Building Baseball...Keeping Up with the Joneses...a.k.a. the Yankees

Here we are again, in the midst of another baseball off season, a month away from us embarking on another 162-game season. Every year, after the playoff finish, all legitimate title contenders, either the team that won has to strengthen the lineup they have or the team that lost has to plug up those holes and deficiencies.

Whether it would be the acquisition of John Lackey, Cliff Lee, Curtis Granderson, or Roy Halladay, not too many contenders could just stand pat.

However, too many teams don't look at the holes they need to fill, unless it includes the holes in the seats. Most look for a "quick fix," so to speak. Some players need a star. Some need a role player. Some need a locker room leader. Every team has to almost counter moves made by other teams just to stay in contention.

Here's a look at the teams who have been great and successful filling those holes, and others who've just wasted money and time...and belief.

Seattle Mariners

Winner: Out of all the teams in the offseason, I think this team came out the best by far. Not only did the pick up a bona fide ace in Cliff Lee, but they locked up the ace they already had in King Felix Hernandez. Who is the No. 1 of the staff? A great question to have to answer.

They by far have the best one-two punch in their pitching staff in the A.L. Let's not forget about Eric Bedard, who we thought would be a Cy Young award winner with some coaching and grooming.

Also, they added veteran Chone Figgins, Casey Kotchman, and the volatile, ticking time bomb, Milton Bradley. Combined with Ichiro (Hall of Famer in a short career), and a rejuvenated Ken Griffey Jr. Seattle should make a big splash in the A.L. They're a big bat away from being a World Series title contender. Look for them to sign another bat to bolster their lineup.

Carlos Delgado, Hank Blaylock, and Jermaine Dye remain possibilities. People will no longer be sleepless in Seattle. Unless they meet up with the Yankees.

Philadelphia Phillies

WINNER: This team really should be in the middle. I'm divided. It reminds me of a trade the Yankees made after their dominant 1998 run. They traded David Wells, who was coming off a career year where he pitched a perfect game and the Yankees set the American League record for wins at the time, for Roger Clemens.

I was so annoyed when they did that, since I didn't think Clemens was that much better than Wells at the time. It was just his name and past accomplishments that gave him the slight edge.

When I heard that the Phillies were the front-runners to snag Roy Halladay from Toronto, I thought they would steamroll their way to the World Series. But, the when heard they had to get rid of Cliff Lee to get him, I thought to myself...why?

Granted, Halladay's accomplishments and durability throughout the years is the only reason I haven't labeled this trade as idiotic.

They traded one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball today, who is going into the prime of his career in Cliff Lee, for a legend toward the end of his career. I really don't see them making that much of an improvement. It might help them down the road in a playoff situation due to Halladays experience.

However, if I recall correctly, Lee didn't do too bad in the playoffs either. Only time will tell if this was a good trade or not.

New York Mets

HUGE LOSERS: Once again, the Mets have struck out in the offseason. Omar Minaya has no clue. I say that because his team is running wild. I, as an outsider could see the division in the clubhouse between the Latin players and everyone else, which never existed during the Mike Piazza years, which was when the Mets were still a semi respectable franchise.

And in a typical New York sports fan way, their fans didn't appreciate it.

The building of any team is never on the statistics alone, but by bringing in the right mix of players. They added JJ Putz, Billy Wagner, Carlos Degado, Ollie Perez, and K-Rod amongst others, and here we are years later, an not a lick of improvement.

Beltran and Reyes are two overpaid, overrated prima donnas who milk their injuries. The only good thing they did was getting Johan Santana, who was at the time, the best pitcher in baseball.

Again, in the offseason, their pitching needs still have not been addressed.

They attempted to bring in a big bat, by signing Jason Bay. While I don't really have a problem with Bay, he is not a good fit for the team. David Wright certainly needs some protection in the lineup, since Beltran is never considered a lock.

However, they need not only a power hitter, but a player who could hit for average. Bay is a slugger, but his average will hover in the .250 area, and he will strike out tons of times. Isn't he another Jeff Francouer with more power, and with a weaker arm? Again, the pitching has not been addressed.

Most of all, they paid him $66 million for four years, which to me is way over his value. Somebody tell me why the Mets' best and most consistent player, David Wright, is like the fifth or sixth highest paid player on the team?

Lets hope Minaya leaves first before Wright, who deserves way more than he's getting, monetarily, and in terms of respect. We all know the Yankees or Red Sox could step right in and give him the money he deserves.

Wonder why they'll always be the second best team in New York? All good and successful teams buy their players, it's not just the Yankees anymore. It's time they pick and pay the right kind of players, and stop making excuses.

Mets fans think of this: The Yankees or Red Sox would be more than willing to pay him to switch positions. Hopefully the Mets see what they have and will play motivated and inspired.

Boston Red Sox

Loser: The Red Sox are only on this list since they haven't replaced Manny or Jason Bay's bat, which was their biggest hole to fill this offseason. They're not totally there yet, but I think the days of them being perennial title contenders are over.

It all began the day they traded Manny Ramirez and got Jason Bay in return. Now, the lost him and have nothig now. Big Papi recovered from a horrible start, but still batted .238. Victor Martinez is an above average at best, but they still haven't filled the hole that Manny left.

Boston's two acquisitions should help them, but the lack of high average power hitters will hurt them in the long run. Adrian Beltre had one monster year statistically, but has done virtually nothing since. Every dog has it day I guess. Maybe the right coaching coupled with the winning atmosphere of Red Sox nation will elevate his hitting to being even close to that season.

