Major League Signings

• Marco Scutaro, 2B: three years, $20MM.
• Angel Pagan, OF: four years, $40MM.
• Andres Torres, OF: one year, $2MM.
• Jeremy Affeldt, RP: three years, $18MM.
• Total Spend: $80MM. 

Notable Minor League Signings

• Wilson Valdez, Cole Gillespie, Chad Gaudin, Scott Proctor, Ramon Ramirez.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired P Jeff Soptic from White Sox for 3B Conor Gillespie.
• Claimed IF Tony Abreu off waivers from Royals.
• Claimed P Sandy Rosario off waivers from Cubs.

Extensions

• Buster Posey, C: eight years, $159MM. $22MM Club option for 2022.
• Santiago Casilla, RP: three years, $15MM. Vesting option for 2016.

Notable Losses

• Eli Whiteside, Melky Cabrera, Xavier Nady, Brian Wilson.

Needs Addressed

General manager Brian Sabean clearly placed an emphasis on retaining the group that won the Giants' second World Series title in two years. That line of thinking is exemplified by the Spring Training blockbuster (no pun intended) extension for Buster Posey. The 2012 NL MVP signed an eight-year, $159MM contract that will keep him in San Francisco through his age-36 season. As is the case with any eight-year deal, the contract carries with it significant risk. The Giants undoubtedly believe that Posey is capable of sustaining his 2012 production and chose to lock him up now rather than next offseason, when he'd have a chance at breaking Joe Mauer's record for catcher contracts. Posey and Matt Cain have become the faces of the franchise, and Sabean spent to ensure the pair's best years come in black and orange.

Angel Pagan, Marco Scutaro, Jeremy Affeldt and Melky Cabrera each also played large roles in the Giants' 2012 success, but all four entered the offseason eligible for free agency. 

Pagan's four-year, $40MM contract is a risk for a speed-oriented player entering his 30s, but his play over the past four seasons justifies the spend. Even if he regresses in the final year of the contract, he should be able to at least live up to — if not exceed — its value.

On the other hand, Sabean paid a steep price for to retain Scutaro and Affeldt. Scutaro looked like a replacement-level player prior to his trade to the Giants, and it's fair to assume he won't repeat the gaudy .366 BABIP that followed. Affeldt has proven to be a strong setup man, but paying top-of-the-market value for the age 34-36 seasons of a reliever with declining velocity is questionable at best.

Sabean doubled-down on that thinking by giving Santiago Casilla a three-year, $15MM extension. Casilla is younger than Affeldt but comes with some command issues. Paying $11MM per season for a pair of mid-30s setup men strikes me as an unnecessary risk.

The signing of Andres Torres brings back a veteran with excellent defensive skills that helped the Giants to a World Series title in 2010. The $2MM price tag is more than reasonable and gives manager Bruce Bochy a number of strong defenders in Torres, Pagan and Gregor Blanco. The importance of that defensive prowess in the outfield can't be understated, given the amount of ground that needs to be covered at AT&T Park.

Questions Remaining

Cain, Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong combine to form a strong 1-2-3 punch atop the rotation, but Tim Lincecum's struggles have persisted into the 2013 season. "The Freak" has lost nearly four miles per hour off his fastball from his first Cy Young campaign, and his command problems are even more concerning than the velocity drop. At this point, I have to imagine that the they'd be thrilled to get 175 league-average innings out of the former ace, but that's looking more and more unlikely.

Barry Zito was dominant on Wednesday, but there's the feeling that a meltdown is always around the corner with the soft-tosser. Starting pitching could become a big area of need for this team and cause fans to look back at the Zack Wheeler-for-Carlos Beltran swap of 2011 with heavy hearts.

Shortstop and first base are both areas of concern as well. Defensively proficient as he is, Brandon Crawford offers little with the bat. This is a big year for Brandon Belt, as he'll need to prove that he's a capable bat that can help a team lacking in power bats. Midseason acquisition Hunter Pence will also need to rebound after hitting a mere .219/.287/.384 for the Giants down the stretch and .210/.231/.290 in the playoffs.

Should the offense flounder, I imagine the Giants will be in on names like Josh Willingham, Justin Morneau and whatever other corner bats emerge on the trade market.

Deal of Note

Brian Wilson has long been a fixture in Giants culture, but the team faced a tough decision on him this offseason. "The Beard" underwent Tommy John surgery after making just two appearances last season, and the Giants wisely chose not to tender him a contract and pay him at least $6.8MM in 2013.

The Giants had interest in bringing Wilson back on a minor league deal, but he preferred to seek out a Major League opportunity. After failing to impress the Mets in a January audition, Wilson has decided to wait until he's 100 percent healthy before auditioning for teams again.

Back in October, Wilson stated that if the Giants "paid me to be me, I will be." The decision not to meet that asking price or even offer a smaller Major League deal months later has proven to be wise, but it was likely a difficult decision for Sabean and his staff to make.

Overview

The Giants have a strong, albeit top-heavy rotation backed by a solid bullpen. If they can receive league-average innings from Lincecum and/or Zito, they'll be in the mix until the end. As has become the norm in San Francisco, the offense doesn't look overpowering, but the middle of the lineup is strong. The new-look Dodgers and Diamondbacks pose threats, but San Francisco looks poised for another playoff push.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Cody Ross, OF: three years, $26MM. Club option for 2016.
• Brandon McCarthy, P: two years, $15.5MM.
• Wil Nieves, C: one year, $800K.
• Eric Chavez, UT: one year, $3MM.
• Eric Hinske, IF: one year, $1.075MM.
• J.J. Putz, RP: one year, $6.5MM. Club option exercised.
• Total Spend: $57.875.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Rod Barajas, Kila Ka'aihue, Josh Wilson, Mark Teahen, Garrett Mock, Nelson Figueroa.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired SS Cliff Pennington and RP Heath Bell in a three-way deal for OF Chris Young.
• Acquired RP Matt Reynolds from Rockies for IF Ryan Wheeler.
• Acquired OF Tony Campana for RHP Erick Leal and RHP Jesus Castillo.
• Acquired UT Lars Anderson, RP Tony Sipp and SS Didi Gregorius in three-way deal for SP Trevor Bauer, P Matt Albers and P Bryan Shaw.
• Acquired UT Martin Prado, P Randall Delgado, SS Nick Ahmed and 1B Brandon Drury from Braves for OF Justin Upton and 3B Chris Johnson. 
• Claimed IF Gustavo Nunez off waivers from Pirates.
• Claimed P Starlin Peralta from Cubs in Rule five draft.

Extensions

• Paul Goldschmidt, 1B: five years, $32MM. $14.5MM Club option for 2019.
• Aaron Hill, 2B: three years, $35MM.
• Martin Prado, UT: four years, $40MM.
• J.J. Putz, RP: one year, $7MM.
• Cliff Pennington, SS: two years, $5MM.

Notable Losses

• Justin Upton, Chris Young, Chris Johnson, Trevor Bauer, Matt Lindstrom, Henry Blanco, Matt Albers.

Needs Addressed

The Diamondbacks made the first notable move of the "offseason" (it actually came prior to the World Series) when they traded Chris Young to the A's in a three-team deal with the Marlins that brought Cliff Pennington and Heath Bell to Arizona. Pennington provides the team with an immediate replacement for Stephen Drew, though his bat prevents him from being a long-term solution. 

After publicly calling Drew out for durability issues and his desire to take the field last season, the Diamondbacks prioritized finding a long-term solution at shortstop. They believe that they did so in acquiring Didi Gregorius from the Reds in a three-team deal that also involved the Indians, but they paid a steep price in the form of prized pitching prospect Trevor Bauer. Bauer isn't without flaws; he has a 4.2 BB/9 in the minors and his personality reportedly clashed with teammates and ownership.

Scouts offer mixed reviews on Gregorius' bat, with many believing that he could end up hitting near the bottom of the order. The consensus is that the glove is legit, but presumably Gregorius will need to hit in order to justify parting with Bauer, who is the far more highly regarded prospect.

Even after dealing Young the team had a bulk of quality outfielders with Justin Upton, Gerardo Parra, Jason Kubel and Adam Eaton all in tow. That surplus made it all the more surprising when Cody Ross was signed to a three-year, $26MM deal.

The Ross signing made it even more apparent that Arizona was likely to part with one of Upton or Kubel. After nearly two years of speculation and an avalanche of trade rumors, they agreed to a trade with the Mariners only to have Upton enact his limited no-trade clause.

Weeks later, Upton was sent to the Braves in a trade that would put him in the same outfield as his older brother. GM Kevin Towers dealt Upton and Chris Johnson and received Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, Nick Ahmed and Brandon Drury in return. While that's a nice package of players, most agreed that the Mariners' proposed package (Nick Franklin, Stephen Pryor and Taijuan Walker) was a stronger offer.

Prado was one of five D-backs players to receive extensions this offseason, as he was locked up to a four-year deal worth $40MM. There seems to be a perceived gap between Prado and Upton, but Prado was worth 5.6 fWAR last season, and the D-backs will now control him for four years while Upton had only three years of control left.

Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Hill, Cliff Pennington and J.J. Putz all received extensions as well, though one has to wonder if guaranteeing Pennington's 2014 salary was necessary given his questionable offensive track record.

Putz's $7MM extension is reasonable in price relative to the market, but I'd think David Hernandez could've taken over as closer in 2014 and excelled. Hill's free agent years were locked in more cheaply than peers such as Brandon Phillips and Ian Kinsler. He hasn't been as consistent as that pair, but 2012 showed that his ceiling is comparable. Goldschmidt is the only first baseman to sign an extension with one-plus year of service time, but the price is comparable to contracts signed by other position players with similar service time. Arizona could have played it safe and waited a year, but the price would have risen substantially if his power progresses as many expect it to.

