Updating the Hottest Questions of the 2014-2015 MLB Offseason, Week 9
With 2014 now over and 2015 just beginning, Major League Baseball is two full months into what has been an incredibly active offseason. But there's no shortage of rumors and speculation—and questions—around a number of free agents and trade candidates, as well as teams' objectives and plans of attack.
Some of the latest buzz centers on the dwindling number of even semiproductive position players still on the open market, the potential availability of the versatile Ben Zobrist and whether right-hander Johnny Cueto might be on the move.
Having covered a number of topics last time, what better way to continue taking the temperature of the hot stove than by running through a batch of the hottest questions to cover the latest potential transaction action across the sport?
See, that's a question in and of itself, although the four to follow are a bit more meaningful. Promise.
What Does the Acquisition of Asdrubal Cabrera Mean for the Rays?
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Until the acquisition of infielder Asdrubal Cabrera this week (as reported by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports), it was pretty clear the Tampa Bay Rays were rebuilding.
One little signing shouldn't make anyone think otherwise, though, especially since Tampa Bay has traded away David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Joyce and most recently Wil Myers over the past five months.
If anything, bringing in Cabrera makes it all the more likely that Ben Zobrist, yet another longtime Rays player (who plays second base primarily), will be moved, too.
There already was speculation that the club could be looking to move the versatile veteran to further the rebuilding effort. Zobrist is entering the final year of a contract that pays him a very reasonable $7.5 million in 2015. Plus, he's 33 years old, and the Rays need to get younger and cheaper.
With Cabrera now around to handle the keystone, the Rays could shift Zobrist to the outfield full time, but there's going to be plenty of interest in him, to the point where Tampa Bay's new front office should be able to extract a nice return.
The Washington Nationals, arguably baseball's best team on paper, have a very settled roster except for second base. They would make sense as a suitor, as James Wagner of The Washington Post speculates:
"The Nationals have had interest in Zobrist but sensed, around the time of the winter meetings, that it would be too difficult to pry him away from the Rays. Zobrist, 33, is the kind of veteran and proven middle infielder that could help any team, and he instantly becomes one of the best impact players available. Over the past six seasons, Zobrist has averaged .270/.364/.437 with 16 home runs and 76 RBI a season. Only two players have been worth at least 4.5 bWAR each season during that span: Miguel Cabrera and Zobrist.
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While Washington would work, Zobrist's skill set, versatility and contract make him a target for any number of clubs. In fact, the World Series champion San Francisco Giants also have interest, according to Chris Haft and Ryan Hood of MLB.com. The Rays are in position to dangle him and see which team is willing to give up the most.
Sometimes these too-logical-not-to-happen speculative moves don't come to fruition, but trading Zobrist seems like something the Rays will end up doing.
What Free-Agent Position Players Are Even Still Available at This Stage?
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With Cabrera coming off the board this past week, let's take quick stock of which hitters still are available on the open market. Fair warning: It ain't a pretty picture.
Teams with holes to fill are left with the likes of Colby Rasmus, Stephen Drew, Nori Aoki, Everth Cabrera, Geovany Soto, Juan Francisco, Mike Carp, Rickie Weeks, Jonny Gomes, Ryan Ludwick and Emilio Bonifacio, among a few other even more uninteresting options.
While it's certainly possible a few of these leftovers could have nice bounce-back campaigns, unearthing the one or two who will is akin to playing roulette.
That doesn't mean there's no value left to be had—only that teams have to put the above players in position to succeed without exploiting their weaknesses.
For instance, Rasmus, Drew and Aoki are capable of playing solid defense, while Francisco and Carp hit right-handers, and Weeks and Gomes handle lefties. Bonifacio's versatility and speed can be put to good use. Just don't expect most of them to be more than platoon players, backups or bench bats.
Here's the twist: There are a few potential free-agent hitters who might be impact players, except none of Yoan Moncada, Jose Fernandez and Hector Olivera, three highly regarded Cuban infielders, are eligible to sign with MLB clubs just yet. Of that trio, Moncada looks to be closest to being cleared and could be the real prize.
Will the Reds Trade Johnny Cueto This Winter?
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The Cincinnati Reds began the offseason with four of their five starting pitchers heading into their final season before reaching free agency, which led to all sorts of speculation that one or more of them could be trade bait.
Two months in, the Reds already have traded Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins and Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers, getting younger, cheaper players in return. For a team with payroll problems and a window of opportunity to win-now that appears to be closing, that's a good approach.
Of Cincinnati's two other arms that have one more year of control—Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake—the 2014 NL Cy Young runner-up would be a monster chip to play if the Reds want to. They have acknowledged that they at least are listening to offers for Cueto, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Thing is, the Reds just traded for outfielder Marlon Byrd, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, to beef up their offense at a position that had long been a problem spot (left field).
In other words, don't expect Cueto to go anywhere any time soon, because bringing aboard the 37-year-old Byrd is a win-now move. That's a sign Cincy is going to at least attempt to make a play in 2015 while it still can. Besides, the Reds will want to remain relevant this summer considering the All-Star Game is at Great American Ballpark in July.
That said, if things go south in the first half, Cueto could become a prime piece to be swapped shortly after the break, making him this year's version of Jon Lester.
What Exactly Are the Orioles Planning to Do, If Anything?
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Since winning the AL East and advancing to the American League Championship Series, the Baltimore Orioles haven't done a single thing.
Sorry: They have signed backup designated hitter Delmon Young and lefty reliever Wesley Wright since selecting Logan Verrett (who?) in the Rule 5 draft in December.
But those don't exactly count as "big moves" in what has been an incredibly kinetic offseason. And don't forget: The O's lost longtime outfielder Nick Markakis and DH Nelson Cruz, whose 40 home runs last year led the majors, as well as lefty relief ace Andrew Miller.
It seems the decision-makers are putting a lot of faith in the healthy returns of third baseman Manny Machado (knee surgery) and catcher Matt Wieters (Tommy John surgery). A bounce-back season from first baseman Chris Davis—who hit just .196 and still has one game left on his suspension for amphetamines late in the 2014 season—would also help.
Further complicating matters, manager Buck Showalter acknowledged the possibility that Wieters might not be ready in time for Opening Day.
"I think Manny makes the start of the year, and I think Matt is very close thereafter," Showalter said via Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com (h/t AJ Cassavell of MLB.com), "but we won't put either one of these guys on the field until it's time to go, and try to keep the finish line in mind."
The Orioles again appear to be playing the waiting game after it worked well for them last winter when they were able to score Cruz for just $8 million in late February. Problem is, there just isn't as much left this time around, especially among position players.
And while the O's could use a front-of-the-rotation arm like Max Scherzer or James Shields, both of whom are still out there, it's hard to see this frugal club paying up to land one of them. That's especially so after they gave $50 million to right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez in February, which didn't work out so well when he posted a 4.81 ERA and lost his spot in the five-man.
The latest news has Baltimore targeting Colby Rasmsus, who might be the best all-around player left on the open market, as Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun reports.
While that would help solidify the outfield and lineup some, it's fair to wonder if that's enough to keep the Orioles in front of the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, each of whom has gotten better, in the AL East—even if Baltimore did win the division by 12 games.
Statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.
To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.
