Every MLB Team's 'What Were You Thinking' Moment This Winter

MLB spring training is now in full bloom, with each team beginning a full slate of exhibition games starting this week. It's the chance for each manager to get a look at the new players acquired over the offseason, tinker with the right lineups, properly assess each pitcher's role in the bullpen and set up competitions for remaining roster spots.

Spring training is also the time for fans, pundits, writers and others to act as a Monday morning armchair quarterback and passionately discuss the merits of the transactions conducted during the winter for each team as well.

Inevitably, each MLB team made a transaction of some sort that has its fans thinking to themselves, "Why on earth would they make that deal?"

At Bleacher Report, we're no different. We will go through each team's transaction and determine the one transaction made by each team this offseason that has fans scratching their heads in wonderment.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Jason Kubel Signs for Two Years, $15 Million

During the six-plus years that outfielder/designated hitter Jason Kubel spent with the Minnesota Twins, he certainly proved his worth as a hitter, compiling a .271 average with 104 HR and 429 RBI.

Kubel had three straight 20-plus home run seasons for the Twins before a lingering foot injury limited him to just 99 games last season. However, it didn't hurt his free-agent value much, as he was sought after by several teams before the Arizona Diamondbacks snatched him up for two years and $15 million, including a mutual option for another $7.5 million for the 2014 season.

What was perplexing about the deal was that outfield was not considered to be an area of need for the D-Backs entering the offseason. Left fielder Gerardo Parra had just won a Gold Glove Award for his stellar defensive play and provided very capable production with a .292 average and 36 extra-base hits.

Parra is now the odd man out of the lineup, and while he has said all the right things thus far about his situation, one can't help but wonder if Kubel's signing significantly weakens the D-Backs defensively.

Atlanta Braves: Their Relative Inactivity During the Offseason

The Atlanta Braves suffered through a spectacular free-fall during the month of September last year, giving up an 8.5-game lead in the Wild Card standings to the St. Louis Cardinals in the final month to end their season and start their golf/fishing season early.

The Braves were involved in one of the early deals of the offseason, shipping off pitcher Derek Lowe and two-thirds of his 2012 salary to the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Chris Jones.

And then, nothing.

Yes, nothing.

The Braves made literally no moves whatsoever.

There are some who say the Braves were wise in not making wholesale moves, with many experts pointing to a solid core of youngsters on the roster (Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Tyler Pastornicky, Arodys Vizcaino, Julio Teheran, Mike Minor, Randall Delgado, Jonny Venters, Craig Kimbrel) that will lead the team into the future.

However, others were nearly apoplectic at the Braves' inactivity, pointing to Atlanta's collapse and demanding that something be done about it.

Whatever side of the fence you happen to be on with this issue, one team's inactivity was certainly a topic of discussion nonetheless.

Baltimore Orioles: Signing Wilson Betemit as Designated Hitter

Traditionally, the role of designated hitter is one of power. It's a spot in the lineup for aging veterans and players with great bats and no glove.

The Baltimore Orioles bucked that trend this offseason, however.

The O's signed 30-year-old infielder Wilson Betemit to a two-year, $3.25 million contract (including a vesting option for 2014) to fulfill the DH role.

Sure, the O's saved about $4.4 million in letting Luke Scott walk. Presumably, Scott would have filled that role if he had stayed in Baltimore. Betemit, now with his sixth team since 2006, hit .285 with eight HR and 46 RBI last season with the Royals and Tigers and was 0-for-9 during the postseason and not even a factor for the Tigers in the ALCS against the Texas Rangers.

But new GM Dan Duquette likes Betemit's right against right-handed pitching (.303/.365/.500 line against righties last season).

Signing Betemit as a utility infielder makes some sense, but as a full-time DH?

Boston Red Sox: Trading Shortstop Marco Scutaro to the Colorado Rockies

When the Boston Red Sox announced in late September that they had traded incumbent shortstop Marco Scutaro to the Colorado Rockies for pitcher Clay Mortensen, the move was largely seen as a financial maneuver, freeing up $6 million in payroll so that the Sox could make an aggressive bid to sign free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt.

