The Biggest Way Every MLB Team Got Better This Offseason
Baseball fans know better than to put much stock into spring training performances, whether it be by an individual or a team. But the exhibition season offers us a first glimpse at how the moves teams made during the offseason may—or may not—pay off.
A handful of clubs made big, bold moves to ensure that they'll have a better and more successful on-field product in 2015, while others made carefully calculated additions with future success in mind. In some cases, a team's biggest improvement didn't come on the field but might be in the dugout or front office.
For all the player movement that the offseason brings, the biggest improvement for some clubs isn't a new addition but a healthy return from a previously injured star.
Heck, there are even a few teams that, whether it be for a lack of vision or a lack of available funds, did nothing to improve during the offseason and head into 2015 in worse shape than they were a year ago.
What follows is my take on the biggest improvement that each team made this offseason.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Signing Yasmany Tomas
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Nobody's quite sure whether Yasmany Tomas is a third baseman or an outfielder, whether he's a superstar-in-the-making or the second coming of Mark Trumbo.
What we do know is that Arizona signed the Cuban import to a six-year, $68.5 million deal because it believes he's got game-changing talent—even if it hasn't been evident so far in spring training.
Things have gotten so bad, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, that the team is seriously considering having the 24-year-old begin the season in the minors, where he can hone his skills without the pressure of playing in the majors.
But general manager Dave Stewart is quick to remind everyone—including Sherman—that being sent down to the minor leagues (or worse) doesn't mean a player is a bust or that he'll never live up to expectations:
"I am not going to let people put a label on a player. I was released by the Phillies and won 20 games the next year. [Yasiel] Puig had to be sent to the minors, so if we do that with this kid, it doesn't change that. I think he is going to hit for power and be able to field in the majors.
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With little else to get excited about besides Paul Goldschmidt's usual brilliance, D-backs fans have little choice but to buy what Stewart and the team are selling us on Tomas—and hope that soon he'll emerge as another building block for the team's future success.
Atlanta Braves: A New Direction
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John Hart may not have positioned Atlanta for great success in 2015, but thanks to his offseason wheeling and dealing, the future looks brighter for the Braves than it has in years.
In MLB.com's ranking of the team's top 30 prospects, half of the top 20 are players Hart has traded for since being hired as the team's president of baseball operations in mid-October. Let's see if we can put that in its proper perspective:
| Mike Foltynewicz | RHSP | 23 | 2 | 2015 | Houston |
| Max Fried | LHSP | 21 | 5 | 2018 | San Diego |
| Rio Ruiz | 3B | 20 | 6 | 2018 | Houston |
| Ricardo Sanchez | LHSP | 17 | 9 | 2018 | Los Angeles (AL) |
| Tyrell Jenkins | RHSP | 22 | 10 | 2015 | St. Louis |
| Manny Banuelos | LHSP | 24 | 11 | 2015 | New York (AL) |
| Arodys Vizcaino | RHRP | 24 | 13 | 2015 | Chicago (NL) |
| Mallex Smith | CF | 21 | 16 | 2017 | San Diego |
| Dustin Peterson | 3B | 20 | 17 | 2017 | San Diego |
| Andrew Thurman | RHSP | 23 | 20 | 2017 | Houston |
That's a staggering influx of young talent to a farm system that, at the end of the 2014 minor league season, Bleacher Report's Mike Rosenbaum ranked as the ninth-weakest in the game.
Four of those prospects could be factors in the majors this season, joining a pair of 24-year-olds, right-handed starter Shelby Miller (St. Louis Cardinals) and second baseman Jace Peterson (San Diego Padres), who will break camp in the rotation and as the starter at the keystone, respectively.
On-field results may be disappointing in 2015, but Hart has the Braves poised to be back in the thick of the playoff race before too long.
Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado's Return
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Two years ago, a 20-year-old Manny Machado made his first All-Star appearance, led the American League in doubles (51), won a Gold Glove Award as the AL's best defensive third baseman, won a Platinum Glove Award as the AL's best defensive player and finished ninth in the voting for the AL MVP award.
Now 22 and fully healed from a pair of season-ending knee surgeries, a more mature (both mentally and physically) Machado is poised to help Baltimore overcome the free-agent departures of Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis.
"I think Manny's primed to have a good year," Orioles manager Buck Showalter told MASN Sports' Steve Melewski. "You can tell how good he feels. He's playing with a certain recklessness that healthy people play with."
