Ranking the MLB Offseason's Most Monumental Moves

2011 was truly a great year for baseball.

From Matt Kemp’s near triple-crown performance to the wild conclusions of the AL and NL pennant race, 2011 was a special year for the MLB. And after all the chaos that has ensued thus far this offseason, 2012 looks to be even better.

Since the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the World Series back in October, the MLB offseason has been packed with excitement.

The Winter Meetings were full of surprises, some of baseball’s oldest organizations saw management overhauls, and with two more colossal free agents left the sign in Prince Fielder and Cuban defect Yoenis Cespedes, even more is yet to come.

For now, however, here’s a look at the 20 most monumental moves we’ve seen over the last two months.

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Honorable Mention

Rays Ink Pitching Prospect Matt Moore to a Five-Year Deal (12/9)

Back in 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays pulled off a heist of a deal, locking up hitting prospect Evan Longoria for nine seasons, including all of his arbitration years. To this day, it is viewed as one of the best deals in all of baseball.

Last month, the Rays went for it again, this time signing top pitching prospect Matt Moore to a five-year deal that could extend to eight years. If he develops as expected, it’ll be just as big of a steal.

20. Marlins Acquire Carlos Zambrano (1/5)

Winning takes gambles, and the Miami Marlins made one of the offseason’s biggest low-risk, high-reward moves early last week, trading away Chris Volstad and cash to the Chicago Cubs for explosive right-hander Carlos Zambrano.

Rumored to be on his way out of Chicago since back in November, Zambrano is a classic example of someone who could flourish under a fresh start. A close friend of Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, Zambrano still has great stuff when he’s on and could be a tremendous addition to the staff. 

You can just tell, there’s still some left in the tank.

Expectations are rather low for "Big Z," who comes in likely to compete for the fifth starter. With the Cubs willing to eat just over 85 percent of his $18 million contract this season, the gamble seems worth it.

Last season, Zambrano finished 9-7, with a career-high 4.82 ERA. 

19. Red Sox Overhaul Mgmt: Bring in GM Ben Cherington, Manager Bobby V (11/29)

After one of the most tumultuous final stretches to a season in franchise history, the Boston Red Sox gutted top management this winter, replacing Theo Epstein and Terry Francona with assistant GM Ben Cherington and former Mets manager Bobby Valentine.

Epstein and Francona have worked together since 2004 and were instrumental pieces in bringing the World Series to Boston twice in their eight seasons. Their departures mark a new chapter for the team.

While Epstein may be in a deeper mess, looking to bring championship glory to the Chicago Cubs, Cherington will also have his hands full with the Red Sox, a team loaded with expensive, underachieving talent.

So far this offseason, Cherington's primary focus has been to strengthen the bullpen, bringing in relievers Mark Melancon and Andrew Bailey to replace Jonathan Papelbon, who left via free agency.

Valentine, surely a familiar face to fans, gets his first shot at an MLB managerial position since his firing from the New York Mets in 2002. Known moreso for his strong personality than performance on the field, it’s an interesting hire.

18. Brewers Sign Aramis Ramirez to Three-Year, $36 Million Deal (12/13)

Just two months removed from competing in the National League Championship Series, the Milwaukee Brewers roster has already seen a substantial transformation this offseason.

Mat Gamel has stepped in to replace free agent Prince Fielder; Alex Gonzalez was signed to replace Yuniesky Betancourt; some outfield options have been considered in the wake of Ryan Braun’s 50-game suspension, and former Cubs slugger Aramis Ramirez was brought into town to keep it all together.

Ramirez, 33, is one of the top third basemen in the game and will be heavily relied on to (at least partially) replace Prince Fielder's and possibly Ryan Braun’s output in the middle of the Brewers lineup. Ramirez is coming off one of his best seasons, in which he finished with a .306 batting average, 26 homers and 93 RBIs, top four among third basemen in each category.

Most of all, the Ramirez signing is a symbol to the fans that, with or without Fielder and Braun, the Brewers expect to compete for the NL Central pennant again in 2012.

