Free Agency

If anybody has got it made in the game of baseball today, it's Albert Pujols.  He is currently the hot topic of debate in the newspapers, on websites, on television, and even in conversation.  He's currently entering the final year of his current contra - as if you all didn't already know that - and he's contemplating on taking his unmatched skill elsewhere.

Coming off a crazy/exciting offseason, the MLB season is slowly upon us. Big moves were made in both the NL and AL, highlighted by Philadelphia Phillies signing Cliff Lee and Boston Red Sox signing Carl Crawford. Here’s a list of the top 10 under-the-radar signings that will pay huge dividends this season.

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The job of an agent is simple; get the most money and guaranteed years for a client.  Today, the best at doing such a seemingly simple task is Scott Boras.  Although he has made it seem easy on occasion, it is very difficult to get a contract equal to a client's requested salary.  Boras has been able to exceed this requested value more often than not.  That's just the magic of Scott Boras.

Billy Butler told MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that he and the Royals have agreed to a four-year, $30 million contract extension.

The deal buys out all three of his arbitration-eligible years plus one year of free agency. Butler is represented by Greg Genske of Legacy Sports.

Butler filed for $4.3 million in arbitration earlier this week while the Royals countered with $3.4 million. Kansas City recently picked up an extra $12.4 million when Gil Meche unexpectedly retired.

Is it just me, or are there any other people scratching their heads over the Yankees' personnel decisions this offseason?

This is the time of the year that the Pinstripes are supposed to re-tool for another run at another World Series crown, isn't it?

So far the Yanks have failed to sign a top-tier free agent outside of Rafael Soriano who will be paid $10 million to pitch the eighth inning in front of Mariano Rivera.

Does any other MLB fan find it weird when a team goes out and buys former superstars, seemingly anticipating that putting them back together will magically bring back the spark from seven years before?

It's happening again this year, and it's certainly not the first time that two World Series champions have played on entirely different teams together. It's just weird to have it happen in the AL East and for it to not be the Yankees doing the purchasing.

Late Thursday afternoon, after nearly an entire offseason of position-player inactivity, Yankee GM Brian Cashman inked the former Braves superstar to a one-year, $2 million contract, with another $1.2 million in additional performance-based incentives. After bolstering their bullpen with top-shelf relief arms, the Yankees' acquisition of Andruw Jones fills the hole left by the late (not so) great Marcus Thames.

The clock is ticking on the St. Louis Cardinals to come to terms on a contract extension with the best player the Cardinals have had since Stan "The Man" Musial retired in 1963.

Albert Pujols has set a firm deadline to agree to an extension by the start of spring training.

Should Pujols not receive an extension by that time, he will become a free agent after the 2011 season.

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.

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.