The problem is, that never happened.

Now, the Sox are stuck with a tandem of Mike Aviles and Nick Punto at short, with prospect Jose Iglesias waiting in the wings. Oswalt still sits at home in Mississippi, rebuffing the advances of Boston.

While Aviles is comfortable at the shortstop position, having broken in there as a rookie with the Kansas City Royals in 2008, he was unable to keep his position there, moving to second base in 2010 and being used in the outfield as well as at third along with short and second over the past two years with the Royals and Red Sox.

Punto has also never been a full-time starter at short, so manager Bobby Valentine will use the two to fill a position that Scutaro could have easily handled while waiting on Iglesias to mature offensively.

Chicago Cubs: Signing Outfielder David DeJesus for Longer Than One Season

When Theo Epstein took over as new president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs, he talked about putting together a long-term plan to make the Cubs a first-class operation in terms of its farm system and its ability to be competitive year after year.

Many of the moves made by the Cubs during the offseason reflected that mission, as the North Siders definitely got younger with the transactions made by Epstein and new GM Jed Hoyer.

However, one move was a bit puzzling.

The Cubs signed outfielder David DeJesus to a two-year, $10 million deal with an option for the 2014 season. DeJesus will help out offensively, despite his tough season in Oakland where he hit just .240 in the cavernous confines of Oakland-Alameda County Stadium. At more hitter-friendly Wrigley Field, DeJesus should see a bounce-back offensively.

However, it made more sense for the Cubs to sign DeJesus for one season, acting as a bridge to young prospects who will be ready for prime time shortly (Brett Jackson, Matt Szczur).

DeJesus will no doubt be a nice addition near the top of the order for the Cubs in 2012, but anything longer than one year was perplexing.

Chicago White Sox: Trading Closer Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays

When Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams traded closer Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays for prospect pitcher Nestor Molina, you could audibly hear the head-scratching going on in the South Side.

Sox manager Ozzie Guillen turned to Santos after Matt Thornton blew four saves in a row in early April, and Santos stabilized the closer's role, notching 30 saves for the season.

Santos was under team control through 2015, and while Williams may have been looking for options to unload payroll, Santos was not that option.

Upon his arrival in Toronto, Santos signed a very team-friendly three-year, $8.25 million contract, with escalating options for the following three years. Having Santos locked up for only $2.75 million per year for the next three years wouldn't have broken the bank in Chicago.

Now, the Sox will be deciding on the above-mentioned Thornton, who spit the bit last year, and untested rookie Addison Reed.

So much for deals that make sense.

Cincinnati Reds: Signing Ryan Ludwick

The Cincinnati Reds made a couple of deals that clearly strengthened their roster over the offseason, acquiring starter Mat Latos and reliever Sean Marshall and signing closer Ryan Madson.

However, one signing seemed to be in contradiction with moves made earlier in the offseason.

The Reds signed outfielder Ryan Ludwick to a one-year, $2.5 million contract, essentially creating a competition in left field between Lucwick and Chris Heisey.

Heisey's spot in left seemed secure after the Reds dealt away prospect Yonder Alonso to the Padres for Latos. Heisey has had production when given the opportunity, hitting 18 HR with 50 RBI in just 279 at-bats last season.

Ludwick has come nowhere near the production he provided in his breakout season in 2008, when he hit .299 with 37 HR and 113 RBI. The Cardinals, Padres and Pirates were all unwilling to keep him around, in fact.

Ludwick's signing by the Reds certainly didn't raise huge red flags, but he has essentially been unable to provide quality offense for any team that has acquired him over the past two-plus seasons and expected better results than what they received.

Cleveland Indians: Re-Signing Grady Sizemore

When the Cleveland Indians declined the $8.5 option on center fielder Grady Sizemore's contract for the 2012, it made complete sense, given the fact that Sizemore had undergone five surgeries in two years and played less than half of the prior three seasons.

When they then announced that they were bringing Sizemore back for a more "team-friendly" $5 million contract with incentives that could net another $4 million, the general thought was—are they daft?

