Notable Deals: Rogers, Milledge, Izturis

Some deals that closed as of today:

• Kenny Rogers has joined up with the Tigers again, on a one-year deal possibly around $9 - $10 million.
• According to SNY via Metsblog, the Mets have traded bright prospect Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals for Brian Schneider and Ryan Church. It appears that Milledge was not such a lasting starter afterall. Still, the Nationals might have pulled off a coup.
• David Eckstein should be on his way out of St Louis, now that the Cardinals have signed shortstop Cesar Izturis on a one-year deal worth $2.85 million. The report also mentioned the Cardinals' interest in Brewers' Chris Capuano.
• Kaz Matsui has finally joined the Houston Astros for three years, $15 mill. Despite all the talk about Matsui being ineffective and not worth the money, I believe it is a good signing for the Astros as he can improve their infield.

Johan Santana Updates

Whoever thought that it would be down to any other team other than the Yankees and Red Sox must have been in Never Never Land. Anyway, it appears now that the Yankees are doing much more to land the ace lefty. Peter Gammons reported earlier today on Mike & Mike In The Morning that Hank Steinbrenner could step in to push Phil Hughes in the trade, something which the other franchise staff are not keen on. It's the traditional Steinbrenner get-stars-at-all-cost approach and forget about building a club from the ground up (although I must say that baseball rarely does that nowadays).

ESPN's Buster Olney also has the same opinions, including Melky Cabrera and one other prospect to be included in the package.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are also talking to the A's about Dan Haren. There has also been suggestions that the Red Sox are not really keen on Santana, being on the table only to push up the price for the player, while side stepping the Yankees for Dan Haren. Whatever that amounts to, it has gone to dust anyway. Getting Santana on the Boston team would also bring up questions about Josh Beckett's salary - a rework would have to be done.

In my opinion now, the Yankees are the clear favourites to land Santana.

Update: The Yankees have confirmed that Phil Hughes will be included in any package for Santana. As mentioned earlier, with this addition, Yankees will be at the forefront of any race for Johan Santana.

Yankees Relief News

According to Peter Abraham, LaTroy Hawkins, Ron Mahay and Luis Vizcaino are among the names bandied around by the Yankees as possible additions to their relief pitching. There is competition for both Hawkins and Mahay from the Tigers, Rockies, Braves, Brewers and Royals. On the other hand, Yankees could off-load Kei Igawa as he does not have a spot in the rotation - interest in Igawa might not be strong though.

Santana Trade Talks: More News

The rumor mill intensifies with each passing day. Here's what the various reports have on possibly the blockbuster move of the off-season:

SI.com's Jon Heyman has the Yankees leading the way in the Santana Sweepstakes. Boston comes a close second and his main reason being that they do not necessarily need him, and the sticking point remains their refusal to let go of Ellsbury. Smart move.

ESPN's Jason Stark notes that there are other teams interested in Coco Crisp, but Boston have stalled any discussions on those as they look to include Crisp in any Santana deal. He also mentions Mariners being keen on Santana, but let's face it - the other teams are there just to make up the numbers, really.

The Boston Herald says that the Twins want at least two from the trio of Ellsbury/Buchholz/Lester. We all know what Boston thinks of that.

ESPN Insider Buster Olney says it's not Masterson that should be in the package, but Michael Bowden. He also suggests that the Red Sox and Yankees are pushing each other to go high in their offers. A stumbling block would be Santana's full no-trade clause and his asking for a market ceiling-type contract of six years and $150 million.

Riske Joins Brewers To Prop Up Crumbling Bullpen

Buster Olney reports that David Riske will join the Brewers on a multi-year deal. The veteran reliever will bring some relief for a Milwaukee bullpen that has seen Cordero and Linebrink departing in the offseason.

Riske had a strong outing in 2006 - 52 strikes in 69 2/3 innings, 2.45 ERA in 65 games.

Red Sox In Lead For Santana?

TwinCities.com's Shooter Charley Walters reports that the Boston Red Sox are now in the lead for Santana's signature, despite refusing to include Jacoby Ellsbury in the trade. The package for Santana includes Coco Crisp, Jed Lowry, Jon Lester and Justin Masterson.

