I am a follower of the site “mlbtraderumors.com” during the offseason and when it becomes closer to the trade deadline of the baseball season. Usually, I am very interested and agree with a lot of what the site says. However, they posted their Top 50 Free Agent Predictions, and I throughly disagree on many. Here is my list:

Matt Holliday (above) watches the game from the dugout.

1.  Matt Holliday – Mets.   The Mets need offense, plain and simple. They have the money, and want to add the big bat.

2.  John Lackey – Red Sox. Boston’s rotation was almost a sure thing prior to last season. Now, Beckett and Lester are the only two definite starters, so signing Lackey is a top priority.

3.  Jason Bay – Red Sox.  Boston is the only place Bay has won, and he fits in very nicely there. I expect him to wait until Holliday signs, but after realizing Boston is his best spot, he will resign.

4.  Chone Figgins – Cardinals. A bit of a surprise here, as most believe Figgins will either sign with the Phillies or return to the Angels. However, the Cardinals struggled with solidifying the top of their lineup all season, and Troy Glaus is no longer a sure thing at the hot corner.

5.  Randy Wolf – Dodgers. L.A. is in the same situation as Boston, and have no idea what their rotation will look like next season. It’s highly unlikely that the Dodgers could acquire Roy Halladay, so Wolf is a must to bring back.

6.  Andy Pettitte – Retirement. Yes, Pettitte is finally going to walk away. After winning a World Series in 2009, who wouldn’t want to go out on top?

7.  Jose Valverde – Yankees. This will be the biggest splash of the offseason in the Bronx, as the will sign Valverde to set up Rivera, and possibly be his replacement.

8.  Marco Scutaro – Red Sox. The Sox let SS Alex Gonzalez walk, and Scutaro fits nicely. He can bat at either the top or bottom of the lineup, and will help SS Jed Lowrie stay fresh throughout the season.

9.  Adrian Beltre – Angels. They will need to fill the void that Figgins leaves, and I don’t think that they are ready to hand over the job to minor leaguers yet. This signing makes much more sense if the Halos are unable to bring back OF Vladamir Guerrero.

10.  Rich Harden – Mets. I believe the Red Sox will get Halladay, and that is why I have Harden going to the Mets. In desperate need of starting pitching and a winning club, look for New York to go on a spending spree to try and fill the stands at Citi Field.

11.  Mike Cameron – Royals. Kansas City already declined Coco Crisp’s option, and they need a center fielder. Frankly, the need elsewhere for Cameron’s services is limited.

12.  Johnny Damon – Giants. The Giants need to add offense, and Damon would fit nicely by the bay. Damon would also be the final piece of an outfield that includes Aaron Rowand and Nate Schierholtz.

13.  Orlando Hudson – Diamondbacks. It was a mistake letting Hudson walk in the first place, and Arizona was a dreadful team last season. They need to make improvements, and second base is one of the many holes on this club.

14.  Miguel Tejada – Orioles. I think Tejada would be good for the Phillies,

Miguel Tejada (above) could dawn that same Orioles' uniform again.

 but I just can’t see that happening. After the relationship soured between Baltimore and Melvin Mora last season, a hole at third base opened up for Tejada to step right back into.

15.  Joel Pineiro - Mets. New York needs rotation help, and its no secret that GM Omar Minaya likes the idea of building a latin oriented team.

16.  Nick Johnson – Orioles. Baltimore let 1B Aubrey Huff go at the trade deadline, and can afford to offer an incentive laden deal to the oft-injured Johnson.

17.  Aroldis Chapman - Reds. This could be the surprise of the offseason. After all the hype, when teams actually see him throw, I believe that his value will fall in the eyes of GMs, and will join the Reds rotation of the future, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, and Micah Owings.

18.  Marlon Byrd – Rangers. It is the only place where Byrd has had success in his major league career, and there is not much of a market for center fielders, prompting the Rangers to keep Marlon.

19.  Vladimir Guerrero – Twins. This is another surprise pick here, but Minnesota needs to add a bat to help MVP Joe Mauer and 1B Justin Morneau. Guerrero would be the perfect DH to open a new ball park in the Twin Cities.

20.  Felipe Lopez – Dodgers. With Orlando Hudson leaving the Dodgers, Lopez fits right in as a bat in the No.2 hole of the line up, or down at the bottom.

21.  Adam LaRoche – Braves. LaRoche has spent most of his big league career in Atlanta, and the Braves can’t afford to lose too much offense. Look for LaRoche to get a pay raise to ensure that he doesn’t leave Georgia.

22.  Rafael Soriano – Angels. Adding this right-handed late inning reliever will give L.A. the ability to play the numbers, and put in either Soriano or closer Brian Fuentes based on matchups.

 23. Jon Garland - Twins. Minnesota would like another arm to go in their rotation, and Garland would be a nice addition. He is one of the lower pitchers of this year’s crop, so his price will not be outrageously high.

24.  Carl Pavano - Nationals. Pavano was given a shot by the Indians last season, and was then traded to Minnesota. While Carl could still return to Cleveland, the Nationals are in need of a veteran starter, and a stop gap until all their young pitching talent arrives.

25.  Brad Penny - Diamondbacks. Arizona needs everything, and Penny would give the D-Backs a deeper rotation, as well as a veteran starter.

26.  Erik Bedard – Dodgers. Bedard is often injured, and this could lower his price. However, price isn’t much of an issue in L.A. Bedard is also rumored to be a pain in the clubhouse, in which he would fit right in with Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez.

World Series MVP Hideki Matsui (above) won't leave the Bronx.

27.  Hideki Matsui – Yankees. Believe it or not, the Yankees need the Japanese media in New York. Not to mention, Matsui was just World Series MVP, and there is no way that he is let go.

 28.  Bengie Molina – Mets. The Mets need bats, and their offseason spending frenzy will continue with the signing of Molina. Acquiring one of the best hitting catchers in baseball will help New York build a deeper line up.

