Apparently Manny Ramirez-to-the-Giants was all just one big c*ock tease for San Fran fans that were hoping the club would add some offense.

According to one source familiar with the Giants’ thinking, just about every recent rumor connecting the Giants with Manny is “unfounded” or “baloney.”

“If a million things came together over the next few weeks, would it be possible? Maybe,” the source told ESPN.com. “But for where [Boras] is right now and where the team is right now, it doesn’t make sense economically and it doesn’t make sense for how the team fits together.”

And the Giants, according to multiple sources, have no interest in pursuing Ramirez or any other free agent looking for large dollars and multiple years. Even reports connecting them with free-agent third baseman Joe Crede, another Boras client, have been exaggerated, sources say.

Industry sources estimate that the Giants’ payroll, with no other additions or subtractions, is already likely to be north of $85 million — and would be more than $90 million if you include deferred money owed to Barry Bonds. That’s already significantly higher than last year’s payroll (about $77 million) and close to the highest in team history.
So signing Ramirez would push them well beyond $100 million. And multiple sources indicate there is virtually no scenario that would allow them to maintain a payroll in that range.

“They fit because they need the bat,” one NL executive said. “They’re one hitter away from being a real good team. But how do they go to $100 million to add that bat? I don’t think there’s any way that happens.”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: how does Brian Sabean still have a job? The guy developed some of the best young pitching talent in the ML, yet successfully combined it with the worst offense known to mankind. And the reason why the Giants’ payroll is so high is because the goofball (I’m referring to Sabean here) gave ridiculous contracts to Barry Zito, Dave Roberts ($18 mil, Sabean? Really?) and Rich Aurilia two years ago.

The guy must have dirt on every person in the Giants’ front office because he should have been gone years ago. And Manny’s going back to L.A. It’s the only logical fit at this point.

Since the Denver Post reported that the San Francisco Giants were interested in signing free agent Manny Ramirez, I’ve been battling with myself on a daily basis on whether or not they should go through with acquiring the dreaded one.

So here is what’s been going on in my head lately. (Scary thought, I know.)

Me: With their pitching staff, the Giants would be instant contenders in a weak NL West if they signed Manny.

Me: The Giants already had a dysfunctional left fielder that could hit but couldn’t field. Remember?

Me: I know, but it’s Manny! The guy is still one of the best hitters in the league and the Giants need offense like Ally Mcbeal needs a sandwich!

Me: That’s your pop culture reference? Ally freaking Mcbeal? That’s pretty weak.

Me: I couldn’t think of anything else.

Me: If they sign Manny, what do they do with Fred Lewis? He finally had a breakthrough season last year and if the Giants signed Manny, there would be no room for him considering Randy Winn (a .300 hitter with good range in the outfield) and Aaron Rowand (big contract) are already taking up space in the outfield. Manny plays the one position the Giants already have depth at – corner outfield.

Me: True. And I do like Lewis. But considering Manny, Winn and Rowand are all in their 30s, Freddie would get a fair amount of at bats.

Me: This is how you rebuild? By giving your younger players “a fair amount of at bats�?

Me: Yeah but it’s Manny! His mere presence in the lineup would make Winn, Rowand, Bengie Molina and Pablo Sandoval better!

Me: He would turn the clubhouse upside down and eventually cause friction.

Me: I…don’t…care. I’m tired of seeing this team score three runs (on a good night) a night and it would severely weaken the Dodgers.

Me: That’s true – it would stick it to those bastard Dodgers.

Me: Yes! And hey, we’re not talking about a long-term deal here. Brian Sabean could sign Manny to a two-year deal with a club option for a third season and then we could part ways before he hits 40.

Me: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense! Okay, yeah! Yeah – sign Manny to a two-year deal Sabean!

Me: Of course, Sabean probably wouldn’t sign him to just a two-year deal. He would probably give him Barry Zito-type money and a Barry Zito-type length of contract. Manny would be a Giant well into his 40s.

Me: F’n Sabean! That ass clown has been living off the Jeff Kent trade for years!

Me: Maybe they should just stay away from Manny.

Me: Maybe.

