL West:

1) Angels; Coming off a very disappointing season last year look for the Angels to make it back to the postseason this year. With a star studed staff lead by Jared Weaver, Scott Kazmir, and Ervin Santana look for the pitching to help carry this team into October. Kendry Morales maybe the biggest difference maker on this team this season. If he comes back as healthy as he was before his ACL accident, look for him to be another darkhorse MVP candidate.

2) Texas; Losing Cliff Lee to free agency crippled this teams potential for years to come. Coming off of the organizations first World Series experience the sky was the limit for this team. Led by MVP Josh Hamilton and power slugging OF Nelson Cruz, this team will go as far as these 2 stars can stay healthy. With questions surrounding the starting staff, look for the Rangers to pick up an arm at the trade deadline in hopes of making another push into October.

3) Athletics; The Athletics have one of the best young pitching staffs in baseball and they live and die on how well these young guns can do. Grant Balfour, Dallas Braden, Trevor Cahill,  Brett Anderson, and Andrew Bailey are the cornerstones of this young franchise. Dont be surprised if they A’s make a push at the deadline by moving one of these players for a bat in an often weak line up with an aging Eric Chavez. Look for the Athletics to continue rebuilding and continue improvement for years to come.

4) Mariners; The Mariners need power and they need it fast. The Mariners were last in almost every statistical batting category last year and they need to add some power to that line up. With much promise in former 2nd overall pick Dustin Ackley from UNC, it wont be a surprise to see him starting by mid season. Felix Hernandez is just a decent offensive team away from being arguably the best pitcher and baseball and look for him to continue his dominence in 2011.

NL East:

1) Phillies; Many analyst have it already penciled in that the Phillies will be holding up another World Series Title come October in 2011. With possibly the best 4 starters ever to be assembled on a single team, look for them to dominate most of the teams in the NL. Additions such as Cliff Lee only make this team even stronger and a star studded line up to back him up it will be quite a challenge to take this team in a 7 game series. With Werth gone that opens up the spot for top prospect Dominic Brown to take the rains of right field. The Phillies will walk away with this division and by July be focusing on the Playoffs.

2) Braves; The Braves suprised many of us last year and this year are a team not to mess with. With Hudson, Hanson, and Lowe leading the staff and the emergence of Jason Heyward becoming a star in the MLB, and the acquisition of Dan Uggla,  look for the Braves to win a wild card and being on an upset alert come playoff time.

3) Marlins; The Marlins have been trying to develop young talent for most of the past couple of years in hopes of turning into a legit playoff squad. Lead by MVP candidate Hanley Rameriz and pitching stud Josh Johnson, the Marlins are looking for an additional bat and arm to help make a charge at a competitive East division.

4) Mets; I really do not know where to start with Los Mets. They have as much talent as a team would need to make an apperance in the postseason but, for some reason they never seem to all click at the same time. Look for this years Mets team to be centered around David Wright and a healthy Jose Reyes. Pitching is very suspect due to Johan having elbow surgery. Look for the Mets to try and compete but come up short in the East race.

5) Nationals; Being from Northern Virginia and having been to multiple Nats games its difficult for me to put them in this position. Strasburg is what brought this team alive and made them play with passion and pride but, with Tommy John Surgery dont look for Strasburg to be throwing until September, if they even decide to let him throw at all. With key acquistion of Jayson Werth, the Nats will be along the same lines of production as last year. The future looks bright in Washington and if Strasburg can come back as good as he left, and Harper doesn’t disappoint down in the minors, this team will be fun to watch in the coming years.

NL Central:

1) Cubs; I know its as shocking to you as it is to me that the Cubs are going to finish first in the division. The Cubs made a key move in acquiring Garza this winter, and if their young talent continues to produce look for them to be a sneaky good team come playoff time. This pick is definitely a stretch and my upset of the year.

2) Reds; The surprise team of the year in 2010, the Reds will be looking to capitalize on thier run last year and continue it into this year. Joey Votto is the leader of this squad and looks to duplicate is MVP year last year and transition it to this year. Pitching was a strong point for the Reds last year but, I feel that they will struggle this year with to much inconsistentcy. Look for the Reds to make it back to the post season and be a contender as a wild card.

3) Cardinals; The Cardinals would be first in the Central if it werent for the staggering news on Adam Wainwright out for the season. The loss of Wainwright equals trouble for this club. With the huge injury to the staff and an unhappy Albert Pujols, look for this club to have a difficult time with all the distractions and end up chasing a wild card spot.

