The baseball world has another big hot stove Monday

The Boston Red Sox who just a couple years ago proclaimed that the other teams such as their archrivals who spend big can keep doing that but they do business differently now.  Well look how quickly things change, they finished in last place for the second time in three years.  The year in between the two last place finishes did produce a world championship.  They went out and signed Hanley Ramirez who was their property to begin with at the beginning of his career and they also signed Pablo Sandoval.  They spend approximately 190 million on two guys.  Ramirez it appears will be moving to left field where he has never played before other then the winter leagues.  Sandoval is coming off a world championship with the San Francisco Giants and will be the third baseman. 

There is reason to be happy if you are part of Red Sox Nation but I would also be cautious.  Ramirez is always hurt and he isn't known as a great clubhouse guy either.  Sandoval is a very good player who becomes great in the postseason but they are paying him to be great all the time.  There is always a concern with his weight and also his OPS has gone down in three straight seasons.  The Red Sox also need pitching which they appear that they may be getting in free agency or a big trade.  They also have a logjam of players right now. 

The rumors are that they are talking to the Phillies about Cole Hamels and they are also talking to Jon Lester about a reunion although to me that seems less likely.  They really need two starters at the moment as they have Clay Bucholz, Joe Kelly and a bunch of unknown quantities.  The last time the Red Sox did this it didn't work and they tore it apart by trading guys to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Will this time be different, will it bring short term results but long term problems?  Will the New York Yankees react or are they going to act like the Red Sox were pledging to act just a couple of years ago.  There are a lot of questions right now but we will see how this all plays out the rest of the winter into spring training and then the regular season.  The Red Sox are very active right now and people like action just remember though world championships aren't won on paper or in the off-season, they are won from April-October. 

MLB GM Meetings in Phoenix, Arizona

The MLB GM meetings began on Monday and will be finishing up on Wednesday.  This is usually a time where not much action occurs but a lot of groundwork laying does happen.  This year it does seem to be more active than in the past though.  What have we learned so far, let me take you through that. 

The Yankees signed Chris Young to a one year 2.5 million dollar deal with incentives.  That actually occured before the meetings.  GM Brian Cashman has said he is set in the outfield with him being the fourth outfielder.  They are looking at several options at SS and the two latest rumored names are Elvis Andrus from the Texas Rangers and Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies.  They would have to be acquired in a trade.  There is risk with both, Andrus is young which is good for the Yankees but he has an 8 year 120 million dollar contract ready to kick in next year.  Rollins is older and declining although he is still capable of putting up decent numbers.  I am kind of leaning towards resigning Stephen Drew on this one.  Cashman has said that he will be talking to him and his agent and will see what happens there.  Troy Tulowitzki is a sexy name but he is always hurt, costs a lot of money and will cost a lot of prospects. 

The Mets made the first big splash of the offseason by signing Michael Cuddyer to a two year/ 21 million dollar deal.  He will be their RF with Curtis Granderson moving over to left field.  I think this was a good move for them, they will forfeit the number 15 pick in the draft.  I say who cares though, they are close to contending and they need a veteran bat in their lineup.  If they aren't done and he isn't the only signing then it is a really good move. 

The Red Sox are said to be all in on Pablo Sandoval.  I find it hard to believe he will leave San Francisco but we shall see.  There were some minor moves such as Zoilo Almonte signing a major league deal with the Atlanta Braves and Chien Ming Wang signing with the Braves also but to a minor league contract and an invite to spring training. 

There are talks that the Seattle Mariners want to sign a big bat so they will push also for Sandoval or maybe Victor Martinez.  They feel they are close to getting over the top and after spending a lot on Cano last year they aren't done yet. 

My take on the Yankees and Mets needing shortstops is they will find them through trades most likely.  I think the Mets definitely will and I think the Yankees will if Stephen Drew and them can't come to an agreement.  I do think the most likely is for that to happen as they really seem to want to protect their best prospects and start using them in the majors very soon. 

The winter meetings will begin in a little under a month and that is where the hot stove will really heat up and a lot of movement will happen.  Until then most of this is just speculation and the start to a busy off-season.   

Madison Bumgarner leads the San Francisco Giants to their third title in five years

The San Francisco Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.  The game took place at Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri and the final score was 3-2.  Tim Hudson started for the Giants but the story was Madison Bumgarner who pitched five innings in relief on two days rest.  Jeremy Guthrie started for the Royals and pitched pretty well, their big guys in the bullpen also came in to the game early.  Pablo Sandoval led the Giants offense once again. 

