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With the 2014 MLB winter meetings now in the rearview, it's time to take a look at how a busy four days in San Diego may have changed the landscape of the league looking ahead to the 2015 season.

A whopping seven 2014 All-Stars found new homes this past week, as Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija, Dee Gordon, Yoenis Cespedes, Miguel Montero, Alfredo Simon and Pat Neshek joined new teams.

Add in the signings and trades of Matt Kemp, Mat Latos, Ervin Santana, Brandon McCarthy, Rick Porcello, Francisco Liriano, Howie Kendrick, Kendrys Morales, Justin Masterson, David Robertson, Luke Gregerson and a handful of others, and you have one busy week of activity around the league.

So while we still try to digest everything that happened at the winter meetings, here is an updated look at where all 30 teams stand.

As with all offseason power rankings, these are not meant to be a prediction for the year ahead.

Instead, they are a look at how teams would stack up with the rosters they currently have if the season were to start today. Just something worth keeping in mind when considering where your favorite team falls in the following rankings.

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

It was a quiet winter meetings for the Colorado Rockies, though there still stands at least a chance the team trades for Mets right-hander Dillon Gee, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.

The one deal they did make was to ship infielder Josh Rutledge to the Los Angeles Angels in return for reliever Jairo Diaz. The 23-year-old had 15 saves with a 3.48 ERA, 1.253 WHIP and 11.8 K/9 between High-A and Double-A last year.

There was also a rumor swirling about a potential trade of Justin Morneau to the Miami Marlins, though talks broke down, according to Tom Singer of MLB.com. Flipping the 33-year-old for another quality starter and opening up first base for Wilin Rosario may not be a bad idea.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Charlie Blackmon
3B Nolan Arenado
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
1B Justin Morneau
RF Corey Dickerson
C Wilin Rosario
2B DJ LeMahieu
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Jorge De La Rosa
SP Tyler Matzek
SP Jordan Lyles
SP Jhoulys Chacin
SP Eddie Butler
SU Rex Brothers
SU Adam Ottavino
CL LaTroy Hawkins

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

It's not a full-scale rebuild just yet, but the winter meetings were a step in the right direction for the Philadelphia Phillies, as they traded veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins and reliever Antonio Bastardo.

While the deal for Rollins is not yet official, it looks like the Phillies will get a decent prospect haul from the Dodgers with a pair of solid starting pitching prospects in Zach Eflin and Tom Windle, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly.

Marlon Byrd might be the next piece to go, with the Baltimore Orioles showing interest, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. However, the big story the rest of the offseason will be whether the team decides to deal Cole Hamels—and just how much teams will be willing to give up to add the ace.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Ben Revere
2B Chase Utley
RF Marlon Byrd
1B Ryan Howard
LF Domonic Brown
C Carlos Ruiz
3B Cody Asche
SS Freddy Galvis
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Cole Hamels
SP Cliff Lee
SP Jerome Williams
SP David Buchanan
SP Jonathan Pettibone
SU Jake Diekman
SU Ken Giles
CL Jonathan Papelbon

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

For the second straight offseason, the Minnesota Twins set a new record for largest free-agent contract in franchise history, as they signed right-hander Ervin Santana to a four-year, $55 million deal on Thursday.

After watching their starters post a 5.06 ERA this past season, Santana will be a welcome addition to the staff, and the team is certainly hoping he works out better than Ricky Nolasco, who inked a four-year, $49 million deal last winter.

This continues to be a franchise with an eye on the future. As it waits for all of the key pieces from its talented farm system to arrive, the additions of Santana and Torii Hunter should at least help keep them competitive in 2015.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Danny Santana
2B Brian Dozier
1B Joe Mauer
DH Kennys Vargas
RF Torii Hunter
3B Trevor Plouffe
LF Oswaldo Arcia
C Kurt Suzuki
SS Eduardo Escobar

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Phil Hughes
SP Ervin Santana
SP Ricky Nolasco
SP Kyle Gibson
SP Tommy Milone
SU Casey Fien
SU Brian Duensing
CL Glen Perkins

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

It was a quiet winter meetings for the Texas Rangers, though they did land left-hander Ross Detwiler in a trade with the Washington Nationals on Thursday, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

Not walking away with the proven No. 3 starter the team needs, while guys like Francisco Liriano, Ervin Santana and Jason Hammel were scooped up in free agency, is no doubt a setback for this team; options to shore up the rotation are running out.