Me: Or maybe…

Among all the moves, be they trades or free agent signings, the biggest non-signing of the MLB Hot Stove off-season has been that Manny Ramirez remains without a team. Actually he hasn’t even had an offer besides the Dodgers’ two-year, $45 million offer back in November. But last night, the Dodgers and beleaguered outfielder Andruw Jones (*) parted ways, freeing up some more money on their payroll to offer Ramirez. Manny fits well on that team and with Joe Torre’s easy demeanor. And he can loaf a bit more in between raking the ball all over Dodger Stadium. We’ll see, but with the Yanks signing Mark Teixeira, and the Angels focusing on their bullpen by signing Brian Fuentes, there are less attractive options for Manny other than remaining in La La Land.

In addition to the Teixeira Fuentes signings, Randy Johnson was inked by the Giants. This works out well for the Big Unit, who wanted to play in California and can easily reach 300 victories since he currently has 295. If only Barry Zito started pitching like Oakland Barry Zito, this staff would be looking damn good right now.

So one of the problems with the stalled Jake Peavy to Chicago trade talks was that the Padres wanted infielder Mark DeRosa and Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry balked at that. Well, Hendry had no problem shipping DeRosa to Cleveland for three minor leaguers, did he? I think there is more to that Peavy story than what we’re being told. I don’t know what, but somebody doesn’t like somebody somewhere, and my guess is there is an agent in that conversation.

So Derek Lowe doesn’t want to pitch for the Mets at three years, $36 million? Are you kidding me? How is that guy worth more than $12 million per season at 35 years old? Dude apparently wants a four or five year, $90 million deal. Good luck with that, Derek. Meanwhile the Mets are turning their attention back to in-house free agents Oliver Perez and Pedro Martinez, as well as less expensive options like Jon Garland or Randy Wolf.

* Omar Minaya, if you are reading this, DO NOT invite Jones to spring training. I know the Dodgers are paying his way in 2009, but the guy can’t hit his way out of a paper bag (the stats don’t lie…..158 batting average with 76 strikeouts in just 209 at-bats). Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Rumor has it that the San Francisco Giants are quietly making a play for free agent Manny Ramirez.

Acquiring Ramirez would come with a number of headaches — from simply having the mercurial slugger on their roster to likely having to trade one of their incumbent outfielders (Randy Winn, Aaron Rowand, Dave Roberts). But all in all, he’d probably be worth it for a team that isn’t all that far from seriously contending. They play in a soft division where 85 wins could easily equal a playoff berth.

That’s especially true when you consider three factors: (1) the market for Ramirez is severely depressed because of the number of all-hit, no-field corner bats on the market, (2) signing him would simultaneously improve the Giants’ offense and weaken the rival Dodgers and (3) it would save GM Brian Sabean from having to engineer a complex trade for a bat that would cost him one of his top young pitchers like Jonathan Sanchez.

I tossed the idea of the Giants being potential sleepers in the Manny Ramirez sweepstakes in early December and as long as they don’t go ridiculous with the length of the contract, I think it would be a great move for club in desperate need of a bat.

As the article suggests, the Giants aren’t that far away from competing because they have such a solid pitching staff, headed by NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. But their lineup is comprised of roll players and lacks major pop. Adding Manny would instantly make Bengie Molina, Randy Winn (if Manny doesn’t push him out) and Aaron Rowand better, and if younger players Pablo Sandoval, Fred Lewis (if Manny doesn’t push him out) and Travis Ishikawa can continue to develop, the lineup would certainly be good enough to win the NL West.

It’ll be interesting to see if the G-Men can steal the Dodgers’ most coveted free agent.

- Did the San Francisco Giants sign Randy Johnson just to sell tickets? (SPORTSbyBROOKS)

- The Love of Sports gives us the best images of the 2008 College Football Season. (The Love of Sports)

- With the re-signing of Andy Pettitte in doubt, are the New York Yankees ready to give Phil Hughes a full-time spot in the rotation? (Sliding Into Home)

- MMA fighter Justin Eilers was tragically shot dead in “domestic disturbance� on Christmas. (Deadspin)

- Here’s a look at the top 15 remaining free agents in baseball. (Eli’s MLB Rumors)

The San Francisco Giants signed pitcher Randy Johnson to a one-year, $8 million contract.

