That being said, it isn't too early to have a quick look at next year's 2011 star-studded class.
Just like the NBA, baseball will spend the next year watching several of the game's biggest superstars reach a crossroads in their careers. Among them are two big headliners — the LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of Major League Baseball, if you will — Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer.
But just like with LeBron and D-Wade, the question of "will they stay or will they go?" is a tough one. Both have strong bonds to the cities where they've begun their careers — Pujols has had a happy and productive nine seasons in St. Louis, and Mauer is a homegrown Minnesotan star. Neither will be anxious to pick up and leave.
So if those two guys won't be in motion over the coming months, who will be? What can we expect from the next year of wheeling and dealing?
Pujols is the safest bet of all to stay put. He's formed a strong connection with the city of St. Louis over the past decade, and the Cardinals have pumped a lot of money into retaining Matt Holliday and ensuring that Phat Albert has some protection in the middle of the order. Pujols has a 2011 club option for $16 million which is expected to be picked up by the Cards.
That would leave Mauer as the big star of the free-agent class. The Twins are the favorites to keep their All-Star backstop, but that's only if the 26-year-old Mauer gives the Twins a hometown discount to keep him around. If Mauer wants more cash, he can certainly get it elsewhere — the suitors will be out there. The Red Sox' contract with Victor Martinez is expiring, and the Yanks have just one year left of Jorge Posada. If a blue-chip catcher is around, a massive bidding war is sure to break out.
So who else will be out there?
Cliff Lee
It's been over a month now since the Mariners swung a deal with Philadelphia to bring in Lee, the 31-year-old former Cy Young winner. And we've yet to see the M's work out a contract extension, meaning he currently has a $9 million club option for 2010 that the Phils picked up before dealing him. After that, he's a free agent. What will happen with Lee in the next year? You have to imagine the M's will make a big push to retain him. Imagine Lee and Felix Hernandez headlining the Seattle rotation for years to come. The Mariners have deep pockets and an opportunity to secure one of the game's best pitchers. They should take action.
Brandon Webb
If Lee sticks around Seattle, then Webb could become the marquee pitcher in the free-agent class. A shoulder injury derailed Webb in 2009, but he's still one of the most unhittable hurlers in the game, and he's only 30. If the D-Backs can't shell out the cash to keep him around, there are a handful of big-budget teams that would love to have him. If Webb has a strong bounce-back season in 2010, expect the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels and Mets to come calling.
Carlos Pena
How much would you pay for 40 homers, 100 RBIs and an uncanny ability to get on base? A whole heck of a lot, probably. If the Yankees and Red Sox come on strong in 2010 and the Rays are out of the hunt this summer, Pena could be the big man on the trading block at the deadline. Pena will be the highest-paid Ray this season at $10.1 million, and he's not worth that kind of cash unless he leads them to the playoffs.
Jose Reyes
Remember this guy? The Mets gave him a huge contract extension back in the summer of 2006, and it's paid off — except in '09, when he struggled to stay healthy. The Mets have an $11 million option on Reyes for 2011 with a cheap buyout. If he can't bounce back this season and give the Mets an All-Star caliber campaign, Omar Minaya might get a little bit tempted to let him walk. There would be quite a market for a 27-year-old shortstop with the glove, speed and bat of Reyes.
Adam Dunn
Two years ago, Dunn was a free agent and the Nationals snatched him up on the cheap just days before the start of spring training. But nothing's changed — Dunn is still the same player he's always been: a consistent producer of home runs and walks year in and year out. If the economy perks up and Dunn is a free agent again in 2011, could he command more this time around than the $20 million contract the Nats gave him last winter?
A lot will happen between now and next winter. Loads of money will change hands, trades will change the landscape, and teams will rise and fall over the course of the next season. But a year from now, these are the big names we'll be keeping tabs on. We can all look forward not only to the summer of LeBron, but to the winter of Pujols, Mauer, Lee and many more.
