Mike Napoli

2012 Stats: 108 Games, .227 BA, 24 HRs, 56 RBIs & .812 OPS

Mike Napoli signed with the Boston Red Sox this off-season. Napoli will spend most of his time playing 1B with the possibility of an occasional game as catcher. Napoli's deal was originally a 3 year contract worth $39 million but due to a hip injury they reworked the deal to be for only one year worth $5 million. Napoli has never hit more than 30 HRs in a season but has had great success at Fenway Park.

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Josh Hamilton

2012 Stats: 148 Games, .285 BA, 43 HRs, 128 RBIs & .930 OPS

Josh Hamilton signed a 5 year contract with the Los Angeles Angels worth $125 million. Last off-season the Angels signed Albert Pujols & C.J. Wilson and the signing of Hamilton should help the team immensely. Hamilton will play in an outfield that includes Rookie of the Year Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos. If Hamilton repeats his homerun and hits numbers this year he will reach the milestones of 200 HRs and 1,000 Hits.

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C.J. Wilson

Besides for Albert Pujols the Angels signed C.J. Wilson. Wilson joins Ervin Santana, Dan Haren & Jered Weaver in a very good rotation. Wilson started his career as a reliever and has only been a starter for the last two seasons in which he started a total of 73 games. His two seasons as a starter he ranked in the top 10 in Batting Average Against & E.R.A. Wilson hopes that he'll be pitching in the World Series for the third consecutive season.

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Vladimir Guerrero

The Baltimore Orioles signed DH Vlad Guerrero to a one year contract. Last season he helped lead the Texas Rangers to the World Series as he batted .300with 29 HRs and 115 RBIs. He joins a team that has already added 1B Derrek Lee, SS J.J. Hardy and 3B Mark Reynolds this off-season. The Orioles also have good young players like C Matt Wieters, OFs Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. This mix of young and old should help the Orioles offense throughout this season.

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Adrian Beltre

The Texas Rangers signed 3B Adrian Beltre to a 6 year $96 million contract. Beltre is 111 hits away from 2,000 and 22 homeruns away from 300. Besides for his offensive numbers Beltre brings a great glove at third base, as he won a Gold Glove in 2007 & 2008. Texas did make the World Series last year and they hope that although they lost Cliff Lee that they can return to the World Series and the signing of Beltre will definitely help.

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This Day in Sports History - 1/4/2006

Quarterback Vince Young scrambles eight yards for his third touchdown run to boost #2 Texas over top-ranked USC, 41 - 38, in the BCS championship game at the Rose Bowl. The win gives the Longhorns their first National Championship since 1970, when they defeated Notre Dame by the score of 21 - 17 in the Cotton Bowl, and snaps USC's 34-game winning streak. In all, Young connects on 30 of 40 passes and rushes 19 times for 200 yards.

Cliff Lee

Perhaps the biggest fish in the Free-Agent pond was Cliff Lee. Lee signed a 5 year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies worth $120 million. Lee was a member of the Phillies when they made it to the World Series in 2009 and was then traded to the Mariners in the deal that landed the Phillies Roy Halladay. Lee was then traded mid-season to the Texas Rangers and promptly led them to the World Series. The Phillies now have an amazing starting rotation with Halladay, Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.

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