Bleacher Report's MLB Offseason Awards at the 2-Month Mark
There is still a lot of offseason to go before pitchers and catchers begin reporting to spring training in the middle of February, but we have already seen a bevy of high-priced free-agent signings and blockbuster trades this winter.
Pitchers Max Scherzer and James Shields highlight what is left of the free-agent class, while Cole Hamels remains the most-talked-about trade chip, but there are a number of potential contributors still looking for homes around the league.
With that in mind, the following is certainly subject to change between now and the end of the offseason, but let's go ahead and hand out our offseason awards here at the two-month mark.
Best Prospect Acquisition: SS Trea Turner, Washington Nationals
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The San Diego Padres selected Trea Turner with the No. 13 pick in the 2014 draft, after a standout collegiate career playing alongside highly touted pitching prospect Carlos Rodon at North Carolina State.
The top shortstop of the draft class by a sizable margin, Turner signed early and hit .323/.406/.448 with 16 doubles, two triples and five home runs in 279 at-bats between Low-A and Single-A in his pro debut.
With the Washington Nationals facing some uncertainty surrounding upcoming free-agent shortstop Ian Desmond, acquiring Turner gives them a long-term answer at a premium position, and if he continues at his current trajectory, he should arrive sooner rather than later.
The Nationals gave up outfielder Steven Souza and left-hander Travis Ott to acquire Turner and right-hander Joe Ross from the Padres as part of the three-team deal that sent outfielder Wil Myers to San Diego.
Souza was essentially a spare part with no clear spot for him in the outfield, and Ross looks like a better pitching prospect than Ott at this point in their respective careers, so at first glance the move looks like a slam dunk for the Nationals.
For the time being, Turner is a "player to be named" in the Myers trade, as he is not eligible to be moved until one year after being drafted, but once he reaches the Nationals organization, he'll be on the fast track to being their shortstop of the future.
Most Intriguing Reclamation Project: SP Brandon Morrow, San Diego Padres
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The No. 5 pick in the 2006 draft, Brandon Morrow has showed front-line stuff at various points during his big league career, but injuries have kept him from reaching his full potential to this point.
The right-hander has managed just 23 appearances (16 starts) over the past two seasons, going 3-6 with a 5.65 ERA (4.78 FIP) and 1.551 WHIP.
It was a nerve issue in his forearm that shelved him in 2013 and a tendon sheath injury on his right index finger this past season, and he hit free agency this winter as one of the more intriguing reclamation projects on the market.
Morrow, 30, was at his best in 2012, when he went 10-7 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.115 WHIP, and he is capable of being absolutely dominant when everything is clicking.
Somewhere in there, he is still the guy who struck out 17 hitters in a dominant one-hit shutout back in 2010. It's just a matter of whether he can stay on the field long enough to get back to that level.
The San Diego Padres took a chance on him regaining that form, or at least something close to it, with a one-year, $2.5 million deal.
The contract includes $5 million in incentives if he pitches as a starter and $1 million in incentives if he pitches out of the bullpen, according to Corey Brock of MLB.com, and the Padres are no doubt hoping they have to pay up on those bonuses.
Best Signing Under $5 Million: 1B Mark Reynolds, St. Louis Cardinals
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In a market where right-handed power is at a premium, it's hard to believe that Mark Reynolds could not find more than the one-year, $2 million deal he wound up getting from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Reynolds can earn an extra $800,000 in incentives, with $200,000 bonuses at 250, 350, 450 and 550 plate appearances, but that is still a low price to pay for power.
To put that salary into perspective, the Cardinals handed a one-year, $5.25 million deal to veteran infielder Mark Ellis last offseason.
That's the same Mark Ellis who posted a .466 OPS in 178 at-bats and was left off the postseason roster. Reynolds should have no problem topping that production at less than half the cost.
Finding a right-handed corner infielder to platoon with Matt Adams, who hit .190/.231/.298 against left-handed pitching in 2014, was one of the few clear needs for the Cardinals, and Reynolds fills that role.
Reynolds will strike out a ton, but he managed to launch 22 home runs in 378 at-bats last season, and his career .809 OPS against left-handed pitching is an attractive number.
