Alot of those "maybe" teams are likely going to be draw to the other lower cost big name free agents like Kelly Johnson, Alex Gonzalez, Jose Reyes, Jimmy Rollins, Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Beltran ect.  Also CC Sabathia opted out of his contract.  That might make the Yankees focus on replacing him or resigning him rather then messing with Pujols.

The Yankees already resigned CC

Just fer fun:

Cubs Payroll

2011: $ 125,047,329
2010: $ 146,609,000

Net savings $ 21,561,671

The Cubs could pay what the Cardinals are offering without even increasing payroll over where they were two seasons ago.

I think it boils down to:

-Texas
-Toronto
-Chicago
-St. Louis

Toronto is the darkest of dark horses. Texas and Chicago will be vying for Fielder since he's younger. I guess that's what it comes down to. Will the loser of the Fielder sweepstakes decide to go all-out for Pujols?

I was thinking as I typed the original post, "I wonder which one (Pujols or Fielder) signs first."  Historically, Boras has had little problem letting his clients languish in the free agent market until deep into the off-season, sometimes even into spring training.  That being the case, it makes sense to think that Pujols may sign first.

Having said that, I don't think this gets resolved quickly.  IMO, middle of December at the earliest.

Last edited by forsberg_us (11/02/2011 9:36 am)

I still think Fielder makes more sense in Texas' lineup because he's left-handed.  Kinsler, Andrus, Young, Beltre, Cruz and Napoli are all right handed, and I think that made them a bit vulnerable to a pitcher like Dotel who is so good against right-handers.

alz wrote:

tkihshbt wrote:

I think it boils down to:

-Texas
-Toronto
-Chicago
-St. Louis

Toronto is the darkest of dark horses. Texas and Chicago will be vying for Fielder since he's younger. I guess that's what it comes down to. Will the loser of the Fielder sweepstakes decide to go all-out for Pujols?

I'm really curious whether this will be the Fielder sweepstakes, or whether the loser of the Pujols sweepstakes will go all out for Fielder.

4 years older, but so much more proven.

If I was an AL team I would want Fielder.  He would be more willing to move to DH.

forsberg_us wrote:

I still think Fielder makes more sense in Texas' lineup because he's left-handed.  Kinsler, Andrus, Young, Beltre, Cruz and Napoli are all right handed, and I think that made them a bit vulnerable to a pitcher like Dotel who is so good against right-handers.

The team can already hit.  Hasnt the team ead the AL in hitting the last several years?  They seem to come up with guys from out of nowhere that can hit 20 HRs.  I dont see hitting as teir weakness or a issue hat needs tbe address this offseason.  Their starting pitching was average and their ace is a free agent.  If they are going to dump 30 million dollars into something it needs to be their rotation.

forsberg_us wrote:

APRTW wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

I still think Fielder makes more sense in Texas' lineup because he's left-handed.  Kinsler, Andrus, Young, Beltre, Cruz and Napoli are all right handed, and I think that made them a bit vulnerable to a pitcher like Dotel who is so good against right-handers.

The team can already hit.  Hasnt the team ead the AL in hitting the last several years?  They seem to come up with guys from out of nowhere that can hit 20 HRs.  I dont see hitting as teir weakness or a issue hat needs tbe address this offseason.  Their starting pitching was average and their ace is a free agent.  If they are going to dump 30 million dollars into something it needs to be their rotation.

True, but with Sabbathia re-signing, the biggest name on the market is CJ Wilson.

Health permitting, Texas should take a look at Oswalt.

If I were Texas I would be talking to the whole list of starters efore I targeged another hitter.

Mark Buehrle
Freddy Garcia
Edwin Jackson
Hiroki Kuroda
Javier Vazquez
Roy Oswalt
C.J. Wilson

Last edited by APRTW (11/02/2011 2:55 pm)

Texas' starters aren't that bad.  Harrison, Ogando and Holland all had about 30 starts (Ogando only had 29), all had ERAs below 4 and all have darn good stuff.  Add Colby Lewis to that, and they've got 4 very good starters.  This past spring, they considered moving Feliz out of the closers role and making him a starter which he apparently was in the minors.  Also, their top prospect is a 20 year old starter who finished the season at AAA. 

Their pitching is in pretty good shape.  That said, I would go after a top-of-the-rotation guy like Oswalt, but Vazquez, Jackson or Garcia are probably worse than what they already have.

tkihshbt wrote:

FWIW, Richard Justice thinks Roy Oswalt will be a Cardinal.

He's not THAT good anymore.  Why would we want him?

Strauss dishes . . . The news:

1) they're hoping for a 10-day process.

2) six known candidates, fewer than 10 on the list:

former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona
longtime Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo
Philadelphia Phillies minor-league manager Ryne Sandberg
Memphis manager Chris Maloney
minor-league instructor and former Gold Glove catcher Mike Matheny
Chicago White Sox coach Joe McEwing

3) Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon, the popular choice among a segment of the organization as well as a large swatch of the fan base, apparently is not in play

4) Pitching coach Dave Duncan . . .  indicated earlier this week a need for a comfortable working relationship with the next manager.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_b1e5f19a-b553-5cfa-a950-1ba845d508ec.html#ixzz1cexskx00

Last edited by Max (11/03/2011 11:22 am)