Kuzul

Upon signing an eight-year, $135 million contract, Freddie Freeman became the face of the Atlanta Braves franchise. He also became the symbol of why teams—for better or worse—will be forced to make major payroll-altering decisions with future pre-arbitration cases.

The concept of buying out arbitration and free-agent years isn’t new. In the early ’90s, Cleveland Indians executive John Hart, now known to a younger generation as a contributor on MLB Network programming, was blessed with an abundance of young, impact talent.

From Jim Thome to Charles Nagy to Manny Ramirez, the mid-market Indians couldn’t possibly keep all of their stars when arbitration cases began to arise. Forget re-signing a future Hall of Fame hitter like Thome when free agency arrived; the Indians couldn’t afford his second or third trip to the arbitration table.

Thus, a plan was born out of necessity: Re-sign the best young talent in the organization to long-term deals before arbitration years arrive.

While the concept is now commonplace, it wasn’t always. Hart’s forward-thinking mentality changed baseball. In each of these cases, the team and player take on risk. If the player is injured, flames out or was improperly evaluated, millions could be lost. If a player excels and dominates the sport, his agent likely lost out on huge gains in yearly arbitration cases.

All of this brings us to Freeman and the contract he signed this winter.

From the time Hart began this now commonplace practice, the outcome of deals usually led to middle ground for both team and player: When free-agent years arrived, players would be compensated. However, they would make far less than what would likely be available on the open market.

The following chart represents five recent contract extensions. The sixth, Freeman, changed the game.

In most cases, the first few free-agent years would net a young player a healthy raise but leave them short of the top salaries in the game. Due to Freddie Freeman emerging at such a young age, the Braves gave him his big free-agent deal now.

As general managers around the sport study these numbers, questions must be emerging in front offices around the sport: What is the going rate for a future superstar? How much would Mike Trout, the best pre-arbitration player in recent memory, cost to sign right now? Would any owner be willing to award $100 million deals to players barely out of the minors? 

The job of a general manager is becoming harder by the day, folks.

Let’s start with the first question.

The going rate for a future superstar is changing because value is looked at in a different way than in the past. Batting average, home runs and RBI aren’t just old school. They are completely out of touch with how agents, executives and owners now view the game. Joey Votto may have caused a stir, per ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati, when he cited wRC+ as his favorite stat, but it’s likely a big part of the reason he was awarded a contract in excess of $200 million. 

According to Fangraphs, which uses its WAR calculations to determine value, Freddie Freeman was worth $23.9 million last season. For the Braves, that puts a five-year, $106.5 million (the amount Atlanta is paying for five free-agent years) in perspective.

When the Rays gambled on Evan Longoria, they were rewarded with the best value in baseball for four straight years, per Jonah Keri of Grantland. Furthermore, those types of calculations validated Seattle’s $240 million outlay to Robinson Cano this winter. In a game flush with revenue and cash, true stars are worth major salaries.

When Freeman signed his deal, this was the first thought I had: If he’s worth $135 million, what would Mike Trout be able to garner right now?

A side-by-side look at their numbers over the last two years—Trout’s first two in the big leagues, nonetheless—paints a sobering picture: At a younger age, Trout is twice the player.

While that doesn’t necessarily mean he could ask for a contract of $270 million tomorrow, the Angels have to be considering what the market will look like as the years go on and if their player will become the first $400 million-man in baseball history. 

From the moment John Hart started a trend, risk has been associated with the team. With Trout, the risk of not signing him immediately is even greater. Assuming another 10 bWAR season from Trout in 2014 would put him on a path no one has ever been on in baseball history. When his agent reaches the negotiating table for arbitration, the sky will be the limit. 

Clearly, cases like Freeman and Trout are rare. The idea of a 24-year-old first baseman, three years from free agency, hitting the $135 million jackpot isn’t likely to happen again soon. If a general manager tries to save his owner money by suggesting a $90 or $100 million deal for a 20-year-old call-up, a tirade might ensue.