Sure enough, everyone's worst fears were realized last week. Sizemore went down with a lower back injury, and after surgery will be lost to the team for a minimum of two to three months.

Now, manager Manny Acta will be forced to use Michael Brantley in center and then pick from a host of close to a dozen candidates for left field.

Colorado Rockies: Jim Tracy and His Indefinite Contract Extension

On Monday, Feb. 20, Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd announced that he had reached what was termed an "indefinite" contract extension with manager Jim Tracy.

Huh?

Essentially, O'Dowd told the press that the job was Tracy's for however long he wanted it.

"

Basically what I am saying is that I should never have this conversation with you again, O'Dowd said. To say it extends just beyond 2013 would not do justice to Jim. It could be until he's using a cane and having trouble getting onto the field. Quite honestly, it can be for whatever number of years Jim wants it to be for.

"

Okay, so this is the same O'Dowd who fired Clint Hurdle 46 games into the 2009 season, just a year and a half after Hurdle led his team to a miraculous come-from-behind finish to the 2007 season, winning 21 of the final 22 regular season games to make the playoffs and go all the way to the World Series.

Tracy guided the Rockies to the 2009 playoffs following Hurdle's dismissal, yet the results over the past two seasons were not close to what was expected, with Colorado winning just 83 games in 2010 and only 73 last season.

O'Dowd himself said he was embarrassed about last year's performance and challenged his coaching staff to make changes in the way they operate themselves.

Handing Tracy an indefinite extension just seemed to fly in the face of what has been seen in terms of results the past two seasons.

Detroit Tigers: Not Making a Play for a Fifth Starter

The Detroit Tigers certainly can't be faulted for bringing in free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder, especially in the wake of the season-ending injury to designated hitter Victor Martinez.

Fielder's presence in the lineup along with star slugger Miguel Cabrera creates potentially the best 3-4 hitting combination in baseball. Along with a terrific top-end starting rotation in Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello, the Tigers are widely expected to easily capture the AL Central Division once again in 2012.

However, they are still trying to decide who will fill the final slot in the starting rotation. In recent comments to MLB.com, manager Jim Leyland was satisfied with the internal candidates for the role, which includes Jacob Turner, Duane Below, Adam Wilk and Andy Oliver.

"We truly believe that we've got the guy," Leyland said. "Who it is, I don't know."

Somehow, that doesn't sound very convincing.

If they truly are convinced they already have that guy, then why are they continuing to search?

Houston Astros: Announcing Brett Myers as New Closer

Early in spring training, the Houston Astros announced that starter Brett Myers will become the team's closer for the 2012 season.

Huh?

This move was indeed perplexing. The Astros are clearly looking to get younger and shed payroll. Myers will be paid $11 million this season, and the Astros reworked his vesting option for 2013 with his move to the bullpen.

What was puzzling about the news is that Myers would have much more value as an innings-eater for teams at the trade deadline, instead of as a late-inning reliever. Future value drops for both Myers and the Astros, in fact.

For a man who has thrown 439.2 innings in the last two seasons, the ability to work late into games is a commodity that has great interest for contending teams at the trade deadline.

Kansas City Royals: None

The Kansas City Royals have committed themselves to youth.

I know, you're thinking to yourselves, "No, the Royals have committed themselves to mediocrity!"

The Royals only made a couple of moves of note this offseason, trading Melky Cabrera for starter Jonathan Sanchez and signing reliever Jonathan Broxton.

Trading Cabrera for Sanchez made sense, with Lorenzo Cain poised to step up in center field with great defense and speed. Broxton at just $4 million slides in as the setup man for closer Joakim Soria.

The Royals have indeed committed to youth, and time will be the telling factor as to whether or not their patience with their young stars will pay off. With Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Danny Duffy, Aaron Crow, Cain, Alex Gordon and Johnny Giavatella, the Royals have a tremendous nucleus of youngsters. While they have wallowed in mediocrity for the better part of 20 seasons, this youthful core could lead them into something better than respectability.

