AL East

There were rumors all offseason long that the Red Sox could look to move Daisuke Matsuzaka, though at this point it does not appear likely.  Instead, Dice-K will again open the season as part of a deep Red Sox rotation with an awful lot to prove.

After a tremendous 2008 campaign (18 W, 2.90 ERA, 1.32 WHIP), he has struggled tremendously. 

The Boston Red Sox celebrated the winter holidays as the clear winner of baseball’s hot stove season.  A trade for slugger Adrian Gonzalez and the signings of the athletic Carl Crawford and former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks were big moves designed to put Boston back atop the AL East.

The Sox were World Series champs in 2004 and 2007 but they’ve been division champs just once in the past decade.

The New York Yankees have have had a rough offseason thus far.

It began with an all too public dispute with free agent SS Derek Jeter, who eventually re-signed with the team, but only after sniping and vitriol were exchanged by the two sides during (and in the aftermath of) negotiations.

Jon Heyman of SI.com has reported that free agent closer Rafael Soriano has agree to a 3-year, $35 million deal with the New York Yankees.

The Yankees may have overpaid Soriano, but this is a great move for the Yanks who should have no problem closing out games in the 2011.

The signing of Soriano gives the Yankees probably the best one-two bullpen punch in the league.

FINALLY!

The Yankees have finally made a move this winter that can be considered a big move.

After virtually being very inactive all winter, the Yankees made a bold move to bolster their bullpen by signing former Tampa Bay Rays closer Rafael Soriano to a three-year deal worth about $35 million.

The Yankees basically gave Soriano closer money to be their setup man to Mariano Rivera, but at this point of the season, the Yankees had to do it.

Rafael Soriano has signed a three-year, $35 million dollar deal according to multiple reports. The former Ray was 45-48 in save chances in 2010, which led the AL.

Of American League relievers with at least 40 innings of work, Soriano was fifth in ERA (1.73) and second in WHIP (0.80).

Here is what I wrote in my “Where Do The Yankees Go From Here?” post back in early December:

“What I can see the Yankees doing if they don’t bring back Pettitte or even if they do, is build a super bullpen. The best way to compensate for a weak (by Yankee standards) rotation, is to have a strong bullpen.

In an offseason of head scratching and a whole lot of nothing, the Yankees have finally made a move to make the fans happy. 

Looks like the Yanks finally got their big signing of the offseason. After missing out on Cliff Lee, they needed to make a splash. 

The Yankees now have a new setup man and an heir to the Mariano Rivera throne.

The details are still being worked out, but the contract looks to be a three-year deal worth $35 million.

Soriano, though, has the ability to opt out after the first or second year. If he does this, he will make $11.5 million or $21.5 million respectively.

Rafael Soriano has reportedly agreed to a three-year deal worth $35 million with the New York Yankees. Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman was the first to report the deal and says that the deal will allow Soriano to opt out after either of the first two years.