29.  Mike Gonzalez – Braves. A possible destination is in the Bronx, but if Soriano leaves Atlanta, Gonzalez may like having the closer’s role all to himself.

30.  Jason Marquis – Rockies. Marquis had a stellar first half in Denver, but struggled down the stretch. I believe that he will hold out in hopes of a bigger deal, but the market will not play in his favor and force a return to the Rockies.

31.  Placido Polanco – Rays. Money isn’t a plenty down in Florida, but after trading 2B Akinori Iwamura, the Rays could use a stabalizing force at the top of their line up. CF B.J. Upton was inconsistent last season, which is why signing Polanco could happen.

32.  Tim Wakefield – Red Sox.  Boston’s rotation is very uncertain, and Wakefield has only ever played for one team. If Wakefield doesn’t return to Boston like I believe, look for retirement.

33.  Ben Sheets – Rangers. Sheets has taken a year off to recover from shoulder surgery, and looks to mount a comeback. Not many teams will be willing to offer him a contract, but the Rangers are always in need of starters, and could offer him an incentive laden deal. Not to mention, Sheets is the same kind of pitcher that owner Nolan Ryan used to be, so that must make him attractive.

34.  Doug Davis – Brewers. Davis has already played for the Brewers, and Milwaukee doesn’t have the money to sign a top-notch starter. Davis’s signing looks even more likely since the Brewers claimed him on waivers in August but couldn’t work out a deal.

35.  Jarrod Washburn – Mariners. There were no bitter feelings between the two sides after trading Washburn to Detroit, and the pitcher said that he would like to return to Seattle. The Mariners aren’t deep on pitching, so bringing back Washburn makes perfect sense.

36.  Russell Branyan – Mariners. I don’t believe that any other club will take the chance of signing Branyan, for he very likely could be a one year wonder. Also, Branyan has the desire to stay in Seattle, so why would he leave?

37.  Billy Wagner – Nationals. Wagner has questions about his health and age, which makes him an unreliable option in the late innings. However, he has stated that he wants to close for the Washington Nationals, and they have no one better. There is no reason that this deal shouldn’t get done.

38.  Juan Uribe – Mariners. Uribe had a good season in San Francisco last season, but not good enough to demand a crazy amount of money. The Mariners will need a third basemen if Adrian Beltre opts to leave, making Uribe a fit in Seattle.

39.  John Smoltz – Retirement. Smoltz’s attempt to come back from shoulder surgery failed last season, and there is no reason to believe that he would be able to make it through a full season. I don’t believe any club in contention would take a chance on Smoltz.

40.  Jermaine Dye – Royals. Dye is in the last stretch of his career, and being a former Royal may appeal to him. His market is not that big, therefore Kansas City would be able to afford him.

41.  Mark DeRosa - Phillies.  The Phillies have tried to acquire DeRosa for years. It makes perfect sense for both sides, as Philadelphia will need a third basemen going into next season.

42.  Coco Crisp – Padres. Money is an issue for San Diego, and it helps that Crisp can’t demand a ton of it. The Padres need an outfielder, and Crisp would be a nice addition to the top of the line up.

43.  Carlos Delgado – Blue Jays. Delgado is another aging superstar, and

Carlos Delgado (above) could also be returning to Toronto.

may want to return to his old stomping ground in Toronto. The Jays are totally devoid of power, and could bring back Delgado at a low price.

44.  Orlando Cabrera – Twins. Both sides have interest, as Cabrera was the emotional leader of last season’s squad. I don’t see Cabrera going any place else.

45.  Gregg Zaun – Rays. The Rays need a backup catcher, and Zaun is cheap. Perfect fit.

46.  Jim Thome – White Sox. Thome has had a good run in Chicago, and the only other place I could see him landing would be Cleveland. I think the issue here will be money, and Thome will not get what he want, but Chicago will offer a little more than Cleveland.

47.  Fernando Rodney – Phillies. Rodney is a good fit in Philadelphia because of his versatility. He can close, set up, and pitch in middle relief. If Brad Lidge struggles again next season, Rodney would be the best insurance policy.

48.  Xavier Nady - Diamondbacks.  Nady provides corner outfield depth, and can play first base. He’s not an all-star by any means, but a decent player that could help out in Arizona.

49.  Kiko Calero - Rays. Calero would be cheap, and as I have previously said, that makes him a fit as a reliever in Tampa.

50.  Rafael Betancourt – Rockies. Betancourt was one of the Rockies best relievers last season, and there will be interest in him. However, I think Colorado will offer some decent dollars to Betancourt, and keep him around.

There is one thing that I did agree with on the site, and it is that this is a difficult puzzle. If one player signs with one team, it ultimately could effect another team’s interest in another player, and all sorts of mayhem in which is the MLB offseason. Although, I thoroughly believe that my predictions will prove more accurate.

Bo Jackson turns 47 years old today.

Vincent Edward Jackson was one of the most exciting players to debut in major league baseball during the 1980’s.  A 2-sport athlete that built a strong following at the University of Auburn, Jackson was a star before he made his professional debut.

And although his career was cut short due to a football injury sustained while playing in the NFL, Bo Jackson offered us some incredible highlights while in the big leagues.  An All-star during the 1989 season, Bo was wildly popular for his ability to crush home runs(141 in 8 seasons), chase down everything in the outfield, and his breaking of bats.

Happy Birthday Bo!!!  And thanks for the memories that will last a lifetime!!!

1974 Topps League Leaders Card Starring Jim Palmer & Tom Seaver

This card celebrates the incredible seasons that both Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver had during the 1973 major league baseball season.

Each player led their leagues in ERA.  Palmer led the American League with a low 2.39.  And not to be outdone, Tom Seaver led the National League and the majors with a mighty impressive 2.08.

Two of the best pitchers from the 1970’s on one baseball card.  And a perfect addition to my Jim Palmer player collection!!!  

Oh, and just to close the circle, each of these great pitchers won the Cy Young award in their respective leagues that year.  For Palmer, it was his first of three.  And for ‘Tom Terrific’, it was his second of three awards.