Yet if a player like Trout or Bryce Harper or Jose Fernandez emerges, it’s not ridiculous to think about risking millions to save millions.

Freddie Freeman changed game for future baseball executives. If players on the path to stardom can garner star-level money, perhaps the next John Hart will offer a $100 million deal to a 20-year-old phenom.

Agree? Disagree?

Comment, follow me on Twitter or “like” my Facebook page to talk about all things baseball.

*Additional salary details courtesy of Troy Renck of the Denver Post, Dan Hayes of Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Michael Sanserino of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Cliff Corcoran of Sports Illustrated.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In most years, the free-agent market would be barren in early February. Roster upgrades would be difficult to find, leaving general managers scouring for low-risk, high-reward options to augment their respective rosters.

This year is different.

With pitchers and catchers reporting over the next week, an abundance of talent is still available on the free-agent market. Sure, the Masahiro Tanakas and Robinson Canos of the world are long gone. That doesn’t mean difference-making players aren’t available.

Between now and March 31—or March 22 and 23 in the case of the Dodgers and Diamondbacks—moves will be made before the season begins. 

The following five teams will all fill holes, add impact players and change their respective outlooks for the 2014 season.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted. All contract figures courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

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Jeff Baker, Marlon Byrd, LaTroy Hawkins and Scott Kazmir each took advantage of spring training invites in 2013, earning a spot on the Opening Day roster of their respective teams and following up with strong seasons.

Rookies Jose Fernandez, Evan Gattis and Jedd Gyorko, each spring training invitees without a day of big league service time, were seemingly ticketed for the minors where they could continue to develop and save their teams some money in the future by remaining there for the first couple of months of the season. They forced their respective club’s hand, however, and broke camp with the big league club before making a significant impact during the regular season. 

So who will be this year’s version of the aforementioned group of players? Here are 10 to keep an eye on.

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Korean right-hander Suk-min Yoon threw a bullpen session on Friday in front of scouts from the Orioles and Giants, according to a report from Korean news service SBS translated by Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net.

The interest in Yoon doesn’t come as a surprise; last week, it was reported that four clubs had already made contract offers to the 27-year-old, who is represented by mega-agent Scott Boras.

The last player to make the jump from the Korea Baseball Organization to Major League Baseball was Dodgers’ left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu, who finished fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2013 after posting a 3.00 ERA and 119 ERA+ in 192 innings spanning 30 starts.

So Yoon should be expected to make a Ryu-like impact next season, right?

Not so fast.

Background

Yoon first broke into the KBO as an 18-year-old in 2005, spending the first chunk of his professional career alternating between the Kia Tigers’ starting rotation and bullpen.

In 2011 the right-hander was transitioned into the team’s starting rotation full time and ultimately turned in a breakout performance, registering a 2.45 ERA with a career-best 9.30 K/9 rate in 172.1 innings. Yoon’s overwhelming success in the role earned him league MVP honors, also putting him on the map as a legitimate major league prospect.

Yoon’s breakout performance carried over into the 2012 season, as he posted a 3.12 ERA, 8.1 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 153 innings. However, the right-hander took a step back the following year, as a shoulder injury—which you’ll read more about in a few minutes—forced him to the bullpen for the second half of the season.

Scouting Report

In spite of his background as a highly accomplished KBO hurler, there is less scouting information available on Yoon than there was on Ryu or even Masahiro Tanaka prior to their respective signings.

However, according to Steve Spya of Amazin’ Avenue, here’s what is known about Yoon:

Yoon is on the small side, standing at an even six feet and weighing 180 pounds. He throws in the mid-90s, though, and complements his fastball with a hard, biting slider and a change-up that MLB scouts describe as above average. Though a starter, he has only thrown what we would consider an entire season’s work (~175+ IP) once, in 2011. As best I can gather, the average starter in the KBO throws around 150 to 180 innings, making 25 to 30 starts, per season, often supplementing those starts with relief outings here and there.