4) Brewers; The Brewers have 2 young stars in Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, arguably 1 of the best tandems in the league. With the line up set up to produce runs the Brewers made a huge trade in aquiring Zack Greinke to help with the staff. Look for the Brewers to improve and possibly take the Cardinals spot and fighting for a spot in the post season.

5) Astros; It is easy to say that the Astros are in a rebuilding year. Losing Roy Oswalt to a trade pretty much sums it up. With young talent in the minors and an aging outfield minus Hunter Pence, look for the Astros to struggle most the year and look to being sellers at the deadline

6) Pirates; This team is the only team that manages to get great prospects and trade them away. The Pirates have not had a well established club since the 80′s and I don’t see that happening this year. Their one true star Andrew McCutchen is a lead-off hitter and you can’t build a team around that. Zack Duke will finish with a sub .500 win record and they will use many new arms from their farm system this year. Sorry so called “City of Champions” but you may want to concentrate on NFL happening in the fall and Crosby recovering over watching this squad this year.

NL West:

1) Giants; The defending World Series Champions have to be the favorites to come out of this jam packed West division. Offseason loss of World Series MVP, Edgar Renteria, leaves a big hole at shortstop and Juan Uribe’s departure to division rival LA leaves a big spot open at the utility role. With the young guns on the pitching staff such as Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner leading the way and crazy Wilson closing out games, look for this team to make it back to the Postseason in a coinflip of a division.

2) Rockies; the Rockies struggled last year despite the fact they are known as being a second half team only 2 years removed from their prolific playoff run. With flame thrower Ubaldo Jimenez leading the staff and Troy Tulowitzki the captain of the team. Look for the Rockies to make some noise and be a strong challenger for being the wild card team come October.

3) Padres; the Padres had a banner of a year last season coming down to the wire last season with the Giants going into the last game of the season. The Padres have an underrated pitching staff lead by rising star Mat Latos, with verterans such as Jon Garland to help mentor the fire baller. Free Agency hit the Padres hard by losing their superstar first basemen Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox. I can see the Padres relying on their arms to keep them in the race but with no one significant to replace Gonzalez, runs are going to be hard to come by for this club.

4) Diamondbacks; This team is tricky to pick. One day their hot the next day their not. After giving up Dan Haren to the Angels in return for some prospects, the diamondbacks are clearly a process in the making. Relying heavily on star outfielder Justin Upton is going to be too much for this team to overcome.

Playoff Predition:

AL                                           NL                                         World Series

Red Sox                              Giants                               Phillies vs. Red Sox

Yankees                            Cubs                                         Phillies win 4-2

Angels                               Phillies

Twins                                 Rockies

Jets Trip A Dolphins Player, But End Up Flat On Their Face: This was one of the most despicable things we have seen in the NFL in quite sometime. A member of the Jets coaching staff tripped a Dolphins player on his way down the sideline to cover a punt. Really?? I mean what are you thinking? Do you really think none of the cameras will be able to see what happened? Or that it is ‘part of the game’? I mean cheap shots are bad enough when it is player on player, but when coaches are doing stuff like that it is inexcusable. That trip could have seriously injured the player, and there is just no place in the game for that. If players get fined $40K for a helmet to helmet hit or hitting a defenseless receiver, I think a similar discipline should occur here. If he isn’t out right suspended or fired, he should face a hefty fine. The only good thing to come out of it is the Dolphins ended up to hold on to win the game, in a bit of Karma.

Cliff Lee To Make A Decision This Week: While the rumors are swirling in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes I do believe the reports that a decision is coming. It makes sense for Lee to finalize his deal before Christmas, and it wouldn’t shock me if we know within 72 hours. It looks to be down to the Rangers and Yankees, although there is a ‘mystery team’ in the mix. Also, while the Nationals appear to be out of it, you never know how quickly a team can come back into the race in one of these situations. In the end though I think it comes down to the Yankees or Rangers. While all along I’ve assumed it to be the Yankees, it does seem like the Rangers are gaining significant ground where it could go either way. Right now I’ll stick with saying the Yankees get it done, but my confidence level in that statement is pretty low.

