Kuzul

The Seattle Mariners have already made plenty of noise this winter, and if early signs are any indication, they’ll continue to be busy until spring training.

The moves have not only been unexpected, but monumental as well and heavily focused on hitting. A new skipper is at the helm and a new superstar in town. 

The following moves are the biggest ones made by the Mariners so far, with their grades reflecting the quality of player/coach and value of their contracts.

*All stats via ESPN.com and Baseball-Reference.com.

Begin Slideshow

That sound you didn‘t hear following the four-day wheeling and dealing fest known as the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings is what made the Los Angles Angels so intriguing.

It was the cricket’s chirp, disguised as a collective thumbs up, instead of the disapproving roar.

The organization arguably pulled one of the biggest, if not the biggest, move in the last four days—sending Mark Trumbo to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-team deal with the Chicago White Sox that landed the Halos starting pitchers Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago.

It was impressive.

It was quick. 

Oddly enough, the Angels got “it” done, with most of the reactions toward the deal on the positive side—from what I saw, at least.

Sure, there wasn’t a major barrage of giant free-agent maneuvers or major trades the last four days by any MLB team, skewing the magnitude of what was accomplished by the Angels.

But they stayed away from self-inflicted stereotypes, moving from large, possibly draft-pick-surrendering, deals and made a solid cost-controlled effort to fix their starting pitching depth.

Both Skaggs and Santiago, based on the need to simply improve behind C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver, are a good start.

Although dealing Trumbo seemed to be a 180 from what was passed along by Angels’ general manager Jerry Dipoto no less than a week ago (The Orange County Register‘s Jeff Fletcher thought better of it via Twitter), it turned out to be the best option for getting young arms in return—in this instance anyway.

And, in the time of “Move Now,” the organization did not have the luxury of playing out a storybook scenario, where it keeps the local guy, and he miraculously rewards the gesture by leading it all the way to the World Series.

Will Trumbo be missed? Absolutely.

Power is always a good thing to have on the field, and a class act of a guy is always a good thing to have off the field. Trumbo embodied both areas.

The business side of things moves on, though.

The Angels needed starting pitching; moreover, they needed two starting pitchers. And, with one deal, they accomplished filling that need.

It’s a win—the first move in what seems like 1,000 of them where the criticism didn’t outweigh the praise.

Also, with that one move, the organization indirectly addressed another issue surrounding the 2014 roster: infield depth.

Now that Trumbo is gone, it would be hard to imagine a scenario where Howie Kendrick gets traded.

That beneficial flip-flop in trade chips gives the Angels flexibility in the infield, allowing David Freese to hold the hot corner, Erick Aybar to play shortstop, Kendrick to keep the veteran presence at second, with a nice platoon of Grant Green and Andrew Romine off the bench.

That, for now, is another win.

If the timing of everything allows Kaleb Cowart to progress in Double-A, with Romine and Green carrying their weight and progressing as well, then I would say dealing Trumbo could eventually be viewed as an organization-shifting move.

It leaves the need to fill a void of 30-plus homers that Trumbo carried, no question. And that won’t be the easiest aspect to fill.

If Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton continue to fade, then I can also say this move could be viewed as the organization shifting in the wrong direction, too.

Isn’t everything in the guessing game like that? It’s a risk.

But, even with that possibility of the unknown, there has to be some feel of confidence among the Halo community.

Perhaps there really is a collective agreement in philosophy between the GM and manager Mike Scioscia.

That might be the biggest win of all, which can trickle down into a more positive clubhouse environment.

Mind you, that could have been a front for the media, saying the right things in an environment where the day is spent answering the same genre of questions.

I get that.

However, I also understand where the team was coming from, with reminders popping up every day, like the one Fox Sports’ Gabe Kapler sent out on Twitter:

That is the reality this organization cornered itself into. Now, it’s about making strides to right the ship. And the Angels are doing that, in my mind.

The organization was smart to acquire the Toronto Blue Jays‘ Rule 5 draft selection, Brian Moran, for international slot money. The left-handed reliever “annihilated left-handed hitters in Triple-A,” said Jerry Dipoto, according to MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez.

That’s never a bad thing to have, in the grand scheme of bullpen depth.

Sure, there is more work to be done with the offseason a long, long way from over. Adding another pitcher like Matt Garza would be a solid finale to the offseason—which became an actual possibility, as the money available under the tax threshold for the Angels is now around $20 million.

Until then, however, you still have to like what the Angels have done up to this point.

I do.

Winter Meetings Grade: A

Unless otherwise noted, all stats and contract info were courtesy of baseball-reference.com.

Follow Rick Suter on Twitter @rick-suter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There are a number of clichés to characterize what the Seattle Mariners must do at the Winter Meetings. Strike while the iron is hot…Get while the getting’s good…

Alright, maybe that’s it. But the point stands: The Mariners need to do something. Preferably something worthy of headlines, as the one headline-grabbing move they have made this winter isn’t enough.