Based on the above video, Yoon doesn’t feature a devastating splitter like Tanaka or a tantalizing breaking ball(s) like Yu Darvish. However, as is the case with most Korean and Japanese pitchers, everything he throws has late movement, which should aid Yoon’s effectiveness as he transitions into Major League Baseball.

If Yoon is able to make a smooth transition and hold his own in the major leagues, then it’s reasonable to think that the right-hander can serve as a No. 4 or 5 starter on a first-division team.

Injury Concerns

Though he’s remained healthy for the majority of his professional career in the KBO, Yoon dealt with a shoulder injury in 2013 that limited him to 11 starts (4.16 ERA) and prompted a move to the bullpen for the final months of the season.

As a starter, Yoon’s high-water mark for innings pitched stands is 172.1, which he achieved during his breakout 2011 campaign as a full-time starter.

In theory, the injury could almost make him more appealing to major league teams; the hope is that his recent limited workload might have reduced the mileage on his arm, therefore implying that he’ll have more to offer in the major leagues.

Yet at the same time, any team that signs Yoon will likely do so with the intention of using him as a starter. So don’t expect a team to take a flier on the right-hander without a thorough evaluation of his medical history.

Why He Won’t Be the Next Hyun-Jin Ryu

Prior to signing with the Dodgers, Hyun-Jin Ryu had been lauded for his advanced control, which ultimately translated to a 3.14 strikeout-to-walk rate during his rookie season in 2013.

During Yoon’s nine-year career in the KBO, he posted a strikeout-to-walk rate of 2.75, which offers hope that the right-hander’s strike-throwing tendencies will carry over to his probable career in the major leagues.

However, that’s merely an assumption.

The reality is that Yoon never achieved the year-in, year-out success of Ryu, though that shouldn’t detract from his overall string of accomplishments in the KBO.

Plus, given his recent shoulder injury and extensive experience as a reliever in the KBO, Yoon is anything but a lock to remain in a starting rotation upon joining a major league organization.

Still, in spite of the injury-related concerns and the fact that he’s represented by Scott Boras, there are several teams that have expressed interest in acquiring Yoon’s services:

When he does sign with a team, Yoon will probably receive a contract for two or three years worth roughly $10 million—which speaks to his perceived future value when compared to the six-year, $36 million contract offered to Ryu prior to the 2013 season. And if a team views him strictly as a reliever, then expect Yoon to receive a less flattering contract.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The heavy lifting of the MLB offseason is done with spring training less than a month away. By mid-February, pitchers and catchers around the league will be in Arizona and Florida, respectively, getting tuned up with position players not far behind.

Looking at the remaining free agents, pitchers Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez figure to have the best chance of securing a contract worth at least $50 million. Otherwise, we’ve most likely seen the last of any blockbuster signings this offseason.

Here’s a ranking of the players who have signed deals of at least $50 million so far this offseason—an offseason that’s been marked by some big-spending baseball teams.

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Spring training is right around the corner! The Arizona Diamondbacks will be the first MLB team to hold a full-squad spring training workout on February 12, while the remaining teams will be in action no later than February 23, when the Colorado Rockies will have their entire team together.

In the meantime, teams continue to monitor the free-agent and trade markets, as well as the waiver wire, as they contemplate any last-minute wheeling and dealing.

A handful of moves that proved to have an impact on the 2013 season were made during this time period last season, including the Indians’ signing of Michael Bourn, the Athletics’ acquisition of Jed Lowrie, and the finalizing of Francisco Liriano’s deal with the Pirates, which had been on hold because of an offseason injury to his non-throwing arm. Veterans Marlon Byrd and Kevin Gregg inked minor league deals, and Shawn Kelley was acquired by the Yankees after being designated for assignment by the Mariners.

Here is one move that each team should make before the start of camp.

All salary information provided by Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

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At last, the question of whether A.J. Burnett will retire or return to pitch in 2014 has been answered. Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review is reporting that, according to a source, the 37-year-old Burnett will indeed return for his 16th big league season. 