17. Tony La Russa Retires and Is Replaced by Mike Matheny (11/13)

Whether you loved him or hated him, you have to admit that Tony La Russa was one of the greatest managers of all time and a key component to the St. Louis Cardinals' success over the last decade.

Since taking over in 1996, La Russa has led the team to a .544 winning percentage, nine postseason appearances and two World Series titles, including the one that sent him out on top this last October.

While I’m not going to say it’s directly causal, since La Russa announced his retirement following the Cardinals' victory in October, hometown favorite Albert Pujols shockingly left for Los Angeles, while just last week, pitching coach Dave Duncan resigned from the team.

St Louis is falling apart.

Replacing La Russa is former Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny. Outside of some special advisory work in spring training, Matheny has zero coaching experience but is a smart baseball man with natural leadership ability.

Regardless, the Cardinals went from having baseball’s most experienced manager to the least experienced.

16. Marlins Sign Heath Bell to Three-Year, $27 Million Deal (12/2)

Just days before the Winter Meetings, the Miami Marlins kicked off their winter of spending, signing former Padres closer Heath Bell to a three-year deal.

While some of the Marlins’ other big signings obviously overshadowed it, the Bell deal was a terrific one for the club, especially when considering Jonathan Papelbon signed with the Phillies for four years and $50 million.

For the last three seasons, Bell, 34, has been one of the game’s most consistent closers. Over the stretch, he’s posted a 2.36 ERA while accumulating a league-high 132 saves.

Bell’s addition slides Juan Carlos Oviedo (formerly Leo Nunez) into a setup role, giving the Marlins an even more formidable bullpen after finishing last year seventh in ERA. 

15. Marlins Sign Mark Buehrle to Four-Year, $58 Million Deal (12/5)

Days later, the spending continued as the Miami Marlins brought in 32-year-old left-hander Mark Buehrle.

Entering the 2011-12 offseason, starting pitching topped the shopping list for the Marlins, especially after the No. 4 and No. 5 starters combined for an 8-27 record and 5.12 ERA in 2011. After missing out on CJ Wilson, Miami struck quickly, signing the veteran who had pitched under new manager Ozzie Guillen each of the last eight seasons.

While the deal was a significant overpay in my opinion, especially for someone already in his early 30s, Buehrle has been arguably the most consistent pitcher in baseball over the last decade. He’s won at least 10 games and pitched 200 innings for 11 straight seasons now, posting just one losing record over the stretch.

Last season, Buehrle finished 13-9 with a 3.59 ERA, his lowest in seven years. He will join Zambrano as newcomers to the staff already featuring Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez.

14. Diamondbacks Acquire Trevor Cahill from Athletics for Prospects (12/10)

Just as soon as the Oakland Athletics' pitching staff began to remind fans of the Mulder/Hudson/Zito days, GM Billy Beane cashed in again last month, sending 23-year-old workhorse Trevor Cahill to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-prospect package.

After dominating 2010 with an 18-8 season that even earned him Cy Young consideration, Trevor Cahill was considered one of the game’s brightest young pitchers. Despite being under control through 2015 on a team-friendly deal, the Athletics front office deemed it a good time to ship off the prized right-hander now.

Why don’t you wave the white flag on 2012 while you’re at it?

Cahill slots atop the Diamondbacks rotation alongside 27-year-old Ian Kennedy and 24-year-old Daniel Hudson, creating one of baseball’s best young rotations. With pitching prospects Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs set to join the Diamondbacks in the very near future, Arizona may be assembling the game’s next unstoppable five-man rotation.

In return, the Athletics received 23-year-old starter Jarrod Parker, who does have top-of-the-rotation potential, 25-year-old outfield prospect Collin Cowgill, who will likely start in center for Oakland next season and 24-year-old relief pitching prospect Ryan Cook. 

13. Phils Sign Jimmy Rollins Throug 2014 on Three-Year, $33 Million Deal (12/19)

Drafted by the Phillies back in 1996, shortstop Jimmy Rollins made it clear that Philadelphia was his home, signing a three-year deal that will keep him with the team for three more seasons.