The 45-year-old Walnut Creek native and Livermore High School alumnus comes home needing five victories to reach the magic 300-victory mark; he could become the final pitcher in a generation to achieve the benchmark.

But the Giants have had ample chances to celebrate milestones amid four consecutive losing seasons. They’re counting on Johnson to provide more than a platform for the marketing department.
“He can still pitch,” Giants General Manager Brian Sabean said earlier this month. “He’s an intimidating force. The opposition knows who he is, and if he’s on your side, the team knows you’ve got a chance to win every time he goes out.”

A five-time Cy Young Award winner, Johnson joins a Giants rotation that already boasted two Cy winners; Barry Zito won the A.L. award with the A’s in 2002 and Tim Lincecum captured the N.L. trophy last season. The 2002 Atlanta Braves (Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz) were the last major league team with three Cy Young winners.

This was a nice signing and if the Giants could add a couple of hitters to give their lineup more pop, they’d have the makings of a club that could compete in the NL West. Their top three pitchers are solid, Zito might succeed more at the back of the rotation and the Big Unit is solid as a fourth or fifth starter.

But this team is so void of hitters that they probably won’t be able to compete for a couple of years unless they surprise people and add a bat like Manny, which is highly unlikely.

At the end of the year, it’s always interesting to look back at all that has happened in the world of sports over the last 12 months. 2008 brought us a host of compelling sports stories, including the culmination of the Patriots’ (unsuccessful) quest for perfection, a Bejing Olympics that featured incredible accomplishments by the likes of Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt and the Redeem Team, and, of course, Brett Favre’s unretirement, which managed to hold the sports news cycle hostage for a solid month or more.

As is our tradition, we’ve once again broken our Year End Sports Review into three sections. The first is “What We Learned,� a list that’s packed with a number of impressive feats. And when there are feats, inevitably there are also failures.

Don’t miss the other two parts: “What We Already Knewâ€� and “What We Think Might Happen.â€�

The New England Patriots weren’t so perfect after all.

After rolling through the 2007 regular season unscathed, the Patriots entered the 2008 Super Bowl as overwhelming favorites to roll over the pesky, but seemingly inferior New York Giants. The Pats were just one win away from staking their claim as the best football team in NFL history. But thanks to a dominating Giants’ defensive line, an improbable catch by David Tyree, and a virtually mistake-free performance by Eli Manning, the unbeatable New England Patriots were beat. It’ll go down as one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, and considering Tom Brady’s season-ending injury in 2008 cost the Pats a chance for redemption, it seems that many have forgotten how New England stood just one win away from perfection. – Anthony Stalter

Michael Phelps is part fish.

Eight gold medals in one Olympiad? No problem. Michael Phelps made the seemingly impossible look (relatively) easy en route to one of the most – if not the most – impressive Olympic performances ever. Phelps had to swim all four strokes, compete in both sprint and endurance races, and deal with the constant media attention and pressure that came along with his quest. Sure, NBC turned up the hype, but what Phelps accomplished is simply incredible. – John Paulsen

Usain Bolt is part cheetah.

First, Usain Bolt made Jamaica proud by setting a new world record (9.69) in the 100-meter sprint. Then, he broke the 12 year-old 200-meter world record with a time of 19.30 seconds. He showboated during the first race but cleaned up his act to win the second race in a professional manner. Some even say that Usain Bolt – not Michael Phelps – was the biggest story to come out of the Bejing Olympics. – JP

The Big 12 has the best quarterbacks in the nation.

The Big 12 housed some of the best quarterbacks in all of college football in 2008. Texas’s Colt McCoy, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, Missouri’s Chase Daniel and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell were all considered Heisman candidates at least at one point during the season, while McCoy and Bradford are still in the running. Amazingly, Bradford and McCoy aren’t done; both will return in 2008. And although they don’t receive as much attention as the top signal callers in the conference, Kansas’s Todd Reesing and Baylor’s Robert Griffin certainly turned heads this year as well. In fact, the highly versatile Griffin is only a freshman and could make the Bears a very dangerous team for years to come. – AS

It’s time to look ahead to 2009 and play a little Nostradamus.

