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The calendar’s about to turn—another baseball season and spin ’round the sun in the books—and still James Shields sits, unsigned.

That’s not an utter surprise; this offseason was ridiculously pitching-rich.

To put it in focus: Max Scherzer, the marquee arm on the market, is also unemployed heading into 2015.

Sometime soon, though, someone will ink Shields. When they do, they’ll land a pitcher who posted a 3.21 ERA in 227 innings with the American League champion Kansas City Royals, a guy who would slot nicely into the top end of any rotation.

And they’ll pay accordingly. The 33-year-old Shields is seeking a five-year deal in the neighborhood of $110 million and will likely get it, according to The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo. 

So who’s going to give it to him? Which clubs combine the need and financial flexibility to pluck Shields off the shelf?

Let’s take a look.

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Max Scherzer and James Shields still need homes for 2015 and beyond.

The two starting pitchers remain untouched on MLB‘s free-agent market, waiting to select a new employer before Opening Day. While action predictably intensified once fellow ace Jon Lester made his decision, the other premium hurlers did not budge on expediting the process.

Not only are they the best unsigned pitchers, they’re the biggest available names at any position. Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi notes that they are the only lingering players who will cost someone a first-round amateur draft pick:

Each righty is also expecting a hefty contract, demands which are delaying the process. Top-shelf starting pitchers are kind of important, so they’ll have no trouble getting paid before Opening Day. Courtesy of The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo, here’s the latest on each ace.

Max Scherzer

Scherzer is the grand prize here, and he knows it. Morosi reported his lofty demands weeks ago:

No Scott Boras client will ever take a discount, especially a power thrower who has notched 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings over the past three seasons. The 30-year-old will get paid, but likely not as much as he and Boras want.

While sources told Cafardo that Scherzer isn’t appraised at $200 million, recent moves make the Detroit Tigers more likely to pony up a sizable sum for his services:

The more you ask baseball executives about where Scherzer will end up, the more the answers come back Detroit. The Tigers know and like Scherzer, and the feeling is they need him after trading Rick Porcello to the Red Sox, and obtaining Alfredo Simon from the Reds and Shane Greene from the Yankees. The Tigers’ rotation is missing a significant pitcher (you can’t call Justin Verlander that anymore, and David Price may not re-sign). The executives we talked to think Scherzer’s deal will be north of Lester’s six years at $155 million, but well short of $200 million (unless option years are counted).

Losing Scherzer would turn Detroit’s major strength into a concern. After David Price, the rotation turns to Anibal Sanchez coming off an injury-laden year and a rapidly declining Verlander. Greene and Simon can hold down the final spots, but that staff isn’t ranking third in fielding independent pitching (FIP) like last year’s unit. 

After winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2013, Scherzer barely declined in 2014, seeing his FIP drop slightly from 2.74 to 2.85. Detroit’s window to win a title with Price, Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez won’t stay open forever. 

This is usually when the New York Yankees decide they’re done with frugality and swoop in for the steal. Don’t count on it. Team President Randy Levine dispelled that notion to ESPN.com’s Wallace Matthews:

The chances of us bringing in a guy for six [years] and $25 million or over in my opinion is virtually none. At the end of the day you have to be realistic in any organization.

Never say never with the Evil Empire, but they appear true to their word so far, ditching their usual histrionics for low-key yet efficient maneuvers. If that’s the case, the Tigers won’t have formidable competition for Scherzer, and they have never shied away from shelling out huge deals before.

Prediction: Scherzer signs seven-year, $175 million extension with Tigers 

James Shields

Even though nobody is putting out an eager front for Shields, somebody is expected to make him a rich man. Cafardo gave an estimate on his anticipated earnings:

The final Shields numbers are expected to be close to the five years and $110 million remaining (if the option is picked up) on the Cole Hamels deal, according to one major league source who was privy to Shields’s demands. The Giants and Red Sox are in the picture, and the Yankees may be another suitor.

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, however, relayed a different tune from San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean regarding his club’s interest.

“Sabean said he continues to search for ways to deepen the lineup and get more offense after Friday’s trade for third baseman Casey McGehee,” Schulman wrote, “but reiterated that the Giants are not likely to get another big-ticket addition, such as pitcher James Shields.”

Boston GM Ben Cherington also sounds unenamored with Shields, per ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes.