The Twins' free agent Carlos Silva is also mulling over offers from the Tigers, Mets, Phillies and Royals. Both pitchers will be celebrating impending moves at Silva's wedding in Venezuela this weekend.

And a reason why clubs are throwing cash around on players this off-season is due to potential per-club revenue from online media properties possibly reaching $25 million. The revenue generated by the MLB this year alone has reached $6 billion and further growth is expected.

Troy Percival Agrees To Deal With Rays

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Troy Percival will be coming on board the Rays on a 2-year deal. The move is pending a physical and should be made official sometime today.

Earlier yesterday, Ken Rosenthal sounded some caution to the news as the Yankees were also offering a setup role for Percival, while the Milwaukee Brewers had also stepped in, albeit only a one-year deal as a closer.

Update: Another report from Ken Rosenthal that not only does Percival NOT need a physical now, he will receive a two-year, $8 million deal. He also turned down a Yankee offer which had more money. Sentimentality still wins sometimes.

Herges And Torrealba Remain In Colorado

The Rockies have finalized deals with two members of their World Series team - relief pitcher Matt Herges and catcher Yorvit Torrealba. Pending physicals, the team will be making official announcements on Thursday.

Torrealba decided to remain with the Rockies after breaking off from contract talks with the Mets at a late stage. He has agreed with Colorado to a two-year deal with a mutual option while Herges has taken up a one-year deal with a club option for a second year.

The Rockies now turn their attention to another member of their NL Pennant team - LaTroy Hawkins. Currently a free agent, the reliever could be a target for the Detroit Tigers.

Santana Trade Talks Heats Up

The LA Angels are getting busy - despite a fantastic rotation, they are still keen on Santana. The Twins want a third baseman, center fielder and pitcher in return for Santana, with Angels third-base prospect Brandon Wood, Gary Matthews Jr. and Reggie Willits stoking their fires although LA would be hesitant on any trades on Wood.

Meanwhile, Aaron Gleeman gives a nice analysis on the possible Yankees and Santana scenarios, as there is talk of Santana being very keen on New York. Yankees fans who are dreading any trade involving Chamberlain and Cano should read this.

A Red Sox move seems unlikely given that they would prefer Coco Crisp to be the one involved rather than Ellsbury. What would be shocking - Kevin Youkilis included in the trade.

The Mets have a number of names bandied around including Mike Pelfrey, Carlos Gomez, Lastings Milledge and Kevin Mulvey, but might have to include David Wright or Jose Reyes for any possibility of Twins considering their offer.

The Cubs, Dodgers and Mariners remain on the hotstove but given their respective situations and potential, they remain unlikely destinations for Santana.

Update: Since the news about the Young move to Twins, it appears that the Santana trade has taken a whole new dimension. With the loss of Garza and acquisition of outfielders, Bill Smith might be looking at a new pitcher and third baseman. The Angels and Dodgers would have an upper hand in those departments, pushing the Yankees and Red Sox down the queue.

Matsui Heading To Cubs Afterall?

Just when I thought a move by the Cubs for Kaz Matsui had gone dead, ESPN Insider Buster Olney says that the Cubs are still in the mix for the left-handed hitter. The news started as a rumor about a Denver radio report which went unverified but now that some credibility has been given on ESPN, it starts looking interesting again.

If the Cubs do get their man, naturally expect a big concerted effort for Fukudome. Still, it would be a big gamble given that they would not necessarily need Matsui if any Fukudome prospect goes dead.

Delmon Young Twins Switch In Blockbuster Move

According to La Velle E. Neal III, the Twins and Rays are finalizing a multi-player trade soon to be announced today. Delmon Young will be switching to the Twins along with Brendan Harris and Jason Pridie, while Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett and Juan Rincon will head to the Rays.

Young is a good young hitter (.288 in 2007 with 13 homers and 93 RBIs) and the Twins would shave their payroll offloading Rincon. Harris and Pridie are no slouchers either, and looks like a great deal for the Twins, especially for their outfield.

For the Rays, if anything, it adds on to their good young rotation with Garza now in the frame.

Update: The trade has been completed with all the players named above involved, except for Eduardo Morlan from the Twins heading to the Rays instead of Rincon.