Many people were surprised that the Nationals were able to offer Werth that kind of contract, as well as be in on Cliff Lee, but I think it is time we stop thinking of the Nationals as a small market team. They are in a top 10 television market and share in owning a television deal with the Baltimore Orioles which gives them even more expansive coverage. While the Orioles own the lion-share of MASN still, the Nationals own a significant percentage (that continues to grow each year), as well as a price guarantee for their broadcast rights. Despite having the lowest viewership in the country, the Nationals have been making quite a profit for their broadcast rights. Washington D.C. is also surrounded with many of the richest counties in the country throughout Northern Virginia and Maryland, as well as a number of companies. Both of which should make selling their luxury boxes and premium seats fairly easy when there is a quality product on the field. Combine that with one of the richest owners in the country, and the Nationals should have no trouble affording Werth and Lee.

In addition to their various revenue streams, the Nationals have two other things going for them to be big spenders in free agency. The first is the fact that their payroll has been pretty low since they’ve moved to Washington. Meaning they have some money saved up to afford to splurge on some big name free agents. The second is that even if they sign Cliff Lee for $25 million a year, their payroll will be just around $90 million. Which isn’t bad when you consider they added two of the top free agents for a combined $43 million year. (*Note I assumed they signed a 1B like LaRoche or Lee for roughly the same money that Willingham will make. Which will make it a wash when they trade him). The Nationals will also have another $11 million coming off the books after this season, giving them more financial freedom in the future.

The Nationals should have no problem maintaining a payroll north of $100 million if they are competitive, given the added benefits of a rich owner and previous savings it can be even higher. Washington is also blessed in the fact that they don’t have a single significant free agent for the next three years (again assuming Willingham is traded). Everyone of their key contributors or stars are locked up for at least that long (and most aren’t eligible for 5 or more years). This gives the Nationals a window to spend big on the open market before they need to extend R. Zimmerman, J. Zimmermann, Strasburg, Harper and anyone else. Also by spending now, they can build the fan base to support them giving even more lucrative deals to their own stars in the future. In addition, if the Nationals become a contender, guys like Zimmerman, Strasburg and Harper might be interested in staying around awhile longer.

So what does all of this mean, and what kind of contract can they offer Cliff Lee? If I’m the Nationals, I offer Cliff Lee a 6-year $168 million contract. I would have the first five years average $26 million, with $25 million in the 6th year. I would add both a 7th and 8th option year at $20 million a piece, with a $13 million buyout for the first option and a $5 million buyout for the 2nd option year. The high buyout in year 7 would be almost like a guarantee that it would be picked up, but protect the Nationals if he can’t pitch effectively any longer. With the 7th year almost guaranteed, Lee’s 7 year total will be $180 million (when you count the 2nd buyout at $5 million). That would give Lee a 7 year average of $25.7 million, but the Nationals would have their ace.

Now it is possible that Lee could still choose the Yankees or Rangers, but it would be mighty hard for Lee to turn down between $168-180 million, plus a few nice perks, if the Nationals offer it to him. If Lee doesn’t come to Washington, the Nationals need to have a Plan B. Unfortunately the pitching market is pretty bare after Lee, with Carl Pavano being the next best option. Pavano is a nice pitcher, but far from an ace. The Nationals might not want to get into a bidding war for a mid-rotation starter like Pavano.

It is likely the Nationals will turn to the trade market, but top targets like Zack Greinke and Matt Garza aren’t great fits for the Nationals because of how much they cost. Now their salaries aren’t the problem, but what they cost in terms of prospects is. Both the Royals and the Rays want to be blown away in a deal (as they rightly should), and the Nats don’t have the farm system depth to ‘blow them away’ and not significantly hurt their future. Geinke may be worth Jordan Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Derek Norris and a few other prospects, but that would leave more holes than it is filling. The Nationals need an ace in front of Zimmermann, not a pitcher replacing him.

Right now the trade market isn’t going to bring any stars to the Nationals unless they hurt their future. Instead I’d do a combination; and add a prospect (likely in a Willingham deal) who is nearly major league ready, a injury reclamation type (i.e.  Brandon Webb/Chien-Ming Wang), and a veteran starter on a one year deal (i.e. Kevin Millwood, Jeff Francis etc.). No that group won’t come close to producing like Lee or Greinke, but they can make up for a Pavano/Garza type of pitcher, with the chance of being even better (depending on the prospect or reclamation project). It’s not a perfect solution, but it prevents the likes of Craig Stammen, J.D. Martin etc. from making too many starts. It would also keep the Nationals young major league talent together, and allow them to use some of their relief/minor league depth to trade for a young center fielder, which is an area of need.