As the weather turns cold and we turn our thoughts to holidays and long for summer days, the MLB offseason keeps us warm with the hope of our favorite teams rebuilding for the 6 month marathon to October. Last offseason, the Yankees did what they do best – spend as much money as they can in order to give their team the best possibility of adding another World Series to their walk-in closet collection.

We all know that at this point the economy is starting to show some faint signs of recovery but an aging and lack-luster class of free agents won’t provide the excitement of signing rumors that normally stoke the coals of the hot stove season.

Among the muck and mire are some sure fire quality Type A free agents such as Outfielders Matt Holliday, Jason Bay and Infielders Orlando Hudson and Chone Figgins, but unfortunately for them, they won’t hit the record setting deals of yesteryear. Their average age is at 30.5 and with an emphasis of organizations developing cheaper, more athletic talent, teams are less likely to sign these free agents and lose compensatory draft picks for departing free agents.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll break down the divisions of both the American and National Leagues. I’ll look at what free agents are available and play analyst/general manager. Feel free to email responses to OpenForumRadio@gmail.com. For my first entry, I wanted to get my team out of the way.

The team my loyalties lie with is the Chicago White Sox. I love the interdivision rivals and I’m not afraid to say I get a hearty laugh from the futility and failings of the Cubs. While the ’09 season was lost due to poor defense, no offense and spotty relief pitching, the offseason began early for the Sox. GM Kenny Williams stunned his comrades in pulling offing a trade for Padres ace Jake Peavy, then snatching Alex Rios from the Blue Jays. On day one of the offseason, the Sox announced a trade with Kansas City Royals that brought IF Mark Teahan to the Windy City and announcing he would be the starting Third Baseman effectively moving Sporting News’ and the MLB Players Association Rookie of the Year Gordon Beckham to 2B.

The Sox recently signed defensive veteran SS Omar Vizquel and OF Andruw Jones on the cheap, at just under 2M for both former Gold Glove All-Stars. The Sox finally have options up the middle of the infield and are better defensive club going into the 2010 season. Current starting SS Alexei Ramirez was a defensive blunder last year while only showing minimal life at the plate after a sensational rookie start in 2008. The signing of Vizquel opens up the possibility that Ramirez could be either better motivated or traded and Kenny Williams would be doing me a favor by putting him in a package along with AAA catcher Tyler Flowers to bring in another quality starting pitcher or a pair of reliable relief pitchers (Oxymoron, I know.). I don’t expect Andruw Jones to resurrect his career, now in the twilight years, but in coming to an organization known recently for catching lightning in a bottle, this is a smart bench  strengthening signing.

Payroll is limited for the White Sox and considering the free agent class, which works in our favor. The most I can see Williams go after would be for relief pitching on the cheap. Who I would consider to be the best relief pitching free agent is Danys Baez. After looking at their career numbers, past salary figures, and free agent type, Baez fits the mold. After pitching in the AL East for the past couple of years, Baez has proven to be a reliable middle inning reliever. Over his 8 year career, Baez has a 4.04 ERA, 7 of those years pitching in the AL. He averages 87 innings pitched and has a 65/36 Strikeout to Walk ratio average comparison. Last year he tallied 40 strikeouts in nearly 72 innings pitched. I would have him primarily focus on 6^th or 7^th inning work, and I would predict him to be effective enough in lower pressure situations. While this is a purely statistical look at the player Baez has made an effect transition from being a starting pitcher to a relief pitcher. Sox Pitching Coach Don Cooper has both success stories and misses but I believe Baez would be an effect addition to the Sox bullpen.

The 2010 season looks bright for the Pale Hose and if players can avoid injuries, have a consistent offensive threat while pitching to their career averages, the AL Central should give fans plenty of entertainment. The Royals and Indians look to be in rebuilding mode while the elderly Tigers are looking to dump payroll from flat out bad contracts to aging players. The Twins for some reason or another always manage to compete and make things a struggle for the every team in the division, but how will they fair away from the haunted house known as the Metrodome, has yet to be seen. The AL Central is won by the team that beats itself the least, and I hope that the division title goes to the White Sox.

In 1923, Miller Huggins managed the Yankees to their first World Series Championship on its third try. Thus began one Golden Age of Baseball in New York City. But before the Yankees began their run to 27 World Championships, the Chicago Cubs had the claim as the game’s greatest team. From 1906-1908, the Cubs had three World Series appearances, two World Series Championships, and the mythology and folklore of the first Golden Age of Baseball. Unfortunately for Cub fans, they have been waiting for their next World Series Championship since.

The Cubs were not originally the Cubs. They were the Chicago White Stockings. In wouldn’t be until 1902 when “noting the youth movement lead by new manager Frank Selee, a local newspaper penned the nickname Cubs for the first time.” The team officially adopted the name in 1907. It would be first baseman Frank Chance, “The Peerless Leader” (in the dark uniform on the right), who would guide the Cubs through their golden age.

1906 was a year in which Orville and Wilbur Wright flew their airplane at Kitty Hawk. Upton Sinclair published The Jungle. The San Fransisco Earthquake practically destroyed a city. Jack London published White Fang, and Devil’s Tower is declared the first National Monument. The Cubs and the White Sox would play in the first and only Chicago crosstown series. Author Bernard Wesiberger describes the state game in 1906:

At the turn of the century, American baseball and America itself were, to a modern observer, both completely alien and yet timelessly similar to what we know today. In 1906 the sport of baseball was still mired in the “dead ball” era, when defense won championships, and players didn’t need bodybuilder physiques in order to be competitive. The league was racially segregated. A six–day workweek was threatened by early game times, as the first night game wouldn’t be played for another three decades. There was no radio to broadcast the contest. Only one ball was used throughout the game. And yet it was still ninety feet between bases. The home team still batted in the bottom of the ninth inning. And the final score could still capture the attention of a nation.

