Angels ace pitcher John Lackey is a free agent looking for a $100M contract

Yanks have CC, Pettite, Burnett...they could pay Lackey that contract without twitching a nose. That gives them 4 starters for the playoffs.

game over for the rest of baseball for 2010 ..... on paper, at least.

I'm sure that once the Yankees decide to not re-sign Matsui, Damon, Swisher (Swisher, not sure if he's a free agent) to name a few, they will be in good position to try and sign Lackey or Jason Bay, or Matt Holliday.

And if they have money to spend, why not try and extend Mariano Rivera's contract, then they will be in position to win more championships.

Congratulations to the Yankees even though I'm not a fan of theirs. There was nobody close in 2009. They won't repeat however. I'll make that prediction now. They won't even represent the American League in 2010.

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Angels ace pitcher John Lackey is a free agent looking for a $100M contract

Yanks have CC, Pettite, Burnett...they could pay Lackey that contract without twitching a nose. That gives them 4 starters for the playoffs.

game over for the rest of baseball for 2010 ..... on paper, at least.

 

The difference is Mark Buehrle is still left handed.... which deserves more money right off the bat. 

Also, Mark is a reliable, injury free veteran.  Lackey, on the other hand, not so much.  

I know Cashman said they will not be big in the FA market, but they always ssay that.  I fully expect them to sign Jason Bay instead of Holliday since Bay is a proven commodity in the tough AL East.  

Montana:

Baseball lasts way too long. Pretty soon they will be playing on Thanksgiving.

 Nice to see Mauer win the AL MVP -- I was praying it would go to anyone other than A. Rod or Jeter

Nice to see Pujols win the NL MVP --- unless something cataclysmic happens, Pujols is a 1st-ballot Hall-of-Famer. Probably the greatest baseball player of the 2000s, and that includes being better than A.Roid

As long as Pujols stays away from the curse of the roids theory, he's a definite first ballot hall of famer.  Great to see him win another MVP.  Just a matter of time before he goes for the HR record.

Mauer is def a deserving choice.  Great to see him developing his powerstroke. 

Pujols is just a complete 1st baseman.  No weakness at all.  

The Cards better find another solution if Holliday signs with another team.  Although Pujols is a monster and will have the power numbers and hit for average.  He can't lead his team to the World Series.  If so, he would have more than just the one ring. 

Rick Ankiel was a potential power supplement, but he's inconsistent.  Holliday was a much needed boost to their lineup, but when he signs with another team, there is still a hole in the Cards offense.  And the Cards need another starter.  Maybe trade for Halladay from the Jays.  Then they will have two former Jays on the team (Carpenter being the other).

 In baseball, it's tough to lead your team to a World Series, unless you're a pitcher. 

In 1988, Orel Hershisher almost single-handedly won it for the Dodgers, who were a weak hitting ball-club, but who had timely hits to score 2-3 runs in the playoffs

Barry Bonds was a monster in 2002, and practically did everything; yet, the Angels still beat the Giants

Basketball is one of the few team sports where one player can dominate (a la Jordan) because he can play offense and defense and can score, theoretically, every basket --- Kobe once score 81 in a game; Wilt 100 in a game.

But, in baseball, you get roughly 4-5 at-bats a game (3 at bats, if the opposing pitcher throws a 3-hitter or less with no walks)

So.....it's tough to evaluate a baseball player on whether or not he leads his team to a World Series win. After all, many Yankees role players have 4-6 rings (think of whoever played for them in 1996-2000 (Scott Brosius, Paul O'Neill) --- none of these players compare to Pujols

You raised some good points.  I'm just hoping the Cards pick up another offensive player who can hit and another pitcher.  Without them, the Cards do not look like a team that will win the World Series.

Maybe the Cards can try and trade for Roy Halliday will may be traded to the Red Sox.  Or if Matt Holliday will sign for less and consider playing with the Yankees (that's if they don't re-sign Damon).

I do not think the Cards have enough pieces to trade for Halladay, and throughout the offseason no one has linked the Cards to the Jays as a potential trader. 

I love how Ankiel transformed himself, but he's not a great defensive CF with, like you said, inconsistent pop.  Ludwick has been decent, but another big bat certainly helps.  Holliday makes the most sense.