Chicago White Sox trade Carlos Quentin to the San Diego Padres

The Chicago White Sox traded slugger Carlos Quentin to the San Diego Padres for prospect pitchers Simon Castro and Pedro Hernandez. Castro and Hernandez are decent prospects, and the White Sox are desperately in need of young pitchers.

Carlos Quentin has been an erratic, yet effective hitter. His best season with the White Sox came in 2008 when he hit 36 homers and 100 RBI. He also hit a career-high .288 in that season.

Throughout his career, Quentin has dealt with injury problems. He has never played over 131 games in a season. Each of the last four seasons Quentin has hit at least 21 homers. Last year in only 118 games, Quentin hit 24 homers.

At only 29 years old, Quentin could be an effective and affordable option for the Padres. The Padres have had one of the worst offenses in the league. Quentin could help change that.

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John Danks signs a $65 million five-year contract extension with the Chicago White Sox

The White Sox signed their best pitcher John Danks to a five-year $65 million contract. John Danks is not an ace, but he is a solid number two pitcher. He was very consistent from 2008 to 2010. In 2011, he had one of worst years. He had a horrible start to the season, but he bounced back in the second half. He had a 4.33 ERA and 1.34 WHIP.

The White Sox lost Mark Buehrle, their dominant lefty, to the Miami Marlins. Buehrle won 13 games last season. Since 2008, Buehrle and Danks had comparable numbers. If the White Sox let Danks go as well then they would literally have no good starters.

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Yankees sign Hideki Okajima to a minor league deal

Hideki Okajima signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. He pitched five seasons for the Boston Red Sox from 2007 to 2011. His best seasons came in 2007 and 2008. He pitched to a 2.22 ERA and 2.61 ERA in each year respectively.

Okajima is a lefty known for his awkward yet effective windup. The Yankees have needed a solid lefty for years. Damaso Marte and Boone Logan are two of the Yankees lefty relievers of recent years. Both have shown glimpses of success, but they are nothing more than mediocre. Okajima is a shot in the dark. He could be healthy and return to his past success. Or he could completely fail. The Yankees took risks last year with Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. They need to keep making these gambles to succeed.

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Red Sox trade outfielder Josh Reddick for Reliever Andrew Bailey

The Boston Red Sox pulled off a big trade that will bolster their bullpen. They traded a mediocre outfielder for an all-star caliber closer. Josh Reddick is a 25 year old outfielder coming off the best season of his career. In 87 games, he hit .280 with 7 homers. He is not a great player. He will not be a great hitter. However, the Oakland Athletics knew they would not be able to pay Andrew Bailey, their closer, when his contract expired.

Andrew Bailey has pitched for three years with the Oakland Athletics. The biggest risk with Bailey is injury problems. He has frequently had elbow and shoulder problems. However, when Bailey is healthy, he is one of the best pitchers. In his 2009 rookie season, he pitched to a 1.84 ERA and .88 WHIP and he saved 26 games. In 2010, he pitched to a 1.47 ERA and .96 WHIP. He saved 25 games last year. Last year, he saved 24 games, pitching to a 3.24 ERA and 1.10 ERA.

At only 27 years old, Bailey should be entering the prime of his career. The Red Sox lost their former closer Jonathon Papelbon to the Philadelphia Phillies. If Bailey stays healthy, he could fill in nicely for Papelbon.

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Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols?

Both Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols are spectacular players. There is no debate over who has had the better career (Albert Pujols), however, which player would you rather have your team sign.

Albert Pujols, the former St. Louis Cardinal, is arguably a top-ten player ever even at the age of 31. Prince Fielder is no where near that level. Even so, I would rather have Prince Fielder on my favorite team than Albert Pujols.

Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols were about even at the plate last year. In 162 games, Prince hit .299 with a .415 OBP and 38 homers.  His oWAR (offense wins above replacement) was 5.9. In 147 games, Pujols hit 37 homers with a .366 OBP and .299 average. His oWAR was 4.5. Last year, Fielder and Pujols were relatively similar.

Defensively, Pujols has a huge advantage. He is one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball. The two-time Gold Glove winner had a dWAR of .9 last year. Therefore, Pujols combined WAR was 5.4. Prince on the other hand, had a dWAR of -.7, and has never had a positive dWAR. His combined WAR for last year was 5.2. Therefore, Pujols and Fielder were nearly identical in performance last year.

