AL East

WOW!

That's what came to mind when I read about the Washington Nationals signing OF Jayson Werth to a 7-year $126 million deal. Jayson Werth? Really?

That got me thinking. If Werth can command that kind of money, what is Carl Crawford worth? In the simplest terms, he is worth more. Let's take a look at a few ways Jayson Werth made sure he is going to get it.

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I have no problem with sports figures who are the personality equivalent of a stiff drink. Ted Williams is one of my all-time favorites. To me, Bobby Knight is a genius coach. If I shut down the moral center of my brain, I can even appreciate Kobe Bryant and Ty Cobb for their statistics and work ethic.

With all the talk with the Rangers lately about re-signing Cy Young Pitcher Cliff Lee lately, one fact has surfaced lately: It will cost an arm and a leg to sign him to a long-term contract.

Think back to your high school years and all of the silly “relationships” you were in. How many times did you date someone for awhile before briefly splitting up, only to resume dating days, sometimes hours, later?

It’s okay to be honest, everyone does it that way during the teenage years because the human race tends to be awkward and extremely immature between the ages of 14 and 18 (and beyond).

Hasn’t the New York Yankees brass put us fans through enough already?

So far, the 2010 offseason has been emotionally draining for those loyal to the pinstripes.

To be fair, we were warned the moment owner Hal Steinbrenner uttered the word "messy" pre-captain Derek Jeter’s negotiations.

After weeks of vandalizing Jeter, one of the most luminous Yankees ever, and seemingly giving Mariano Rivera the silent treatment, Yankee fans have had about 24 hours of peace.

Courtesy of Yankees 'n More

Deal He Will Get: Seven years, $18 million/year

Deal He Should Get: Five years, $10 million/year

Over the weekend the Blue Jays made the latest in a series of deals aimed at building a championship caliber club a few years down the road. This one saw the Jays second best starting pitcher from 2010, Shaun Marcum, head to Milwaukee in return for top prospect Brett Lawrie.

Lake Buena Vista, FL. (2:35 PM): With the Jayson Werth deal being signed, sealed and delivered, and the Adrian Gonzalez trade done with the extension to be announced later, the entire baseball world is wondering where Cliff Lee will sign.

Lee's agent Darek Braunecker today met with the various teams interested in Lee. Braunecker met with New York Yankee and Texas Ranger officials. There was even talk the Boston Red Sox met briefly with Lee's agent, probably just to keep tabs on what the Yankees are up to.

With the winter meetings under way and the dust settled on the first blockbuster deal of the offseason, it is time to look at who are going to be the keys for the Red Sox to be the last team sipping champagne.

Some say another bat, such as a superstar like Carl Crawford or a role player like Josh Willingham, is necessary to be the World Series favorites (assuming the Yankees sign Cliff Lee).

Some say go after Cliff Lee because of his postseason resume and the fact he would look HORRIBLE in pinstripes.