The Rangers are also still in need of another corner outfield bat, unless they trust some combination of Jake Smolinski and Michael Choice to man left field.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

RF Shin-Soo Choo
SS Elvis Andrus
1B Prince Fielder
3B Adrian Beltre
CF Leonys Martin
DH Mitch Moreland
LF Jake Smolinski
C Robinson Chirinos
2B Rougned Odor

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Yu Darvish
SP Derek Holland
SP Colby Lewis
SP Nick Tepesch
SP Ross Detwiler
SU Robbie Ross
SU Shawn Tolleson
CL Neftali Feliz

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

After making a pair of significant additions early in the offseason with the signing of Yasmany Tomas and acquisition of Jeremy Hellickson, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a big subtraction at the winter meetings when they shipped Miguel Montero to the Chicago Cubs.

They wind up saving $40 million over the next three years in the deal, but it leaves them with a huge hole to fill at the catcher position. They have some intriguing prospects in Peter O'Brien and Stryker Trahan, but they will likely need to find a stopgap option of some sort.

The team also has a deal in place to send Wade Miley to the Boston Red Sox, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, though the deal was still far from finalized as the meetings wrapped up. Already without a bona fide ace, moving Miley would leave the team without arguably its most consistent starter from a year ago.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF A.J. Pollock
LF David Peralta
1B Paul Goldschmidt
RF Mark Trumbo
3B Yasmany Tomas
2B Aaron Hill
SS Chris Owings
C Tuffy Gosewisch
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Wade Miley
SP Josh Collmenter
SP Jeremy Hellickson
SP Chase Anderson
SP Trevor Cahill
SU Oliver Perez
SU Brad Ziegler
CL Addison Reed

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

It's never a bad idea to back a young rotation with a proven veteran bullpen, and the Houston Astros made it clear early on this offseason, when they made a run at Andrew Miller, that upgrading the relief corps was a top priority.

They wound up with two of the better setup arms on the market by signing Pat Neshek (71 G, 25 HLD, 1.87 ERA) to a two-year, $12.5 million deal and Luke Gregerson (72 G, 22 HLD, 2.12 ERA) to a three-year, $18.5 million deal.

Those two both pitched alongside incumbent closer Chad Qualls for the Padres in 2011, and they should help the Astros improve on what was a 17-28 record in one-run games last year.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

2B Jose Altuve
CF Dexter Fowler
RF George Springer
DH Chris Carter
C Jason Castro
3B Matt Dominguez
1B Jon Singleton
LF Jake Marisnick
SS Jonathan Villar

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Dallas Keuchel
SP Collin McHugh
SP Scott Feldman
SP Brett Oberholtzer
SP Mike Foltynewicz
SU Pat Neshek
SU Luke Gregerson
CL Chad Qualls

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

The Tampa Bay Rays have been quiet since freeing up some payroll space by trading away Jeremy Hellickson, Sean Rodriguez and Joel Peralta earlier this offseason.

Chances are they will use that money to sign some sort of low-cost power bat, perhaps a Michael Morse, in an effort to add more pop to the middle of the lineup. They could also look for a veteran arm as organizational depth, with the unproven Alex Colome set to fill the No. 5 starter spot.

Expect Ben Zobrist to pop up in trade rumors a decent amount the rest of the offseason, as the free-agent market at second base is nonexistent and he is entering a contract year. The Rays' asking price remains very high, though, and rightfully so.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Desmond Jennings
2B Ben Zobrist
3B Evan Longoria
1B James Loney
RF Wil Myers
LF Matt Joyce
SS Yunel Escobar
DH David DeJesus
C Ryan Hanigan

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Alex Cobb
SP Drew Smyly
SP Chris Archer
SP Jake Odorizzi
SP Alex Colome
SU Grant Balfour
SU Brad Boxberger
CL Jake McGee

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Trading off one or more of their upcoming free-agent starters was a move that had to be made by the Cincinnati Reds, and it netted a pair of solid pitching prospects in Anthony DeSclafani and Jonathon Crawford. However, losing Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon no doubt hurts the team's 2015 outlook.

