With the offseason’s heavy lifting just about complete, a case can be made that the six best teams in baseball reside in the American League. In order: New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. If you believe in the Philadelphia Phillies and/or St. Louis Cardinals, the AL still boasts six of the top eight.

That is impressive.

Yu Darvish is not the only offseason move that is expected to give the Rangers more pop in 2012. (AP Photo)

That also means trouble.

With only four (perhaps five if the second wild card is added) playoff berths available, at least one AL powerhouse will miss the postseason. As strong as the super six look after their winter makeovers, all still have a key position to fill and a key question to answer before opening day.

How those teams handle their to-do list in the next 10 weeks will go a long way in shaping their season. Sizing them up:

YANKEES

Key opening: DH. Trading for righthander Michael Pineda more than makes up for losing likely DH Jesus Montero, in part because manager Joe Girardi wants to use the DH to spell Alex Rodriguez and his not-getting-any-younger lineup. Still, New York could use a veteran with more power than Andruw Jones to handle primary DH responsibilities. Jorge Posada hit only .227 while DH-ing last year but produced 13 of the Yankees’ AL-best 30 homers at the position.

Key question: Who will be the No. 5 starter: A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, Freddy Garcia or Dellin Betances? The job should be Burnett’s to lose because he will make $16.5 million. As erratic as Burnett is, the Yankees’ rotation is much stronger than this time last year. Having Burnett battling for the fifth spot is far better than entering the season with him as the No. 2 starter.

FROM SI.COM

— Hot Stove Roundup: Lincecum headed for monster payday

— Tom Verducci: Aging Rockies got even older this offseason

— Tigers erred with hefty gamble on Fielder

RANGERS

Opening: Center field. Speedy Craig Gentry, underperforming Julio Borbon and hotshot youngster Leonys Martin will compete during spring training. But when the Rangers want to play their best lineup, Josh Hamilton will slide over from left field to make room for David Murphy. “Quite frankly, David Murphy produces every time he’s out there,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels says. Manager Ron Washington prefers to play the oft-injured Hamilton in left in hopes of keeping him healthy.

Question: Is Joe Nathan really back? Landing Japanese ace Yu Darvish was Texas’ marquee acquisition but another newcomer, Nathan, holds the key to the pitching staff. If the 37-year-old righthander pitches like he did during a strong September, all will be well. If he doesn’t, watch out. The Rangers might have to scramble after deciding to put All-Star closer Neftali Feliz in the rotation.

ANGELS

Opening: Third base. After signing first baseman Albert Pujols to be face of the franchise, the Angels hope to turn Mark Trumbo into a third baseman. But Trumbo, who hit 29 homers as a rookie first baseman in 2011, hasn’t had much of a chance to work at a position change because of a slow-to-heal stress fracture in his foot. If he isn’t up to the job, Los Angeles can fall back on Alberto Callaspo.

Question: Do they really believe in Jordan Walden? As much as the Angels rave about Walden’s potential and his 100-mph fastball, his 10 blown saves as a rookie must have caused great angst in the front office. New GM Jerry Dipoto has spent the winter searching for a more proven closer, which can’t be the best way to build confidence in your incumbent.

TIGERS

Opening: DH. Signing Prince Fielder is certain to pump up the Tigers’ power. But the team didn’t need a first baseman; it needed a DH. Unless (until?) they put Miguel Cabrera or Fielder there, the Tigers’ leading options are Don Kelly, Ryan Raburn, Andy Dirks and Brandon Inge. None hit better than .256 or posted a .300 on-base percentage in 2011.

Question: Can Cabrera really play third base? Manager Jim Leyland says he has confidence in Cabrera for his “tremendous hands” and “one of the best throwing arms” in baseball. But this is January. Check with the skipper after he actually has watched Cabrera play third. By relocating Cabrera, Detroit is weakening an already below-average defense at two positions. Cabrera is a much better defender than Fielder at first, and Inge is superior to Cabrera at third.

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RAYS

Opening: Catcher. Jose Lobaton and Robinson Chirinos are too inexperienced, and Jose Molina is too old (36). But they are all the Rays have after trading John Jaso to the Seattle Mariners and watching Kelly Shoppach sign with the Red Sox. Lobaton has the most talent and should get first crack at playing regularly.

Question: Have they added enough offense? Put simply, will Carlos Pena and Luke Scott be an upgrade over Casey Kotchman and Johnny Damon? The newcomers should hit more homers, but Kotchman and Damon weren’t the problems with an offense that hit only .244 last season. Kotchman ranked among league leaders with a .306 average, while Damon hit 16 homers and provided great clubhouse presence. The Rays are betting that power means more than chemistry.

