How did you celebrate the one-year anniversary of the blockbuster deal that sent the majority of recognizable Marlins north of the border, stockpiling Toronto for a certain playoff push?
For Jays fans, November 18 was nothing but a sad reminder of a seemingly one-sided trade gone surprisingly lukewarm. Not to mention a reality check that, even after a full season, “Buerhle” will always look misspelled.
365 days later, we all sit on our hands and wait for the next deal like dinner theater. The usual suspects have made early headlines, beginning with the Yankees’ standoff with Robinson Cano - and his agent’s apparent ambivalence for keeping the second baseman cemented in the concrete jungle where dreams are made of. The newly-crowned World Champion Red Sox prepare for the loss of their leadoff man without shedding a whole lot of tears. And the other three toss around names with the optimism that the AL East is the winningest division in baseball, where the shortest distance between first place and fifth could be a savvy small-name pickup.
Boston Red Sox
Second to Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury is the most coveted name on the free agent market. He’s also a “speed” guy entering his age-30 season, a combination that tends to scare suitors away.
With a track record of success in Boston, the Red Sox are still pursuing the three-time league leader in stolen bases, who, by the way, turned in a 32 homer, 105 RBI campaign only two years ago. Super-prospect Jackie Bradley awaits in the wings to ease the pain if Ellsbury slips through the Sox fingers.
Lost, perhaps, in the emotional postseason heroics was the fact that free agent catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli struck out 187 times in 498 at-bats in 2013.
The Sox have been linked to Corey Hart, who despite missing all of 2013 with a knee injury is only 31 years old and provides solid power at a higher rate of contact. Boston got an extended look at Carlos Beltran in the Fall Classic, and the “serious dialogue” the two parties have had hold some merit, as Beltran may be open to rotating between the outfield, first base and DH in his later years.
Losing Napoli and regular backstop Jarrod Saltalamacchia would leave the Red Sox catcherless, and word is, they’re shopping for the best the free agent market has to offer: Brian McCann. McCann is being courted extensively by the Texas Rangers and the division rival Yankees, so locking up Salty is a Plan B that doesn’t look so sour in comparison.
New York Yankees
The Bombers lose 12 players to free agency this offseason, and while New York has kept quiet in recent winters, there are gaping holes to fill and no lack of meal money.
Offensively, the team will meet with the power-hitting McCann in the next few weeks, and word from Yankees’ brass says they will continue to pursue second base options while Cano evaluates his list of demands.
Financially endowed but not above the idea of a low-risk, high-reward option, Grady Sizemore remains an intriguing name who, if he can play 130+ games, could become a fine replacement for Curtis Granderson.
Pitching is where the Yankees faltered most in 2013, and presumably parting ways with staled homegrown hurlers Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain will allow for more flexibility.
Dan Haren put up a 2.89 ERA in September after an up-and-down season, making him a desirable number three or four starter in the rotation. The team is still looking to re-sign the consistent Hiroki Kuroda, though another Japanese import, Masahiro Tanaka, is drawing even more attention. The book on Tanaka, via Baseball America, is a low-90s, somewhat flat fastball with two “plus” secondary pitches: a slider and splitter with late downward action. The Yankees, more than any other team, have the pockets to take the risk.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are a hotbed of young pitching, and one year after sending complete-game artist James Shields to Kansas City for this season’s AL Rookie of the Year, Wil Myers, they may look to lighten their load by one lefty ace this winter. After a poor postseason showing and declaring Twitter war on all nerd-kind, David Price may join the ranks of Shields, Matt Garza and Scott Kazmir as Tampa aces sent packing, assuming the price is right (think: Jurickson Profar.)
Maddon’s “Moneyball nouveau” bunch will go with a DH-by-committee in 2013, rotating Matt Joyce, David DeJesus, Desmond Jennings and Myers through the position and eliminating the need for a big signing there. First base and catcher remain holes, as James Loney will command a large paycheck in free agency and Jose Lobaton is not a long-term option. Ryan Hanigan of the Reds is being shopped - a solid defender coming off an awful offensive campaign - and would be a good fit for Tampa’s young pitching staff.
Baltimore Orioles
A proposed deal that would send shortstop J.J. Hardy to the Cardinals for budding ace Shelby Miller sent shockwaves through the baseball world for all of ten seconds. While Miller was out of reach, the Orioles’ needs this winter begin with solid starting pitching, and free agent Gavin Floyd has been mentioned the most. Baltimore has been monitoring his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery closely this winter, and the O’s may take a chance that the tall righty regains his 2008 success in his age-30 season.
Quality catching has been at the forefront of many rumors this offseason, and the Orioles are toying with the idea of trading Matt Wieters, who is arbitration-eligible. Wieters is coming off a career-worst offensive season, but his track record and durability could certainly pay dividends to the team that ends up with him come Spring Training - even if that team is Baltimore.
Toronto Blue Jays
Of all the teams in the division, whispers have been the quietest in Toronto, and that’s likely due to more than just bad cell coverage in Canada.
Starting pitcher Josh Johnson signed with the Padres this week, leaving even fewer remnants of the Miami blockbuster deal remaining on the Jays’ roster.
R.A. Dickey’s first season proved more pedestrian than Cy Young, and the team finally opted to leave woebegone ace Ricky Romero off the 40-man roster last night, though the likelihood of him going in the Rule 5 Draft is extremely slim.
The need for starting pitching north of the border is urgent, and the one trade piece that may bring his weight in gold (or quality arms) is fan favorite Jose Bautista.
Toronto has brought up the notion of dealing Bautista in the past, but remain reluctant to break up the combination of him and Edwin Encarnacion in the lineup. Dan Johnson, known best for his game-tying homer in a deciding Game 162 for the Rays, was signed to a minor-league deal with the Jays late last week, providing power off the bench and depth at first base.