Biggest Disappointment: Kenta Maeda Not Being Posted
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It looks like we'll have to wait at least one more year before the next impact Japanese hurler makes his way to the States, as right-hander Kenta Maeda will be staying with the Hiroshima Carp for at least one more season.
Jim Allen of the Kyoto News reported on Dec. 18 that Maeda had been informed by the team that he would not be posted this winter, and things became official on Dec. 24 when The Japan Times reported that he had re-signed with the Carp for 300 million yen.
That's equivalent to about $2.5 million, likely well short of what he would have made had he been posted, as some were predicting a contract in the $100 million range for the 26-year-old.
Maeda was 11-9 with a 2.60 ERA, 1.096 WHIP and 161 strikeouts in 187 innings of work this past season and is 82-59 with a 2.44 ERA, 1.053 WHIP, 1.9 BB/9 and 7.3 K/9 in his seven pro seasons.
Ben Badler of Baseball America offered up a scouting report on Maeda last December:
"Maeda is a slightly-built 6 feet, 160 pounds and throws around 87-93 mph with good sink and run, though he doesn't get great angle on his fastball. He's a good athlete, which helps him repeat his delivery and thrive when his command, which can be plus at times, is on point. Maeda doesn't have one knockout secondary pitch, but he has a solid-average slider and mixes in a curveball and a changeup as well.
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He may not be on the same level as Yu Darvish or Masahiro Tanaka, but he looked plenty capable of dominating MLB hitters during the Samurai Series in November.
Pitching against a lineup that included the likes of Ben Zobrist, Robinson Cano, Evan Longoria, Yasiel Puig, Justin Morneau and others, Maeda allowed just two hits in five scoreless innings to pick up the win.
It's a shame for MLB teams he won't be available this winter, and it's a shame for fans we won't get to see him on a regular basis for at last another year.
Biggest Surprise: Wil Myers Being Traded
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For a small-market team like the Tampa Bay Rays, flipping high-priced veteran talent is nothing new.
David Price was the most recent high-profile victim of the team's financial constraints last July, and the Rays set to work quickly this offseason, trimming some payroll by unloading Joel Peralta, Sean Rodriguez, Jeremy Hellickson and Jose Molina.
With that in mind, someone like 24-year-old Wil Myers, who is still two years from arbitration eligibility and five years from free agency, is generally the kind of player the Rays would look to build around.
Instead, the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year was traded to the San Diego Padres earlier this month for a package of five players highlighted by outfielder Steven Souza, right-hander Burch Smith and catcher Rene Rivera.
Myers' impact on the team as a rookie was undeniable, as they were 36-33 (.522) at the time of his call-up but would go 59-38 (.608) the rest of the way to claim a wild-card spot.
Expected to take the next step toward stardom in 2014, Myers was instead limited to just 87 games after suffering a fractured wrist. But even before the injury, his numbers were down across the board.
He finished the year hitting just .222/.294/.320 with six home runs and 35 RBI in 325 at-bats, but it's hard to believe that would be enough for the Rays to give up on his vast potential.
It could be viewed as a team selling high on a young player and looking to add assets, but the Rays' return in the deal was not exactly an "offer they can't refuse" type package, as none of the Padres' top five prospects were included in the deal.
We'll see who got the better end of this deal, but at first glance, it looks like one the Rays could wind up regretting.
Best Risk: Arizona Diamondbacks Signing LF Yasmany Tomas
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The past three seasons have seen Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu take the league by storm as Cuban defectors turned MLB rookies, and their success made Yasmany Tomas one of the most talked-about free agents of the offseason.
Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors predicted a seven-year, $105 million deal for the 23-year-old at the beginning of the offseason, noting the cost to sign Tomas would almost certainly fall in the $80-$110 million range.
The tools were certainly there for him to make an immediate impact for whoever signed him, with Ben Badler of Baseball America providing a quick scouting report.
"A right-handed-hitting corner outfielder, Tomas can hit towering home runs thanks to the strength from his thickly-built 6'1", 230-pound frame. Tomas has 70 raw power on the 20-80 scale," he wrote.
The Arizona Diamondbacks ended up winning the Tomas sweepstakes, and it cost them far less than most predicted, as he agreed to a six-year, $68.5 million deal.