Brandon McCarthy was added on a very reasonable two-year deal and offers considerably more upside than pitchers who signed for comparable amounts (e.g. Joe Blanton, Kevin Correia). McCarthy should be an upgrade over Joe Saunders, although he comes with questions surrounding his durability.

Towers and his staff once again spent on veteran bench bats and utility players. Last offseason it was Willie Bloomquist, John McDonald and Lyle Overbay. This offseason the team signed Eric Chavez ($3MM) and Eric Hinske ($1.075MM). There's something to be said for veteran leadership, and Chavez is coming off a strong 2012, but generally speaking the production provided by these types of players can be found cheaper.

Questions Remaining

Even after prioritizing shortstop, the Diamondbacks have opened the season with Pennington and his career .249/.313/.355 batting line as their starter. Gregorius could be ready to take over if Pennington struggles, but there's no guarantee that he will be a major upgrade with the bat.

Eaton and Ross opened the season on the DL, leaving the D-backs to deploy an outfield mix of Kubel, Parra, A.J. Pollock and Alfredo Marte. The collection of outfielders on Arizona's 40-man roster isn't a star-studded group, and any setbacks to Ross or Eaton could expose some depth issues. Both Kubel and Ross have significant platoon splits, so the group as a whole runs the risk of being overexposed.

Deal of Note

Not only was the timing of the Young trade odd, the approach the D-backs took was puzzling. Arizona received only Bell (and his contract) and Pennington in exchange for Young, who has averaged 3.6 fWAR over the past three seasons. Young isn't without flaws — he strikes out in 22 percent of his plate appearances and has noticeably better numbers against left-handers than right-handers — but I feel that he should've netted more in a trade. With so many teams looking to acquire outfielders later in the offseason, it seems they jumped too soon.

The strangest part is that those same strikeout and platoon caveats apply to Ross, but Young is a far more capable center fielder. Arizona essentially traded Young for a bad contract and then opted to sign an older version of a similar player with a weaker glove.

Overview

The Diamondbacks have been outspoken in recent years about their discontent with certain players, and they haven't been shy about cleaning house to remove those who they deem problematic (Drew, Upton, Bauer). While they drew plenty of skepticism for their trades, Prado stands out to me as an underrated commodity who should exceed the value of his extension. With a nice core of position players and a solid rotation locked up for the foreseeable future, Arizona should be no worse than a .500 club for the next couple of seasons. The top of the division looks tough with the Dodgers and Giants in the mix, but Arizona has the pieces in place to make a run.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Jeff Francis, SP: one year, $1.5MM.
• Jon Garland, P: one year, $500K.
• Jorge de la Rosa, SP: one year, $11MM. Player option exercised.
• Total Spend: $13MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Yorvit Torrealba, Ryan Garko, Miguel Batista, Manny Corpas, Chris Volstad, Aaron Cook.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired IF Reid Brignac from Rays for Cash Considerations.
• Acquired P Wilton Lopez and PTBNL or cash from Astros for SP Alex White and P Alex Gillingham.
• Acquired IF Ryan Wheeler from Diamondbacks for P Matt Reynolds. 

Extensions

• Dexter Fowler, CF: two years, $11.6MM.
• Jhoulys Chacin, SP: two years, $6.5MM.

Notable Losses

• Jason Giambi, Mark Tracy, Guillermo Moscoso, Josh Roenicke, Alex White, Jonathan Sanchez, Matt Reynolds.

Needs Addressed

With a move back toward the more traditional five-man rotation, the Rockies certainly won't be giving 46% of their innings to the bullpen again in 2013.  Still, you can never have too many late-inning relievers, so the Rockies acquired Wilton Lopez from the Astros in what turned out to be the biggest move of their offseason.  The club acquired three years of Lopez's services, with Alex White the main piece going to Houston.  Certainly neither Rockies senior vice president of Major League operations Bill Geivett nor Astros GM Jeff Luhnow expected it at the time, but White will soon undergo Tommy John surgery.  The Phillies had nearly acquired Lopez (pictured) from the Astros in November, killing the deal after his physical, but the Rockies were more comfortable with his health.  The Rockies' bullpen seems in better shape this year, even with the losses of Reynolds and Roenicke.

The piggyback experiment aside, the Rockies simply had a terrible rotation in 2012.  Geivett addressed the rotation, in a sense, by re-signing Francis and adding Garland.  It's a low-risk, low-reward pair of signings, totaling just $2MM in guaranteed money.  Francis has become one of the game's softest tossers.  He led the team with just 113 innings last year, given their experiment.  An ERA around 5.00 seems like the best-case scenario for him.  The Rockies added another hittable hurler in Garland, who is bidding to make ten big league starts for the first time since 2010, due to shoulder injuries.  When they're right, these veterans can at least keep the ball on the ground, a Rockies mantra.

Geivett added additional depth on the cheap, picking up backup catcher Torrealba, reserve infielders Brignac and Wheeler, and starter-turned reliever Volstad.  The Torrealba signing allowed the Rockies to trade catcher Ramon Hernandez to the Dodgers, which nets the club about a million bucks plus whatever minor piece they can get for the already-designated Aaron Harang.

Perhaps Colorado's biggest move was not the Lopez trade but rather their managerial hire, Walt Weiss.  After Jim Tracy resigned, the team got in on the trend of hiring someone with no managerial experience.  Weiss, at least, should be on board should the front office decide to do something outside the box again.   

Questions Remaining

The Rockies' rotation consists of Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge de la Rosa, Juan Nicasio, Francis, and Garland.  Though the group is off to a nice start for the first four percent of the season, it's hard not to view them as a massive question mark.  Even if the Rockies didn't like the free agent prices, there were three front-rotation types traded this winter in R.A. Dickey, James Shields, and Josh Johnson, plus some mid-rotation arms.  The Rockies' rotation doesn't have much in the way of name value, but perhaps they can sneakily land in the middle of the NL pack, as FanGraphs' rotation rankings suggested last month.

The Rockies also have uncertainty in the infield, with Chris Nelson and Josh Rutledge taking on full-time roles and Todd Helton not a great bet to top 100 games.

Deals of Note

The Rockies did a pair of two-year extensions in the name of cost certainty, snagging arbitration years from Fowler and Chacin.  In the case of Chacin, I found it unnecessary.  Though he's the team's de facto ace, Chacin has shown a declining strikeout rate but a stable, high walk rate over his career.  He must continue to prevent hits to survive, a dicey proposition that did not hold up last year.  Why lock him in for $4.85MM in 2014?  The Rockies saved a little bit of money in the best case, but they've lost the ability to pay Chacin less if he has a lousy 2013.

Overview

The Rockies march to the beat of their own drum, and you have to respect that.  But even after a nice opening week, they look like a .500 club moving forward, and their quiet offseason is a factor there.  Still, with star power from Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki plus quality bats in Dexter Fowler, Michael Cuddyer, and Wilin Rosario, the Rockies can put some runs on the board if everyone stays healthy.  I'll enjoy watching to see if Walt Weiss' team can continue to defy expectations.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Brandon League, RP: three years, $22.5MM. $7.5MM Vesting option for 2016.
• Zack Greinke, SP: six years, $147MM.
• J.P. Howell, RP: one year, $2.85MM.
• Total Spend: $172.35MM.

International Signings

• Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP: six years, $36MM.
• Michael Medina, OF: $275K.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Wilkin Castillo, Dallas McPherson, Alfredo Amezaga, Mark Lowe, Peter Moylan, Matt Palmer, Kevin Gregg.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired P Rob Rasmussen from Astros for P John Ely.
• Acquired UT Skip Schumaker from Cardinals for SS Jake Lemmerman.

Notable Losses

• Juan Rivera, Jerry Sands, Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Randy Choate.

Needs Addressed

It's tough to say that the Dodgers, who finished fourth in the Majors with a 3.35 ERA last season, really needed pitching this offseason. They added plenty of it anyway, and there's no denying that both their rotation and bullpen are better off for having done so. The Dodgers entered 2012 with a rotation consisting of Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang. They're now set to run out Kershaw, international signee Hyun-Jin Ryu, Zack Greinke, Josh Beckett and Billingsley (once he's healthy, which should be mid-April). 

The additions of Greinke, Ryu and Beckett (acquired via trade last summer) push both Capuano and Harang to bullpen duty — something neither man figures to be happy about following successful seasons in 2012 (particularly for Capuano). Lilly, currently on the disabled list, appears headed for the same fate. MLB.com's Ken Gurnick recently wrote about the trio, noting that each still prefers to be in the rotation. Barring an injury, that seems highly unlikely.

Greinke's deal broke Matt Cain's record for the richest contract ever awarded to a right-handed pitcher at the time of the signing, and it's still the largest new-money guarantee for a righty. As was the case with CC Sabathia's record-setting deal, Greinke is able to opt out of his contract and test the market again following the contract's third season. 

On the bullpen front, the Dodgers dished out a three-year, $22.5MM contract to Brandon League in a surprising move early in the offseason. It's not that League is a bad pitcher, but does the ACES client really merit the second-largest contract for a reliever this offseason? Some would argue it's a fair deal, but given his struggles against left-handed pitching it seems like an unnecessary risk to me. GM Ned Colletti also signed J.P. Howell to a reasonable one-year contract to help combat opposing lefties.

Questions Remaining

The Dodgers' 25-man roster is loaded with star power, but they need to produce. Adrian Gonzalez homered just three times for the Dodgers following last summer's trade. Hanley Ramirez showed improvement after leaving Miami, but he still wasn't close to the 2007-10 version of himself. No one is sure what to expect from Carl Crawford at this point following a disastrous 18-month stint in Boston, during which he was essentially a replacement-level player before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Beckett posted a strong 2.93 ERA with the Dodgers, but did so with far and away the weakest fastball of his career (90.9 mph).