His numbers this spring are nothing special—he's batting .270/.289/.405 with three extra-base hits (including a home run)—but Machado believes he can return to his previous form.
"I'm the same player, I'm Manny Machado," he told Melewski. "Nothing has changed. I'm going to keep doing what I've always done."
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Boston Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia's Return
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Forget about high-profile free-agent additions like Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval and a rebuilt rotation that features the likes of Justin Masterson, Wade Miley and Rick Porcello.
Boston's biggest addition was the return of a healthy Dustin Pedroia, the team's unquestioned leader and one of the game's best all-around second basemen, who has been hindered by myriad injuries in each of the past three seasons, most notably to his hands.
First was a procedure to repair torn cartilage in his right pinky finger after the 2012 season, then offseason left thumb surgery in 2013 and, finally, season-ending left wrist surgery last year.
All three left him limited at the plate, something he told WEEI.com's Rob Bradford is no longer an issue: "I knew before I got here (to spring training). You could tell. Balls come off the bat different. It sounds different. If I’m fooled and I’m out in front I had the strength to flip it the other way or still turn on it. Those are the things I couldn’t do. ... My swing is normal. My follow through is normal. There’s finish."
A healthy Pedroia, even when coupled with the other improvements the Red Sox have made, might not result in a first-place finish for Boston. But it guarantees that the Red Sox won't finish the year in the basement of the AL East once again.
Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant's Eventual Arrival
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Kris Bryant still believes that he's got a chance to be Chicago's Opening Day third baseman, as he told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, but it remains highly likely that the Cubs' top prospect will spend the first few weeks of the season at Triple-A.
The extra year of control that the club would receive by delaying the start of his major league service clock until mid- to late April is far more valuable than anything Bryant could do on the field after all.
When he does finally arrive, Bryant has the talent to be a legitimate game-changer for the Cubs, a thumper in the middle of the lineup the likes of which the team hasn't seen since Sammy Sosa and a slew of others across the majors ran roughshod over big league pitching during the steroid era.
Jon Lester can only help the team once every five days. It'll be a few years before Joe Maddon's impact on the organization can be truly felt. Bryant can step to the plate the day he arrives and change the team's fortune's with one swing.
Chicago White Sox: A Rebuilt Bullpen
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No matter what statistic you want to use as a measuring stick, the bullpen was a major problem for the Chicago White Sox in 2014. You may want to have small children leave the room before proceeding, for these numbers, courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com's Play Index, are scary.
| ERA | 4.38 | 14th | 28th |
| WHIP | 1.51 | 15th | 30th |
| K/9 | 7.2 | 14th | 29th |
| BB | 236 | 15th | 15th |
| BAA | .265 | 14th | 28th |
| OPS | .740 | 13th | 27th |
General manager Rick Hahn spent much of the offseason accumulating relievers, and the White Sox figure to open the year with four new faces in relief, none bigger than closer David Robertson.
Signed to a hefty four-year, $46 million deal, Robertson was a rousing success as Mariano Rivera's successor with the New York Yankees last year, converting 39 of 44 save attempts while pitching to a 3.08 ERA and 1.06 WHIP.
His ability to lock things down in the ninth inning will be crucial if the White Sox are going to take advantage of what appears to be a wide-open AL Central this year.
Cincinnati Reds: A Healthy Heart of the Order
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Injuries hit Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto and right fielder Jay Bruce hard in 2014, and by season's end, the pair of former All-Stars had suffered through the least productive seasons of their respective careers.
A quad injury ended Votto's season in early July, while Bruce was never right after May knee surgery, though he's not about to point to that as a reason for his struggles.
"I would never ever use it as an excuse," Bruce told John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer. "But I wasn't healthy, and I just didn't play well. At the end of the day, I didn't play well and that's what matters. There's nothing to talk about."
Without the pair at anywhere close to full health, the Reds offense scuffled badly, finishing the year with the 28th-lowest run total in the game (595), one of three teams that failed to crack the 600-run plateau. A return to health for the duo will ensure that doesn't happen again.
Cleveland Indians: A Refreshed Michael Bourn
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Those tasked with leading off for Cleveland in 2014 were an abject failure, combining to post the majors' fourth-lowest OPS (.653) and fifth-lowest on-base percentage (.308).
