Hibernation

So, the Major League Baseball season goes into hibernation after last night's World Series finale. That sound you heard last night at 11:15PM was the universe sighing.

Sure, there's baseball being played in developmental leagues and other winter ball locales in the Caribbean, but those are all instructional or rehabilitational for the Great Game.

But the best news for all of us here in Texas: Alex Rodriquez has opted out of the last three years of his contract with the Yankees, which means that our Texas Rangers will not be paying $7 million per year to have him play for someone else. Open note to the Rangers: Use that money to find a center fielder and two back-end starters. We actually will be a better baseball team because A-Fraud isn't playing for the Yankees.

The bad news for the Red Sox, Cubs or Angels (primary bidders): You'll be paying $30 million per year for 45 home runs, 125 RBI's and a .310 batting average...and for largely disappointing playoff numbers. You'll also be getting what is known as the A-Rod Virus--this belief that he somehow, because he's the game's best player since Barry Bonds' decline, he deserves to play "on the game's biggest stage"--which means that the teams he plays for never get to the next level because his self-serving style of play and inability to deliver when it matters (how many three-run homers in 11-5 losses can one guy hit? It's staggering when you look at it.) brings down good ballclubs. You can have him and all his problems for a mere $100 million for 3 years. Give me three Michael Young-type players and I'll still have $50 million for pitching.

Alas, into the long dark winter for the Great Game.

Pitchers and catchers report to training camp mid-February. I'll be waiting.