Chicago Cubs 2009 Offseason By Dane Moore

With the Chicago Cubs first spring training game less than two weeks away the Cubs look at a slightly revamped roster that looks to resume the momentum it had in 2008. 2009 marked a season marred by a lack of continuity by Cub position players and had a pitching staff consistently plagued by nagging injuries. Jim Hendry Chicago’s general manager made two major moves by not retaining two assets that were supposed to be huge factors in 2009.

Rich Harden was not resigned by the Cubs. Harden has struggled to maintain shoulder and arm health throughout his career even before joining the Cubs at the ’08 trade deadline. 2009 was no different Harden went 9-9 for Chicago and missed time on the disabled list for the fifth year in a row. Hendry neglected to pursue Harden in free agency and let him sign with a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers for $7.5 million.

Lou Piniella and Jim Hendry both were in agreement that this team could only reach its potential by becoming a unit and not a group of individuals. The Cubs signed Milton Bradley, a true individual, to a three-year $30 million dollar contract in the ’09 offseason. Bradley did not live up to expectations what so ever and proved he could not be the left-handed power bat in the middle of the Cubs order. Bradley’s numbers plummeted in 2009 from their impressive ’08 pedestal. His batting average drooped 64 points, his OPS fell 224 points and his homeruns total was barely half of where it was in ’08. Not only did Bradley under perform, he whined and complained his way into the Cubs having no option but to trade him for anything anyone was willing to give.

In exchange for Bradley the Cubs received Carlos Silva from the Mariners, who went a combined 5-18 in 36 starts over the past two seasons for the Mariners. Where Silva struggled for the Mariners, he is a reliable innings eater that when his sinker is biting can be effective and fill in some of those innings the loss of Harden makes apparent.

The Cubs did replace Bradley’s bat in the outfield with the signings of two proven players, who have not ever presented themselves as menaces to the clubhouse. Marlon Byrd is slotted to start in center and Xavier Nady who is coming off of his second Tommy John surgery will be a very presentable fourth outfielder for the Cubbies.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #1 By Dane Moore

1. Orlando Hudson 2B- Minnesota Twins

Last week the Minnesota Twins made the American League Central’s biggest move of the 2010 offseason. In signing Orlando Hudson to a one-year $5 million deal, the Twins made a move for a proven veteran who is not out of his prime and plays a position that was a clear need for the squad. The Twins needed a bat for the two-hole, a glove at second base, and considering the $250 plus million Minnesota may soon be adding to their books, they needed a contract that didn’t force their hand to spend money in the coming years. Because Hudson met so many needs of the Twins and his proven success fitting in on ball clubs makes himself and the Twins the undisputed champion of this list.

Hudson is only 32 years old and therefore much less likely than previous veteran Twin signees to fall off their previous production, a la Joe Crede. And because Hudson is less of a risk and in all likelihood will be a success in his role, the Twins paid a higher premium than they would have for other veteran second baseman who have signed this offseason. Twins history would have pointed to Minnesota pursuing a 40 year-old Craig Counsell or Mark Grudzelanek player-coach free agent option, to fill the void at second.

Times have changed and Minnesota is going for it. For the first time we are witnessing the Twins upper management open their wallets and splurge. Yes the Twins are still a business and very likely have spent this money in an effort to promote the opening of Target Field. Nonetheless the Twins have increased payroll from 2009 ($65 million) by an unheard of $31 million to a grand total of $96 million dollars. While team payrolls have not been finalized for 2010 it is likely the Twins can say goodbye to the image of small-market baseball. Because at a $96 million figure the Twins have a higher payroll than 20 franchises did in 2009. It is likely the Twins will be close to cracking the top-10 in payrolls not only in 2010 but will continue to rise as they pursue a ten-year contact worth over $250 million with Joe Mauer.

To be competitive, as in competing for a championship teams must be willing to spend in a league without a salary cap. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire responded to Hudson’s comments, after signing with Minnesota, about wanting to play for a contender by saying “We're not trying to contend. We're already doing that. We're bringing [Hudson] over here to win. We're trying to get to the World Series.” With the players, coaches, and now most importantly management ready to pursue a championship the Minnesota Twins are now a compelling World Series contender. I never have said that before.

The Twins have recently been considered an above average team and a very successful business but this year we see Minnesota striving to move through this mediocrity in an effort to take a shot at greatness. The Orlando Hudson signing is the culmination of Minnesota making a move at becoming an elite team and 2010 is hopefully the first of many, but possibly the Twins one splurge and only shot at World Series in the near future.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #2a By Dane Moore

2a. Mark Teahen 3B- Chicago White Sox

Before recent news surfaced Mark Tehaen’s signing with the Chicago White Sox was going to be my biggest offseason acquisition for the AL central. Teahen was acquired from the Kansas City Royals on November 6th in exchanged for Chirs Getz and Josh Fields. He was then signed on for three years at a cost of $14 million, avoiding arbitration.