Granted, they are better set up than most teams to lose those arms, with Tony Cingrani and Robert Stephenson waiting in the wings for a starting job, and DeSclafani a candidate for the rotation.

The team still needs to add a bat in left field, and the options are dwindling by the day. They have also yet to address a bullpen that ranked 26th in the league last season with a 4.11 ERA and moved one of their best arms in Jonathan Broxton in August.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Billy Hamilton
3B Todd Frazier
1B Joey Votto
C Devin Mesoraco
RF Jay Bruce
2B Brandon Phillips
LF Brennan Boesch
SS Zack Cozart
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Johnny Cueto
SP Homer Bailey
SP Mike Leake
SP Tony Cingrani
SP Anthony DeSclafani
SU Manny Parra
SU Sam LeCure
CL Aroldis Chapman

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

No one is going to confuse them with the 1927 Yankees, but adding Matt Kemp to the lineup certainly puts the San Diego Padres in a much better position offensively heading into the 2015 season.

Kemp, as a career .322/.372/.495 hitter at Petco Park, was one of the most productive hitters in baseball in the second half last season when he posted a .971 OPS with 17 home runs and 54 RBI. Those numbers alone would have been good enough to lead the Padres a year ago.

The fact that the Padres were able to add a big bat without shipping off one of their top starters is huge as far as the team's chances in 2015 are concerned. If guys like Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko can bounce back alongside Kemp, this team has an outside shot at contending.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Will Venable
3B Yangervis Solarte
LF Seth Smith
RF Matt Kemp
1B Yonder Alonso
2B Jedd Gyorko
C Rene Rivera
SS Clint Barmes
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Tyson Ross
SP Andrew Cashner
SP Ian Kennedy
SP Odrisamer Despaigne
SP Jesse Hahn
SU Dale Thayer
SU Kevin Quackenbush
CL Joaquin Benoit

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

The Atlanta Braves managed to plug the hole at second base with veteran Alberto Callaspo, and at this point Justin Upton is still around, so for the time being they actually move up a spot in these rankings.

However, there is still a good chance Upton is dealt before the offseason is over, and while it will likely net them a big return, it will undoubtedly set them back as far as 2015 is concerned.

After earlier talks of a potential Upton and Evan Gattis deal, the team is now packaging Upton with third baseman Chris Johnson, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. That will be a tougher sell, but unloading Johnson would be nice.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

RF Nick Markakis
2B Alberto Callaspo
LF Justin Upton
1B Freddie Freeman
C Evan Gattis
3B Chris Johnson
SS Andrelton Simmons
CF B.J. Upton
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Julio Teheran
SP Alex Wood
SP Shelby Miller
SP Mike Minor
SP David Hale
SU James Russell
SU David Carpenter
CL Craig Kimbrel

USA TODAY Sports

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

A potential reunion with Chase Headley is still on the table for the New York Yankees, but that could hurt the team's chances of improving the rotation, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

"The Yankees remained engaged. But the way I hear it, as their budget is currently set, if the Yankees pony up what it will take to sign Headley, then they will have to bottom-feed for starting pitching," Sherman wrote.

If they do opt to go the pitching route, they could go after someone like Edinson Volquez, but that will likely mean the everyday third base job goes to Martin Prado and second base is up for grabs between a pair of prospects in Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

LF Brett Gardner
3B Martin Prado
CF Jacoby Ellsbury
1B Mark Teixeira
C Brian McCann
RF Carlos Beltran
DH Alex Rodriguez
SS Didi Gregorius
2B Rob Refsnyder

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Masahiro Tanaka
SP Michael Pineda
SP CC Sabathia
SP David Phelps
SP Chase Whitley
SU Shawn Kelley
SU Andrew Miller
CL Dellin Betances

USA TODAY Sports

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Add Jeff Samardzija to the list of key pieces the Oakland Athletics have shipped out this winter, alongside All-Stars Josh Donaldson and Brandon Moss, as the big right-hander was traded to the Chicago White Sox.

