Kuzul

C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett are the only current locks in what looks to be a very shaky rotation for the Yankees in 2011.

Assuming that Andy Pettitte retires, the Yankees could be in for a long season in the Bronx.

The Yankees entered the New Year thinking that their rotation would be rounded out by the likes of Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre—far from a solid back of the rotation. It’s difficult to gauge how Nova will pitch, as it’ll be his first full season in the league and Sergio Mitre has never really been a productive starter.

To combat the shakiness of the rotation, the Yanks have signed both Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. The team hopes that Colon and Garcia can regain some of their early to mid-2000’s form, where each starter won his share of games.

Colon’s first full season was in 1998 and he was a very consistent hurler up until the 2006 season. Through 2005, he had won 20 games in a season twice, 18 games four times, 15 games six times and had an ERA under 4.00 six times.

The two seasons since 1998 that he didn’t win 15 games were in 1998 and 2001. 

Guess how many games he won in those campaigns: Fourteen.

Colon enjoyed his best season in 2005 with the Angels, when he pitched to a 21-8 record with a 3.48 ERA in 222.2 innings. He racked up 157 strikeouts. Colon won the American League Cy Young Award that season, beating out Mariano Rivera by a whopping 50 points.

To say there was a drop off after 2005 would be a significant understatement.

Since his award winning campaign, Colon has earned just 14 wins with an average annual ERA of 4.89; to go along with his 14 wins, he has compiled 21 losses.

His struggles in 2006 came after missing most of the season after right shoulder soreness and inflammation, resulting from a partially torn rotator cuff that he suffered in a playoff game against the Yankees in 2005.

In 2007, his last season with the Angels, Colon took a few trips to the disabled list and started just 18 games. In 2008 with the Red Sox, he started just seven games and was cut from the team after attending to “personal matters” in the Dominican Republic and deciding to stay. 

After starting 12 games for the White Sox in 2009, he sat out the entire 2010 season.

Freddy Garcia burst onto the scene in 1999, compiling a 17-8 record in his rookie season with the Seattle Mariners. He achieved varying levels of success through 2006, winning 14 or more games five times, pitching over 200 innings seven times and compiling an ERA under 4.00 four times.

Garcia, a pitcher who has been prone to giving up the longball throughout most of his career, has always had a reputation of being a pitcher who can win games while also giving up a moderate amount of runs.

His highest ERA, through 2006, was 4.53. Despite the high ERA, Garcia was successful; he won 17 games that season and pitched 216.1 innings.

After his strong showing throughout most of the decade, Garcia dropped off the face of the baseball world until last season. From 2007-2009, he won just five games in 23 starts. His average annual ERA during that stretch was 4.83.

He spent much of the 2007 season on the disabled list with a shoulder injury; he sat out the 2008 season until August and didn’t receive a call to the bigs in 2009 until June.

Garcia essentially resurrected his career last season. He started 28 games for the Chicago White Sox and earned 12 wins with a respectable ERA of 4.64.

The Yankees hope to maximize production from the back end of the rotation, and having Colon and Garcia can’t hurt. The signings are low-risk, high-reward and didn’t cost the Bombers much money. 

If either of them should falter, the Yanks will have Nova and Mitre waiting in the wings. Plus, there is always a possibility that GM Brian Cashman pulls off a trade.

The Yankees are expecting more from Garcia this season, so anything received from Colon will be a huge bonus.

If Pettitte returns, then the Yankees rotation suddenly gets rather deep. Pettitte would slide into the third spot, then a healthy and effective A.J. Burnett would give the Yankees a deep front four. Any level of production from the fifth spot would then be a bonus. 

If such is the case, then the team would be thrilled if Garcia could match his 2010 level of production. 

We’ll just have to wait and see though, and thankfully we won’t have to wait too long.  Spring Training is just around the corner.

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If anybody has got it made in the game of baseball today, it’s Albert Pujols.  He is currently the hot topic of debate in the newspapers, on websites, on television, and even in conversation.  He’s currently entering the final year of his current contra – as if you all didn’t already know that – and he’s contemplating on taking his unmatched skill elsewhere.

