The biggest baseball news this weekend was the Twins acquiring JJ Hardy from Milwaukee.
But there was a lot of big news.
Check inside to find out why one New York columnist thinks the Yankees are about to cut payroll; why Joe Torre might really love L.A. enough to stay; who might be a good fit for the Orioles and why the Phillies serenaded a World Series hero with a Sting song.
Leading Off
Brett Myers has a lot going for him: A World Series ring, relative youth (he's only 29), a winning record (he's 73-63 for his career) and a nasty curveball.
However, he's got a couple warts: He was arrested for allegedly hitting his wife - the charges were dropped; and he was involved in some sort of fisticuffs while on rehab this year - no one really knows the details.
This weekend, he lost the employer he's known since he was drafted as a brash 18-year-old.
Because Myers is coming off surgery, the price tag won't be that steep. That's why he would be a perfect fit for the Baltimore Orioles.
They wouldn't have to pay much and, despite the surgery, the right-hander should be a relatively safe bet.
A one year deal would allow the Orioles to ship him off to a contender if he starts out strong. That way, he could give the team a couple more prospects.
Or, if things work out, Myers could be a strong anchor for their rotation.
The question is whether the staff wants its young players to be influenced by Myers' off- field antics.
Regional Roundup
- The Phillies tell Pedro Feliz, who has manned the hot corner for three years in Philadelphia, they want to see what options are out there. No word yet on whether or not they played Sting's "If you love somebody set them free" while breaking up with him.
- Did Adam Jones earn a Gold Glove?
- A couple of Washington Nationals prospects are heating up the Arizona Fall League. The Nationals made a roster move over the weekend, buying out Austin Kearns' contract.
- There was no baseball news out of Pittsburgh this weekend. Then again, it's Steelers season. If the Pirates signed Babe Ruth, no one would know until February.
Best of Rest
- The list of free agents heading into this winter continues to grow.
- The Cardinals want to make a push for Matt Holliday,
- Joe Torre might stay in Los Angeles beyond this contract.
- Scott Olster looks at Tim Lincecum's high crime and misdemeanor.
- The Yankees could cut their budget this offseason and fall below $200 million. That will still more than likely put them $80 million ahead of their 2009 World Series opponent, the Phillies.
The Closer
Major League Baseball has a lot of pull in America. It's time they use it.
The mother of former big leaguer Victor Zambrano has been kidnapped.
This story is all too familiar.
Major League Baseball should be able to set up some type of system to help big leaguers from Venezuela. And they could probably have assistance from the U.S. government, which was so willing to get involved when steroids were being discussed.
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