“We like the direction the team is headed in,” he said. “I think it’s more likely if we add anywhere, it’s the bullpen, between now and spring training.” 

Shields will be expensive, but perhaps not enough for the Yankees to bow out on him as well. With Hiroki Kuroda returning to Japan, per an ESPN.com report, they have nobody else on the roster who logged more than 20 starts for them last season.

The baseline doesn’t fit New York’s definition of breaking the bank, and Shields is as durable as they come. He’s thrown over 200 innings in each of the past eight seasons, hurling more frames than anyone since 2011.

That workload, along with declining strikeout rates, will scare squads from giving the 33-year-old a long-term commitment. At the very least, the bitter AL East rivals will drive up the price for the other. Since Boston has more pieces to acquire a younger ace on the trade market, look for the Yankees to ultimately pay up.

Prediction: Shields signs with Yankees for five years, $95 million

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With the calendar ready to flip to 2015, two big-name, big-money free agents remain on the market in Max Scherzer and James Shields, both of whom are proven, highly regarded right-handed starting pitchers looking to score massive contracts.

We’ve already covered the potential payday for Scherzer, so it’s time to give Shields the same treatment, especially in light of recent news that he could be looking for something in the range of $110 million over five years, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe.

The San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are three teams mentioned as possible suitors for Shields, per Cafardo. Having three big-market franchises drive up the price certainly could help his case.

Let’s start with what we know in the context of this offseason.

Jon Lester, who, along with Scherzer, was arguably the top free agent this year, scored a six-year, $155 million pact with the Chicago Cubs at the winter meetings. Scherzer’s camp, meanwhile, has been more open about his intentions, namely getting north of $200 million, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.

Most would agree that Shields isn’t in the same class as Scherzer and Lester, though, so a deal for $150 million-plus, like the one Lester already signed and the one Scherzer is trying to top, is out of the question.

But many would argue that Shields is a lot better, safer and more consistent than, say, Brandon McCarthy, the injury-prone right-hander who got $48 million over four years from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Then there’s Ervin Santana, another righty, who picked up $55 million in his four-year contract with the Minnesota Twins.

So Shields’ deal will fall somewhere between $55 million and $155 million, but (no duh) that’s a rather wide gap, to put it mildly.

It might sound surprising initially, but in a way, Shields is something of a rich man’s Santana. After all, both are proven, experienced right-handers over 30 years old with a history of durability and better-than-league-average production but not quite ace-caliber performances.

Both Shields and Santana also have had fluctuations in their production, including multiple seasons in which they were very hittable and homer-prone. Just check out Shields’ 2009 and 2010, and Santana’s 2009 and 2012.

Shields’ reputation carries more weight, and in fact, he has been a better pitcher than Santana, but it’s not crazy to suggest that Shields is closer in value to Santana than he is to Lester and Scherzer.

When put in that context, Shields shouldn’t be a $100 million arm—not when Santana is a $55 million one. Even that price seems a steep one for the Twins to have paid.

In the history of Major League Baseball prior to this offseason, only 25 players had signed contracts worth $100 million or more as free agents. Lester, of course, became the 26th.

Of that very small batch, including Lester, just 14—barely half—were entering their age-30-or-older season, and only eight were pitchers.

Combining those two subsets—that is, free-agent pitchers who inked nine-figure contracts after turning 30—leaves us with (count ’em) three up to this point in time: Kevin Brown, Cliff Lee and Lester.

Here’s where we remind you that Shields is not only a free-agent pitcher, but also one who is heading into his age-33 campaign in 2015.

Lest we forget about Shields’ failures in the playoffs—despite his “Big Game” moniker, he owns a 5.46 ERA in 59.1 innings (11 starts) in his October career—that also should be factored into his price tag.

Ultimately, it’s possible that Shields could net the nine-figure contract he’s seeking, because, hey, inflation also has to factor in, right? But if so, he’ll become only the fourth over-30 starter to get that much as a free agent. Ever.

A more acceptable and justifiable amount for Shields would be something along the lines of the five-year, $82.5 million contracts that both A.J. Burnett and John Lackey signed—the former with the New York Yankees entering his age-32 season in 2009, and the latter with the Boston Red Sox heading into his age-31 season in 2010.

Add in some value for Shields’ consistency and durability by comparison, as well as a few years’ worth of inflation, then subtract for his older age, and Shields might—might—be worth going to for $85 million to $90 million—but over four years instead of five—for a contending team with a rotation need.

