Well baseball season is over. The plucky San Francisco Giants are World Champs. The Curse of Coogan’s Bluff (post to come) has been excised. Enjoy it for a year, Gigantes because, unless you are thinking repeat, a curse will be back next year. Likely one involving recently cut World Series MVP Edgar Renteria. Ugh. I can’t believe I just had to write that.
But with the end of the season, we now turn to the off-season. That’s right. The old Hot Stove League. Because there are some pretty interesting free agents this season that are likely to move around this season, I thought I’d take a stab at seeing where a few of them will land. The rankings are provided by espn.com’s Keith Law in his top 50 free agent column. Some of the rankings are highly dubious so I am only going to do the top 15 and then a couple other notable guys. When I look back at this in February I am hoping for somewhere close to 25%. I am that rock-solid with these predictions. New Teams are in Red.
1. Cliff Lee - YANKEES. Really is there any doubt?
2. Carl Crawford – ANGELS – LAA of A are a big market team that had a rare off year last season. They will make a splash by grabbing the best position player available.
3. Jayson Werth – RED SOX – I am tempted to go Yankees here but I think that would mean dumping Nick Swisher so I will go with the Sawk whose outfield was a MASH unit this year. Werth will knock doubles off the monster all season and blend in nicely with the rest of the surly Sawk fans. Besides if he signs with the Yanks he will have to go back to looking like this. No one wants that.
4. Adrian Beltre – RED SOX – Beltre was shockingly good last season. Sawk will overpay to retain his services and he will drop down to his usual averages next year.
5. Victor Martinez – TIGERS – This seems to be the consensus online because V-Mart will also serve as DH.
6. Adam Dunn – CUBS – Dunn refuses to play DH. Cubs will give him a chance to play first which he did decently for the Nats last season.
7. Carl Pavano – TWINS – Remember when this guy was a joke? Dude went 17-11, 3.75 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4.8 K/9 last season for the Twinkies. They won’t let him or his killer 'stache get away.
8. Jorge De La Rosa – RANGERS - Not really sure about this guy. If his contract is reasonable, I think he stays with the Rockies. But because pitchers contracts are rarely reasonable, he will be on the move. Rangers are in need of a Cliff Lee replacement. Jorge will not be it.
9. Andy Pettite – YANKEES – Or he retires. Just like last year and the year before that. Favre anyone.
10. Jake Westbrook - CARDINALS - Seriously, Keith Law? Jake Westbrook is the 10th best free agent available?? This class is top-heavy as hell. Westbrook is one of those Cards pitcher that does better than expected with Dave Duncan and usually stink elsewhere. If he knows what is good for him, he stays.
11. Hiroki Kuroda - METS- To be honest, I know almost nothing about this guy even though he’s been playing for three seasons. He seems decent enough with a poor track record for health. Sounds like a typical Mets signing to me. Although this costume makes me like him more.
12. Paul Konerko –WHITE SOX—I think he had too good of a season for the ChiSox to dump him. Would like to see a young Orioles team chase him but I think he stays put.
13. Derek Jeter – YANKEES – As much as I would love to see Jeter end his career as a third baseman for the Rockies, this jabroni ain’t going anywhere. Post script I love Lyla Garrity and she could do much better.
14. Orlando Hudson –NATIONALS – Nats need a warm body for 2B and O-dog need to join his sixth team. As a Nats fan, I’d be fine with this move. Anything is better than Adam Kennedy.
15. Aubrey Huff – GIANTS – They took a flyer on him last year and he came through big time (1 yr/3 m K; .290/.385/.506, 26 HRs, 86 RBIs, 7 SBs). It would be seriously bad karma to dump him after he was the leader in that clubhouse.
Notable Others
17. Rafael Soriano – ANGELS- Halos need a closer. Fernando Rodney will not cut it. Soriano is the best available. Go west, young man.
18. Mariano Rivera – YANKEES- Please even though he is old (40!), he’ll be back.
19. Manny Ramirez – ORIOLES – This one was the toughest for me. Have no idea who will still give him a shot. Has to be in the AL so he can DH. Unlikely to be for a team he previously played for. While I don’t really love this move for the O’s (ManRam is a dick), he could be a nice compliment to the Os young hitters if he starts hitting again. Manny stats at Camden Yards: .314/.419/.554 18 HRs, 76 RBIs in 91 games. Not too bad.
28. Vlad Guerrero – RANGERS – Had a good season when everyone thought he was done. He’ll be back in Arlington next year.
30. Carlos Pena – NATIONALS – Nats need a replacement for Adam Dunn. Pena needs a place where there will be as few people as possible to watch him strikeout. Match made in Mendoza line heaven.
32. Derrek Lee – RAYS– DLee is close to done. With a lot of first basemen on the market this year, he is near the bottom of the list. Rays will offer him a tiny contract to play some first and maybe DH. He should take it because old people are supposed to move to Tampa.
33. Kerry Wood – CUBS – The prodigal son returns. This time as a set-up man.
44. Lance Berkman – BRAVES -- How the mighty have fallen. Sir Lancelot’s HR totals have gone from 45 to 34 to 29 to 25 to 14. Not sure why but I think the Bravos take a flyer and are rewarded with a bounceback season. Overall a good fit for Bam Margera's fatter older bro.
Alright, GMs. Prove me wrong. Prove me wrong.
I have that ManRam baseball card!
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