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The offseason has been a blur, one blockbuster move after another changing the landscape as we knew it just hours before.

Brash and fearless front offices shuttling out superstars, bringing in others and changing the complexion of divisions has been the norm since before Thanksgiving. In what has become one of the most active and maybe surprising fall-winter seasons in recent memory, the balance of power has shifted in every division in both leagues over the course of three-and-a-half months.

All pitchers and catchers should be reported to their spring training camps by the end of next week—barring any odd happenings, of course—and optimism will run rampant at all of them. The reality of any club’s situation never really hits until around late June, when party lines are clearly drawn and the best teams start to distinguish themselves.

In the world of prognostication and prediction, we don’t have the luxury of waiting for things to play out. In this world, we play the games on paper because we want answers, and we need them now.

So, with about all of the roster shuffling complete and spring training a few sleeps away, let’s get to predicting what things will look like come Oct. 4.

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Welcome to 2015, comrades. Just as all of us are setting goals to better ourselves in the new year, the Boston Red Sox organization should be no different. Not all resolutions are new, as some of our goals include staying the course with past accomplishments. For example, if you quit smoking in 2014, then striving to continue to stay away from cigarettes this year is a fine thing to aim for. 

With that in mind, here are four New Year’s resolutions the Red Sox should attempt to maintain through 2015.

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The Chicago Cubs officially introduced starting pitcher Jon Lester as the newest member of the organization on Monday afternoon.    

Fox Sports: MLB captured the moment on Twitter:

One thing that isn’t clear in that picture is the number Lester chose, No. 34. Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune explained the significance:

It’s certainly no mistake that Lester chose the number of the last great Cubs ace. The expectations that come along with this signing are obviously high, and Theo Epstein certainly didn’t pretend otherwise as he was introducing Lester, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

Lester wasn’t backing away from those expectations, per Dylan McGorty of 120 Sports:

His signing says a lot about the plan that has been put in place to reinvigorate the franchise, and Epstein acknowledged that Lester bought into that plan:

Lester also reinforced his belief in Epstein’s vision:

It was obvious throughout the press conference that Lester didn’t come to this decision lightly, however, even joking at one point that he received a number of interesting calls from Boston Red Sox star Dustin Pedroia, a close friend of his, per the MLB Network broadcast.

But Lester did his homework on Chicago before reaching a conclusion:

He also admitted that his mid-summer trade to the Oakland Athletics played a part in his decision to not return to Boston:

Lester noted that the trade helped him push past the uncertainty of pitching for a new team, which might have played into his decision had he never left Boston. The subtext, of course, is that it probably didn’t help that the Red Sox didn’t exactly make Lester a competitive offer to re-sign out of the gate. 

Ultimately, it was a great day for Cubs baseball, and Epstein paid service to baseball’s most patient fans, per MLB on Twitter:

Lester’s signing this winter was one of the biggest splashes in the MLB’s free-agency period, but it also was a landmark moment for the Cubs. It was an indication—along with the signing of manager Joe Maddon—that the Cubs are looking to transition from a rebuilding club with a ton of young assets to a contender this season.

There is a lot of pressure on Lester’s shoulders, and he’s now the face of the franchise that is desperately trying to end a legendary World Series drought. All indications on Monday are that he is more than up for the challenge.

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History suggests the St. Louis Cardinals rarely go all-in during the offseason. After dealing starter Shelby Miller to the Atlanta Braves for Jason Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden, rumor has it the Cardinals may be scripting another chapter in their offseason history book. By playing fact or fiction with the latest buzz surrounding the Cardinals, I will offer you a better understanding of what is possible and what remains pure fantasy based on the team’s biggest need—starting pitching.

It’s likely the Cardinals aren’t done wheeling and dealing. Facts are buried under the layers of smoke screens combined with how the free-agent market takes shape. Predicting general manager John Mozeliak’s next move would be like calling the weekly weather in the Midwest.

The tragic death of rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras rewrote the Cardinals’ offseason agenda. Suddenly, the Cardinals went from needing minor tweaks to being desperate for a big move.

Has Mozeliak locked himself in his office while pondering another big move? Will the GM throw a lucrative deal at a starting pitcher to aid the best rotation in the National League Central Division? 

The clock is ticking as Mozeliak digs in. 

Are the Cardinals plotting to offer Max Scherzer a contract?

Given the recent history of the Cardinals and acquiring free agents, it would be unwise to fathom Mozeliak and owner Bill DeWitt Jr. presenting Max Scherzer with a gaudy contract.

However, I believe this is purely a fantasy.  

The Cardinals need another starter after trading Miller. 

The 2015 projected rotation consists of Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, John Lackey, Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez. Martinez will enter spring training as a starter, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Wainwright and Lynn are staples. Lackey is on the back end of his career, and Wacha‘s health remains a mystery after dealing with a rare stress fracture in his right shoulder. Even if Martinez enters the regular season as a starter, he is inexperienced and will need time to adjust to pitching every fifth day. There’s also Jaime Garcia, who is an injury-plagued lefty that can never remain healthy for an entire season.

