Carl Crawford Suitors

With many teams’ elimination number creeping closer and closer to 0, it has become time to speculate on the 2011 free agent market. Not many people have noticed yet, but baseball has a very impressive crop of talent going into December 1^st.

    From Cliff Lee to Johnny Damon, teams will be vying for the little push that's the difference between contending and rebuilding.

   This particular article is about one of the biggest free agent question marks, Carl Crawford. Every team in baseball could use his lefty bat, his .300 average, his 20 home runs, and of course his 60 stolen bases, but only 1 team can come away with him.

                    Tampa Bay Rays

        As with any free agent, the former team is a good possibility. The player has his home there, he knows his team mates, and in Crawford's case has been there since he was 18 years old. A good chunk of life...

    Unfortunately for Tampa, baseball is business more now than ever, and Tampa just can't cover what his bill will be. His constant production is worth more than $10 million per year, and Tampa can't afford much more than that. Crawford and his agent will be probably looking in the ballpark of a 6 year - $110 million contract... That would be approximately 20% of the team’s payroll! As a comparison Alex Rodriguez is 15% of the Yankees payroll and Albert Pujols is about 16%... That's pretty tough for a young Rays team to do.

    The Rays youth also makes this an easier parting. They have Desmond Jennings just waiting to take over when Crawford leaves. It is sad for Tampa to do, but they must say good bye to Crawford and try their best to keep Carlos Pena.

                    New York Yankees

        The team that knows most about business in the majors is, as always, the New York Yankees. It seems that since the Rays first executed their 2010 option of Crawford, the Yankees have been the top contender to snatch Crawford from other clubs.

    Except a problem arose... They have a prospect that’s performing in the majors. Brett Gardner wasn't really expected to have to perform too well. Just well enough for the process of the Yankees bringing up good prospects, making them great, and then trading them for talent to continue... But he's performing great! The Yankees and Brian Cashman have gotten where they are today by being SMART with their resources...

     When Cashman weighs his options this offseason, he can have either Brett Gardner for the league minimum, or Crawford (who is producing similar numbers) for 17-20 million, I think I know the way he'll go.

                    Atlanta Braves

        The Braves have been looking for an outfield bat to match with Heyward and McClouth for a while. They were in the Johnny Damon sweepstakes for a while, but ending up 'settling' with Matt Diaz and Melky Cabrera.     The Braves will definitely be in a spot to contend for Crawford next year with a payroll at 15th in the majors, but have the Braves ever gone for a major name free agent? I'm researching it, and the biggest name they acquired from free agency is Billy Wagner, the 38 year old that has already blown 3 saves....

    In a way, that's a compliment. The Braves don't need to get free agents; they have players in their farm system that can get the job done... But in the Crawford sweepstakes it gives them a lower stance. I expect them to sign someone like Johnny Damon in 2011 free agency.

                     Los Angeles Angels

          The Angels are a good possibility. They have room on their roster and definitely aren’t afraid to go spend money on free agents.

          Theoretically, all the Angels would have to do is let Hideki Matsui walk… They could put the weak armed and slow Bobby Abreu at DH, and instantly improve the team. A couple of minor problems may stand in their way though…

          For one, they have more important concerns going into this offseason. The bullpen in LA is pretty awful. They may choose to strip it completely and start again from free agents such as Bobby Seay and J.J. Putz. They also have over $90,000,000 committed to 2011 roster. Adding a $20,000,000 contract would already put the 2011 payroll as the 3^rd highest in Angels history!

Of this $90,000,000, over a 3^rd of it is committed to the outfield. That is more than the entire starting rotation. Adding Carl Crawford would cause the outfield and DH to account for HALF of the entire 40 man roster’s payroll!

Regardless, I expect the Angels to be good contenders in the sweepstakes.

                    Detroit Tigers

        Then you have the Tigers... The Tigers have a very interesting situation in left field, where Johnny Damon, an overpriced 2010 free agent, is taking most of the starts there. Will the Tigers really get him back for another below average year? I doubt it.

    It's been shown that Carlos Guillen and Ryan Raburn are liabilities in left field and if you were to put Brennan Boesch in left and Magglio Ordonez in right, can you really depend on Raburn as a DH?

    The Tigers are cutting A LOT of money they wasted this year. Johnny Damon's 8 million, Jeremy Bonderman's 12.5 million, Brandon Inge's 6 million, and Magglio Ordonez 18 million dollar contracts are up and all four can be resigned for half (or less) of what they made.

    When all is said and done with expiring contracts you will have a payroll of about $50 million... Room enough for many free agents and even an elite one. Crawford's expected contract would bring the payroll to $70 million or so. A decrease of 60 million dollars from 2010 Opening Day... Wow.

    GM Dave Dombrowski and owner Mike Illitch have shown they aren't afraid to buy the bats (Damon, Cabrera, Ordonez, etc.) and that's what Crawford is. They could become instant World Series contenders this offseason.

THE VERDICT: Carl Crawford will be in the Olde English 'D' in 2011