Light the Stove
By John Bonini
Take out the checkbooks, the auction known as free agency is set to begin within hours. General Managers from around the league have convened in Florida all week eyeing their possibilities to bolster their ball clubs.
The liquidation sale of Scott Boras’ goodies has GM’s around the league transforming into giddy little children at recess. Like the saying goes, “everything must go,” but for many GM’s, Boras’ eye-candy serves primarily for window-shopping. For Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein it's nothing a few months' allowance can’t handle.
Due to the collapse of the bombers in this years ALCS, Cashman has his work cut out for him. The motto has been pretty simple, “pitching, pitching, pitching”, with a little dab of “Beltran, Beltran, Beltran.” The star center fielder who added a few figures to his potential pay with a monstrous October has been the apple of the boss’ eye since the start of the 2004 campaign, and expect “furious George” to empty his pockets for the services of Mr. Beltran.
Among the trade possibilities for the Yankees include Randy Johnson, Tim Hudson, and Barry Zito — basically the entire Oakland pitching staff. To pocket these aces, Cashman will have to get creative in his efforts, possibly using a third team, due to the watered-down Yankee farm system. Eric Milton, Brad Radke, Al Leiter, and the prodigal son, Pedro Martinez, headline the potential free agents the Yankee may real in.
Carl Pavano, who two years ago would’ve been lucky to muster up about five bids on Ebay, will surely stir up a dogfight of a bidding war between the Yankees and Sox which has become an off-season tradition in recent years.
But before Epstein begins contemplating additions, they need to worry about possible subtractions from their championship squad. Pedro Martinez did not bite at the Red Sox two-year $25.5 million offer; expect him to explore the possibilities of the four-year pact he wishes. The Red Sox haven’t been high on Derek Lowe in the past year, but the Texas Rangers have, and their lack of pitching makes landing D-Lowe a very sensible move. Jason Varitek, arguably the heart and soul of the “idiots”, could possibly be on his way out compliments of the 5 years, $50 million wishes of the ever so generous Scott Boras. The Dodgers will make a huge push for “Tek” since they traded of Paul La Duca at the deadline, and the Dodgers have the cash to do it.
The Sox will make runs at Brad Radke, Carl Pavano, one of Oakland’s “Big Three”, and interestingly enough, Jon Lieber who the Yankees have still not resigned despite a great postseason.
The gloves are off, and the General Managers will go from picking up each other’s tabs at generous dinner discussions to the hostile environment known as the “Hot Stove”. Don’t expect the dinner tables to be the last time this month General Managers will try to pull out more cash than the other.