Back in March, Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski made a significant offer to Scherzer in an effort to keep him in Motown. The offer was worth north of $25 million per season and failed to match the contract Justin Verlander signed prior to the start of the 2013 season.

To no surprise, Scherzer rejected the offer and opted for free agency, where he can cash in. And he deserves that ability after winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2013 and reaching 18 wins last season.

The Cardinals haven’t publicly expressed interest in any free agent, which would be foolish to do. But Scherzer remains an attraction for multiple reasons. 

The Cardinals have the payroll flexibility to sign Scherzer if they choose to do so. Scherzer is from the area and stated the Cardinals were his dream team.

“It would be too cool,” Scherzer told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in March. “I grew up there. When you’re a little kid, you picture yourself putting on the [Cardinals] uniform.”

Indeed, that says a lot about Scherzer. But it’s just an idea for the time being.

The Cardinals could certainly use the services from the kid they originally drafted, and a substantial offer isn’t out of the picture. Still, the odds of the Scherzer coming home remain slim. 

Are the Cardinals in the running for Jon Lester?

According to ESPN, there is a fourth team bidding for Jon Lester. Though the ghost team has yet to be identified, the Cardinals are believed to be it.

And why not? The Cardinals have resources to invest in Lester. Mozeliak doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for his prospects to mature like he used to. 

Lester has taken his time deciding which organization he will pitch for in 2015. When you’re one of the top pitchers on the market, why wouldn’t you be patient and let GMs bid against each other while jacking up the price tag?

It’s a good move by Lester and his camp.

At first, it didn’t seem likely the Cardinals would seek Lester.

It’s funny how quickly things change.

At the July 31 trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox were 12 games under .500. The season was lost, and the focus shifted to the future. Boston shipped Lester to the Oakland Athletics at the trade deadline last season. In northern California, Lester helped the A’s reach the playoffs by winning six of his 11 starts.

For Lester, reaching the playoffs last season marked the fifth time he’s done so in his career.

In my opinion, Lester is the best option in terms of starters on the market. He’s a winner—and an experienced one. Lester has two World Series rings (2007, 2013). He’s a perfect 3-0 in his three World Series starts over his career.

The Cardinals would be wise to present Lester with a hefty contract, especially with the uncertainties regarding the health of Wainwright and Wacha. 

With a chance to reverse their current offseason trend, the Cardinals have an opportunity to make a big splash by signing one of the most attractive starters on the market. They won’t get both, but I believe they will land one. 

And that man is named Lester. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Prizes are only as valuable as the people who covet them.

That is why the first month-plus of Major League Baseball’s offseason has been a slugfest for those who slug. Like wild and crazy Black Friday shoppers looking for the season’s hottest toy in a snug department-store aisle, baseball executives are doing all they can to lure the winter’s best bats.

The last three weeks have seen teams overpay for aging hitters, some of which can’t play the field, while the market for pitchers has been slow-played as seemingly everyone waits for ace Jon Lester to make a decision. But even for the few teams who miss on Lester, plenty of pitching options await on the free-agent and trade markets.

Again, a prize is more valuable when it’s scarce.

While Lester and other pitchers might have more action surrounding their names by the time the MLB Winter Meetings conclude—they start Sunday and end Thursday—the prize of the event will be an elite hitter. And since many of those have been taken off the board, Matt Kemp, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ new cleanup hitter, is left as the market’s top target.

The best hitters on the free-agent market are gone: Victor Martinez, Hanley Ramirez, Nelson Cruz, Pablo Sandoval, Yasmany Tomas, Torii Hunter, Russell Martin, Adam LaRoche and Nick Markakis. All of those guys, some of whom are considered coveted hitters only due to the game’s current offensive state, are off the board, leaving almost no impact bats remaining on the open market.

Teams still looking for significant offensive additions now have to turn to the trade market. While a guy like Justin Upton is available for an expensive return, he has just one year remaining before he is likely to tango with his first winter of free agency in 2015. The same can be said for Boston’s Yoenis Cespedes, now part of an outfield glut similar to the one in Los Angeles that makes Kemp available.

The Dodgers know they hold the prized option, and that is why they are holding firm on their asking price for Kemp, an MVP-caliber slugger when healthy.

Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi told Eric Stephen of True Blue LA last week:

It’s something we’re continuing to explore. If you look at the landscape of baseball right now, one of the things that is really scarce is offense right now, and we’re fortunate enough to have a surplus of really good offensive outfielders. Obviously there is going to be some demand and some interest in those guys, and we’re going to sort through those as they come through.

Zaidi’s comment was referring to not only Kemp, but also Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier. However, he was pretty much talking about only Kemp in the sense that there is virtually no market for Crawford or Ethier. Crawford is still a decent top-of-the-order hitter, but with three years and $62.25 million left on his contract, he’s virtually unmovable. Ethier has three years and $56 million remaining and was an afterthought last year after being relegated to a left-handed bat off the bench, making his market nonexistent.

That leaves Kemp as the team’s one attractive trade asset. He is owed $107 million over the next five seasons. Last year he hit .287/.346/.506 with a .852 OPS, 25 home runs and 89 RBIs. The last time he was healthy for a full season—2011—he was arguably the game’s best all-around player. And now, he finally seems completely healthy and ready to shine again.