The pitching staff should be among the game's best, but it will be interesting to see how Ryu transitions to the Major Leagues. He was an elite star and strikeout king in Korea, but he lacks the typical velocity one would expect from such pitchers in Major League Baseball. League's deal, while questionable, is a mere drop in the bucket for the Dodgers' seemingly limitless payroll, and Kenley Jansen is one heck of a security net.

The Dodgers could find themselves in the market for a bench bat at some point this season, as manager Don Mattingly has little in the way of offensive threats late in games (apologies to Nick Punto, Skip Schumaker and Jerry Hairston). Perhaps that's one area Colletti will target if he looks to move Capuano, Harang or Lilly.

Deal of Note

In spite of shelling out loads of money to Greinke, Ryu and League, perhaps the most curious decision made by the Dodgers this offseason was not to trade any of their excess starting pitching. Capuano racked up 198 1/3 innings of 3.72 ERA ball (3.95 FIP, 3.97 xFIP, 3.93 SIERA) and posted a stellar 3.00 K/BB ratio. He's under contract for just $6MM this year (plus a $1MM buyout on his mutual option) and surely would be appealing to other teams.

Harang, while not as solid and more expensive ($7MM plus $2MM buyout on a mutual option), posted a respectable season — a 3.61 ERA in 179 2/3 innings. Advanced metrics didn't like him as much (4.14 FIP, 4.95 xFIP, 4.87 SIERA), but he makes for an expensive long reliever.

One can only assume that once Billingsley and/or Lilly are healthy and ready to come off the disabled list, Colletti will begin exploring trades. Still, it's curious that he chose not to do so earlier this offseason when more trading partners would have been available.

Overview

The Dodgers probably have more starting pitching depth than any team in the Majors, and they also have a deep, talented bullpen with League, Jansen, Howell and Ronald Belisario. When Hanley Ramirez returns from his injury, their lineup will be stacked with big names and big question marks. The sheer amount of talent on this roster makes them look like a playoff contender. And, if Gonzalez, Crawford and Ramirez rediscover their All-Star form, the Dodgers could make a run at the best record in baseball.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Jason Marquis, SP: one year, $3MM.
• Total Spend: $3MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Gregorio Petit, Travis Buck, Cody Ransom, Freddy Garcia.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired P Chris Rearick from Rays for IF Vince Belnome.
• Acquired P Wilfredo Boscan from Rangers for P Cory Burns.
• Acquired P Tyson Ross and IF A.J. Kirby-Jones from Athletics for IF Andy Parrino and P Andrew Werner. 
• Acquired P Brandon Kloess from White Sox for OF Blake Tekotte.
• Claimed P Fautino de los Santos off waivers from Brewers.

Notable Losses

• Andy Parrino, Vince Belnome, Cory Burns, Josh Spence, Andrew Werner, Nate Freiman.

Needs Addressed

The Padres' biggest need was pitching, but they didn't make any major shakeups in that department during the offseason.  In fact, they inked just one Major League free agent all winter and it was one of their own – Jason Marquis.  The veteran was signed to a one-year, $3MM deal in early December after turning in a 4.04 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 across 15 starts for San Diego.  While those are decent numbers, we can't totally forget about his dismal 8.47 ERA with 3.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in seven starts for the Twins that led to his May release.  General Manager Josh Byrnes hopes that he got to see the real version of Marquis in 2012 and that the right-hander's history of success in the National League continues in 2013.

The club's other addition to the starting five was Tyson Ross, who came over from the A's in a November trade.  The right-hander has shown promise but he'll have to put his control issues behind him to stick in a major league rotation.  Ross made 13 starts and five relief appearances for Oakland last season, posting a 6.50 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9.  He didn't get to finish the season in the A's rotation, but after a strong spring he'll be slotted in as the No. 5 starter for the Padres.

Questions Remaining

There are a good deal of question marks surrounding the Padres after the club essentially opted to stand pat after a 76-86 campaign.  The Padres don't necessarily have to reassemble the 1998 Braves rotation to keep the runs down in the spacious confines of Petco Park, but the Padres didn't make significant upgrades to a staff that didn't perform in 2012.  Clayton Richard turned in a 3.99 ERA but his strikeout numbers are trending downward and he had a career low of 4.4 K/9 last season.  Richard did manage to keep the walks down (career best 1.7 BB/9) but the same can't be said for Edinson Volquez, who had 5.2 BB/9.  The No. 3 starter in the rotation is Eric Stults, who did well in 14 starts for the Friars last year, but the 33-year-old has never turned in more than 99 innings of big league work in a season.

The Padres' offense was actually solid when they got away from their pitcher-friendly home park, but they're behind the 8-ball to start the year with several players out of action.  Yasmani Grandal, who hit .297/.394/.469 in his 60 game debut season, will be out for 50 games after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.   As much as they'll miss Grandal in the lineup, they'll miss Chase Headley even more as he recovers from a broken thumb over the next 4-6 weeks.  His understudy, Logan Forsythe, is still dealing with a foot injury, forcing rookie Jedd Gyorko over to third with Alexi Amarista filling in at second.  Plus, Carlos Quentin generally misses some time due to injury.  The Padres are definitely a banged up team, but the fences at Petco have been moved in and that should help power numbers across the board.

Headley is the Padres' premier bat, but will he finish the season in San Diego?  The third baseman has long been coveted by rival teams and if things aren't clicking as the deadline approaches, it stands to reason that Byrnes will give serious thought to the phone calls that he receives, despite his offseason assertions.  The 28-year-old will earn $8.575MM in 2013 and will remain under team control through next season, but it doesn't appear that the Padres have made serious headway with their star player on a contract extension.

Deal of Note

It's hard to say that the Padres had a deal of note this offseason with the Ross acquisition rating as their biggest move.  While San Diego flirted with doing something significant at times over the last few months, nothing wound up surfacing.  The Padres wanted to lock up Headley for the long-term, but that remains unfinished and doesn't appear to be imminent.  They explored adding another starter at a time when Kyle Lohse was still on the market, but they didn't follow through on that either.  Byrnes reportedly had interest in plucking Justin Upton from the Diamondbacks, but he was hardly alone there.  The Padres' inactivity either speaks to the confidence that they have in their young club or their financial constraints.  Or maybe it's a little from column A and a little from column B.

Overview

The Padres have been bitten hard by the injury bug to open the 2013 season and they could find themselves in a bit of a hole on the other side of April.  They'll have to vie with the Dodgers and Giants for traction in the NL West and it's tough to see them making the postseason unless everything goes right.  That means their offense getting/staying healthy, repeat pitching performances from the likes of Marquis and Stults, more power from Yonder Alonso at first, and a better all-around defensive effort.  None of those things are out of the question, but right now, it appears that the odds are against them.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Jonathan Broxton, RP: three years, $21MM.
• Jack Hannahan, IF: two years, $4MM. Club option for 2015.
• Manny Parra, RP: one year, $1MM.
• Ryan Ludwick, OF: two years, $15MM.
• Todd Redmond, SP: one year, $490K.
• Total Spend: $41.49MM.

International Signings

• Jacob Constante, P: $730K.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Corky Miller, Miguel Olivo, Emmanuel Burriss, Cesar Izturis, Clay Hensley, Mark Prior, Jeff Stevens, 

Trades and Claims

• Acquired OF Shin-Soo Choo and IF Jason Donald in a three-way deal for OF Drew Stubbs and SS Didi Gregorius.

Notable Losses

• Dioner Navarro, Didi Gregorius, Drew Stubbs, Ryan Madson, Todd Redmond, Miguel Cairo, Scott Rolen.

Needs Addressed

With Ryan Ludwick hitting free agency and Drew Stubbs was coming off a season in which he batted just .213/.277/.333 with a 30.5 percent strikeout rate, Cincinnati needed to bolster its outfield. They did just that by re-signing Ludwick to a two-year deal and swinging a trade to acquire Shin-Soo Choo from Ohio's other team — the Indians. 

General manager Walt Jocketty gave up Stubbs and shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius in a three-team deal with the Tribe and the D-backs to land Choo, who will man center field and hit leadoff for the Reds. Cincinnati also received infielder Jason Donald in the trade, though he's since been designated for assignment.

Scott Rolen's departure cleared the way for Todd Frazier to take over as the team's everyday third baseman. Frazier finished third in last year's Rookie of the Year voting and posted a solid .273/.331/.498 batting line with 19 homers. He's unlikely to match Rolen's defensive value, but he's an upgrade at the plate.

The offensive upgrade shouldn't be understated. The Reds finished with 669 runs in 2012 — just ninth in the National League and 21st in Major League Baseball. A full season of Frazier, the addition of Choo and a full, healthy season Joey Votto should help the team top last season's mark handily.

The Reds had little work to do on the pitching front. The team only had one game that wasn't started by Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, Bronson Arroyo or Mike Leake in 2012. That honor went to Todd Redmond, whom they signed to a one-year Major League contract worth just over the league minimum. Cincinnati would ultimately designate Redmond for assignment to make room for Manny Parra, who landed a one-year deal of his own to bolster the bullpen.

Jack Hannahan was brought in on a two-year, $4MM contract. While he should provide solid corner defense for the Reds, I'm not sure a multiyear deal for a player of his ilk was necessary. The price is admittedly fairly insignificant, but Cincinnati has never been a deep-pocketed team and comparable defensive specialists like Brandon Inge signed minor league deals.

Questions Remaining

While Choo and his robust on-base percentage are more than capable of handling the leadoff position, there's less certainty about his ability to play center field at this point in his career. Choo entered 2013 with just 83 career innings in center field, and all but eight of those came in 2006 or earlier. The Fielding Bible rated his right-field defense at -12 runs last season, and UZR/150 thought he was worse, giving him a -15.8 mark. Choo's glove will have to show improvement while playing a tougher position to keep Cincinnati's outfield from being labeled a defensive liability.