Yes, Pujols has the edge in legacy and consistency. He has hit 40 homers six times in his career. He is a career .328 hitter as well. However, when teams pay for a hitter, they have to pay for future performance, not past performance. The St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed having Pujols, the best player in baseball, but they knew his performance would fall off over the next four years. The Anaheim Angels signed Pujols to a 10 year $254 million contract. Pujols will be 42 at the end of his contract. Pujols will be fine for the next five years, but it is silly to tie up this much money into a hitter in the second half of his career. The New York Yankees made the same mistake with Alex Rodrigeuz. A-Rod began breaking down around age 33. In 2011, at the age of 35, he only played 99 games. The worst part: he is signed until 2017.

Prince Fielder is only 27 years old. He almost certainly will not receive a contract offer of over 7-8 years. If a team signs him to an 8 year deal, he will be around 35 by the end of it. No matter what you are receiving 3-4 of Prince's best years.

Teams need to stop giving out mega-contracts to players over 30. Whichever team gets Fielder will be in a better position than the Angels.

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Is CC Sabathia the most consistent pitcher in baseball?

The New York Yankee's ace pitcher CC Sabathia is not the best pitcher in baseball, but he is a top ten one. He won the Cy Young award in 2007 with the Cleveland Indians. Since 2007, he has finished in the top five of Cy Young voting 4 times.

He wins games. Yes, wins are variable stat, but one can't ignore how consistent his totals have been. Every year since 2007, Sabathia won at least 17 games. He won 19 games three times in his career (2007, 2009, and 2011). His only season of 20 wins came in 2010.

Also since 2007, he has struck out at least 197 batters, including a impressive totals in 2008 (252 K) and 2011 (230 K). In addition, his SO/9 has never been below 7.4 since 2007.

Even with those impressive stats, CC Sabathia's most impressive feat is his durability. His career low in games pitched was 28 in 2006. In his eleven year career, he has averaged 34 games pitched a season. That's what makes CC Sabathia valuable. He doesn't get hurt. When the Yankees signed him to an 8 year deal in 2008, they knew they were getting a durable pitcher. After being plagued by busts like the fragile Carl Pavano and the aging Randy Johnson, they finally got a consistent pitcher.

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Carlos Beltran reaches a two year deal with the Cardinals

Matthew Leach of MLB reports the St. Louis Cardinals signed Calros Beltran to a two-year $26 million deal. Cardinals fans still have fond memories of when closer Adam Wainwright struck out Carlos Beltran, a Met at the time, looking in game seven 2006 NLCS. The Cardinals completed a major upset with that win, and went on to win the 2006 World Series.

Now Beltran will be joining the Cardinals. Even though Beltran does not play at the level he used to, he is still a very productive hitter if healthy. In 142 games last season, he hit .300 with 22 homer and 84 RBI. Plagued by injuries in 2009 and 2010, it was nice to see Beltran bounce back to a fraction of his former self. He never played over 81 games over those two years.

Beltran will provide a much needed spark for the Cardinals who lost their stud-hitter Albert Pujols to the Anaheim Angels. This time, Beltran will try to help the Cardinals win a championship directly not like in 2006.

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Nationals trade for Gio Gonzalez

The Washington Nationals are on a steady course out of mediocrity. They already had frontline starters Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg. Now they add another great starter. The Nationals sent prospects A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock, Tommy Milone, and Derek Norris to the Oakland Athletics for starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez.

Brad Peacock is one of the Nationals best pitching prospects. However, Gio Gonzalez is a proven starter. In 2010 and 2011 respectively, Gonzalez pitched to a 3.23 ERA and 3.12 ERA. This year, he won 16 games with one of the worst offensives behind him. He struck out 26 more hitters than in 2010. His SO/9 rate rose from 7.7 to 8.8. He was named to the all-star team in 2011.

The Athletics got some great prospects in the deal. They will not be competitive for at least 3 years, and by that time Gio would have hit free agency. They trade him at the height of his value.

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Texas Rangers win the right to negiogate with Japanese star Yu Darvish

The Rangers want YU! Ok, sorry for that overused pun. With a record bid of $51.7 million, the Texas Rangers won the right to negotiate with Japanese super-star pitcher, Yu Darvish.

Last year, Darvish posted a 1.44 ERA with 18 wins and 276 strikeouts in only 28 games. He has won the ERA title in his league twice. He has also struck out the most batters three times.

Most times Japanese pitchers do not successfully transition to the MLB. Former Japanese pitchers, Hideo Nomo and Takashi Saito had good careers. Daisuke Matsuzaka had two decent years for the Red Sox, but has regressed ever since. Matsuzaka was 26 years old when he played for the Red Sox in his "rookie" season. Darvish is 25 years old.

