The Kansas City Royals have signed Scott Podsednik to a one year deal worth $1.75 million. Mostly, the reaction were rather harsh, but considering that it is a short term deal and that Podsednik was nearly worth as much even when he was playing poorly from 2006-2008. Last year however, he was average on defense and overall, was worth $7.5 million (according to fangraphs), so if even if he only gives the Royals half of that, the deal is actually a steal.

Of course, the best case scenario for the Royals would be that the Podster plays well and gets shipped to a contender who needs a pinch-runner or 4th outfielder, although the Royals have been quite reluctant to deal their veterans in recent history.

Still, unless those $2 million reduce the Royals draft fund, this may have been an uninspiring signing, but most certainly to a bad one.

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Sportswriters, at times, write things that don't make sense. If you are covering a team with many other writers sharing the same opinions, you'll have to offer a different perspective to stand out. That, or you can blend in to the crowd.

But there are some things that are inexcusable. Gwen Knapp, of the San Francisco Chronicle, provided one of those today.

Now that Tony LaRussa has publicly revealed his fantasy of using Mark McGwire as a pinch-hitter if the Cardinals remain in contention when MLB rosters expand Aug. 31, the Giants should feel perfectly comfortable making the same option available to Barry Bonds.

We can all agree to suspend judgment, since the commissioner himself, after years of re-casting himself as the steroid sheriff, graciously welcomed the news that McGwire would become the St. Louis hitting coach. Apparently, all is forgiven, including McGwire's decision to duck questions in front of Congress.

I don't see how Selig could have done anything differently in this situation. Did you honestly expect him to react angrily to the news that McGwire was hired as the team's hitting coach? Is he going to come out and condemn the Cardinals for hiring McGwire, despite is past associations with performance-enhancing substances.

(I'm not saying McGwire took anything, but it's safe to say McGwire is guilty in the court of public opinion. I don't have evidence for anything, but I also think McGwire was juicing.)

No, Selig can't do that. It would tarnish Major League Baseball if he said something along the lines of, "We don't want McGwire associated with any Major League team." Why? Because MLB didn't do anything to McGwire's career numbers. If he's not guilty of anything in the past in MLB's eyes, then why should he be guilty when it comes to being hired for a job?

We can't use Selig's response to McGwire's hiring as evidence to anything. Selig could think McGwire is the biggest cheat MLB has ever seen and wants nothing to ever do with him. Selig could think McGwire was the cleanest player who ever lived. His reaction in both instances would be the same. Therefore, it's inconclusive as to whether or not Selig has forgiven McGwire.

We also know that sportswriters have not forgiven McGwire. For that, just take a look at the results of the Hall of Fame balloting. The fans probably haven't forgiven McGwire, especially after his non-showing in the Congressional hearings and his reluctance to speak with the media concerning his past after being hired by the Cardinals.

I'm also willing to bet that the fans will boo McGwire relentlessly should he ever step to the plate again.

What's even worse is Knapp's closing line to her column:

If McGwire can go up to the plate and belt one out in September, we'll marvel over how 46 has become the new 26. The words "human growth hormone" won't cross our minds or lips.

Really? Are you kidding me? McGwire is guilty in the court of public opinion, that much is certain. As soon as he stepped to the plate, the words "human growth hormone" and "cheat" will cross the minds of fans and "boo" will cross their lips.

As for the sportswriters who do not vote for McGwire (about 75%), they will be thinking the same thing: McGwire is a cheat.

If McGwire does hit a home run, at the age of 46, that will be more reason to suspect he's a cheat. Teams stayed away from Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro after their ties to performance-enhancing substances. Neither could find a job, despite wanting to play and perhaps being productive.

Manny Ramirez was booed after he tested positive for a women's fertility drug. Alex Rodriguez, as well. David Ortiz, a well liked player, was booed after being linked to the 2003 drug tests by the New York Times. Roger Clemens couldn't find a job despite being one of the better pitchers over the last 50 years.

