Kuzul

Early Tuesday morning, Cliff Lee made a surprising announcement that he would be returning to Philadelphia with the signing of a five year, $120 million contract proposed by the team Monday night. This announcement left the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers still looking to add a starting pitcher to their rotation.

Lets start with the Yankees.  Throughout the Winter Meetings and the offseason as a whole, the Yankees have shown little to no interest in acquiring right-hander Zack Greinke from the Kansas City Royals, as they already have three right-handed starting pitchers in the rotation.  It is also highly unlikely that Tampa Bay will be willing to deal Matt Garza to New York because of being in the same division.  So what is left for them?  Carl Pavano is a right-hander who also would not be a strong fit in the rotation, same thing with Brandon Webb.  Jeff Francis could likely end up as the next target on the Yankees radar if no other intriguing deals arise in the near future. 

Jeff Francis however, is definitely not who the Yankees were targeting as the season came to an end.  Francis has a career record of 55-50 in six seasons in the big leagues.  In that time, he has only recorded 603 strikeouts, with a 4.22 earned run average, and only two complete games in that span.  Should the team look to invest in younger talent, they could also look towards Andrew Miller. 

Miller was a pitching phenom while at the University of North Carolina and was a highly-touted prospect coming into the majors. He has had a few disappointing seasons, with a career record of 15-26 with an ERA of 5.84.  This would be a risk, but still a small possibility for New York.

Now for Texas.  The Rangers have C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis, Scott Feldman, and Tommy Hunter returning in 2011.  They are in the same situation as the Yankees as well.  With three right handers in the rotation already, the team is looking for a left hander to replace Lee.  Sources have said that the team does not have much chance to land Greinke, but there is a possibility of them working out a deal to acquire Matt Garza from the Rays.  Should this not work out they could possibly look into Pavano and Webb and go with a rotation featuring four right handed pitchers.  Another possibility is prospect Derek Holland.  Holland started ten games for the Rangers this season posting a 3-4 record with a 4.08 ERA. 

New York will be hurt the most with this announcement as C.C. Sabathia is their only proven pitcher and lone left hander in the rotation at this point.  However he is coming off of knee surgery and will be tested in the beginning of the year to see if this surgery has altered any mechanics in his delivery.  A.J. Burnett posted a 5.26 ERA in 2010 and Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova are both only 24 years of age heading into the season.  The Yankees could be scrambling to find another left handed pitcher to fill the void left with Lee’s announcement. 

Both teams are now left with three right handed pitchers in the rotation and now must look to plan B to complete their starting rotation.  Watch for some deals to be made in the next few weeks as both teams will be trying to complete a deal sooner rather than later. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Free agent Carl Crawford signed a monster deal yesterday with the Boston Red Sox.

Crawford signed a seven-year, $142 million deal, a huge move for Boston who recently traded for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

With Crawford off the market, who will be the next big name free agent to sign?

Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting that the New York Yankees have offered starter Cliff Lee a seven-year deal. The Yankees originally had a six-year deal worth roughly $140 million.

After the seven-year deals Jayson Werth and Carl Crawford received, teams do not have much of a choice but to offer Lee the same type of deal.

Lee has been on the Yankees radar since the midpoint in the regular season and they are not about to let their top priority get away from them, especially since the Red Sox locked up Carl Crawford.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has reported that Lee will sign with a team by Sunday.

Also around the league, the Baltimore Orioles are working on a trade for shortstop J.J. Hardy, and the Milwaukee Brewers are trying to improve their pitching staff by signing Carl Pavano.

The two sides have yet to reach an agreement as the Brewers do not want to sign Pavano past two years.

Also in the National League, the Chicago Cubs have reportedly contacted the Tampa Bay Rays about pitcher Matt Garza, according to ESPN Chicago.

There are plenty of big moves being made and still some big names available. Expect a few signings and trades over the weekend.

Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter, ESPN Chicago, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

You don’t need to tell Chicago Cubs fans how long it’s been since they won the World Series. The 2010 season was another forgettable summer for the Cubs, but there are players available that can help them improve for 2011.

One of those players is Carlos Pena, who the Cubs signed on Tuesday. The Cubs need more power in their lineup and a better infield defense, and Pena will help them in both areas.

The Cubs could also use help in their pitching rotation, especially in their bullpen. The Cubs have had a respectable payroll the last decade, but they need to start spending money more wisely.

Now let’s look at five free agents who could help the Cubs return to the postseason in 2011.

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According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Brewers GM Doug Melvin confirmed that the Brewers were one of the teams that met with Carl Pavano and his agent, Tom O’Connel, on Tuesday.

Melvin was rather tight lipped about the meeting saying, “I don’t want to get into anything other than we met with him.”

According to most, Pavano is considered the next best remaining free-agent starter after Cliff Lee and that’s not saying much. This year’s free-agent class is practically devoid of impact arms and probably the next best one, Jorge de la Rosa, has already re-signed with the Colorado Rockies.

If the Brewers are serious in their pursuit of Pavano, they will have competition. There have been multiple reports that the Minnesota Twins are making a strong push to re-sign the 34 year-old right-hander. There have also been reports that the Washington Nationals have serious interest as well. I would assume that their interest may diminish if they are able to pry Cliff Lee away from his other suitors.

Many believe that Pavano and his agent are seeking a three-year deal in the $30-$40 million range. For a pitcher with a lengthy injury history like Pavano’s, the risk with that type of deal is enormous to a team like the Brewers.

The Brewers have been through this before. This stinks a bit like that massive failure that was Jeff Suppan. If Melvin is serious and spends that kind of money on Pavano, he needs to be prepared for the backlash he will receive from Brewer Nation.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

According to ESPN.com, the Minnesota Twins are making a “serious push” to re-sign Carl Pavano.

Pavano has spent the last year-and-a-half in the Twin Cities after being acquired from the Cleveland Indians in 2009.

Last season Pavano stepped up as a top-of-the-rotation starter for the Twins, going 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA.

Pavano has drawn interest from other teams besides the Twins this offseason, including the Washington Nationals and the Florida Marlins.

Pavano, a Type-A free agent, declined arbitration from the Twins and would give them two compensation draft picks in the 2011 MLB draft should he depart.

It comes as something of a surprise that the Twins are such heavy players in re-signing Pavano. They already have Liriano, Baker, Blackburn, Slowey and Duensing under contract for next season. The Twins also have Kyle Gibson waiting in the minors for an opportunity.

Pavano should be able to demand close to $10 million per season on his new contract. What may be a sticking point for the Twins is the third year that Pavano wants. If Pavano is willing to accept a two-year deal, the Twins should pull the trigger.

This signing may allow them to package a couple of their other starters, and possibly make a bigger splash with a trade. Zack Greinke is a possibility—though not a likely one, as Kansas City is unlikely to trade within the division.

The Twins may be feeling pressure to bring back Pavano after the big splashes already made by the Chicago White Sox (Adam Dunn, re-signing Paul Konerko) and the Detroit Tigers (Victor Martinez).

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The MLB Hot Stove is in full swing, and a number of significant moves have already been made at the Winter Meetings. That said, there will still be plenty more action before the winter is over, as a number of teams still have glaring needs on their roster.

Looking to the National League, the Nationals already made a splash signing Jayson Werth, but who will be the next NL team to pull the trigger on a big signing?

Here is a look at the biggest needs of all 16 NL teams, and who they could sign to fill the needs among the remaining players on the free agent market.  

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.  With the Jayson Werth deal signed, sealed and delivered, and the Adrian Gonzalez trade done (with the extension to be announced later), the entire baseball world is wondering where Cliff Lee will sign.

Lee’s agent Darek Braunecker today met with the various teams interested in Lee. Braunecker met with New York Yankee and Texas Ranger officials. There was even talk the Boston Red Sox met briefly with Lee’s agent, probably just to keep tabs on what the Yankees are up to.