The contract the Rangers could give Darvish could be around that of C.J. Wilson's five-year $77.5 million. Why would the Rangers give up a solid pitcher like Wilson to take a risk on an unproven Japanese pitcher? Money. It's a gamble, but if Yu Darvish is even moderately successful, he will generate great revenue from Japan.

I hope this doesn't prove costly for the Rangers.

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Arizona Diamondbacks sign Jason Kubel to a Two-Year Deal

Jason Kubel and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a two-year $15 million deal reports Jon Heyman of CBS.

Jason Kubel is not a great player. He plays average defense. He has a little bit of power. Overall though he is not a stud player. In 99 games last season, he hit 12 homers. In 2008, Kubel hit 20 homers. In 2009, he hit his career-high of 28 homers. In 2010, he hit 21 homers. Kubel is a career .271 hitter that hit .300 in 2009.

The signing was a good move for the Diamondbacks who were desperately in need of more depth. In Arizona's hitter friendly park, Kubel could put up another 20+ homer season.

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Phillies Resign Jimmy Rollins

The Philadelphia Phillies resigned their own Derek Jeter. Jimmy Rollins, a free agent, looked like he was heading to another team, but the Phillies swooped in. The deal is reported to be $33 million over 3 years.

Rollins has proven his versatility and dexterity over the years. Since becoming the Phillies starting shortstop in 2001, Rollins has won three Gold Gloves and one MVP. In addition, he is a three-time All-Star at shortstop. In 9 out of 11 seasons, he has stolen at least 30 bases. In his 2007 MVP season, he hit .296 with 30 homers, 20 triples, 38 doubles, and 41 steals. In 2011, he hit .268 with 16 homers and 30 steals. Since his 2007 MVP season, Rollins' slugging percentage has gone down ever year except in 2011.

Rollins has regressed over the years, but he still is one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. His 2011 WAR (wins above replacement) was 3.7 with a .7 in dWAR (defensive WAR). Only twice, has Rollins had a negative dWAR, which probably was more of a fluke than anything else. Four times in his career Rollins had a dWAR over 1.

Even though Rollins has regressed and will continue to over the next three years, he is a fan favorite. He is the Phillies' version of Derek Jeter. He helped the Phillies win their first title since the 80's in 2009. Maybe Rollins will be able to spend his entire career in a Phillies uniform.

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The San Diego Padres Trade Pitcher Mat Latos to the Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds pulled off a big deal that landed them one of the best pitchers in baseball. According to ESPN, the Reds will send Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, and Edison Volquez to the San Diego Padres. Mat Latos will be the number two pitcher behind Johnny Cueto, and Bronson Arroyo, Mike Leake, and Homer Bailey fill out the rest of the rotation.

Latos pitched to a 3.47 ERA and a 1.184 WHIP in 2011. In 2010, he finished 8th in Cy Young voting. He had a 2.92 ERA in 2010. For the past two seasons, Latos has had a SO/9 over 8 (9.2 in 2011 and 8.6 in 2010). Although Latos only won 9 games in 2011, he will win many more with the stronger Cincinnati Reds.

Yonder Alonso, an infielder, and Yasmani Grandal, a catcher, are both acclaimed prospects and were the major players the Padres traded for. Edison Volquez has been inconsistent over the past three seasons, and has been unable to overcome many injuries.

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Colorado Rockies sign Michael Cuddyer

Just a day after the Minnesota Twins signed Josh Willingham to a three year deal, the Colorado Rockies signed Michael Cuddyer to a $31.5 million deal according to MLB.

Cuddyer's power potential goes up in Colorado. He hit 20 homers in 2011. Cuddyer is one of the most versatile players in baseball. He has played all three positions in the outfield, and has improved his throwing speed, making him a great right fielder. His good arm could save countless runs. Cuddyer has also played both corners of the infield, first and third base.

Although Cuddyer is better than Willingham, the Twins could not afford Cuddyer.

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Minnesota Twins Sign Free Agent Josh Willingham

The Minnesota Twins signed Outfielder Josh Willingham to a three year $21 million deal. With Michael Cuddyer likely leaving, Willingham will replace much of Cuddyer's level of production. While Cuddyer is a more consistent hitter, Willingham offers more upside. Cuddyer has hit at least .271 for the last three seasons, and hit a career high .284 this year.

Willingham hit a career-high 29 home runs this past season, but his average was a putrid .246. The thirty-two year old outfielder has hit twenty plus home runs in four of the last six seasons. Willingham has played his last three seasons with the Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics; both of these teams have pitcher-friendly parks.