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Matt Holliday, on The Doug Gottlieb Show on ESPN Radio on Tuesday, announced that he would be returning to the St. Louis Cardinals. He said the deal is for seven years and about $120 million, an AAV of a little more than $17.1 million a season.

The Cardinals greatly overpaid for Holliday. It's not that he isn't worth the money. It's that there was no one else in the bidding for Holliday.

The Yankees have long said they wouldn't spend big money on a free agent addition after their latest moves. The Giants weren't going to be major factors in the chase for Holliday. The Orioles bowed out early in the process, while the Red Sox weren't going to sign Holliday after bringing in John Lackey and Mike Cameron. The Mets didn't have the money or necessity after bringing in Jason Bay. The Cubs don't have the money to make a major move, and the same applied to the Dodgers.

The Angels were, realistically, the only team with the need and (perhaps) the financial situation to compete with the Cardinals. But they were more likely to chase the pitchers available on the free agent market, whether it was Lackey or Javier Vazquez, than a high profile outfielder.

The Cardinals were the only team seriously in the bidding for Holliday. And it was certain that he would return to the Cardinals. This was a situation perhaps perfectly reminiscent of Manny Ramirez from last season. It was rumored Ramirez was looking for a four-year deal worth $100 million. He ended up with two years and something around $50 million.

There just wasn't a huge market for Ramirez's services. Plus, it made too much sense for him to go back to the Dodgers.

The Cardinals didn't follow the model and save themselves some money. Yes, they needed Holliday. Badly. But Holliday needed the Cardinals. There weren't any other teams willing to shell out the big bucks.

The Cardinals could have used this leverage better in their negotiations. They could've offered a five-year deal worth $75 million, an AAV of $15 million. Where else was Holliday going to get a bigger deal? No where. There just wasn't a market for him. The Cardinals should've realized this.

Albert Pujols will be a free agent eventually, and the Cardinals are going to need every dollar bill they have to bring him back. Too bad they spent too many in overpaying Holliday.

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We know Joe Mauer is a valuable player, but is he worth as much as the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports may be the case?

One prominent industry source says it could take $30 million per season to sign Joe Mauer if the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox get into a free-agent bidding war for the Twins' all-star catcher after next season.

People will say outrageous things, and sportswriters (and other types of writers, of course) will quote them. It makes for a good story or at least a tidbit. But this is downright ridiculous.

First, let's take a look at a potential bidding war between the Yankees and the Red Sox. Mauer becomes a free agent after the 2010 season, but the Yankees owe Posada $13.1 million in 2011.

If you figure the deal is backloaded and Mauer "only" gets $23 million that first season (should he sign a contract worth $30 million in AAV), the Yankees would be paying $46 million at catcher. You could DH Posada, but his bat isn't good enough to play there consistently for an entire season for a contending team. That Mark Teixeira has first base locked up for a good number of years, as well.

Posada would be a very expensive part-time player. Getting in the Mauer sweepstakes is nothing the Yankees want, unless Posada retires, which is doubtful.

Victor Martinez is a free agent after the 2010 season, so it's possible the Red Sox could move on to Mauer, who is Martinez's equal with the bat and a better catcher. But why not sign Martinez to a reasonable deal worth about $10-13 million a season over four years? He will have built a familiarity with the Red Sox's pitchers by then and adjusted to playing in Boston.

But the Red Sox could spend big money on Mauer and receive an upgrade. It's definitely possible. But there won't be a bidding war between them and the Yankees. There's no way the Yankees will dedicate about one-seventh of their (guessed by me to be $210 million) payroll.

Especially when you consider Derek Jeter is going to sign a lucrative deal to finish his career in pinstripes, Alex Rodriguez will be getting paid huge bucks in the latter portions of his career, and that the Yankees are paying CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira about $45 million combined each season. Another expenditure of $30 million per season for a player is ridiculous for them to do.

Mauer's $30 million contract would represent about one-sixth of the Red Sox's payroll. They aren't crazy enough to sink that much money into one player. The Red Sox are going to fight for payroll flexibility.