Santana Trade Talks Intensifies

As reported by SI.com's Jon Heyman, it is not surprising the Yankees and Red Sox are at the forefront of the negotiations. The Twins have stated their demands:

- Red Sox bright prospect Jacoby Ellsbury plus either Clay Buchholz or Jon Lester. Coco Crisp remains in the mix.

- Yankees' Melky Cabrera plus one from the following trio - Chamberlain, Hughes or Kennedy.

The Red Sox appear to have a strong rotation, so to speak. My personal opinion is that while Coco Crisp would be easy to let go, Ellsbury might be another matter altogether. The rookie performed in the World Series and it might be interesting to see how he develops if given a chance to remain with the World Champions. I am not sure if the Red Sox really need Santana that badly.

Huge Interest In Kuroda

The Mariners, Phillies and now Diamondbacks have made offers to Japanese starter Hiroki Kuroda. Other teams keen on the player are the Dodgers, Cubs, Rangers, Tigers, Royals and Mets.

So far the largest offer appears to be from Seattle, made 10 days ago at 3 years at $30 million. The other offers do not seem to match the Mariners', with the D'Backs offer of $9 million annually for 3 years to be the closest matched.

The Cubs' interest might have cooled as well now that Matsui does not appear to be on their minds, and he was key to any firm approach for Kuroda.

Can Matt Clement Revive Career?

Free agent Matt Clement is attracting a lot of interest, with the Pittsburg Pirates now throwing their bid in the hat along with the Rockies, Diamondbacks, Royals, Padres and Blue Jays. Having been in rehabilitation for the whole of 2007 since season ending shoulder surgery since September 2007, the once promising pitcher, nicknamed "DoorMatt" during his unfortunate stint with the Boston Red sox, is looking to revive his career.

Known for his sinking fastball and hard slider mixed with a four-seamer and changeup, Clement might do well to seek a suitable team with modest prospects to re-establish himself as a Major League pitcher that teams had difficulty facing in the past. Away from the intense media glare would suit someone hoping to recover from potential career threatening injuries, while he would need to temper his tendency to overwork his arm.

On that point, if the Cincinnati Reds do show any interest, given that ex-Cubs manager Dusty Baker (who coached Clement during his time with the Cubs) now presides over them, it would be ill-advised to make that move a reality. Baker was known to push Clement and leave him in games for too long, which could have indirectly contributed to the right-hander's subsequent decline.

Cordero Joins Cincinnati On Record 4 Year Deal

Francis Cordero is set to join the Cincinnati Reds, pending a physical, on a record 4 year deal for a major league closer. The package is worth $46 million, and includes an option for a fifth year that would bring the total value up to $57 million.

In an off-season filled with record contracts and obscene amounts of money being thrown around, you wonder how long this will go on before Major League Baseball becomes a full-on marketing machine to rake in even more to cope with skyrocketing player wage demands.

Cordero has been brought in to help improve the Reds' horrible save conversion opportunities, which was only at 54.8 percent in 2007, the lowest percentage in the National League. Cordero converted an impressive 44 of 51 opportunities last season.

Joe Kennedy Dies At Age 28

Joe Kennedy of the Toronto Blue Jays has passed away this morning at his home in Florida. The cause of death has not been determined as yet and it has come as a shock. Kennedy was a stable pitcher at every club he played with, and a dependable player when required. To lose a young man at 28 years old is tragic.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Joe Kennedy's family.

Torii Moves To Angels

In a surprising development that saw Torii Hunter signing for LA Angels in a five-year deal reportedly worth $80-$90 million, the Angels now have a formidable outfield that includes Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Rivera, Gary Matthews Jr. and Reggie Willits.

However, questions will now be asked who will make way for Hunter. It could be possible that he has been acquired for another stealth move for the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera, although it was more likely that one of the other present group would be used instead.

Hunter would be an excellent addition to the LA franchise, with career batting average of .271, 192 homers and 711 RBIs in 1,234 games. He is also a motivational presence in the clubhouse and committed to the game.

