Fan News

• Year: 1904
• Record: 62-90
• Win %: .408
• Win % Change: -70 from the year before
• Run Differential: -122
• Pythagorean Record: 61-91
• AL Finish: 7th of 8
• Manager: Ed Barrow and Bobby Lowe
• Best Transaction: Traded Billy Lush to the Cleveland Naps for Ed Killian. This trade took place the January before the 1904 season and it appears to have played out in the Tigers favor. Lush was a weak hitting utility guy and Killian put together a pretty decent career with the Tigers.
  

With JJ Hardy finally dealt, it's time for Brewers GM Doug Melvin to focus on fixing the starting rotation. We've already looked at Erik Bedard and Mark Mulder as possible answers, and now let's take a look at a former Brewer who is willing to come home again: Doug Davis.

On Saturday evening, Chicago Tribune writer Paul Sullivan reported that the Chicago Cubs could soon part ways with both pitcher Rich Harden and outfielder Reed Johnson. Jim Hendry, the Cubs General Manager, would love to re-sign both players but both are risky.

If the Cubs decide to re-sign Harden, they would probably offer a one year deal. The one year deal is probably the most years that Harden would get from several teams, because of his injury risk. Johnson would have to take a pay cut to stay in the Windy City. 

You (probably) can hold out for more than the $15 million a year Boston is reportedly offering you, Jason Bay.

Based on his hitting, Jason Bay would be a "five win" (above replacement, or WAR) player. At $4 million a WAR, (the going free agent rate), Bay should be worth something like $20 million a year, at least for the first two years. (Maybe with third and fourth year cuts to $18 and $15 million to reflect his aging.)

The Braves always appear to be a team that is looking for a player to close out tight games. This season they used both Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez, unable to settle on which would be the best solution to their problems.

Almost four years ago, the Seattle Mariners signed left hander Jarrod Washburn to a four-year, $37.5 million contract. For the first three years, he posted 31-43 record with ERA never under 4.32, WHIP always over 1.35.

Every Mariner fans thought Washburn signing was another horrible mistake made by former GM Bill Bavasi.

Keeping up with the Joneses becomes an even tougher task when your hated next-door neighbor cruised through the defending world champs on their way to a World Series victory.

Such a task is the one laid at the feet of Theo Epstein, Terry Francona and the Boston Red Sox this offseason. The acquisition of Jeremy Hermida from Florida is the beginning of what should be a handful of minor changes made to the Red Sox roster in order for Boston to take the division, and the pennant, back from the Yankees.

1. The infield quagmire needs to be resolved.

Chien-Ming Wang is a member of the World Champion New York Yankees, for now.

The 29-year-old right-handed starter is eligible for arbitration this winter and the Yankees have until the December 12 deadline to offer him a contract for next season, something that doesn’t appear likely.

Now that a day has passed, and Brewers' GM Doug Melvin has spoken about it, it's time to figure out what the acquisition of Carlos Gomez means for the Brewers this offseason.

Melvin commented at his press conference yesterday that he received no offers for pitching that he felt was worth trading Hardy for. Gomez fit a need for the Brewers, and he was comfortable enough with the offer to make the deal.

The Minnesota Twins announced today that the club has exercised Michael Cuddyer’s 2011 option valued at $10.5 million.

The option is part of the four-year deal Cuddyer signed in 2008. The right fielder will make $8.5 million in 2010, the third year of the $33.5 million pact.