Given his healthy production and position (likely right field), Kemp seems a better value than Sandoval, Ramirez and Cruz. Given his age—he will pay virtually all next season at age 30—he is a better bet than Martinez.

Only a few teams have been talked about in a Kemp deal. The Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles have at least had a talk with the Dodgers, but all have been turned off by the asking price. And if one of those teams, or another, wants the Dodgers to pick up a decent chunk of Kemp’s salary, the package of prospects might have to grow.

The Orioles are said to have scoffed at the Dodgers’ asking for one of Baltimore’s top young pitchers—Kevin Gausman or Dylan Bundy. Talks were said to have “not materialized into anything significant,” according to Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun. However, the Orioles have now lost Cruz and Markakis since then, so talks could start again.

Baltimore is the defending American League East champion, but given what it has lost in the lineup and what the Red Sox and Blue Jays have done to bulk up, the Orioles might not be able to afford not replacing Cruz and Markakis with a quality slugger.

Another possibility by the time the Winter Meetings start, or end, is that the Dodgers land Lester with a last-minute push. If that happens, the team could be looking to trim payroll and lower its price on Kemp. Then a team might be willing to pay more of Kemp’s salary in return for sending back a lesser package of young players.

However, signing Lester would put the Dodgers in even more of a win-now situation than they are already in. And with Ramirez fleeing to Boston, the Dodgers might really need Kemp’s bat, which would explain why they are currently so staunch about the return and hesitant to pull the trigger for anything less. They are perfectly fine with keeping their No. 4 hitter, who was one of only four NL players to slug .500.

Kemp is the only hitter available now who can significantly affect a team’s lineup for more than one season. The Dodgers know this. So does everyone else. That is why he comes at a steep price.

At the Winter Meetings next week the Dodgers will find out just how much shoppers are willing to spend for their prized slugger.

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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Who knew it would start raining bats in Seattle?

Robinson Cano last winter. Nelson Cruz this winter. Maybe the drought is finally over. The Seattle Mariners: Early AL West favorites entering 2015? You bet. Mark it down. Lattes all around.

And keep pouring: With a zesty mix of youth and experience, the Mariners now are built to win not just in 2015, but also for a handful of years beyond.

General manager Jack Zduriencik stubbornly has clung to his plan, building around ace Felix Hernandez, refusing to trade him despite the free advice of national columnists, and good for Zduriencik. Tempting though it may have been during all of those summers when the Mariners would have had an easier time rapping with Macklemore than scoring a run (or, gasp, two), I never thought they should have solved their production problem by dealing an arm like Hernandez’s for bats.

First, it is really, really hard to find an ace like The King, especially one who wants to stay in town.

Second, Seattle fans deserved at least one player worth watching in Safeco Field.

The exasperating part came two and three years ago when the Mariners felt they were close to winning and yet couldn’t land a cornerstone lineup piece.

They chased Prince Fielder hard on the free-agent market before Fielder went to Motown. Disappointment level: extremely high, because as Milwaukee’s farm director before taking the Mariners gig, Zduriencik drafted Fielder and hoped maybe that relationship would have given Seattle the inside track.

They chased Josh Hamilton hard on the free-agent market before Hamilton signed with the Los Angeles Angels. Disappointment level: moderate, because while Seattle never really expected Hamilton to sign, Zduriencik romanced him hard and, ultimately, Hamilton landed with a rival AL West team.

They were set to acquire outfielder Justin Upton from the Arizona Diamondbacks two winters ago, but Upton exercised his no-trade powers to void the trade and instead steer himself to Atlanta. Disappointment level: not so high, because the cost would have been high. Sources told me at the time that the Diamondbacks would have received one pitcher from Seattle’s “Big Three” prospect list—Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen or James Paxton, likely Walker—plus two relief pitchers.

For now, Walker, Hultzen and Paxton all remain in Seattle and in the Mariners’ plans. For now, because the M’s remain in trade talks with the Dodgers (Matt Kemp), who reportedly are demanding Walker or Paxton, and in free-agent talks (Torii Hunter, Alex Rios).

In Seattle’s best-case scenario, Cruz, who sources say agreed on a four-year, $57 million deal, will spend most of his time as designated hitter, and the Mariners will add one of the aforementioned outfielders to play right field.

There is no question Cruz is a major upgrade. Mariners designated hitters in 2014 ranked last in the AL in slugging percentage (.307), on-base percentage (.270), batting average (.191) and RBI (49). Only the Kansas City Royals’ DHs, with six, hit fewer home runs than Seattle’s 15.

Also:

In Baltimore last year, Cruz, 34, led the majors with 40 homers, ranked third in the AL with 108 RBI and fifth with a .525 slugging percentage.

Kendrys Morales, he ain’t. This is a man who can rattle Safeco Field fences.

Add Kyle Seager’s seven-year, $100 million deal, and the Mariners are on the move. Lots of people point to the dip in Cano’s home run total last summer—14, down from 27 in 2013 and 33 in 2012—failing to put it into the proper context. Safeco Field is nowhere near as homer-friendly as Yankee Stadium, and Cano mostly was surrounded by young, inexperienced hitters.