Much of that can be attributed to Michael Bourn's balky hamstrings, which flared up in the spring and were never quite right, twice forcing him to the disabled list during the regular season. He'd finish the year hitting .257 with a .314 on-base percentage and only 10 stolen bases on 16 attempts.
"I missed a significant amount of time. I think the hardest thing about it was to get a rhythm when you come back into play," he told Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer. "You're back playing, but you haven't been facing that kind of pitching and that kind of talent the whole time."
At the suggestion of Indians strength and conditioning coach Joe Kessler, Bourn spent the winter working with Houston track coach Leroy Burrell, a former U.S. Olympic sprinter who won gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics as a member of the 4x100-meter men's relay team.
While he's attempted to steal only one base this spring (and was unsuccessful), it appears as if the work has paid off.
Bourn has looked more like the sparkplug the Indians thought they had signed as a free agent before the 2013 season. He's moving well in the outfield, getting on base consistently and advancing from first to third with ease.
A healthy, productive Bourn could be the piece that puts Cleveland over the top in its pursuit of the team's first division crown since 2007.
Colorado Rockies: The End of the Dan O'Dowd Era
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During Dan O'Dowd's 15-year stint as general manager in Colorado, the Rockies posted only four winning seasons and advanced to the playoffs twice. Finally, in early October, his reign of terror came to an end, with the veteran executive replaced by some fresh blood in the form of 37-year-old Jeff Bridich.
While Bridich did little to improve the club this winter, he gives a beleaguered Rockies fanbase hope, something that it hasn't had in quite a while. In fact, Bridich addressed the fans directly during his introductory press conference, telling the masses that they "have earned the right to have playoff baseball at Coors Field again."
If getting to that point means trading away beloved but oft-injured stars Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki for multiple pieces, it's something that Bridich told MLB Network Radio (audio link) that he's not necessarily opposed to:
"Thinking about or actually trading them is, you know, that's a tough pill to swallow. I think, as we, in terms of how we do our business as it relates to them or relates to anybody, really, in our process I think it's unwise for us to close our mind or close our ears or eyes to any possibility. ... It's not like we've made a decision one way or the other.
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That Bridich is even willing to admit that is a gigantic step forward for an organization that has had too much of its budget—and chances of success—tied up in two players who can't stay on the field.
Detroit Tigers: Improved Defense
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Defense hasn't been a strength in Detroit, where a high-octane offense and superlative starting pitching have powered the Tigers to four consecutive division titles.
With more questions than answers in a rotation that lost Max Scherzer to free agency and a bullpen that remains shaky, it stands to reason that more balls will be put in play than Tigers defenders are used to seeing.
That makes the offseason acquisition of center fielder Anthony Gose and the return of shortstop Jose Iglesias all the more important.
Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays, Gose's strength has always been his glove—anything he contributes offensively is a bonus. FanGraphs' advanced defensive metrics approve of his play in center field over parts of three seasons, with Gose posting a 13.6 UZR/150 to go along with a pair of defensive runs saved.
That's a major improvement over the five players who held down the spot in 2014 and played to a combined minus-8.2 UZR/150 and minus-seven DRS. Things were just as ugly at shortstop, where five players combined for a minus-1.3 UZR/150 and minus-10 DRS.
Iglesias, sidelined for all of the 2014 campaign by injuries to both shins, owns a career 16.5 UZR/150 and seven DRS at shortstop over parts of three seasons with the Boston Red Sox and Tigers.
Houston Astros: A Bolstered Bullpen
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After watching its bullpen pitch to baseball's highest ERA (4.80) and fourth-highest WHIP (1.39), Houston spent much of the offseason strengthening its biggest weakness.
Four veteran relievers—right-handers Luke Gregerson, Roberto Hernandez and 2014 NL All-Star Pat Neshek, along with southpaw Joe Thatcher—join a relief corps that includes only three holdovers from a year ago.
While getting the ball to returning closer Chad Qualls should be easier, the ninth inning remains an issue and will limit just how successful this influx of talent turns out to be. Of the 30 relievers who saved at least 15 games in 2014, none had a lower save conversion percentage than Qualls at 76 percent.
Kansas City Royals: No Improvement
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The phenomenal bullpen and defense that helped Kansas City shock the baseball world by advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1985 remains, but the Royals did little in the offseason to ensure that they'll be making a return trip to the playoffs in 2015.