Pujols has declared that he will not negotiate a contract extension with the Cardinals after the onset of Spring Training, and has said that he will use his no-trade clause to veto any potential trades that may be executed midseason.

Even if the Cardinals don’t entice Pujols with what he feels is a respectable offer prior to the season, they are far from out of the hunt.  Frequent big money spenders like the Yankees and Red Sox are currently not in the market for a heavy hitting first basemen, as they have Mark Teixeira and Adrian Gonzalez, respectively.

Although Gonzalez is not currently under contract for more than this 2011 season, it is assumed around the league that the Sox will retain him for most of the near future.

The Cardinals would most likely have to compete with the Cubs (Carlos Pena is only under contract for this season), Blue Jays (you never know with Alex Anthopolous), Dodgers (if they part with James Loney), and Angels (if Kendry Morales shifts to the DH position). 

Pure speculation on my part, as other teams will surely be in the mix.  From the teams mentioned above, I see the Angels with the most legitimate shot at Pujols, but again, pure speculation.

If Pujols was smart, though, he’d stay right where he is in St. Louis. 

He has that city in the palm of his hand.  Albert Pujols is a baseball god to Cardinals fans, fans who are very educated about their past baseball heroes.  If he continues his career in St. Louis, he could realistically lead the franchise in just about every career offensive category.

That’s saying something.  There have been tons of great players in Cardinals history, and to be considered amongst them is a true honor.

Even though they may be expecting somewhat of a home town discount, the Cardinals will stay pay Pujols a large chunk of change.  Although he’s never had a reason to be hated, accepting a smaller contract to play for his current team would only boost his popularity.

Baseball needs another one-team superstar, and being one of them would enhance his popularity even more.  Players today just don’t stay with one team anymore, as they are always interested in “testing the market.”  Money speaks in today’s game and hopefully Pujols chooses not to listen.

As good as Pujols is, and he’s really good, there is always an adjustment period when playing for a new club.  Optimistically, he’d love for those new team jitters to get played out in Spring Training, but you never know what could happen. 

Realistically, it won’t lead to that much of a drop in his production because, well, he’s Albert Pujols, but fans love to see newly acquired players produce.  If he stumbles out of the gate, he may be in for one heck of a tenure with his new team.

Do I want Pujols to stay? Yes, I most certainly do.

Do I think he will?  It’s very tough to gauge it at this point.

He seems very serious at this point, and a serious player is a dangerous player.  Look out for Albert this season, as he’s motivated and playing for that next contract.

As if pitchers needed to worry any more about him.

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Managers always preach that the intangibles are what win games.  Simple things like running out a ground ball, hustling on a weak pop up, fielding a ground ball and stealing a base in a big spot are all things that a manager wishes everyone at his club could do.  Unfortunately, everybody can’t.  That’s why these players are so valuable.

I would first like to start with three players who, I feel, deserve some sort of recognition.  They failed to crack my Top 10, yet they are deserving of something. 

David Murphy (Rangers), Trevor Crowe (Indians) and Jamey Carroll (Dodgers).  Their respective managers can count on them to do whatever they ask.

Although a regular starter on the American League Champion Rangers last season, David Murphy figures to be relegated to a bench role this season.  The signing of Adrian Beltre has since shifted Michael Young to the full time DH position which leaves Murphy as the odd man out.  No big deal, though.  Manager Ron Washington will find ways to get Murphy into the game, whether it be for late game defense, a pinch hit, or even a pinch run.  Murphy is still a vital piece to the Texas Rangers.

Yeah, I know what you’re all thinking. Somebody on the Indians is useful?  Trevor Crowe is a player that almost any team would love to have.  Crowe can play any position in the outfield, and he can cover a lot of ground.  Not only is he fast, he is a go-getter.  Crowe runs out every ball he hits, and he never takes a break on defense. 

He was somewhat of a regular last season due to the injury to Grady Sizemore, and he performed pretty well in the full time role.  He hit a respectable .251 with 2 homers, 36 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.  That kind of speed coming off of the bench this season will be a huge asset for the Indians in what looks to be another disappointing season.