After posting the worst record in baseball last year at 64-98, the new front-office tandem of Dave Stewart and Tony LaRussa had an uphill battle ahead of them as they looked to build the Diamondbacks into a contender once again.
Tomas could be a big piece of that resurgence if he lives up to his potential, and considering the price of right-handed power these days, he could be an absolute gem for the next six years.
Worst Trade Value: Detroit Tigers Acquire SP Alfredo Simon
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Shortly after trading right-hander Rick Porcello to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, the Detroit Tigers filled that vacated rotation spot by acquiring Alfredo Simon from the Cincinnati Reds.
Simon, 33, pitched to a 2.87 ERA in 63 appearances out of the bullpen in 2013, but he was forced into the starting rotation this past season when Mat Latos was was sidelined to start the year.
The big right-hander made the most of his opportunity, going 12-3 with a 2.70 ERA in the first half of the season to earn a surprise trip to the All-Star Game.
Luck seemed to catch up with him in the second half, though, as he went just 3-7 with a 4.52 ERA in 14 starts after the break.
The Tigers will be hoping to get more of the first-half version of Simon, but a 4.33 FIP and .269 BABIP last season suggest his second-half performance may be closer to what they can expect in 2015.
So what did it cost to acquire a pitcher who looks to be headed for some significant regression?
Pitching prospect Jonathon Crawford and shortstop Eugenio Suarez went to Cincinnati in the deal, a return that could prove to be an incredibly lopsided deal.
Crawford was the No. 20 pick in the 2013 draft and was 8-3 with a 2.85 ERA and 1.163 WHIP in a full season at the Single-A level last year. He has front-line upside, and at the very least should develop into a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm.
Suarez, 23, hit .288/.360/.510 with 27 extra-base hits in 198 minor league at-bats before being forced into action in the majors. He has the potential to develop into an everyday shortstop and could push incumbent Zack Cozart in Cincinnati this coming season.
A high ceiling pitching prospect and a potential starter at the premium position that is shortstop is a steep price to pay for a solid mid-level starter, let alone a fringe guy who could be headed for significant regression.
Best Trade Value: Milwaukee Brewers Acquire 1B Adam Lind
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The Milwaukee Brewers waited until late in the offseason last year to address their need at first base, signing veterans Mark Reynolds and Lyle Overbay to minor league deals with an eye on platooning them at the position.
The result was a .207/.287/.356 line with 19 home runs and 61 RBI, decent numbers considering the money they had invested in the position, but well below league-average production from a premium offensive position.
This time around, they moved quickly to plug the hole, acquiring Adam Lind from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for right-hander Marco Estrada.
That was a small price to pay considering Estrada had been ousted from the starting rotation and Lind will make a very reasonable $15.5 million over the next two years.
While Lind was limited to just 96 games last season while battling a foot injury, he still hit .321/.381/.479 and has proved to be a legitimate 25-30 home run threat when healthy.
The team will need to find a platoon partner, as Lind is just a .212/.257/.331 career hitter against left-handed pitching. That guy might wind up being catcher Jonathan Lucroy, as the team looks to keep him fresh with some games at first base.
Trade That Will Have the Biggest Impact: The Josh Donaldson Trade
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There have been no shortage of big trades this offseason, but the Toronto Blue Jays' move to acquire All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson from the Oakland Athletics may wind up being the deal that has the biggest overall impact league-wide.
Donaldson, 29, is entering his first year of arbitration eligibility this winter and is projected to earn $4.5 million this coming season, an absolute steal given his all-around production.
He has tallied at least 30 doubles, 20 home runs and 90 RBI the past two seasons, while also ranking as one of the better defensive third basemen in the league, and his 15.4 WAR over than span trails only Mike Trout (16.8).
As a Super 2 player, he has four more years of team control before reaching free agency after the 2018 season, and he should be a staple in the middle of the Toronto lineup alongside Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
In return, the Athletics received the four-player package of Brett Lawrie, Sean Nolin, Kendall Graveman and Franklin Barreto, and those players will play a significant role in keeping the A's competitive throughout their retooling.
