[Pelican]

I like your House Rule. Unlikely that all those guys would actually sign with the Pirates or the Rockies - no matter the money. [Although once you've signed some big names, the other guys will be anxious to join.]. In each case, I was aggressive early, in November, before the Winter Meetings. No other teams were making offers to the free agents. I calculated roughly what I thought the final deals would likely be (less than the demands listed), and put that on the table, up front. Some guys haggled or asked for time, but most signed in a few days. The rest of the market moved much more slowly, with many prime free agents unsigned going into Spring Training.

It's troubling in a way to see how great a difference spending makes. But flashy signing don't automatically make a ball club. They will have to play together, and depth will be an issue, with inevitable injuries and fatigue.