Last year, we predicted that God would anoint the “Devil-free� Rays World Series Champions (ding!), that Brett Favre would play another year or two (ding! – sort of), that Isiah Thomas would be canned (ding!), and that Kobe would be playing for a new team by the trade deadline…

Granted, that last one didn’t come true, but how were we supposed to know that the Grizzlies would trade Pau Gasol to the Lakers for an unproven rookie and a bag of peanuts? Our occasional inaccuracy isn’t going to keep us from rolling out another set of predictions – some serious and some farcical – for 2009 and beyond, including President Obama’s plan for a college football playoff, Donovan McNabb’s new home and the baseball club most likely to be 2009’s version of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Read on, and in a year, we guarantee* you’ll be amazed.

*This is not an actual guarantee, mind you.

Don’t miss the other two parts of our 2008 Year-End Sports Review: “What We Learnedâ€� and “What We Already Knew.â€�

Michael Vick will play for the Oakland Raiders next season.

Once NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell allows suspended quarterback Michael Vick to re-enter the league, let’s be honest, there’s really only one team that will take a shot on the convict: the Oakland Raiders. Sure, the Raiders would have to possibly give up a draft pick because Vick will still technically be property of the Falcons, but with Matt Ryan on board, Atlanta would probably be willing to give Mikey up for a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos…snack size. With Vick on board, JaMarcus Russell could shift to tight end or full back or offensive tackle or something. Or, Vick could play wide receiver! Or running back! Think of the possibilities! The Oakland Raiders will be the most unstoppable team in the league! That is, of course, until Vick gets the itch for his old hobby. – Anthony Stalter

The Nationals and Pirates become the official AAAA teams of their respective divisions.

After finishing at or near the bottom of the division since the franchise’s move from Montreal, Major League Baseball executives analyze the entire Washington Nationals player system and conclude that they have no chance of fielding a competitive team in the near future. In the boldest decision of his tenure, Commissioner Bud Selig demotes the team’s Major League roster to AAAA status, a phrase long used by baseball personnel to describe players that are too good for the minors but not good enough for the majors. In an added twist, Selig designates that the team’s assets are fair game for all four remaining teams in the National League East, as a means of creating parity. In order to keep the number of teams even in each league, Selig also downgrades the Pittsburgh Pirates, losers of 94 or more games since 2005, to AAAA status as well. It will be six weeks into the regular season before an NL East team claims any of these former Pirates or Nationals. – David Medsker

Barack Obama will have a plan in place for a college football playoff by 2016.

He has already spoken out twice in favor of an eight-team playoff format for college football. Granted, there are more pressing concerns for the President-elect – the economy, the war in Iraq and a forward-thinking energy policy, just to name a few – but there’s no reason that Obama can’t appoint a “Playoff Czar� to get the conference presidents and the bowl organizers together to hash out a system that works for everyone. Are the bowls worried about losing money? Rotate the semifinals and the final amongst the four bowl cities. Are the conferences worried about losing money? They shouldn’t be – the ratings for an eight-team playoff would dwarf the ratings the current system is getting. And better ratings means more money. This is something that 85%-90% of the population can agree on, and that doesn’t happen often. Mark our words – President Obama will make it happen, especially if he gets a second term. – John Paulsen

On Tuesday, RealClearSports.com tackled the top 10 worst MLB free agent signings of all-time.

On Thursday they pay tribute to the best:

1. Barry Bonds - Signed by San Francisco in 1992, six years, $43 million.
A six-time all-star, five gold gloves, one MVP award; his numbers were not as gaudy as they would be in the six years that followed, but he still lived up to the contract, and then some. And never, ever caused off-the-field concerns or troubles.

2. Greg Maddux - Signed by Atlanta in 1992, five years, $28 million.
It seemed almost unfair when the Braves, who already had Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery, added Cy Young winner Maddux to the rotation. In the five years of his contract, he won three more Cy Youngs in the first three years, two of them unanimous; he was first or second in the league in ERA all five years; and posted an 89-33 record for the perpetual division champs.