The Cubs won an astonishing 116 games in 1906. New manager Frank Chance played first base in addition to his managerial duties. Playing in the spacious West Side Grounds, the size of park placed an emphasis on pitching and defense. Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown along with Orval Overall, Jack Pfeister, Ed Reulbauch, Carl Lundgren, and Jack Taylor led  the Cubs dominating pitching staff and carried them to the NL Pennant by twenty games. The stalwarts of the defense not only played defense like no others, they actually hated each other. From 1905 on, Evers and Tinker did not speak. It would not be until Frank Chance was dying that Evers and Tinker repaired their relationship.

These are the saddest of possible words:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double –
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”

When the World Series came to Chicago in 1906, the Cubs were prohibitive favorites. The White Sox shocked the city and the nation by winning the series four games to two. The White Sox had only hit .230 as team during 1906. Throughout the series they consistently hit Cubs pictchers and the vaunted Cub defense collapsed committing error after error.

1907 saw the Cubs rebound and dominate again. Despite only having three fingers on his pitching Mordecai Brown won 29 games this season on his way to the Hall of Fame. This time, what some call the best team ever, ruled the west side with 107 wins. They took the series from Ty Cobb and the Tigers 4-0-1. The first game was a tie but the resulting four games showcased the Cubs pitching as they held the Tigers to one run a game. The Cubs stole an amazing 16 bases in the series and ran roughshod on the bases.

1908, once again, saw the domination of the Cubs. The Cubs won 99 games and won the pennant thanks to the “Merkle’s Boner” game.

In a September 23 Cubs-Giants game, Merkle failed to touch second base when Al Bridwell delivered an apparent game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning. By the time the Cubs retrieved the ball and eventually forced Merkle at second, fans had swarmed the field. With order impossible to restore, the game was declared a 1-1 tie. As things turned out, Chicago and New York wound up with 98-55 records, meaning the “Merkle game” would have to be made up. In an October 8 replay, the Cubs scored a 4-2 victory and left the Giants agonizing over what might have been. Or even what should have been. The Chicagoans, on the other hand, were reveling in what was.

The Series was a rematch against Ty Cobb and the Tigers. The Tigers winning game one until the final inning. leading 6-5, Detroit pitcher Ed Summers gave up six consecutive hits and five runs in the top of the ninth. The Cubs 10-6 triumph used Orval Overall and Mordecai Brown in relief after started Ed Reulbach.The Cubs would win the series four games to one. Orval Overall and Mordecai Brown each won two games as the Cubs would win their last championship.

The Cubs from 1906-1908 boasted Cub legends and Hall-of-Famers in Brown, Tinkers, Evers, and Chance. Unbeknownst to most Cubs fans is the dominance of Overall in 1907-09. Overall would only win one hundred games in his short career, mostly between 1906-1910. His two shutouts in 1908 stand still as achievement in the annals of the series. He would be out of baseball at the end of 1913 after missing the 1911 and 1912 seasons. Also, pitcher Ed Reulbach pitched two complete shut out games against the Brooklyn Dodgers on Septmber 26, 1908, a feat surely to be unmatched in today’s game. 3B Harry Steinfeldt was the main bat in 1906 and was around for the back-to-back championships in 1907 and 1908. The Cubs would mix it up against the then Negro League Leland Giants in October after both the series in 1908 and 1910.

Within five years, the Cubs would move to the north side to their current establishment and be in the World Series seven more times between 1908 and 1945 always settling for second place. For a small moment in time, Chicago ruled the baseball world on the west side of town. It was truly the golden age of baseball in Chicago. The White Sox in the 1910s would approach the level of the Cubs only to be undone in 1919. When Miller Huggins and his new star, Babe Ruth, took the series in 1923, it truly marked the end of the golden age of baseball in Chicago.

For further reading
When Chicago Ruled Baseball by Bernard Weisberger
The Best Team Ever by Alan Alop and Doc Noel
Crazy ‘08 by Cait Murphy

Reported yesterday, Andruw Jones signed a one year deal with the Chicago White Sox.  My guess, is that for the next 3 – 4 years you are going to see this happen every off-season.  What is incredible is that Jones is still gaining interest from teams.  He has proven since his last season in Atlanta that he has given up on being the potential 40 – 40 he once was.

No now you get a large turkey (had to put a thanksgiving reference in there).  Once he was a slim 195, now he has ballooned to nearly 250lbs or more.  He once was a nightmare to hit to given his athletic ability, now he owns the DH slot.  About the only thing he can do in the outfield is catch the ball (as long as it’s hit within 10 feet of him).

To me, this signing makes no sense.  The already have Omar Vizquel and Mark Kotsay on the bench.  Both bring a veteran and coaches mentality to a relatively young team.  What does Jones bring to the table?  If anything you don’t want your young players emulating him in his current state.  I see this as a “Well he can’t hurt the team right?” or “We could use a power bat off the bench!”  I get that and I also get that for $500K + incentives that he will never hit, it’s potentially not a bad deal.  However when are we just going to give in that his dangerous days as a hitter are all but over.

I was thinking that he would make the team out of training camp and stay the season, but the more I think about it, the more I think, this may be a half season deal, then another half season deal in June for another sucker.  Maybe the Royals or Mariners can use him, better yet, maybe the Braves will let him retire as a Brave.

As far as Jones’ cards go, his autograph can be had for under $5 and his game used cards are now considered commons.  It’s sad that this once incredible player who hit 0.263/51/128 and finished 2nd in MVP voting is now a last man on the bench, who last season hit 0.214/17/43 (didn’t even hit his weight).  You can expect less out of his this season as hopefully he rides off into the sunset.  What are your feelings on him.

I think he has no where to up with this move.  Jones is way past his prime but he can still be productive in ways.  Jones got better with the Rangers and him being with a good offense in a good park will help him.  Jones’s defense should still be good too.  The only thing teams need to accept is that he won’t get on base but I would save a spot on my roster for him if I were in need of RBIs.  He will get a few hits that count though and is a veteran I trust in though situations.  Jones won’t be nearly as good as he was and this will be the peak of the rest of his career but he could improve a lot.