After a noisy courtship, the Mariners agreed to terms with former New York Yankees superstar second baseman Robinson Cano last week. At 10 years and $240 million, his contract is one of the biggest in MLB history.

“People can write and say what they want, but this is an exciting time in Seattle,” Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik told USA Today. “Any time you can make your club better, especially if you can upgrade with a star, it helps everybody. A star coming to our market is a great thing.”

Even at the time the Cano deal was struck, however, it was clear that the Mariners couldn’t stop there.

Cano is 31 years old. There are studies that suggest that’s a scary age, and you can look and see that Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton all had their last great seasons at 31.

Since the Mariners can’t let Cano’s prime years go to waste, it’s imperative that they put their fourth straight losing season behind them and win now. And to win now, they need more talent.

More than anything, the Mariners need more talent around Cano. On the offensive side, after all, this was not a team that was one superstar away from contention.

With data courtesy of FanGraphs, here’s a simple comparison of what Cano was worth in 2013 to what the entire Mariners offense was worth:

In other words: If the Yankees had dealt Cano for Seattle’s entire offense last season, it would have been a bad trade for them.

Maybe that’s being a bit extreme, but things really were bad in Seattle last season. It can vary, but FanGraphs sets the baseline WAR for an average regular at 2.0. The list of Mariners who did that well in 2013 includes:

• Kyle Seager: 3.4 WAR

And that’s it. After Seager, the best Mariners player was Brad Miller at 1.7 WAR. Which, to his credit, he compiled in about half-a-season’s worth of work.

Miller’s one reason things should be better in 2014…but only to a degree. Here are the Mariners whom Steamer projects will be quality regulars in 2014:

Steamer sees Cano being a superstar, as well as Miller building on a strong debut season and Seager being above-average once again. Mike Zunino, meanwhile, is projected to make good on his considerable talent.

However, four quality regulars likely won’t be good enough. If we look back at how many 2.0 WAR players the 10 playoff teams in 2013 had, a baseline materializes:

A baseline of five quality regulars does sound about right. That’s more than half a lineup consisting of quality regulars, which is better than the basically one-ninth that the Mariners had in 2013 and the four-ninths they’re currently projected to have in 2014.

With an assist from FanGraphs’ free-agent leaderboard, here are some free agents who could help the Mariners based on their 2013 production.

With Steamer expecting Seager, Miller and Cano to earn their keep in 2014, the Mariners aren’t the best fit for Juan Uribe, Stephen Drew or Omar Infante. Shin-Soo Choo and James Loney, however, are both players who could work.

Choo, who Jason A. Churchill of Prospect Insider says is on Seattle’s radar, would be a tremendous upgrade for a leadoff spot that produced just a .296 on-base percentage in 2013. There’s also a fit for him in right field, where the Mariners currently have Abraham Almonte penciled in as their starter.

Loney is coming off a season that saw him post a 118 wRC+ while playing characteristically solid defense at first base. He’d be an upgrade over Justin Smoak, who had a 109 wRC+ while playing less-solid defense at first base. 

The Mariners could turn to the trade market instead. Names they’ve been linked to include Matt Kemp, who would be an upside play, and Billy Butler, whose right-handed stick would look good next to Cano’s lefty stick.

One thing the Mariners must not do is throw money at Nelson Cruz, which is something Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times says they already tried to do with a five-year, $75 million contract offer. If the Mariners sign him, they’ll be signing a guy who hasn’t been worth 2.0 WAR in any of the last three years. 

Any of the other names listed above would be better. Choo and Loney are coming off strong seasons, and Kemp and Butler both have 2.0 WAR upside. If he can stay healthy, Kemp’s potential obviously far exceeds mere 2.0 WAR upside.

As to other matters, while support for Cano should be Seattle’s priority, the Mariners certainly shouldn’t neglect their starting rotation.

Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma were both fantastic in 2013, combining for 10.2 WAR. Beyond them, though, there wasn’t much in Seattle’s rotation. The baseline WAR for an average starting pitcher is also in the 2.0 range, and Hernandez and Iwakuma were the only Mariners starters to go there.

Steamer sees more of the same in 2014:

Taijuan Walker and Jamex Paxton are ready to contribute, but Steamer sees a 1.6 WAR for Walker and a 1.3 WAR for Paxton. Growing pains, in other words, which is a fair expectation given their youth and inexperience. Not every young pitcher is going to be Jose Fernandez or Matt Harvey.

The Mariners would have three quality starters lined up if they acquire an established pitcher at the Winter Meetings, and that’s a baseline met by most of last year’s playoff teams:

There are still options for the Mariners out on the free-agent market, as the list of available starters who were worth 2.0 WAR in 2013 includes:

Per MLBTradeRumors.com, Peter Gammons said on Monday that Bartolo Colon is on the Mariners’ radar, and they’re definitely a team with the means to get in on the big three still out there: Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana or Matt Garza.