3. Manny Ramirez (Boston, Dec. 2000, eight years, $160 million) and Alex Rodriguez (Texas, Jan. 2001, ten years, $252 million).
Both contracts were gargantuan, for amounts of money that seemed obscene at the time – and still do. Yet both, under the representation of Scott Boras, opted out of the last few years of the deals, expecting to make even more. The two were nearly traded for each other in 2003 before the Players Association rejected an agreement with Boston that would have reduced A-Rod’s compensation by $4 million per year. Both players are sure Hall of Famers, two of the greatest right-handed hitters who ever lived.

A-Rod’s opt-out brought him more years and more money; Manny does not yet know how it will work and where he’ll end up “being Manny.” Would A-Rod trade his three MVPs for just one of Manny’s two World Series titles — or even a single World Series at-bat? We’d like to think so, but honestly, we don’t know.

It’s kind of interesting to think that Bonds was very close to becoming an Atlanta Brave in 1992. I don’t think there has ever been a free agent signing in baseball that made a bigger impact than when Bonds went to San Fran. Makes you wonder if things would have been different in Atlanta and if he would have stayed in a city/state dominated by college football and NASCAR for as long as he wound up staying in Frisco.

Now that CC Sabathia is set to become a Yankee, the attention will start to turn to finding Manny Ramirez a home. According to YAHOO! Sports, there’s no market for Manny at this point.

The Dodger offer, the only known offer, is for $45 million over two years.

“Was for $45 million over two years,� one Dodgers executive corrected.

It’s off the table, along with the third-year option that, if exercised, would have brought the contract’s worth to $60 million.

The Dodgers are still in on Ramirez. Their offer could be reheated and reserved. But, they could in the coming days or weeks re-sign Furcal and find themselves up to their credit lines in Sabathia, and quickly turn away. So, what of the others out there?

The Angels? Teixeira comes first, Sabathia second. Manny?

“It’s not a likely scenario,� Angels GM Tony Reagins said. “We think there are opportunities we see that are more important at this time.�

The Red Sox? Please.

The Yankees? Sabathia first, then Burnett and Lowe, then more pitching, then Teixeira, then Manny. GM Brian Cashman believes nearly all the problems of recent seasons can be fixed on the mound. They could eventually turn to Manny, but it sounds like a distant priority.

The Mets? GM Omar Minaya loves Manny. But he’s just added Francisco Rodriguez and he needs at least one starting pitcher and his owner is cutting payroll, not adding, say, $75 million over three years.

I thought for sure that the Yankees would lose out on Sabathia and turn their attention to Manny, but obviously it’s a long shot that Ramirez winds up in the Bronx now. A potential sleeper candidate could be the San Francisco Giants. They’ve got plenty of pitching both at the big league level and in the minors, yet absolutely nothing in terms of bats. (Unless you consider Randy Winn, Bengie Molina and Aaron Rowand has heavy hitters.)

Buuuuuuuuuut, I don’t know if the Giants will come up with the money. And compared to their needs in the infield, the Giants need another outfielder like Barry Bonds needs another federal charge filed against him. But if no market is established for Manny in the upcoming weeks, maybe the G-Men will make a move and finally get a true cleanup hitter back in the lineup.

According to general manager Ned Colletti, free agent pitcher CC Sabathia wants to be in Dodger blue next season.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark on Monday that he ran into the free agent on Sunday night in a hotel lobby and the left-hander told him that he wants to be a Dodger.

Although the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers have made offers to the prize of the free-agent class, speculation continued that Sabathia would want to play near the home he is building in Southern California.

Sabathia did meet with the Yankees on Sunday and Monday, and his representatives spoke with the Brewers on Monday.

According to a baseball man with knowledge of the meeting, Sabathia wanted to meet with the Yankees on Sunday because he’s “trying to gather information” about the franchise and New York.
Sabathia and his agent, Greg Genske, met for about 2½ hours on Sunday with Yankees GM Brian Cashman, manager Joe Girardi and adviser Reggie Jackson. And the main focus of the conversation, the source said, was whether Sabathia wants to be a Yankee.

Cashman met alone with Sabathia and his representatives on Monday.

Many insist that Sabathia will eventually take the money and wind up in New York, but his desire to hit and play in his home state seem to be more appealing at this point. The Dodgers seem like a perfect fit for the three things Sabathia wants – his home state, money and the opportunity to hit. The other two California teams that have shown interest – the Angels and Giants – only seem to be trying to drive up the market value for the ace with the Yankees and Dodgers being the two main players in the Sabathia sweepstakes.