I had a long and interesting talk about this one day last season with manager Lloyd McClendon, who was bullish on Cano.

“He’s stabilized and solidified this lineup,” McClendon told Bleacher Report. “He’s given guys more oomph in their step, more pump in their chest.   

“And that’s something nobody outside this group can know.”

With Cruz batting behind him, Seager and Mike Zunino continuing to develop, the fleet Austin Jackson in center field for an entire season, King Felix, Walker, Paxton, Hisashi Iwakuma on the mound and third-base prospect D.J. Petson on the horizon, the Mariners should have more pump in their chest now for quite awhile.

2. Culture Change Across the Border

Russell Martin? Great talent, good guy.

Josh Donaldson? Great talent, good guy.

On the Friday night after Thanksgiving, the Toronto Blue Jays did not settle for leftovers. The Martin free-agent deal ($82 million) already was done, but the Donaldson trade was stunning.

Stunning, for Toronto, in a very good way.

It’s no secret that Donaldson’s WAR over the past two seasons ranks second in the majors only to that of the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout. This is a gritty player, a good hitter, a terrific third baseman and a clubhouse leader with a big heart.

Given Baltimore’s crippling loss of Nelson Cruz, the AL East this winter is turning into a free-for-all. Let’s see what the Orioles do next, and let’s see if Boston gets some pitching, but right now you have to like Toronto’s chances to contend.

Clearly, the Jays are going for it. Now, the cautionary tale is that Toronto went for it two winters ago, too, in acquiring Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey. Some had the Jays as favorites to win the AL East heading into 2013 (yup, that’s my hand that is raised), only to see them crash and burn.

It’s apparent that general manager Alex Anthopolous is shifting the culture in the clubhouse with the Martin and Donaldson deals. Both are gamers with playoff experience. The Jays’ job isn’t yet done. They have other holes to fill (such as second base, the rotation and in the outfield). But they’re going to be very interesting in 2015.

3. Follow the Bouncing Billy Beane

Meanwhile, from the Oakland perspective: Trading Josh Donaldson is another whopper of a head-scratcher. The A’s already dealt Yoenis Cespedes last summer. Donaldson was their best overall player. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 2013 and eighth in 2014. He was under club control for another four years before he was eligible for free agency.

“He’s an Oakland-type player,” a scout with a rival team says. “He leaves it all on the field. I just don’t understand why you would give away your three-four hole hitters [Yoenis Cespedes and Donaldson] who won you division titles. Now all of a sudden, Brett Lawrie and Billy Butler replace Cespedes and Donaldson? It cuts down on your offense.”

So…why would Oakland trade Donaldson?

Well, you could say because the Athletics are rebuilding, especially if starter Jeff Samardzija is the next player dealt (as many in the industry expect).

Except, the A’s just gave designated hitter Butler a three-year, $30 million deal. That doesn’t look like rebuilding.

Maybe the A’s traded Donaldson because after dealing prospects to the Cubs for Samardzija last summer, their system needed restocking. And along with third baseman Brett Lawrie, the A’s also received three prospects from Toronto: pitchers Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin, and a young, blue-chip shortstop, Franklin Barreto, 18.

What we know about Athletics’ president and general manager Billy Beane is that there always is a method to his madness, even when the surface dots don’t connect. So that’s the theory I’m going with now.

If there are no subsequent moves, the Donaldson trade is a dud. But with Beane, there always are subsequent moves.

One final thought, though: If you are an Oakland fan, fall in love with the players at your own risk. Because the player you fall in love with today is the player the A’s will ship away tomorrow.

The A’s ranked 24th in the majors in attendance last summer at 25,045 a game, and 10th in the AL. And that was for a team that was dominant for much of the summer. You wonder if attendance in Oakland would be better with any kind of roster stability.

4. The Rest of the Donaldson Story?

One industry source says he “knew” the Athletics would trade Josh Donaldson this winter, no matter how little baseball sense it made, because the All-Star and Beane were “at war” by season’s end.

Multiple sources cite a verbal altercation between the two after Donaldson told manager Bob Melvin he needed a couple of days off after Oakland had played several days in a row. The story goes, Beane told Donaldson if he needed a couple of days off, the club should put him on the disabled list, and that made Donaldson unhappy.

While both Donaldson and Beane downplayed the incident in a couple of texts to the San Francisco Chronicle‘s terrific baseball writer, John Shea, the industry source described a different scenario to Bleacher Report.

“Donaldson told the manager he needed a blow, and [Bob] Melvin said, ‘You got it,’ ” the source said. “Then that night’s lineup came out and Billy asked, ‘Where’s Donaldson?’ “

When told what happened, the source says, an angry Beane demanded that Melvin put Donaldson back into the lineup.

“They got into it in the coach’s office,” the source says, describing a scene in which Beane lit into Donaldson, with the third baseman reiterating his need for a day off and petulantly calling Beane “Billy Boy.”

“Nobody talks to Billy that way,” the source said. “It did not surprise me in the least that he got rid of Donaldson.”

