Bobby Abreu Makes A Smart Move and Signs with the Angels

This offseason in MLB has been chalk full of talented young and old players looking to sign for big money. Not many of these big name MLB free agents have stayed loyal and just signed with the club they played with last season. Professional baseball is becoming more and more ruled by which team can shell out the dough opposed to players staying loyal to their teams.

So far we have seen the New York Yankees pretty much corner the free agent market by locking up three of the best free agents this off season had to offer. First it was the huge $161 million dollar deal to get arguably the best pitcher in the game right now in CC Sabathia.

Personally, I hoped he would come back to California. He grew up there as a Dodger fan and his is family lives there. The Dodgers were even favored to get him at one point and he wanted to play in LA, but no team can compete with $161 million dollar offer, especially the Dodgers who are trying to sign an increasingly greedy Manny Ramirez.

Then the Yankees wrapped a deal to have another pitching ace AJ Burnett playing in pine stripes for about $80 million. As that wasn’t good enough for the Yanks they go out and somehow pull Mark Teixeira away from his former team the Angels and his hometown team the Washington Nationals for an eye popping $180 million dollar deal.

Money is king in baseball. With no salary cap and teams like the Yankees with seemingly limitless funds to sign anyone they it has been almost unfair for other teams especially with the economy in the state that it is.

Even though those three big name free agents are off the board and the New York Yankees look like they are done signing players, there are a few good players that have flown somewhat under the radar like former Yankees outfielder Bobby Abreu.

After the Angels lost Mark Teixeira to the Yankees for a ridiculous amount of money, they were in of a big bat to replace the first baseman slugger. At first there were rumors flying around Anaheim that they would pursue Manny Ramirez, but they were quickly squashed with the team saying they had no interest in signing Manny.

After Manny there weren’t many big bats left on the free agent market. There was Adam Dunn in Arizona who the Los Angeles Dodgers were courting as a back up plan if they couldn’t sign Ramirez and then there was Bobby Abreu.

Somehow Abreu has seemed to slip through the cracks in this free agency market and land right on the Angels front door step. He isn’t a big money free agent like the Teixeira, Manny or even Adam Dunn, but he is a solid outfielder and the best the Angels could have done in replacing a much needed big bat in the lineup.

Reportedly the deal is only for one year for about $5 million dollars which is an absolute bargain in my opinion for a proven veteran like Abreu. The outfielder was looking for something a bit more long term like a three year deal, but settling for a one year deal with title contender in the AL was a smart move for both the Angels and Abreu.

Yankees Are Chasing After Manny

“Manny” New York Yankee fans would love to see Manny Ramirez play baseball in the Bronx. The unrealistic thought of Manny in a Yankees uniform may not be so unrealistic for long.

According to multiple news sources like the Bleacher Report the Yankees will give everything they have to acquire Manny Ramirez if they can not get their hands on Mark Teixeria. The Yankees are expected to offer Ramirez roughly $20 million over a span of three years if there chances at the first baseman Teixeria do indeed bust.

The Yanks have already restructured their organization as promised, adding CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to the defensive roster and tapping the cap for over $200 million.

The Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals have allegedly offered Teixeria an 8-year -$160 million option sometime over the duration of the last two weeks, an amount the Yankees will need to meet or beat.

Chances are in favor that one of these two players will be a valuable entity and acquisition to the Yankees come the 2009 season. Updates to follow….

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Phillies Place Calls To A.J. Burnett & Derek Lowe

While contract negotiations continue between veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer and the Philadelphia Phillies, the Phillies have added an interesting twist to the situation.

Reportedly, Philadelphia has contacted the agents of Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett.

Phillies analysts believe that the Phillies contacted Burnett  and Lowe to help speed up the process of working out a deal with Jamie Moyer.

However, other sources such as The Bleacher Report are reporting that Burnett has narrowed his list of potential teams down to six. Still on the list is Philadelphia!

Also, caught up in this bidding war are the Boston Red Sox who are continuing to pursue catcher Jason Varitek. The ‘Sox have been after Burnett also since the beginning of the off-season, but recently the Atlanta Braves seem to have the upper hand on Burnett.

How much will A.J. Burnett impact the decision surrounding the addition of Jason Varitek back to the Red Sox roster? Timing seems to be the key.

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