Gone are right fielder Nori Aoki, designated hitter Billy Butler and staff ace James Shields, replaced by Alex Rios, Kendrys Morales and Edinson Volquez, respectively. While it's possible that Rios and Morales will bounce back from down years (and both have looked good this spring), neither one is a sure thing.
Shields, however, is nearly irreplaceable, as Hardball Talk's Aaron Gleeman recently noted:
"Shields will be very tough to replace after logging 456 innings with a 3.18 ERA during his two seasons in Kansas City and the Royals had a 42-26 (.618) record when he took the mound compared to 133-123 (.519) when anyone else pitched. His replacement is Edinson Volquez, whose success with the Pirates last season was built on shaky secondary numbers and who posted a 4.94 ERA from 2009-2013.
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While the majority of the AL Central improved this winter, Kansas City took a fairly sizable step backward.
Los Angeles Angels: Rotation Reinforcements
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Los Angeles headed into the offseason with limited room in its budget to add talent, yet somehow general manager Jerry Dipoto walked into spring training having acquired a pair of promising young starters in Andrew Heaney (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Nick Tropeano (Houston Astros).
Neither one has been overly impressive this spring—Heaney in particular has struggled badly, having allowed nine earned runs and 13 hits over 9.1 innings of work, though it's worth noting that six of those runs came in his last start on March 19. Despite those numbers, he figures to break camp with the club.
But both are highly regarded prospects with significant upside—Heaney more than Tropeano—the kind of pitching prospects the Angels haven't had in their farm system for a number of years.
Will there be growing pains? You bet. But with ace Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs still sidelined by injury, Jered Weaver dealing with reduced velocity and both Hector Santiago and C.J. Wilson mediocre starters at best, Heaney and Tropeano at least offer some hope for success when their number is called.
That's more than could be said for the team's other in-house rotation reinforcements, such as Jose Alvarez, Drew Rucinski and Cory Rasmus.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Improved Defense Up the Middle
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Perhaps we should point to Los Angeles' decision to revamp its front office with two of the brightest young minds in the game, Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, as the Dodgers' biggest improvement, for without them, there's no telling how the offseason might have gone.
But it's the Dodgers' focus on improving the team's defense, specifically in the middle of the diamond—which was accomplished with a trio of moves—that will prove to be the most beneficial to the club's on-field success in 2015.
The additions of shortstop Jimmy Rollins (from the Philadelphia Phillies) and second baseman Howie Kendrick (from the Los Angeles Angels) give the Dodgers their best double-play combination in years and ensure that the team won't need to use eight different players at the two positions as it did in 2014.
Yasmani Grandal, acquired from the San Diego Padres as part of the package the Dodgers received for outfielder Matt Kemp, provides a massive boost behind the plate over A.J. Ellis when it comes to pitch framing, which will help to make the team's pitching staff that much better.
Miami Marlins: Veteran Leadership in the Rotation
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While fans of the Miami Marlins wait with bated breath for the eventual return of ace Jose Fernandez from Tommy John surgery, the team made it a point to bolster its rotation this winter, acquiring a pair of veteran starters in Dan Haren and Mat Latos in separate deals.
Haren, who originally wanted nothing to do with the Marlins and threatened to retire, has been stellar this spring, allowing three earned runs over 14 innings of work. Latos has been no slouch either, tossing seven innings of two-run ball.
Their experience and leadership will prove to be invaluable to a rotation that's full of young talent, including a pair of talented 24-year-old hurlers in Jarred Cosart and Henderson Alvarez, not to mention Fernandez.
That's a point that wasn't lost on Michael Hill, Miami's president of baseball operations.
"We think we have a deep rotation," Hill told MLB.com's Joe Frisaro in mid-December. "We have some veterans in Haren and Latos, who can help lead the way and help the Jarred Cosarts and Henderson Alvarez and Nate Eovaldis and Tom Koehlers, help them continue and develop."
While Miami has since traded Eovaldi—to the New York Yankees in a deal that bought back utility man Martin Prado and David Phelps, who can start or pitch out of the bullpen—there's no question that Haren and Latos make the Marlins a better team and increase their chances of reaching the playoffs.
Milwaukee Brewers: A Healthy Ryan Braun
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The injured thumb Ryan Braun played with for nearly two years wasn't only an issue when he stepped to the plate and tried swinging a bat—it impacted nearly every facet of his life.