5. Goodbyes and Social Media

Used to be, a superstar player would take out an ad in the local newspaper when that part of his career closed.

Now? Yes, Twitter. Donaldson says goodbye to Oakland here in a moving message.

6. Hitters Coming off the Board

For what seems like decades, it’s been all about the pitching. No longer.

While top free-agent pitchers Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields remain on the market, the best hitters are being snapped up like popcorn at The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I.

Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, Michael Cuddyer, Adam LaRoche, Russell Martin, even Chris Young (the outfielder)…all signed.

Moreover, in a telling trend, AL clubs this winter appear more willing to return to the old days of paying for a true DH:

The Tigers wasted no time in re-signing Victor Martinez (four years, $68 million).

The Mariners signed Nelson Cruz (four years, $57 million) to DH.

The A’s invested in Billy Butler (three years, $30 million).

And though the Red Sox signed Sandoval to play third base, they clearly plan on him replacing David Ortiz, 39, at DH in the waning years of his deal (five years, $95 million).

7. Free-Agent Power Rankings

My weekly take as agents bluster, suitors cluster and bean counters muster the courage to write those checks…

1. Jon Lester (16-11, 2.46, 1.10 WHIP): The Cubs, Red Sox and Giants, among others, are making their cases. Lester would look great in AT&T Park, especially for a Giants club that just lost its Panda. But it’s still difficult not to see this coming down to the Cubs and Red Sox.

2. Andrew Miller (5-5, 2.02, 0.802 WHIP): The Royals dominated in October, and everyone wants to emulate their HDH Kelvin Herrera/Wade Davis/Greg Holland bullpen. And suddenly, a late-blooming, lanky (6’7″) 29-year old may be in line for a four-year, $40 million deal. Hello, Yankees…or Dodgers…or Red Sox.

3. Torii Hunter (.286/.319/.446, 17 homers, 83 RBI): With Nelson Cruz off the board, the Orioles suddenly have a big need. And the Mariners are still looking for a right fielder either via trade (Matt Kemp?) or a short-term free-agent fix. Hunter, 39, would be perfect in Seattle, where he could slide over to DH on occasion when a left-hander is throwing to rest his legs (because Nelson Cruz can play first base instead of Logan Morrison on those days).

4. Melky Cabrera (.301/.351/.458, 16 homers, 73 RBI): Everybody is looking for a hitter, and did you see what Nelson Cruz signed for? Somewhere, Cabrera is smiling. Hello, big money. Again.

5. Tim Flannery: Retiring Giants coach heading into the best kind of free agency, choosing each day between singing and surfing…

8. Goodbye Flan Man

Few coaches were as beloved as Tim Flannery, who unexpectedly retired as the Giants third-base coach a couple of weeks after the World Series. A great baseball mind, talented songwriter, raconteur, nature lover and a deeply spiritual man, Flannery is that rare treasure who can relate to many different people in many different ways.

It’s no wonder that manager Bruce Bochy and general manager Brian Sabean each were said to have shed some tears when Flannery told them he was hanging up his spikes, though there’s a chance the tears could have come because they realized they weren’t just losing their third-base coach, but their moonshine connection as well (Flannery’s family comes from the hills of Kentucky).

Anyway, in a farewell interview on San Francisco’s KNBR radio with Rod Brooks and Bob Fitzgerald, this part of what Flannery said will give you a glimpse into the soul of the man:

I want to tell a quick story, because this was the final straw for me. The last week of the World Series, I hear my nephew’s wife had a baby—I didn’t even know she was pregnant. The season is so long that she got pregnant the first week of spring training and had the baby the last week before the World Series. The season is so long that an egg can get fertilized, it can become a human, you can carry it for nine months, and then it gets spit out at the end, and I’m still playing the same baseball game every night, every night, every night. I just…I’m going surfing, sorry.

Here’s to good waves and good songs in your retirement, Flan. And on a personal note, I’m thankful to live in the same town as Tim. I plan to see him often with his crack band, The Lunatic Fringe.

9. RIP to a Boston Legend

Dick Bresciani passed away this week after battling leukemia, and while you probably don’t know the name unless you’re obsessed with the Red Sox, you should. Bresciani, 76, was Boston’s longtime public relations chief and had served the Red Sox in some capacity or another since 1972 (in these final years, he acted as the club’s historian).

Bresh, as he was known, was one of those background people (read: not in uniform) who spends nearly as much time at the ballpark as the grass on the field. While fans get to know the players, people like Bresh are the ones who outlast the players and give an organization its soul.

One quick personal story: When I was covering the Twins in the late 1990s, they opened one season in Boston. Well, tried to. Opening day was snowed out.

So the players went to the park to stretch and loosen up, and I went that afternoon because readers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press were going to expect a story the next day on their team and what an opening-day snowout meant.

Now, here’s where things went off the rails: The Sox, in those days, were not the most media-friendly club around (even though Bresciani always had a smile). So upon my arrival at Fenway Park, security guards gruffly informed me the place was closed and I could not come in, even with a media pass. I explained that the Twins were inside, and they told me their clubhouse was open and I could come in.