Nationals Interest Still In Elijah Woods

There has been reported interest in the Washington Nationals adding to their pool of troubled players made good, with the latest search focusing on the Rays' Elijah Dukes. The deal might be balanced on whether a deal can be agreed on an exchange for a pitcher or shortstop in return, according to MLB Trade Rumours.

With Washington's third base coach coaching Dukes in winter ball, there could be more than a likely chance that the deal will go through eventually. With Jim Bowden having established a system in mentoring such players, it might be Elijah's crack at a second chance.

Jimmy Rollins Wins NL MVP

He did not make the All-Star team in July, but ended up with 16 of 32 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America to win his first NL MVP award. Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins bagged it after batting .296 with 30 homers, 94 RBIs and 41 steals for 2007. He also led the league in runs (139) and triples (20).

But like A-Rod, did he deserve it?

Mets Get Rid Of Mota, Trades For Estrada

In what could be a low-risk trade, the New York Mets have gotten rid of poor reliever Guillermo Mota and acquired catcher Johnny Estrada from the Milwaukee Brewers.

While Estrada has decent numbers on the plate, hitting .278 with 10 homers and 54 RBIs with the Brewers this year, he threw out only 7.6 per cent of runners attempting to steal - the lowest among NL catchers. So Omar Minaya was only half right with his assessment:

"Johnny adds depth to our catching situation. He’s a former All-Star who switch-hits and has hit over .300 three times in his career."

Meanwhile, Mota was often booed by home fans, going just 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA in 52 relief appearances this season.

Indians Strengthen Bullpen With Kobayashi

The Cleveland Indians have added more depth to their already strong bullpen, in signing Japanese free agent closer Masahide Kobayashi. Both parties have agreed to a $6.25 million, two-year contract. This is a great addition to a Cleveland department that brought them within a game of the World Series this year. Kobayashi, 33, has had at least 20 saves in each of his past seven seasons in Japan, has totaled more than 200 saves in the country's baseball leagues, and should be a strong set-up guy for Indians closer Joe Borowski, for at least an inning.

White Sox Busy Hunters In Off-Season

Fresh off the trade which saw Orlando Cabrera joining them from the Angels, the Chicago White Sox have moved quickly to add more strength to their defense, with negotiations with Torii Hunter expected to be finalised in the next few days. MLB Rumors Correspondent Brady Yu reports that Hunter is looking forward to wrapping up the deal before Thanksgiving.

It would be interesting to see which players the White Sox are interested in to improve their rotation, now that they have beefed up the other departments and with Garland gone.

Yankees Money Machine Rolls On

The New York Yankees are continuing to bankroll their aging stars, making Mariano Rivera the highest paid reliever in history - at 37 years old. The three-year deal, worth $45 million is pending a physical.

While there is no doubting the quality that Rivera offers, the Yankees may seem to be throwing money in desperation with the free agent market lacking in quality relievers. Rivera has put up falling numbers in recent times and with his age, those numbers do not offer much in return value. While the club and players have voiced his contribution in terms of experience, I am not sure if it should come at such cost.

Red Sox Secure Lowell

Mike Lowell has finally decided to stay with the World Champions. The deal is for three years, worth $37.5 million and Boston have managed to retain a consistent and hardworking high-quality performer. And World Series MVP to boot.

It was also comforting to find a star player like Lowell to have turned down extra money to stay with a team that would offer better chances of more professional glory. The player had 4 year deal offers from the Phillies and Dodgers, but chose to remain with the Red Sox. While the value of those offers are not known, and might be lower relatively to what he got with Boston, you are not remembered by most in history for bagging more money, but trophies.

A-Rod Wins Third AL MVP

Despite being a serial under-performer in the playoffs, Alex Rodriguez comfortably captured his third AL MVP award by capturing 26 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Detroit's Magglio Ordonez finished a distant second-place behind with two first-place votes and 258 points overall.

While over the season, A-Rod dominated the headlines with a major league leading 54 homers, 156 RBIs and 143 runs, it highlighted his post-season failings even more. The player himself is aware of his less-than-appealing record and hopes to improve it eventually, no less with the New York Yankees, with whom he played cat-and-mouse in post-season negotiations.

There is no doubt over his abilities, but it remains to be seen if A-Rod can fulfill his promise as a player and win a World Series ring.

