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After a World Series and San Francisco Giants victory that fittingly capped the MLB campaign known as the Season of the Pitcher, the sport has slightly skipped a beat before immediately starting its next chapter, open season on free agents. License to begin the search in a season of big spending has been given 10 days earlier than in the past due to rules changes meant to much easier wheeling-dealing.

The top ticket item within more than 150 free agent baseballers is the Rangers pitcher Cliff Lee who has been consistently in the spotlight last month, and as I have said earlier the Yankees already reached out to his agent to show their interest. Cliff Lee, who had gathered a 7-0 postseason record in the past 2 years before 2 uncharacteristic Fall Classic stumbles against the San Francisco Giants, figures to command in the neighborhood of his old Cleveland Indian team-mate CC Sabathia’s deal with the Yanks at $23M yearly. New York might have to sweeten the pot for the best pitcher free after the sour treatment Lee’s wife met at her last visit to Yankees’ new $1.6B stadium. Kristen Lee said she was spat on and cursed at by fans at the New York Yankees Stadium during Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. “It’s hard not to take it personal,” she said to USA TODAY. Lee, an amazing 48-25 with a 2.98 earned run average over the last 3 regular seasons, said he would not hold it against prospective buyer New York Yankees, brushing off the incident to a few “goofballs” among the 50,000 packed into the seats.

The San Francisco triumphed in the World Series with a cast of young, sensational pitchers backed by an offense composed of castoffs and misfits — many of whom are once again available for the taking. The Giants sluggers Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe, Pat Burrell and World Series MVP Edgar Renteria are on the free agent list. Edgar Renteria’s probable exit after being a key player to a championship would follow the footsteps of 2009 Fall Classic MVP Hideki Matsui of New york. Matsui, who transferred from New York to Los Angeles to play for the Angels, may require to leave another forwarding address as he again has arrived on the free agent list. New York themselves have some dynamic names on the list in captain Derek Jeter and closer Mariano Rivera, though those stalwarts of five New York title teams are both expected to sign juicy offers to continue wearing the pinstripes as much to honor their legacy as their production.

Other big fish in the pool to catch are Tampa Bay Rays’ swift outfielder Carl Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies’ slugger Jayson Werth and Washington Nationals power-hitter Adam Dunn.

A number of potential closers are also open for pick up like J.J. Putz, Brian Fuentes, Kevin Gregg, Jon Rauch, Koji Uehara and all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman, 43, who hit the 600-save mark last season for Milwaukee Brewers and would like to hook up with a new team if he can continue to close games.

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The New York Yankees MLB team and manager Joe Girardi are close to deal on a three-year contract worth between $9 and $10 million, the Yankees Post reported earlier this week. Girardi, who led the New York to 2009 World Series title, has handled the team for 3 seasons – missing the playoffs in his initial campaign and bowing out towards the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series this October. The article claimed that the deal might be finished Wednesday or Thursday. It would give Girardi a bump in pay from his previous three-year, $7.5 million package, which will expire Saturday, perhaps a true sign of the Yankees’ shift in practice since George Steinbrenner has become sick and eventually died this year. Girardi, a 3-time champion with the New York Yankees as a baseball player, has been criticized – as all New York managers are – for micromanaging and his marriage to statistical analysis. As such, several speculated that Girardi had grown weary of the Bronx and had designs on moving towards the Cubs, certainly one o his home state’s teams. Chicago Cubs, though, got Mike Quade as manager, ending that rumor. An agreement with Girardi isn’t the only piece of off-season business for New York, who are faced with the free agency of established baseball stars Derek Jeter, 36, and Mariano Rivera, 40. The post said that the Yankees will look for a reduction in Jeter’s annual income, which paid him an average of $18.9 million over the last ten years. The future Hall of Famer made $22.6 million this year, when he had certainly one of his worst offensive seasons.

Chan Ho Park, who pitched for the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies out of the bullpen last season, has made a one year deal agreement with the New York Yankees. This announcement was made Monday at a news conference in Seoul, South Korea. Although the Yankees have not confirmed the signing and even the team’s General Manager Brian Cashman has not disclosed if the deal was really approved and finalized. There were some talks between Park’s agent Jeff Borris and Cashman, and according to Brian Cashman, the deal is not yet over.

It was said that the offered package is worth US$1.2 million with an additional $300,000 in performance bonuses if Park decides to join the Yankees. And this is exactly what Chan Ho Park agreed to when he announced in the news conference his decision to join the New York Yankees. The 36-year old right-hander went 3-3 with a 4.43 earned-run average in 45 games with the NL champion Philadelphia Phillies last year. Park also made 3 1-3 scoreless innings against the Yankees in the World Series.

Park has a career record of 120-95 with a 4.35 ERA over 16 big-league seasons with the Phillies, Rangers, Dodgers, Padres and Mets. And the first South Korean to play in the Major League

(Photo via zimbio.com)

Does the name “George Herman Ruth, Jr.” ring a bell? Or should I say “Babe” Ruth. For those who haven’t known, Ruth was regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American Culture and has been named as the greatest baseball player in history. Also known as “the Bambino” and “the Sultan of Swat”, He played in American Major League Baseball from 1914-1935. Ruth Started as a Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and later on joined New York Yankees as a full-time right fielder. He became one of the league’s most productive hitters and won seven pennants and four World Series titles with the Yankees. His home run hitting prowess and enigmatic personality made him a baseball celebrity in the Roaring Twenties. Ruth retired in 1936 and became one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In a 1999 ESPN poll, he was ranked as the third-greatest US athlete of the century, behind Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. The name Babe Ruth will forever be remembered as the supreme baseball player in the Professional League