San Diego Padres Signing James Shields Affects Teams All Over the MLB

How James Shields Signing with the Padres Can Impact the MLB

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Stephen Drew Asking Price Way Too High

Free agent infielder Stephen Drew has yet to make much headway in terms of finding a new home in 2015. This is nothing new for him as last year he did not sign until May 21st when the Boston Red Sox decided to bring him back. The deal they inked was worth a little over $10 million, the same amount he apparently expects to make in 2015.

Drew is absolutely kidding himself if he believes his value is $10 million. Unfortunately there’s a good chance someone will get desperate like the Red Sox did last year and give him the money.

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In 85 games split between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees, Drew hit only .162 last season. Considering the Red Sox traded him to their bitter enemy, they must have really wanted him out of Boston.

Drew is a lifetime .256 hitter. Not since 2010 has he had a truly productive season. The 2013 season was not bad, but was certainly not worth getting paid $10 million the next.

Likely Drew will hold out too long and find a home due to a spring training or early season injury. The amount hopefully does not meet his need for greed.

Is A.J. Pierzynski a Gift to the Atlanta Braves or a Stocking Full of Coal?

The Atlanta Braves have signed catcher A.J. Pierzynski, a deal officially announced at a deli by manager Fredi Gonzalez. Maybe Gonzalez was hoping the man behind the counter would let him stick his fingers into the slicer.

We know the troubles Pierzynski has had as recently as last season. Often voted the meanest player of all of sports, I’m wondering if him coming to the Braves is a gift because they were good boys this year or Santa’s vengeance is in a fury.

The Braves already seemed pretty secure at the catching position before bringing in Pierzynski. Catcher turned outfielder Evan Gattis can still man the space between the plate and umpire. There’s also Christian Bethancourt  who was originally slated to be the starter. Pierzynski’s official role has yet to be seen and this may just be an alternative in case Gattis is traded and/or Bethancourt struggles to hit above the Mendoza Line. It’s still too early to tell.

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We forget the Braves are still a generally young team. Freddie Freeman is only 25-years-old and appears to be a capable leader for the future. For a guy like Pierzynski, who comes off as stubborn and a little tainted in terms of the culture he brings to the locker room to join the Braves causes me to question whether this was in any way a good decision. Even if he was a great player, why risk it?

Veteran catchers are almost always available through free agency. Why the Braves thought the most controversial one available was the way to go makes me question why they bothered to go with someone who has very little to offer at this point.

Kris Medlen Signs with the Kansas City Royals on the Cheap

College debt, the outrageous price of the so-called affordable healthcare, and that monthly winter electric bill are just three of the financial woes a lot of us have to deal with.

Of course, you may be one of the smart ones who skipped college, rely on home remedies for health ailments, and you heat yourself by always being sick with a fever.

For pitcher Kris Medlen, a lifestyle like this is likely never in his future. Professional athletes make plenty, but in contrast the new contract he was given today by the Kansas City Royals was a cheap one.

Medlen will be earning $8.5 million over the next two seasons to pitch for the Royals. The low contract has less to do with his performance and much more to do with the fact that he missed the entire 2014 season due to an injury. Typically when there are questions about player’s performance in the immediate future, like missing an entire year, they won’t be getting overpaid in the least bit and in this case might make a little less than they should.

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Medlen’s record since 2012 is 25-13. He also happens to have a minuscule ERA of 2.47 over the two seasons he played in. He has shown he can pitch well even when asked to take the mound for 30 starts in a season. However like Brett Anderson, who was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this week, injuries are the reason why teams are hesitant to commit.

Prior to joining the Royals, Medlen had spent his career with the Atlanta Braves. In 2012, he actually finished 20th in the National League MVP voting with a 10-1 record and 1.57 ERA. Splitting the season as a starting pitcher and relief pitcher, he remained successful enough into 2013 to earn this two-year deal with Kansas City.