Seriously, will someone please sign a big free agent already? The MLB Winter Meetings begin on Monday in Vegas, and hopefully the baseball big shots will spend more time signing free agents and making trades than they do gambling.

Well, a few things have happened of note this week. The Red Sox signed AL MVP Dustin Pedroia to a new, six-year deal worth $40.5 million. And this for a guy who was making less than $500K per year. But dude has earned every penny…..Javier Vazquez was traded from the White Sox to the Braves for four young (mostly minor league) players, and Ozzie Guillen is probably smiling if he’s reading this….the Padres sent Khalil Greene to St. Louis…..and the Giants signed infielder Edgar Renteria to a two-year, $18.5 million deal and are also talking about making CC Sabathia an offer and even trading for Florida third baseman Jorge Cantu. Yeah, the Giants are not messing around. And Derek Lowe has been offered two deals, one by the Phillies and another by a mystery team

Okay, so I guess some things are happening, but not the big ones we all were waiting for, at least not yet. The Yankees are set to meet with CC Sabathia this weekend to discuss their ridiculously large offer made recently. Here are a few other rumors and possible deals that could happen next week….

The Mets are finally prepared to offer deals to Francisco “K-Rod� Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes, but it remains to be seen if both offers will happen simultaneously. Speaking of Fuentes, he, along with the likes of Sabathia and Cubs closer Kerry Wood have all been offered salary arbitration, which means anyone signing them will have to give the team that loses them two draft picks in 2009. Fuentes is also being rumored to re-signing with Colorado. And the Mets are rumored to be talking to the White Sox about sending prize prospect Fernando Martinez to Chicago for Bobby Jenks and Jermaine Dye. I just don’t see that really happening, do you?

Pat Burrell may sign with the Angels if the Angels cannot retain Mark Teixeira. And if Teixeira goes to the Red Sox, which is more than a rumor, the Sox may deal Mike Lowell to make room for Teixeira, who would be the first baseman with Kevin Youkilis moving to third.

Jermaine Dye’s name is being mentioned in trade talks (besides the Mets), and the teams being mentioned are Cincinnati, St. Louis, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the White Sox are also listening to offers for Jim Thome and Paul Konerko. Yikes….did someone give Sox GM Kenny Williams some dynamite?

Randy Johnson is hoping to sign a one-year deal with either Oakland or San Francisco…..the Cubs are thinking about signing Adam Dunn. Those two items didn’t just put you to sleep, did they?

Oh, and here’s a sure sign of the economy slowing. Dunn, Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu are among the names not offered salary arbitration this past week. That means the D-Backs, Phillies, and Yankees, respectively, would rather piss away two draft picks than have to re-sign the player. Say it with me again, Yikes.

Hopefully we’ll have lots to report next week!

Randy Johnson might soon be chasing his 300th win in San Francisco next year, as he’s considering playing for the Giants in 2009.

The 45-year-old left-hander is keen on extending his career, and he will consider pitching in either San Francisco or Oakland next season, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

A local from nearby Walnut Creek and a graduate of Livermore High School, Johnson is familiar with the territory and has pitched and excelled in both American and National Leagues. Last season, Johnson went 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts for the Diamondbacks while pitching in his 21st big league season.

But the Giants and A’s would not be alone in pursuit of Johnson, as there have been a number of inquiries.

“We’ve had about 10 teams contact us,” said Barry Meister, one of Johnson’s agents. “We’ve had discussions with a lot of teams in general, including the Giants. The Giants have expressed interest in us.

This actually wouldn’t be such a bad move for the Giants. They have a spot open in their rotation because they chased off Kevin Corriea, and their two top picks from the 2007 draft (Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson) are still a year or two away from joining the big league club. Even at 45-years old, a team could do a lot worse than the Big Unit. And with CY Young Winner Tim Lincecum, as well as improving youngsters Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez at the front of the rotation, maybe Johnson can mask Barry Zito’s awful performances. (He would also be a hell of a lot cheaper than CC Sabathia, who the Giants have been linked to as well this offseason.)

