Less Than A Month To Go
Want some good news if you are freeing like me on a somewhat snowy day? We are less than a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting. Thanks to the WBC, the first reporting date is February 14th, something that may warm you on the inside. I am afraid I can't help your outside.
And while we are at it, isn't it amazing how many free agents are still out there? Obviously, Manny Ramirez is the biggest fish left, but there are tons of guys available including Andy Pettitte. I have a hunch that may not be for long. If you read this news item on the Dodgers, you will notice that they specifically mention that the payroll felxibility of the Andruw Jones move allows "for the acquisition of a veteran starting pitcher to join an otherwise young rotation."
If you think about it Pettitte would be a nice fit out there and obivously the manager loves him. The only question is, would Andy want to relocate his family to LA? He might not have a choice as the Astros seem maxed out payroll-wise and the latest reports on his talks with the Yankees weren't good.
There is also speculation that the Mets could get involved with Pettite and it makes sense from a location standpoint. But, there have also been plenty of rumors that the Wilpons were heavily involved in the Bernie Madoff affair and lost millions, which may explain why the Mets never seriously engaged Derek Lowe. (Note, the Wilpons keep denying this rumor, but it is a fairly persistent one.)
Stay warm, baseball is on it's way back.