The guard told me to wait and then disappeared, I assumed, to phone upstairs and get this cleared up. Well, when he returned, he not only told me I couldn’t come in, he threw me out of the Fenway Park entryway. Pulled the garage door shut behind me, leaving me on Yawkey Way to look for a cab as the snow piled up on the sidewalk and the enormous, wet flakes from the blinding snowstorm left me soaked.

A couple of hours later, after I had talked with some Twins over the telephone (having explained what happened), the phone rang in my hotel room. It was Bresh, who by now had heard what happened and apologized profusely.

Small story from a long-ago time. But clearly, I’ve never forgotten it, and it always made me smile. That phone call helped melt my anger like the snow melted a day later, and I always enjoyed seeing him at Fenway Park. Rest in peace, Bresh.

Scott Miller covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report. He has over two decades of experience covering MLB, including 14 years as a national baseball columnist at CBSSports.com.

Follow Scott on Twitter and talk baseball @ScottMillerBbl.

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The San Francisco Giants just lost Pablo Sandoval, their third baseman and cleanup hitter. So, naturally, they should set their sights on…Jon Lester, starting pitcher.

Seems counterintuitive on its face. Sandoval’s departure leaves a panda-sized hole in the San Francisco lineup; shouldn’t filling it be priority No. 1?

The Giants must pursue offensive upgrades, no argument there. In addition to replacing Sandoval, they need a left fielder and complementary pieces to bolster the bench.

But first they should take the gobs of cash they were prepared to hand Sandoval—$95 million over five years, as general manager Bobby Evans revealed on Yahoo SportsTalk Live, per CSN Bay Area—and use it to woo Lester.

If they do land him—and, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, they’re “becoming more serious” in their pursuit—it’ll cost them the Sandoval money and then some.

Lester, the top arm on the market not named Max Scherzer, just enjoyed another typically stellar season: 2.46 ERA, 219.2 innings pitched, 220 strikeouts and a 1.102 WHIP.

Naturally, the Giants aren’t alone in the Lester sweepstakes: The Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox have also been linked to the 30-year-old left-hander, per CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. Expect every team with dough to burn to at least kick the tires.

Giants fans mulling a potential Lester signing may recall the last time San Francisco inked an Oakland A’s left-hander to a massive pact…a fella by the name of Barry Zito.

While Zito ultimately redeemed himself with a gutsy renaissance in the 2012 postseason, helping the Giants secure the second of their three recent rings, his tenure in San Francisco was generally unremarkable and intermittently awful.

So there are reasons to be cautious. As Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles put it, “Lester makes me mighty nervous. At least he’s actually good, though, and not smoke-‘n’-mirrors good like Zito was in his last two years with the A’s.”

Frayed nerves and scarring memories aside, let’s look at what Lester would do for San Francisco.

For all the hand-wringing over Sandoval, the Giants’ true Achilles heel is the starting rotation.

Yes, Madison Bumgarner, fresh off his historic playoff dominance, is an unmitigated stud. After that, things get dicey in a hurry.

Veteran Tim Hudson had a nice year, but he struggled down the stretch, posting an unsightly 8.72 ERA in September, and he turns 40 in July.

Matt Cain, once the sort of horse you’d hitch a franchise to, is recovering from season-ending elbow and ankle surgery.

After that, the Giants have journeyman Yusmeiro Petit, who lifted his stock with a superlative October, and former ace Tim Lincecum, coming off a third consecutive (mostly) dreadful season.

Now imagine Lester slotted next to Bumgarner, creating one of the most formidable left-handed tandems in baseball. Instantly, San Francisco’s starting corps goes from a potential weakness to a significant strength, especially if Cain returns to form.

Yes, a five- or six-year deal would carry Lester at least into his mid-30s. But he’s defined durable, tossing more than 200 innings in six of the last seven seasons.

And he’d play his home games at AT&T Park, an extreme pitchers’ yard.

Of course, the Giants could wow Lester with a budget-busting offer and still lose out. He’s got deep ties to the Red Sox, his old team, as Heyman notes.

He’s also familiar with Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, who was general manager in Boston when Lester made his big-league debut, and he makes his home in Atlanta.

“When you get to a certain point, money can’t buy happiness,” Lester said of his prospective landing spots, per Heyman.

That seems to suggest he’ll prioritize an ideal location over a maximum payday. Then again, he’s yet to sign, indicating he’s at least weighing all options.

If he chooses the Giants, he’ll nudge the defending champs closer to another title and give himself a chance to improve upon his impressive 2.57 career postseason ERA.

If he goes elsewhere, San Francisco will have to keep scrambling to plug its many holes…and spend that Pablo money.

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

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It is Thanksgiving, which means the holiday season is in full swing.

With Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez both going to Boston and a few other free agents already signed, it is clear that baseball’s offseason is well underway as well. Rumors are swirling and whispers are making their way across the league about which teams are after certain players.

However, one team has been unusually quiet: the New York Yankees.

It has been two seasons since the Yanks made the playoffs, and their roster is in serious need of some help, so you know that New York is bound to have an eventful winter. The question is, who are they going to get and when?

Keeping in mind that there is still plenty of time left in the baseball offseason, take a look at how likely it is the Yankees land a few guys they could really use.