Since the Red Sox felt that Cliff Lee is going to end up with the Yankees, they went out and got Adrian Gonzalez and now Carl Crawford.  Now its the Yankees turn.  Guess they will up their offer significantly to lock up Lee, but where will it stop?  This has replacing an injured Aaron Boone with an A-Rod trade written all over it.  Yankees probably won’t stop at Lee now with Crawford on the Bo Sox.  So who will it be?  Can they reshuffle to get Prince Fielder somewhere?  Would he DH for the Yankees?  Pujols has one year left, can the Yankees trade for him?  Then what?  Will the Red Sox then go get the kid from “Rookie of the Year” who threw smoke and was unhitable?  Then the Yankees have to one up them next.   Many are killing the Nationals for the contact they gave Jayson Werth, but they wanted him and had no choice.  Otherwise he would have been a Red Sox or Yankee for sure.  Can you imagine if Joe Mauer didn’t resign in Minnesota.  What would he get from the Yankees or Red Sox?  As an Orioles fan, all I can say is that I hope I get hit with a Mark Reynolds bomb outta Camden Yards while I am walking from bar to bar in Federal Hill next season.

Many are gearing up this weekend for fantasy football playoff games.  Both my teams made the playoffs, one was quality and one with some luck.  But its a new season once the playoffs come.  Random teams can win with schmos like James Starks or Tashard Choice.  And what the f on Matt Cassel’s appendix bursting.  My money team has Dwayne Bowe and now its a tough call to even go with him this weekend.  My favorite part of fantasy is still the sh*t talk.  Crushing someone is almost as good as winning your league.  You have to jump at your opportunities like having someone else in the league ask you for lineup suggestions.  Automatic kill them…you just don’t do that.  Its fantasy football, not the Middle East Peace Process, make the decision on your own.  And you need help, read some of the 949955 different sit or start articles or at least ask someone not in your league.  Just another call out to my favorite fantasy warrior “Matzie.”   Maybe by 2014 “Matzie” will be famous for his legendary fantasy moves.

The college basketball season is young, but regretfully I have to say that Duke looks tough to take down.  I hate Duke.  I hate Coach K, respect but hate.  I hate their fans.  Kyle Singler should have been a man and declared for the draft after winning the title.  I am pretty sure he probably got his degree by now. Kyrie Irving although currently hurt looks a like a solid one and done.  The horrible rule that a player must play one year in college is a joke.  Why shouldn’t they be able to go pro out of high school?  Many are ready and going for a year is worthless.  I heard Bob Knight breakdown what it took to be eligible for the 2nd semester and you would be shocked.  Some of these guys are probably going to class and working, but why would you if you know your leaving?  I went to college.  I had better things to do than go to class.   Now back to Duke.  I look forward to the February 2nd game at Comcast.  Hopefully they come in undefeated.  Maryland is no where close to as talented as Duke right now, but with the Terps style and the Comcast energy I know we can knock them off.   My final thought on college basketball goes to ESPN.  Can you please start replacing Dick Vitale on big games with Bob Knight?  Or at least Jay Bilas?  But preferably Knight.  His game insight destroys Vitale telling us how many time Coach K is a hall of famer, or Kyle Singler is the best forward in the country.

I tried to get through this without any comment on Albert Haynesworth, but guess I can’t make it.  He sucks in all aspects.  I have no problem with anyone who blames Shanahan, but Haynesworth is the most selfish athlete I can remember.  On one side I hope they get some of the guaranteed money back, but on the other I hope they don’t.  Just to have the memory of this disaster of an acquisition.  #92 jerseys to soon be in the redskins.com store $5 bargain bin next to #55 Jason Taylors, #85 Brandon Lloyds, #40 Adam Archuletas and #30 Trung Canidates jerseys.

Despite needing a RH bat, the Sox likely won’t have any remaining interest in Josh Willingham, and if they did it would be more of a role player than a starter. Despite trading away a couple of good prospects for Adrian Gonzalez, the Red Sox farm system had a lot of players that could interest the Nationals. It also hurts because it takes away a likely suitor, meaning that offers from other teams might not be as strong. While normally you’d say that the other teams who lost out on Crawford would be in on Willingham, but the Angels and Yankees haven’t been linked too much to the Nationals outfielder. The Tigers were another Crawford suitor and they could get into the Willingham market, but considering they were a bit of a long shot for Crawford, they were already going to be a suitor.