Los Angeles Angels: None

The Los Angeles Angels spent more in one day in early December than some entire countries spend in a year.

Halos owner Arte Moreno committed $331.5 million to Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on Dec. 8, sending a message to everyone in baseball that the Angels were tired of playing second fiddle.

In addition, new GM Jerry DiPoto signed reliever LaTroy Hawkins to add veteran leadership to the bullpen and acquired catcher Chris Iannetta to bolster a sagging offense at the backstop position.

All in all, a pretty darn good winter in Anaheim.

There are definitely those who question the wisdom of signing Pujols for 10 years, especially considering he'll be making $140 million in the final five years of the deal, when Albert will be 37-41.

Moreno isn't stupid, however. He understands how much marketing plays a role in baseball, and the Angels' marketing opportunities with Pujols in tow more than outweighs the money paid to him in his later years.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Paying $22 Million for Starters Harang and Capuano

The Los Angeles Dodgers committed $22 million over the next two seasons to starters Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang.

For the same money, they could have easily kept Hiroki Kuroda.

Harang resurrected his career last year with the San Diego Padres, posting a 14-7 record and 3.64 ERA. But that's just the simple stats. In reality, did he really improve?

One look at some other numbers might tell a different story.

Harang, 2009
162.1 IP, 7.87 K/9, 2.38 BB/9, 4.14 FIP, 90.7 avg FB MPH

Harang, 2011
170.2 IP, 6.54 K/9, 3.06 BB/9, 4.17 FIP, 89.8 avg FB MPH

Just goes to show what a season in Petco Park can do for a pitcher.

Ditto for Capuano, who boasted of an 11-12 record and 4.55 ERA last season, pitching half his games at equally pitcher-friendly Citi Field.

Yet they opted not to keep Kuroda, who posted a 3.45 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and 3.55 FIP in four seasons in LA and clearly did not want to leave.

Strange, indeed.

Miami Marlins: Trading for Carlos Zambrano

The Miami Marlins certainly made a splash this offseason, signing Jose Reyes, Heath Bell and Mark Buehrle. However, in trading for disgruntled Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano, they didn't just make a splash, they landed a cannonball dive.

Zambrano won't cost the Marlins big coin, as the Cubs graciously offered to pay $15.5 million of the $18 million owed to Zambrano in 2012.

And why wouldn't they? Zambrano was more of a pain in the butt on the North Side than Charlie Sheen was to CBS.

Proponents will argue that new manager Ozzie Guillen will be able to keep a lid on Zambrano's unsightly behavior. But shouldn't Guillen have more important things to worry about than trying to temper the moods of Zambrano?

Milwaukee Brewers: None

The Milwaukee Brewers certainly lost a valuable piece of their offense with the departure of Prince Fielder, but given the relative market value for his services, the Brewers simply weren't going to be in the ballpark, especially after deals already given to Ryan Braun and Rickie Weeks.

In addition, GM Doug Melvin will be looking to address contract extensions for both Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum. In signing Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez, Melvin remade the left side of his infield and provided offensive replacement value, and 26-year-old Mat Gamel will also be expected to offer solid offensive numbers as well.

All in all, Melvin did well to offset the loss of Fielder, and the Brewers should find themselves in the mix in the NL Central Division race once again in 2012.

Minnesota Twins: Not Re-Signing Michael Cuddyer

When all-around utility man/star hitter Michael Cuddyer signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract with the Colorado Rockies, it marked the end to a stellar 11-year run with the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins never made a serious offer to Cuddyer, despite refusing to deal him at the trade deadline last year, giving rise to the thought that they coveted his services for the long-term.

Cuddyer's value to the Twins was in much more than just his bat, which was pretty darn good. His ability to play multiple positions provides an extra value that few in the majors possess.

New York Mets: Their Inability to Re-Sign Jose Reyes

The New York Mets this past offseason signed Frank Francisco ($5.5 million), Jon Rauch ($3.5 million), Ronny Cedeno ($1.15 million) and Scott Hairston ($1.1 million), totaling $11.25 million.

The Miami Marlins signed shortstop Jose Reyes and will pay him $1.25 million less than the above total for the 2012 season.