That’s still about $22 million in average annual value, which would place Shields just outside the top 10 in that category for starting pitchers.

There’s also plenty of risk in giving a 33-year-old pitcher that much money, even one who has no history of arm troubles and has made at least 31 starts and thrown at least 203 innings every year since 2007, as Shields has.

Remember how those Burnett and Lackey contracts played out?

Shields has been a very good pitcher for a really long time, and he’s going to benefit from being one of only two high-end arms left in free agency. That allows him the opportunity to ask for $110 million.

It doesn’t, however, mean any team has to—or should—pay that much.

Statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.

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Although the winter meetings allowed numerous MLB teams to cross some names off their holiday shopping lists, plenty of big gifts still await.  Even with superstars like Jon Lester and Pablo Sandoval signing with new teams, the league has yet to see a resulting domino effect, and other top-tier players have yet to find new (or old) teams.

Many free agents are still up in the air.  Plenty of season-changing talent, especially among starting pitchers, still exists for title-hungry teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and others to sweep up.  

Even though the pace of signings has slowed to a crawl, that does not mean the rumor mill is not constantly spinning.  Using information derived from The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo in his invaluable “Sunday Notebook” series, let’s look at recent updates on some of the biggest available names and speculate where their ultimate destinations may be.

Giants and Sox in on Shields?

With Lester off the market, James Shields has established himself as one of the biggest names available, as the small-market Kansas City Royals are unlikely to retain the ace who spurred their surprising World Series run.  Cafardo suggests that a few big-market teams are still interested in Shields:

The final Shields numbers are expected to be close to the five years and $110 million remaining (if the option is picked up) on the Cole Hamels deal, according to one major league source who was privy to Shields’s demands. The Giants and Red Sox are in the picture, and the Yankees may be another suitor.

That would be well below the six-year, $155 million pact Lester inked with the Chicago Cubs, but one also commensurate with Shields’ level of performance.  Though Shields has eclipsed the 200-innings mark in a remarkable eight consecutive seasons, he has never checked in as more than a 4.5 WAR player, and his 2015 Steamer projection, via FanGraphs, projects him as a 3.0 WAR player.

Those numbers still make Shields a very valuable player, equivalent to Brandon McCarthy and Nathan Eovaldi last season.  But it spells more of a No. 3 starter rather than the ace that his contract demands would imply, and as Shields approaches his age-33 season, it is a given that the contract will sour in the end.

Of course, signing a big free-agent pitcher is about the present, not the albatross the contract will eventually become.  In that instance, the Giants look like a slightly better fit for Shields than the Red Sox, who already have innings-eaters but no top-of-the-rotation anchor.  San Francisco already has Madison Bumgarner, and when adding Shields to a rotation that includes Matt Cain, Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson, the Giants would trot out an extremely durable and consistent group that will almost surely produce above-average numbers.

Scherzer Staying Put?

Whereas Shields is in demand on the open market, the picture is murkier on Scherzer.  His $200 million asking price has thinned out the market and created a holding pattern.  Given that Scherzer is a Scott Boras client, it’s not difficult to envision this process dragging out.

However, unlike with Lester or Shields, no team has established clear interest in the Detroit Tigers ace.  ESPN’s Jim Bowden (subscription required) recently pegged the Tigers as 2-to-1 favorites to retain Scherzer, and Cafardo’s sources have echoed that sentiment:

The more you ask baseball executives about where Scherzer will end up, the more the answers come back Detroit. The Tigers know and like Scherzer, and the feeling is they need him after trading Rick Porcello to the Red Sox, and obtaining Alfredo Simon from the Reds and Shane Greene from the Yankees. The Tigers’ rotation is missing a significant pitcher (you can’t call Justin Verlander that anymore, and David Price may not re-sign). 

The Tigers have been unafraid to shell out huge long-term dollars to keep their own stars, as evidenced by the Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander deals.  Moreover, Detroit’s once-formidable rotation has collapsed amid Verlander’s decline, the trades of Doug Fister and Rick Porcello and Anibal Sanchez’s injury history.  Scherzer produced over 2.0 more WAR and pitched nearly 15 innings more than the second-best Tigers starter last year, effectively carrying a staggering Detroit pitching staff down the stretch.