Crawford’s signing has a huge impact on the Cliff Lee negotiations, because it puts the Yankees into a deep corner. Had the Yankees missed out on Lee, their fall back plan was to sign Crawford and trade for a pitcher. Now with Crawford off the board, signing Lee is basically a must. The Yankees seemed to want to hold firm at a 6-year deal under the $150 million (i.e. $25 million a year) threshold, but with Boston making two huge moves how can they? If the Yankees held firm to 6 years under that $150 million mark, the Nats could have had a chance if they offered a 7th year or even just an option for a 7th year (and the $5-10 million buyout that would come with it). Now the Yankees are offering a 7th year and will likely increase their per year offer. While the Nationals could match that deal, it is unlikely they could really exceed it. At this point it is hard to believe the Yankees will miss out on Lee after the Red Sox have made additions like Crawford and Gonazlez.

I wouldn’t say the Nationals are completely out on Cliff Lee, but things got harder with the Crawford signing. Losing the Sox as a suitor for Josh Willingham hurts as well, though I still think he will be traded in the coming weeks. The Winter Meetings obviously started out with a bang for the Nationals as they landed Jayson Werth, but the Crawford deal at the close definitely hurt the Nationals offseason plan.

Texans Can’t Stop The Eagles Offense: To be fair, there was much defense on both sides of the ball, but the Texans defense once again came up short. Although they put adequate pressure on Vick and relatively kept the ground game in check, the Eagles had little trouble moving the ball on them through the air (shocking). Houston needs to find a way to turn more of that pressure into to sacks, and cover better. This game could have been worse, as the Eagles dropped some easy catches including a sure TD. Philly now is atop the NFC East and looks like a surefire playoff contender.

LeBron Wins In His Return: While it was hyped like a playoff game only one team showed up to play it like one yesterday, as the Heat and James dominated the Cavs 118-90. Those who thought that LeBron James couldn’t handle the pressure were sadly mistaken as he was on fire scoring 38 points in 3 quarters. This game definitely answered some questions as to whether the Heat can come together and if they’d rally around their various stars. It also showed that once again James is the best player in the league, and despite his offseason mistakes, he showed Cleveland what they missed out on.

What are your thoughts on today’s stories?

First up American League:

AL East:

New York Yankees:

Cliff Lee: There is little surprise on what tops their wish list, as landing an ace starting pitcher is their top priority.Lee is really the only guy available who fits the bill. New York needs to hope their money and winning reputation sway Lee away from his other suitors.

Derek Jeter: The Yankees negotiations with their ‘Captain’ haven’t been too pretty and have in fact served as more of a distraction than anything else. The Yankees need Jeter to come to his senses quickly and sign his deal, before it looks any worse than it already is.

A.J. Burnett: New York invested big money into Burnett two years ago and already they are regretting their decision. Burnett needs to figure out his issues quick, as he can’t afford to start off the season badly. Not only will it hurt the Yankees playoff hopes, but a bad start will doom him in New York, meaning the Yankees may have to eat his contract just to appease the fans.

Boston Red Sox:

Crawford or Werth: Boston is in hot pursuit of the top two free agent outfielders and they need to land one if the Yankees make a big move (i.e. signing Lee). Either OF will fit in well in Boston and continue to make that lineup one of the best in the league.

Gonzalez or Fielder: While it is a bit quite of late, I still think the Red Sox will end up with either Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder from the trade market this offseason. Both are impending free agents and likely to be dealt by their current team. Gonzalez is a better fit for Boston given his defense, and higher likelihood of negotiating a more team friendly extension. If Boston lands one of them, plus one of the top outfielders, they should pass the Yankees for the best lineup in baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays:

Trade Jason Bartlett: This could happen in the next few days, as Tampa does not want to pay Bartlett’s arbitration salary this coming season. While Bartlett won’t bring back a major haul, they should expect to get back a solid middle reliever, who is young and cost controlled.

Rebuild Their Bullpen: The Rays have a number of free agent defections from their bullpen and given their budget, they will likely have to build from within or through trades. In addition to the likelihood of  a Bartlett for middle reliever swap, I’d look for Tampa to make a bigger deal with their considerable prospect depth to add a back of the bullpen arm.

Add a Quality Bat: With holes at 1B, LF (could be filled by rookie Desmond Jennings) and DH, the Rays could use at least one bat to keep them on the cusp of contention. Since the free agent market is likely too expensive, the Rays will likely look for a bat on the trade market. I would count them out of the Gonzalez/Fielder markets given their salary price tags, and what it would cost in terms of prospects. Names like Billy Butler, Josh Willingham, Luke Scott could all be on their radar this offseason.