Not only did the source confirm Burnett’s desire to pitch in 2014, he suspects that the right-hander, who posted a 3.30 ERA with 3.2 BB/9 and a league-leading 9.8 K/9 in 191 innings pitched last season, will test the open market and not limit himself to a return to Pittsburgh. 

While Burnett has stated his desire to remain with the Pirates—he was quoted last offseason as saying he wouldn’t want to pitch anywhere else but Pittsburgh if he resumed his playing career after 2013—he’s much more likely to land a bigger contract elsewhere or, if anything, drive up the Pirates’ price with multiple teams bidding on his services. 

Here are five teams that could have the most interest in adding Burnett to the front of their rotation in 2014.

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According to this tweet by Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish, five major league teams are reportedly interested in free-agent starting pitcher Jason Hammel:

The Texas Rangers should not be one of those five. While Hammel might seem like a low-risk, high-reward arm to many teams, he would not be a fit in Arlington.

Over the last week, I’ve cycled through most of the available starters on the market and made cases as to why each one would fit with the Rangers rotation while Derek Holland recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. Most of the ones I’ve discussed—Ervin Santana, Bronson Arroyo, Bruce Chen and possibly A.J. Burnett—have strong cases as potentially nice fits. 

Hammel, 31, is a guy who needs to be addressed specifically, as well—but for why he won’t fit or succeed in Arlington. But as always, I’ll start off with what he does well.

Hammel has been able to keep the ball in the yard pretty well over his career. Between 2009 and 2011 pitching with the Colorado Rockies, Hammel averaged 174 innings pitched while allowing an average of just 18.6 homers per season in that span.

It should be noted that pitching at Coors Field is no easy task, and Hammel was able to keep the ball down more often than not. Last year with the Baltimore Orioles, he surrendered 22 homers in just 139.1 innings. With a workload closer to his Colorado averages, Hammel would have ended up allowing around 30 homers in 2013. 

But 2013 does seem to be an outlier when you take a look at his lifetime numbers in the home run department.

Mechanically, he relies heavily on his sinking fastball, which induces a high number of ground balls. The Rangers figure to have one of baseball’s premier defenses this season, and that would certainly benefit Hammel.

He’d be able to trust his stuff a little more knowing the guys behind him can make plays and get him out of jams.

His control is just on par with the rest of the league. His career average for walks per nine innings is 3.1. That’s decent, but you’d like it to be a little lower in the American League.

Finally, Hammel is a large man at 6’6″ and 225 pounds. He can be an intimidating presence on the mound and has velocity in the low-to-mid 90s, accompanied by a big 12-to-6 curve ball and a sharp-breaking slider. 

But here is why the Rangers should turn away from him. 

First, his asking price. ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted this on December 9:

I haven’t seen any definitive updates on what Hammel is asking for now, but that doesn’t sound too good off the bat for the Rangers, or really for any club.

What is particularly scary is the difference and glaring inconsistency between his 2012 and 2013 seasons with Baltimore. Despite only making three more starts in 2013 than he did in 2012, Hammel‘s ERA jumped from 3.43 to 4.97, his strikeout rate per nine innings dropped from 8.6 to 6.2 and his strikeout-to-walk ratio plummeted from 2.69 to 2.00. 

Outside of his 2012 season with the Orioles, which was considered to be a breakout for him, Hammel has never finished a season with an ERA under 4.33. Much of his career workload was spent in the National League, even if it was in Colorado’s launching pad. 

Over his career, Hammel hasn’t fared well against lefties or righties. Lefties have hit .281 off him, while righties have batted .278. Those numbers aren’t due to improve much pitching at Rangers Ballpark. 

He also has a recent injury history that is an immediate cause for concern. Discomfort in his pitching arm as well as flexor strains in his lower back caused Hammel to miss significant time over the last two seasons with Baltimore. 

The Rangers can find better value in another starting pitcher on the market. Between Hammel‘s injuries over the last couple seasons, his reported asking price and lackluster career averages, Texas should stay away despite any feelings that he might be worth a gamble.