Quite simply, the Tigers probably need Scherzer more than any other deep-pocketed contender, even the Yankees.  Until someone really gets serious about Scherzer, he’s Detroit’s free agent to lose.

Buzz on Asdrubal

Given the scarcity of well-rounded middle infielders, Asdrubal Cabrera would ostensibly be a very valuable commodity on the open market.  However, Cafardo reports that Cabrera has needed to market himself to teams, and the 29-year-old may end up taking a one-year deal:

There’s a lot of dialogue with teams, according to agent Alan Nero, but nothing has come together yet. Cabrera is willing to move to second base, which would be beneficial to him. There’s been speculation concerning the Yankees with Prado gone. Cabrera could take a one-year deal somewhere and reestablish himself.

It’s a puzzling development given that both Sports Illustrated and CBS ranked Cabrera among their 15 best free agents at the start of the offseason.  He’s unlikely to come close to ever repeating his 2011 power breakout, when he swatted 25 home runs and produced a career-high 3.6 WAR and 16.3 added runs on offense.  And Cabrera has also always had a negative glove, which will likely necessitate a move from of shortstop as he ages.

But he already possesses the versatility to handle second, as he demonstrated during his stint with the Washington Nationals last season, and his regular-season numbers make him an above-average bat.  The average slash line of major league shortstops last year was .251/.306/.363, almost exactly in line with Cabrera’s .251/.316/.397 career average.

Considering that playoff contenders were trotting out the likes of Jean Segura and Elvis Andrus last year, Cabrera seems like a nice replacement for most teams.  The Yankees or Phillies, both of whom lost franchise icons at shortstop this offseason, could represent future suitors for the ex-Cleveland Indian.

*All stats via Fangraphs.  

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Much of the chatter in the MLB has died down as the winter chill has set in across the nation, with the majority of big-name free agents inked to lucrative contracts and a variety of blockbuster trades—including of course the high-risk, high-reward moves pulled off by the San Diego Padres—already stamped as done deals.

Of course, baseball organizations have a great many moving parts, whether it’s building a contender at the MLB level, bolstering the farm system for (hopefully) a future playoff run or finding the right balance among pitching, hitting, defense and speed. 

The latest rumors floating around the Web involve the futures of high-caliber players capable of turning downtrodden franchises into potential contenders or at the very least shoring up areas of weakness on the roster. 

Let’s break down the buzz surrounding three MLBers who could be looking at new homes in the 2015 season.

Troy Tulowitzki

No matter how well a baseball player plies his trade, there is always a chance that injuries derail their career and make them expendable. Such is the case with Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who was well on his way to putting together an MVP-caliber season in 2014 before a hip surgery cut his campaign short in July.

Tulo has missed a grand total of 222 games over the past three seasons, but that reportedly hasn’t stopped the New York Mets from taking an interest in him.

According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, the two teams are still quite far apart in trade talks, and the New York Yankees have now made inquiries regarding Tulo. Heyman broke down where the teams might be coming to an impasse:

The sides have been discussing packages centered around top Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, but some have suggested that at least at some point the Rockies were also requesting Zack Wheeler be included in the package, though talks are fluid, so that may not be the case now. Just about every young Mets pitcher and player has been mentioned at some point, including right-hander Dillon Gee and shortstops Ruben Tejada and presumably Wilmer Flores, though those players are drawing limited interest and would be considered as perhaps third and/or fourth pieces in a potential deal.

With his injury history and age, Tulowitzki carries a significant risk, but it’s one the Mets should be willing to take considering the sorry state of their franchise over the past few seasons—although a second-place NL East finish in 2014 gives them hope going forward.

Should starting pitcher Matt Harvey recover well from his Tommy John surgery, the Mets could have two cornerstone players in the fold, although everyone at Citi Field would have a panic attack anytime one of these two players so much as took a scratch.

The Mets could desperately use help in the middle of the infield and would have made good candidates for Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are the ones set to negotiate with the potential star slugger.

The Yankees could easily come to financial terms with Tulowitzki, and if there is any player up to the challenge of replacing Derek Jeter, one of the most beloved players in team history, it’s the Rockies’ four-time All-Star. MLB even sent out this interesting tweet regarding Tulowitzki‘s admiration for the legendary Yankee:

The Rockies would likely have trouble explaining this move to their fanbase and could be in for a long season considering the aggressive moves made by division rivals such as the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, not to mention the dynastic presence of the San Francisco Giants.