So, what does the market look like for Mauer in the 2010-2011 offseason? If he wants to sign with the Twins, the ballclub would probably offer something in the neighborhood of $13-15 million per season. It will open a ballpark in 2010, which should bring some revenue to cover an expenditure that big.

The Mets may be out of the bidding because they are expected to sign Bengie Molina in the upcoming days. It's doubtful any of the other big-market teams, like the Cubs, Angels and Dodgers, will have the money to spend on Mauer.

The Orioles are frequently mentioned as potential landing spots for big-name free agents, but they already have Matt Wieters around which to build.

There are really no other places for Mauer to go, and logically it seems like there will be no mega-bidding war for Mauer between the Yankees and Red Sox.

This was just a sportswriter just rushing to publish something.

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Jason Bay's new deal with the Mets forces Matt Holliday's hand.

Bay, who agreed to a four-year deal worth $66 million on Tuesday, was the only other superstar bat available in the free agent market. With John Lackey having signed, Holliday remains the only player who figures to sign for a load of money this offseason.

The Red Sox reportedly offered Holliday about $85 million over five years, but that money went to Lackey. The team also signed Mike Cameron to provide solid defense in the outfield.

The other known club to have made an offer to Holliday was St. Louis, and the Cardinals now hold the advantage in negotiations.

Scott Boras could argue that Holliday is the only superstar free agent who could fill in the tremendous lineup gap behind Albert Pujols. He could also lord over the Cardinals the fact that they need to spend money to keep their superstar first baseman appeased.

But what, exactly, is Holliday's market? There are no other teams willing to shell out plenty of money to sign Holliday. The Angels may be considered a dark horse team by some, but it's doubtful they would spend any money. They have been reluctant to make big gambles recently.

The Giants think that Holliday is too expensive for the team to add, and it appears the Yankees are adamant about not spending a lot of money on their next left fielder. Boston would have to make a lot happen before it could bring in Holliday, even if it wanted to now.

The Cardinals are in the same position as the Dodgers were last season with Manny Ramirez. Ramirez was looking for a four-year deal worth about $100 million, but he had to settle for something half that big.

Look for history to repeat itself. Holliday will sign with the Cardinals, and it's going to be on the team's terms. It's been reported the average annual value (AAV) of the Cardinals' offer to Holliday has been in the neighborhood of $15 million.

Try as Boras might, there's not going to be anything bigger than that on the free agent market.

But this is an ideal situation for Holliday and the Cardinals. Well, assuming new Cardinals hitting coach Mark McGwire doesn't want to change Holliday's swing, as he did last offseason.

As you can remember, Holliday started the season in a terrible slump before changing his swing.

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Kelvim Escobar has agreed to terms with the New York Mets and only needs to pass a physical for the deal to be official. The club is looking at him as a relief pitcher, says Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News.

Before the righthander missed almost all of the past two seasons with shoulder injuries, he was a dynamic starter for the Angels, going 18-7 with a 3.40 ERA in 2007. Minaya told the Daily News Friday, "With Escobar, we are looking at him as a reliever."

In the best-case scenario he could set up closer Francisco Rodriguez as the team's eighth-inning guy.

That brings up an interesting question: Why label him as a relief pitcher right now? Shouldn't the Mets wait until they've seen Escobar pitch a bit in spring training after giving him an opportunity to strengthen and lengthen out his arm over this winter?

Mike Pelfrey, Johan Santana, Tim Redding, John Maine and Oliver Perez led the Mets in starts last season. It's difficult to find any postives with that groups outside of Santana. Sure, Maine has some promise and Nelson Figueroa provided some decent innings last season.

The Mets are probably going into spring training with Santana, Figueroa, Maine, Pelfrey/Perez and a free agent signing (Joel Piniero?) as their expected starters. That's better than what they had last season, but it's definitely not enough to match the Phillies or Braves or Marlins in the division.

General manager Omar Minaya should've come into this offseason hoping to add a couple of quality starters to slot behind Santana. Instead, he let John Lackey slip to the Red Sox and is having to fight over whatever is left.

