After seeing the Houston Astros sign Japanese free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai to a three-year, $63 million deal, many experts and pundits throughout baseball assume the race to sign Framber Valdez is now down to just two teams — the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets.
Both the O's and Mets have been linked to Valdez since the offseason began. While the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, and Atlanta Braves are said to be targeting top-tier pitching too, none of those teams have been connected to Valdez this winter.
If it's truly a two-horse race between the Orioles and Mets, most outsiders would assume that New York has the advantage, right?