RED SOX

Opening: Shortstop. The surprising trade of Marco Scutaro leaves third baseman Mike Aviles and second baseman Nick Punto as the leading candidates to start at one of the most important positions. Or Boston could throw 22-year-old rookie Jose Iglesias into the fire. Fortunately, the Red Sox don’t need a lot of offense from the position.

Question: Will manager Bobby Valentine make a difference? On paper, Boston has done nothing to improve this offseason. (Sorry, but Andrew Bailey isn’t an upgrade over Jonathan Papelbon.) But talent wasn’t the team’s problem during its sorry September. The Red Sox weren’t strong enough mentally to overcome injuries to their rotation. A lack of focus shouldn’t be an issue under Valentine who, after a decade away from managing in the majors, is back with renewed enthusiasm and wizened perspective.

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The Philadelphia Phillies and free-agent outfielder Juan Pierre have agreed to a minor league deal, according to CSNPhilly.com.

Pierre, 34, hit .279 with two homers, 50 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, 80 runs and a .329 on-base percentage in 158 games with the Chicago White Sox in 2011. He was caught stealing an AL-high 17 times.

Juan Pierre is a career .296 hitter. (AP Photo)

Pierre likely will serve as a fourth outfielder and pinch runner with the Phillies, who are expected to start Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and John Mayberry Jr./Laynce Nix in the outfield.

In his 12-season major league career, Pierre is a .296 hitter with 554 stolen bases.

FROM SI.COM

— Hot Stove Roundup: Lincecum headed for monster payday

— Tom Verducci: Aging Rockies got even older this offseason

— Tigers erred with hefty gamble on Fielder

MORE FROM SPORTING NEWS

— Odds stacked against future ‘core fours’ in baseball

— Offseason activity boosts many teams’ aspirations

— Boras big winner in Fielder sweepstakes

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With Albert Pujols gone, the Cardinals need a new face of the franchise.

They have no shortage of candidates. Native son David Freese has been the club’s most visible player since his postseason for the ages but he’s never even played 100 games in a season. Lance Berkman has the career credentials and leadership skills but he turns 36 next month and is on a one-year contract. Age also works against starter Chris Carpenter, who is 36. Adam Wainwright has the personality and the pedigree but he is returning from Tommy John surgery and has a comeback to deal with. Yadier Molina has been with the club longer than any position player and is coming off his best season but the club can’t even get him to show up to its winter fanfest.

Matt Holliday is a five-time All-Star. (AP Photo)

There are, however, no such excuses for Matt Holliday’s candidacy. He has the game: His .315 career batting average since arriving in the majors in 2004 is second only to Pujols among active N.L. players. He has the experience, having established himself as a superstar with the Rockies. And he has the salary: Entering year three of a seven-year, $120 million contract, he remains the Cardinals’ highest-paid player.

No less a Cardinals great than batting coach Mark McGwire believes Holliday is the man. At the St. Louis baseball writers dinner honoring the club Sunday night, McGwire put “Big Matt Holliday” on the spot when, lamenting Pujols’ loss, predicted a big year from his 32-year-old left fielder.

There’s only hitch with Holliday: He’d rather not, thank you very much.

On the field is no problem. Despite a run of unusual (A moth flying into an ear, for example) injuries last year, Holliday typically is good for All-Star production for 155 games.

In the clubhouse isn’t, either, though Holliday is not known as a big-time leader. “A lot of that is perception,” he says. “I interact with my teammates a little differently than some of you might think. I’m not a yeller but I’m not afraid to talk to young guys about certain things.”

Freese would not disagree. He credits Holliday for being like “a big brother” who has taught him how to behave like a major leaguer.

Being the face of a franchise, however, requires considerable interacting with the public and the media, and neither endeavor ranks among Holliday’s favorites.

He prefers to use his media savvy to avoid reporters. He knows if he takes 30 minutes to show up at his locker after a game, much of the media has departed to make deadline. He knows when the clubhouse shuts out the media before a game and has been seen peeking out from the players-only lounge a few minutes before closing. If any media is lingering, he ducks back in.

To this point, Holliday does not see his responsibilities growing because of Pujols’ departure.

“I don’t think so,” he says. “I try to be myself no matter who is on the team. We have lots of really good older players that are good leaders. My role is to go out there and play as hard as I can and do the best I can and offer advice where need be.”

Holliday says no one on the Cardinals has spoken to him about increased responsibilities though, as he pointed out, such changes often happen during spring training.

Well, here’s hoping new manager Mike Matheny, GM John Mozeliak or someone confronts Holliday and tells him to step into the void. I have no doubt he could handle the role.

Holliday is as grounded as any millionaire athlete in the land. The morning after last year’s All-Star game, as I lined up for my Southwest flight back to St. Louis, Holliday, his wife and two young sons stood at the front of the line, with Pops holding a couple of bags of Burger King for the ride home. When approached by fans while waiting at the luggage claim, he was more than accommodating with autograph requests.

