On Wednesday, Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman inked the largest deal in franchise history. His new contract will enable him to pull in $135M over eight years, figures that exceed the contracts of any pitcher during their golden era as well as the largest deal Chipper Jones ever received.
The move was quite interesting for a club that has not been forthcoming in shelling out heavy dough to position players through the years. The Braves fell to Los Angeles in the NLDS this past season and were bounced in the wild card game the year prior. They enjoyed only one postseason trip in the six seasons from 2006-2011, and this came after they went to the postseason every single year from 1995-2005.
Clearly, Atlanta management felt that locking up the 24 year old cornerstone to their offense was paramount to their likelihood for future playoff appearances. The signing was the most recent news in an MLB free agency period that has not included a plethora of story-lines.
We’ll attempt to update you on the most critical transactions having taken place this summer and also give you a peak ahead at what could still lie ahead. Spring training is set to kick-off in a little less than six weeks, so it’s time to begin the preparation process as we look toward those dates.
The American East Race Heats Up
Masahiro Tanaka will be a Yankee for the foreseeable future, and that just might be the biggest offseason headline we’ll run into.
Tanaka was as coveted an international free agent as we’ve seen in some time. The Yanks ponied up a pretty penny for him, but he is only one guy in a rotation that struggled in its back end a year ago.
Should C.C. Sabathia return to form in 2014, it would be a major bonus and would likely provide the Bronx Bombers with a three headed monster in the front end of their rotation.
While Jacoby Ellsbury was a big splash signing, you have to wonder about this team defensively in the infield. Brian Roberts and Derek Jeter are an aging middle infield to say the least, and Eduardo Nunez could be a bit of a project over at third.
Boston stood pat for the most part. They exercised an option on starter Jon Lester and also locked in RHP Edward Mujica, 1B Mike Napoli and C A.J. Pierzynski on short deals.
23 year old center fielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. could have some time adjusting as a starter at this level, but Boston knew what it was doing when they passed on Ellsbury and that flexibility should help them in the future.
While Boston and New York will attract the majority of media attention when it comes to the offseason, Baltimore is slowly assembling a team worth noting in the middle of the pack.
The Orioles featured a dynamic offense in 2013, but lacked the pitching depth to make a move down the stretch. They did bolster the rotation with the addition of former Astro Bud Norris. They avoided arbitration with the 28 year old by agreeing upon a 2014 contract valued at slightly over $5M.
That sort of deal should both leave them flexible and motivate Norris to have a big year in what could be a critical earning opportunity for him. They also bolstered the pen a bit by the addition of Ryan Webb.
Webb was one of the few bright spots on a 2013 Marlins squad that performed exactly in line with what any “fire-sale” franchise should expect. Webb is 27 and is coming off a career high in terms of innings pitched.
In November, the O’s also went out and grabbed Edgmer Escalona, a 26 year old, fellow right hander with potential. Webb and Escalona will attempt to improve a bullpen that ranked 15th in MLB during 2013 in terms of overall ERA.
Assuming Manny Machado is healthy and ready to go, this team should still be in the mix. But it is undoubtedly of great interest to see if they could grab another young arm for their rotation. Ervin Santana, A.J. Burnett and Bronson Arroyo are all risky propositions, but former Brave Paul Maholm would serve as an intriguing option.
Can Kansas City Finish Its Push Toward the Playoffs?
The Royals had a nice start to 2013, but it did not end with the playoff run they had hoped for. They have assembled some nice young talent, though, and given their division they should be expected to contend for the foreseeable future.
Picking up the club option on 32 year old James Shield was a solid decision. Shields was their ace a year ago and losing him would have set them back a ways. Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas were serviceable for this team a season ago and they recently ensured that they would have the services of Bruce Chen for one more year. Should they finally find a way to help Wade Davis get back to his previous form, their rotation could become one of the better units within their division.
It looks like they will allow Ervin Santana to walk, and you have to believe that is the correct decision. He was, for the most part, mediocre during an important chunk of last year and is also on the wrong side of 30. Moving over to the National League would be a more logical decision for him at this point.
This team featured one of the better bullpens in the league during 2013. Luke Hochevar was removed from the rotation and he proved to be an indispensable piece to their success. Greg Holland also had a career year and they will provide the back bone for a unit that should continue to be a strength for this team.
But the Royals struggled offensively over time and it cost them. They ranked only 19th in runs scored and in the last fourth of the league when it came to team slugging percentage. Alex Gordon regressed a bit from his 2011 and 2012 numbers, a logical occurrence given the fact he had just signed a fat extension in 2012.
In addition to getting better leadoff production, K.C. also needs Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer to continue to develop. They have done little to really bolster their offense in the previous months, but maintaining financial flexibility was obviously a priority for tis small market club.
The Royals did, however, trade for Gorkys Hernandez, a Venezuelan outfielder who came over via trade from the Pirates organization. He has not been productive at the big league level from an offensive perspective, but should he get another chance in the majors, he could help strengthen their leadoff situation should he prove that he can improve from that perspective.
Can Seattle Finally Make it Happen Out West
The Mariners just recently signed Fernando Rodney away from Tampa, a nice addition given the fact their bullpen rated second to last in team ERA a year ago.