Since the Royals are likely to lose James Shield and are in some serious need of a top pitcher to replace him,  I like the Medlen-risk. He’s making such little money that they could easily go out and pay another arm to become the team’s number one starter while holding onto hope Medlen becomes a very good number two.

The best case scenario would be Medlen having another season like we know he can with double digit wins and an ERA hovering around 3.00. Based on the history of other players who have had Tommy John Surgery, the operation Medlen had last season, I have enough faith that he will be a big contributor to the defending American League Champion Royals in the next two seasons.

After that–the Royals may be glad it was only a two-year deal.

Kansas City Royals Upgrade Outfield By Signing Alex Rios

Starting in right field for the Kansas City Royals in 2014 was Nori Aoki. By no means a poor season, what he severely lacked was power. Aoki hit only 1 home run all season. From a position like right field, this is unexpected and a little disappointing.

Not that anyone was in Las Vegas making bets on how many home runs Aoki would finish the season with. The Royals had him for speed and singles; two things he provided them throughout the year.

Since they had enough of the skills Aoki brought in other places on the roster, the Royals decided to let him walk and leave a hole in right field. Today they filled it by giving Alex Rios a one-year $11 million contract.

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In terms of power, Rios is impossible to predict. He averages around 17 home runs a season, however, last year he only had 4. This happened on a team that has traditionally put up good power numbers too thanks to the way the ball flies in the summer heat for everyone on the Texas Rangers. Kevin Elster‘s 24 home runs in 1996 immediately come to mind–however tainted they may or may not have been.

Rios is not a guy who will win a home run title. In a Royals’ lineup nearly void of power, they should be thrilled if he can hit 20.

Together with Alex Gordon in left field and Lorenzo Cain in center field, the Royals now have a very speedy outfield that can disrupt any pitcher even if he has a prescription for Adderall. Combined in 2014 these three had 57 stolen bases. Rios brings 17 of them which just happens to be the same number that Aoki had.

Like the way Melky Cabrera performed for the Royals in 2012, I expect big things from Rios in 2015. He will be 34-years-old on opening day with the knowledge that if he does well it can seriously change his future. A bad year for Rios and suddenly he may have to settle for another one-year contract worth far less than he actually deserves. A good season and he could be getting paid until he’s almost 40.

Not that I believe Rios’ only motivation is money. He’s going from the worst team in the American League last season to one that came 90 feet short of possibly setting up for a great comeback in the World Series. He has plenty of reason to perform his best.

After adding Kendrys Morales to replace Billy Butler and now adding Rios to take over for Aoki, the Royals are letting the world know they don’t intend on making the trips to the World Series a distant memory.

Four More Years in Yankees’ Pinstripes for Chase Headley Means What for the Franchise?

Questions about whether Alex Rodriguez can do anything for them in 2015–or if they even want him to, the New York Yankees decided it was best to cut a deal with third baseman Chase Headley. The deal with Headley will keep him in Yankees’ pinstripes for four more years. This is the length of time a president serves in the White House. This is more than twice as long as the time between each Christopher Nolan Batman movie. This is an infinity times the length of every middle school relationship in history.

Headley is not the premiere player he once was. And when I say once I literally mean once.

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The 2012 season for Headley was a one time thing. He hit 31 home runs and had a league leading 115 RBIs. In each season before and after, Headley has barely cracked the teens in home runs and has failed to even reach 70 RBIs. He’s Scott Brosius paid like Scott Rolen.

A generally weak bat, which for some reason is still regarded as a good one, Headley does have one thing going for him: he can pick it at third base.

Only awarded the Gold Glove once when in 2012 he seemed to become a deity, Headley has consistently pulled in some good numbers when it comes to fielding. Last season he committed only 8 errors and had a .975 fielding percentage at third base split between the Yankees and the team he started his career with, the San Diego Padres.

The deal is a good one for Headley as he will make a ton of money and should have every opportunity necessary to succeed. He’ll be a big part of a brand new infield sans Derek Jeter for the first time in almost two decades. Although not one of the most experienced veterans on the team, it’s likely Headley takes on a leadership role at some point.