The Reds have another question mark in the outfield thanks to the cartilage tear found in Ludwick's shoulder that forced him to go under the knife earlier today.  Cincinnati gave the veteran a two-year, $15MM deal – the first multi-year pact of his career – and will now have to get by without his bat for an indefinite period of time.  The 34-year-old posted a .275/.346/.531 batting line with 26 home runs in 472 plate appearances for the Reds in 2012.

Shortstop remains a potential area of weakness as well. Zack Cozart filled the spot last year but posted just a .246/.288/.399 batting line. Cozart held his own defensively (9.3 UZR/150; +12 runs per The Fielding Bible), but the team could seek an upgrade if Cozart's bat doesn't or defense takes a step back. With Gregorius now in Arizona, Cesar Izturis is likely the team's primary backup plan in the event of an injury.

Deal of Note

It seemed all offseason long that the Reds' plan was to use Aroldis Chapman in the starting rotation. That line of thinking was punctuated by a three-year, $21MM contract for Jonathan Broxton, who would presumably inherit the ninth inning.

Instead, Chapman has been placed back in the ninth inning, making Broxton one of baseball's highest-paid setup men. His $4MM salary in 2013 isn't prohibitive, but he'll earn $7MM in 2014 and $9MM in 2015 — a sizeable commitment to a team that prior to 2013 had never had an Opening Day payroll greater than $87.8MM. By the year 2015, Cincinnati will be spending a combined $15.5MM on setup men, between Broxton and Sean Marshall (assuming Chapman is still closing).

Overview

The Reds will once again enter the season with a strong rotation led by Cueto, Latos, Bailey, Arroyo and Leake. The Broxton signing, while questionable, shortens the bridge to one of the game's truly elite closers. Votto, Choo, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips will anchor what should be an improved lineup, health permitting. Jocketty and his staff have added to a strong offensive core and should be among the favorites in the National League Central once again in 2013.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

The Cardinals didn't make any significant changes, but spent big to retain their own players following a season in which they were one game from a return to the World Series.

Major League Signings

• Ronny Cedeno, IF: one year, $1.15MM (has since been released).
• Ty Wigginton, UT: two years, $5MM.
• Randy Choate, RP: three years, $7.5MM.
• Total Spend: $13.65MM.

International Signings

• Alex Reyes, P: $950K.
• Henry Alvarado, P: $150K.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Rob Johnson, J.R. Towles, Justin Christian.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired IF Jake Lammerman from Dodgers for UT Skip Schumaker. 

Extensions

• Allen Craig, UT: five years, $31MM. $13MM Club option for 2018.
• Adam Wainwright, SP: five years, $97.5MM.

Notable Losses

• Kyle Lohse, Lance Berkman, Brian Fuentes

Needs Addressed

The Cardinals finished the 2012 season with 88 wins, a wild card playoff berth and a trip to the National League Championship Series. That was a strong enough showing for rookie manager Mike Matheny to cause the team to pick up his option for the 2014 season in February. 

Rather than investing money and/or prospects in order to pursue middle infield upgrades, the team elected to spend money down the line with extensions for Adam Wainwright and Allen Craig. General manager John Mozeliak was able to secure Wainwright for under $100MM, which many pundits thought would be difficult to do.

Mozeliak correctly determined that Kyle Lohse would turn down a qualifying offer in search of a hefty free agent payday (more on that later). Following the news of Chris Carpenter's season-ending (and career-threatening) injury, Lance Lynn and top prospect Shelby Miller are slated to round out manager Mike Matheny's rotation.

The Cardinals added a second left-hander to his bullpen to complement Marc Rzepczynski by adding Randy Choate on a three-year deal. Three years and $7.5MM for Choate was surprising, but it's hard to deny his dominance over left-handed hitters; in the past four seasons he's held opposing lefties to a .163/.230/.237 batting line.

Ty Wigginton was signed to add some right-handed pop off the bench. The 35-year-old is capable of handling both infield and outfield duty. He appeared at third base, first base and left field for the Phillies in 2012 and has a career .270/.354/.456 line against southpaws. He'll give the team a solid, albeit unspectacular bat off the bench.

Two long-time Cardinals were sent packing this offseason, as Kyle McClellan was non-tendered (he would go on to sign with the Rangers) and Skip Schumaker was dealt to the Dodgers. The two moves saved roughly $3.9MM, as McClellan had projected to earn about $2.4MM as a third-time arbitration-eligible player.

Ronny Cedeno was brough in to compete for infield playing time, but even after the news that Rafael Furcal would miss the entire season with Tommy John surgery, the Cardinals elected to release him and go with Pete Kozma as the starting shortstop. Cedeno has since signed with the Astros to be the team's everyday shortstop.

Questions Remaining

The Cardinals made a significant investment in Craig despite the fact that he's played just 238 career games at age 28 and has never topped 112 games in a season thanks to injuries. He'll need to prove that he's able to stay on the field and maintain his impressive level of production from 2011-12 (.309/.357/.532) over the course of a full Major League season.

The Cardinals are set to enter the season with a middle infield consisting of Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso, following the Furcal injury and Schumaker trade. Middle infield was already a potential weak spot for St. Louis entering the season, but this tandem now looks even more exposed in light of Furcal's injury. Top prospect Kolten Wong is nearly ready for the Majors, but if that trio falters Mozeliak could be in the market for a middle infielder this July.

Lynn and Miller have yet to prove themselves over a full season of starting at the Major League level, but the team has players like Trevor Rosenthal and Joe Kelly as insurance in the event of an injury or poor performance.

Deal of Note

Even after the news of Carpenter's injury, the Cardinals still decided to go with internal rotation options rather than approach Kyle Lohse about a reunion. In a show of tremendous faith in its young pitching, the team decided it valued a draft pick and the resulting boost to its draft bonus pool that would come when Lohse signed elsewhere.

St. Louis watched a division rival — the Brewers — sacrifice value in this year's draft in order to strengthen its team and make a run at the division title or a wild card spot. Should Lohse thrive while this year's Cardinals rotation underperforms, there will be no shortage of people who look back to the month of March and wonder if signing Lohse would have altered the course of events.

Overview

Despite question marks in the middle infield, St. Louis has a deep lineup and enough pitching depth to make a run at a third consecutive trip to the NLCS. They may need to search for a shortstop and/or second baseman come July, but an NL Central Division title isn't out of question for a team that figures to be among the most well-rounded clubs in baseball.

Major League Signings

• Alex Gonzalez, SS: one year, $1.5MM.
• Kyle Lohse, SP: three years, $33MM.
• Mike Gonzalez, RP: one year, $2.25MM.
• Tom Gorzelanny, SP: two years, $5.7MM.
• Total Spend: $42.45MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Donnie Murphy, Jairo Asencio, Kelvim Escobar, Travis Webb, Bobby Crosby

Trades and Claims

• Acquired 3B Stephen Parker from Athletics for P Darren Byrd.
• Acquired P Burke Badenhop from Rays for OF Raul Mondesi Jr.
• Claimed P Arcenio Leon off waivers from Astros.

Extensions

• Carlos Gomez, OF: three years, $24MM.

Notable Losses

• Yorvit Torrealba, Fautino de los Santos, Manny Parra.

Needs Addressed

After trading Zack Greinke last July and losing Shaun Marcum to free agency, the Brewers seemed content to head into 2013 without making a significant upgrade to the rotation.  However, Milwaukee decided to give Kyle Lohse a home last week by giving him a three-year, $33MM deal.  Aside from the money, the deal also means that the Brewers have to forfeit their No. 17 pick in the June draft.  

You can debate whether or not it was worth it for Milwaukee, but there's no denying that it makes them a better team to open the season.  Lohse joins Yovani Gallardo atop the rotation and their presence is especially important given the lack of experience on the rest of the staff.  Marco Estrada pitched to a 3.64 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 23 starts and six relief appearances in 2012 and the Brewers would love to see something similar this year, but he had just nine starts on his resume prior to last season.  They'll also be counting on Mike Fiers in the No. 5 spot after slotting Chris Narveson in the bullpen.

The Brewers' biggest need was their bullpen and they made major changes in an effort to turn things around.  First, Milwaukee traded Raul Mondesi Jr. to the Rays for right-hander Burke Badenhop.  Then, they picked up a pair of former Nationals in free agent left-handers Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez. All three should help the Brewers' cause this season and they should improve upon their NL-worst 4.66 ERA from last season.  

Alex Gonzalez was picked up in February to provide an alternative to Jean Segura, but he'll be serving an even more important role to open the season.  With Corey Hart sidelined until mid-to-late May and Mat Gamel out for the season, Gonzalez will start the season as the club's first baseman.  Which leads us to..

Questions Remaining

The Brewers scored the most runs in the National League last season (third in the majors) but the Hart injury could hurt them depending on his recovery time.  Hart's slash line of .270/.334/.507 was a big reason for their offensive surge last season but they'll have to get by with Gonzalez in the interim, a player who hit .241/.270/.372 in his last full campaign.  It's cause for concern defensively as well.  Gonzalez has 13,207 2/3 innings of experience of at shortstop but exactly none at first base.  

The trio of Badenhop, Gorzelanny, and Gonzalez should improve the Brewers' bullpen but there are still plenty of question marks about their relievers.  John Axford took a major step back in 2012, posting a 4.67 ERA (versus a 2.26 ERA in the three years prior) with 12.1 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9.  They'll need better than that in 2013 to compete in the NL Central.

Deal of Note

In mid-March, the Brewers gave Carlos Gomez a three-year, $24MM extension that will keep him locked up through the 2016 season.  The deal buys out the first three years of Gomez's free agency and could prove to be a bargain for the club if he continues to progress and hit right-handed pitching.  It also came as something of a surprise since agent Scott Boras typically urges his players to test the market rather than sign an extension with a year to go before free agency.  The 27-year-old posted a .260/.305/.463 batting line in 452 plate appearances with a career high 19 homers as Milwaukee's everyday center fielder last season.  He also provides solid defense at the position, as his career 14.7 UZR/150 shows.