Toronto Blue Jays:

Make a Splash: The Blue Jays might be rebuilding, but this team was competitive without any of their top prospects making a significant impact. I think Toronto will make a bold move such as trading for Greinke or Justin Upton (Billy Butler could be on their wish list as well). Trading for a star caliber player could really make this team a threat in the East, though I don’t think they should give up too much in the way of young talent.

Find a First Baseman: While Adam Lind is a distinct internal possibility, I would expect the Jays to find a new first baseman for next season. Trading for Billy Butler should be high on their list, but if they decide to move some of their young talent for a different star, the Blue Jays still have options on the free agent market (though they are dwindling fast). Adam LaRoche or Derek Lee would be good fits in Toronto, as could Carlos Pena if they expect a bounce back year.

Add a 3B/2B: Right now the Jays have a hole at 3B that they could fill by moving 2B Aaron Hill there, but that would only create an issue up the middle. The free agent market won’t yield any great 3B (unless they buck up to sign Beltre), so a trade could be an option. They could also look to bring back Orlando Hudson to fill 2B and move Hill over. Hudson wouldn’t be a long term fix, but he’d be a solid short term addition.

Add some relievers: The Jays are losing a couple quality relievers in the free agent market and will either need to add some arms via trade or from the market. Given their young staff, and the likely ascension of some young prospects, they could use a good bullpen to help protect their young arms.

Baltimore Orioles:

Add a 1B/DH bat: The O’s have struck out with two of their top free agent options, Victor Martinez and Adam Dunn so far this offseason and they are likely to miss out on another one, as Paul Konerko is likely to resign with the White Sox. The 1B/DH market is drying up fast with Adam LaRoche, Carlos Pena, Derek Lee and Lance Berkman the only real options left. The O’s need to land one of them, but at this point they need to make sure they aren’t overpaying, since none of them are true stars. Baltimore should look to focus their money on their other needs such as 3B.

Go Hard After Adrian Beltre: At this point the O’s are going to have to overpay to land a star, and Beltre is probably the best chance the O’s have at landing one. Now they aren’t alone in the market and it will cost quite a bit, but Beltre could be worth it. He is a very good defender at 3B, and at 32 should be productive for another couple of years. It still could be a pipe dream, but Baltimore needs to be aggressive.

Add Some Relief Pitching: The Orioles have a promising young staff, but their bullpen was a mess last year. They need to add a couple free agent arms to turn that into a strength and help protect their rotation.

Add a Shortstop: It is not a good year to be needing a shortstop, but the Orioles need to find someway to get better production out of that position. Jason Bartlett and J.J. Hardy head their list, but other options could become available. Who ever they find, Baltimore needs to ensure they offer some production from that area.

AL Central:

Chicago White Sox:

Bring Back Konerko: With the addition of Adam Dunn, the White Sox finally have the hitter who can help protect Paul Konerko in the middle of the lineup. Now they just need to ensure Konerko is in that lineup. I fully expect a deal to get done in the next couple of days, which will fully cover their DH/1B positions.

Find a LF: I know a lot of people like Juan Pierre for his speed and defense, but he is a bit of a liability in LF. He just doesn’t get on base enough or have any power to speak of to justify a corner outfield spot. While his defense was exceptional in LF, you have to get better than a .312 wOBA from your LF if you want to be a contender. There aren’t any real free agent options available, but don’t be shocked if the White Sox target someone like Josh Willingham or Luke Scott. Alex Gordon could also be an option if they go for a more unproven player.

Add Relief Pitching: In their pursuit for adding Dunn and Konerko, the White Sox made a tough choice by releasing long time closer Bobby Jenks to save some money. While fiscally it makes some sense, it leaves that bullpen a little short right now. A couple relievers should be acquired by trade or through free agency to help offset the loss.

Kansas City Royals:

Make the Best Deal(s) Possible: The Royals are in an enviable position with the best farm system in baseball, and a number of quality trade-able pieces. The Royals have the best SP (Greinke), Closer (Joakim Soria) and one of the top bats (Butler) on the trade market. In addition to their big names, the Royals have Alex Gordon and Robinson Tejada, who are both good 2nd tier trade targets. Now I wouldn’t expect to see all 5 dealt before the start of the season, but at least 2 should be moved by then, and all of them could be gone by the start of 2012. The Royals need to make the best trades possible and should target middle infield help, outfielders (in particular center fielders), frontline starting pitching, and maybe a 3B. Kansas City can basically name their own price.