If they do trade Tulo, it’s quite possible they go for a full rebuild and ship off star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, as the 29-year-old might not be worth holding onto for what could be a very lean period in the franchise’s history.

Dan Haren

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had an extremely busy offseason, including a frenzied few days that saw the team complete a number of notable trades. Swept up in the whirlwind of roster moves was starting pitcher Dan Haren, who found himself shipped across the country along with shortstop/second baseman Dee Gordon to the Miami Marlins in a seven-player deal. 

According to Heyman, this development doesn’t appear to sit well with Haren, who hopes for a return to the West Coast:

Prior to the trade, Haren made it abundantly clear that he wouldn’t be partial to playing away from his family.

“My signing with the Dodgers last year and my decision to exercise my player option were based on my desire to play in Southern California near my family,” he said, via email, per ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Mark Saxon. “I had other opportunities, but at this point in my career, I have no interest in playing in a city away from my family.”

The 34-year-old righty put together a solid season in 2014 for the NL West champion Dodgers, but a strong start and finish to the season disguise Haren’s implosion during the summer stretch.

It’s nice that Haren was able to pull things together after an awful July, but if he’s not happy in Florida, the Marlins might be better off without an aging, handle-with-care starter.

When Haren pitched for the Washington Nationals in 2013, he posted an ERA+ of 81, his worst mark since his rookie year, per Baseball-Reference.com. It’s quite possible scenery means more to Haren’s performance than it does some other players, so the Marlins might not have much to work with even if he does decide to play for them in 2015.

The Los Angeles Angels don’t figure likely to welcome Haren back with open arms considering he went 12-13 with a 4.33 ERA in his last season (2012) with the team.

The San Diego Padres could use a veteran on their pitching staff, and the Dodgers are paying his $10 million salary for 2015, per Spotrac, but it makes little sense to take on Haren when they have a number of intriguing young options for use the rotation, including Robbie Erlin and Odrisamer Despaigne.

That being said, Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi passed along a salient point from a fan on Twitter regarding a potential Padres ploy:

The Marlins could bolster their team by adding a backup outfielder for Haren—with Carlos Quentin being one possible option, although he is an injury risk—but they won’t be in dire straits if Haren decides to forego another long season and retire.

James Shields

James Shields isn’t the top free-agent pitcher still out on the open market—that title belongs to Max Scherzer—but he appears set to ink quite a lucrative contract, according to The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo: 

The final Shields numbers are expected to be close to the five years and $110 million remaining (if the option is picked up) on the Cole Hamels deal, according to one major league source who was privy to Shields’s demands. The Giants and Red Sox are in the picture, and the Yankees may be another suitor.

A deal with similar numbers to Cole Hamels would be quite a coup for Shields, as he has put up comparable numbers to the Phillies star but is three years older.

Still, the market forces are at play here, and with Scherzer reportedly looking for a whopping salary, Shields looks like a great value as a starting pitcher in comparison.

ESPN.com Insider Jim Bowden (subscription required) gave the Giants the best odds of signing Shields and noted their tough offseason could motivate them to make a big offer:

The world champions have had a difficult offseason after losing third baseman Pablo Sandoval to the Boston Red Sox (for basically the same offer they made) and then falling short on their bids for free agents Jon Lester, Melky Cabrera andChase Headley. (They were able to retain reliever Sergio Romo, who signed for less to stay home.) However, they’re still hard at work, and Shields is atop their wish list. They would love to be able to slot him behind Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain and ahead of Tim Hudson and Jake Peavy in their rotation. 

Indeed, Shields would be tough to deal with pitching on the heels of Madison Bumgarner and/or Matt Cain and would provide the Giants with a nice right-lefty balance in the rotation.

However, the Yankees are always a threat to snatch up premier talent, as are the Red Sox, and the New York club could be compelled to make a grand offer considering they aren’t ones to get comfortable with missing out on the postseason more often than once in a blue moon. 

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Change is certainly on the wish list of Arizona Diamondbacks fans as the holiday season approaches. 

And with spring training and the regular season also approaching, change must happen now. The 2014 season was one to forget. The D-Backs finished 64-98—worst in MLB.