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Key players have already signed new contracts this winter, setting the standard for how the rest of the offseason is going to unfold.

MLB free agency, much like any other sport’s free agency, is driven heavily by the depth of the market. Competition for stars will drive their prices up, as will how many other options there are at each position in free agency. That’s why you see guys like Russell Martin, a good (but not great) catcher, getting a contract worth $82 million.

Given how early the offseason is, there are still plenty of players left looking for a big contract. There will inevitably be competition for the top players’ services. How far will their prices be driven up?

Read below to see the latest rumors and predictions for which teams will win the bidding wars on a few key stars.

Jon Lester

Every team in the bigs could use Jon Lester. Even the World Series champions could benefit from adding him to their staff, and Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets that the team has shown interest:

Adding Lester to a rotation already including Madison Bumgarner, Tim Hudson, Matt Cain and possibly Tim Lincecum would again make the Giants favorites in the National League. The lefty will be 31 in January and is coming off arguably his best season in the league.

He posted a 2.46 ERA (2.80 FIP) and a ERA- of 63—well above the league average of 100, via FanGraphs. Lester pitched well in the offensively potent American League East and American League West, meaning a move to the offensively inept National League West could make him even better.

The competition for Lester is fierce. The Boston Red Sox still can’t be ruled out despite their recent spending spree, while the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and possibly even the New York Yankees can make a play for the ace.

The Yankees have been reluctant to spend at this point, but Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe described the team’s strategy when going after top talents: “[Brian] Cashman is one of the best at not showing his hand. He will downplay every possible move the Yankees should or could make, and when it comes down to doing it, the Yankees pounce swiftly.”

That makes the Bombers a true threat.

It’s really a toss-up as to where Lester will play in 2015 and beyond. Any number of teams are equipped to take on his impending salary. This is truly a situation where a dark-horse team could emerge, but it’s tough to not go with a team with a track record of spending big-time dollars on big-time players.

Prediction: Yankees

Melky Cabrera

It’s surprising to think that Melky Cabrera is one of the more underrated players available this winter. He has bounced around a lot in his past four seasons, but that shouldn’t change the view of the type of player he is.

The Baltimore Orioles are in need of a right fielder. That could still be Nick Markakis, who is a free agent, but MASN’s Roch Kubatko reports that Cabrera is the Plan B: “I’ve heard from multiple people that he’s a ‘fallback option’ for the Orioles if they can’t re-sign Nick Markakis.”

Baltimore’s interest in Cabrera is likely as an on-base type of player, as the Orioles have struggled to get on base at a consistent clip in recent years—something not conducive to scoring a ton of runs for a team with immense power.

Kubatko notes that their past five OBPs have been .316, .316, .311, .313 and .311. Cabrera can help out in that regard.

Any number of teams should be in on the 30-year-old switch-hitter. His old team, the Toronto Blue Jays, could be maxed out after signing Russell Martin, so that presumably knocks them out of the hunt.

Cabrera is the type of player who could help a lot of teams, making his destination a bit of a question mark. Being a “fallback option” in Baltimore doesn’t exactly scream confidence in a deal working out between the two sides.

It’ll be a dark-horse team that scoops him up—one with major questions in the outfield.

Prediction: Chicago White Sox

Torii Hunter

Torii Hunter is lobbying for what will likely be the final contract of his career. The 39-year-old outfielder can still play ball, and the Minnesota Twins are looking to get him back in the Twin Cities to end his career, reports Darren Wolfson of KSTP.com:

LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune echoed Wolfson:

Hunter began his career in Minnesota and played there from 1997 to 2007. He was a fan favorite because of his stellar defense and timely power, so a reunion would certainly reignite the fans. 

Wolfson and Neal aren’t the only ones who have spoken about a reunion. Hunter himself told Charley Walters of TwinCities.com that he would like to come back to where it all started:

(Twins general manager) Terry Ryan and I have talked several times, and there’s definitely a common interest there, for sure.

I would come over to win. All that stuff everybody talks about, ‘a great guy in the clubhouse,’ that’s extra — that’s not No. 1. The No. 1 thing is look at my numbers. They’re still the same, one of the most consistent hitters in baseball over my career.

Hunter probably doesn’t have more than two years left in the tank, even if he has been the staple of consistency since he left the Twins prior to the 2008 season. Regardless, his connection with new manager Paul Molitor will play a big role in making something happen.

A respected veteran at the tail end of his career, Hunter would make a ton of people happy by returning.

Prediction: Twins

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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There’s always that dark-horse team that gets in the way of your MLB free agency predictions.

Don’t worry; it happens to everybody.

But staying informed on the hottest free-agent rumors makes it easier to decipher which teams will be players for which free agents. Of course, you’ll always have those situations like when the Seattle Mariners shocked the entire universe and outbid the New York Yankees for Robinson Cano.

But that doesn’t happen often.

The next month or so is crucial for the outlook of the MLB offseason. Winter meetings will be upon us in a few weeks, and that’s usually when the first of the big deals go down.

Read on to find out which big names could find new homes in the near future, as well as predictions for where those homes will be.