As soon as the Chicago White Sox decided to buy out the $950,000 remaining on slugger Jermaine Dye’s contract, the front office began scrambling to replace his offensive production.

They brought in Mark Teahen, a versatile infielder/outfielder with slight pop, from the Kansas City Royals. They re-signed pinch hitter extraordinaire and corner outfielder Mark Kotsay to a one-year deal.

Not surprisingly, those signings did little to inspire confidence in Chicago.

But now they’ve brought in 10-time Gold Glover and five-time All Star, 32-year-old Andruw Jones.

For $500,000.

My how the mighty have fallen.

Jones is a shadow of the player that routinely garnered Most Valuable Player votes as little as three years ago. In limited play with the Texas Rangers in 2009, he hit .214 with 17 homeruns in 281 at-bats. The campaign was actually an improvement over his horrible 2008, when he hit a measly .182 with just three homeruns as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In recent years, Jones has reverted to one of his old and worn tendencies: swinging at and missing breaking balls. There’s a good article about his rapid decline here.

Jones is just the most recent piece of the White Sox’s expanding bench. It’s highly unlikely that he’ll amount to anything more than a platoon corner outfielder, but Jones is still valuable to Chicago.

It’s entirely possible that he hasn’t forgotten everything that once made him one of the game’s most feared hitters.

Jones averaged a homerun every 16.5 at-bats in 2009. Had he played a full season and amassed more plate appearances, that mark would have been good for eighth in the American League. He also led Texas batters in walk rate in 2009, earning a free pass every 7.4 at-bats.

Jones’ contract with the White Sox includes $1 million in performance based incentives, an advantage he’ll want to make the most of if he hopes to even earn a contract in 2011.

While the signing isn’t likely to quell Chicago fans’ uneasy thoughts about the team’s outfield in 2010, it is a step towards replacing Dye’s offensive production. Jones will most likely split time at the corner outfield positions and as the team’s designated hitter.

For $500,000, the Chicago White Sox could have certainly done worse.

• Sign Omar Vizquel to a one year/ $1.375mm

The Brewers signed lefty John Halama to a minor league deal today. He’s useful depth – can spot start for you here and there and be an extra lefty out of the pen. For a staff that was as bad as the Brewers had last year, he could actually be an upgrade for the back of their rotation. They also re-signed Chris Capuano, who probably won’t do much good this year.

Also, the White Sox finalized their deal with Vizquel, one-year and $1,375,000. Not bad money at his age, but his glove is well worth it.

In Red Sox news, the Red Sox announced DeMarlo Hale is the new bench coach, and Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson has been “called up” to serve as first base coach.

by Tony Bosma

As a Cleveland transplant in Chicago, I was at least happy (sports-wise) to come here so I could watch Jim Thome play baseball again. Of course, that all changed when Thome was traded to the Dodgers before the trade deadline this past summer. Needless to say, I wasn’t too happy about it.

But good news graces Chicago this evening as Omar Vizquel, former Cleveland Indians icon and Gold Glove short stop, has signed a 1-year, $1.375 million contract with the Chicago White Sox.

This tips my Chicago Baseball Fan Scale, unfortunately toward the White Sox instead of the Cubs. As an Indians fan, it sucks to ever have to root for the White Sox, but whenever Vizquel is in the lineup, White Sox nation will be +1.

I think the White Sox could be a playoff team next year and this move .  Vizquel still has a little left in him and in this park and division he could start hitting a bit too.  His offense could kick up a notch as soon as his first game and his defense will never go away no matter who old he is.  Vizquel fits right in for the team and should do almost nothing but positive things for this club.  This is the kind of move you make to help make the playoffs.  He will bring a big resume to this team and they need that, he could be their best signing and his numbers shouldn’t double or anything big but he could do a lot for the offense and do a the small things right.  Vizquel still has it and will make it clear through the season.  Good Signing?: Yes

Reportedly, the White Sox are close to a one-year deal with the ageless infielder Omar Vizquel. He’d be a backup, which is fine. He may not be much with the bat nowadays, but his glove is still solid at both shortstop and third base (as he showed last year with the Rangers). He’s probably going into the Hall of Fame on the merits of his glove alone. Back in the day, he was considered one of the best bunters ever in the game of baseball and was actually a pretty good on-base guy with some speed. This may be his last season, and oh man, what a career he’s had.

Gonzalez -to-Sox report raises complex issues

Initial trade talks involving the White Sox, San Diego and the Los Angeles Angels would send Padres left-handed-hitting first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the Sox, first baseman Paul Konerko to the Angels and prospects to the Padres, SoxNet.net reported today.

Sox general manager Ken Williams has made no secret of his quest for a left-handed hitter, and a team source acknowledged last month that the club has had interest in Gonzalez in previous years. –Chicago Tribune

Terry Francona says Jason varitek embraces new role

The roster for next year still has significant holes that could take a while to be filled, but Red Sox [team stats] manager Terry Francona expressed satisfaction with one spot yesterday.

It sounds as though captain Jason Varitek [stats] has already made his peace with being the club’s backup catcher, a job at which Francona believes Varitek will be “unbelievable.” –Boston Herald

This continues a series of posts where I examine where teams stand this offseason position by position, what we can predict from them for next season at each position, and what free agents and trades the team may look into. Next up is the White Sox (I may limit this to the Central division. Or maybe I’ll do all of baseball. It’s a free country).

The White Sox were mostly terrible in 2009. You never quite know if they’re a 90 win team or an 80 win team, but they’re usually one or the other, at least since their championship season of so long ago (Goin on 5 years now). This year, their players got old, real fast. Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome, the stalwarts of the Sox’s monstrous 2006 offense, realized they cannot battle the ravages of age any longer. Kenny Williams has gone on record saying he won’t make any big free agent splashes, given his limited resources. Kenny does fib from time to time, but what can the Sox really expect for next year? Their offense is entirely depleted; only a completely resurgent Carlos Quentin can keep them from a Giants-esque showing offensively next year, it would seem. Luckily, their pitching looks to be marvelous, so let’s break down the Sox by position.