"It would hurt shaking hands, writing, doing regular, everyday activities," he told Fox Sports Wisconsin's Andrew Gruman roughly two months after undergoing a cryotherapy procedure (which involves freezing a troublesome nerve) to correct the problem.
A healthy Braun hasn't exactly set the world ablaze this spring, going 3-for-18 (.167) with a pair of solo home runs. But he feels as good as he has in years and remains confident in his ability to bring meaningful October baseball back to Milwaukee.
"I said it last year a few times, I really believe if I was anywhere near healthy, the season ends up differently," he remarked to Gruman. "Hopefully, this thing continues to feel good like it does right now, and I can get back to being one of the best players in the league."
Whether Braun can rediscover his past form will be the key to whether the Brewers can rediscover theirs.
Minnesota Twins: Adding Ervin Santana to the Rotation
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Despite the offseason additions of Phil Hughes and Ricky Nolasco, Minnesota's starting rotation was a disaster once again in 2014, pitching to the majors' highest ERA (5.06) and third-highest WHIP (1.43).
With the exception of Hughes, the Twins didn't have a starter pitch to an ERA below 4.45 or a WHIP lower than 1.30. In an attempt to avoid their fifth consecutive 90-loss season, Minnesota replaced longtime manager Ron Gardenhire with Hall of Fame inductee Paul Molitor and added Ervin Santana to the rotation.
Santana, 32, went 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 31 starts for the Braves in 2014, posting an 8.2 K/9, his highest average since 2008, when he was an All-Star for the Angels and averaged 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings of work.
At the very least, Santana will serve as a reliable innings-eater Molitor can lean on, but the Twins are counting on him to form a formidable front-of-the-rotation duo with Hughes. It's a role that Santana is certainly capable of filling.
New York Mets: David Wright's Health
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Matt Harvey's return from Tommy John surgery might dominate the headlines, but nothing's more important to New York's chance of contending for a playoff spot in 2015 than the health of David Wright.
Wright's left shoulder was a mess in 2014, with stretched ligaments that struggled to keep the joint stable and constant inflammation that made it nearly impossible for him to swing the bat with any authority. An offseason of intense rehab seems to have solved the issue, and Wright has looked, well, right this spring.
Any doubts about whether his power stroke would return were quieted by this mammoth home run off the Washington Nationals' Tanner Roark in exhibition play, and he's been able to make the necessary throws across the diamond from third base when he's in the field.
New York Yankees: An Even Stronger Bullpen
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No team saw its bullpen strike out batters at a higher clip than the 2014 New York Yankees did, posting a K/9 rate of 10.4, a mark that no other bullpen over the past 100 years has been able to match.
But with a rotation that's full of injury concerns, the Yankees went out and strengthened their biggest strength, rebuilding the unit with five new faces. Chief among them is Andrew Miller, who will bridge the gap between the rotation and new closer Dellin Betances, who thrived in a setup role last year.
Losing closer David Robertson hurts for sure, but the addition of Miller along with Jared Burton (free agent), David Carpenter, Chasen Shreve (trade with Atlanta) and Justin Wilson (trade with Pittsburgh) make this one of the game's strongest bullpens.
These guys may not strike out batters at a record-setting pace, but this influx of new relievers should see the unit improve on its rather mediocre 3.70 ERA, which ranked 19th in the majors.
Oakland Athletics: Ben Zobrist's Arrival
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As Grantland's Ben Lindbergh wrote shortly after the Tampa Bay Rays traded Ben Zobrist to Oakland, the two are a perfect match on a number of levels: "Zobrist’s foot fits Oakland’s slipper in three ways: He walks, he switch-hits and he plays multiple positions."
While Zobrist is versatile, he figures to spend most of his time at second base, a position of need in Oakland for the better part of five years. Going by FanGraphs' wRC+ metric (where 100 is considered average), only five teams have gotten less from the position since 2010 than Oakland (81 wRC+) has.
His ability to produce from both sides of the plate means that the A's won't have to roll with a platoon at the position for the first time in years, while his penchant for getting on base ahead of the team's run producers should result in an uptick in offense for a club that saw its bats go silent down the stretch.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Rebuild Has Begun
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Make no mistake about it—there's still a lot of work to be done in Philadelphia before the Phillies can once again be viewed as contenders. But the club did at least begin to move some of its high-priced veterans, dealing outfielder Marlon Byrd to Cincinnati and shortstop Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers.