David Robertson

David Robertson stepped up to the challenge of replacing Mariano Rivera last season, saving 39 of 44 games for the New York Yankees. That doesn’t mean he’s a lock to return, though, as he rejected the team’s qualifying offer and is seeking a lucrative contract.

Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports that there’s at least one team out there ready to talk turkey with the 29-year-old: “The Astros have communicated with Robertson’s agent Scott Leventhal to express their interest in the Yankees’ closer, an industry source said.”

Houston’s bullpen prevented the team from reaching .500 last season, making Robertson a logical fit for the organization. Davidoff writes, “Their relievers tallied a woeful 4.80 ERA, and they converted just 54.39 percent (31-for-57) of their save opportunities, worst in the AL.”

If there’s one team on the market desperate for late-inning help, it’s Houston. It has a problem.

Of course, it’s truly impossible to rule out the Yankees. Uncertainties surrounded the closer role prior to last year, and Robertson stepped up. Does the team want to go with a first-time closer yet again in 2015? It’d likely be Dellin Betances tasked with shutting the door. He might not be the most reliable option.

The question for the Yankees comes down to just how highly they value Robertson—not as a member of the organization, but as a piece toward building a larger puzzle. ESPN’s David Schoenfield broke down how Robertson stacked up to other relievers in 2014:

Robertson is coming off a 3.08 ERA — that’s nothing special these days for a reliever. Sixty-nine relievers who threw at least 50 innings had a lower ERA in 2014. He saved 39 games in 44 opportunities. That’s a save percentage of 88.6. Sounds good, but again, it’s nothing special; 13 closers with at least 20 opportunities had a higher percentage in 2014. Robertson also allowed seven home runs in 2014, six to right-handed batters.

Does that sound like a pitcher deserving of a contract in the ballpark of $50 million?

The Astros’ desperation makes them more likely to pay the type of money Robertson seeks. The Yanks will make a push, but there are other arms in the organization capable of taking over, ultimately ending their pursuit.

Prediction: Astros

Pablo Sandoval

Pablo Sandoval is widely considered to be the offensive crown jewel of the offseason, making his list of suitors quite a lengthy one. It seems as if he’s already done some deliberating, however, as ESPN reports that he is nearing a decision:

Free-agent third baseman Pablo Sandoval is expected to make a decision about his baseball future this week, according to his brother and co-agent.

Michael Sandoval did not specify which teams are in the running, but he told ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes on Saturday that Pablo Sandoval has received contract offers from all of the teams under consideration and will take the weekend to weigh his options.

Multiple teams have been linked heavily to the 28-year-old. The Boston Red Sox are known to have major interest, as are the San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, notes ESPN.

Sandoval is a hero in the Bay Area, so it would be a shock to see him move on. He was a catalyst for the Giants in the World Series, recording 12 hits and almost single-handedly keeping his team from allowing the Kansas City Royals to build significant momentum. He has won three rings in his seven-year career.

Of course, it would be hard for the third baseman to turn down a lucrative offer from another team. His agent would be wise to convince him to take the money, as questions surrounding his weight will surely inhibit him from making money the next time he hits the open market.

A player on the wrong side of 30 with his build (5’11”, 245 pounds) certainly won’t make top dollar. Now he can.

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweeted that the Sox had inked Sandoval, but his agent, Gustavo Vasquez, denied reports, via Alex Speier of 93.7 WEEI: “We have offers, [but] no deal.”

Something’s cooking, however, and it appears imminent that Sandoval will join Boston.

Prediction: Red Sox

Jon Lester

Jon Lester more than likely won’t return to the Oakland Athletics, meaning he’s gearing up to change addresses this winter for the second time since July. Where he’ll go is anybody’s guess, and Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that “at least six [teams] are interested.”

That doesn’t count the Yankees, though, and Rosenthal makes a point to say that the Yankees’ stance on Lester could change in an instant given their propensity to quickly decide whether or not they want to outbid other teams for a top star.

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe described the team’s strategy when courting players: “[Brian] Cashman is one of the best at not showing his hand. He will downplay every possible move the Yankees should or could make, and when it comes down to doing it, the Yankees pounce swiftly.”

Cashman is well aware of the holes his team has, and it’s probably overwhelming to figure out which hole to fill first. The Yankees have a ton of pitching, but Cashman is admittedly concerned with the health of his staff, via Cafardo: “I think we have good pitching, but there’s obviously some volatility in it because of the health status and health histories of some of them.”

Will that lead the Bombers to Lester?

Cashman did admit that “ownership has always been very beneficial with the resources to put the team on the field,” so he certainly can’t rule out a big-ticket acquisition.

The Yankees’ insistence on not dishing out big contracts to aging players has preoccupied much of their thinking. CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez haven’t panned out particularly well in recent memory.

But look what happened when the team had them all going strong early in their deals in 2009. The Yankees won the World Series.

Winning the Fall Classic is worth suffering through a few tough years when the contracts are close to expiring. If Cashman wants to truly improve his team, then he’ll go hard after Lester in hopes of recapturing the same magic he had prior to the team’s last championship.

Given the resources at his disposal, Cashman can make it happen.

Prediction: Yankees

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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