Updating the Hottest Questions of the 2014-2015 MLB Offseason, Week 11

The 2014-2015 MLB offseason is coming down the homestretch, but there are still more than a few things to be sorted out between now and the time pitchers and catchers start to report to spring training roughly a month from now.

The biggest story here in mid-January is when and where front-line starters Max Scherzer and James Shields will wind up signing. Their eventual decisions will undoubtedly shift the balance of power one way or another, and the baseball world continues to hold its collective breath.

That being said, there is not much in the way of fresh news to report regarding either pitcher, so we won't waste time rehashing all of the old rumors regarding both pitchers.

Instead, what follows is a look at five other interesting storylines worth keeping an eye on in the week ahead, as there are other significant decisions to be made outside of those awaiting Scherzer and Shields.

Where Will Alexi Ogando Land?

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One of the more intriguing non-tenders this season, Alexi Ogando is looking to return to form after a pair of injury-plagued seasons.

Biceps and shoulder issues cost him a total of 75 games in 2013, and a UCL sprain this past year kept him shelved for a 104-game stretch.

As a result, the velocity on his fastball was down from as high as 97 mph in 2012 to 93.9 mph this past year, according to FanGraphs, but putting the arm issues behind him could mean a return to form.

He was an All-Star in 2011, when he went 13-8 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.136 WHIP, and that was sandwiched between a pair of dominant seasons out of the bullpen.

Ogando recently held a workout for roughly two dozen scouts, and according to a tweet from Peter Gammons, the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers are both expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of the right-hander.

However, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe wrote that teams were less than impressed with his medicals, and he will likely have to settle for a minor league deal.

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He has had so many injuries and his shoulder medicals don’t look great, according to an American League executive. But once Ogando’s price lowers and he’s no longer holding out for a major league contract, teams will compete for his services. Ogando, 31, has been successful as a starter and reliever.

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The 31-year-old is an intriguing bounce-back candidate, to say the least, and it will be interesting to see where he lands.

Could Dillon Gee Be on the Move Soon?

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With the return of Matt Harvey and the continued emergence of prospects Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero and Steven Matz, the New York Mets have an abundance of starting-pitching options for the upcoming season.

As a result, as Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reported earlier this offseason, the team was actively looking to move someone from the trio of Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon and Dillon Gee this offseason.

From there, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweeted during the winter meetings that Gee was the most likely of the group to be moved, and rumors have swirled about his potential landing spot since.

The 28-year-old missed 58 games with a strained lat last season, but he had a breakout season of sorts in 2013, going 12-11 with a 3.62 ERA and 1.281 WHIP in a career-high 199 innings of work.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are all interested in Gee at this point.

With the mid-level pitching market essentially dried up and the Mets motivated to deal, a trade could come sooner rather than later.

What Is the Market for Ryan Vogelsong and Kyle Kendrick?

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For teams still looking to add a starting pitcher to the mix for the 2015 season but not in the market to spend big on Max Scherzer or James Shields, a pair of low-cost veterans in Ryan Vogelsong and Kyle Kendrick look to be the top remaining options on the market.

Vogelsong, 37, bounced back from an injury-plagued 2013 season to go 8-13 with a 4.00 ERA (3.85 FIP) and 1.278 WHIP in 184.2 innings.

Despite their need for a starting pitcher, the San Francisco Giants have showed no signs of interest in re-signing the right-hander, and one can't help but wonder how much he has left in the tank.

Kendrick, 30, has never been more than a back-end starter, but he has proved to be a solid innings eater during his time with the Philadelphia Phillies.

His age and durability could mean a multiyear deal from whoever winds up signing him despite less-than-stellar numbers last season, when he went 10-13 with a 4.61 ERA (4.57 FIP) and 1.362 WHIP over 199 innings of work.

The Colorado Rockies are one team that is said to be in on Vogelsong, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, while the Houston Astros are in the mix for both starters, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

The one-year, $5 million deal that Aaron Harang signed with the Philadelphia Phillies likely set the market for both pitchers.

Which Teams Are in the Mix for Cole Hamels?

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In an offseason filled with blockbuster trades, the most intriguing trade chip on the market remains Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels.

While his contract used to be viewed as a potential roadblock to trading him, $94 million over the next four years with a $20 million option for 2019 now seems reasonable given the ever-climbing price of quality starting pitching.

The asking price for Hamels remains incredibly high, and the Phillies will hold on to their ace if they don't get the hefty return they are seeking, but he could be a real difference-maker for a contender looking to push its roster over the top.

So which teams are currently in the mix to acquire the 31-year-old stud?

According to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly, the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox are the four primary suitors as things currently stand.

There is little question that Hamels is one of the game's elite starters at this point in his career, and he would be a huge addition to any of those teams. However, it remains to be seen if anyone will be willing to offer up the king's ransom it will take to acquire him.

Will the Yunel Escobar Trade Lead to an Ian Desmond Trade?

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So let's recap the series of events that brought us here:

• January 1: The Tampa Bay Rays sign Asdrubal Cabrera to a one-year deal. It appears as though the double-play combination for the upcoming season will be Cabrera and incumbent shortstop Yunel Escobar, with Ben Zobrist shifting to left field.

• January 10: Escobar and Zobrist are both traded to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for John Jaso and prospects Daniel Robertson and Boog Powell.

• January 14: Escobar is traded again, this time to the Washington Nationals, in exchange for All-Star reliever Tyler Clippard.

For the time being, it appears the Nationals are set to go with Escobar at second base and Ian Desmond at shortstop, but there are some who believe this could be a precursor to another trade involving Desmond.

Desmond is set to hit free agency at the end of the 2015 season, and all signs point to him playing elsewhere in 2016 and beyond.

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports offered up his thoughts on the Nationals' infield situation:

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Either way, traded now or as a free agent later, Desmond seems likely to leave the Nationals at some point before the 2016 season. Escobar can step in and play second base alongside Desmond right now, then replace him at shortstop either at midseason [if traded] or next year [if he leaves as a free agent]. 

The Nationals acquired their shortstop of the future earlier this offseason when they landed Trea Turner from the Padres in the Wil Myers three-team deal, but Turner is unlikely to be MLB ready come Opening Day 2016. Escobar buys the team some time and allows them to be patient with their top shortstop prospect.

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Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports still feels that the New York Mets should go all-in to acquire Desmond, and they are certainly one potential landing spot if he is moved.

The Nationals have yet to make any progress on sorting out their free-agency situation for next offseason, with Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister also set to hit the open market.

With that in mind, trading Desmond now may be in their best interest if they can get the return they're looking for.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.