2011 Major League Baseball Free Agent Look/Breakdown
Check in with Capperspicks.com all MLB Betting season for the best baseball betting and gambling tips all season long. Here we go with a recap/review of the the BIG offseason moves in Major League Baseball for the 2011 season.
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AL EAST
Baltimore Orioles
The O’s main squeezes were two big guys with loopy swings and a couple pitchers that might end up being useful. Baltimore wanted C/1B Victor Martinez, and that didn’t happen, but they did grab sluggers Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds from the National League. Lee is long in the tooth at 35, but he’s a consummate vet that will come up with some big hits, worst case scenario. Reynolds can hit a ton of home runs, but he’s also going to strike out at a record-setting pace. If he could regain anything like his 2009 form (44 dongs, 102 RBI and 24 steals) he’d be worth the Ks (pun intended). The O’s also took a flier on Justin Duchscherer and Kevin Gregg, from Toronto.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox grabbed everyone’s attention this off-season, there’s no doubt about that. After bagging elite free agents like 1B Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego, OF Carl Crawford from Tampa Bay and bullpen pieces like Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler, Boston is clearly trying to swing the division’s balance of power in a hurry. If the players that were oft-injured in 2010 (Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia, we’re looking at you) can stay on the field, the chowdah-eatahs should be in fine shape this coming season.
New York Yankees
The Bronx Bombers went all-in going after P Cliff Lee and failed. True, they re-signed a couple vital in-house vets (Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera) but also over-paid for C Russell Martin and P Rafael Soriano, who will be no more than a set-up man with Rivera around. Veteran hurler Andy Pettitte has retired, so there are a ton of questions on the mound after C.C. Sabathia, which means the Yanks must lean heavy on their explosive offense. It wasn’t the best off-season for GM Brian Cashman and Co. Where’s George Costanza when you need him?
Tampa Bay Rays
After losing cogs like Crawford, Soriano, P Matt Garza and slugger Carlos Pena, the Rays are trying to re-create some early 2000s magic with acquiring former Red Sox Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. Newsflash: they are both very old. The saving grace for Tampa is that its farm system is often stocked, so they have players to plug into the spots vacated by their stars. Also, Evan Longoria – one of the best all-around players in baseball – hasn’t gone anywhere. If Damon and Man-Ram can put up a little production and put some butts in seats at Tropicana Field, the acquisitions won’t be a total loss.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos has a clear plan, and is sticking to it, and is doing a great job doing so. The whippersnapper got the L.A. Angels to eat OF Vernon Wells’ massive contract, avoided over-paying for C John Buck and got some pieces for the future in dealing P Shaun Marcum to Milwaukee. The Jays grabbed a committee of players to vie for the closer’s job (Octavio Dotel, Jon Rauch, Frank Francisco) and a solid, if unspectacular, everyday OF in Rajai Davis. The Jays now have money to throw at powerful 3B Jose Bautista, if that’s the direction they want to take.
AL CENTRAL
Chicago White Sox
The Pale Hose’s biggest off-season addition is a big man who swings a big stick – Adam Dunn from Washington. Only Albert Pujols has more home runs than Dunn since 2004. Chicago usually opts for an offensive strategy that can clear the bases with one swing of the bat; that formula continues with grabbing Dunn. Chicago also signed 1B Paul Konerko to a three-year deal – it would be weird seeing Konerko in any other uniform. Jesse Crain, the longtime Minnesota Twins vet, is a versatile bullpen guy, if slightly overpaid.
Cleveland Indians
It has been quiet on the shores of Lake Erie this winter. New GM Chris Antonetti didn’t make any profound moves this off-season, opting instead to see how certain players bounce back from injury and how certain youngsters, 1B Matt LaPorta, OF Michael Brantley et al., make strides in 2011.
Detroit Tigers
The front office went loco in MoTown this winter. They out-bid Baltimore and Boston for the services of fantastic hitter Victor Martinez. Paired with the lethal Miguel Cabrera, that is an extremely potent meat of the order. Detroit also nabbed P Joaquin Benoit from Texas, who had a great year with the Rangers in 2010. Starting pitcher Brad Penny has been up and down, and is kind of fat, but the 32-year old might still have some gas in the tank. Suffice it to say, manager Jim Leyland and GM Dave Dombrowski are not looking to win later.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals lost a large chunk of starting pitching with Zack Greinke, Brian Bannister and Gil Meche all jetting. KC did grab 30-year old Jeff Francis from Colorado, but it’s debatable whether he can regain the form he had seasons ago. Ultimately, Kansas City is re-building wholesale (it seems like we say that a lot) and is waiting for stud prospects like 3B Mike Moustakas to gradually make an impact. It probably won’t be a pretty 2011 in Kauffman Stadium.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins have excellent talent, and weren’t in the need for much tinkering. There are questions: last year’s middle infield of Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy must be replaced by Alexi Casilla and Japanese import Tsuyoshi Nishioka, for instance. But the Twins are banking on 1B Justin Morneau to respond well from his concussion issues and re-signing P Carl Pavano was a key, if not flashy, move. Minnesota lost some bullpen strength also with Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier gone, but the back end of Matt Capps and Joe Nathan is very good.
AL WEST
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Our Orange County representatives are hoping they can squeeze every drop out of expensive OF Vernon Wells, acquired from Toronto for Juan Rivera and Mike Napoli. The Angels owe Wells millions upon millions of dollars thanks to goofball former Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi, but he does bring the offense Anaheim sorely needs. Gone also are the aging Hideki Matsui and longtime bullpen guy Scot Shields. Former Blue Jay Scott Downs and former Met Hisanori Takahashi will also help in the ‘pen. Yet you can’t help but observe that the Angels spent a lot of money on not a lot of players.
Oakland Athletics
The A’s grabbed veteran Matsui from division rival Anaheim. He’s not a world-beater anymore, but he is a nice fit at the DH position. Oakland also added a nice duo of outfielders with Josh Willingham and David DeJesus. Throw in relievers Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour, and it was a pretty damn productive winter for the other Bay Area team. Oakland has a young batch of starting pitchers, so beefing up the bullpen was absolutely necessary. Nice work, Billy Beane.
Seattle Mariners
Nobody’s pulling a Kurt Cobain in the Pacific Northwest – we hope. For any of Seattle’s off-season moves to appear insightful, DH Jack Cust must start bopping dingers at his 2008 rate instead of his plodding recent production. The Mariners also acquired middle infielder Brendan Ryan from St. Louis – who can grow a good moustache, if nothing else.
Texas Rangers
Nolan Ryan and every other Rangers fan had to wince when Cliff Lee left for what he saw as greener pastures in Philly this winter. Vlad Guerrero is old, so losing him isn’t the end of the world, and with Jeff ‘Frenchy’ Francoeur off the pay-roll, front office will be able to see through their vale of tears. Looking to the positive, 3B Adrian Beltre is coming off a career season and improves Texas’ defense also. Texas re-signed franchise cornerstone OF Josh Hamilton to a two-year deal. The Rangers are rolling the dice by counting on P Brandon Webb for steady innings in 2011, but who knows? It might pay off.
James has been naming every player on the EA Sports NCAA video game rosters for half a decade now, he’s finally putting his knowledge to better use writing for us here at CappersPicks.com. As always you’re comments are welcome below…Give Us Your Take!
