Teams have money to spend this offseason and ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark explains which clubs will spend more than others and what they’re going to devote their resources to. Here are the details:
- The Tigers, who announced the Victor Martinez signing today, are still “prowling” for a right-handed corner outfielder. Scott Boras clients Jayson Werth and Magglio Ordonez could be options for Detroit.
- One AL executive predicts that the Angels will “spend their butts off."
- Teams will be surprised if Carl Crawford doesn’t end up with the Angels, who could add Adrian Beltre, too.
- The Red Sox appear to be the favorites to sign Werth.
- Other clubs expect the Rangers to pursue Crawford or Zack Greinke if they can’t sign Cliff Lee.
- The Orioles, Nationals, A’s, Brewers and Pirates are also looking to spend this offseason.
I hope the tigers sign jayson werth
So do I
I sure don’t.
I hope they sign maglio and make a trade for Jason bay since the mets are in sell mode
This is just me, but I think that four or five years from now, maybe less, we will find out that the Werth and Crawford cotnracts were two of the biggest overpayments in recent history.
Werth just feels like he’s going to be the next Jason Bay.
Yeah idk why but i get that feeling too. Probably cuz he’s got the weirdest swing in the league
Crawford probably, Werth will likely get a Magglio contract 5/85. That contract will probably be outdone by next year.
Don’t forget Lee.
I’m sick of hearing about how my Buccos plan to “spend” this off season. If they are so interested in spending, how about we hear of an instance where they have made an offer. I’m not talking about offers to some bum who will be a bench player. How about an offer on Werth or Vasquez, etc. I know I am dreaming, however, stop saying the Pirates want to spend when they are going after players that will barely help the value of the ballclub. Thanks.
Please please please let the Pirates sign Werth, I’d hate to see him in a Sox uniform
Probably doesn’t matter if they make an offer or not. The chances that a major free agent takes the money to play for the Pirates is unlikely.
What’s going to hurt them worse than if they DID sign an impact free agent is if they way overpay for a middling player. Giving Jorge De Le Rosa a 4 year contract would fall under that category.
We can deal with signing one of the mid-level arms on a 4-year contract, we cant afford to sign two and then watch both of them become duds.
I understand that MLB players want to play for a winner. The problem is most fans do not understand that. <<< Reason teams like the Bucs and Royals have to build back a reputation for winning before they can start bringing in talent for a fair price. The buccos are not far off. Of the top 8 arms in the minors, atleast 3 will develop into the players they are suppose to be. 2 will struggle as starters and work from the bullpen, hopefully. I am slightly nervous next year that Walker is going to take a HUGE step backwards. We cannot afford that to happen. However, a Doumit/Jones platoon will keep those two healthy and most likely allowing them to be more productive in clutch situations. We will just have to wait and see.
ANY team that gives De Le Rosa a 4 year deal is crazy.
As long as the Pirates stick to using free agency to compliment their home grown players…they will be fine. I’d much rather see them use their money to longterm guys like Andrew McCutchen than to buy 2 seasons of platoon offense.
Of course, it might be hard for them to avoid signing ANY free agents. They need to fill the 25 man roster out somehow. The best thing to do…if possible….cause players have a say where they sign…..would be to get 1-2 guys they could flip for prospects at the trade deadline.
We drove to Chicago to see the Pirates play last May. My assessment is that they have a good core…and they aren’t that far away either. They need pitching desperately. They can keep running Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez out there 162 games….but it’s going to be hard to win running the likes of Brian Burres out there every 5th day.
It’s not like there aren’t about 22 other MLB teams trying to essemble a staff on a yearly basis though.
Please please please let the Pirates sign Werth
Screw Black Friday, this is more interesting
I pray Boston dosnt land werth. He’s not a proven hitter and he’s up there in age. If the red sox do sign werth, what’s that saying about Jason bay? We shouldve signed him? Atleast bay was a proven hitter in the AL east. Werth also strikeout alot. Hopefully werth goes to angels, rangers, giants. Anywhere but Boston.
Werth actually sounds about right for the BoSox. He’s probably too pricey for most of the other MLB teams. Not saying he’s the right signing.
werth sucks, he aint worth 100 mill rofl you can have him if youre gonna overpay for him
I think the Tigers are going after
1) Werth
2) Ordonez.
The reason is because Werth can actually cover RF in Comerica. Magglio would be okay at best as he is 38 years old. He’s still got a good arm but he gets beat deep almost everytime, if he dosen’t get a good read on it of if its slicing away.
I too don’t think Werth’s NL numbers will translate well into the AL, and COPA >>>>> Citizens Bank Park. I would give him no more that 5/55, but Boras and the Red Sox will undoubtedly drive that price up.
I think they will try and sign maglio and am confident they do. I doubt they go after a FA because they bidding war is going to leave only werth and Crawford as winners in their respective contracts. I do how ever feel DD will make a trade for someone like Jason bay and if not they feel raburn/boesch or someone else in the system will film the slot. I just don’t see DD going over the top and getting werth or Crawford because I highly doubt either will be worth their price tag.