Overview

The Brewers finished the 2012 season in the middle of the pack with 83 wins – enough to claim a .500 record but not enough to play in October.  While things looked stagnant for much of the winter, the Lohse addition gives their starting rotation a boost that cannot be overstated.  As Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel recently noted, Lohse has 331 career starts to his credit, which is more than the combined 270 starts that the originally planned rotation of Gallardo, Estrada, Wily Peralta, Narveson, and Fiers have made.  

On paper, Milwaukee's starting five should be strong enough to help reduce demand on their potent offense.  If the bullpen can climb out of the cellar, then the Brewers should find themselves in the playoff hunt this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Francisco Liriano, SP: one year, $1MM. $8MM Vesting option for 2014.
• Jeff Karstens, P: one year, $2.5MM. 
• Jason Grilli, RP: two years, $6.75MM.
• Russell Martin, C: two years, $17MM.
• Pedro Alvarez, 3B: one year, $700K. Club option exercised.
• Total Spend: $27.95MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Brandon Inge, Felix Pie, Jose Contreras, Philippe Valiquette, Kyle Waldrop, Jeff Larish.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired P Jeanmar Gomez from Indians for OF Quincy Latimore.
• Acquired OF Jerry Sands, RP Mark Melancon, IF Ivan de Jesus Jr. and P Stolmy Pimentel from Red Sox for RP Joel Hanrahan and IF Brock Holt.
• Acquired P Andrew Oliver from Tigers for C Ramon Cabrera.
• Acquired P Jhondaniel Medina from Orioles for IF Yamaico Navarro.
• Acquired P Zach Thornton from Athletics for P Chris Resop.
• Acquired P Vin Mazzaro and 1B Clint Robinson from Royals for P Luis Rico and P Luis Santos.
• Acquired P Zach Stewart from Red Sox for P Kyle Kaminska.
• Claimed P Chad Beck off waivers from Blue Jays.
• Claimed C Ali Solis off waivers from Padres. 

Notable Losses

• Rod Barajas, Joel Hanrahan, Zach Stewart, Ramon Cabrera, Brock Holt, Quincy Latimore, Kevin Correia, Chad Qualls, Chris Resop, Luis Santos.

Needs Addressed

Last season, Rod Barajas started 98 games behind the plate for the Pirates, hitting .206/.283/.343 and posting his worst OPS in nearly a decade.  His defensive play wasn't particularly strong either and one has to assume that Pittsburgh didn't spend too much time deliberating over his $3.5MM option for 2013.  Instead, the Bucs got a significant upgrade behind the plate in Russell Martin.  Martin's two-year, $17MM deal is the largest free agent contract signed during GM Neal Huntington's tenure in Pittsburgh and the Pirates expect to get their money's worth out of the three-time All-Star.  Two years ago, the Dodgers non-tendered Martin after an underwhelming couple of years and replaced him with the cheaper Barajas.  Since then, the 30-year-old has gotten back on track with the Yankees, posting a .224/.317/.405 slash line with 39 homers across two seasons.

It took a while to get everything hammered out but the Pirates ultimately inked Francisco Liriano to help fortify the rotation.  The two sides originally agreed to a two-year deal in mid-December, but the Pirates backed out after Liriano broke his non-pitching arm at his home in the Dominican Republic.  Everything finally got wrapped up in February, with language in the new deal that protects the team in case Liriano's arm puts him on the DL again.  

The Pirates are highly unlikely to get the 2006 version of the left-hander, but they'll be doing cartwheels if Liriano can give them something in the neighborhood of his 2010 campaign.  Liriano posted a 3.62 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in that season, but it's the only year out of the last four that he's had a sub-5.00 ERA.  Thanks to the arm injury, Liriano's season won't get underway until May.

The club's other needs were taken care of with more affordable contracts.  The Pirates signed Jonathan Sanchez to a minor league deal in February and he's now penciled in as the club's No. 4 starter due to Gerrit Cole being in Triple-A, Liriano's aforementioned injury, and Jeff Karstens' shoulder issues.  Huntington also added some name players on non-guaranteed deals, including Brandon Inge, who will break camp with the club.  Inge, 36 in May, can provide support off the bench for Pedro Alvarez at third and overall infield depth.

Questions Remaining

If all of the Pirates starters were healthy, they'd be entering the 2013 season with a rotation of A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, James McDonald, Karstens, and Liriano.  However, the back of the rotation will instead feature Sanchez (8.07 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 7.4 BB/9 in 2012) and Kyle McPherson/Jeff Locke in the No. 5 spot.  Burnett and Rodriguez are both solid, but the rest of the rotation will be chock full of question marks until the summer when they're back at full strength.  They could use some reinforcements to help tide them over and they're keeping a close eye on the Dodgers' Chris Capuano as the season nears.

The PIrates were a lackluster defensive team in 2012 and were ranked in the lower-third of the majors.  Substituting Barajas' arm with Martin's (24% of runners caught stealing vs. 6%) should help keep everyone honest but they'll need more improvement than that to make signficant strides.

Deal of Note

The Pirates have a great deal of confidence in Jason Grilli so it only made sense for them to flip Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox in December.  The swap allowed Pittsburgh to deal from an area of strength and add first baseman/outfielder Jerry Sands, infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr., reliever Mark Melancon, and right-hander Stolmy Pimentel to the organization.  Sands, who was a prized prospect in the Dodgers system before being shipped to Boston in the blockbuster deal, has impressive power and the PIrates obviously believe that the 25-year-old has a high ceiling.

Over the last two years with the PIrates, Grilli has looked like a brand new pitcher, posting a 2.76 ERA with 12.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9.  The 36-year-old was one of the better available relievers this winter and figures to slot in nicely as the Bucs' closer.  Unlike other closing options, Grilli didn't require a three-year pact and his two-year, $6.75MM deal amounts to less than Hanrahan will earn in 2013 alone.  However, it's worth noting that Grilli has limited experience in the role, finishing just 15 games across the last two seasons.  

Overview

The Pirates certainly have promise for the future with the likes of Cole, Jameson Taillon, Alen Hanson, Gregory Polanco, and Luis Heredia in the fold.  However, the 2013 Bucs don't appear to be world beaters.  However, they do have the talent to win 82 games and snap their 20 year losing streak.  After all, they came just three games shy of hitting that mark even after their late season collapse in 2012.

Manager Clint Hurdle believes that his club has improved across the board, even if most of that improvement comes in the way of the younger players having another year of experience under their belt.  It's hard to see the Pirates finding their way into the playoffs, but they can certainly crack the .500 mark.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Scott Hairston, OF: two years, $5MM.
• Carlos Villanueva, P: two years, $10MM.
• Edwin Jackson, SP: four years, $52MM.
• Nate Schierholtz, OF: one year, $2.25MM.
• Ian Stewart, 3B: one year, $2MM.
• Scott Feldman, SP: one year, $6MM.
• Shawn Camp, RP: one year, $1.35MM.
• Dioner Navarro, C: one year, $1.75MM.
• Scott Baker, SP: one year, $5.5MM.
• Total Spend: $85.85MM.

International Signings

• Armando Rivero, P: $3.1MM.
• Chang-Yong Lim, RP: $5MM.
• Kyuji Fujikawa, RP: two years, $9.5MM. $5.5MM Club option for 2015. 

Notable Minor League Signings

• Alberto Gonzalez, Brent Lillibridge, Brian Bogusevic, Darnell McDonald, Jensen Lewis, Cory Wade, Dontrelle Willis, Hisanori Takahashi. 

Trades and Claims

• Claimed P Hector Rondon from Indians in Rule five draft.
• Claimed P Carlos Gutierrez off waivers from Twins.
• Claimed P Sandy Rosario off waivers from Red Sox.
• Claimed P Zach Putnam off waivers from Rockies.

Notable Losses

• Bryan LaHair, Tony Campana, Jacob Brigham, Miguel Socolovich, Chris Volstad, Jeff Beliveau.

Needs Addressed

Last year the Cubs gave a total of 54 starts to Chris Volstad, Justin Germano, Chris Rusin, Brooks Raley, Jason Berken, Randy Wells, and Casey Coleman.  With the injury to Matt Garza and trades of Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm, a rotation that seemed decent at the start of the season was exposed for its lack of depth.  By signing four starting pitchers this offseason — almost an entire rotation — the Cubs are better-equipped to handle injuries and potential trades.  President Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer committed $73.5MM to Jackson, Villanueva, Baker, and Feldman, and did not have to surrender a draft pick or young player in the process.

The Cubs ran parallel pursuits of my second and third-best free agent starters of the offseason, Jackson and Anibal Sanchez. From the team's point of view, both pitchers are young enough to help the next good Cubs team, and neither required surrendering their second round pick.  Ultimately the team landed Jackson, giving him the sixth-largest free agent contract of the offseason.  Before signing Jackson, they'd taken a run at a hurler who became my fourth-best available free agent, Dan Haren, then of the Angels.  Shipping walk-happy, $9.8MM closer Carlos Marmol to the Halos for Haren seemed like a big win for the Cubs, who balked over medical concerns.  If Haren does stay healthy and somewhat effective, the Cubs will be second-guessed for killing the trade.

Villanueva, 29, set a career-high last year with 125 1/3 big league innings for Toronto.  His 3.44 K/BB in 92 innings as a starter was promising, though he allowed 18 home runs in that span.  He'll be a useful swingman.  Feldman allowed 130 hits in 110 innings as a starter last year for Texas, though he seemed serviceable otherwise.  He pitches to contact generally, so the Cubs' infield defense will be put to the test.  Baker had Tommy John surgery in mid-April of last year, and I think the Cubs' expectations for the former Twin early in the season were low.  It's concerning that he's still experiencing elbow issues, however.  With Baker and Garza set to open the season on the DL, the Cubs will use Feldman, Villanueva, and Travis Wood from the outset.  If eventually all seven starters are healthy at once, that'll be a good problem to have.

