An Article Resembling a Lobster Tail...but without its shell.

Title of Buster Olney's Blog Entry Today: Is the NL Making a Comeback?

Only two free agents have changed leagues so far this offseason, both leaving Detroit for the NL Central (Carlos Lee to Houston, Mark DeRosa to the Cubs.)

The post is about building up competitive advantage by spending money, but if the AL were significantly more talented in a market in which there is a finite amount of talent, the NL would need to lure some free agents away from the American League.

Best AL free agents (*-signed):

Carlos Lee*
Gary Matthews Jr.*
Frank Thomas*
Mike Mussina*
Barry Zito
Gilgamesh
Trot Nixon
Jay Payton
Shannon Stewart
Rondell White
Adam Eaton
Ted Lilly

Now, for the NL:

Aramis Ramirez*
Alfonso Soriano*
Aubrey Huff
Jason Schmidt
Orlando Hernandez*
Moises Alou*
Jim Edmonds*
Nomar Garciaparra*
Juan Pierre*
J.D. Drew
Woody Williams*
Jeff Bagwell
Ronnie Belliard
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Andy Pettitte
Cliff Floyd
Tom Glavine
Luis Gonzalez
Julio Lugo
Kenny Lofton
Greg Maddux
Mark Mulder
Mike Piazza

Okay. It is clear which league has more holes to fill this year. The vacuum left on the average 2007 National League team due to free agency is forcing them to consider signing big free agents. The Cubs spent on Ramirez because they needed to, and on Soriano because they were 30 games under last year. But the Dodgers, for example, are losing big names this year (Maddux, Lugo, Drew, Garciaparra before they signed him, Lofton) and have no choice but to spend, not because they are trying to compete with the American League, but because they won't be able to compete at all with holes in their lineup.

To be fair, Buster does mention that the talent hasn't switched leagues. But the title really ought to reflect...I don't know, the theme and tone of your article; for example, Keith Law's article on Juan Pierre receiving a $45 million contract from the Dodgers, entitled "Huh?"