While the A's got a solid four-player return from the White Sox, headlined by Marcus Semien, who will have every chance to win the starting shortstop job, the fact that they gave up Addison Russell to acquire Samardzija makes what they flipped him for tough to swallow.

The rotation is undoubtedly weaker with out Shark, and the team appears to be banking on strong returns from Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin if the rotation is to be a strength of the team once again this year.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Coco Crisp
LF Stephen Vogt
RF Josh Reddick
DH Billy Butler
1B Ike Davis
3B Brett Lawrie
C Derek Norris
SS Marcus Semien
2B Eric Sogard

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Sonny Gray
SP Scott Kazmir
SP Jesse Chavez
SP Drew Pomeranz
SP Kendall Graveman
SU Fernando Abad
SU Ryan Cook
CL Sean Doolittle

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

While other teams have climbed up the rankings as they piece together more complete rosters, the Cleveland Indians have slipped down several spots with Brandon Moss still ranking as their only notable offseason addition.

Adding some pop in the form of Moss was nice, but unless they can find a taker for Nick Swisher, which won't be easy, he's essentially a redundant piece on the roster.

There is also still a glaring need for a proven No. 2 starter to slot behind Corey Kluber, and the mid-level arms have gone quickly over the past few days following the Jon Lester signing. They were competitive last season, but this is not a team that can stand pat and expect to contend for a playoff spot.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Michael Bourn
2B Jason Kipnis
LF Michael Brantley
1B Carlos Santana
RF Brandon Moss
C Yan Gomes
DH Nick Swisher
SS Jose Ramirez
3B Lonnie Chisenhall

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Corey Kluber
SP Carlos Carrasco
SP Danny Salazar
SP T.J. House
SP Trevor Bauer
SU Scott Atchison
SU Bryan Shaw
CL Cody Allen

USA TODAY Sports

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

San Francisco Giants fans won't like this one bit, but after missing out on Jon Lester and failing to make any significant moves at the winter meetings, the team slides down the rankings even further to the middle of the pack.

Their lineup is undoubtedly weaker than it was a year ago, and there is still the glaring hole to fill at third base. Meanwhile, the rotation without Lester added to the mix is a collection of question marks behind Madison Bumgarner.

General manager Brian Sabean is one of the best in the business, and there is still plenty of time for this team to improve drastically before the start of the season. However, as the roster currently stands, this does not look like a playoff team, let alone a team with any chance of defending its title.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Angel Pagan
2B Joe Panik
C Buster Posey
1B Brandon Belt
RF Hunter Pence
LF Gregor Blanco
SS Brandon Crawford
3B Joaquin Arias
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Madison Bumgarner
SP Tim Hudson
SP Matt Cain
SP Yusmeiro Petit
SP Tim Lincecum
SU Jean Machi
SU Jeremy Affeldt
CL Santiago Casilla

USA TODAY Sports

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

All signs point to the New York Mets opening the 2015 season with Wilmer Flores as the everyday shortstop, so at this point there is a good chance no more significant additions are made between now and Opening Day.

The offense is not great, and obviously there is a chance that Flores flops and shortstop is once again an issue all season, but on pitching alone this looks like a team that can at least make a run at a wild-card spot.

A starter will almost certainly be moved in the next few weeks, with the team pushing hard to move Dillon Gee at the winter meetings, according to Jack Curry of YES Network. That would free up some money to add infield depth or another bullpen arm.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Juan Lagares
2B Daniel Murphy
3B David Wright
1B Lucas Duda
RF Michael Cuddyer
LF Curtis Granderson
C Travis d'Arnaud
SS Wilmer Flores
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Matt Harvey
SP Jon Niese
SP Jacob deGrom
SP Zack Wheeler
SP Bartolo Colon
SU Josh Edgin
SU Jeurys Familia
CL Jenrry Mejia

USA TODAY Sports

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Adding Rick Porcello, Justin Masterson and potentially Wade Miley to the rotation is enough for the Boston Red Sox to climb a few spots up the rankings, but it hardly offsets missing out on Jon Lester, and this team is still without a bona fide staff ace.