White Sox Trades Garland For Cabrera

In what seems like a trade for future negotiation weigh-ins, the Chicago White Sox have dealt pitcher Jon Garland to the LA Angels for Gold Glove shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

It could signal the use of Juan Uribe as a bargaining chip in other trades, since he was just re-signed a couple of weeks ago. You would not see Cabrera on the bench, that's for sure:

"We saw an opportunity to acquire one of the best shortstops in the game and one of the smartest shortstops in the game. Somebody who can fit into the No. 2 spot in our lineup for 155 games," Chicago general manager Ken Williams said.

The White Sox may need to look for a capable replacement for Garland though. The right-hander had youth on his side and despite a 10-13 record with a 4.23 ERA over 32 starts this year, was dependable and had 18-game high wins in the previous two years.

For the Angels, Garland now joins a strong rotation, although you wonder if they are strengthening the right department. For a team that relies heavily on their defensive abilities, dealing away a productive batter in Cabrera (.301, 8 homers, 86 RBIs, 101 runs for 2007) does not improve the team overall. The White Sox have also gotten the better end of the deal financially.

Barry Bonds - Hall Of Shame, Going, Going...

"This record is not tainted at all.
At all. Period."

Barry Bonds has been indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice on Thursday and reports are that there is strong evidence to prove that he had lied to a federal grand jury that he had not knowingly used steroids.

Obviously most baseball fans would be saying that they have known this for years, but it is only now that a report has been published that has pointed out 19 occasions when Bonds had lied under oath.

Bonds is now scheduled to appear in court on Dec 7 to face the charges. Investigators seem to be confident that they have a strong case against the baseball star.

"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes," the indictment said.

It appears that the Giants have pulled out at the right time, and Bonds' off-season would be spent defending his legacy against accusations of it tainted by heavy drug use. This comes after a season when Bonds broke the home run record previously held by Hank Aaron. The home run king was looking for a new team to call home when these fresh new charges surfaced.

Facing the possibility of not entering the Hall of Fame would be the furthest thing from Bond's mind now. He might be facing a long time in prison instead if proven guilty.

A-Rod's Yankee Negotiation A Likely Ruse?

In a move that has clearly shown that you should never say 'never' in the business of sports, Alex Rodriguez is now in discussions with the New York Yankees over a new deal that will see him stay in pinstripes.

The Yankees are believed to be offering A-Rod a 10 year contract worth about $280 million, which could amount to a total over $300 million due to incentives.

After fanning off the Yankees' attempts to talks before declarations of free agency, A-Rod seems to have had a change of heart and now professes to want to stay a Yankee because "...Cynthia and I have a foundation with the club that has brought us comfort, stability and happiness."

While Hank Steinbrenner has gotten feedback that the star third baseman wants to remain in pinstripes, it is a likely scenario that this could be nothing more than a move to boost his market value. As long as he does not put pen to paper, A-Rod is still free to discuss any potential offers from other clubs.

As long as there is another team determined to land A-Rod's services, overcoming the high cost package is possible. On the other hand, it could be that the player and his agent have realised that perhaps no other team could meet their desired $350 million deal and have offered an olive branch to their previous team. Afterall, other than Boston, the Yankees are realistically the only teams who can afford that obscene amount of money and still present a practical chance of winning a World Series.

Something which A-Rod has always claimed that he wishes more than just... money.

Will We Have A Phil Jackson In The MLB?

It appears that the Lakers' Phil Jackson might have gotten too Zen and lyrical in his latest comments alluding to the film Brokeback Mountain which have landed him in hot water. After Tuesday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs, Jackson was asked if there was too much penetration in the game which led to open outside shooters, after Spurs sunk 13 three-pointers.

"We call this a Brokeback Mountain game, because there's so much penetration and kickouts," Jackson said. "It was one of those games."

The 2005 Oscar winner is a film about two homosexual cowboys who hide their affair from society.

Since then there has been outrage from the public over Jackson's comments.

While the remarks are certainly distasteful, as many tend to say - bad publicity oftentimes is still good publicity. It draws attention and creates interest, no matter what form.