Target Field, the Twins' stadium, favors pitchers, but with Willingham's success for the A's and Nationals, he should continue posting twenty plus homers a season.

The Twins still need to bolster their starting staff and relief core, but adding Willingham solidifies the middle of their lineup.

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Mark Melancon traded to the Red Sox

The Houston Astros sent Mark Melancon to the Red Sox for short stop Jed Lowrie. Mark Melancon, a former Yankee reliever, saved twenty games last year for the Astros. He had a 2.78 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

Melancon probably will not be closing for the Red Sox in 2011. He could add much needed depth to the Red Sox bullpen.

Jed Lowrie was a former number one draft pick for the Red Sox. He has always been a streaky player that hits for contact.

Although the trade is not going to have major effects, each side has the potential for upside.

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Milwaukee Brewers to Sign Third Baseman Aramis Ramirez

The Chicago Cubs lost their third basemen Aramis Ramirez to the Milwaukee Brewers. Ramirez was with the Cubs for eight seasons after being traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The deal is reported to be $36 million over three years with the bulk of the money in the last two years.

Ramirez is a veteran third baseman who has been fairly consistent over his career. He has hit at least 20 home runs in nine seasons and at least 30 homers in four seasons. After a poor statistical season in 2010 in which Ramirez hit .241, he bounced back in 2011. He hits .306 with 26 homers.

Will Milwaukee get the 2010 Ramirez or the 2011 Ramirez? At only 33 years old, Ramirez still has the potential to continue his success. Only this time, he the friendly confines of Wrigley Field will not be so friendly for Ramirez when he is in a Brewer's uniform.

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Top Six MLB Teams in Need of Hitters and Pitchers this Off Season

The Angels improved both their offense and their defense by signing Albert Pujols (left) and C.J. Wilson (right).

6. New York Yankees- Once again in 2011, the NY Yankees had an explosive offense. They were second to only the Boston Red Sox in runs score. However, Derek Jeter, SS, and Alex Rodriguez, 3B, keep aging. Adding a quality hitter for the future may secure the Yankees' offense. The Yankees had a patch-work rotation featuring Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon. The Yankees resigned righty Freddy Garcia, but he is only a fourth or fifth starter at best. Ivan Nova has the capabilities of a number two, but we still how to observe his development. Look for the Yankees to look to trades to add an ace, possibly the Mariner's Felix Hernandez.

5. New York Mets-With the departure of Jose Reyes, the Mets desperately are in need of hitting. Prince Fielder would be the obvious choice, but the Mets will be reluctant to spend.

4. Boston Red Sox- The Red Sox could use some relief help after the Philadelphia Phillies signed Jonathan Papelbon. With the possibility of Daniel Bard moving to the rotation, the Red Sox could really use a dominant relief arm.

3. Minnesota Twins- The Twins are in need of relief help with Joe Nathan leaving. They could also benefit from a high quality backup catcher in case Joe Mauer injures himself again. Pitching, which allowed 804 runs, was also a weak spot for the Twins.

2. Texas Rangers- The Rangers lost C.J. Wilson to their division rival Los Angeles Angels. The Angels made big splashes in free agency. Texas needs to keep up, and should add a lefty starter to replace C.J. Wilson.

1. Chicago Cubs- The Cubs lost out on the Albert Pujols sweepstakes. However, they have shown interest in Milwaukee Brewer's first baseman, Prince Fielder. Fielder is best hitter available and could definitely hit balls over the ivy of Wrigley Field.

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You can't trust anyone these days: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers, Fails PED Test

ESPN reported that Ryan Braun tested posted for performance enhancement drugs. Braun is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in which he hit .332 with 33 home runs. His stellar performance even earned him the N.L. MVP award.

Braun is disputing the test results, but theses tests have shown to usually be very accurate. His best option is to do what Andy Pettitte did a couple years ago and fully confess. If he takes responsibility right away he'll gain some of public's respect. For baseball fans, it's guilty until proven innocent. Can I say that Braun definitely took performance enhancing drugs? No. Am I fairly confident that he did? Yes.

I support the admission of steroid users before MLB began its investigations. In the 1990's and early 2000's, many players used performance enhancement drugs. Their use may have been unethical, but the league did not strictly prohibit. Now that PED use has officially been condemned by MLB, players have no excuse today. With the increased testing, more players are not using these drugs. Thus, those who are using the drugs have a significant advantage over their peers. For example, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens both probably used steroids, showing that both hitters and pitchers used the drugs. The balance of play was adjusted. During 2011, Braun could have gained a significant advantage over clean pitchers.