There is obviously a lot of offseason left, and they could certainly make a run at James Shields, Max Scherzer or look to trade for Cole Hamels. As the rotation stands right now, though, this is not a championship-caliber team.

Masterson is the wild card here on a one-year, $9.5 million deal, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. If he can return to his 2013 form, he'd be an absolute steal and would give the Red Sox an ace-caliber arm atop their staff.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

RF Shane Victorino
2B Dustin Pedroia
DH David Ortiz
LF Hanley Ramirez
3B Pablo Sandoval
1B Mike Napoli
SS Xander Bogaerts
CF Rusney Castillo
C Christian Vazquez

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Rick Porcello
SP Clay Buchholz
SP Justin Masterson
SP Joe Kelly
SP Brandon Workman
SU Edward Mujica
SU Junichi Tazawa
CL Koji Uehara

USA TODAY Sports

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Many pointed to the Kansas City Royals' decision to decline their option on Billy Butler as the team looking for more versatility and trying to get away from a DH-only player. However, the signing of Kendrys Morales puts that theory to rest, as they will again be tied to a DH-only bat.

Morales received a two-year, $17 million deal, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, despite the fact that he hit just .218/.274/.338 with 20 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBI in 367 at-bats last season. He could certainly bounce back this season without the distraction that was a qualifying offer, but it's hard to get too excited about the signing at this point.

Big picture, this team still needs a right fielder and some sort of replacement for James Shields in the rotation, and until those two significant holes are filled, this looks like a fringe wild-card contender at best.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

SS Alcides Escobar
LF Alex Gordon
RF Lorenzo Cain
1B Eric Hosmer
C Salvador Perez
DH Kendrys Morales
3B Mike Moustakas
2B Omar Infante
CF Jarrod Dyson

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Yordano Ventura
SP Jason Vargas
SP Jeremy Guthrie
SP Danny Duffy
SP Brian Flynn
SU Kelvin Herrera
SU Wade Davis
CL Greg Holland

Noah Graham/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

It should be an exciting summer in Chicago, as the Cubs were not the only team that was busy at the winter meetings, with the White Sox adding Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson to what was already an impressive offseason haul.

Samardzija gives them the front-line right-hander they were seeking to slot between the lefty duo of Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, and the team will reportedly look to lock him up long term, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

The back end of the rotation and the back half of the starting lineup are still a work in progress, but this team went from building to potentially contending this offseason. The bullpen was perhaps the biggest weakness a year ago, and it now looks like a potential strength with the additions of Robertson and Zach Duke.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Adam Eaton
SS Alexei Ramirez
1B Jose Abreu
DH Adam LaRoche
RF Avisail Garcia
3B Conor Gillaspie
LF Dayan Viciedo
C Tyler Flowers
2B Carlos Sanchez

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Chris Sale
SP Jeff Samardzija
SP Jose Quintana
SP Hector Noesi
SP John Danks
SU Zach Duke
SU Zach Putnam
CL David Robertson

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

The Milwaukee Brewers were expectedly quiet at the winter meetings, as they really don't have much to take care of between now and the start of the season.

Their only significant free agents were relievers, and while they could certainly stand to add another arm or two to the bullpen mix to replace Zach Duke and Francisco Rodriguez, it's something they can address later on this offseason.

The hole at first base was filled with the acquisition of Adam Lind, though they are still in the market for a right-handed hitting platoon partner and some bench depth in general. As is, this team looks to be solid once again, and with a few small additions they should be right in the running for the NL Central title.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Carlos Gomez
2B Scooter Gennett
C Jonathan Lucroy
3B Aramis Ramirez
1B Adam Lind
RF Ryan Braun
LF Khris Davis
SS Jean Segura
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Yovani Gallardo
SP Matt Garza
SP Kyle Lohse
SP Wily Peralta
SP Mike Fiers
SU Will Smith
SU Jim Henderson
CL Jonathan Broxton

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

For Cubs fans, the Jon Lester signing was like Christmas morning. As new manager Joe Maddon put it, the team "won the baseball lottery" with the signing.