And why rule out Masahiro Tanaka? If the Rakuten Golden Eagles choose to post him, there would be no harm in the Mariners meeting the maximum bid of $20 million to get in on the bidding. Given the Mariners’ notable tradition of being a home to Japanese stars like Ichiro Suzuki, Kazuhiro Sasaki and now Iwakuma, Tanaka’s undeniably an intriguing target.

Or the Mariners could go for the big one on the trade market: David Price. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has listed the Mariners as a top suitor for Price, and Dan Szymborski made a compelling argument on ESPN Insider for why the Mariners actually need the Cy Young-winning lefty.

Whether it’s Choo, Loney, Kemp, Butler, Colon, Tanaka, Price or whoever else, or some combination of players, the best part of all this is that there’s not much the Mariners can’t do. In terms of assets, they’re pretty well off.

In addition to young talent to deal, the Mariners have enough financial leeway to afford any big contracts they might be eyeing. We don’t think of Seattle as one of MLB’s top spenders, but it has a $2 billion TV deal coming its way and only Hernandez and Cano signed to rich long-term contracts.

The Mariners need to go big, can go big, and the time for them to go big is now. They went into the Winter Meetings with momentum after signing Cano, but things tend to happen fast when the Meetings are in swing. The players who fit Seattle’s needs could soon be spoken for.

If the Mariners don’t act, they’ll be in danger of leaving the Meetings with fewer options to fill their needs, and then they’ll be in danger of something even worse: wasting one of the precious few prime years they just paid $240 million for.

One can only imagine the criticism that would be directed at Seattle’s front office. And at last check, it doesn’t need any more of that.

If you want to talk baseball, hit me up on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Seattle Mariners are back. That’s the main message that one can take away from their signing of Robinson Cano. The deal was first reported by ESPN Deportes‘ Enrique Rojas. 

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that the deal is for $240 million over 10 years. While the years and the numbers are stunning, they are almost besides the point. The Mariners are telling MLB that they are back to being a relevant franchise again.

The Mariners vastly overpaid for Cano, but they know that. It was the only way that Cano was going to leave the New York Yankees. This is about setting a new tone for a franchise, one that has drifted toward mediocrity and irrelevance over the years outside of Felix Hernandez.

Seattle has the money to make this type of deal without crippling the franchise long term based on a new $2 billion television deal that Forbes’ Mike Ozanian breaks down here. The Los Angeles Dodgers, for example, have spent heavily since signing their new television deal last season. 

Having prospects and a highly ranked farm systems is great, but no one was watching or talking about the Mariners last season. On Friday, everyone was talking about Seattle, talking about the deal, talking about other moves that the Mariners might be able to pull off this winter.

I would compare this deal to when the Boston Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez after the 2000 season. The Red Sox signed Ramirez to an eight-year deal worth roughly $160 million. It was a deal that no other team was offering. When the deal was announced, it immediately put a buzz back into the city of Boston and started the Red Sox back toward being a contender. Boston eventually won a World Series in 2004.

The Mariners remain an untapped gem of a franchise in a great market that hasn’t been able to reap the benefits of not having to compete with an NBA or NHL franchise for consumer dollars. The fact that attendance was dwindling shows that the product on the field wasn’t very exciting or interesting.

Last year, attendance was 1.76 million people, the third season in a row that attendance has been below 2 million. It’s a far cry from 2002 when the Mariners led the American League in attendance at 3.5 million, more than twice as much as they drew last season. 

Signing Cano is just as much about what he can provide off of the field than what his numbers might look like at the end of this deal. As great as Hernandez has been for Seattle, it is really tough to have a pitcher be the face of the franchise.

Other free agents will now take Seattle more seriously when the offer a deal. Corporate and business partners might be far more likely to invest now that the team has a daily face of the franchise.

Cano’s success in New York is something that can be sold as promise for the Mariners. Cano’s brand comes with him winning a World Series in New York, receiving MVP votes during six different seasons, five-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger and a two-time Gold Glove winner. 

I am normally against teams signing players to this type of contract—there is normally just too much downside. In this case, I understand the reasoning behind it. Seattle wanted back in to the AL West, back to being in the playoff conversation, back to its fanbase having hope in spring training again. 

If Cano’s contract results in the Mariners becoming relevant again, then it will be well worth it.  

Information used from Enrique Rojas/ESPN Deportes, Jon Heyman/CBS Sports, Baseball Reference, Mike Ozanian/Forbes and Baseball America.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After coming up short in the sweepstakes for Prince Fielder and Josh Hamilton in each of the last two offseasons, respectively, the Seattle Mariners were determined to land one of the few elite hitters in this year’s free-agent class.

Well, they got one Friday.

According the Enrique Rojas of ESPNDesportes.com, Robinson Cano and the Mariners have agreed in principle on a 10-year, $240 million contract, which ties Albert Pujols for the third-largest deal in major league history.

