Teams ready to spend money in off season

Top four teams looking to spend per Buster Olney
1. Milwaukee Brewers: Remember, it was only a year ago when Milwaukee offered CC Sabathia a $100 million deal, so the Brewers clearly are prepared to pay big dollars for a big-time starting pitcher. And they have a clear need: Even with rising star Yovani Gallardo anchoring the staff, Milwaukee ranked dead last in starters' ERA at 5.37 and 27th in rotation innings this past season.

The Brewers conceivably could enter into trade conversations for Vazquez or Halladay, but this course would be problematic. Milwaukee traded aggressively in 2007 and 2008, most notably for Sabathia, and this depleted its farm system. Trading a top young player for a one-year rental like Vazquez or Halladay might not make sense.

It probably would make more sense for the Brewers to take a serious run at Lackey, who as a free agent would not cost them talent in trade. He would take pressure off Gallardo and fit their team culture.

The Brewers also could easily structure a Lackey deal to fit their payroll into the future. Jeff Suppan's contract will expire after next season, and the only real long-term obligation the Brewers have set in stone is to young slugger Ryan Braun, who is signed through the 2015 season. Milwaukee just reduced salary obligations by trading J.J. Hardy to the Twins and replacing Mike Cameron (who made $10 million last season) with Carlos Gomez.

Look, there will be questions about the Brewers' lineup next season given that they will have a group of hitters who don't do certain things very well -- Gomez doesn't get on base consistently, Jason Kendall doesn't hit for power (a .305 on-base percentage this past season), Rickie Weeks doesn't seem to stay healthy and Corey Hart has been a picture of inconsistency.

But the Brewers cannot win unless they improve their starting pitching dramatically, and Lackey, if healthy, would do that.

2. Texas Rangers: They were one of the teams most aggressively pursuing Halladay at the trade deadline, and if they could land one of the big three available aces -- Halladay, Vazquez or Lackey -- they could have a formidable pitching staff next season if Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz (13 hits allowed in 31 innings with 39 strikeouts) continue to develop as expected.

Lackey would fit for many reasons -- he grew up and played college ball in Texas; he's had success in the AL West Division -- but it's unknown whether the Rangers have any chance to make an aggressive multiyear offer for the right-hander, given how their ownership is in a state of flux. The timing just might not be right.

Rather, the Rangers might be more inclined to make a deal for a one-year fix like a Halladay or Vazquez, and there already are rumblings that the Braves and Rangers have discussed Vazquez. What would the Rangers have to surrender?

First baseman Chris Davis could fit in Atlanta, but he's coming off a poor season and probably wouldn't be enough. Talent evaluators for other teams wonder whether Josh Hamilton is in the Rangers' long-term plans. "Who knows what to expect?" one scout asked. "He's had one great season and he was hurt most of last season, and when he did play, he wasn't that great." Hamilton had an OPS of .741 in 89 games for the Rangers in 2009.

What about Nelson Cruz, who emerged at age 29 to have a solid season of 33 homers and a .856 OPS? For the Braves, he would be relatively cheap, could have some impact hitting fifth or sixth in their lineup and has the potential for high impact. There would be questions about Cruz's home-road splits (his OPS at home last season was 153 percentage points higher in Texas than on the road), but there might be some common ground for the Braves and Rangers here.

3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: They set themselves up for Lackey's possible departure by trading for Scott Kazmir in August, and based on how negotiations progressed -- or didn't -- they seem to have a fairly hard line on what kind of investment they're willing to make in Lackey, whom they know better than any other team. They could be OK if he walks away, so long as Kazmir continues to improve and Ervin Santana bounces back.

But they obviously would have a big hole at the front of their rotation, and on paper they do match up with the Jays in some ways for a deal for Halladay. Toronto could use young infielders, and the Angels have a wealth of young infielders.

The hardworking, diligent Halladay would be a perfect fit for Mike Scioscia's clubhouse and the organization's culture. (Then again, Halladay would be a perfect fit just about anywhere.)

What follows is pure speculation: Could the Jays and Angels structure something around Halladay and Howie Kendrick (plus others), who could play first base for Toronto and give the Jays an excellent young core of hitters with Aaron Hill, Adam Lind and Travis Snider?

4. Los Angeles Dodgers: Could use an ace, but it's unclear whether they are willing or able to land one. The great unknown, of course, is how much the McCourts' impending divorce will affect roster structuring, but it's hard to imagine L.A. getting deep into the bidding for Lackey. And the Dodgers really don't match up well with the Braves for any kind of Vazquez deal, because presumably they wouldn't consider trading Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier.

Los Angeles is expected to move at least one of its many arbitration-eligible players via trade. You might match Halladay with what the Dodgers have to offer -- Canada native Russell Martin plus others. But remember that Martin's OPS has dropped 162 points during the past two seasons. He also is climbing swiftly up the arbitration ladder; his salary might climb from $3.9 million last season to $6 million next season. In the end, the Dodgers might not get the ace they need.

 

not sure about the Dodgers with that nasty divorce going down

 

Scott Boros throws McGuire under bus about the way he dealt with Matt Holliday in the spring. This might influence whether or not Holliday resigns with St Louis

 

Saw a story in USA Today that Seattle and or the Angels will be a factor in the Holliday sweepstakes. He will have to take less for the Cards to keep him IMO. Looks like Jason Bay will go back with Boston.