Baseball

Don’t despair Phillies fans. What has all of the makings of a long, frigid, snowy winter will soon be interrupted with this announcement: “Pitchers and catchers report today!”

Jim Thome came to an agreement to return to the Minnesota Twins for another season, Friday. The slugger agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract which is double what he made in his first season with Minnesota.

The Kansas City Royals made some surprising news earlier today as they announced the signing of free agent and former Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis.

On one side, the move makes sense because KC needs immediate help in their starting rotation, after losing former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke via trade and not resigning veteran Brian Bannister for next season.

The Yankees made their first "big splash" in the free agent market yesterday, signing former Rays' closer Rafael Soriano to a three year deal worth $35 million, which does include an opt out clause after each of the first two seasons.

The New York Yankees, asleep for much of baseball's offseason, have finally made a big move, signing closer Rafael Soriano to a three-year, $35 million deal. Soriano, 31, will serve as the setup man to current Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, and could also replace Rivera should he retire at the end of his current two-year contract.

Some people have a hard time letting go.

Brett Favre with retirement, Guns N' Roses fans with Chinese Democracy and now fantasy owners with Ichiro Suzuki.

Here’s an early look at the 2011 First Base rankings.


1.  Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals:  Turned in another fabulous season, hitting .312 with 115 runs, 183 hits, 42 HRs, 118 RBI, 14 SBs, 103 walks and a 1.011 OPS. He truly is a machine and should be the No. 1 player taken in fantasy drafts.

The 8th and 9th innings are once again in good hands at Yankee Stadium. While the starting rotation may still be a question mark, the bullpen is taking shape.

New York has agreed to sign reliever Rafael Soriano to a three year deal worth $35 million. Soriano was the best relief pitcher on the market this offseason. Last year, the 31-year-old righty led the American League with 45 saves. He finished the year with a 1.73 ERA and .802 WHIP. Soriano struck out 57 batters in 62 1/3 innings as the closer for the Tampa Bay Rays.

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. 

Are you disappointed in how the Nationals’ offseason went?

So many seem to be, suggesting that the team’s relative inaction was the result of an ongoing malfeasance of management that still carries the stink of the Jim Bowden era.

But really, that isn’t true at all. All the non-deals left the team better off in the long run. Why wait all these years for the fruits of the farm system to ripen and then block their entry to the major leagues?