Tell me again how the Mets couldn't afford Reyes?

Yes, the deal for the Marlins was back-loaded, but the Mets couldn't have made that same type of offer to keep their franchise player? Instead, they get Francisco and Rauch, and while many claim the signings strengthen the Mets' bullpen, Francisco and Rauch were both part of a Toronto Blue Jays bullpen that blew 25 saves last season.

Cedeno brings a .232 average and two HR along with him from Pittsburgh, and Hairston is a bit bench player.

How many of those four players can actually sell tickets for Citi Field?

New York Yankees: None

The New York Yankees' offseason was almost as quiet as the Atlanta Braves, if not for one huge day in late January.

After nearly three months of inactivity, Yankees GM Brian Cashman traded for Seattle Mariners pitcher Michael Pineda and signed free-agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, effectively ending any and all questions about the depth of the Yankees' starting rotation.

Pineda will likely slot in behind CC Sabathia, and together with Ivan Nova, Kuroda and Phil Hughes, not to mention Freddy Garcia, the Yankees are the team to beat in the AL East.

Oakland Athletics: Signing Manny Ramirez

When the Oakland Athletics announced that they had signed Manny Ramirez to a $500,000 contract, the shock waves could be felt from Oakland down the San Andreas fault and back again.

To say that reaction was all over the map concerning Manny's signing is a vast understatement. Some see it as low risk/high reward, as the A's will actually only commit roughly $380K after Manny serves his 50-game suspension for a second offense in violation of MLB's drug policy. Indeed, if Manny rediscovers the swing that produced 555 HR and a .312 lifetime batting average, it would be a no-brainer.

However, others point to Oakland's youth movement and the fact that Manny takes away at-bats from younger stars looking to make their mark. Surely, Manny won't be around much longer than a year anyway, further stagnating potential young bats from maturing.

Whatever your take on the Manny signing, it was clearly an "Omigod, did you hear what Oakland did?" moment.

Philadelphia Phillies: Signing Jonathan Papelbon to a $50 Million Contract

For the past six seasons, Jonathan Papelbon has been one of the premier closers in the majors, with six straight seasons of 30-plus saves for the Boston Red Sox.

However, when the Philadelphia Phillies signed Papelbon to a four-year, $50 million contract with a vesting option for 2016, one word came to mind: overpaid.

No closer has ever been given the size of contract that Papelbon was rewarded. In a year where closers were in abundance on the free-agent market, the Phillies opted to lead the way in offering Papelbon a boatload of cash. For that kind of money, fans will expect Papelbon to deliver a lot more than just an average of 30 saves per season.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Bringing Back Nate McLouth

In February 2009, the Pittsburgh Pirates rewarded center fielder Nate McLouth with a three-year, $15.75 million contract. Four months later, he was in Atlanta with the Braves.

At the time, the Braves thought they were getting a player who had tremendous offensive potential, given McLouth's 2008 season and his quick start in 2009.

What they got instead was a complete and utter fall from the top, as McLouth's numbers dipped faster than the stock market in 1929.

McLouth lost his job in Atlanta for a time to young Jordan Schafer, now with the Astros and then ultimately to Michael Bourn.

Now, the Pirates are willing to gamble another $1.75 million in McLouth, in the hopes that his return to Pittsburgh can somehow reinvigorate his game.

Good luck with that.

San Diego Padres: None

The San Diego Padres were definitely one of the more active teams this offseason under new GM Josh Byrnes.

Gone are stars Mat Latos, Anthony Rizzo, Heath Bell, Aaron Harang, Chad Qualls and Wade LeBlanc, and new in town are Carlos Quentin, Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez, Huston Street, Mark Kotsay, Andrew Cashner.

In addition, Byrnes locked in star center fielder Cameron Maybin to a five-year, $25 million deal, ensuring that his young 24-year-old star is locked in through his first year of potential free-agency.

Losing Latos certainly hurts at the top of the rotation, but the addition of Alonso adds a potent bat to the offense. The Padres could be a surprise with the additional offensive weapons in Alonso and Quentin.