From Ken Davidoff at Newsday:

As the Angels distanced themselves from Sabathia, leaving the Yankees poised to land their top target, the Braves moved closer toward signing Burnett, another item on the Yankees’ radar.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins, meanwhile, told MLB.com late Tuesday that his top free-agent target remained Mark Teixeira, rather than Sabathia. Reagins said there was “nothing to” reports that the Angels, who clearly need offense more than they need pitching, were shifting their focus from Teixeira to Sabathia.

With none of the other West Coast teams expressing much interest, Sabathia is left with the Yankees’ offer of six years and about $140 million and the Brewers’ offer of five years and $100 million. As much as Sabathia prefers the NL, he probably doesn’t prefer it enough to leave $40 million on the table.

If they can sign Sabathia, the Yankees will be all but out of the running for Teixeira, and probably Manny Ramirez, as well. They’ll try to land Lowe while continuing their attempt to bring back Andy Pettitte at a pay cut.

I’m still of the mind that one of the California teams – Angels, Dodgers, Giants – will make a big move for Sabathia and he’ll wind up in his hometown state. He wants to play in his hometown state, he wants to hit and if one of those teams are willing to give him a fair deal, than he’ll likely jump. If he’s all about the money, than the Yankees are his only option because they’re going to come up with the green in the end.

Free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal is heading to Oakland to talk contract with the A’s according to the MLB.com.

Possibly demonstrating that he’s in the final stages of his decision-making process, Furcal, widely considered the top shortstop available in free agency, traveled to Oakland to meet with A’s officials. Accompanied by his wife, Glenny, and his agent, Paul Kinzer, Furcal stopped at the Oakland Coliseum, drove through neighborhoods where he might live and had lunch with A’s general manager Billy Beane.

Kinzer confirmed Furcal’s trip, which was initially reported by FoxSports.com.

“We just wanted to look around and see how [Furcal] felt about the area before he went further,” Kinzer told MLB.com. “He did like it, and he was fine with the area.”

Furcal, who’s coming off a three-year, $39 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is reportedly seeking a four-year contract. Kinzer was staying in the Bay Area overnight, indicating that he could conduct face-to-face negotiations with the A’s on Wednesday.

Furcal, 31, appeared in only 36 regular-season games last season due to a lower back injury. But that indirectly increased his free-agency value, since he didn’t play enough to qualify for the Elias Sports Bureau rankings and thus won’t cost the team that signs him a selection in next June’s First-Year Player Draft.

I might be naive, but I believe Furcal still has a lot to offer at this stage of his career. Injuries have sidetracked an otherwise bright future, but I think he knows this is it for him. He’s not going to land another big contact again and he knows he has to perform. I don’t know if heading to the AL is such a wise move, however. The Giants are also interested, and they might be a better fit considering they like to run and he wouldn’t block any top prospects.

Top pitching free agent CC Sabathia might be heading to a Los Angeles ball club – although not the LA club many thought he might land with.

The Angels, not the Dodgers, have apparently turned their attention from first basemen Mark Teixeira to Sabathia.

The Angels, unwilling to meet Mark Teixeira’s desire for a 10-year contract, are in discussions with CC Sabathia and could offer him a contract that approaches the $140-million bid extended to him by the New York Yankees.

Scott Boras, the agent for Teixeira, represented Carlos Beltran four years ago and set the same asking price: 10 years for $200 million. Beltran did not sign with the Mets until January, for seven years and $119 million. By then, other top free agents had signed elsewhere.

Boras declined to comment on how many years Teixeira has requested.

Milwaukee reportedly has offered Sabathia five years and $100 million to return, with the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants among other interested teams. Sabathia grew up in the San Francisco area and has expressed interest in playing for a California team. Greg Genske, Sabathia’s agent, did not return phone calls.

I see five true contenders in the Sabathia race: Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Yankees.

The Yankees will throw the most money at him, but the Dodgers, Brewers and Giants allow him to hit regularly like he wants to. The Angels allow him to play in his home state, but why would he choose the Halos over the Dodgers or Giants and the opportunity to hit?

I say he winds up with the Dodgers. They’ll be able to balance out what seems to matter to him most – hitting, money and playing in Cali. The Giants will eventually bow out because of the Barry Zito gaff and the Brewers aren’t as appealing as the Dodgers.