28 year old Teahen has untapped talent that White Sox scouts see him exploiting starting in 2010. In past years Teahen was shuffled all around the Kansas City diamond and also spent time in right field. While Teahen versatility is an asset, it should benefit him to see some continuity being the White Sox everyday third baseman. This move also allows the White Sox third baseman from ‘09, Gordon Beckham, to move to a more natural position in second base. Rounding out Chicago’s infield will be Alexei Ramirez and veteran first baseman Paul Konerko. This infield will be a talented bunch, both in the field and at the plate.

I love the Mark Teahen acquisition solidifying the hot corner for Chicago at a reasonable price. The White Sox also made late season trades that brought Alex Rios and Jake Peavy to the south side and now have a superb free agent class making the White Sox my clear-cut favorites in the Central.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #2b By Dane Moore

2b. Jose Valverde SP- Detroit Tigers

Jose Valverde signed a two year deal worth $14 million with a $9 million option for 2012. After cleaning house both with pitchers and position players this winter, the Valverde signing came as a bit of a surprise for the Tigers. The Tigers sacrificed Edwin Jackson from their starting rotation in a trade with the Diamondbacks, when he was due to make less than the $7 million Valverde is scheduled to make over the next two years. Closer definitely was a need for the Tigers after losing both their closer and setup man from 2009. Fernando Rodney signed with the Angels to set up Francisco Rodriguez and Brandon Lyon signed with the Astros, Valverde's former team. Being as Valverde was a Type A free agent the Tigers will forefit their 19th overall pick in the 2010 First Year Player Draft. However, they will receive two "sandwich picks" between the first and second round to compensate for the loss of Rodney and Lyon.

Joel Zumaya was the most likely closer option after losing Rodney and Lyon. I personally would have like to see the Tigers take the Zumaya route. If the tigers were committed to letting go of players Curtis Granderson, Edwin Jackson, Placido Polanco, Aubrey Huff, Marcus Thames, Jared Washburn, to go along with Francisco Rodney and Brandon Lyon i don't see why they would invest in such an expensive Type-A option. A cheaper less qualified option to pair with Zumaya to compete for the closing job i believe would have been a more sensible option. Octavio Dotel, Kevin Gregg, Matt Capps, Miguel Batista, Bob Howry, or Eddie Guardado were all options this offseason who have experience closing and are significantly cheaper than $7 million a year. Valverde will be lock down for the Tigers as he was for the Diamondbacks and the Astros, i just question the motive of Tiger management, knowing they spent the beginning of the offseason giving up.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #3 By Dane Moore

3. Juan Pierre LF- Chicago White Sox

Juan Pierre was traded to the White Sox for two players to be named later. Pierre is owed $18.5 million on his contract for the next two seasons. It has been reported that the White Sox will pay $3 million of that salary for next season, followed by an additional $5 million in 2011. The Dodgers would then be on the hook for the remaining $10.5 million. Yikes! Pierre is one of only 16 active players to have a career .300 or better batting average. Although Pierre was relegated to fourth outfielder duty in Los Angeles he still had a phenomenal 2009 campaign. Thanks in large part to Manny Ramirez’s need for birth control Pierre played in 145 games, he also often substituted as a late-inning defensive replacement.

This will be Pierre’s second stint in Chicago, but his first appearance in the American League. In 2006 Pierre was a member of the north-siders before being sent to L.A. in 2007. His presence at the plate and on the bases will continue to be felt by opposing pitchers in the central and throughout the league. Pierre is still an elite base stealer and with a full seasons work could likely push for 50 plus stolen bases as he did earlier in his career. Pierre will likely man the top of the order along side Alexei Ramirez and/or Gordan Beckham. Either way if Pierre is destined to bat lead-off or ninth in the White Sox order he will be setting the table for Chicago’s middle of the order run producers. Pierre’s ability will not only be recognized at the plate, but in the field. The White Sox can field an impressive outfield along side Pierre with late 2009 acquisition Alex Rios and recently signed 10-time gold glover Andrum Jones. Where the money being spent on Pierre and Jones could have been invested in one big bat to hold the Designated Hitter spot, the White Sox opted out of pursuing a Vladimir Guerrero or Hideki Matsui. I agree with Coach Ozzie Guillen that Pierre in left to go along with a DH by committee will work on the south side.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #4 By Dane Moore

4. Rick Ankiel CF- Kansas City Royals

Rick Ankiel signed a one-year deal worth $3.25 million, including a base salary of $2.75 million for 2010 and a $500,000 buyout on a $6 million mutual option for 2011. Like Scott Podsednik, the Royals other free agent signing, Ankiel is a versatile outfielder that has more power than their other outfield options.