San Francisco Giants: Failing to Re-Sign Carlos Beltran

The San Francisco Giants traded for offense this offseason, looking to support their pitching staff after scoring a league-low 570 runs in 2011.

The addition of Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan should add some support, but is it enough?

Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez are back and healthy and will likely serve as an upgrade as well, but if the Giants had come to terms with Carlos Beltran after trading for him last year, the number of questions regarding the offense for the 2012 season would likely not be nearly as many.

The Giants appear to be counting on comeback seasons from Aubrey Huff, Nate Schierholtz and a better second season from young Brandon Belt, combined with the bats mentioned above. Whether it's enough to get them past the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West remains to be seen.

Seattle Mariners: Trading Michael Pineda

The Seattle Mariners picked up prized prospect Jesus Montero in late January, and presumably he will help upgrade an offense that has been lackluster at best for the past three seasons.

However, what they gave up in getting Montero was a lot. In Michael Pineda, they lost a potential front-line starter who could very well be the key that helps the New York Yankees continue on as postseason contenders for the foreseeable future.

Proponents of the deal point to the young nucleus of future star pitchers for the Mariners in Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton. However, they won't do much to help out in 2012.

St. Louis Cardinals: Failing to Re-Sign Albert Pujols

With Albert Pujols now sitting in Anaheim with a $240 million deal safely tucked away, the St. Louis Cardinals are coming to grips with the fact that the second greatest offensive player in team history (behind Stan Musial) is now gone.

The Cards will attempt to move on, signing Carlos Beltran to help pick up some of the offense with the departure of Albert, but there is one slight problem—he's not Albert.

Tampa Bay Rays: Not Finding an Upgrade at Shortstop

The production from the shortstop position in 2011 for the Tampa Bay Rays was a major issue, as Sean Rodriguez, Elliot Johnson and Reid Brignac combined to hit just .193 with nine HR and 45 RBI while playing shortstop.

GM Andrew Friedman addressed concerns regarding power, adding DH Luke Scott and catcher Jose Molina and bringing back 1B Carlos Pena. However, the same men who manned the shortstop position last year are returning, and the ninth spot in the batting order could very well to continue to be close to an automatic out.

Texas Rangers: Signing Joe Nathan to Replace Neftali Feliz as Closer

Just before Thanksgiving, former Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan was feeling very grateful.

Nathan was given a two-year, $14.5 million contract by the Texas Rangers on Nov. 21, after a year in which he worked back from Tommy John surgery and struggled.

Nathan was much better in the second half of the season after losing his closer's role earlier in the year to Matt Capps. However, a 4.84 ERA and 14 saves and Nathan is suddenly $14.5 million richer?

If Nathan is unable to fulfill the role, what happens to Feliz, who is being stretched out to join the starting rotation in similar fashion to C.J. Wilson two years earlier?

Toronto Blue Jays: Failure to Sign a Suitable Designated Hitter

Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos did a terrific job in fortifying his bullpen, clearly a weakness last season after blowing 25 saves.

By acquiring Sergio Santos, Darren Oliver and Jason Frasor, the starting rotation can breathe a bit easier. However, Anthopoulos was unable to find a designated hitter who can support Jose Bautista and company.

Edwin Encarnacion, otherwise known as E5, will likely top the charts for the Jays at the the position, and Travis Snyder and David Cooper could get looks as well. Encarnacion did have a strong second half, but a DH should be able offer a lot more than 17 HR and 55 RBI.

Washington Nationals: Signing Ryan Zimmerman to a $100 Million Extension

The Washington Nationals committed another six years and $100 million to third baseman Ryan Zimmerman last week.

I'm a huge Zimmerman fan, so this isn't a bash on his abilities. However, Zimmerman has had his durability questioned after missing two months last season with an abdominal injury. He also missed 56 games in 2008 to injury as well.

With two years still remaining on his current deal, it was puzzling that the Nats were so concerned with tying Zimmerman up long-term, when they clearly had time to wait and see if Zimmerman showed durability issues in the future.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

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