Since joining the club in a full-time role back in 2001, Rollins has become the face of the franchise, an All-Star shortstop and staple of the Phillies’ offense. While he has certainly slowed due to injuries over the past couple seasons, Rollins remains one of the game’s top five shortstops.

After finishing last season as baseball’s only 100-win team but falling to the Cardinals in the first round, expectations are just as high in 2012 for the Phillies.

Bringing back Rollins was a key, underrated move.

12. Red Sox Acquire Andrew Bailey (12/29)

When the Red Sox acquired Mark Melancon from the Houston Astros early last month, it was clear that he was going to be the team’s eighth-inning option, allowing Daniel Bard to move to the rotation. It just wasn’t entirely clear who that closer would be.

Then GM Ben Cherington swung his second trade of the offseason, acquiring Andrew Bailey from the Athletics.

Bailey, 27, has battled injuries each of the last two seasons but still looks to be a top-level closer that will solidify the back end of the Red Sox bullpen in 2012. Also received in the trade by Boston was 26-year-old outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who I still say takes the prettiest batting practice I have ever seen.

In return, the Red Sox gave up very little, sending 24-year-old outfielder Josh Reddick and a pair of average prospects, 1B/3B Miles Head and 19-year-old right-hander Raul Alcantara. Reddick will likely join newly acquired Collin Cowgill in the Athletics outfield next season. 

Still, in giving up a big-league closer with a solid track record, the Athletics received pretty little.

11. Frank McCourt Agrees to Sell the Los Angeles Dodgers (11/1)

2011 was a brutal year for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise. From the Major League Baseball takeover in April to the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing in June, the outside focus of the historic organization quickly turned from its ballclub’s performance to off-field dealings.

For Dodgers faithful, the 2011 season was marked by horrendous attendance as fans began to turn on the team and fear from the players as many wondered whether they would even receive their paychecks.

After being pushed for months, McCourt finally caved to the MLB, agreeing to sell the team at an auction prior to 2012 Opening Day.

Since then, it seems like every week a new name surfaces that is interested in buying the team. Some names that are rumored to be in on the bidding: Orel Hershiser, Steve Garvey, Magic Johnson, Mark Cuban, Larry King, Joe Torre and even Time Warner Cable.

Whoever it goes to, the Dodgers will be in a much better financial situation and could be the market-busters at the 2012 Winter Meetings much like the Angels were this past December.

10. Phillies Sign Jonathan Papelbon to Four-Year, $50 Million Deal (11/12)

With Ryan Madson set to leave via free agency, the Philadelphia Phillies’ top priority this offseason was to find a replacement closer.

It sure didn’t take long, inking Jonathan Papelbon, one of the game’s top bullpen arms, to a four-year, $50 million deal, the largest contract handed to a relief pitcher in MLB history.

While the signing comes at a lofty price, it’s a pretty safe pickup for the Phillies, whose bullpen finished seventh in the National League last season with a 3.45 ERA.

The 31-year-old Papelbon has finished with at least 30 saves each of the last six seasons for the Sox and is coming off one of his best campaigns in 2011. Last season, the hard-throwing right-hander finished with a 0.933 WHIP, 12.2 K/9 and a minuscule 1.4 BB/9, his best rates in the last five years.

Following one of the game’s top pitching rotations, Papelbon could very well lead the league in saves each of the next four seasons by simply doing his job.

9. Cardinals Sign Carlos Beltran to Two-Year, $26 Million Deal (12/22)

Replacing an elite hitter, let alone one who may go down as the best slugger of the last half-century, is never an easy feat to accomplish.

Despite winning the World Series back in October, the offseason has been a rough one for the St. Louis Cardinals, losing a manager, pitching coach and franchise cornerstone, but by no means do they plan on throwing in the towel anytime soon.

Instead, it’s playoffs or bust for the Cardinals in 2012, and that was made clear with the signing of free-agent outfielder Carlos Beltran in late December.

As a San Francisco Giants fan, I got the opportunity to watch Beltran play a little last season after he was acquired last July. While it’s clear that his best years are certainly behind him, when healthy, Beltran is still an All-Star-caliber talent and will be a solid addition to the heart of the Cardinals lineup in 2012. 