Lawrie is still just 24 years old, and while he has been slowed by injures over the past few seasons, he still has an incredibly high ceiling and the potential to be as good as or better than Donaldson.
Graveman and Nolin should both compete for a rotation spot this coming season, and with Scott Kazmir headed for free agency next offseason, they could be key pieces of the staff long-term.
Barreto may wind up being the best piece of the deal when all is said and done, as the 18-year-old shortstop hit .311/.384/.481 with 33 extra-base hits and 29 steals in 73 games in 2014 as one of the younger players at the Low-A level.
Moving Donaldson was a tough move for A's fans to swallow, but it could wind up being the deal that keeps them competitive through the latest round of cost-cutting moves.
Best Re-Signing: SP Francisco Liriano, Pittsburgh Pirates
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While the Pittsburgh Pirates were unable to re-sign catcher Russell Martin this offseason, they did manage to bring back ace Francisco Liriano on a three-year, $39 million deal during the winter meetings.
The team moved quickly to re-sign the 31-year-old, signing him before Jon Lester made his decision and the pitching market exploded, and that may very well have saved them a good deal of money.
In the days following the Lester signing, Ervin Santana was able to secure a four-year, $55 million deal from the Minnesota Twins and Brandon McCarthy received a four-year, $48 million contract from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Liriano has enjoyed a career renaissance over the past two years in Pittsburgh, going 23-18 with a 3.20 ERA, 1.262 WHIP and 338 strikeouts in 323.1 innings of work.
Re-signing him also takes some pressure off of emerging ace Gerrit Cole, as those two will again front a rotation that is slated to include Vance Worley, A.J. Burnett and Jeff Locke.
Honorable mention to the Detroit Tigers and their decision to re-sign AL MVP runner-up Victor Martinez to a four-year, $68 million deal, securing the middle of their lineup for another run at the AL Central crown.
Worst Free-Agent Value: C Russell Martin, Toronto Blue Jays
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There is no question Russell Martin is one of the best all-around catchers in the game today, as his 9.8 WAR over the past two seasons trails only Buster Posey (10.7) and Jonathan Lucroy (10.2) among all backstops.
As the best free-agent catcher on the market by a sizable margin, there was no doubt he was headed for a significant payday this offseason, but few predicted he would approach the five-year, $85 million deal Brian McCann received from the New York Yankees last offseason.
In the end, the Toronto Blue Jays inked the Canadian-born Martin to a five-year, $82 million deal, as he is one of a handful of significant additions that the team has made this offseason as it gears up for a run at the AL East title.
The contract is back-loaded, as the 31-year-old will make $20 million annually over the final three years of the deal, and the Blue Jays could wind up regretting that move before it comes to an end.
Martin is a great player, and he will make a significant impact for the Blue Jays, so this is certainly not the worst free-agent signing of the winter. However, his contract looks to be the worst value to date.
Best Free-Agent Value: LF Melky Cabrera, Chicago White Sox
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Last time he hit the free-agent market prior to the 2013 season, Melky Cabrera was coming off of a 50-game PED suspension and there were legitimate questions about what kind of player he would be moving forward.
The Toronto Blue Jays took a chance on him with a two-year, $16 million deal, and after a sub-par first season with the team, he returned to All-Star form this past season and established himself as one of the top bats on the market this offseason.
The 30-year-old hit .301/.351/.458 with 35 doubles, 16 home runs and 73 RBI in 2014, and he has now posted an average over .300 and OPS over .800 in three of the past four years.
Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reported earlier this offseason that Cabrera was seeking something in the neighborhood of a five-year, $60 million in free agency, but when no one was willing to offer up beyond three years, he settled on a three-year, $42 million deal with the Chicago White Sox.
Given the shortage of offense league-wide, that $14 million annual salary could wind up being a steal for the White Sox if he continues to produce at the level he did last year.
Worst Overall Free-Agent Signing: DH Billy Butler, Oakland Athletics
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There is no easy answer for worst free-agent signing of the offseason, unlike last winter when the four-year, $49 million deal the Minnesota Twins gave Ricky Nolasco was widely criticized from the get-go and wound up being a complete disaster.