Hudson pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up three hits and two runs.  He walked one and struck out one.  Jeremy Affeldt pitched 2 1/3 innings giving up a hit and Bumgarner pitched five innings giving up two hits and no runs with four strikeouts.  He earned his third win of the World Series and is 5-0 career in the World Series. 

Guthrie lost the game pitching 3 1/3 innings and giving up four hits and three runs.  He walked none and struck out three.  Kelvin Herrera pitched 2 2/3 innings giving up three hits and he struck out four, Wade Davis pitched two innings giving up a hit and struck out three and Greg Holland pitched an inning and he struck out two. 

Sandoval had three hits, Hunter Pence had two hits and Brandon Belt had two hits.  Michael Morse had  ahit and two RBI, Brandon Crawford had an RBI and Sandoval hit a double.  The Giants were 2-6 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.  Blanco committed an error. 

Alcides Escobar had a hit, Nori Aoki drew a walk and Lorenzo Cain had a hit.  Billy Butler had a hit, Alex Gordon had two hits and an RBI and Omar Infante had a hit and an RBI.  Gordon hit a double and the Royals were 0-5 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. 

In the second Morse hit a sacrifice fly to give the Giants a 1-0 lead and then Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.  In the bottom of the second Gordon hit an RBI double to make it a 2-1 game.  Infante hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at two.  Morse hit an RBI single in the fourth to make it 3-2 Giants and that would be the final score.  The San Francisco Giants won their third World Series in five years and the MVP was Bumgarner. 

The San Francisco Giants even the World Series with a 11-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals

The San Francisco Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals 11-4 on Saturday night.  The game took place at AT+T Park in San Francisco, California.  Ryan Vogelson started for the Giants and wasn't very good and Jason Vargas was ok but not great either for the Royals.  Hunter Pence, Pablo Sandoval and Joe Panik led the Giants offensive attack.  Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez led the Royals with three hits each. 

Vogelson pitched 2 2/3 innings for the Giants giving up seven hits and four runs with a walk and two strikeouts.  Jean Machi pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up a walk and a strikeout, Yusmeiro Petit pitched three innings giving up two hits and struck out two and earned the win.  Jeremy Affeldt pitched an inning giving up a hit, Sergio Romo pitched an inning giving up a hit and striking out one and Hunter Strickland pitched an inning giving up a hit and striking out one. 

Vargas pitched four innings giving up six hits and three runs.  He walked two and struck out three.  Jason Frasor pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up a hit and a run, Danny Duffy pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up a hit and a walk with a strikeout and Brandon Finnegan took the loss pitching an inning and giving up five hits and five runs.  He walked two batters and Tim Collins pitched two innings giving up three hits and two runs with a walk and two strikeouts. 

Gregor Blanco had two hits and drew a walk, Panik had two hits and two RBI and Buster Posey had a hit, an RBI and drew two walks.  Pence had three hits and three RBI, Sandoval had two hits and two RBI and Brandon Belt had a hit, an RBI and drew two walks.  Juan Perez had a hit and an RBI, Brandon Crawford had a hit and Duffy had a hit.  Petit had a hit, Arias had a hit and Michael Morse drew a walk.  Panik hit two doubles and Pence hit a double.  The Giants were 7-19 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base.  Blanco had a stolen base. 

Alcides Escobar had a hit, Alex Gordon had a hit and Lorenzo Cain had two hits.  Hosmer had three hits and an RBI, Mike Moustakas drew a walk and Omar Infante had a hit and two RBI.  Perez had three hits and an RBI, Jarrod Dyson had a hit and drew a walk and Hosmer and Gordon each hit a double.  The Royals were 4-11 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.  Gordon had a stolen base and Collins committed an error. 

In the first Pence grounded into a forceout scoring a run and giving the Giants a 1-0 lead.  In the third Hosmer hit an RBI single, Infante hit a two run single and Perez hit an RBI single.  The Royals took a 4-1 lead.  Posey hit an RBI single in the third to cut the lead to 4-2.  In the fifth Pence hit an RBI single and Perez hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at four.  In the sixth Sandoval hit a two run single and Belt hit an RBI single giving the Giants a 7-4 lead.  In the seventh Blanco hit an RBI bunt single, Panik hit a two run double and Pence hit an RBI double.  The Giants had a 11-4 lead and that was the final score.  The World Series is tied at two games each with game five on Sunday night in San Francisco.  Game six will be Tuesday in Kansas City and if they need a game seven it will be on Wednesday night in Kansas City