Anyway, the domino theory is very much in play. Unless guys are offered what is now called “Jayson Werth-type” deals (that means out of their mind contracts in terms of years and money), lots of people are going to wait to decide until after Lee signs.

I have spoken with various people on the floor—including Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, Bill Madden and countless others. I do not like to deal in rumors, but I generally like to ask opinions and then offer my own thoughts.

Some thoughts are met with a “that’s interesting” or “that’s possible,” while a few were met with a quick “never happen.”

Everybody has a story and an idea, but here is what is being discussed now.

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The rumors are flying in the already steaming Major League Baseball hot stove.  With the Winter Meetings starting today, many free agents are sure to find new homes in the upcoming days and weeks.

But where will they end up? The answer is not as sure for some as it is for others. 

With the outlandish deal given to Jayson Werth, the uncertainty of this offseason has dramatically increased. After more major players sign, the dominoes are sure to fall. Here are 10 of the most coveted prizes of this offseason, their possible suitors and where they will end up. 

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Most of the Hot Stove headlines in Major League Baseball will go to the big-ticket free agents that have landed on the open market. Prudent teams, however, can often make major improvements to their rosters by targeting less-heralded players in free agency.

Given the big-money nature of MLB salaries in the 21st century, it’s hard to argue that any free agent signing is a true bargain, but when looking at players from a cost-to-production perspective, second-tier free agents can frequently pay big dividends.

While the focus will undoubtedly be on the negotiations teams hold with Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth and Adam Dunn, there are a myriad of other options more cost-conscious teams should explore during this 2010 free agent season.

Here I’ll go through 20 players who will fly under the Hot Stove radar, but could be bargain producers for teams in the 2011 season. This only covers a subjective sampling on my part, but be sure to chime in if you think a potential bargain signing was overlooked.

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Carl Pavano is a fascinating example of the relationship between expectations and performance.

The 12-year major league veteran has pitched for 5 teams and earned over $47 million throughout the course of his career. There have been seasons in which he looked poised to become an ace (like in 2004 when he went 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA and made his first All-Star team with the Florida Marlins), and there have been seasons in which he looked like he might have to retire from baseball (like in 2008 when he only managed to pitch 34.1 innings with a 5.77 ERA while with the New York Yankees).

It’s like watching Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Is he an ace, or is he garbage?

The answer, it seems, is that Pavano’s performance largely depends upon which team he is pitching for. Take a look at his career ERA at his last three extended stops (ignoring the 125 innings he threw for Cleveland in 2009).

Florida (2002-2004): 3.64, 485.0 innings

New York (2005-2008): 5.00, 145.2 innings

Minnesota (2009-2010): 3.97, 294.2 innings

That seems like a rather unusual career path. Even in his five years as a young, up-and-coming pitcher for the Montreal Expos, Pavano’s ERA was still a respectable 4.83 over 452.2 innings. Why would a player who seemed on the cusp of stardom suddenly forget how to pitch once he got to New York?

The truth is that some players simply can’t handle the limelight and constant media attention that comes with playing in a big market city like New York, Boston, Chicago, or Los Angeles. There’s an intense amount of pressure to live up to expectations, which in Pavano’s case included a four-year, $38 million contract. Yankees’ fans expected Pavano to pitch like an ace and he crumbled, suffering countless injuries and setbacks (including missing the entire 2006 season) and managing only a meager nine wins in his four seasons in pinstripes.

Yet, once Pavano relocated to the small market haven of Minnesota, he reestablished himself as a major league pitcher. Now he’s a free agent again and on the look out for the last multi-year contract of his career.

Big market clubs better beware, though. Pavano doesn’t pitch so well when he’s sweating under the heat of all the cameras and lights focused on him.

What other players struggle to perform underneath the spotlight? Here’s a list of the top 10 riskiest free agents for big market teams.

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