Finally, Jamey Carroll.  Carroll played all over the field last season, appearing in 133 games for the Dodgers.  He played second base mostly, with appearances at shortstop, third base and even left field.  He put up a very respectable .291 average, with 23 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in just 351 at bats.  He may not have blinding speed, but he hustles and is as steady as a defender as they come.

And now, to the Top 10.  

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Alex Anthopolous took over the General Manager position of the Toronto Blue Jays on October 3, 2009 from the publicly ridiculed J.P. Ricciardi. 

He inherited a team in complete disarray; the Jays had failed to reach the postseason since 1993, the same year that they defeated the Phillies in the World Series. 

Anthopolous has plans to change that, and he plans for it to change sometime around 2012.

The Jays have made headlines since the hiring, due in large part to great free-agent signings and trades. 

Anthopolous began his flurry of transactions in November 2009 with the resigning of the sure-handed John McDonald. 

The next day, he signed veteran shortstop Alex Gonzalez.  Gonzalez proved to be worth more to the team later on in the season when the trade deadline was approaching.

In December, Anthopolous began to restock a depleted farm system.  He pulled off a major blockbuster, sending ace Roy Halladay to Philadelphia for three top prospects in catcher Travis d’Arnaud, right hander Kyle Drabek, and outfielder Michael Taylor. 

Taylor was then sent to Oakland for highly touted third base prospect Brett Wallace.  Wallace was later sent to the Astros for outfielder Anthony Gose. 

To cap off a busy day for Anthopolous, he signed veteran backstop John Buck to a one-year deal.

This was just the beginning, however. 

Later on in the month, the Jays sent fireballing reliever Brandon League to the Seattle Mariners for another fireballer, Brandon Morrow.  Morrow, although inconsistent, gave the Jays another young arm to add to their already young staff. 

After a quiet January, Anthopolous brought in veteran reliever Kevin Gregg to close games.  This capped off a busy first offseason for Anthopolous.

Early on in the 2010 season, Anthopolous signed Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria to a four-year, $10-million contract.  Hechavarria figures to be a large part of the Jays’ potential successes in 2012. 

Anthopolous acquired Fred Lewis from San Francisco a few days later.  Lewis became a spark plug at the top of the Jays lineup. 

He hit a modest .262 in 2010, with 8 homers, 36 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.  Toronto chose to let him walk after the season, however, allowing him to sign with the Cincinnati Reds.

In July, Alex Gonzalez proved his true worth to Toronto.  He was sent to Atlanta for right hander Jo-Jo Reyes and shortstop Yunel Escobar. 

Escobar seemed to be wearing his welcome out in Atlanta, and Anthopolous took advantage of this by trading for him while his value was relatively low.  The youth movement in Toronto was continuing to take shape.

Anthopolous began his second offseason by acquiring catcher Miguel Olivo from Colorado and outfielder Rajai Davis from Oakland. 

Anthopolous completed two trades with the Brewers in as many days, first acquiring Carlos Villanueva in exchange for a player to be named later, and then trading ace Shaun Marcum for highly touted prospect Brett Lawrie.

2011 began with the low-risk, high-reward signing of relievers Octavio Dotel and Chad Cordero.  But, Anthopolous’ made his most genius move to date a little over a week ago. 

Anthopolous traded the highly overpaid and notorious free swinger Vernon Wells to the Angels for catcher Mike Napoli, a free swinger in his own right, and outfielder Juan Rivera.  Nobody is quite sure how he managed to unload such a contract, but he did it.

Napoli has since been shipped to Texas for reliever Frank Francisco.  Although many will say that Napoli would have had more value to Toronto than Francisco does, we have to remember:

Anthopolous essentially received Francisco and Rivera for Wells, a player who was holding the team back from spending big on free agents.  The money freed up by trading Wells will only help Anthopolous reach his goal.

The Jays figure to contend in the near future when prospects like Drabek, number 12 on MLB.com’s list of the Top 50 prospects, Gose, Hechavarria, and Lawrie, number 28 on the list, hit the majors. 

Without the genius of Alex Anthopolous, the Jays would not be in the position they are today, a position that has Jays fans waiting anxiously for 2012.   

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