If healthy, Escobar would slip into the front of next season's expected rotation. If the Mets want to bring him along slowly because of his past shoulder issues, they could. The beginning of the season is loaded with plenty of off-days, which would allow Escobar extra rest before the grind of the season began.

He's had success in the American League as a starting pitcher and pitching at Citi Field, with its relatively pitcher friendly conditions, would be even better. This is an experiment the Mets should've tried but failed to do.

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John Lackey is reportedly taking a physical for the Boston Red Sox, ESPN.com writes.

No deal has been finalized, but a source told ESPN.com that the sides are working on a contract. The simple fact that he is in Boston shows the gravity of Boston's interest, as a physical would be required before any deal was official.

The news comes as a surprise in Boston, as Lackey had not been prominently mentioned as a potential Red Sox target in recent rumors.

Lackey is widely considered the No. 1 free agent pitcher on the market and is a necessity for a Red Sox team looking to catch the New York Yankees in the American League East.

This suggests the Red Sox won't be going hard after outfielder Jason Bay, to whom they reportedly offered a four-year, $60 million contract. Bay rejected the offer.

This also suggests the Red Sox are wising up when it comes to their financial power. The team signed rehab projects John Smoltz and Brad Penny last offseason. The moves made sense, but a team with as much money as the Red Sox needs to spend it.

How does this impact Roy Halladay's future? Let's hear your comments.

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At Baseball Analysts Sky Andrecheck gives a unusual perspective on the impact of former players' union head Marvin Miller:

There's no question that Miller made a positive contribution to players' wallets. Before free agency in 1975, the average major league salary was $45,000 - today the average player makes $3,260,000. ... But baseball doesn't exist for the players - it exists for the fans.

And the advent of free agency has had questionable consequences for fans of the game. ... Before Miller came upon the scene, there had been zero work stoppages. After he was elected head of the MLBPA in 1966, we have seen strikes or lockouts in 1972, 1973, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1990, and 1994, five of which came under Miller's guidance which lasted until 1982.

... While players' wallets got a boost, their reputations took a hit. In the pre-Miller era, the greedy prima donna athlete stereotype so ubiquitous today did not exist. Nor did fans boo their former heroes for bolting town for the highest offer once they became free agents. Back in 1966, athletes of all stripes seemed to share more with the common man than the fat cats in the owners boxes. Today, fans are more inclined to view them as one in the same.

In an alternate, Miller-less world, A-Rod would perhaps be toasting his longtime teammates Ken Griffey and Randy Johnson in Seattle on another World Series title, with all three enjoying the same kind of local working-man's hero status that players like Ted Williams and Ernie Banks used to share. ...

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Everybody is talking about the first big deal of the offseason. Curtis Granderson to the Yankees, Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy to the Diamondbacks and Max Scherzer, Phil Coke, Daniel Schlereth and Austin Jackson to the Tigers.

Everybody seems to love the deal for the Yankees, but I'm not so sure. Granderson has posted a .780 OPS last year, his defense has apparently slipped and he was just 20 for 26 on the basepath. Don't get me wrong, he is a pretty good player, better than Johnny Damon, but not by much. And giving Austin Jackson away might hurt their chances to get Halladay, if they really want to keep him away from the Red Sox.

I love the deal for the Tigers though. Scherzer is cheaper and possibly even better than Jackson and they get arms for their pen, something they really needed.

For the D'Backs, that trade only makes sense if they are absolutely sure that Kennedy will be 100% after his surgery and this 100% is good enough to pitch in the Majors. So far, Kennedy has a 6.03 ERA in nearly 60 innings. Of course, Kennedy will turn only 25 in a few days, but Arizona has to have a lot of faith in him to justify switching Scherzer with Jackson.

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The White Sox have just signed Mark Teahen to a three year, $14 million contract.

I just have one question: Why? Teahen owns a career .749 OPS (slightly worse the last two years), is 28 years old and unlikely to get much better all of a sudden. That's all fine if he plays second, but the White Sox have him listed as a third baseman and allegedly plan to play him at first. Can they not find someone who is better and costs less? I mean Teahen is pretty much a replacement level player at the corners. This is beyond me.

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