Those two players brought back a trio of young arms—right-handers Zach Eflin (20) and Ben Lively (23), along with southpaw Tom Windle (23)—all of whom figure to be part of the team's rotation at some point in 2016 along with Aaron Nola, the team's first-round pick in the 2014 MLB draft.
While this does nothing to help the on-field product in 2015, a season that will be overshadowed by the incessant trade rumors that will surround ace Cole Hamels until the team moves him, it does offer Phillies fans a glimmer of hope for the future.
Considering the current state of the team and the questions about the competency of the man calling the shots, GM Ruben Amaro Jr., that's about as much as anyone could ask for.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Jung Ho Kang's Arrival
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Korean import Jung Ho Kang has done little to silence those who doubt that the 27-year-old MVP of the Korean Baseball Organization can be successful against major league pitching, hitting only .111 (3-for-27) with 11 strikeouts this spring.
But Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle isn't concerned, as he explained to MLB.com's Phil Rogers:
"We're seeing a very dependable infielder. We've had him at third along with short. He turned a slick double play tonight. We're going to have him at second base before we get to the weekend. We've seen some bat speed, seen the ability to leverage the ball. He just needs to get at-bats, but we like the player.
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Even if Kang's bat never comes close to matching his production in Korea—he hit .317 with 40 home runs and 117 RBI over 117 games in 2014—his versatility alone makes him a valuable addition to a Pirates squad that is looking to take the next step toward a World Series Championship.
"Kang's given us every comfort in the world that he'll be able to step in and play a lot," GM Neal Huntington recently told Newsday's David Lennon. "If not, then he'll be able to bounce around the diamond and help keep our starters fresh."
San Diego Padres: A Vastly Improved Offense
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Matt Kemp called San Diego GM A.J. Preller "a rockstar" at his introductory press conference, and he wasn't too far from the truth. Few executives in any sport have stepped into a new job and overhauled a roster as quickly—or as completely—as Preller did this winter.
Preller inherited a Padres club that crossed home plate only 535 times in 2014, which works out to a woeful average of 3.3 runs per game. So he accumulated as much offensive talent as he could, trading for Kemp, Wil Myers, Derek Norris and Justin Upton.
While their individual numbers might suffer as a result of playing half their games in a pitcher-friendly venue like Petco Park (which will test the defensive chops of Kemp, Myers and Upton), that foursome guarantees that a lack of run production won't be what keeps the Padres from contending in 2015.
San Francisco Giants: No Improvement
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San Francisco did little in the offseason to bolster a roster that was coming off its third World Series victory in five years, and expectations should be tempered heading into the regular season.
Gone is third baseman and postseason hero Pablo Sandoval—who famously told Bleacher Report's Scott Miller that the decision to leave the Giants was "not hard at all"—replaced by Casey McGehee, a player who couldn't find work in the majors two years ago and had to take his talents to Japan.
The team's only other addition of note was outfielder Nori Aoki, he of the shaky defense but solid on-base skills that will help cushion the blow of Hunter Pence's injured arm that will keep him out of action when the season begins.
History tells us that during this incredible run, San Francisco struggles in odd years—the Giants follow up their even-year championships by missing the playoffs completely the following season. By their lack of action this winter, the Giants have all but assured that history will repeat itself once again in 2015.
Seattle Mariners: A Reinforced Lineup
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After they finished the 2014 season one game out of a wild-card berth, the prevailing thought surrounding the Seattle Mariners was very much the same as it was heading into the season—the team needed one more big bat to complement Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager.
The team got its man, signing Nelson Cruz to a four-year, $57 million deal. The veteran slugger has wasted little time making his presence felt, posting a robust .407/.514/.741 slash line with four extra-base hits (three home runs), six walks and an award-worthy performance in one of the team's TV commercials.
Much has been made of his move from a hitter-friendly park (Camden Yards) to a pitcher-friendly park (Safeco Field) and how it could negatively impact his power, but it's something that Cruz isn't concerned with.
“I don’t pay attention to that stuff,” he told Bob Dutton of The News Tribune. “All I can do is what I can do. When the day comes, whatever happens will happen. I try to hit line drives. If it goes out, it goes out. That’s my approach.”