I personally dislike the signings of both Ankiel and Podsednik. The Royals could use another power bat in the order and Ankiel could provide that. But do they need one? Kansas City already had two very good options for their outfield in David Dejesus and Jose Guillen. Also before signing Podsednik and Ankiel the Royals signed free agent, most familiar from his White Sox days, Brian Anderson who has experience starting at all three outfield spots. And lets be honest are the Royals going to make a World Series push in 2010? Signing two more outfielders was simply unnecessary and fiscally irresponsible. Five million additional dollars could have been available to the Royals for the 2010 offseason had they ignored pursuing Ankiel and Podsednik.

I would have liked to see the Royals go after Joel Piniero, Rich Harden or Jason Marquis. Adding one of these top of the rotation pitchers would cost the Royals 2.5 to 3 million more than what they spent on Ankiel and Podsednik, but would give reigning Cy Young award winner Zach Grienke protection in a sub-par rotation. Compensation for that additional cash flow could have been taken care of by resigning either Miguel Olivo or John Buck who the Royals let walk this offseason. KC instead invested two years and $6 million in 35 year-old Jason Kendal. Again what is the purpose? Last year Kyle Davies was the only starter for the Royals other than Grienke to log eight wins. Starting pitching was a greater need for Kansas City than adding bodies to an outfield. Ankiel did not have a great year last year batting .231 with only 11 homeruns. Eric Byrnes also a ten-year veteran batted five points lower and hit three less homeruns in 38 less games than Ankiel during his own injury plagued 2009 season. Byrnes was just signed by Florida for the league minimum of $400,000 dollars, nearly $3 million less than Ankiel.

The money the Royals had to invest this winter should have been invested elsewhere in order to have a more successful program going forward in 2010 and beyond. I do not know if Kansas City envisioned other players making themselves more available, or the overall market to be less expensive. Either way Kansas City made another mistake on a long list of Royal failures by signing both Podsednik along with Ankiel. Never the less Ankiel is a big name and a potential big bat, to go along with a big arm that will be a staple of the Royal outfield for the 2010 and possibly 2011 season.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #5 By Dane Moore

5. J.J. Putz SU- Chicago White Sox

J.J. Putz signed a one-year, $3-million contract, with up to $3 million in incentives for games finished. Putz fortifies a bullpen that combined with a much-improved starting rotation of Jake Peavy, Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks, and Freddy Garcia. Pitching is crucial for a team to be successful in the playoffs. The work the White Sox have done to their pitching staff makes them a potential title contender this season despite the fact they missed the playoffs in 2009.

Bobby Jenks will still hold down the closer position in which he has been dominant for the past four years never failing to log less than 34 saves. Putz does give the White Sox depth at closer if Jenks is to need a day off. Putz racked up 85 saves in his two best years (2006, 2007) while he was in Seattle compiling a sub 2.00 ERA. Assuming Jenks health, Putz will fill in the vital role of set-up man replacing Octavio Dotel who just signed with the Pirates this past week.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #6 By Dane Moore

6. Jim Thome DH- Minnesota Twins

Jim Thome signed one-year, incentive-laden deal worth $1.5 million and includes up to $750,000 in incentives. Any day Ron Gardenhire permits as a rest day to Delmon Young, Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau or Jason Kubel will result in a corresponding Thome addition to the starting lineup. Thome’s produced in 2009 through 107 games. For the White Sox he had 345 at bats, hitting .249, with 23 home runs, 74 RBI's and had a .372 OBP (on base percentage). Prior to the signing, Delmon Young was anticipated to bat in the six hole. Young played in 108 games with 395 at bats, similar to Thome. However, in 2009 Young had an OBP 64 points lower, hitting 11 less home runs and 14 less RBI's.

The Thome deal should work and I see him being productive at the plate and having a positive influence in the dugout. However, I feel as though the Twins may have been focusing their assets in a department that is not one of their primary needs. Getting a player to share time with Span, Cuddyer, Morneau, and Kubel was not a necessity. Young is not proven and it will be benefitial for the Twins to have a proven player in Thome to spell Delmon.