Though the Mariners will have the 31-year-old Cano under contract for the next decade, it’s doubtful the organization would have pursued him so aggressively if it didn’t plan on contending in the near future; the M’s wanted Cano anchoring their lineup for the back end of his prime years.

While Cano’s contract will likely prevent Seattle from signing another big-name free agent this offseason, there is a growing belief that the organization will trade for Tampa Bays ace David Price during next week’s winter meetings.

Had you asked me at the beginning of the week which is most likely to occur this offseason, the Mariners signing free agent Robinson Cano or trading for David Price, I would have said the latter without hesitation.

Despite graduating Nick Franklin, Brandon Maurer, Brad Miller and Mike Zunino to the major leagues in 2013, the Mariners have both the talent and depth on the farm to execute a potential blockbuster trade—and the front office knows it.

Considering the Rays’ return last offseason—a four-player prospect package headlined by AL rookie of the year Wil Myers—from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for James Shields (and Wade Davis), it’s almost a foregone conclusion they will want Seattle’s top prospects in return for Price, the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner.

With that said, here’s one realistic trade package Seattle may offer the Rays to land David Price. 

Taijuan Walker, RHP

Selected by the Mariners in the supplemental first round of the 2010 draft, Walker has everything you want in a future ace. At 6’4” and 210 pounds, the right-hander is an outstanding athlete with a fluid delivery, quick arm and exceptional stuff.

After an up-and-down age-19 campaign at Double-A in 2012, Walker’s command and overall execution of his electric arsenal developed rapidly during his second tour of the level this past season.

The 21-year-old opened the season by mastering the Southern League with a 2.46 ERA and a 96-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 84 innings at Double-A Jackson, and he ultimately earned a promotion to Triple-A Tacoma in late June.

Despite the fact that he was one of the younger pitchers at the level, Walker held his own with a 3.61 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 57.1 innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Even though he logged a career-high 141.1 innings between both minor league levels, the Mariners decided to give their top prospect a taste of the major leagues as a September call-up.

Suffice it to say that Walker responded favorably to the challenge. In his final start of the year, on Sept. 9 against the Houston Astros, the promising right-hander allowed two earned runs on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts over five innings.

Overall, Walker registered a 3.60 ERA, .a 204 opponent batting average and a 12-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 15 innings spanning three starts.

Walker boasts a plus-plus fastball that reaches the upper-90s, and he has also developed a high-80s/low-90s cutter that should be at least above-average at maturity. Although his command of both pitches has vastly improved this season, he still tends to leave too many up in the zone—something that will need to improve moving forward.

Both of Walker’s secondary offerings are also in need of refinement. The right-hander induces whiffs with a curveball that has big-time depth and heavy downer action, though his lack of control makes it an inconsistent offering. Meanwhile, he’s still developing a feel for a changeup that’s average at the moment but plays up when he’s working the corners with the fastball and cutter.

I think I speak for all prospect enthusiasts in saying that I hope Walker isn’t traded this winter. It’s not that he’d necessarily be less successful or worse off with another organization; I just think his future is especially bright with Seattle.

However, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, the Rays won’t trade Price to the Mariners unless Walker is included in the deal.

The only question is whether the Mariners are willing to make a long-term sacrifice (trading Walker) in favor of a potential short-term gain (acquiring Price).

Nick Franklin, 2B-SS

Selected by the Mariners in the first round of the 2009 out of a Florida high school, Nick Franklin asserted his place on the big league radar the following year with an outstanding full-season debut.

Assigned to Low-A Clinton, the switch-hitting shortstop batted .281/.351/.485 with 52 extra-base hits (23 home runs) and 25 stolen bases in 129 games. The Mariners moved Franklin up to Double-A for the final game of the regular season—a challenge to which he responded by going 2-for-3 with three runs scored.

After battling through an injury-plagued 2011 campaign and playing in only 88 games, Franklin bounced back in a big way in 2012, batting .278/.347/.453 with 52 extra-base hits (11 home runs) and 12 stolen bases in 121 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Although he has developed at both middle infield positions, Franklin’s range and arm are a cleaner fit at second base than shortstop. Therefore, when he moved to second base on a near-full-time basis early in the season at Triple-A, it was a strong indication that his call-up was near.

After batting .324/.440/.472 with 13 extra-base hits and more walks (30) than strikeouts (20) in 39 games at Triple-A Tacoma to begin the season, Franklin finally was promoted to the major leagues in late May.

It didn’t take long for the 22-year-old to enjoy success at the highest level.

In his third big league start, Franklin was 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs—the first and second of his promising career—at spacious PetCo Park in San Diego. So it’s not like either home run was cheap.

At the All-Star break in July, Franklin was considered a legitimate rookie of the year candidate in the AL after batting .268/.337/.451 with 16 extra-base hits (six home runs), five stolen bases and a 36-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 169 plate appearances.