He’s definitely not worth a three-year gamble.

Unless Hammel can be signed to a one-year deal in the range of $6 million to $8 million with a possible team option for a second year, Texas should turn its attention to guys who will provide greater benefits to its rotation. 

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Saying the Boston Red Sox have had a quiet offseason thus far into 2014 is an understatement.

To be frank, the Red Sox have not exactly been active in targeting some of the high-profile free agents who have been available during the offseason.

We do know some of the significant moves Boston’s general manager Ben Cherington has made thus far—re-signing first baseman Mike Napoli, bringing in some bullpen help, signing veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski and adding outfielder Grady Sizemore.

But when compared to some other teams’ transactions this offseason—like those of the New York Yankees—the Red Sox’s offseason plans certainly cannot be described as splashy.

The lack of action may also indicate to some, like The Boston Globe writer Christopher L. Gasper, that the Red Sox are doing too little this offseason.

So what can we make of all this?

As Boston’s chief rival enjoys an offseason full of additions, the Red Sox have been far less aggressive.  Is this a cause for concern?  Perhaps, but it may also be an indication that Cherington is happy with the product Boston will put on the field in 2014.

The Subtractions

Goodbye Jacoby Ellsbury.  Goodbye Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  Goodbye (most likely) Stephen Drew.

In hindsight, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Ellsbury would sign elsewhere after the 2013 season.  Eventually commanding a seven-year, $153 million deal with the Yankees, Ellsbury‘s departure to the team’s chief rival looks much like the transaction that befell Johnny Damon years before.

More on that rivalry later.

That was money Boston had no interest in spending.  It also goes against almost everything that Cherington has practiced with this team over recent seasons—short-term, higher-priced contracts that do not inhibit the Red Sox’s abilities to make future moves.

The same could be said of former Red Sox catcher Saltalamacchia, who joined the Miami Marlins on a three-year, $21 million contract.

The last of those key free agents, Drew, has yet to find a new home.  Indications are that Drew will not return to Boston, as pointed out by CSN New England Red Sox Insider Sean McAdam.

None of these were players Cherington was willing to sign to long-term deals.  As a result, they will move on.

So how can the Red Sox react?

First, one cannot overlook the in-house options Boston plans on utilizing in 2014. 

Chief among these is the emergence of infielder Xander Bogaerts, who is ranked as Boston’s No. 1 prospect, according to Baseball America.

Bogaerts, who hit .296 with a .893 OPS in the postseason last year, is the primary beneficiary of Drew’s pending departure. 

All signs point to Bogaerts being the real deal―perfectly capable of handling the reigns of being a starting shortstop.

This was described further by former Red Sox AAA manager Gary DiSarcina, who stated via Alex Speier of WEEI.com:

The one thing I really looked at with Xander was the ability to play the game in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth innings defensively.  What I loved about him is he stayed calm in the field, he made the plays.  He’s a little unconventional—he’s a narrow-based infielder, he’s tall, he’s going to be a big kid, he’s still growing. He’s got a great arm, he’s got great hand-eye coordination.  I’m excited for Xander to have that resource around for all of spring training.  I think leave him out there until he plays himself off the position, and I see no indication of that.

There are few reasons to assume Boston will be worse off with Bogaerts moving forward.

Yet it is a little tougher to assume the same with the Red Sox’s future hopes in center field.  With Ellsbury gone, the job is Jackie Bradley Jr.’s to lose.

Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Red Sox organization by Baseball America, it is hard to assume Bradley will not play a vital role in Boston’s future for years to come.

Will that happen in 2014, however?

Early indications from Bradley’s limited 2013 campaign suggest that he may go through a period of adjustment at the big league level.  In 107 plate appearances last season, Bradley hit a mere .189 with a .617 OPS. 

Those numbers alone suggest Bradley has some tough days ahead of him.

