We’re taking a break fro the NFL this week to focus back on the mecca of all sports: baseball. See for us, the season isn’t over, we’re just on a four-month break until Spring Training. But until then there are some moves to be made, and you just might be surprised where your favorite player ends up, or who your team ends up with.
Manny Ramirez
I just can’t quit you Manny … oh wait, yeah I can, because you always quit on your team about year seven or eight. Manny is the top prize in this year’s free agency pool, mostly because of his monster final two months of the season with the Dodgers. BUYER BEWARE. Ramirez was in a contract year as soon as he left Boston. I’m pretty sure I could hit .400 and smack 17 HR if I had $27.5 million on the line. The fact is that Ramirez is a 36-year-old slugger who maybe has two good years left.
Ramirez Scott Boras wants a six-year deal somewhere in the $150 million range. So look for the Dodgers to be generous, but not too generous. I really think the final years of the contract will be a snag. The Yankees will make an offer just to piss off Boston and the Angels will make a move, but I really think you are looking at the Toronto Blue Jays. Crazy, right? No. Toronto is the only team dumb enough out there to give an aging late-40s hitter a six-year deal. And let’s face it, no one in Canada cares about baseball, so Ramirez won’t have to worry about that whole “media” thing.
Most likely destination: Toronto Blue Jays CC Sabathia
OK, I’ll man up to a mistake. I was wrong about Sabathia being a trade bust in Milwaukee. In fact, the guy was the NL MVP in my book. The guy willed the Brewers to a playoff spot on his steam alone. The chic destination for Sabathia is New York. The Yankees have a lot of money to blow (as usual) and they have already put a $140 million deal on the table. Sabathia is not an eccentric personality, so the club rules shouldn’t be a problem. But honestly the guy is way too low key. Sabathia is a West Coast kid and with the likelihood of the Angels parting ways with K-Rod and Vlad Guerrero, the Angels of Anaheim should have some serious cash to throw the big man’s way. Plus I think Sabathia is thinking World Series title. And the Angels are more poised to make a serious run a lot sooner than the rebuilding Yankees.
Most likely destination: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Mark Texeira
This free agent signing could be the most interesting case of where he signs because all indications point to the Red Sox. Boston is in love with his defensive ability, and the fact that he is a power switch-hitter could propel the Sox to offer him a lucrative deal. The Angels and Yankees seem to be suitors as well, but with the Sox looking to possibly move and aging Mike Lowell, moving Kevin Youkilis over to third and adding a healthy bat to the lineup might just be the cure to put the Sox back on top.
Most likely location: Boston Red Sox
Francisco Rodriguez
Boy this guy sure does make you re-evaluate stats. A lot of his saves were in blowout wins, and the guy is beatable at the end of the year. Just look at what Boston has done to K-Rod the past two years in the postseason. Rodriguez is most likely going to end up with a team whose bullpen is so bad that they are willing to drastically overpay for a reliever who will gas out by August. DING: New York Mets. The Mets’ non-starting pitching staff is terrible, and the number one reason they were not playing in October. Look for the Mets to offer something in the $75-80 million range and have Rodriguez by the laughing stock of New York by year three.
Most likely destination: New York Mets
Top five games you can bet on next week:
5. Pittsburgh Steelers over Cincinnatti Bengals
After a tough, grind ’em out win against San Diego, the Steelers have their season back on track. A win against a deflated Bengals team could put the Steelers that much closer to a playoff berth. Steelers 27-17.
4. Tampa Bay Bucs over Detroit Lions
Easy pick, I want the Lions to go defeated. Bucs 28-6.
3. New Orleans Saints over Green Bay Packers
I honestly believe New Orleans is starting to feel the urgency of having an entire division without a losing record. Green Bay is in a weird situation where 8-8 could win you a division title. If Brett Favre was still there the Packers would win this game and probably somewhere around a 9-2 mark, but he’s not. Saints by a touchdown.
2. Cleveland Browns over Houston Texans
The Browns might be poised to make a little run with Brady Quinn, but it’s not a playoff run, just enough of a run to beat a terrible Houston team. Browns 20-17.
1. Washington Redskins over Seattle Seahawks
If Jim Zorn wants his team to be a serious contender, you need to start beating the teams you are supposed to beat. Skins 23-10.
Last week: 3-2
The season: 27-23
SeriouslyPowerRankings
5. Carolina Panthers (8-2)
Eventually the ground game is going to hit a wall, and I don’t think Jake Delhomme has it in him to bail them out.
4. New York Jets (7-3)
This is the difference between having Favre on your team and not having him on your team.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)
You can say it was an ugly win, or you can ask how many teams have held San Diego to 10 points the last few years.
2. Tennessee Titans (10-0)
Great comeback win, definitely shows the resilience of a winner. But falling behind 11 points to the Jags should’ve never happened in the first place.
1. New York Giants (9-1)
Giants’ fans might want to start making their reservations for Tampa.
Bias once again, Schools. Pittsburgh’s “tough, grind ’em out win” should have been a blow out win. For the love of Bill Cower’s mustache, they were supposed to end the Chargers’ whimper of a season. Even giving them that last touchdown, they didn’t do it.
That’s Pittsburgh football, McBournie. Just because you don’t have Brady’s dimples to look at every Sunday this year doesn’t mean you have to take it out on the Steelers. And like I said, you can say it was ugly, or you can look at the fact that the Steelers held a loaded San Diego offense to 10 points.
This has nothing to do with Tom Brady or the Patriots, (though you have neglected them this season) this is about glossing over a less than stellar performance against a losing team. I will agree with you on one thing: I too want to see the Lions get the perfect losing season.