What A Crazy Week In Baseball

My, oh my the flurry of moves this week has been dizzying. Free agent signings and trades galore headlined the week in Baseball and the Winter Meetings where many trades and signings happen loom on the horizon.

You have Billy Beane weaving his magic wand and making trades for numerous players improving the two time American League Champion Oakland A's. You have the Miami Marlins picking up catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and former All-Star shortstop Rafael Furcal. The Los Angeles Dodgers brought back reliever Brian Wilson, who was pretty much lights out for them down the stretch last season. The Houston Astros picked up solid center fielder Dexter Fowler from the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies added Justin Morneau to hopefully fill the hole left with the retirement of Todd Helton.

The White Sox brought back team Captain Paul Konerko in what might be his final season on the South Side of Chicago. The Tampa Bay Rays and their GM Andrew Friedman once again wheel and deal by acquiring reliever Heath Bell and catcher Ryan Hanigan in a three team deal with the Diamondbacks and Reds. The Detroit Tigers believe they have solved their closer issues with the signing of Joe Nathan.

The news from Japan speculate that the Rakutan Golden Eagles might not post their star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka due to the proposed $20 million dollar cap on posting fees that seems to be a part of the new posting contract between the MLB and the NPB. Since they figure that they won't get as much for Tanaka in a posting fee that they would have under the old agreement, they are better off keeping him following this season which was capped by winning the Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants. This move would put a kink in the plans of many a team in the majors who were looking forward to trying to add Tanaka to their starting rotations.

The World Champion Red Sox took a hit by losing the aforementioned Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury but signed Edward Mujica to replace the non-tendered Andrew Bailey in the bullpen. Speaking of Ellsbury, he signed with the division rival New York Yankees who also signed Hiroki Kuroda but lost their best homegrown everyday player (since Derek Jeter) to the Seattle Mariners who signed Robinson Cano to a reported 10-year $240-million dollar contract.

Wow, that was a mouthful. And the Winter Meetings start on Monday. Who knows what surprises we'll have sprung on us from then to now. We'll just have to wait and see.

Sisco Kid.

Winter Meetings Day Three Part Two

More signing, more signings and more signings:

- Paul Konerko re-signs with the Chicago White Sox
Not to be outdone by their Northside rivals, the Southside White Sox re-signed their captain (in a negotitation much less contentious than the New York Yankees' negotiation with their own captain. Take notes boys, this is how it is done) Paul Konerko to a 3-year $37.5 million dollar deal.

According to Dave van Dyck of Chicagobreakingsports.com Konerko, will receive $12 million in each of the next two seasons, then $6.5 million in the third year. The rest will be paid in $1 million installments for seven years.

The longtime White Sox had a very productive 2010 season. Konerko batted .312 with 39 HRs and 111 RBI. In 548 at-bats, Konerko had 171 hits (30 2B/1 3B/39 HR) with 72 walks and 110 strikeouts. His OPS was a career high .977(.383 OBP%/.584 SLG%). Konerko's effort resulted in his being voted 5th in the American League MVP race.

The White Sox look offensively impressive with Konerko and Adam Dunn sharing first base and DH duties. Look for these pair of slugging teammates to put a hurting on opposing pitching.

- Click Here for Paul Konerko's career statistics from Baseball Reference.com

- Kansas City signs Jeff Francouer
Bob Dutton reports on his Twitter feed that outfielder Jeff Francouer has signed a contract for the 2011 season with the Kansas City Royals. According to Dutton, Francouer will receive $2.5M for 2011, with $500K in incentives, and a $3M mutual option for 2012.

Sharing time with the New York Mets and the Texas Rangers in 2010, Francouer batted a combined .249 with 13 HRs and 65 RBI. In 454 at-bats Francouer had 113 hits (18 2B/2 3B/13 HR) with 30 walks and 81 strikeouts with 8 stolen bases. His OPS was .683 (.300 OBP%/.383 SLG%)

- Click Here for Jeff Francouer's career statistics from Baseball Reference.com

- Jack Cust signs with the Seattle Mariners
Goeff Baker reports on his blogpage that he has spoken to Jack Cust who confirmed that he in fact signed a 1-year $2.5-million deal plus incentives with the Seattle Mariners.

In 2010 Cust, formerly of the division rival Oakland Athleticcs, batted .272 with 13 HRs and 52 RBI. In 349 at-bats Cust had 95 hits (19 2B/0 3B/13 HR) 68 walks and 127 strikeouts. His OPS was .834 (.395 OBP%/.438 SLG%).

Baker attributes the following as the reason that Cust chose to sign with the Mariners:

Cust told me his priority is signing was to find a team that appreciated what he could do as a player -- make that, a full-time player.

"From what it sounds like, I'm going to be in there both way (versus lefties and righties) and that's the way I like it," he said. "I've always been able to hit lefties pretty well."

- Click Here to access Jack Cust's career statistics from Baseball Reference.com

Ok folks, I guess that's enough for now. Have to get ready to head down to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and find a Santa to take our yearly family picture with. Later.

FH