Injuries to Patrick Corbin, Mark Trumbo, A.J. Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt all contributed to the struggle. It also likely led to the firing of Kirk Gibson and the hiring of new manager Chip Hale.

Corbin is projected to return to the rotation midway through the 2015 season. Goldschmidt should be fully healthy coming off a fractured left hand.

However, Arizona’s intriguing offseason moves to this point have already made headlines.

The most notable acquisition was Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas. He should provide much-needed power and protection for Goldschmidt in the lineup.

The D-Backs also acquired pitching depth in Jeremy Hellickson (from Tampa Bay) for prospects, and Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster (from Boston) for Wade Miley. 

Yet, there are still holes the organization needs to fill for a successful 2015 campaign. Here are some changes the D-Backs should make before spring training. 

Go After James Shields

D-Backs.com lists Josh Collmenter at the top of the rotation on the depth chart. Collmenter precedes De La Rosa, Hellickson and Webster.

With Corbin coming off Tommy John surgery, there are no guarantees regarding his return or performance. Arizona’s front office knows a top-of-the-rotation arm is needed to compete in the NL West.

Money is no longer the issue it once was now that the D-Backs sent Miguel Montero to the Cubs. Montero was scheduled to make $40 million over the next three years.

With some payroll flexibility, adding Shields would greatly bolster the rotation. Shields went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA last season with the Royals, helping them reach the World Series. His durability also makes him an attractive commodity. Shields has started 30-plus games in each of the past eight seasons. 

Expect Arizona to take a look at Shields knowing that pitching has been a recent problem. Here is how the starting rotation would look midway through the 2015 season with Shields and a healthy Corbin. 

1. Patrick Corbin

2. James Shields

3. Josh Collmenter

4. Rubby De La Rosa

5. Jeremy Hellickson

Replace Miguel Montero

Losing Montero leaves Arizona with Tuffy Gosewisch as the starting catcher on the depth chart. That will certainly not suffice, especially on the offensive end. 

There are several potential trade targets for general manager Dave Stewart to consider. One is Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila. He is not known for his offense, but he can be a solid defensive replacement for Montero. Avila led AL catchers in runners caught stealing with 36. 

Another option Stewart has reportedly considered is Toronto Blue Jays catcher Dioner Navarro. The latter is the more attractive offensive option. Navarro hit .300 with 13 home runs in only 89 games with the Cubs in 2013. Last season, he hit .274 with 12 home runs in Toronto.

Both stat lines were more impressive than Montero‘s past two seasons (.230, 11 HR in 2013 and .243, 13 HR in 2014).

Expect Stewart to explore both options as potential replacements at the catcher position in 2015.

Consider Trading Aaron Hill

Aaron Hill’s power-hitting days are behind him. With only 21 home runs in the last two seasons and several bites from the injury bug, it is time for Arizona to part ways with the veteran second baseman.

Hill is due $24 million over the next two years—even more reason to cut ties. If the D-Backs can trade Hill, it would open up even more money to pursue quality starting pitching.

Arizona has plenty of young infield talent to replace Hill—Chris Owings, Jake Lamb and Nick Ahmed, to name a few. Veteran Cliff Pennington can also play second base if needed.  

The D-Backs’ offseason plans involved adding a power bat, shedding salary and getting younger. Trading Hill would follow suit, and it also makes sense for the long term.

Competing against the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants and the playoff-caliber Los Angeles Dodgers will make contending in the NL West difficult for the D-Backs in 2015.

But with these changes, expect Arizona to have a good chance at finishing over .500 for the first time since 2011.

Adding quality pitching while creating a more flexible payroll—the formula for success in Arizona. 

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Plenty involved, plenty underwhelming.

That has been the synopsis of the San Francisco Giants’ post-World Series offseason to this point. The team has been heavy in the rumor mill and has handed out lucrative offers to the likes of Pablo Sandoval and Jon Lester only to see them rejected.

The failed attempts have left the franchise without a blockbuster acquisition as Christmas approaches while three other teams in their division—the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks—have made significant moves to make themselves better now and in the future, and none seem to be content with where they stand.

The Giants responded by throwing a couple of pebbles into the Pacific Ocean on Friday afternoon, trading for 32-year-old third baseman Casey McGehee, per Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, to replace the departed Sandoval and re-signing starter Jake Peavy. They are small moves and do not necessarily make the Giants a better team or the favorite to win the National League West.

As Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles wrote about the trade:

“…McGehee will probably not hit poorly enough to get released.”

The Peavy signing is logical. He performed well once moving to the National League last year after a disastrous first 20 starts with the Boston Red Sox. Peavy ended the regular season with a 2.17 ERA with the Giants, and considering their needs in the rotation, he is a nice fit at two years and $24 million. Even if he will be 34 in May.

McGehee was the NL’s Comeback Player of the Year after hitting .287/.355/.357 with a .712 OPS. He hit 29 doubles but only four home runs, while hitting into a league-leading 31 double plays. Overall, he was an average hitter (99 OPS-plus) with slightly below-average defense at third base a year after playing in Japan.

That makes McGehee a downgrade for the Giants. When compared to Sandoval, McGehee is a weaker defender with less power and a higher propensity to strike out but a higher on-base percentage.

McGehee had breakout seasons in 2009 and 2010 with the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting 39 home runs and driving in 170 to go with an .823 OPS.

At that time, he was a wonderful complement to Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart. In his two major league seasons after that, McGehee was so bad offensively that the New York Yankees eventually sent him to Class A for a short time before he made his way to Japan for the 2013 season.

What can be scary is that so much of McGehee’s offensive value is tied to his batting average, which was 18th-best in the league. As Brisbee also notes, any regression in that category, added to his inabilities to hit the ball out of the park and stay out of double plays, significantly hinders his overall value.

ZiPS projects Giants fans won’t spend a ton of time hating this deal, though (via ESPN’s Dan Szymborski):

McGehee ZiPS in SF – 258/322/357, 96 OPS+, 1.7 WAR. It’s a suitable fill-in, not some kind of major disaster.

— Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) December 19, 2014

There is another side to this McGehee trade that could make it a fantastic move by the time April rolls around. He is projected to earn about $3.5 million next season, per Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors, which is somewhere around $15.5 million less than what the Giants would have paid Sandoval in 2015 had he re-upped. That leaves the door wide open for the Giants to add a front-line starting pitcher.

With questions surrounding Matt Cain after his elbow surgery, Jake Peavy’s effectiveness at age 34 and how Madison Bumgarner will bounce back from pitching 270 innings last season—his highest total ever by more than 45 innings—the Giants could certainly stand to keep playing in the free-agent market.

If we assume the Giants are not willing to go beyond the $150 million or so they offered Lester, that fact takes them out of play for Max Scherzer but leaves them major players for James Shields.

While older and with more innings on his arm than Scherzer or Lester, Shields is not likely to cost nearly as much as either and is an effective innings-eater. Shields could also benefit from the National League lineups and the big, pitcher-friendly NL West ballparks, although they aren’t much different than the ones in the American League Central.

Since the Giants don’t have the personnel resources to make a trade for guys such as Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto, Shields makes the most sense. Plus, he also is affordable enough that the Giants can still find a left fielder, although that well is drying up quickly.

The spare cash could also land the Giants Cuban pitching prospect Yoan Lopez. Lopez is 21 with a high-90s fastball and plenty of upside. The team’s interest makes sense since the Giants were also in on Cuban defectors Jose Abreu, Rusney Castillo and Yasmany Tomas.

Whatever the Giants decide to do, they have options that are not necessarily limited by a lack of funds. The money is there, and this McGehee trade is partly the reason. If the journeyman third baseman can help the club add a big-ticket pitcher, this trade will be a win.

If the Giants cannot land another impact starting pitcher, the McGehee trade will not only be a downgrade at third base, it could also anger a fanbase that has sold out AT&T Park for the last four years.

Here’s to Giants fans hoping general manager Brian Sabean hasn’t finished maneuvering.

Anthony Witrado covers Major League Baseball for Bleacher Report. He spent the previous three seasons as the national baseball columnist at Sporting News, and four years before that as the Brewers beat writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Follow Anthony on Twitter @awitrado and talk baseball here.

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Just because Major League Baseball’s busy-as-all-get-out winter meetings are in the rearview mirror doesn’t mean the hot stove has to cool down any time soon.

Having been over the winners and losers of the busiest four days baseball has had in quite some time, it’s time to turn attention toward what still might happen next.

The offseason is only a month-and-a-half old, which means there’s enough time for a heck of a lot more moves to be made before pitchers and catchers report in mid-February.

Like, perhaps, some of these predictions.