Catcher – A.J Pierzynski isn’t getting any younger, but the man can still hit .300 and be an above average, and quite durable, backstop. The Sox even have young Tyler Flowers to back him up, a catching prospect that hit .297/.423/.516 in the minors the past year, mostly at double A, but showing respectability at triple A as well. He’s 23; when does he take over for A.J for good?

If A.J. ends up murdered, the Sox have Flowers as a solution

1st base – Paul Konerko was a solid contributor for my fantasy team last year, in that I forgot to get a first baseman during the first few rounds and had to scrounge to find a somewhat resurgent Konerko off the scrap heap. He’s a below average first baseman at this point. But who can the Sox replace him with? Perhaps they could pluck Adam LaRoche or Hank Blalock out of free agency to reasonable contracts. Ryan Doumit via trade? The answer isn’t Mark Kotsay, that’s for sure.

2nd, 3rd, SS – The Sox have a bevy of options here, but not enough to really put forth a really strong infield. Mark Teahen adds versatility, I guess. But he’s kind of a black hole anywhere you put him, and Kenny seems to think he’ll be at third. Alexei Ramirez is a strong shortstop. Young phenom Gordon Beckham will apparently man 2nd next year; I worry jerking him around too much may cause B.J Upton – Joba Chamberlain type issues, but who knows, the kid will most likely hit regardless. Beyond that, you have Brent Lillibridge and Jayson Nix. They’re sort of young, and they’re both probably better than Matt Tolbert, but they shouldn’t start anywhere. What you have here is a wonderfully pedestrian infield. Teahen is bad, Konerko is meh, Ramirez is decent, and Beckham could be great, but maybe not as soon as next year. I also doubt Kenny looks to improve his infield much, as Ramirez and Beckham are young and established, Konerko hasn’t turned into a pumpkin quite yet, and Teahen is his valued trade acquisition.

Gordon Beckham: The only guy who can give this infield a shot at not being the Giants.

Outfield – Jermaine Dye likely isn’t coming back. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the Sox may have to resign Scott Podsednik one more time. And that Alex Rios would have to make a remarkable turnaround to make good on his outlandish contract. And that Carlos Quentin would have to rebound as well for this outfield to be worth mentioning. The upside is that Scotty Pods hits .300/.350/.380, Quentin becomes 2008 Quentin, and Rios becomes 2007 Rios (.297/.354/.498). The downside is Rios keeps underperforming, Quentin gets hurt, and Podsy gets designated for assignment. Combined with the averageness of the infield, that scenario could be frightening for Sox fans. Signing Mike Cameron? A great idea, but I doubt it comes to fruition.

Omnomnomnom
Silly Carlos stop eating bats and focus on why your OPS+ dropped 49 points last year

Starting Pitching:

Jake Peavy – Yes, good, you have this guy now. He dominated in his short time with the Sox, and frankly, he’s a dominating type pitcher. He’s no longer in Petco, and he doesn’t have much defense behind him, and he’s never pitched a season in the AL, but uhh.. I’m predicting an ERA in the low to mid 3’s, with tons of strikeouts, which is just fine in my book. He’s a good one to have.

John Danks – Also good, he’s been great the past few seasons. However, his home run rate rose dramatically last season, and his strikeout/walk ratio went south. These aren’t predictors of great success generally, but Danks will be just 25 next year; he won’t implode I wouldn’t think. Maybe some slight regression is in order.

Danks runs on dank ass drank

Gavin Floyd – After his 2008 season, which was about as lucky as they come, Floyd actually proved doubters wrong and had quite a 2009 for himself. His strikeouts went up, his walks went down, as did his hits/9 and his home runs allowed. His BABIP went up a sizeable amount, as well. He improved in every way a pitcher can improve. Is it because he threw more sliders and more changeups? Who knows. But Floyd and Danks have really flip flopped since last year at this time, when Danks was coming off the superior all around season, and Floyd had capitalized on a lot of luck.

Mark Buehrle – He’s going to be 31 next year. He’s thrown more than 2,000 innings. But why count him out just yet? His fastball last year clocked in on average at 85.7 MPH. That’s pretty close to what he’s always done. Yeah his FIP last year was the highest it’s been besides that weird 2006 season where Buehrle just sucked. But I think he can still be effective, particularly in the context of him not leading the staff anymore. He’s now a #4, and that’s about where he should be at this point.

Freddy Garcia and Daniel Hudson share this spot. Garcia was decent last year, and Hudson rose through the minor league ranks, showing great numbers at each stop. Clearly, the Sox don’t really need to upgrade their rotation when they have these options for their #5.

Bullpen:

Scott Linebrink – This guy was terribly unfortunate the past year. His BABIP rose from .267 to .372. That’s nothing short of remarkable, but tempered somewhat by Linebrink having his highest line drive rate since 2003 (23.7%), a year removed from his lowest, and most flukish, line drive rate in 2008 (17.8%) His strikeout rate improved in ‘09, so a regression closer to the mean, maybe somewhere around his career FIP of 4.07, will likely be in order for 2010.

D.J. Carrasco – A somewhat average, and already 32 year old, right hander, Carrasco posted a career best 3.46 FIP last year. So his decent 3.76 ERA was actually a tad unlucky, but then the White Sox don’t figure to be any better defensively next year. So Carrasco figures to continue his relative success of the past few years, relying on an above average walk rate and a spectacular home run rate (.48 HR/9).