For the Yankees, this is a step in the wrong direction. Four years for a generally unproductive third baseman for an already weak team makes me believe they are trying to fill holes with whatever they can. No longer is this a team that has free agents asking “How high?” Two championships since the end of the Y2K scare at the end of 1999, moves like this are going to be the best the Yankees can do.

Who Signs Korean Shortstop Jung-Ho Kang?

Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang, or Kang Jung-ho depending on what part of the world you are from, will be the latest Asian important to the United States arriving with the mission to play some baseball. Since he will be coming here after the Winter Meetings when several teams have already solidified their shortstop, there are fewer options for him to consider.

Nevertheless, plenty of teams around the MLB still need a shortstop. Where will he go?

We can immediately count out teams like the New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, and others who have already picked up a new shortstop, have an already established superstar, or currently employ a surplus at the position.

The immediate answer to the question of where Kang goes is the New York Mets. Playing in New York, they have money to spend. Wilmer Flores is also not a dependable everyday player so it’s up to the Mets to take a risk on Kang.

There are additional reasons to like him other than what he can do for your team in the standings. Kang brings in a new audience for whichever team he signs for. We have seen in the past how a foreign-born player can increase the fan-base significantly with people whose ancestors, or they themselves, hail from the same country. Kang to the Mets or anywhere else means more Korean fans in the stands. This equals more money even if he’s a bust.

And we know how much money matters even in a game.

Take for instance in the NHL where Latvian-born Zemgus Girgenson leads in the All-Star voting despite not being the best player. We have seen similar trends in the NBA when guys like Yao Ming received more votes than anybody else just because they had an entire nation headed to the ballots in their favor.

Not that I believe the Mets or any other team should sign Kang specifically for the promotional benefits. This is just one of those intangibles to also consider when teams begin to make excuses as to why he’s not worth the investment.

Two other teams interested in Kang are the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants. Both have their abundance of an Asian community and I see Kang being a good fit in both places from that standpoint. From a strictly baseball stance, he would be a fool to sign with the Athletics. The defending champion Giants are a much better option and have a lot more going for them. Let’s not forget Kang is already 27-years-old. By the time the A’s are good again, his best days may be over.

Unlike most shortstops in baseball today, Kang is known for his power. He won the league’s MVP Award last season in the Korean Baseball Organization with a .354 batting average, 39 home runs, and 115 RBIs. It should be noted, the KBO is known for being an offense-oriented league. So assume these are the numbers he would put up at Coors Field if the Rockies were to ever trade Troy Tulowitzki.

Kang will post as early as tomorrow and the bidding can begin for his services. He’s the perfect age to jump right into a team ready for a pennant race. It will just be a matter of him making the right decision on what organization he would like to be a part of.

The 2015 Projected Lineup for the Chicago White Sox Looks a Lot Better with Melky Cabrera

Who would have guessed the Chicago White Sox could potentially be the best team in the American League Central in 2015? The way things are going, they have a realistic shot.

The White Sox added Melky Cabrera today, giving them one of the most well-rounded outfields in baseball.

Along with Cabrera the outfield will include the speedy singles hitter Adam Eaton and the young slugging Avisail Garcia. This is far different than the outfields they had on opening day in recent years with the Dayan Viciedo-level players headed to the bench or to a new city.

Not perfect, this lineup only lacks a catcher and second baseman. We can’t expect them to improve in these areas too greatly and they may not actually need to do a thing about to remain competitive. The top part of this lineup is already so good they can get by with a little less offense at the bottom.

I still do believe on paper the White Sox are a little short when compared to the Detroit Tigers. At the same time, the Tigers seem to always win less games than we thought they would then fail in the playoffs. They will have one less Max Scherzer this season and Miguel Cabrera is spending his offseason recovering from a bone spur in his foot. Woes for the Tigers are growing.

Since the Kansas City Royals haven’t done a thing to get better, the Minnesota Twins remain in the distance, and the Cleveland Indians’ top acquisition was Brandon Moss–I’m liking the odds the White Sox currently have.