While the MLB has its fair share of colorful characters, too often there has been a lack of comments that stir the ire or imagination of the media and fans. Certainly, we do not wish to see such ill-thought behavior, but the more controversy the game generates, the better and greater media space it will be afforded.

The NBA and NFL have prospered in this manner, due to somehow a lack of thought the sportsmen seem to afford their minds before opening their mouths. Yet despite all the negativity it produces at times, both leagues are still grabbing the headlines. If the MLB hopes to one day gain an even greater share of marketing potential, perhaps it might hope to leverage on a few borderline 'Phil Jackson's someday.

Is The Cy Young A Consolation Award?

With the news that C.C. Sabathia has beaten Boston powerhouse Josh Beckett to the AL Cy Young Award, no doubt many fans and media alike will start to question the validity of the award.

Understandably so since it was Beckett who seemed invincible throughout the season, which continued right through to Boston sweeping the World Series against Colorado.

Beckett also overpowered the Cleveland ace when the two teams met in the ALDS, steering Boston from being 3-1 down to a remarkable (although surprisingly easy) comeback win.

Even I questioned if Sabathia's win was no more than a consolation prize (thus the title of this post), given that he performed well in the season after two disastrous seasons destroyed by injuries and Cleveland were sympathetic losers in the postseason.

However, such awards are not based on popular opinion. Sure enough, Beckett did a fantastic job and stormed to a 20 game winning season - the first big leaguer to do so since 2005. The man had amazing numbers and was often portrayed in the media as the best pitcher in the game right now, with clutch performances down the stretch.

Unfortunately, statistics play a big part in determining who snares these awards. And Sabathia just about shaded it in most departments.

3.21 ERA
241 innings
209 strikeouts
37 walks

Compare that to Beckett's numbers:

3.27 ERA
200 innings
194 strikeouts
40 walks

There will still be a sneaking feeling that Sabathia might have collected a fair share of sympathy votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. However, another clincher could be that comparatively, Sabathia plays behind a team on the whole, admittedly weaker than Boston. At least in terms of run support.

At the end of the day, it will be Sabathia's name in the history books.

Fukudome Fever To Descend On Wrigley?

There has been talk about the new Japanese free agent Kosuke Fukudome joining the major league ranks, with the Cubs in particular showing much interest. Sports Illustrated's John Donovan wrote a piece on the slugger's credentials and his transfer and performance potential should he cross the Pacific.

In all aspects according to SI.com, Fukudome's career statistics in Japan are highly impressive. He had a hitting percentage better than .340 twice, has led the Central League in hitting on a couple of occasions, and a career on-base percentage of .400. To top it off, his career slugging percentage is better than .500.

Patience at the plate is also a virtue that major league teams treasure and Fukudome squeezes walks out of pitchers like water from a sponge. 93 walks in 142 games in 2005, 76 walks from 130 games in 2006.

However, those are still in a relatively less taxing league compared to the MLB, and with some health issues in 2007, there will be a few question marks over his ability to acclimatise on a bigger stage.

Still, Japanese players have shown a marked trend of performing better as a hitter and outfielder, than a pitcher. There have been much better showcases in recent years with Boston benefiting most (Matsuzaka and Okajima come to mind), but it is the Yankees's Matsui and Seattle's Ichiro whom you hear of more often. Even Kaz Matsui of the Rockies garnered some attention this year. So there is more than a fair chance that Fukudome Fever might descend on the MLB, with the Cubs enjoying a possible rise in temperatures if they pull off a coup with Kosuke.

Posada Stays With Yanks - Now Highest Paid Catcher

Jorge Posada has agreed to sign on with the New York Yankees for a further 4 years on a $52.4 million deal. In doing so, he will become the highest paid catcher in the major leagues, topping Detroit Tigers' Ivan Rodriguez who will collect $13 million in 2008.

The deal is now pending Posada passing a physical before putting pen to paper.

Mariano Rivera is however, still in talks with the franchise. There has been no agreement thus far with the passing of the Tuesday deadline when free agents will be allowed to discuss financial terms with other teams.

Rivera appears to be keeping his options open. Hoping to secure a multi-year deal, the closer has stated that he will likely follow ex-Yankee manager Joe Torre to the Dodgers should contract negotiations with the Yankees break down.