However, Franklin’s second half of the season was essentially a two-and-a-half month slump during which he pressed at the plate and seemingly swung through everything. As a result, he batted .194/.280/.333 with a 77-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 243 plate appearances during that span.

While Franklin’s overall body of work as a rookie was impressive, it’s difficult to look past the severity of his struggles following the All-Star break. And with Cano now in the equation and presumably taking over at second base next season, the 22-year-old now represents the Mariners’ most expendable young player.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has been attempting to solidify its middle-infield situation for the last several years with minimal success. So expect Franklin to be included in a potential trade should the Mariners pursue Price.

Ji-Man Choi, 1B

Signed in 2009 out of South Korea, Ji-Man Choi had a very promising professional debut the following year, batting .360/.440/.517 with 21 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 50 games between the AZL Mariners and High-A High Desert.

Unfortunately, he spent the entire 2011 season on the disabled list with a strained back muscle. The setback in his development resulted in an assignment to Low-A Clinton in 2012, where Choi made up for lost time by batting .298/.420/.463 with eight home runs and 43 RBI in 66 games.

This year, Choi enjoyed the type of quick ascent through the Mariners’ system that had seemed inevitable back in 2010. It’s easy to point out that the 22-year-old’s triple-slash line deteriorated upon reaching Double- and Triple-A; however, it also marked the first time that he’d played at either level.

Depending on whether they re-sign James Loney, the Rays could be in the market for an inexpensive first basemen. On top of that, the Mariners still have Justin Smoak under contract through the 2016 season, so including Choi in a potential trade for Price actually makes plenty of sense for both teams.

Dominic Leone, RHP

Dominic Leone may not look like much at 5’11” and 185 pounds, but don’t let his size fool you.

Selected in the 16th round of the 2012 draft out of Clemson, Leone hopped on the fast track to the major leagues this past season (also his full-season debut).

The 22-year-old—in his age-21 season—amassed 16 saves and posted a 2.25 ERA with a 64-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 64 innings between Low-A Clinton, High-A High Desert and Double-A Jackson.

Concern about Leone’s size and lack of downhill plane will continue to follow him through his career. However, that should never detract from the overall nastiness of his stuff.

The right-hander boasts a mid-90s fastball that will play up due to his quick arm and release point. Leone will also attack hitters with a cutter that comes in a few ticks below his regular fastball velocity and features late slicing action to the glove side. Leone’s out-pitch is a nasty slider that dives out of the zone at the last minute to generate a favorable number of strikeouts and weak-hit outs.

Leone continued to improve his prospect stock even more this fall with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, saving six games and posting a stellar 15-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 12 innings.

Although he’ll presumably open the 2014 season in the minor leagues—either at Double- or Triple-A—it shouldn’t take long for Leone to pitch his way to the major leagues. Once he gets the call, Leone’s combination of swing-and-miss, plus stuff and an above-average command profile should allow him to carve out a role as a solid seventh- or eighth-inning arm.

With a host of young, hard-throwing relievers ahead of him on Seattle’s depth chart, Leone represents intriguing trade bait, given his proximity to the major leagues.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For the first time in a while there isn’t “50 feet of crap” between everyone else and Oakland.

Also, for the first time since anybody can remember, the Oakland A’s seem to be making some serious moves this offseason.

And for the first time in a long time, the A’s may gives fans reason to again scream the famous phrase of late A’s announcer Bill King, “Holy Toledo!”

Yes, the same Oakland Athletics who were seen as merely a Triple-A team from 2007-11, finishing four of those five seasons with sub-.500 records, who have won the American League West pennant the last two years only to have their underdog World Series hopes dashed by Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers twice, are actually spending money this offseason.

Yes folks, sound the alarms, light the flares and, for those in the Bay Area, do the Bernie; A’s general manager Billy Beane has opened up the wallet! Just like he said he would during the GM Meetings last month.

But he’s also spending smart. Not bringing in stars, but filling needs.

Beane began the spending when he brought in utility infielder Nick Punto on a $3 million deal back on Nov. 13th. Punto split time between second, third and shortstop in 116 games for the Dodgers while batting .255 with two homers and 21 RBI.

That, however, was just the appetizer.

Yesterday, the A’s agreed to a two-year, $22 million deal with lefty Scott Kazmir and followed that signing by acquiring closer Jim Johnson from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for second baseman Jemile Weeks.

Johnson fills the A’s need at closer after Grant Balfour “raged” his way into free agency, while Kazmir fills the hole in the A’s rotation left by Bartolo Colon.

Johnson finished the 2013 campaign with 50 saves in 59 opportunities for the O’s, with a 2.94 ERA.  His 50 saves tied with Atlanta‘s Craig Kimbrel for most in the bigs.  Johnson has only blown 12 saves over the past two years (101 saves in 113 opportunities) spent as the Orioles’ closer.

