So while I was out, (I wasn't really out just didn't post) there was some pretty big news in baseball.
- Pat Burrell signed for 2 years $16m with the Rays. He will primarily play DH as his defense isn't up to snuff for the Rays. He provides the Rays a big bat, albeit extremely streaky, that they need. If Crawford is healthy, Upton and Longoria keep improving, and Pena keeps it up that's a pretty potent lineup with Burrell behind all them. Burrell made $14m last year and was worth $12.6m according to fangraphs. If he repeats his hitting performance, playing DH will help his value as he won't be giving away runs in the feild, he should be worth well over what he is getting paid. Things really couldn't fall in line better for the Rays. They needed a bat yet couldn't afford a big one, bada bing bada boom the market sucks and Burrell falls in their lap cheaper than Raul Ibanez, who woulda thunk it
- Jason Giambi is on his way to Oakland. Seems as though it is for one year between $4m- $4.5m with an option for $5.5m. All along people speculated as if this would happen, and it did so it's no surprise. The real surprise may come in September when Oakland is 3 games ahead of the struggling Angels for the division lead. Giambi has been overpaid about every year he has been on the Yankees since his first two, but for this money he'll be great for Oakland. Daric Barton once part of the amazing steal for Mark Mulder, now doesn't have a spot and may have a tough time shedding the bust label.
- The Mets offered Derek Lowe 3 years for $36m, and it was rejected. Lowe isn't like Manny he should have suitors from several teams and the Mets may have low balled him like they did to Vlad in 2003. They are also in talks with another Boras client Oliver Perez.
- Andy Pettitte rejected the Yankees $10m offer. Andy had a worse 2008 than he did 2007, but he's still an above average pitcher and durable innings eater. It won't kill the Yankees to give him say a $14m offer, still a small paycut from his $16m last year. If Pettitte does worse than he did last year (unlikely given his great FIP although with the Yankees defense it'll always be lower than the actual ERA, maybe why they wanted strikeout pitchers, definitely why they wanted strikeout pitchers) he'll still be better than what Kennedy or Hughes can give. The way the Yankees are set up I think I'd take 200 dece innings from Pettitte over a potential great 120 innings from Hughes, and Kennedy can just fuggedaboutit
- Manny is still hanging around, no closer to signing than he has been all year. The Giants are now interested, but how much is anyones guess as no offer has been made yet. I think the Giants should just get him for 2 years. They've made some nice plays so far this offseason with Affeldt, Renteria, and Johnson, adding Manny could give them a shot at the weakest division ever basically.
That's about it for this roundup.
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