I really hope that the tests were a mistake. Part of me really wants them to be. I used to be a big fan of Ryan Braun, but now I do not know how to interpret his achievements.

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C.J. Wilson

C.J. Wilson agreed to a five year $77.5 million with the Angels. Wilson spent his first five years as a reliever for the Texas Rangers. In 2010, Wilson finally became a starting pitcher.

Over the past two seasons, Wilson has helped the Rangers win the AL pennant. In 2011, Wilson pitched to a 2.94 ERA in one of the best hitter's parks in baseball.

Now Wilson will join one of the deepest rotations in baseball. After signing Wilson, the Angels arguably have the best rotation baseball. Now the Angels have a triple threat of Dan Haren, Jered Weaver, and C.J. Wilson.

Albert Pujols vastly improves the Angel's lineup. In a quiet off-season for the Yankees and Red Sox, the Angels have made big improvements.

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St Louis, please don't denounce Albert Pujols

The Angels splashed into the free agent frenzy by signing both Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on the same day. Many Cardinals fans have criticized Pujols' decision to leave. But the Cardinals' fans need to remember the great things Albert Pujols did for the time.

He gave them eleven seasons of excellence. He hit at least 30 home runs, 99 RBI, and 173 hits. His .328 batting average is highest among active players.

The three time MVP led to the team to three pennants and two World Series titles. When the Cardinals need to win a game in the 2011 World Series, Pujols led the Cardinals to victories with 3 home runs.

The Cardinals made the right decision by not matching the Angels' offer, but many fans blame Pujols. Yes, Pujols damaged his legacy by leaving St. Louis. But that doesn't mean the fans should forget the memories Pujols provided. He is a once in a generation player who handled these negotiations with class. The Cardinals were lucky to get more than a decade's worth of production out of him.

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Aggressive Marlins Ink Mark Buehrle

Each of the Marlins free major free agent signings, Heath Bell, Jose Reyes, and Mark Buehrle, improved a different need. Bell will be rock solid in the ninth. Reyes improves the Marlins offensively and defensively. Now the Marlins have a solid number two pitcher in Mark Buehrle. 

The Marlins and Buehrle agreed to a $58 million four-year deal. The veteran lefty won 13 games last season with a 3.59 ERA.

Buehrle has pitched consistently well over his career. Since 2001, he has won no less than 10 games. Despite giving up many hits (led the league in hits allowed in '05, '06, '08, '10), Buehrle still manages to be a great pitcher. With only 2.0 BB/9, Buehrle rarely puts men on base through wildness. 

This was the third of a series of major signings by the Marlins, but it certainly won't be the last. Could C.J. Wilson be next?

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Marlins offer a ten year deal to Pujols

Reports surfaced  that the Miami Marlins offered Pujols a tenth year. The contract would be for at least $200 million and possibly as high as $220 million. No one should be giving Pujols more than 6 years.

Is Pujols the best player in the game? Yes. However, Alex Rodriguez was just like Pujols. No one imagined A-Rod's rapid decline, however, the Yankees are stuck with him nonetheless.

A-Rod has six more years and $123 million left on his contract.

For Pujols, a ten year deal would end when he is 41 years old. That's the same year A-Rod's contract ends. A-Rod is only 35 years old, and his contract is a detriment to his team. Teams should learn from the Yankee's mistakes. Don't sign players to contracts over 6 years.

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Marlins are legit and they know it

Heath Bell? Jose Reyes? Maybe even Albert Pujols? Raise your hand if you were expecting the Marlins to be this active?

Sure, the move to Miami opens the team to a larger market. However, when (and if) attendance and TV ratings rise depends solely on the quality of the team. The Marlins finally recognize that. The Marlins have had nice teams before especially considering they have won the World Series twice (1997 and 2003). Besides a few standout guys like Gary Sheffield in 1997 or Pudge Rodriguez in 2003, the Marlins were never a flashy team. They were never the Yankees, Mets, or Red Sox.

And despite the fact that the Marlins were actually better than the Mets over the the last decade overall, the Mets continually had higher attendance rates. Granted, much of the Mets' success resulted from their big market, but much of it also resulted from "flashy" players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez, and Pedro Martinez.

Now that the Marlins are in a large market, they finally are spending. After inking superb closer Heath Bell and franchise-player Jose Reyes, the Marlins are proving to their fans that they can be "flashy."

Maybe they will sign Pujols next?

The Marlins are ready to join the big spenders. Let's hope the fans attend their games.

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