It's not necessarily a knock on Billy Butler as a player, but the Oakland Athletics' decision to sign him to a three-year, $30 million deal this offseason ranks as the worst to this point in my mind.
For an Athletics team that appears to be retooling this offseason following the trades of Josh Donaldson, Jeff Samardzija, Brandon Moss and Derek Norris, the decision to add a veteran bat on a multi-year deal is somewhat surprising.
However, it's even more surprising when you consider that the Athletics have put a premium on versatility over the past few seasons and have used the designated hitter spot as a way to rotate guys defensively.
That won't be possible anymore, as Butler is a DH-only bat and will be holding down the spot on a full-time basis. Ultimately, that could mean less at-bats for someone like Stephen Vogt or John Jaso.
Top it all off with the fact that Butler posted full season career-lows in batting average (.271), on-base percentage (.323), OPS (.702), home runs (9) and RBI (66), and this signing looks like it could prove to be a bad one for the small-market A's.
Best Overall Free-Agent Signing: SP Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs
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The Chicago Cubs began the offseason with a glaring need to add a front-line arm to the top of their rotation, and they made it no secret that left-hander Jon Lester was their top target.
Despite a strong push from the Boston Red Sox and serious interest from both the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cubs got their man, signing Lester to a six-year, $155 million deal during the winter meetings.
Team president Theo Epstein talked about the steps forward the team has taken to become an attractive destination for someone like Lester in his introductory press conference.
"The hard work by our scouts and player development people to get us to this point, where we had a very competitive team on the field at the end of last season, beating some good teams, sweeping the Red Sox as Jon probably noticed, and having the best farm system in baseball, I think if it weren't for those things I don’t think Jon Lester would choose the Cubs. It’s not every day the best free agent in baseball chooses a team that finished in last place.
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The Cubs have made some other key additions this offseason in trading for catcher Miguel Montero and re-signing right-hander Jason Hammel, but there is no question the Lester signing is the story of the offseason.
"It's not often that you get to win the lottery," said new Cubs manager Joe Maddon (via ESPN).
There will no doubt be growing pains as the team's young core of hitters adjusts to life in the majors, but there is no question the Lester signing brings an air of legitimacy to the Cubs' rebuilding plans, and his presence atop the rotation should help them take a big step forward in 2015.
Most Improved Team: Chicago White Sox
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Already a team on the rise this past season, with a terrific core of young talent that included Chris Sale, Jose Abreu, Jose Quintana, Adam Eaton and Avisail Garcia, the Chicago White Sox have announced themselves as serious contenders with a busy offseason.
Simply listing off their additions this winter may be the best way to drive home just how much talent they've added:
| LF Melky Cabrera | .808 OPS, 171 H, 35 2B, 16 HR, 73 RBI, 81 R, 3.1 WAR |
| RP Zach Duke | 74 G, 12 HLD, 2.45 ERA, 1.125 WHIP, 11.4 K/9, 1.2 WAR |
| 1B Adam LaRoche | .817 OPS, 128 H, 19 2B, 26 HR, 92 RBI, 73 R, 2.2 WAR |
| RP David Robertson | 63 G, 39 SV, 3.08 ERA, 1.057 WHIP, 13.4 K/9, 1.2 WAR |
| SP Jeff Samardzija | 7-13, 2.99 ERA, 1.065 WHIP, 202 K, 219.2 IP, 3.7 WAR |
With a pair of aces in Max Scherzer (Tigers) and James Shields (Royals) likely headed elsewhere, the White Sox have arguably the best 1-3 rotation trio in the AL Central now that Samardzija is in the mix.
Their offense should be improved not only by the additions of LaRoche and Cabrera, but with healthy seasons from Garcia (46 G in 2014) and Eaton (123 G in 2014) in the outfield.
Big picture, the bullpen additions could wind up being the most significant when all is said and done. The team ranked 28th in the league with a 4.38 bullpen ERA in 2014, converting just 36-of-57 save chances on the year.
The White Sox have gone from a fourth-place team to a team with a legitimate chance of contending for a postseason spot, as they've had as good an offseason as any team in the league.
Honorable mention to the San Diego Padres, who have completely retooled their offense and done it while holding onto their top three starters and their top four prospects.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