Success certainly hasn’t gone to his head. Asked if winning the World Series has changed his off-season, he replied, “Nope. Pretty low key. Working out, taking care of my kids and hanging out with my wife. Trying to make it as normal as possible.”

While Holliday isn’t likely to knock on his boss’ door and lobby for more responsibility, he would not shy away from increased duties.

“I’ve played on teams that didn’t have Albert before. I’ve batted third before. I’ve played in the World Series before,” he says. “I work for the St. Louis Cardinals and if the job description changes and there’s more asked of me, that’s part of my job. I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

There’s your opening, Cardinals. Give him a nudge. You won’t regret it.

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Boston Red Sox Kevin Youkilis admits there were problems in the team’s clubhouse last season, and those problems became magnified during the team’s historic September collapse that eliminated them from postseason contention.

Speaking at his annual fundraiser for his children’s charity, Youkilis told the Boston Herald that the clubhouse “definitely didn’t have the best vibe” at times last season.

Kevin Youkilis sees better days ahead for the Red Sox. (AP Photo)

Youkilis hinted that the team became overconfident after overcoming its 2-10 start and then unraveled during its 7-20 finish.

“It was very different,” Youkilis said. “It was noticeable early, but when you win, winning heals all the wounds. But we definitely didn’t have the right attitude in a lot of ways. We were worrying about things that we shouldn’t have been worrying about and not playing the game of baseball.”

After missing much of September because of a hernia that required surgery, Youkilis said he is healthy and ready to turn things around in 2012 under new manager Bobby Valentine.

“I think this year, with the coaching staff that’s coming back, they saw things we can change, and we can sit down and talk about it. It’s just playing the game and not worrying about other stuff and the media hype and things that are going on. Because if you go crazy with that stuff, it’s going to eat you all up,” he told the Boston Herald.

FROM SI.COM

— Hot Stove Roundup: Lincecum headed for monster payday

— Tom Verducci: Aging Rockies got even older this offseason

— Tigers erred with hefty gamble on Fielder

MORE FROM SPORTING NEWS

— Odds stacked against future ‘core fours’ in baseball

— Offseason activity boosts many teams’ aspirations

— Boras big winner in Fielder sweepstakes

Source

The New York Yankees have interest in free-agent outfielder/DH Raul Ibanez, the New York Post reports.

Ibanez, 39, hit .245 with 20 homers and 84 RBIs in 144 games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2011. However, his slugging percentage and OPS have dropped the past two seasons following the 2009 season, during which he hit .272-34-93.

Raul Ibanez, 39, hit .245 with 20 homers and 84 RBIs for the Phillies in 2011. (AP Photo)

New York has a void at DH after trading Jesus Montero and righthander Hector Noesi to the Seattle Mariners for righthander Michael Pineda and pitching prospect Jose Campos earlier this month.

The Yankees could fill the DH role internally with outfielder Andruw Jones or minor league slugger Jorge Vazquez. Another option is to rotate third baseman Alex Rodriguez, first baseman Mark Teixeira and shortstop Derek Jeter at the position in order to get them more rest.

Two former Yankees also could be options, as free agents Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui still are looking to catch on with a team for the 2012 season.

FROM SI.COM

— Hot Stove Roundup: Lincecum headed for monster payday

— Tom Verducci: Aging Rockies got even older this offseason

— Tigers erred with hefty gamble on Fielder

MORE FROM SPORTING NEWS

— Odds stacked against future ‘core fours’ in baseball

— Offseason activity boosts many teams’ aspirations

— Boras big winner in Fielder sweepstakes

Source

With less than a month remaining until the start of spring training, first baseman Prince Fielder remains on the free-agent market.

Recent speculation has the Washington Nationals as the front-runners to sign Fielder, but a baseball source told The Washington Post that he would be “stunned” if the Nationals offer Fielder more than a seven-year contract. Fielder and agent Scott Boras are believed to be seeking a deal similar to the 10-year, $240 million contract that first baseman Albert Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December.

Prince Fielder has hit 30 or more homers for five straight years. (AP Photo)

The Nationals remain in communication with Fielder’s camp, according to The Washington Post.

In addition to the Nationals, the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs are reported to have varying levels of interest in Fielder.

It is very possible that each team is waiting for Boras’ demands to drop, though Boras remains unconcerned about the unexpected duration of Fielder’s free agency.

“This is a negotiation that is very personal to a star player who’s a slugger,” Boras told The New York Times. “The traditional negotiation periods are not relevant to these types of players, and the timing of the negotiations should not create any inferences, positive or negative, about the status or value of Prince Fielder.”

Fielder, 27, hit .299 with 38 homers, 120 RBIs and a .415 on-base percentage for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011. In his seven-season major league career, he is .282 hitter with 230 homers, 656 RBIs and a .390 on-base percentage.

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