Add in the relatively low-cost signing of Jason Hammel (two-year, $20 million) to add some veteran depth to the staff, and the addition of All-Star catcher Miguel Montero for a pair of low-level pitching prospects, and it's hard not to get excited about the team's prospects in 2015. At the very least Chicago looks like a legitimate wild-card contender.

That being said, expectations need to be tempered, as there will undoubtedly be significant growing pains with such a young roster. A number to keep in mind—1,535. That's the single-season team strikeout record, and there's a good chance the Cubs offense blows by that total in 2015.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

LF Chris Coghlan
2B Javier Baez
1B Anthony Rizzo
SS Starlin Castro
C Miguel Montero
RF Jorge Soler
3B Luis Valbuena
CF Arismendy Alcantara
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Jon Lester
SP Jake Arrieta
SP Travis Wood
SP Kyle Hendricks
SP Jason Hammel
SU Neil Ramirez
SU Pedro Strop
CL Hector Rondon

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

While the Jon Lester signing was obviously huge for the Chicago Cubs, a case can be made that the Pittsburgh Pirates re-signing Francisco Liriano was equally as important.

Losing Russell Martin was a big blow for this franchise, but keeping its ace in the fold will go a long way in keeping the team in contention in the NL Central. Gerrit Cole is still the future ace of this staff, but asking him to shoulder the load in 2015 would have been asking too much.

With Liriano signed, the team has now turned its attention to bringing back Edinson Volquez, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. He is said to be seeking a two-year, $20 million deal, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

3B Josh Harrison
RF Gregory Polanco
CF Andrew McCutchen
2B Neil Walker
LF Starling Marte
1B Pedro Alvarez
SS Jordy Mercer
C Francisco Cervelli
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Francisco Liriano
SP Gerrit Cole
SP A.J. Burnett
SP Jeff Locke
SP Vance Worley
SU Jared Hughes
SU Tony Watson
CL Mark Melancon

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Losing Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis is obviously a blow to the Baltimore Orioles offensive attack, but the returns of Manny Machado and Matt Wieters should help replace some of that lost production, and a bounce-back season from Chris Davis would go a long way.

The important thing is that what was a surprisingly good starting rotation remains intact, and it could be even better this year with another step forward from Kevin Gausman.

The team has received a lot of trade interest in upcoming free agent Wei-Yin Chen, according to Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun, so there is a chance he could be moved in the right offer. The team is still looking for a corner outfielder and another left-handed reliever to pair with Brian Matusz.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

LF Alejandro De Aza
3B Manny Machado
CF Adam Jones
DH Chris Davis
RF Steve Pearce
C Matt Wieters
SS J.J. Hardy
1B Christian Walker
2B Jonathan Schoop

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Chris Tillman
SP Wei-Yin Chen
SP Bud Norris
SP Miguel Gonzalez
SP Kevin Gausman
SU Brian Matusz
SU Darren O'Day
CL Zach Britton

USA TODAY Sports

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Already one of the more potent offensive teams in baseball, the Detroit Tigers just got a little scarier for opposing pitchers with the addition of Yoenis Cespedes to the middle of the order.

However, the pitching side of things is heading in the opposite direction, as Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello have been replaced by Alfredo Simon and Shane Greene.

The Simon pickup in particular is a questionable one, as the 33-year-old fell apart after a smoke-and-mirrors first half last year, posting a 4.52 ERA after the break and a 4.33 FIP on the year.

They have also yet to do anything to address what was one of the worst bullpens in baseball a year ago. A full season of Joakim Soria and the return of Bruce Rondon will help, but relying on the incumbent group of arms is not going to cut it.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

2B Ian Kinsler
CF Anthony Gose
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez
RF J.D. Martinez
LF Yoenis Cespedes
3B Nick Castellanos
C Alex Avila
SS Jose Iglesias

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP David Price
SP Anibal Sanchez
SP Justin Verlander
SP Alfredo Simon
SP Shane Greene
SU Al Alburquerque
SU Joakim Soria
CL Joe Nathan

Greg Fiume/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

The Nelson Cruz signing was a huge win for the Seattle Mariners, and it may very well be enough to get them over the hump and into the postseason after they missed out by just one game a year ago.