According to Tim Dierkes of MLBtraderumors.com, Johnson was due a big raise in arbitration following his two stellar seasons.  Baltimore saves money by acquiring the young Weeks, while Oakland’s increasing payroll allows them to afford Johnson.

Kazmir will arrive to the Bay Area following a 2013 season in which he posted a 10-9 record with a 4.04 ERA and 162 strikeouts. Kazmir also brings some much needed postseason experience, including two World Series starts with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008 against the Philadelphia Phillies. In those two games he took a loss and a no decision over 10 innings pitched, allowing five runs while striking out nine.

The addition of Kazmir, assuming he can reproduce what he did for the Tribe in 2013, is a huge boost to a rotation that was second in the American League in ERA (3.56) and features young stud pitchers like A.J. Griffin (14-10, 3.83, 171 K), Tommy Milone (12-9, 4.14, 126 K), Jarrod Parker (12-8, 3.97, 134 K), Dan Straily (10-8, 3.96, 124 K) and Sonny Gray (5-3, 2.67, 67 K).

Earlier today, Steve Adams of MLBtraderumors.com reported that the A’s also acquired 30-year-old outfielder Craig Gentry, and pitcher Josh Lindblom from the Texas Rangers in exchange for 24-year-old outfielder Michael Choice.

Gentry, quite possibly one of the game’s best defensive outfielders, hit .280 for the Rangers last year, with two homers and 22 RBIs. 

The A’s plan to make the 26-year-old Lindblom into a starting pitcher, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports.  Lindblom carries a 3.82 career ERA as a reliever, appearing in 109 career games with the Dodgers, Phillies and Rangers.

To see this organization increase their payroll while still maintaining their way of business is definitely progress for Oakland, proving that 2012 wasn’t just a one-hit kind of year.  However, with all of that said, now that Oakland is spending more money, expectations will be high as well.

Another loss in the ALDS won’t cut it in Oakland anymore.

Yet, should everything work out for Oakland as they hope… well, “Holy Toledo!”

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Despite the acquisition of first baseman Prince Fielder, the Texas Rangers are still a team with flaws. A number of good free agents remain on the market and should Texas sign them, it may fix some of the areas that need improvement.  

With questions still remaining about the team heading into the 2014 season, here are three weaknesses that Texas has and free agents who help fill those holes.

Left Field

As it stands right now, Craig Gentry is the team’s Opening Day left fielder if the season were starting now. While Gentry’s performance last season was enough to prove his reliability as a player, the Rangers may want to look for a more proven player to play left field.  

Gentry hit .280 with 12 doubles, four triples, two homers and 22 RBI last season while stealing 24 bases in 27 attempts. He proved to be highly effective against both lefties and righties last season, hitting .280 and .281 against them respectively.  

Shin-Soo Choo remains a hot name on the market, along with Nelson Cruz, who could still re-sign with the Rangers. Of these two players, who would be the best fit for Texas?

Now that the Rangers have acquired Prince Fielder, their desire for a powerful bat appears to have been met. With that in mind, Texas would be wise to pursue Choo as a corner outfielder for the 2014 season and beyond.  

Over the years, Choo has quietly turned himself into one of the best outfielders in the game. No, he doesn’t hit for a lot of power, having never hit more than 22 homers in a season, and he’s never cracked 100 RBI in a single season, but don’t be fooled about his offensive ability.

Last season Choo placed fourth among all major leaguers with a .423 on-base percentage.  In addition to his high on-base percentage, he also hit 34 doubles, 21 homers and stole 20 bases.

While Cruz would be a welcomed addition to the team next season, he doesn’t have the on-base ability that Choo does. Choo‘s ability to get on base and steal bases makes him a great catalyst and would be a nice compliment to a lineup that features power hitters like Fielder and Adrian Beltre.  

Catcher

General manager Jon Daniels appears to have already committed to Geovany Soto as the team’s catcher heading into the 2014 season, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best decision.

Soto is a .248 career hitter with a .335 on-base percentage and has had a number of ups and downs throughout his career.  

Ironically enough, his best season to date was in 2008 when he hit .285 with 23 homers and 86 RBI, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award. The following season, he saw his average drop to .218 with 11 homers and 47 RBI, only to bounce back with a .280 average in 2010 where he hit 17 homers.  

He’s been a backup for the Rangers since 2012, having played in just 101 regular-season games with the organization since being acquired via trade.

Soto has had his share of success with the Rangers since joining them but has only hit .222 with the club in his first year and a half with the team.  

With Brian McCann having signed with the Yankees, Texas would likely look to bring back either A.J. Pierzynski or former Ranger Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  

Unfortunately, Pierzynski will be 37 years old at the start of the 2014 season, and Saltalamacchia has a history of inconsistency similar to Soto. Both players could come for a higher price than what Texas signed Soto for, which could lead the Rangers to stick with him as planned. That being said, Texas would be wise to consider all available options at catcher just in case Soto doesn’t work out as they are hoping.