Mike Cameron will help and will fit in lovely with the rivalry, but its not enough. Also, the addition of John Lackey will give Boston probably the best one through five starters in baseball. Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Lackey, and Wakefield/Bucholz.

The pitchers need run support! Who is going to drive those runs in? Who is in the center of the heart of the lineup? Until we find out those answers, Boston is lost.

St. Louis Cardinals

Winner: The St. Louis Cardinals found the perfect player to complement the best player, the man we know as Albert Pujols. Matt Holliday is the player that will keep Pujols in St. Louis, being that he's in a contract year. Please, I expect Pujols to get A-Rod numbers from a contract perspective. $200 million easily.

Both of them will have time to mesh through a full training camp and preseason, so I expect big things. Pujos is a .334 career hitter, Holliday (.313).
As far as St. Louis' pitching staff, I expect Chris Carpenter to be a serious contender for his second Cy Young award. Adam Wainwright also will be well within reach for his first.

However, losing Piniero might hurt them a bit. So I think the Cardinals need to get them a consistent starter. They did the right thing by getting a good hitter to protect Pujols for years to come. If they break the bank for Pujols, the Cards will have a M.V.P. and a Cy Young winner for years to come. A good start for building a dynasty, if their health prevails.

The return of Mark McGwire, as well as his steroid confession that removed that dark cloud of speculation will inspire the team as well as the fans.

New York Yankees

Winner: After breezing through the season last year, not much had to be tampered with. For the first time in years, they had a chemistry together from the big money guys, all the way to the marginal role players.

First time in years they didn't throw a heap of money at a player with good stats. The result: they won it all. The additions they made were perfect. Not too much money. No high expectations. Just win, baby!

Javier Vazquez is usually in the top tier of pitchers as far as E.R.A. goes. He's definitely matured as a pitcher. He should be better this time around with the Yankees since he knows what to expect and he is a better pitcher. Vazquez also has CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Andy Pettitte in his rotation. It's probably the best staff he's been on.

They also get a good and athletic fielder with some pop in his bat in Curtis Granderson. Surely, he doesn't hit for average, but all he needs to do is fill a role. I have no idea why Scott Boras would try to pitch Johnny Damon as a $10-15 million player at age 36. Granderson makes up on defense what he lacks on offense, and more than fills the hole left by Damon.

Brett Gardner and Randy Winn could platoon as the "other" outfielder and should do fine. The question is who will fill the hole left by Hideki Matsui? So far, they've filled some holes, and haven't broken the bank to do so.

Anaheim Angels

Winners: They always have been. I could see Mike Scosia coaching the Angels for another 25 years. Every single season his teams come motivated and prepared. Think that last year they lost K-Rod and Mark Teixeira. Low and behold, they're leading the division.

They filled Teixeira hole with Bobby Abreu and things worked out fine. They made it to the ALCS. This year, they lost John Lackey to Boston, but if some of their younger players step up and develop, they will continue to do what they've always done under Mike Scoscia...win.

Also the addition of Hideki Matsui enhances their line up a bit, as an aging Vlad Guerreo needs some protection. The Angels are filling their holes with players they need. Not players they want, with the best stats.

I surely don't expect them to come out of the AL, but the Angels will be around, and won't go easily...just like their manager.

Teams in the Abyss

There are a few teams who were on the cusp of making a playoff run, and through injury or underachieving, no improvement or progress was made. Now these organizations are in limbo, stuck in mediocrity, or just flat out embarrassing the cities that they play in.

Here are the few that come to mind:

1. Detroit Tigers: After their breakout year when they went from laughingstock to winning the AL pennant, nothing has gone right. The day the Tigers acquired Miguel Cabrera AND Dontrelle Willis, I thought it was over for the league. I thought Dontrelle and Justin Verlander would've scorched the league.

Willis has disappeared completely, whether it was physical, mental, or both. Cabrera, while still producing, still makes more news off the field rather than on it. Magglio Ordonez, is starting to tail off, due to age amongst other things.

Nothing has grown or come together for them yet, and right now they're running on a treadmill...going nowhere.

2. Chicago Cubs: Another team that's a total mess. This is a team that still hasn't recovered from that foul ball that was taken from Moises Alou. They tried to do the right thing by keeping their ace in a Cubs uniform, but he's done nothing. He probably did more damage in the clubhouse and locker room instead of from the mound.

The pitching staff is pretty strong, for the most part. Derrek Lee seems to be wasting his talent. Pair him with Xavier Nady and Alfonso Soriano, underachievers due to lack of motivation or health, and we'll see what happens. Here we go again.

3. Chicago White Sox: It's a miracle that Ozzie Guillen still has a job. It's probably because their team's talent isn't that good to begin with. Mark Buehrle and Jake Peavy will anchor a semi decent pitching rotation. But their lack of REAL bats in the lineup will kill them, Look for Ozzie to get canned sometime this season, because after their World Series win, it's been all downhill since.

4. Atlanta Braves: I call the Braves probably the graveyard for pitchers. Think they snagged Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe, and still haven't made a bit of improvement. After a great year ERA-wise from Javy Vazquez, they get rid of him for Melky Cabrera.

It seems like they have a turnstile to the locker room, acquiring and disposing of players equally as quick. Look for another mediocre season, with the Braves winning 75-85 games.