There is still a hole to fill in right field, with the team currently targeting White Sox outfielder Dayan Viciedo, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Talks with free agent Melky Cabrera have reached an impasse, as the two sides are far apart on years and money, per Bob Dutton of The News Tribune of Tacoma.

They may not be the best team in the AL West just yet, but another step forward from young starters James Paxton and Taijuan Walker could give them top to bottom one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Austin Jackson
LF Dustin Ackley
2B Robinson Cano
DH Nelson Cruz
3B Kyle Seager
C Mike Zunino
1B Logan Morrison
RF James Jones
SS Brad Miller

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Felix Hernandez
SP Hisashi Iwakuma
SP James Paxton
SP Taijuan Walker
SP J.A. Happ
SU Danny Farquhar
SU Yoervis Medina
CL Fernando Rodney

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

At first blush, the No. 6 spot probably seems entirely too high for the Miami Marlins. Keep in mind that these offseason power rankings are all about who has the best roster at this moment in time, though, and it's hard not to like the makeup of their team coming out of the winter meetings.

Adding Dee Gordon gives the team a bona fide leadoff hitter and a huge upgrade at second base, where it hit just .236/.303/.334 as a team in 2014. Mat Latos provides a front-line arm to pair with Henderson Alvarez until Jose Fernandez returns at midseason, and top to bottom the rotation is rock solid.

With the Atlanta Braves taking a step back, the Philadelphia Phillies finally starting to rebuild and the New York Mets only starting their push toward contention, the time is now for the Marlins to strike in the NL East, and they clearly realize that.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

2B Dee Gordon
LF Christian Yelich
RF Giancarlo Stanton
3B Casey McGehee
CF Marcell Ozuna
1B Garrett Jones
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
SS Adeiny Hechavarria
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Henderson Alvarez
SP Mat Latos
SP Jarred Cosart
SP Nathan Eovaldi
SP Tom Koehler
SU Mike Dunn
SU A.J. Ramos
CL Steve Cishek

Brian Blanco/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

The Toronto Blue Jays may not have made any significant additions at the winter meetings, but the Boston Red Sox missing out on Jon Lester while the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees both stayed quiet has them looking that much better in the AL East.

Upgrading at second base remains a priority, as does addressing a bullpen that ranked 25th in the league with a 4.09 ERA before losing closer Casey Janssen to free agency.

However, the additions of Josh Donaldson, Russell Martin and Michael Saunders give them an offensive attack that stacks up to any in baseball, and the continued progression of prized prospects Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez has the rotation looking up as well.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

SS Jose Reyes
3B Josh Donaldson
RF Jose Bautista
1B Edwin Encarnacion
DH Dioner Navarro
C Russell Martin
LF Michael Saunders
2B Maicer Izturis
CF Dalton Pompey

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Mark Buehrle
SP R.A. Dickey
SP Marcus Stroman
SP Drew Hutchison
SP Daniel Norris
SU Steve Delabar
SU Brett Cecil
CL Aaron Sanchez

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Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

New President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman is not shy about pulling the trigger on a trade, that much is for sure, as he was wheeling and dealing over the four-day extravaganza that was the winter meetings for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Gone are Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon and Dan Haren, but the team found its new shortstop in Jimmy Rollins and quickly replaced Gordon with one of the more underrated players in the game in Howie Kendrick.

Yasmani Grandal should provide a huge offensive upgrade over A.J. Ellis, who will no doubt stick around as personal catcher to Clayton Kershaw. Moving Kemp means the team is counting on Yasiel Puig to find some offensive consistency and Joc Pederson to live up to the hype, which is risky but not unreasonable.