Fujikawa landed a two-year deal to serve as Marmol's setup man, at least until the Cubs move Marmol or his contract expires.  I like the pickup.  Japanese relievers have had success in MLB, and Fujikawa was quite good with the Hanshin Tigers.  Camp was retained at a small salary, but the bullpen is still a weak spot for the Cubs.  International signing Armando Rivero could move quickly through the minors given his professional experience in Cuba, though Ben Badler of Baseball America says the pitcher has just "middle relief potential."  Like Fujikawa, Korean reliever Chang-Yong Lim is another successful NPB closer.  However, Lim is sidelined into 2014 due to Tommy John surgery.  The Cubs are clearly thinking short-term here, as the righty is 36.

The Cubs took an affordable platoon approach to right field, and it might work in terms of getting some pop out of the position.  Nate Schierholtz hit .270/.334/.440 against right-handers over the last three years, while Scott Hairston is at .263/.308/.464 against lefties.

The Cubs re-signed Stewart for $2MM, saving a little money versus tendering him a contract.  Stewart's wrist is finally better, but now he's nursing a quad injury.  His non-tender mostly closed the thread on the Cubs' December 2011 deal that sent Tyler Colvin and DJ LeMahieu to Colorado for Stewart and Casey Weathers.  At the time I sensed that Epstein and Hoyer moved Colvin without much regard because he wasn't one of their guys.  Elsewhere in free agency, the Cubs snagged Navarro on a big league deal to be their backup catcher, though he played only 24 games in the Majors last year.

Questions Remaining

With major question marks in the offense and bullpen, the Cubs don't seem to be making a big push to contend in 2014 despite their rotation expenditures.  They still seem much more likely to be sellers than buyers at the July trade deadline, stripping the team down again for another ugly finish.  Cubs fans seem fine with another punted season from the new front office, if it will bring long-term success.  I think fans will require a strong contender by 2015, after enduring an intentional two or three-year rebuilding project in a major market.

On a smaller level, the Cubs were unable to extend 2012 breakout starter Jeff Samardzija.  Samardzija is a Jim Hendry guy who worked out, but the new front office deserves credit for giving him a shot in the rotation.  In October I suggested a four-year, $27MM deal for Samardzija, similar to one signed by the Reds' Johnny Cueto in January 2011.  The Cubs did make a five-year offer, though the amount is unknown.  Another good year will likely send the price tag north of $50MM on a five-year deal.

Deal of Note

The Cubs' push for two of the better available starters this offseason was surprising.  They paid about market value for Jackson, which could net a profit if he improves.  The contract will make more sense to me if the Cubs aim to contend in 2014.  Otherwise, they won't get a lot out of the first half of the contract, when Jackson is closest to his prime.  A contract of this nature might have been a better move during the 2013-14 offseason, when the team will be presumably closer to winning.

Overview

Fourth place seems to be the best case scenario for the Cubs, who will probably remain more focused on acquiring young talent and could certainly finish last.  ESPN's Keith Law ranks their farm system fifth in baseball, while Baseball America had them 12th.  Epstein and Hoyer may sell off pieces one more time this summer, particularly Garza, Marmol, and Alfonso Soriano, and then it will be time to create a Major League winner.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Rafael Soriano, RP: two years, $28MM. $14MM vesting option for 2015.
• Adam LaRoche, 1B; two years, $24MM. Mutual option for 2015 with a $2MM buyout.
• Dan Haren, SP; one year, $13MM.
• Zach Duke, SP; one year, $500K.
• Total Spend: $65.5MM 

International Signings

• Neivy Pilier ($225K)

Notable Minor League Signings

• Chris Young, Will Ohman, Micah Owings, Delwyn Young, Mike Costanzo, Brian Bocock, Bill Bray, Fernando Abad, Carlos Maldonado, Jeremy Accardo.

Traded and Claims

• Acquired SP A.J. Cole, RP Blake Treinen and PTBNL (Ian Krol) from Athletics for OF Mike Morse.
• Acquired OF Denard Span from Twins for SP Alex Meyer. 

Notable Losses

• Mike Morse, Edwin Jackson, Sean Burnett, Mike Gonzalez, Tom Gorzelanny, John Lannan, Alex Meyer, Mark DeRosa

Needs Addressed

In November, the Nationals agreed to a new contract with manager Davey Johnson.  It seemed an easy choice for both parties, after Johnson guided the Nats to the playoffs in 2012.

The Nationals wisely made a qualifying offer to first baseman Adam LaRoche, ensuring they'd receive a draft pick if he signed elsewhere.  Perhaps the team also anticipated that the attached draft pick would cause difficulty for LaRoche on the open market.  It took until January, but ultimately GM Mike Rizzo was able to retain the 33-year-old on his terms: a two-year, $24MM deal.  With Mike Morse under contract, Rizzo was able to remain patient with LaRoche.

Rizzo did not extend a qualifying offer to Edwin Jackson, preferring not to get locked in (presumably, Rizzo thought there was some chance Jackson would accept the one-year, $13.3MM proposal).  This decision surprised me, because it seemed unlikely Jackson would pass up a chance to find his deserved multiyear deal for the second consecutive offseason.  As it turned out, Rizzo was saving his money for Haren, who signed in December.  In November, the Cubs had nearly acquired Haren from the Angels, with the intent of exercising his $15.5MM club option and unloading ineffective reliever Carlos Marmol.  The Cubs reportedly killed the deal over concerns with Haren's health.  Rizzo did not share those concerns, and Haren (pictured) seems hellbent on returning to his innings-eating days.  The Nationals were thinking big for their rotation vacancy, and were willing to spend much more on Haren than teams spent on other one-year deal starters like Scott Baker, Scott Feldman, Joe Saunders, and Brett Myers.

It was thought the Nationals would make a push for a free agent center fielder such as Michael Bourn or B.J. Upton, but instead they swung a deal with the Twins for Span.  Rizzo found an established center fielder who can get on base and play the position well, and can be under contract affordably for three seasons.  He surrendered a quality pitching prospect in Alex Meyer, but creating assets to trade for Major Leaguers is one purpose for the farm system of a contending club.  The Nats had not yet re-signed LaRoche at the time of the trade, which further reduced the first baseman's leverage against them.

Once Span and LaRoche were both in tow, Rizzo was free to trade Morse.  He chose to restock his farm system, acquiring Cole, Treinen, and Krol.  Having drafted Cole in 2010 and sent him to the A's in the Gio Gonzalez deal, Rizzo was happy to get the pitching prospect back into his organization.  It seems a solid return for a year of Morse, who has his warts.

The Nationals non-tendered Gorzelanny and lost Burnett and Gonzalez to free agency.  The trio of lefties had accounted for a third of the team's bullpen innings at a 2.74 ERA, so the Nats saw a match with closer Rafael Soriano still available in mid-January (more on that later). 

Questions Remaining

Considered one of the most complete teams in baseball, the Nationals are light on question marks. They've got a righty-heavy bullpen, but that's not necessarily a concern.

The Nationals signed arbitration eligible players Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmermann to one-year deals.  It's always nice to lock up young talent and grab a few free agent years in the process, but it's not clear what the players were seeking.

Deal of Note

Soriano seemed to have few suitors entering the new year, but Scott Boras is tight with Nationals' ownership and brokered a two-year, $28MM deal with heavy deferrals and a vesting option.  It's top dollar for a reliever, but the term is short, and Soriano is very good when he's healthy.  The Nationals also had to surrender their first-round pick, which would have become the 28th overall.  At this stage in the team's competitive cycle, it makes sense to swing the pendulum toward Major League talent over prospects or draft picks.

Overview

It's plain to see why the Nationals are often named the best team in baseball.  The entire roster just seems to be overflowing with talent and depth, phenoms and veterans.  It'll be fun to see if the World Series predictions come true, but for now, the Nationals have assembled a potential juggernaut.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Joe Saunders, SP: one year, $7MM. $6.5MM Mutual option for 2014.
• Kelly Shoppach, C: one year, $1.5MM.
• Raul Ibanez, OF: one year, $2.75MM.
• Oliver Perez, SP: one year, $1.5MM.
• Jason Bay, OF: one year, $1MM.
• Total Spend: $13.75MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Kameron Loe, Jon Garland, Mike Jacobs, Jeremy Bonderman, Robert Andino, Ronny Paulino.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired OF Abraham Almonte from Yankees for P Shawn Kelley.
• Acquired OF Mike Morse in a three-way deal for C John Jaso.
• Acquired IF Kendrys Morales from Angels for SP Jason Vargas.
• Acquired UT Robert Andino from Orioles for OF Trayvon Robinson.
• Claimed OF Scott Cousins off waivers from Blue Jays. Later claimed off waivers by Angels.

Extensions

• Felix Hernandez, SP: seven years, $175MM.
• Hisashi Iwakuma, P: two years, $14MM. $7MM Club option for 2015.

Notable Losses

• John Jaso, Miguel Olivo, Mike Carp, Scott Cousins, Shawn Kelley, George Sherrill, Jason Vargas.

Needs Addressed

After finishing last in the league in scoring for three consecutive years, the Mariners focused on adding offense this offseason. The team started by moving in the fences at Safeco Field in an attempt to make the ballpark more hitter-friendly. Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik followed up by adding a number of established hitters through free agency and trades.

The middle of the Mariners' lineup will look much different in 2013. Michael Morse (pictured) has established himself as a productive MLB hitter since the Mariners traded him to Washington in 2009. He'll add welcome right-handed power to Eric Wedge's lineup, though he's a below average defender who's one year away from free agency. The Mariners sent lefty masher John Jaso to Oakland in the deal, only to sign righty masher Kelly Shoppach two weeks later. 