Some Thoughts On Mets, Cubs, Rockies Trade Rumors

According to Eli of MLB Rumors, the Mets will not be going after Alex Rodriguez. However, there is speculation that they might be interested in Eric Gagne. Gagne was clutch with the Dodgers, but failed to live up to expectations with the Yankees, so you wonder how that will turn out if he ends up with the Mets.

Another ex-Yankee is also on their minds - Jose Contreras. Contreras has done well the past 2 seasons and could be a good addition, although quite honestly, Jon Garland might be a steadier bet given Contreras' streaky form.

There have been much talk about how the Rockies would be a force to be reckoned with in years to come. Not if they go the Marlins way and dismantle their emerging squad. Eli reports that they are likely to lose both Kazuo Matsui and Yorvit Torrealba. While baseball might be 70% pitching, if you do not have the other 30%, close games will not go your way. Matsui has been a strong contributor so why start from the beginning again?

Colorado's loss is Chicago's gain. The Cubs, to be precise. Looking to break their jinx in the 100th year, they are swooping for Matsui for second and shortstop. It is looking like they will hold on to Kerry Wood but you wonder if he can regain past glories. Eli says that the Cubs plan to be fairly active despite the pending ownership sale, and I do not expect otherwise - this could be their year and absolute sports history if they make the right decisions and end up winning the World Series.

Time To Let Rivera And Posada Go, Yankees?

With Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada planning to shop themselves around, is it time for the New York Yankees to finally break apart the team that Torre built?

No doubt new Yankees manager Joe Girardi would prefer a smoother transition instead of the massive team rebuilding going on now at the ballclub. However, are these players, no matter the experience they have, worth keeping around for long term contracts?

Both Rivera and Posada are still effective, the latter more so than the former. But the Yankees management have offered attractive deals no matter what, and Hank Steinnbrenner is adamant that playing for the uniform would mean just as much. The question now is if these players ultimately decide to decline the new contracts, what alternatives can the Yankees opt for?

It would seem that the Boston Red Sox have been approached regarding Mike Lowell, and there is a good chance that the third baseman might join the Yankees. However, Boston are likely to pull out all the stops to secure Lowell's signature, as surely the next best option of Alex Rodriguez would unsettle the established stability of the Red Sox.

Decisions by all parties will be reached soon in the coming weeks. Until then the Yankees will do well to look at other prospects for the new Girardi empire.

The Magic of Sports

In a recent article, Bryan Burwell talks about how the old traditionalists of baseball should welcome the introduction of instant replays and technology, for the good of the game. He argues that no longer would games, and important ones at that, be marred by wrong umpire decisions on wrong home run calls.

However, proponents of technology-assisted game calling fail to see the core reason why any sport, like baseball, fascinate millions of fans worldwide:

The controversy and drama that sports can create.

It is all good if games always have the right decisions made - so that in fairness, every team get what they deserve. However, in such a perfect scenario, there would be nothing to talk about except for the performances and results. There would be nothing to be enthralled over except achievements of the best teams.

Getting the bad end of the stick of an errorneous umpire decision can suck for the team on the receiving end, but it creates talking points. It creates news. It generates controversy which fans all over the world will remember over time.

And that is what sports, and baseball, needs to thrive on. Without it, you get pure, sanitised and boring games. Why bother with that when you get the same from playing computer sports games?

Bonds Threatens To Boycott Hall Of Fame

In a typical display of arrogance, Barry Bonds has said he will boycott the baseball Hall of Fame if they choose to put up his record-breaking home run ball on display.

This is because the ball has been marked with an asterisk. Bonds vehemently disputes the right of having an asterisk in baseball.

"I don't think you can put an asterisk in the game of baseball and I don't think that the Hall of Fame can accept an asterisk in their Hall of Fame," Bonds said. "You cannot give people the freedom, the right, to alter history. You can't do it. There's no such thing as an asterisk in baseball."

However, Bonds did say that he had the right to change his mind if in any case the situation were to arise. There is still no certainty that the major league home run record holder will be inducted into the baseball museum, as he remains embroiled in a steroid controversy.