Hideki Matsui

Free agency is quite often crucial to a team's short- and long-term success. While many players are drafted and brought through an organization's farm system, more times than not it comes down to the ability of a team to bring in top-end free agents. 

However, the risks involved with signing free agents are apparent in every Major League Baseball season. Year in and year out, players fail to live up to their multi-million dollar contracts.

Adam Dunn finally got his wish.  When Dunn's signing with the Chicago White Sox becomes official, he will have the longest contract of his career.  Last time he went through free agency, he could only find a two year deal.  But, thanks to GM Kenny Williams, Dunn has long-term security through 2014.

And Williams will have another albatross contract.

This offseason, Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford will be headlining this year's free-agent class.  Both players will be demanding major contracts, and both players might end up in New York.

Well, Lee will be in the Bronx, but the verdict is still out on Crawford.

For teams that can ill-afford to get the "Big Fish," they must look at other options—the second-tier players.  Guys that can still contribute, but will be affordable to acquire. 

Now that the Los Angeles Angels have snapped a three-game losing streak at the hands of the Seattle Mariners last night, they'll look to capture their first series win since mid-August tonight at Safeco Fiel

It was nice while it lasted, Angels fans.

With the stunning acquisition of Cliff Lee by the Texas Rangers from AL West rival Seattle, it is time for the Angels to cut their losses and let the fire sale begin.

Not only should this be the nail in the coffin for the Angels, but maybe for the rest of baseball as well. Texas just assured themselves not only a trip to the playoffs, but a real chance to take it all.

Angels fans, don't feel bad.

My Double G Sports fantasy baseball team which is competing in the Battle of the Blogs continues to struggle and has hit a new low. I am now officially in last place in the Willie Mays Division and am ranked 13 out of 20 teams.

Besides the ring ceremony, nail-biting finish, and return of Godzilla, there was one other noteworthy occurrence at Yankee Stadium yesterday afternoon: the emergence of Nick Johnson.

When the Yankees embraced Hideki Matsui in a goosebump-inducing moment for Yankee fans, it finally set in—Matsui is no longer the Yankees DH.

No, instead of Matsui, the Yankees penciled the oft-injured Nick Johnson to fill Matsui's void of designated hitter this past offseason.

The Yankees had a special guest on hand for their ring ceremony Tuesday afternoon.  It wasn't Yogi Berra, it wasn't Whitey Ford, and it wasn't George Steinbrenner—although they were all there. 

Hideki Matsui was the true guest of honor in the house that the Core Four built.

Although Matsui wasn't with the likes of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, or Andy Pettitte back when the group won their first four rings in the 90s, he still feels like a true Yankee who has been there forever.

Minutes after an emotional ring ceremony, the Yankees took the field against the Angels. World Series MVP Hideki Matsui hopped out of the visitors dugout to receive his ring, prompting a sight some will never forget. This could have been a distraction, but the Yankees got right down to business.

Pettitte took the mound in the first inning, let up a lead-off single to Eric Aybar, but proceeded to sit the rest down in order.

That was more than enough for Pettitte.

The primary reason why athletes play the game, any game, is their competitive fire drives them to win. What helps drive the Major League baseball player is to obtain the World Series Championship ring.