Vladimir Guerrero

I am finally at the end of my series examining the relative strengths and weaknesses of the teams in the AL East, on a position-by-position basis. The players at each position have been ranked in relation to their peers within the division, with each team being assigned points based on where their player ranks in comparison to the other players.

Today, the series concludes with a look at the Designated Hitters.

The best player will earn 10 points for his team, with the remaining players being assigned points as follows: 7-5-3-1.

Even though the Baltimore Orioles have been at the bottom of the AL East and the American League for the past ten years, 2011 will be the year that they shock the baseball world and make the playoffs as the AL wild-card team.

Due to their great off-season acquisitions, the Orioles have become an offensive powerhouse of the American League while at the same time being defensively sound. Under the guidance of Buck Showalter, the Orioles are primed for a playoff berth.

I really can’t believe the Baltimore Orioles fell for it. I really can’t.

The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with notorious slugger and possible future Hall-of-Famer Vladimir Guerrero.

And we all thought Andy MacPhail wouldn't raise the offer.

According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, Vladimir Guerrero has signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Ken Rosenthal and Buster Olney have since confirmed the news.

His aggressiveness at the plate and free-swinging abilities have earned him the title "Bad Vlad."  Plain and simple, Vladimir Guerrero is an amazing baseball player.  When Guerrero played in Anaheim, he had an overwhelming fan base, and it is easy to see why. 

Just a few months removed from being a major contributor to the American League champion Texas Rangers, Vlad Guerrero is a man without a team. The free-agent DH turns 36 next week, and his push for a multi-year contract has gotten him nowhere thus far. Right now, his biggest suitors appear to be the Baltimore Orioles, who have offered him a one-year deal in the $4 million range.

It's almost February and that means pitchers and catchers will be reporting to spring training in just a few weeks; it also means that the free agent signings are coming to an end. It's rapidly becoming time for coaching staffs to be extending training camp invites to a group of players - a few of which may be lucky enough to land the last few rosters spots on a team. 

Pitchers and catchers report in a few weeks, but there are still some big stories simmering on the MLB Hot Stove as we get closer and closer to the start of the 2011 regular season.

There are still some high-profile free agents, such as Vladimir Guerrero to name just one, out there looking for work. As spring training approaches, the time to find a new team is dwindling for some of the key guys left on the open market, so I'll cover all the possibilities for unsigned players expected to latch on somewhere they can make an impact in 2011.

As the last dying embers of the Hot Stove flame begin to blacken and fade, let's take one more look at who is still out there.

At this time of the year, free agents can often be had at a discount, hungry as players are to find a team and get down to the work of getting ready for the season to come. There are still a few potential impact players floating around, as well as many more who could prove to be valuable additions in the right place.