That approach will produce enough runs for the Mariners to advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
St. Louis Cardinals: Replacing Young Talent with Young Talent
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It was the last thing on anyone's mind when news of Oscar Taveras' tragic passing broke during the World Series, but replacing a youngster pegged as the next big thing in St. Louis was something that the team was going to have to address in the offseason.
"After Oscar passed, we took a lot of time to figure out what was next," Cardinals GM John Mozeliak told Bleacher Report's Scott Miller this spring. "[In] acquiring [Jason] Heyward, our understanding of him from our own due diligence [was] as someone who had the confidence and respect around the league that he could step in and not feel like there was a shadow cast."
In Heyward, the Cardinals not only get a good guy, but a heck of a ballplayer. Already entrenched as baseball's best defensive right fielder (arguably its best defensive outfielder regardless of position), Heyward's range and athleticism will make St. Louis' outfield that much better.
At the plate, his ability to get on base consistently (a career .351 on-base percentage), speed (20 steals in 24 attempts last year) and power potential (27 home runs in 2012) make him an ideal fit in the team's lineup.
Most of all, Heyward wants to be in St. Louis. "They had a void they needed to fill," he told Miller. "I'm appreciative that they came looking for me."
Tampa Bay Rays: No Improvement
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There's no possible way to spin what transpired in Tampa Bay this winter as a good thing. Shortly after general manager Andrew Friedman left for the greener pastures of Los Angeles, manager Joe Maddon jumped ship, opting out of his deal to guide the rebuilding Chicago Cubs.
A team doesn't easily recover from losing that much of its identity.
New general manager Matt Silverman and skipper Kevin Cash are highly intelligent, well-respected members of the baseball community, and we'd be fools to bet against them leading Tampa Bay to successful seasons in the years to come.
But as far as 2015 is concerned, it's going to be a long year at Tropicana Field.
Texas Rangers: A Healthy Lineup
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With ace Yu Darvish out for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Texas' chances of success in 2015 depend on its ability to outscore the opposition. Getting a healthy Shin-Soo Choo, Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland back will go a long way toward making that possible.
But of that group, Fielder's return will have the biggest impact.
He was one of the game's premier run producers from 2007 to 2013 by any measurement (including FanGraphs' wRC+ metric), but a neck injury left the five-time All-Star with no strength in his left arm and ultimately required surgery to repair, ending his first year in Texas after only 42 games.
Healthy, motivated and with a renewed passion for the game, Fielder is poised to reintroduce himself to the baseball world in a big way.
Toronto Blue Jays: Signing Russell Martin
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Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos isn't one to haphazardly hand out lucrative free-agent deals, so it was a bit of a surprise when he signed catcher Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million pact before Thanksgiving.
But after listening to Anthopoulos' reasoning, as he explained to MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm, it's easy to understand what he was thinking:
"As much money as we've spent and the commitment that we've made, you can't feel better where we're putting our dollars and who we're giving it to. The total package, as far as I'm concerned.
There are no holes in his game, and it's rare that you have that. It's rare that opportunity presents itself, and that's why we were very aggressive in going after him.
"
One of the premier game-callers and pitch-framers in the game, Martin's impact on a pitching staff can't be overstated. Per FanGraphs, take a look at the impact Martin's arrival has had on his last two teams.
| NYY (2010 w/o Martin) | 4.06 |
| NYY (2011 w/Martin) | 3.73 |
| PIT (2012 w/o Martin) | 3.91 |
| PIT (2013 w/Martin) | 3.27 |
While there are a number of factors that go into those numbers, the one constant is Martin—pitchers simply perform better with him behind the plate than they do with other catchers. That's exactly what Toronto needs to help guide an inconsistent pitching staff to success in 2015.
Washington Nationals: Adding Yet Another Ace
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Already boasting one of baseball's premier starting rotations, Washington decided to go out and add a perennial Cy Young Award contender, inking Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210 million pact.
Scherzer, who won the award in 2013 and has gone 39-8 with a 3.02 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 492 strikeouts over his last 434.2 innings of work, could legitimately be the second- or third-best pitcher on the club, with both Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann worthy of consideration for the top two spots.
We've not yet mentioned the likes of Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark, all of whom would be front-of-the-rotation arms on almost any other team.
That's a ridiculous collection of quality starting pitching—and it makes the Nationals not only the favorites to run away with the NL East, but to represent the Senior Circuit in the Fall Classic.
Unless otherwise noted, all spring training statistics courtesy of MLB.com and are current through games of March 24. All other statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.
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