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If there is a forgotten man in Major League Baseball’s vast crop of unsigned free-agent pitchers, it’s James Shields. 

Sure, the 32-year-old right-hander has been the subject of numerous rumors. But while twin aces Max Scherzer and Jon Lester have commanded the offseason spotlight, Shields has been mostly shoved into the shadows.

Is this fair? That’s an interesting question.

On the one hand, Shields looks like an attractive target for any club that needs pitching—and really, what club doesn’t?

After all, Shields just posted a 3.21 ERA to go along with 180 strikeouts and a 1.181 WHIP with the American League-champion Kansas City Royals. 

Plus, he started an MLB-leading 34 games and tossed 227 innings, the eighth straight time he’s eclipsed the 200-inning mark in his nine-year career.

That’s Shields’ defining trait: durability. It’s the biggest concern any team should have when locking up a starter for the long haul—can this guy stay healthy?

So far, Shields has answered with a resounding “yes.”

But (could you sense there was a “but” coming?) doubts remain about his, well, how shall we put this? Fortitude. 

Blame it on the nickname. You know the one, “Big Game James.” It haunted Shields in the 2014 postseason, during which he coughed up 17 earned runs in 25 innings.

Overall, he owns a pedestrian 5.46 playoff ERA, which pretty much puts the “big game” business to rest.

Except that stuff tends to stick; reputations, good or bad, are hard to shake. And right now, it’s possible Shields is a victim of his own mythology.

If he is being doubted by potential free-agent suitors, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s faced adversity.

When Kansas City acquired Shields from the Tampa Bay Rays prior to the 2013 season for a package of top prospects, it wasn’t a widely popular move. In fact, Rob Neyer, now of FoxSports.com, called it the “worst trade in MLB history.”

OK, enough doom and gloom. Let’s take a peek at the positive. Less than two years after Neyer issued his incorrect, and quite possibly hyperbolic, tweet, the Royals advanced to the World Series, where they lost a heartbreaking seven-game series to the San Francisco Giants.

Shields was instrumental to the run, October shortcomings notwithstanding.

“I know what kind of pitcher he is,” Kansas City skipper Ned Yost said prior to Game 5 of the 2014 Fall Classic, per Blair Kerkhoff of The Kansas City Star. “I know when he steps on the mound he’s going to be ready physically and mentally to compete and give us the best effort.” 

The Royals ultimately lost Game 5. Yost‘s point, however, stands. Shields has proven over the course of his career that you can count on him to log innings, to add value and to win games.

ESPN.com‘s David Schoenfield highlights Shields’ “deep arsenal of pitches,” including a superlative changeup and plus curveball that complement his fastball and cutter.

In the end, Schoenfield concludes, “That points to a pitcher who should age well, even if he loses a little velocity…”

Still, as Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com notes, “we’ve heard very little about the market” for Shields.

Rosenthal goes on to say the Arizona Diamondbacks have at least kicked the tires. And in a previous tweet, he indicated the Miami Marlins were interested:

Still, this is peripheral noise. Clearly, the focus is on Scherzer and Lester, and once those dominoes fall, the rest of the free-agent pitchers will learn their fates.

Fair enough. Except that, from some angles, Shields looks like an arm that ought to be part of the conversation, one of the elite starters driving the market.

The reason he isn’t is open for debate. What’s clear for now is this: Though he’ll soon be remembered by someone, today Big Game James is baseball’s forgotten man.

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

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The Boston Red Sox figure to be active players in the free-agent market, and they’ll need to be if they hope to compete once more in 2015.

The Red Sox need to add significant pieces to their starting rotation. They need to shore up their bullpen. And they must seriously considering pursuing upgrades at the hot corner and at backup catcher, too.

With a glut of young talent, live arms and outfielders, the Red Sox can fill some of these holes by turning to the trade market. Yet more are likely to be filled through free agency, as the Red Sox have plenty of cash to work with.

In fact, by WEEI.com’s Alex Speier‘s estimates, the Red Sox had about $52 million to spend this offseason. They’ve already spent $9 million of that retaining Koji Uehara, but that leaves plenty of cash left for one or two major acquisitions and some minor moves, too.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five free-agent “dream acquisitions” for the Red Sox. Keep in mind that these perfect deals exist independent of one another, and that they certainly represent best-case scenarios for the Red Sox.

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