Man, how interesting will the 2011 Winter Meetings be if Albert Pujols becomes a free agent at the end of this season? Recent quotes from the Cardinals Chairman and CEO Bill Dewitt indicate that talks are slow at the present time, and they are "hopeful" to get a deal done. Hopeful?? I think Cardinal fans will be irate if he leaves the team. Buster Olney thinks the talks will have to get moving soon. Here is his reponse to a twitter question about the negotiations:
@ramfanman My sense is this: If something doesn't happen soon--in next four weeks -- then all bets are off, and very possible he hits market
12 minutes ago via web in reply to ramfanman
Who will be his suitors? I would imagine every team in baseball, although the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies are already set at first base for the next 5 years. Teams that could get involved are the Dodgers, Mets, Cubs, and Angels.
As it is, I think they get a deal done.
Andy Pettitte told Brian Cashman that he won't start the season in the Yankee rotation. Is he getting advice from Roger Clemens? The Yankees have had an offseason to forget, for sure. From missing out on Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee and now Pettitte playing hardball? I think Jim Hendry's Blackberry is buzzing with text messages from Cashman lately.
More after the jump:
It appears the Dodgers will go with a platoon in LF and third baseman Casey Blake could be in the mix, according to Phil Gurnee over at TrueBlueLA:
Feels the team is a little too left-sided, talked to Casey about playing the outfield, and that Casey was okay with the concept. Don said he is comfortable with Casey playing the outfield based on how well he played it when he was Cleveland.
It's quite possible Tony Gwynn Jr. wins the CF job with Andre Ethier moving to LF and Matt Kemp to RF in 2011. Should Gwynn not keep the job, one has to think that prospect Trayvon Robinson could step in. Another Dodgers prospect to keep your eye on is Jerry Sands, and here is what manager Don Mattingley had to say about him on Wednesday:
Sands - power to all fields, can play the outfield extremely well, feels that as a big guy he looks slower then he is but likened him to Matt Holliday in that he actually has good outfield speed.
A Matt Holliday comp for Sands?? That's a first!!
Speaking of comps, Fargraphs Dave Cameron held a chat yesterday and was asked this question about Bryce Harper:
12:30
[Comment From Giants Dude]
Do you see Bryce Harper becoming a Pojols like player or is that just hype
12:31
Dave Cameron: Pujols is one of the best hitters of all time. Putting that kind of label on anyone is unfair. That said, Harper seems legit. I'd put a Josh Hamilton comp on him and be okay with that.
Not bad....to be compared to Josh Hamilton is saying something.
I was reading the Baseball America chat on the Pirates Top 10 prospects with Dejan Kovacevic who stated that he is surprised the Pirates aren't moving Pedro Alvarez to 1B in 2011. He has the sense that the Buccos will be drafting Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon, who would push Alvarez to 1B. I am not sure why drafting Rendon would have an impact on Alvarez playing 3B this year.