8. Nationals Acquire Gio Gonzalez from Athletics for Four Prospects (12/22)

Continuing their 2011-12 offseason fire sale theme, the Oakland Athletics shipped 26-year-old southpaw Gio Gonzalez to the Washington Nationals for yet another slew of prospects, making it increasingly clear that they do not expect to compete any time soon.

Sorry A’s fans, but it appears that Billy Beane is setting the timetable for an unknown date—sometime in the future, when you might be in a new ballpark, in a new town…

Unlike the other two deals that Oakland made earlier this offseason, the Athletics may actually have won the trade this time around. In return for Gonzalez, the Athletics landed a pair of right-handed pitching prospects with presumed big-league futures in 23-year old Brad Peacock, who dominated Double-A and Triple-A hitters last season and 20-year-old AJ Cole, who was ranked as the Nationals’ fourth best prospect entering the offseason.

Rounding out the deal were 24-year-old lefty Tom Milone and 22-year-old catcher Derek Norris, underrated toss-ins who could also be valuable big-league contributors in a couple years.

Gonzalez, an All-Star in 2011, will join Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmerman atop the Nationals staff. With his addition, the Nationals have a great front of the rotation to build on for the future.

7. Reds Acquire Mat Latos from Padres for Edinson Volquez and Prospects (12/17)

In what could conceivably go down as one of the biggest steals of the 2010s, the San Diego Padres dealt talented right-hander Mat Latos to the Cincinnati Reds for starter Edinson Volquez and three prospects, who could all be big-league regulars in Petco Park by 2013.

Without a doubt, Latos has been one of baseball’s best young pitchers the past two seasons, but many question, myself included, whether the 24-year-old will ever reach his ace ceiling. Latos will replace Volquez in Cincinnati’s rotation next season, and if anything, this deal demonstrates just how serious the Reds are at competing for the NL Central crown in 2012.

With the Cardinals losing Pujols, Brewers without Fielder and the Cubs clearly rebuilding, it’s a good time to make such a gamble.

All gambles have consequences however, and the Reds made a big one, draining their farm system to land the right-hander. Headlining the return are hitting prospects Yasmani Grandal and Yonder Alonso, who could be starting at catcher and first base respectively for the Padres as early as midseason.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Reds also packaged relief pitching prospect Brad Boxberger and 28-year-old Edinson Volquez, who was considered the Reds’ ace just last March.

6. Angels Sign CJ Wilson to Five-Year, $77.5 Million Deal (12/8)

It’s one thing to add an elite, front-of-the-rotation starter. It’s another to swipe him from your biggest division rival. That’s exactly what the Los Angeles Angels did on the final day of the Winter Meetings.

Since converting from the bullpen back in 2010, Wilson has been a consistent top-of-the-rotation starter for the Rangers, finishing with 15 wins and an ERA hovering around 3.00 each of the last two years.

Returning back to his native Southern California, Wilson joins a staff featuring two more pitchers who received Cy Young votes last season, right-handers Jered Weaver and Dan Haren.

In 2011, the three would have combined for 50 wins. 

5. Texas Rangers Win Bidding for Yu Darvish (12/19)

After losing ace CJ Wilson earlier in the month, the Texas Rangers made an even bigger splash, winning the rights to Japanese righty Yu Darvish for a record bid of $51.7 million.

Darvish, 25, is easily considered the best pitcher in Japan right now, and many MLB executives believe he could be an ace or No. 2 starter on most teams. His numbers certainly show it, finishing 2011 with a 1.44 ERA, 10.7 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9.

Currently, the Rangers are still deep in negotiations with Darvish. They have just over one week to finalize a deal, or the right-hander will be returned to the Nippon Ham Fighters in 2012. The latest rumors indicate that the current offer on the table is worth over $50 million, placing the combined posting fee and salary over $100 million.

In the end, Darvish will likely cost $25-30 million more than Wilson, however his mystique and lofty upside seems to be worth the difference. With Wilson out of the picture, Darvish would be expected to top the Rangers' young rotation in 2012, just ahead of Neftali Feliz, who looks to be the Rangers’ next successful bullpen-to-starter convert. 

