Baseball news as frozen as Fargo, ND
Not much at all going on in baseball news. It has been a very slow hot stove league so far. The most news has been teams pulling OUT of bidding on free agents. Agents must be poopin in their pants because the old game of wait and see is not working. With this economy, teams are not going to spend a lot (unless you are the Yankees). Even the Yankees are looking at a lower payroll of about 190 million in 2008.
Usually by January all the big names have signed, the last of the free agents are looking for 1 year deals. This year guys like Tex, Manny, Sheets, Lowe, Fuentes, Abreu, Giambi could all still be looking for work in the new year. Spring training starts early because of the WBC. There will be some nice deals for teams available in February. Giambi, a 20+ million guy last year might be lucky to get 10 million in 2009. He may be looking at a 1 year deal for 7-8 million. A team like the Rays love this market.
Maybe the Yankees can gegt Tex at 7 years, 120 million. With Boras stalling there has to be a 170-190 million deal out there but if he waits too long, teams will move on like the Angels did this weekend. Most likely he will sign with the Sawx for 8 years, 170 million.