It would be a crime for me to not at least make some mention of this starting rotation. Chris Sale, Jeff Samardzija, and Jose Quintana are a very good 1-3. They may actually end up better than the David Price/Justin Verlander/Anibal Sanchez trio in Detroit.

The White Sox are going to make 2015 matter and it starts with how in one month they changed the direction of the team. They’re not adding players for the sake of filling roster spots. They see their time might be right now and are doing what they can to not waste a day.

Are the Atlanta Braves Trying to Contend Or…What Are They Doing?

During the 1990s and into the early 2000s it was almost a guarantee to see the Atlanta Braves capture the National League East. They were so dominant nobody else seemed to stand a chance against them.

All good things do come to an end. The Braves eventually slipped into a more routine trip to the playoffs where they actually had to battle to get there.

The roster they had for 2014 appeared to be one worthy of challenging the Washington Nationals. The Nationals ended up being far better and the Braves finished tied in second place with the New York Mets at just below .500.

Since the pulse I have on the Braves is not as strong as it is with other teams, I’m not really sure how their fans feel or what the culture has become about the future. From what I gather, they are mostly interested in building a playoff team ready to debut when the new stadium opens. Until then, they don’t really care about the record.

Based on the moves they have made this offseason I’m even more confused. The Jason Heyward for Shelby Miller deal was fairly even and helped them fill a need in the starting rotation. At the same time, they lost a starting outfielder which has since been replaced by free agent Nick Markakis.

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So, in regards to these two moves assuming everything evens out, the Braves are trying to improve for 2015. If so, why all of the trade rumors about Justin Upton and Evan Gattis?

Not to mention–although I will to open up the possibility of being called a hypocrite–the Markakis signing doesn’t quite fill into the plans to contend in 2017 when SunTrust Park opens. By that point Markakis will be 34-years-old and far less effective.

A bit under the radar, the Braves also let starting pitchers Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy go as neither was tendered through arbitration. The decision to let them go, particularly Medlen, was not so easy. The breaking point seemed to be Medlen’s inability to stay healthy throughout his career. Two Tommy John surgeries in the last 4 years has made him far less valuable even though he was great in 2012 and still very effective in 2013. Missing the entire 2014 season due to injury sent a sign to the team that paying him anything to come back was a waste of their time.

I think right now the Braves are at best a team that gets eliminated from the playoffs somewhere around September 20th. They could definitely finish above .500, but it’s still no guarantee. The offense looks much better on paper and even their best pitchers have a few questions marks. Julio Teheran could be anything from the next Cy Young Award winner to the next Mark Fidrych; no offense to “The Bird.”

The aggressiveness so far this winter, no matter what the plan, is something to commend. Not trying at all is far worse than making moves even when you know they are not enough.

Based on the Markakis signing, I’m beginning to believe this team is not done yet and may plan on adding at least one more new face to the roster.

Torii Hunter Calls It a Career and Signs a One-Year Deal with the Twins

Why Torii, why? You could have made your last season of baseball so much more important. Instead, you chose to be sentimental and earn a couple extra bucks.

Late news came in tonight that outfielder Torii Hunter has signed a one-year $10.5 million deal with the Minnesota Twins. This is the team he came up with. This may even be the team he one day coaches for. He certainly seems to hold the organization in high regards since he went there for what will likely be another season at the bottom of the American League Central.

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It hurts me to see someone like Hunter stick around baseball for another season which will have very little meaning. He gave me one of my more unique autograph collecting tales. I cannot help but love him because of the memories.

I thought Hunter would have been a better fit somewhere like with the Kansas City Royals. My instincts tell me no one else was willing to pay him $10.5 million for a season so he decided to take the deal that would best help his great-grandchildren get through life slightly easier.

As much as I hate the decision, I’m glad Hunter is going somewhere he clearly wants to and gets to end his career on his terms.

Good for you, Torii. Show those kids up in Minnesota how to actually play some baseball.