That move, combined with the big splash they made in constructing the Robinson Cano contract, makes this team a very hot talking point as we inch closer toward the 2014 season. Seattle lost 90 games a year ago, but their is reason for optimism.
History says signing a player like Cano to the deal he got is not a good idea. Just look at how Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols performed in the wake of getting massive deals from division rival Anaheim.
But, for this Mariners club, it doesn’t look so bad. They needed a big bat in the middle of the lineup. The money they offered for a guy in his early 30’s is indeed outrageous, but it should help this team get a lot better. Much is being made of Cano’s numbers dipping given the fact he’ll be playing in a pitcher’s park. But the bottom line is that if he produces for this team, it’s going to make a monstrous difference.
This team has two ace’s in their rotation already and their offense has struggled for the better part of five years. Not even the presence of the legendary Ichiro Suziki could save this franchise from having brutal run production, and Cano can now step in and be a presence around what is a young but potentially scary offense.
Justin Smoak is a guy with some power and, while still having some overall contact issues, his average and home run production has increased a bit in the last two years. Smoak will benefit from the presence of a guy like Cano as pitchers will likely be forced to pitch to him.
But the real key to the success of this offense lies at the top. Dustin Ackley has failed to live up to the hype that made him a top draft pick just a few years ago. They have floated him throughout the lineup, but the corner outfielder has proven incapable of taking the reigns.
Shortstop Brad Miller showed some flashes of potential while inserted at the leadoff position. If he can begin to do what Ackley has struggled to accomplish, it will go a log way of this club.
They have retained Franlin Gutierez in a move that should be beneficial to their offense as well. They also made an important play on Corey Hart. The 31 year old, former Milwaukee Brewer is another veteran bat who should pair well in a lineup headlined by Cano. His veteran presence could well rub off on the aforementioned Smoak in a positive manner.
This Mariners team is being floated at 18-1 to win the American League. I don’t know if they’ll turn that corner just yet, but I do believe in the prospect that they’ll be a viable threat in their division.
The Rangers look quite improved with the additions of Shin Soo-Choo and Prince Fielder, but their rotational success is contingent upon Alexi Ogando and others i the back end making important leaps. Oakland will also be back in the mix, but given what Seattle has at the front end of its rotation, they are worth an investment.
Will Terry Francona and the Indians Build Off 2013?
Another small market club that made significant progress a year ago was Cleveland. They made it to the wild card game but fell at home to a hot and hungry Tampa club. They have not made any major moves like the previously discussed Mariners, but they have upgraded in several important ways.
John Axford was a real important pickup for their bullpen. The 6’5 Canadian had a career year while posting a 1.74 ERA in St. Louis a season ago. Josh Outman was an interesting trade target. He comes over from Colorado to help Axford in the bullpen and, while his 2013 numbers were significant upgrades over 2012, he still has a ways to go to get back to where he was following the 2011 season in Oakland.
Mickey Callaway is a 38 year old, energetic pitching coach who should be able to advance the careers of both players. He has advanced up the minor league ranks for this cleveland franchise quite quickly and has had a ton of success at virtually every level.
This team was both tough and gritty a season ago. They churned out runs the old fashion way, but having a leadoff man as good as Michael Bourn will aide them in the future. Bourn has absurd speed and while his stolen base numbers declined over the course of 2013, I expect him to bounce back this year.
The development of young catcher Yan Gomes will also be a major talking point for Indians fans this year. Gomes, the first Brazilian born major league ever, is a great looking prospect who will allow Carlos Santana to spend more time i the DH spot.
That move could be tough early on as Gomes has yet to prove he can be a full time starting catcher. But, should it work out the way Francona hopes, it will enable Santana to elongate his career and be more productive at the plate.
Another crucial addition to the lineup is David Murphy. The former Texas Ranger is 32 now, but if he can rebound from a poor 2012 season, his $12M, two year deal will prove very beneficial for this team.
But the biggest factor to monitor for this team will be its rotation. Some of the other units discussed here have seemingly solid starting staffs. While Cleveland’s performed well one year ago, 2014 will present the opportunity to see if they are up to the challenge once again.
Justin Masterson must continue to carry a heavy load as the ace of this staff, although it appears evident that Francona has faith in him and understands how to manage him.
But Zach McAllister could be the key for this staff. The 6’6, 26 year old had a great year in 2013 even if his WHIP did not decline at all relative to 2012. His ERA was below four for the first time ever and he gave up the same amount of hits and 13 less runs on the year compared to 2012 despite pitching upwards of 10 more innings.
McAllister has major talent and his position at the front end of this rotation could be monumental for seasons to come. Danny Salazar is also a very promising prospect who, along with Corey Kluber, provide nice third and fourth options for the pitching staff.
But the biggest factor in this team’s ability to duplicate their 2013 success could hinge on the fifth wheel of their rotation, Shaun Marcum. The 31 year old former Met comes over in lieu of a career worst year and will look to rebound off that in the hopes of giving this rotation some depth. Their lack of it was a primary factor in enabling Detroit to eke out the division title, but Marcum should benefit from his new surroundings and he has the pedigree to get his career going back in the right direction.
