AL West

Adrian Beltre picked a good time to become a free agent and a good year to produce like an elite offensive force. Of course we've seen this before. Teams should be scared to offer Beltre anything close to the deals given to elite hitters so far this offseason. Beltre has not been especially consistent over his career, though he does play exceptional defense and can be counted on for 25 home runs of so wherever he plays.

The rumour mill has been working extra hard this past week and is expected to gain more steam as Cliff Lee has apparently said he will make his decision within the next 48 hours. 

In my opinion I hope that he chooses to stick with the Texas Rangers.

Why? 

If Cliff Lee signs with the Yankees the focus will largely be on him, as he will be crowned the saviour of this aging Yankee team. 

The Mariners were bad behind the plate in 2010. In fact, they were sub-par in every position except right field. Miguel Olivo was recently signed to a two-year deal by the team to be their everyday catcher. The deal is worth $7,000,000—a reasonable figure considering his ability to call a game. Offensively, however, he is barely an upgrade over the trio of backstops who butchered the position for most of Seattle’s 2010 season.

When the Oakland A’s acquired Michael Taylor as part of the Roy Halladay trade (he had a quick stop in Toronto before being shipped to Oakland in exchange for Brett Wallace), they thought they were acquiring a future star outfielder. 

At 6′6″, 260 pounds, the A's expected Taylor's power to continue to develop (he had hit .320 with 20 HR and 84 RBI in 428 AB in ‘09), but instead they got a player who regressed further than anyone could have imagined.

I am going to say that this week was not the best one in the career of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim GM Tony Reagins.

While the baseball world watches and waits for Cliff Lee to make his final decision on where to pitch next season, the competition for his services has never been hotter.

Lee's decision seems to be between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers, whom Lee took to their first World Series in franchise history last season.

The Yankees' initial offer to Lee was for six years between $140-150 million, and was then increased to seven years and $161 million.

On December 8th the Seattle Mariners signed free-agent catcher Miguel Olivo to a two-year contract worth $7 million with a club option for a third year.  Just a few days prior to the agreement with Olivo, Seattle signed free-agent DH Jack Cust to a one-year $2.5 million deal.  Personally I am in favor of neither deal. 

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—The new Cliff Lee rumors indicate that there are two teams that have made seven-year offers for the left-handed pitcher.

The New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels have all denied they are one of the teams.

Cliff Lee is the hottest player on the free agent market right now, but that doesn't mean that he and the Los Angeles Angels would be a good fit. 

A "mystery team" is said to have made a seven-year offer last night for the starting pitcher, and speculation abounds as to who it was. ESPN that same night also wouldn't disclose their source, but claimed that the Angels had entered the race for Lee.

Could those pieces of news be related?

You can never have too much pitching. Pitching wins championships. Momentum is only as good as your next day's starting pitcher. General managers, broadcasters and baseball columnists tell us as much each and every year, and each and every year these beliefs are reinforced when the biggest Free Agent starter on the market is signed to a massive contract that takes him into his late 30s.