First Baseman/Designated Hitter

The Rangers just traded for first baseman Prince Fielder, so how could the position possibly be a problem? The reason for a weakness at these positions is mostly because Fielder could serve as the team’s first baseman or designated hitter. If he plays as the team’s everyday first baseman, then Texas’ problem would be at designated hitter; if he is the designated hitter, then the problem will be at first base.

It appears likely that first baseman Mitch Moreland will fill whatever spot in the lineup that Fielder doesn’t fill, however Moreland himself isn’t even certain what the future holds.

Moreland set career highs last season in games played (147), homers (23) and RBI (60), but struggled in the second half of the season. His .183 average after the All-Star break was a huge drop from his .266 average at the beginning of the season. Moreland‘s struggles certainly played a role in the team’s decision to trade for Fielder, but why should a trade stop them from looking to replace Moreland via free agency?

Looking strictly at first basemen, guys like Mike Napoli, Corey Hart, Kendrys Morales and James Loney are just a few guys who Texas should consider bringing in.  

Hart sat out all of the 2013 season due to a knee injury but hit .275 with 30 homers and 83 RBI in 2012. The fact that he is coming back from an injury could make Hart a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Rangers.

Putting the argument for Hart aside, Napoli, Morales and Loney all hit for a higher average than Moreland did last season, while Napoli and Morales both hit 23 homers.  

The price for an additional first baseman or designated hitter to permanently replace Moreland may come at a high price, but it could be a move worth making. Replacing him could provide Texas with a more consistent bat and a guy who can be inserted in the lineup every day, as opposed to the situational play that Moreland could be looking at in 2014.  

All stats and info courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com, CBSSports.com, DallasNews.com and MLBTradeRumors.com.

Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZacharyKrueger

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Seattle Mariners trade rumors have been abundant so far this offseason, but the club has yet to pull any triggers. They’ve been included in trade talks for Dexter Fowler, Billy Butler and even Matt Kemp, but putting a package together to acquire said all-star caliber players is easier said than done, and it would likely include at least one of Seattle’s top prospects, which doesn’t always work out as planned (i.e. Adam Jones for Erik Bedard). 

That being said, the Mariners do have some weak spots that can be filled via trade or free agency without letting go of coveted high-end prospects.

Catcher

The three backstops currently on Seattle’s roster are Jesus Montero, Jesus Sucre and Mike Zunino.

I’m sure Jack Zduriencik doesn’t want to give up on Montero just yet, but if he was hitting in the low .200s with single digit homers while taking PEDs, I don’t like the chances of him being much better off the juice.

Zunino is undoubtedly Seattle’s catcher of the future but needs grooming and a veteran to help the process along. I’m not saying Zunino shouldn’t start, but adding a guy who’s well traveled and can start if needed would fill a void that the Mariners’ retirement-home catching staff couldn’t last year. 

Solution: Kurt Suzuki

Suzuki is currently a free agent after Oakland declined his $650,000 2014 option, and he would make a perfect complement to Zunino.

For one, he’s a solid all-around player. He gets on base and has some pop, and although his defense is on the decline, he’s been an above-average defensive catcher throughout his career.

For two, is doesn’t feel right not having a Suzuki on the roster.

For three, Suzuki is a veteran guy who can help Zunino along without getting in the way of his development. He’s also more than capable of taking on a starting role if need be.

Outfielder

The outfield has been the position of emphasis for months now, and with Franklin Gutierrez’s option being declined, the position has an even greater need. 

Trading for Fowler would make sense, but it would likely come at the expense of one of Seattle’s top pitching prospects. Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen and James Paxton could be safe, but Tyler Pike could have to be let go. Pike is the Mariners fourth-rated prospect and went 7-4 with a 2.37 ERA for Single-A Clinton last season in 27 starts.

The Rockies are in desperate need of pitching and may want someone who can fill a spot in the rotation right away, though in which case they could get greedy and ask for one of the aforementioned “big three.”

Free-agent outfielder Nate McLouth is another option. The recently turned 32-year-old amassed a career-high 30 stolen bases last season, is a scrappy player who goes all out and is a solid hitter who gets on base a ton. He would also be a bargain—likely sign-able for $5 million per season.

McLouth‘s former teammate in Baltimore, Nick Markakis wold be a viable option as a corner outfielder in Seattle. He’s durable, he’s a good hitter with power, he gets on base and he’s an excellent fielder. He has one year left on his contract with a team option for 2015 and will be making $15 million this season. Markakis has a monster arm and would get plenty of extra base hits in Safeco.

Like Fowler, Markakis would likely be traded for a pitcher. Pike could be the guy, or Seattle could package Tyler Smith and Edwin Diaz, a pair of right-handed pitchers in Seattle’s farm system.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The acquisition of Nick Punto sparked a few rumors surrounding other members of the Oakland A’s infield. Add to it plenty of talk regarding the starting rotation, and it can be tricky determining which will come into fruition and which is just plain false.