Earlier in the offseason, the Mariners dealt from an area of depth — the rotation — to complete a trade with a different division rival. They acquired Kendrys Morales from the Angels for Jason Vargas in a deal that should work for both clubs. The switch-hitting Morales bounced back nicely in 2012 and should provide power again in 2013. Like Vargas, he's a year away from free agency, so neither team surrendered a long-term piece.

After trading Vargas the Mariners had a void in their rotation, which they later filled by signing Joe Saunders to a one-year deal. Zduriencik's patience paid off, as he signed Saunders to a contract worth $6.5MM instead of overpaying early in the offseason. This deal gives the Mariners stability at the back of the rotation in 2013 without saddling them with a cumbersome long-term contract.

The Mariners also turned to free agency, expressing varying degrees of interest in Josh Hamilton, Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. Ultimately the most prominent free agent position player they signed was former Mariner Raul Ibanez. The 40-year-old should continue to produce as long as Eric Wedge mimics Joe Girardi's strategy of limiting Ibanez's exposure to left-handed pitching.

Zduriencik remade his bench this offseason, with Shoppach, Ibanez, Robert Andino and Jason Bay. It's been a while since the 34-year-old Bay added value on offense, so it won't be surprising if the Mariners end up releasing him. Even so, the British Columbia native required just a $1MM commitment.

The Mariners acquired Andino, non-tendered him and re-signed him. Every team needs a utility infielder for its bench, and Andino won’t be worse than Munenori Kawasaki. Still just 28, Andino posted a .327 on-base percentage in 511 plate appearances in 2011.

Seattle had considerable pitching depth entering the offseason, so the front office didn't need to spend aggressively on pitching. Newcomers Kameron Loe and Jon Garland joined the pitching staff on modest free agent contracts. 

Questions Remaining

The Mariners scored 619 runs in 2012, a dropoff of more than 100 runs compared to the average American League club (721). In other words they must improve considerably to measure up to their rivals. Morse, Morales, Ibanez and others will make a difference, but the group doesn't include an impact bat. There's potential for a breakout season from someone like Dustin Ackley or Jesus Montero, and the dimension changes could help. Still, the Mariners' offense remains a question mark until the lineup proves otherwise.

Determined to add offense, the Mariners acquired a number of players — Ibanez, Morse, Bay and Morales for example – who have questionable defensive skills. Incorporating a number of these players into the lineup at once will be a challenge for Wedge, especially with Michael Saunders in right field and Justin Smoak at first base.

Finally, many of the team’s additions will hit free agency this coming offseason. The contracts for Joe Saunders, Morse, Morales, Ibanez, Bay and Shoppach expire after the season. Even if Zduriencik’s plan works, this team will face another busy winter a year from now.

Deal of Note

The Mariners extended Felix Hernandez with a record-setting seven-year, $175MM extension last month. The deal establishes a new record guarantee for pitchers, so it’s hard not to like it from the perspective of Hernandez and his representatives at Octagon. The Mariners were never going to get a substantial discount on an extension covering only free agent seasons. Record contract or not, the Mariners do well to keep one of the top pitchers in baseball in the organization. 

The contract includes a noteworthy eighth-year option. Once some concern emerged regarding Hernandez's elbow, the sides agreed to add a $1MM option that triggers if he sustains a specific elbow injury and misses substantial time. This provides the Mariners with a measure of protection against the possibility that Hernandez’s elbow issues will linger.

Overview

The 2013 Mariners won’t be mistaken for the 2012 version of the club. They should score more runs than in years past, and with multiple career years and good health they could win more games than they lose. Even so, the most realistic outcome for this club seems to be a fourth place finish in the AL West.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Josh Hamilton, OF: five years, $125MM.
• Sean Burnett, RP: two years, $8MM. $4.5MM Club option for 2015.
• Joe Blanton, SP: two years, $15MM. Club option for 2015.
• Ryan Madson, RP: one year, $3.5MM.
• Ervin Santana, SP: one year, $13MM. Club option exercised. Later traded to Royals.
• Total Spend: $164.5MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Mitch Stetter, Jo-Jo Reyes, Chad Cordero, Bill Hall (has since been released), Luis Rodriguez, Brendan Harris, Chris Snyder

Trades and Claims

• Acquired SP Jason Vargas from Mariners for 1B Kendrys Morales.
• Acquired SP Tommy Hanson from Braves for RP Jordan Walden.
• Acquired P Brandon Sisk from Royals for SP Ervin Santana.
• Claimed OF Scott Cousins off waivers from Mariners.
• Claimed IF Tommy Field off waivers from Twins.

Extensions

• Chris Iannetta, C: three years, $15.5MM.

Notable Losses

• Zack Greinke, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, Jordan Walden, Kendrys Morales, Torii Hunter, Bobby Wilson, Maicer Izturis, LaTroy Hawkins.

Needs Addressed

Teams seeking bargains don't shop for elite free agents. Fortunately for Angels fans, owner Arte Moreno seems more concerned about adding impact players than uncovering bargains. For the second consecutive offseason, Moreno and general manager Jerry Dipoto landed the top free agent position player. Josh Hamilton signed a five-year, $125MM deal after being pursued by division rivals Seattle and Texas.

On the field, Hamilton makes the Angels a markedly better team. He has tremendous power and his high batting averages drive his on-base percentage well above league average. The top of the Angels’ batting order will now intimidate even more teams. The off-field questions surrounding Hamilton are well-documented, and $125MM represents a massive commitment. The Angels are assuming considerable risk with this deal. But as a large market team they can afford take on risks, so the decision to spend on MVP-caliber talent is defensible.

After declining the club option for Dan Haren and re-directing Ervin Santana to the Royals, the Angels needed to acquire starting pitching depth. They signed one pitcher and turned to the trade market for two more additions.

In Blanton the Angels added a dependable back-of-the-rotation arm. A two-year, $15MM commitment strikes me as fair value for both sides considering Blanton offers durability but limited upside. Angel Stadium has ranked among the ten most difficult home run environments in MLB for each of the past three seasons, which could benefit Blanton, a pitcher who struggles to limit homers.

Vargas is a fly ball pitcher who could also benefit from the depressed home run environment and the Angels' speedy outfield of Hamilton, Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos. Dipoto acquired Vargas from the Mariners for Kendrys Morales in a deal that makes sense for the Angels and their AL West rivals. Vargas should provide steady innings in the middle of the team's rotation, something the Angels can use more than Morales' bat, especially after the Hamilton signing.

Tommy Hanson took a step back in 2012, both in terms of traditional stats and fastball velocity. At $3.73MM he is no longer the bargain he once was. It's not clear what Hanson can offer, especially now that he has encountered triceps soreness. This isn't the only injury question with Hanson, who has recently dealt with back and shoulder issues. Nevertheless I like the decision to acquire Hanson for hard-throwing 25-year-old Jordan Walden. The Angels should have a capable bullpen without Walden, and if Hanson pitches poorly he can be non-tendered a year from now.

Dipoto added to his bullpen, spending on free agents Ryan Madson and Sean Burnett. Burnett, one of the top left-handed relievers available in free agency, obtained a two-year, $8MM deal. He and lefty Scott Downs will give manager Mike Scioscia plenty of flexibility late in games.

It appears that Madson will start the season on the disabled list as his recovery from Tommy John surgery continues. The results have been troubling so far, yet the decision to invest $3.5MM in a reliever as accomplished as Madson was justifiable.

Questions Remaining

The Angels' rotation remains questionable entering the season. Hanson represents an injury concern, and there doesn't appear to be much depth beyond Jerome Williams and Garrett Richards. As long as Kyle Lohse remains available in free agency he could be a tempting option for Dipoto. The Angels already gave up their first rounder to sign Hamilton, which lessens the impact of signing players linked to draft pick compensation. As Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs wrote in January, Lohse does a lot of things well.

Vernon Wells, now a bench player, surfaces in trade rumors from time to time when rival teams are looking for veteran right-handed bats. At this stage it looks as though Wells is staying put. Whether the Angels trade him or not, they'll be responsible for nearly all of the $42MM remaining on his contract.

Deal of Note

It doesn't appear that Mike Trout will obtain a long-term deal just yet, and the team's seemingly patient approach looks prudent. Trout had a historic 2012 season, which means potential comparables are either in the Hall of Fame or Cooperstown-bound. For this reason the outfielder would have a strong case for a record-setting contract for players in his service class — potentially $100MM plus. If Trout repeats his performance then the Angels will eventually pay him at that level. Yet they will have avoided an unprecedented commitment if he’s less exceptional in 2013.

On a related note, the recent hand-wringing over Trout’s 2013 salary seems unwarranted to me. Yes, baseball’s most recent collective bargaining agreement depresses salaries for inexperienced players. But this structure is hardly new. The MLBPA signed off on the CBA, so the suggestion from agent Craig Landis that Trout should be paid more than $510K isn’t convincing (not that it hurts to ask!). We don’t often see players renouncing salaries when they’re overpaid, and we shouldn’t expect owners to pay players extra when teams have the chance to take advantage of a collectively bargained benefit.

Overview

The Angels are poised to contend for the postseason after another winter of aggressive spending by Moreno. With a strong offense and a capable pitching staff they project as one of the most complete teams in the American League.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Bartolo Colon, SP: one year, $3MM.
• Grant Balfour, RP: one year, $4.5MM. Club option exercised.
• Total Spend: $7.5MM.

International Signings

• Jean Carlo Rodriguez, IF.
• Miguel Mercedes, 3B.
• Hiroyuki Nakajima, SS. two years, $6.5MM. $5.5MM Club option for 2015.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Hideki Okajima, Carlos Fisher, Garrett Olson, Pedro Viola, Brian Gordon.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired SS Jed Lowrie and RP Fernando Rodriguez for 1B Chris Carter, SP Brad Peacock and C Max Stassi.
• Acquired C John Jaso in a three-way deal for P A.J. Cole, P Blake Treinen and PTBNL (P Ian Krol).
• Acquired OF Jefry Marte from Mets for OF Collin Cowgill.
• Acquired P Chris Resop from Pirates for P Zach Thornton.
• Acquired P Sandy Rosario from Red Sox for PTBNL (P Graham Godfrey).
• Acquired IF Andy Parrino and P Andrew Werner from Padres for P Tyson Ross and IF A.J. Kirby-Jones.
• Acquired OF Chris Young in a three-way deal for IF Cliff Pennington and IF Yordy Cabrera.