The team still needs a fifth starter, even after signing Brandon McCarthy. It has also yet to address the bullpen, outside of trading for Joel Peralta, so there is still work to be done. However, this was a team in need of a shake-up after back-to-back postseason exits, and that's exactly what it got this past week.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

SS Jimmy Rollins
LF Carl Crawford
RF Yasiel Puig
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B Howie Kendrick
C Yasmani Grandal
CF Joc Pederson
3B Juan Uribe
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Clayton Kershaw
SP Zack Greinke
SP Hyun-Jin Ryu
SP Brandon McCarthy
SP Joe Wieland
SU Joel Peralta
SU J.P. Howell
CL Kenley Jansen

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Trading Howie Kendrick was no doubt a tough decision for the Los Angeles Angels, but it netted them one of the better pitching prospects in the game in Andrew Heaney, who should immediately step into the No. 5 starter spot.

It also saved roughly $9.5 million, and with Kendrick entering the final year of his contract and unlikely to be re-signed, it's hard not to like the move when looking at the long-term picture.

Josh Rutledge was quickly acquired from the Colorado Rockies to compete with Grant Green for the now-vacant second base job. Rutledge opened eyes when he posted a .775 OPS with 33 extra-base hits in 277 at-bats filling in for an injured Troy Tulowitzki back in 2012, but he was never able to seize an everyday job after that.

There is still a need for a left-handed reliever, and perhaps more starting pitching depth, but the Angels have some money to work with after the Kendrick trade.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

RF Kole Calhoun
CF Mike Trout
1B Albert Pujols
LF Josh Hamilton
3B David Freese
SS Erick Aybar
DH C.J. Cron
2B Josh Rutledge
C Chris Iannetta

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Jered Weaver
SP Matt Shoemaker
SP Hector Santiago
SP C.J. Wilson
SP Andrew Heaney
SU Kevin Jepsen
SU Joe Smith
CL Huston Street

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

The St. Louis Cardinals jump the Los Angeles Angels into the No. 2 spot, as the Angels' trade of Howie Kendrick helps them long term but could be a hit short term.

With right field upgraded and the bullpen already shored up heading into the meetings, the Cardinals' focus was on upgrading the bench, and they got a potential steal when they signed Mark Reynolds to a one-year, $2 million deal.

Reynolds had 22 home runs in 378 at-bats last season, and he has a career .809 OPS against left-handed pitching. That makes him a solid platoon option at first with Matt Adams, who hit just .190/.231/.298 against lefties last year.

The Cardinals could go the rest of the offseason without making a move, and their roster would still stack up to any in baseball heading into the 2015 season.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

3B Matt Carpenter
RF Jason Heyward
LF Matt Holliday
1B Matt Adams
C Yadier Molina
SS Jhonny Peralta
CF Jon Jay
2B Kolten Wong
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Adam Wainwright
SP Lance Lynn
SP John Lackey
SP Michael Wacha
SP Carlos Martinez
SU Matt Belisle
SU Jordan Walden
CL Trevor Rosenthal

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Post-Winter Meetings Outlook

Many of you have been less than enamored with my decision to place the Washington Nationals in the No. 1 spot in these power rankings.

"They've never won anything."

"They're just going to choke again in the playoffs."

"Bryce Harper is the most overrated player ever."

Look, I get it, regular-season wins don't mean anything if you can't put it together in the postseason and win it all. Point taken.

However, these rankings are still all about which team has the best roster at this very moment on Dec. 12, and if I had to pick one team that I thought had the best chance of winning it all today, it would be the Nationals. It's as simple as that.

They may not have any glaring needs, but they do have some big decisions to make this offseason with Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Ian Desmond all headed for free agency. Don't be surprised if one of those guys is moved, and that just may be enough to bump them down the rankings before Opening Day rolls around.

Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Dec. 11)

CF Denard Span
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
SS Ian Desmond
C Wilson Ramos
2B Danny Espinosa
Pitcher

Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Dec. 11)

SP Jordan Zimmermann
SP Stephen Strasburg
SP Doug Fister
SP Gio Gonzalez
SP Tanner Roark
SU Matt Thornton
SU Tyler Clippard
CL Drew Storen

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

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