If the Sox do get Werth, does that make Ellsbury the odd man out in the OF? He’d fill the Reds need of a leadoff hitter and new LFer.
But who would you trade to get him?
I’m not sure, what are Red Sox needs? The Reds have plenty of blocked prospects in multiple positons along with a surplus of pitching
Third base, catcher, and first base I guess would be the weakest areas. That and the bullpen.
I have a gut feeling that the Tigers are done spending on big-name free agents, but that they’ll pull off a surprise trade. Maybe they’ll work something out with the Mets for both Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes (moving Peralta to 2B). I’m sure the Cubs would love to get rid of Soriano, although I don’t think I’d like to see him in our lineup.
If you want SORE-KNEE-ano I will be willing to trade him for one of your non- tender canadate’s and we will throw in some money probly all of 2013 and 2014 part of his contract.
Fu-Te-Ni for Soriano and the Cubs pick up half of his 2012 and all of his 2013 and 2014, except for the league minimum.
I can see the Red Sox making a play for Jason Bay & Jose Reyes.. in exchanged for IF Lowrie, OF JD Drew(expiring), and one of their pitchers; money wise, it’ll be either Dice K.
Red Sox Lineup:
1. Reyes-SS
2. Pedroia-2b
3. Youk-3b
4. Bay-LF
5. Ortiz-DH
6. Cameron-CF
7. L.Anderson-1b
8. Barajas(FA signing)-C
9. Ellsbury-RF
why Bay? He got pretty much the exact contract from the Mets that the Sox didn’t want to give him. And Drew isn’t going anywhere.
I agree. I don’t think the red sox will give up their big names and just dont see the firepower in their farm system to go grab a blockbuster. Drew, pedrioa, ellsbury, and bucholz probably arent going anywhere and they would need to be big pieces in a blockbuster trade.
That looks like a pretty uninspiring line-up.
These trades are so incredibly biased it makes me laugh. Why would the Mets want Lowrie, Drew and Dice-K for Reyes and Bay? It doesn’t make sense to trade a 27-year old 3 time all star SS for a 26 year old SS who has done nothing at the MLB level….then you add drew, dice-k and bay into the mix and it makes it laughable….imagine ellsbury’s arm in RF? ha
Yes yes, the Angels have all this money to spend, but when are they going to make a move? If Reagins is signing Crawford he’d better do it before the whole Cliff Lee ordeal is sorted out, otherwise this overpayed contract will become a massively overpayed contract…
Crawford says he doesn’t intend on signing early. Probably for that exact reason, once Cliff Lee is off the board, he’s the big fish in the pond.
Crawford says he doesn’t intend on signing early. Probably for that exact reason, once Cliff Lee is off the board, he’s the big fish in the pond.
Yeah, the pirates are looking to spend big on Black Friday and Cyber Monday of this offseason.
I’m just picturing the Pirates trolling Dollar General with their overloaded carts full of plastic shiny junk.
Strange is it seems, Werth would be > Crawford. Miggy needs a complimentary HR hitter…
I guess Huntington must have really scratched a few reporters’ backs to get the Bucs listed as serious contenders to sign any big names at all his offseason. He must have been that “Un-named GM” source more than a few times for guys like Gammons and Stark. I can’t see the Pirates spending anything on a throw-away year … although I’d love to see them take a shot at value-bin guys like J.J. Hardy, Russel Martin, Jeremy Bonderman … or to swing a mid-level trade for a guy like Lowrie.
It might be wise for the Pirates to pick up a player or two that might play into their 2012 or 2013 roster. If they continue to develope talent…those veterans might be key pieces for the team going .500 and maybe even into contention. They have near the talent that Milwaukee had a few seasons before their wild card run.
It might be wise for the Pirates to pick up a player or two that might play into their 2012 or 2013 roster. If they continue to develope talent…those veterans might be key pieces for the team going .500 and maybe even into contention. They have near the talent that Milwaukee had a few seasons before their wild card run.
Hopefully the A’s will end up with Beltre and an impact DH. I would still love to see them add a power OF (perhaps DeJesus and Crisp will start juicing and go all Brady Anderson this year but it’s doubtful). With some bats and if Iwakuma signs/pans out, the 2011 A’s are last year’s Giants.
The A’s are as good as their rotation. Dallas Braden was on/off last year. I saw him flat stifle the hottest offensive team in baseball last July in Chicago. He really reminded me alot of Mark Buehrle.
I agree but if they field an offense similar to last year and have the same stellar pitching, they will still be 2nd place at best.
Alot of it is beyond the A’s control. There are two teams that are going to be legitimately better on paper within the division going into 2011. They could have a really solid offseason and STILL be looking up at the Rangers and the Angels.
Their best bet is trying to acquire bats that will help them in the next few seasons while their pitching is still under team control. Maybe a run in 2012-2013…unless something freakish happens and they get over the hump in 2011.
They were a real darkhorse last season. I wouldn’t put it past them to be in the wild card hunt late in the season. They might finish in 2nd place…realistically. Texas and LA aren’t going to sit around. One of those two teams will likely carry the division.