Is Alberto Callaspo on his way out now with a crowded infield? Is Jed Lowrie the missing piece for the St. Louis Cardinals? Will the A’s sign a power bat? Or will they spend the money on a veteran starting pitcher?

There are five major rumors floating around the Web. Here’s a look into each of them with a final verdict of fact or fiction.

Begin Slideshow

The St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers faced off in a classic World Series in 2011, but now they can come together for their mutual benefit. The Cards’ pursuit of a shortstop and the Rangers’ apparent willingness to deal from a middle-infield surplus have emerged as prominent story lines early in this offseason.

Here’s a deal I think works for both sides:

Cardinals get: SS Elvis Andrus

Rangers get:  first baseman and designated hitter Allen Craig, along with right-handed pitcher Shelby Miller

Although some reports suggest the Cardinals are looking first at acquiring Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, such a deal would be pretty difficult to swing, explains Dave Cameron of Fangraphs. The Rangers, though, could make for a better trade partner.

Pete Kozma, the incumbent St. Louis shortstop, is great defensively, but he’s basically a non-entity with the bat. Andrus is also a glove-first shortstop, but he possesses a nuanced offensive skill set that brings extra value where a Kozma-type doesn’t. Specifically, he gets on base at a respectable clip, and he’s also been one of the best baserunners in MLB since he broke in five years ago. It doesn’t sound like much, but that makes a big difference, at least for metrics like WAR.

For the Rangers, they get to satisfy two needs in this deal.

First baseman Mitch Moreland proved he’s not an everyday player last season, and Texas general manager Jon Daniels has said he wants to add more punch to the lineup. Craig, a flawed player but an offensive asset, can do just that.

A right-handed hitter, Craig makes tons of hard contact, and has been worth 3.25 fWAR per 600 PAs in his career, almost all of which is derived from his performance at the plate. He’s a defensive liability even at first base, and his power took a downturn last year owing to his surging line-drive rate, but Craig can hit. Moving to Texas, where the ball flies, should help him regain some of that lost power, as his batted-ball distance should rebound a bit, as Fangraphs’ Matt Podhorzer explains.

The tricky part is getting Craig those 600 PAs—which he’s yet to do in the Major Leagues—but the idea here is that allowing him to be a DH on occasion will help to keep him on the field (or at the plate, as it were).

Miller was a blue-chip prospect and lived up to the hype in his rookie season at age 22, posting a 3.06 ERA/3.67 FIP. He throws hard, struck out nearly a batter per inning and walked fewer than three per nine. Miller is already a top-of-the-rotation starter and probably has some room to grow considering his age and upside.

Miller would slide into the Rangers’ rotation nicely, joining Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Martin Perez and Alexi Ogando for a formidable 1-5.

In terms of contracts and money moving in either direction, this one might be more equitable than you think.

Andrus’ eight-year, $120 million deal (which kicks in in 2015) would be the biggest one in the trade by far, but it may not end up being as burdensome as it appears. Andrus has opt-out clauses after both 2018 and 2019, so the Cardinals aren’t necessarily on the hook for the entire $120 million. He’s set to earn $15 million per year beginning in 2015—which is about fair-market price for a shortstop of his caliber—so he will have earned $60 million or $75 million at the time of a potential opt-out. That’s not cheap, but it’s not onerous, either, especially if he’s healthy and doesn’t decline unexpectedly in his late twenties.

Craig is owed $31 million through 2017 as part of an extension he signed in March, which essentially bought out his years of arbitration eligibility. There’s also a $13 million team option for 2018, with a $1 million buyout. Miller is under team control for five more years and will be dirt cheap the next two years before he’s even eligible for arbitration for the first time after the 2015 season.

In drawing from their respective roster surpluses to make this deal, the Cardinals and Rangers free up positions for other players to step in. The Cards have Matt Adams ready to take over at first base. He brings more power to the table than Craig, and his presence in the lineup means the Cardinals no longer have to shoehorn Craig’s shoddy defense into right field to keep his bat in the lineup. It also means the Cardinals need a right fielder—whether that be prized prospect Oscar Taveras or perhaps a free agent, such as Carlos Beltran.

Miller’s departure from the Cardinals’ rotation isn’t insignificant for now or the long-term future, but they still have Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Jaime Garcia, Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly, and they can also move Carlos Martinez from the bullpen back into the rotation, as he’s been groomed as a starter throughout his minor league career prior to joining the Redbirds’ relief corps late in 2013.

In moving Andrus, the Rangers can pivot to another prized prospect, infielder Jurickson Profar. He can take over at shortstop, while Ian Kinsler remains at second base.

The Cardinals probably get the best player in this deal in Andrus, at least today, but he’s also the most expensive, and Miller projects to be the most valuable relative to what he costs when you consider his talent and how little he’ll earn for five more years.

It seems intuitive, but a trade like this one is an illustration of the importance of consistently drafting and developing good young players.

What does everyone else think?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com