Notable Losses

• Jonny Gomes, Cliff Pennington, Stephen Drew, Brandon Inge, George Kottaras, Chris Carter, Yordy Cabrera, Brandon Hicks, A.J. Cole, Graham Godfrey, Brandon McCarthy, Brad Peacock, Sandy Rosario.

Needs Addressed

The Athletics addressed their infield this offseason, acquiring the versatile Jed Lowrie and signing a veteran Japanese infielder. Billy Beane also added pitching depth in an offseason that wasn’t quite as dramatic as his exceptionally productive 2011-12 winter.

The A's acquired Lowrie from the Astros for Chris Carter and prospects Max Stassi and Brad Peacock. Though Beane gave up lots of long-term value in the deal, Lowrie helps the Athletics now, addressing their biggest offseason need at a time that free agent infield options were limited (more on his deal later).

In Hiroyuki Nakajima (pictured) the Athletics added an accomplished Japanese hitter who projects to replace Stephen Drew as the team's everyday shortstop. The A's are paying Nakajima like a backup, so financial considerations won't prevent the team from making a change if his production in the U.S. doesn't compare to his NPB line of .310/.381/.474. The A’s also had interest in re-signing Drew, who ultimately signed a one-year deal with Boston.

The A's gave up three prospects, including A.J. Cole, to Washington in the three-way deal that sent John Jaso to Oakland. Jaso, who's controllable through 2015, hits right-handed pitching really well. Manager Bob Melvin didn't hesitate to use platoons in 2012 and he has the making of a new one in Jaso and Derek Norris.

Early on in the offseason the A’s acquired Chris Young for Cliff Pennington in yet another deal with the Diamondbacks. The A’s did well to obtain an up-the-middle player with some offensive skills for Pennington, even though they don’t presently have a starting role for Young. Teams tend to find opportunities for talented bench players over the course of a six-month season, so expect Young to contribute.

Bartolo Colon re-signed with the A's on a one-year, $3MM contract that provides the team with additional depth. The 39-year-old will begin the season on the restricted list to serve a suspension for violating MLB's drug policy. Once he serves the final five games of his suspension he'll be able to contribute as a back-of-the-rotation starter. At $3MM this is a worthwhile low-risk, low-reward expenditure.

The A's added to their bullpen, exercising Grant Balfour's 2013 option and sending minor league right-hander Zach Thornton to Pittsburgh for Chris Resop. The 30-year-old Resop provides the A's with a durable arm; he made 60-plus appearances in both 2011 and 2012 with the Pirates.

Questions Remaining

The middle infield remains a question for the club, as it’s not clear how much Nakajima, Scott Sizemore and Jemile Weeks can contribute. Beane is a deal-maker and could obtain an upgrade midseason if necessary. However, there are rarely many above average middle infielders available in trades and the asking prices on the few quality players tend to be high.

Other teams could inquire about players like Young given the Athletics’ outfield depth. The team seems content to keep all of their outfielders for now, but could strike a deal if a need emerges in Oakland midseason.

Deal of Note

The A's entered the offseason in need of help on the left side of the infield. Lowrie, an oft-injured 28-year-old, represents an upgrade for the Athletics whether he plays shortstop, third base or second. They surrendered an intriguing collection of talent to acquire Lowrie, who's under team control for two more seasons. Even though he doesn't appear to be a long-term piece, Lowrie gives the A's what they need now. For a team set up to contend in 2013-14 this exchange makes sense. While the team assumes some risk here, the free agent market for shortstops was barren besides Drew, another player with recent health issues.

Overview

The A’s did a tremendous job at preventing opponents from scoring in 2012. With many of the same players back for another season, the club should stay in most games and contend again in 2013.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Major League Signings

• Jose Veras, RP: one year, $2MM. $3.25MM Club Option for 2014.
• Carlos Pena, 1B: one year, $2.9MM.
• Total Spend: $4.9MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

• Erik Bedard, Rick Ankiel, Trevor Crowe, Edgar Gonzalez, Jose Valdez, Sergio Escalona.

Trades and Claims

• Acquired 1B Chris Carter, C Max Stassi and SP Brad Peacock from Athletics for SS Jed Lowrie and RP Fernando Rodriguez.
• Acquired P John Ely from Dodgers for P Rob Rasmussen.
• Acquired SP Alex White and P Alex Gillingham from Rockies for P Wilton Lopez and PTBNL.
• Claimed P Mickey Storey off waivers from Yankees.
• Claimed P Philip Humber off waivers from White Sox.
• Claimed OF Che-Hsuan off waivers from Red Sox.
• Claimed P Josh Fields from Red Sox in Rule 5 draft.
• Claimed P Sam Demel off waivers from Diamondbacks.
• Claimed IF Jake Delmore off waivers from Diamonbacks.

Notable Losses

• Jed Lowrie, Jordan Schafer, Wilton Lopez, Mickey Storey, Fernando Rodriguez, Chris Snyder.

Needs Addressed

There’s reason to believe general manager Jeff Luhnow will build a contender in Houston. He has a track record of success, the support of ownership, and even an endorsement from Bill James. Be that as it may, Luhnow doesn’t have much proven talent at the MLB level. And as the Astros enter their second full season under Luhnow and owner Jim Crane, they’re expected to finish with the fewest wins in baseball for the third consecutive time.

The Astros took advantage of their status as a non-contender this winter, acquiring players with upside in the hopes that some become part of the team's core. Chris Carter could be one such player for the Astros. Acquired along with prospects Brad Peacock and Max Stassi, Carter provides the Astros with a powerful bat coming off of his strongest season to date. And unlike Jed Lowrie, the primary piece headed to Oakland in the deal, he's controllable for the long-term. The 26-year-old Carter won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season. Lowrie's a talented player, but given his injury history (career high in games: 97), cost ($2.4MM) and proximity to free agency (two years of team control remaining) it made sense to trade him for a controllable player with power such as Carter.

Houston added pitching depth with a series of low-risk acquisitions. Though Alex White struggled as a member of the Rockies' rotation, the former top prospect offers a hint of upside. The Astros parted with Wilton Lopez to acquire White with another decision that emphasizes youth over experience. Luhnow also traded for Peacock, who entered the 2012 season as the 36th-ranked prospect in MLB, according to Baseball America. Like White, Peacock struggled in 2012, posting an unsightly 6.01 ERA in 134 2/3 innings at Triple-A. There's also John Ely, who had a strong season with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate in 2012 and now provides Houston with depth as a long man in the bullpen or extra starter. 

A team in the Astros’ position must take advantage of the waiver wire, and Luhnow did just that, claiming players often when 40-man roster space became available. Houston used its Rule 5 draft pick to add Josh Fields a 27-year-old right-hander who struck out 78 hitters in 58 1/3 innings in the upper levels of Boston's minor league system in 2012. The 2008 first round selection might never succeed at the MLB level, but the Astros are much better positioned to find out than a club that hopes to contend in 2013. Credit the team for identifying a promising player and giving him the chance to stick.

The Astros claimed Philip Humber, who struggled down the stretch in 2012 after pitching a perfect game in April. With a salary of just $1.3MM and recent success as an MLB starter, Humber is worth a look at the back of the rotation. Erik Bedard, who signed a minor league contract with the Astros, provides intrigue with the familiar ‘health permitting’ caveat.

Luhnow rounded out the team’s roster with veterans such as Carlos Pena, Rick Ankiel and Jose Veras. These players aren’t here to make a long-term impact. Instead, they’re stopgaps who could be flipped for valuable long-term pieces at the 2013 trade deadline. Luhnow, who acquired Matt Dominguez for Carlos Lee last year, could look to make similar trades this coming summer.

Questions Remaining

The Astros' roster is full of question marks, and that’s by design. In order to determine what they have, they must see their players at the MLB level. Luhnow told Keith Law on ESPN's Behind The Dish podcast that he’s ready to embrace the unpredictability of young players and acknowledged that an inexperienced roster means lots of variability (the entire interview is worth a listen). Acquiring too many established players could also prevent younger players from getting the playing time required to develop.

Virtually all of Houston's lineup, rotation and bullpen includes question marks. The roster includes a handful of veterans, and some relatively young players such as Jose Altuve and Bud Norris who have established themselves as productive Major Leaguers. However, most others on this team have lots to prove.

The Astros now face the question of how soon to begin selling. Some owners would find it unseemly to consider trades before June or July, but Crane could be an exception. Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris are already drawing interest and veteran players such as Pena could soon generate interest as well. The Astros could enjoy additional leverage in early-season trade talks, when most teams are dreaming of making a run at the Wild Card and few clubs are willing to sell.

Deal of Note

Like most of the Astros’ recent additions, manager Bo Porter joined the organization because of what he can offer in the long term.  Luhnow recently told the New York Daily News that he can envision Porter leading the Astros "for decades, not just years.” For now the former Nationals third base coach has been tasked with creating a culture of opportunity in Houston. “I believe that the number one job you do as a manager is to do what you can to let players play to their potential,” he explained at the Winter Meetings. If Porter can accomplish his goal with Luhnow’s new acquisitions, the Astros will be that much closer to contention.

Overview

Building a contender takes years, and the Astros need more time to become relevant again. Even so, 2013 will be an important year for the Astros as they look to uncover some core pieces for future seasons. They'll select first overall in the upcoming amateur draft and should have a top selection again a year from now. Don’t expect many victories at the MLB level though. This year’s Astros project as one of the worst teams in baseball.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.