Matt Thornton – Thornton is quite strange. He keeps getting older (He’ll turn 34 next season), and yet he keeps getting better, as well. His line drive rate last year was a solid 17.3% (19.6% in ‘08), but his BABIP nevertheless was a high .312, an increase over his 2008 BABIP of .276. He’s always been a ground ball pitcher. His ERA stayed about the same in ‘09, at 2.74, and his FIP decreased for the 4th straight year to a stellar 2.46 (Better than Joe Nathan’s). ‘09 was also his best year in terms of strikeout rate (10.82/9). So if Bobby Jenks struggles much coming back from his season ending calf pull last year, Thornton should get every opportunity to replace Big Bob, as he is already the better pitcher.

Hey I just established a new career high in k rate at the age of 33. Who wants HGH?

Octavio Dotel – As someone who has struck out 940 men in 770.1 innings during his career, Dotel should have had a more successful career. Injuries and a persistently high walk rate (5.20 last year) have kept him from being a storied closer. Regardless, he did strike out 10.82/9 last year, and limited his hits as well on the way to a tidy 3.32 ERA. However, of the relief pitchers for the Sox, only Dotel and Jenks had ERAs lower than their FIPs; an indicator of good fortune. Given the Sox dismal defense, normal luck should produce pitchers with ERAs higher than their FIPs. In other words, Dotel can’t keep walking more than 5 guys per 9 as he ascends into his late 30’s; his strikeout rate can’t save him forever.

Tony Pena – He’s not a bad guy to have around, as he has demonstrated good control, a healthy strikeout rate, and has been plagued by a very high BABIP ever since his fine ‘07 campaign with the Diamondbacks. He’s 27, and could certainly develop into a nice setup man in the near future.

Bobby Jenks – Another strange man, Jenks has remained quite fat since he burst on the scene in 2005. Back then, his fastball averaged a robust 97 MPH. Last season it stood at 94.8. That’s a decent difference, and could factor into Jenks’ now middling strikeout rate. His FIP last season stood at 4.47, a far cry from his glory days of ‘05-’07 when he posted FIPs of 2.69, 3.20 and 2.56, respectively. In ‘09, Jenks also posted his worst ground ball rate since ‘05, on the way to giving up a career high 9 home runs. He may be on decline, but a pulled calf doesn’t generally end careers, and Jenks is still just 28. He has the closer’s job until further notice, but obviously the Sox have a few good options to replace him if need be.

Faaaaaaat.

And through all of this, what I can gather is that Sox fans are in for another 90/80 win season. It really depends on whether the offense underperforms or if it  lives up to its upside with (Particularly with regards to Quentin, Rios and Beckham, although Konerko and Pierzynski need to prove they aren’t in the midst of serious decay at their age). Because the pitching side looks good, especially the starting staff.

By Wes French

Highlighting the sports scene in Chicago, one deep-dish slice at a time…

Barnum & Bailey & Noah

The Chicago Bulls are never too fond of the annual circus trip.  Hell, Joakim Noah didn’t even know why it was called the circus trip (It’s because B&B circus invades the UC every November).  This is the type of thing that would have sparked plenty of stoned/intelligence jokes and related them to just why the Bulls are so bad early in the season.  Thing is, Noah and his double-double average, including 12.4 rebounds/game to lead the league, to start the season have he Bulls more than optimistic about this year’s trip to the west.

The team earned a victory last night in Sacramento with great defense to close out the win.  The 1-0 start to the six game roadie is encouraging, especially given their early season woes with finishing games.  The same trend was their biggest problem last year, but it’s good to see them overcome their issues before they face actual western powers like the Lakers, Blazers and Jazz.  Up next is a date with Kobe, Phil and the rest of the lakeshow on Thursday night.

Hawks hoping to spill ink, not blood in the near future

The Blackhawks are up against the cap this season and that led many to believe they’d have to choose two of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith to sign, all upcoming restricted free agents.  GM Stan Bowman must be the magic man then, because reports out of TSN in Canada have the Hawks set to sign all three to long-term deals.  Toews and Kane, who have the same agent, would sign identical five year, $30 million deals and Keith would be inked to a Hossa-like 13 year extension.  If the reports are accurate Bowman did well for the organization, making sure they’ll be competitive for years to come.  It also means that now he really needs to start working.

Locking up the young core is great, but it means the team will be just over the cap with money committed to just 15 players in 2010.  Guys like Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, Adam Burish, and Niklas Hjalmarsson among others will all be free agents and it’ll be tough to keep just half of them even if Bowman can move Brian Campbell($7.9M/yr) or Cristobal Huet ($5.6M/yr).  Bowman has proven he has some magic in his talents with these reported signings, he’ll need to show it over the next nine months to prove it’s more than just smoke and mirrors.

Bear Necessities

Jay Cutler is who he is.  He is not a savior.  He believes he can fit a football anywhere, and will try no matter the situation.  He takes his anger out on officials.  Even when he’s falling down, he still won’t admit Devin Hester isn’t a suitable number one.  He wants to score touchdowns, not field goals and that’s where management wants to change him.  The Bears are trying to convince him three points are better than none.  Cutler leads the universe in Red Zone interceptions with five, including two in last Thursday’s six point loss at San Francisco.  Cutler seemed to be warming to the idea of settling for three during his press conference this afternoon.

“We’ve got to be careful with it.  If we have to take three points, we have to take three points…At the end of the day, if you get down there(redzone) you want to at least get three”.

The guy is a competitor and obviously wants to hit paydirt every time he starts a drive, but he’d better realize that three is worth it when the play isn’t there.  It’s one thing to say you know what’s right and another to throw the ball away on third and goal rather than forcing it between two or three defenders.  We’ll find out when the Bears host the up and down Eagles by the lake this Sunday.  Another awful performance on national television will end the Bears playoff hopes and really get the “who’s losing their job” rumors flowing, just in time for the holidays.