Oakland just REALLY needs to catch some breaks. I caught them in Chicago and they were a blast to watch..any real baseball fan could appreciate them.
I agree but if they field an offense similar to last year and have the same stellar pitching, they will still be 2nd place at best.
The A’s are as good as their rotation. Dallas Braden was on/off last year. I saw him flat stifle the hottest offensive team in baseball last July in Chicago. He really reminded me alot of Mark Buehrle.
If the Tigers are going to spend big on another outfielder for strictly offense, Adam Dunn is the only one worth spending on. He will produce for the 4-5 years he gets. Raw Power, which Dunn has, translates over in ANY league. Werth’s skills will not transition smoothly to Comerica and to the AL and Magglio has been on the decline the past two seasons. Dunn can get some games at LF (gulp) and DH. Let Raburn, Wells, or Boesch play LF the days Dunn DHs. So what if Detroit has a liability in LF. Play Austin Jackson in Left Center and trade for a plus defense RF, i.e. Fukudome or maybe even Carlos Beltran IF HEALTHY.Both the Cubs and Mets have a surplus of OFs anyway. Offer Guillen, a Left-handed bat who can play first or 2b two positions the Cubs need anyway, and a decent prospect or 2 i.e. Villarreal/Furbush/Figaro. The Tigers can afford to give up some pitching prospects anyway. Beltran or Fuk next season could bat second. Both could rebound in a contract year perhaps, and their defense and near matching salaries with Guillen makes them worth the gambles. Overall there would be some liabilities in their defense (Peralta, VMart, Dunn) but also some strengths (AJax, Fukudome/Beltran(if healthy), Sizemore, Inge, Avila(when he plays).Tigers 2011 lineupCF JacksonRF/2b Fukudome/Sizemore1b MCabLF/DH DunnC/DH VMartC/LF Avila/Raburn/Boesch/Wells3b IngeSS Peralta2b/RF Sizemore/Fukudome
As much as I would love Adam Dunn in there with Miggy, we would regret it BIG TIME in 2 seasons. Vmart is already the primary DH, and in a few seasons he will be strictly a DH. And I don’t want Dunn in there as an everyday OF in Comerica. I wouldn’t be opposed to getting Beltran from the Mets for some lower level prospects with NY eating most of his salary. They would rather have Angel Pagan in the field anyways. Maybe we could even dump Guillen off on them if they think he can somehow be an everyday 2B…
honestly, have you seen how much ground A-Jax can cover? it’s remarkable. He could make up for Dunn’s mishaps in the field. All they would need is another good defensive OF, which they have plenty of prospects capable (Boesch, Wells), or they could acquire a guy like Beltran or Fukudome in exchange for Guillen. Both players play much better defense than Guillen in the OF and can hit like him or better. They only cost a few MM more. remember, there was a time when we played both Magglio and Guillen in the OF. Awful.
As much as I would love Adam Dunn in there with Miggy, we would regret it BIG TIME in 2 seasons. Vmart is already the primary DH, and in a few seasons he will be strictly a DH. And I don’t want Dunn in there as an everyday OF in Comerica. I wouldn’t be opposed to getting Beltran from the Mets for some lower level prospects with NY eating most of his salary. They would rather have Angel Pagan in the field anyways. Maybe we could even dump Guillen off on them if they think he can somehow be an everyday 2B…
Angels need to hurry up and sign Crawford, so that way they can whip off the sweat on their fore head and then use the phone to do multiple calls for a 3B, a closer, and maybe a SP through FA and trades! I can see the Angels names more often once they sign Crawford because the main target is their’s and then they got what they wanted and then can spend on whatever they choose. Once they sign Crawford their choices expand so far!
Ciff Lee holds the cards right now. As soon as he signs…we’ll know which team isn’t getting Carl Crawford.
You’d think being a A-One free agent would open any door….but in reality it’s just the same few 4-5 teams playing musical chairs.
Ciff Lee holds the cards right now. As soon as he signs…we’ll know which team isn’t getting Carl Crawford.
You’d think being a A-One free agent would open any door….but in reality it’s just the same few 4-5 teams playing musical chairs.
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“The Red Sox appear to be the favorites to sign Werth.”
Because the Sox desperately need a guy who hits .186 with RISP and .139 with RISP and two outs? Or because they need to get back to the days of a left fielder with a -6.9 UZR?
If Boston lands Jayson Werth/Carl Crawford, I could see the Tigers inquiring about Jacoby Ellsbury. The Tigers apparently still would like to acquire Adam Dunn, but would like to get another OF with a lot of range to combine with A-Jax to cover all the ground. With A-Jax and Ellsbury in the OF, Dunn’s defensive liability would be much less detrimental. A-Jax and Ellsbury would also be a great 1-2 punch in the beginning of the order.
CF A-Jax
LF Ellsbury
1b Cabrera
RF/DH Dunn
C/DH VMart
3b Inge
C/RF Avila/Raburn
SS Peralta
2b Sizemore
it doesn’t mater if the pirates sign cliff lee, prince fielder, and stephen strasberg. They still suck and they will ALWAYS SUCK