Detroit Tigers:

The Tigers have already done most of their heavy lifting this offseason, with Victor Martinez their top prize. I don’t think they are done just yet, but they might not make any more major moves. If they do here is what they might target:

OF help: The Tigers are rumored to still be in the Werth and Crawford sweepstakes, but I’m not too sure they can swing a deal. My guess is they will look to the trade market for a quality OF bat (usual suspects, Willingham, Scott etc.) to fill their need.

Relief Pitching: They have already added Benoit, but my guess is they add another solid arm before the start of the season. I don’t see them adding a starter, but I think their staff could use some help.

Minnesota Twins:

The Twins aren’t supposed to be too active this offseason beyond resigning Jim Thome and agreeing to a deal with the Japanese middle infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, who can play either SS or 2B. The Twins could be trading J.J. Hardy, though that is far from being set in stone. The one thing the Twins could be looking at is making a big trade:

Make a Splash: In back-to-back years the Twins have gotten swept out of the Playoffs by the New York Yankees, so they need to find a way to get better if they want to advance further in 2011. The Twins have a quality system, so they do have the pieces to swing a major deal or two. Given their depth across the board, they could target any number of positions. Starting pitching is a top priority, but I don’t see them getting in the Greinke sweepstakes (more because I really don’t see the Royals trading him in the division unless the Twins vastly overpay).

Cleveland Indians:

Cleveland falls into the category of teams who are really not expected to do anything significant this offseason, and they will be bargain shopping this year.

AL West:

Texas Rangers:

Sign Cliff Lee: The Rangers are the Yankees toughest competition in the Lee Sweepstakes and if the money is close enough he could prefer to stay in Texas. If the Rangers land Lee, then they won’t have much additional money to spend, but they should be pretty well set for another World Series run.

Trade for Zack Greinke: If the Rangers fail to land Lee, they should be one of the favorites to land Greinke. It will cost quite a bit in prospects, but his team friendly contract will allow the Rangers to add another free agent or two.

Add A DH: Vlad is gone, so it is time for Texas to find another decent designated hitter to insert into their lineup. The usual 1B suspects could be options, though most likely could find an actual 1B job. Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui could fit, but neither would have any impact in the field. The could go down the trade route for a Billy Butler (especially if they sign Lee) or a Luke Scott. Both are fairly cheap, while having the ability to help in the field as well.

Los Angeles Angels:

Carl Crawford: The Angels are expected to go all-in for Crawford and basically make him an offer he can’t refuse. Crawford would be a huge free agent signing for the Angels and it would drastically improve their chances for reclaiming the AL West. If they miss out on Crawford, they will go hard after Werth, but he seems to be not nearly as high on their wish list.

Adrian Beltre: Whether they get Crawford or not, Beltre figures to be high on the Angels wish list. They need more power in their lineup and 3B is an issue for them. He won’t come cheap and it is possible that he and Crawford would cost to much, but the Angels should be a serious suitor for him.

Add Bench and Relief Depth: The Angels have a good lineup and starting rotation, but they need to add better depth to ensure that injuries don’t sink their season like last year. I’d look for them to have a couple known players on the bench/bullpen, as they look to build a playoff contender.

Oakland A’s:

The A’s have already done some of their hard work this offseason by adding David DeJesus to their outfield, but they still have a ways to go. For the most part I’d expect them to fill their needs from within, but they could make at least one significant move.

Add a DH: The A’s seem poised to try power hitting 1B/DH prospect Chris Carter in the outfield (not too sure if that will work), and add a legitimate designated hitter this offseason. It is no shock that the A’s need to generate power, but it might make more sense to play Carter at DH and add an OF. Right now I don’t see that happening, so I’m guessing they end up signing one of the 1B/DH types on the market this year.

Outside of that 3B and RP could be an issue, but one that might not be fully addressed this offseason.

Seattle Mariners:

The Mariners are expected to sit quietly this offseason as they look to rebuild. One of two moderate signings may occur in January, but I think that is all you will see right now.

Check back later as I look at the NL’s X-Mas/Winter Meetings Wish List!

New York Yankees: New York obviously has a lot going for them going forward. With a massive payroll, an All-Star lineup, and a very good farm system, the future is bright for the Yankees. The thing the Yankees are most thankful for though is the willingness of Cliff Lee to maybe come to the Yankees.