Luke warm stove report

Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, John Lackey and the rest of MLB’s free agents are ready to hit the market this Friday and things is Chicago are…quiet.  Neither team is expected to be a major player in free agency, but that didn’t stop one man from starting major rumors on the South Side.  A blogger reported that the White Sox were involved in talks that would send Paul Konerko to Anehiem, Adrian Gonzalez to Chicago and a combo of prospects from each team to San Diego.  The rumor was picked up by local papers and ESPN which gave it legs, but don’t waste your time.  This deal has almost no chance of happening because A) the Sox were linked to this rumor in August when Kenny Williams said they were told they didn’t have what it takes to get A-Gon and B) why would the Angels take Konerko and his $14 Million for 2010 and use their prospects to help Chicago get the best player in the deal?  The only way this happens is if Chicago includes Gordon Beckham.  I suggest you move on.

The Cubs are not the subject of any ridiculous rumors-yet-and have stayed out of the postseason news for the most part.  The Ricketts deal was news enough for a few weeks but soon people are going to wonder how they plan on filling the rotation, bullpen and moving that trouble maker Milton Bradley.  If they can’t find a taker through the GM Winter Meetings December 7-10 they may be hard pressed to find a taker at all.  I can’t wait until the talk goes from “Bradley is gone, no matter what” to “Bradley can totally turn it around with his old hitting coach Jaramillo in town”.

Priceless.

Tom Seaver turns 65 years old today.

‘Tom Terrific’ really put up some amazing numbers over the course of his career.  He was so good and so consistently at the top of his game that he took quite a bit of the spotlight from the game’s other great pitchers from that era. 

Deserving every accolade thrown his way, Seaver was a 3-time Cy Young award winner, a Rookie of the Year winner, a 12-time All-star, and a 1st ballot Hall of Famer.  His impressive resume includes 311 career wins, a 2.86 ERA, 3,640 strikeouts, and a 6.8 strikeout per 9 innings pitched ratio.

For Mr. Seaver’s birthday, I would like to give him a full career in a very small market area.  This is not a punishment; not at all.  I think that ‘Tom Terrific’ is the kind of dynamic player that can revitalize a city and a team’s fan base.  A city like Pittsburgh or Kansas City could have used Seaver’s power and rode on his back to glory!!

Happy Birthday Mr. Seaver!!!

If it wasn’t for the fact that Frank Thomas and his baseball cards were available during the 1990’s and beyond, I would certainly be a Frank Thomas player collector!!  For me, there is just too much to go after…

While my loyalty to Chicago sports stays on the South Side near Wrigley Field, I admire the incredible career that Frank Thomas put together.  He brought things to the sport that the Cubs always needed, and I wish he were on a team I cheered for so I could rally with him and his fans.

Still, ‘The Big Hurt’ is one of the greatest hitters from that decade and he was a huge reason that the White Sox became a relevant team again.

Here are the 2 1990 Score rookies I picked up for just twenty-five cents a piece…

I don’t go out of my way looking for Bo Jackson baseball cards, but when sifting through boxes and boxes of cards, it is inevitable that Bo and I will cross paths.  And when we do, I usually pause and recall a few memories of Bo in his glory days of playing baseball.

Usually I just stop for a brief moment and continue on.  Only 1 time prior to this one have I pulled out a few cards of Bo to buy. 

So now I have 4 Bo Jackson rookie cards in my collection. 

Here are the 2 that I got at the show this time around.

O’s lay groundwork for offseason

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail left baseball’s general manager meetings in Chicago on Wednesday and headed to Arizona, where he will convene the organization’s pro scouting department to discuss the club’s offseason options.–The Baltimore Sun

Chicago White Sox confident Gordon Beckham can make switch to second base

Gordon Beckham realizes his offseason just became a little shorter.
Beckham said Friday he’s prepared to make his second position switch in as many seasons after being informed that he will move from third base to second to make room for newcomer Mark Teahen. –Chicago Tribune

The oldest player to ever hit a Grand Slam was Julio Franco, who, on June 27, 2005, accomplished this feat at the age of 46 years and 10 months.

**factoid courtesy of ‘Armchair Reader – Grand Slam Baseball’

Here’s something for White Sox Nation to consider:  Why wouldn’t you bat Gordon Beckham  in the lead-off spot?  With nearly a full year of Major League experience under his belt, and accolades from his Rookie campaign starting to tumble in, the comparisons to other players have already begun.  Based on the latest decision by the White Sox to move Beckham from third to second base, and the comments from Sox GM Kenny Williams regarding  the way he first formulated and ultimately handled his decision to bring Mark Teahen over from Kansas City in exchange for fellow rookie and former Sox 2B Chris Getz and failed former  3B experiment  Josh Fields , it certainly appears that the White Sox have decided to build their current and future franchise around one of their best and brightest  talents. 

Aside from natural position (Beckham spent many years as a shortstop) shared, and the admiration that Beckham himself has voiced for a role-model of his own, the comparisons to the current Yankee great Derek Jeter  have already begun.  The hitting approach employed by Beckham is very similar in a swift and efficient stroke using all fields.  You will see Beckham rip a ball down the left field line in one at-bat, and later see him line one down into the right field corner in the same game.  He possesses power to go yard to any field and on any swing, but is more adept at plugging the gaps, making solid contact, and getting on base via extra base hits.  He isn’t the fastest runner, but has more than adequate baseball speed, meaning he can take the extra base, and score from 2nd on a regular single.  This is beginning to sound a lot like one of the most consistent and productive lead-off men in all of MLB wearing Yankee pinstripes. 

For a team that has been, and continues to be in search of  that elusive, consistent performing  bat at the lead-off spot like the White Sox are, it only makes sense that one of your best hitters should get an extra at-bat game after game like your lead-off slot will invariably receive being at the top of the order.  Especially in light of the prolonged and recent success of the Yankees, setting the table for big boppers coming in the middle of the order, has trumped the old adage that your lead-off man had to be a burner that can bunt for his base-hits and steal second in order to get in scoring position.  And in an age where the art of base stealing has seemed to have been lost with the retirement of Hall of Fame, and self-proclaimed “greatest of all time” lead-off man Rickey Henderson , maybe the answer for the White Sox search for the best man for the job is not in the Free Agent Market, but already in ink on their roster for many years to come.