4. Dodgers Extend Matt Kemp on Eight-Year, $160 Million Deal (11/18)

While contract extensions rarely generate a ton of hype or excitement, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ move to extend outfielder Matt Kemp for eight more season is a huge gamble, both good and bad.

In my honest opinion (and I’m a San Francisco Giants fan), Matt Kemp has the potential to be one of the MLB’s greatest ballplayers, period. Last season, he was just a handful of base hits from being the first Triple Crown winner in 44 years, all the while contributing gold-glove defense in center field.

Locking up someone like Kemp long-term not only gives the franchise financial certainty but also makes Los Angeles an even more attractive destination for free agents over the next couple seasons. With the Dodgers switching management this April, the team could be next winter’s big spenders and having Kemp contracted for the long haul is a huge plus.

On the other hand, Kemp’s deal has the potential to really backfire on the Dodgers. No one denies his impressive potential, especially after the way he smashed through 2011. In the same breath, everyone seems to have forgotten 2010, when Kemp was questioned for his work ethic, desire and ability to make adjustments.

Overall, I’m an advocate of locking up cornerstone players, and Kemp’s extension means the Dodgers should be competitive for much of the next decade.

3. Theo Epstein Leaves Boston to Join Chicago Cubs, Jed Hoyer Follows (10/20)

Nine seasons ago, Theo Epstein took over the Boston Red Sox general manager position with a vision to lead the franchise to its first World Series victory since 1918. He succeeded twice.

This winter, Epstein, 38, embraced his second monumental challenge, taking over the Chicago Cubs. They have not won a World Series since 1908, a drought of 103 years.

Joining Epstein in Chicago is former San Diego Padres general manager Jed Hoyer. Hoyer, also 38, was an integral member on Epstein’s staff in Boston from 2002 to 2009, and the reuniting of the pair has Cubs fans as optimistic as ever.

So far, it’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the Cubs, who have made a few under-the-radar acquisitions this winter. Back in December, the Cubs acquired 3B Ian Stewart from the Colorado Rockies, and this past week traded for starting pitcher Chris Volstad from the Miami Marlins and first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the San Diego Padres.

2. Miami Marlins Sign Jose Reyes to Six-Year, $106 Million Deal (12/5)

Just like the Los Angeles Angels did poaching CJ Wilson from Texas, the Miami Marlins kicked off the Winter Meetings in exciting fashion, inking former New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes to a six-year deal.

Rarely do All-Star shortstops hit the free-agent market, let alone in their prime, and with the Marlins looking to make a splash as they move to a new ballpark in 2012, bringing in a superstar talent like Reyes was an absolute must.

In 2011, the 28-year-old led the National League with a .337 batting average, his first batting title, while chipping in over 100 runs and 39 steals.

Expected to bat leadoff for a Miami lineup that boasts stars Mike Stanton and Hanley Ramirez, Reyes could be in for an even bigger season in 2012.

While it ended up not turning into anything, the Reyes signing was followed up by talks between free agents Albert Pujols, CJ Wilson and the Marlins as well. For a while, fans thought we may be seeing a "Big Three" situation developing on the baseball side of things in South Beach.

1. Los Angeles Angels Sign Albert Pujols to Ten-Year, $254 Million Deal (12/8)

Without question, however, the biggest news of the 2011-12 offseason was and still is the stunning Albert Pujols to the Los Angeles Angels deal that played out on the final day of the Winter Meetings in Houston.

A future first-ballot Hall of Famer, three-time MVP, nine-time All-Star selection and consensus best player in baseball, Albert Pujols was expected by many to be a St. Louis Cardinal for life. Instead, in shocking fashion, the 31-year old slugger opted for big-market Los Angeles.

As he would for any team, Pujols solidifies the Angels’ middle of the lineup and gives the team a cornerstone first baseman for the future. Pujols’ move to the American League also allows him to potentially move to designated hitter late in his career, a switch that may need to come in the final years of his contract.

Pujols makes the Angels the instant favorite for the AL West pennant in 2012.