I personally would have like to the see the Twins go after Garret Atkins who signed with the Baltimore Orioles for one-year at $4 million dollars. Yes, that 4 million is double what Thome will make but I feel that Atkins who hit well over .300 from 2006 to 2008 with 85 homeruns and 331 RBI’s would have been a significantly better option. Not to mention Atkins ability to be a longer term option. Had the Minnesota passed on Clay Condrey, who the Twins acquired in free agency from the Philadelphia Phillies, would have freed up more cash. Or simply letting arbitrated Carl Pavano, who will make $7 million, walk this offseason would have made Thome AND Atkins an option. All this said I think Thome will be successful at a relatively inexpensive price for the Minnesota Twins in 2010.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #7 By Dane Moore

7. Scott Podesednik LF- Kansas City Royals

Scott Podsednik signed a one-year, $1.75-million contract for 2010 with an option for 2011 this offseason. The deal includes incentives that can boost the deal to about $2 million this year and $2.3 million on the option. Podsednik will most likely see time throughout the outfield in 2010. All of the Royals outfield options can play numerous positions. Along with Podsednik, players Rick Ankiel, David DeJesus, Josh Fields, Willie Bloomquist and Brian Anderson will all see time at three or more different positions this season.

With the White Sox last season, Podsednik batted over .300 for the first time since 2003. He had suffered from injuries for the five years prior to 2009, but his 30 stolen bases last year is a sign he is returning to the form he showed in the early years of his career. Either way Podsednik is a good deal for a veteran starting outfielder. Signing for half of what Xavier Nady, who only played in nine games in 2009, signed with Chicago Cubs for. And Nearly a fifth of what Mike Cameron’s annual salary will be with the Red Sox in 2010 and 2011 despite the fact Podsednik exceeded Cameron’s batting average by 54 points and stole 23 more bases than Cameron in 2009. Podsednik is not and never will be a power hitter, but he will give Kansas City some security at the top of their lineup in 2010.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #8 By Dane Moore

8. Max Scherzer SP- Detroit Tigers

Max Scherzer was acquired by the Tigers along with Austin Jackson in a three-team blockbuster trade that sent Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks and Curtis Granderson to the Yankees. Scherzer is 25 years old and one of the games best strikeout artists averaging 9.19 K/9 (strikeouts per nine innings) in 2009. It has been debated whether starting is Scherzer’s true calling as a pro. Many professional scouts see Scherzer reaching his max potential as a closer. For 2010 it looks as though Scherzer will be slotted as the third starter in the Tigers rotation behind Justin Verlander and Rick Porcello.

Detroit appeared to be in the midst of a house cleaning ditching the contracts of Granderson and arbitration eligible Jackson. This was to be expected in a town ravished by 27% unemployment. While the pitching roatation seems to be able to compensate for the loss of Jackson with Scherzer and a now healthy Justin Bonderman, center field does not look so certain. The loss of Granderson last years starting center fielder and lead-off man has left Manager Jim Leyland with quite the debacle as to what he should do at the top of the lineup. In the Tigers house cleaning they also lost veteran second baseman Placido Polanco who had been filling the two-hole in the Tigers lineup for the past four and a half years. Right now it looks as though Jackson who was acquired with Scherzer will fill in Granderson's roles of center fielder and leadoff hitter. Also a rookie, Scott Sizemore will fill in for Polanco at second base and second in the lineup. The ill-fate that comes with cutting Granderson’s and Polanco’s $10 million from payroll is that neither Jackson or Sizemore have ever fielded a major league at bat. Fortunately for Detroit their ballclub is still in the AL central and once again there does not appear to be a dominant team and one would be hard pressed to count them out of contention in this division.

AL Central Nine Biggest Offseason Acquisitions #9 By Dane Moore

January has come to a close and yes a few big names still remain free agents but it is only 17 days until pitchers and catchers begin reporting to Spring Training. This list will include the nine biggest free agent players acquired this offseason by American League Central teams. The list commences with the grizzled and often naked Mike Redmond.

9. Mike Redmond C- Cleveland Indians

Okay Mike Redmond is not one of the nine biggest offseason acquisitions of the 2010 offseason. But I decided to include at least one player from each team in the division and well Red Dawg was the only major league contract tendered by the Indians this offseason. Redmond was signed as a backup but no other catcher on Cleveland’s 40-man roster has more than 17 career hits.

Redmond signed a one-year $850,000 guaranteed deal with a possible $50,000 bonus relative to games played.

No Mike Redmond will not save Cleveland this year, and yes the Indians will again be pathetic this year. The starting rotation clearly lacks an ace and outside of Masterson no pitcher has potential to fulfill that role down the road. Also it is not only the catchers position that is young for Cleveland. The Indians opening day roster will not be starting a position player over the age of 27 including 22 year-old left-fielder Michael Brantley. The Redmond signing gives the Indians a needed veteran who is a career .289 hitter. But before dreaming of contention the Indians need to significantly mature.