As good as the Yankees are, they have some serious holes in their rotation that will prevent them from competing in the tough AL East. Although the Yankees seemingly have unlimited resources, if Cliff Lee doesn’t come to New York, the Yankees don’t have a fall back plan. The starting pitching on the free agent market is extremely thin past Lee. No one else on the market is better than a number 3 starter, and a couple of the better options Carl Pavano and Javier Vazquez, aren’t likely to be welcomed back to New York with open arms. The trade market isn’t any more promising for the Yankees as they don’t seem to be a fit for many of the top arms out there. Zack Greinke has a no trade clause for the Yankees and seems to have little interest in waiving it, and the next couple of quality starters potentially on the trade market are from the Rays (possibly the Red-Sox if Dice K is available) and I don’t see them helping fill the Yankees ‘needs’.

The Yankees need Cliff Lee maybe more than possibly any other free agent in their history (unless another top pitcher comes on the market). He might not come cheap, but the fact that he is listening and is a favorite to sign in NY is promising.

Boston Red Sox: Boston is in a similar position with the Yankees, with money to spend, a great team, and a top notch farm system, but the thing they have to be most thankful for is good health.

Last year the Red Sox missed Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Mike Cameron, Mike Lowell, and Jacoby Ellsbury, Josh Beckett all missed significant time with injury. Despite so many starters missing time, the Red Sox still were competitive all season and finished with an 89-73 record (they would have only been 1 game out in the West). While the Red Sox will be looking to make some changes this offseason, the most important thing to them is getting healthy. Youkilis, Pedroia, Beckett and Ellsbury all are important cogs for Boston as they look to get back to the post season. Luckily, while all those injuries were devastating at the time none should have a long term impact on the Red Sox. Continued good health will be the key for the Red Sox this season, but right now things are looking up.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles have a lot of young talented players, but there is little doubt what (who) they are most thankful for, Buck Showalter. Baltimore finished 66-96 last season split between three managers, but more than half of those wins (34) came when Showalter was at the helm.

In 57 games under Showalter the Orioles went 34-23, meaning the Orioles would have 97 games based on their winning percentage under him. That would have been good enough to win the AL East (as well as being the best record in baseball). Showalter also went 14-13 against the AL East (they went 10-35 before he started). Now I don’t think they were legitimately a 97 win team, but they also weren’t a legitimate 66 win team either.

Showalter completely revitalized that team and gives the Orioles hope going forward. They have a number of young talented pieces and Buck seems to be making the most out them. The addition of Showalter could be exactly what the Orioles need, as they look to become an competitive franchise once again.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays had the home run king last year as well as one of the best power teams in the league, but they are most thankful for their G.M. Alex Anthopoulos.

The Blue Jays had lost Roy Halladay, Scott Rolen and Alex Rios from the summer of 2009 to the beginning of last season, yet somehow the Blue Jays still managed to win 85 games. What’s even more impressive than their win total is the collection of young talent that Anthopoulos has picked up. The young Blue Jays G.M. was in the unenviable position of having to trade their top player, Halladay, when his value was the lowest. Despite not having the leverage he would have wanted, Anthopoulos made a very good trade for the Blue Jays, and remained active all offseason to rebuild the Blue Jays farm. Combined with his shrewd trades and signings, as well as a top notch draft the Blue Jays ‘rebuilding’ process actually made Toronto a better team than they were before.

Tamp Bay Rays: The Rays won the division and if not for Cliff Lee and those pesky Rangers, very well could have been in the World Series. Things though aren’t all rosy in Tampa as they need to slash their payroll, which will mean the loss of a number of star players including All-Star Carl Crawford. While it looks bleak, I wouldn’t be too worried about Tampa as they have plenty of talent on the way from their bountiful farm system, which needs to be number 1 on their thankful list.

They Rays have already added a number of young players these last couple years, but should add a couple more uber-talents this season with RHP Jeremy Hellickson and OF Desmond Jennings leading the way. Hellickson is the best pitcher in the minors and saw a little bit of time with the Rays last season. He profiles as a potential number 1 and should at least be a 2 or a 3 starter on a playoff caliber team. Jennings is one of the top young outfielders in the minors and he is capable of playing any position. He will likely start by replacing Crawford, but could eventually move over to CF and become the Rays lead-off hitter. In addition to the two stars, I’d expect to at least a couple more arms throughout the season, with LHP Jake McGee likely to start the year in their bullpen. The Rays system is loaded that they can not only absorb their impending losses, but make a couple big trades as well.

As I said, at the top every team has something to be thankful for this holiday weekend, but these are what I think the 5 AL East teams have to be most thankful for. What do you think?