What is promising, however, is that Bradley appears to have a very high ceiling—something that was pointed out by Jim Callis of MLB.com, via WEEI.com:

I think Jackie’s ceiling is pretty high.  I think he’s a potential Gold Glove center fielder.  I think he’s going to be a high on-base guy.  And I think he’s going to be a 10-15 home run guy.  I actually think, he’s not as fast as Jacoby Ellsbury, but I don’t think there’s really any question, I think he’s a better defender than Jacoby Ellsbury—and Jacoby’s pretty good.  I know this sounds crazy, and it’s not a lock, but I think he can be a better player than Jacoby Ellsbury in the long run.

It is clear that the Red Sox are staking their hopes on Bradley moving forward.  After all, what is the use of having top prospects if they are not utilized in a substantial role?

The only question is whether Bradley will be able to grasp the pressure of being a full-time center fielder in 2014.  There were some indications of struggle last year, and the possibility of him having more growing pains in 2014 is highly plausible.

Boston seems well aware of this and addressed the need for a veteran center fielder by signing Sizemore.  More on him shortly.

Also pertinent to the Red Sox’s plans for success in 2014 was the need for a backstop to replace Saltalamacchia behind the plate.

The Additions

With Salty gone, Cherington turned to Pierzynski to take over the starting job at catcher—signing him to a one-year, $8.25 million deal.

The deal makes sense in a variety of ways.  First, the Red Sox are indicating that top catching prospect Blake Swihart will not be ready for the majors in 2014.

Second, the one-year deal is typical of what Cherington likes to do—short contracts, even if the money spent, in terms of per-year average, is higher than long-term deals.  If Pierzynski works out (he owns a lifetime .283 batting average and .850 OPS), Boston will be the primary beneficiary.  If he does not work out, the one-year deal makes the transaction a little easier to swallow and gives Swihart another year to develop.

Lastly, any indication of Pierzynski’s clubhouse “issues” appear to be moot, as pointed out by Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes, via Ricky Doyle of NESN.com:

I’ve played against him a whole lot, and he’s a good dude.  He’s a champ.  His background’s well-documented.  I think he’s one of those guys, people talk about hating to play against him, but his teammates got his back all the time.  I think what’s kind of unique about how fast it happened is that this Red Sox clubhouse—Red Sox style of play—I think was stamped last year.  You can’t be a bad apple and come into this clubhouse.

It is hard to fathom Pierzynski’s negative reputation being a factor in 2014.

What should be a factor is the addition of two quality arms to Boston’s already venerable bullpen—Burke Badenhop and Edward Mujica.

Badenhop owns a lifetime 3.98 ERA over six seasons but has been most effective the last two.  Opposing righties hit only .229 against him in 163 plate appearances last season.

Mujica is also a reliable commodity, having closed for the St. Louis Cardinals for a sizable portion of the 2013 season.

While bullpen arms rarely generate any significant buzz during an offseason, one cannot overlook the importance of having quality relievers.  After all, how many games can be won, or lost, in the late innings?

The addition of utility infielder Jonathan Herrera also gives Boston some added flexibility.

The last significant addition from Cherington came when he signed Sizemore to a one-year, $750,000 deal plus incentives. 

Earlier this month, I wrote a piece describing three things Boston needed to do this offseason.  One of them was finding an insurance policy for Bradley.

After signing Sizemore, the Red Sox appear to have accomplished this.

Yet Sizemore does not come without concerns.  Yes, there are those, like Nick Cafardo from The Boston Globe, who would argue that Sizemore was Ellsbury before Ellsbury was Ellsbury.

Still, one cannot overlook Sizemore’s injury problems.  He missed both 2012 and 2013 due to various ailments and is five seasons removed from his last full season without significant injury.

While he is a lifetime .269 hitter, questions surrounding his durability cannot be avoided.

But the Red Sox are likely not banking on him being the starting center fielder in 2014.  The only way for him to guarantee that role is if Bradley’s eventual struggles are far too compounded for Boston to overlook.

As such, look at Sizemore as an insurance policy and nothing more.

The Contrast

It is impossible to gauge the Red Sox’s offseason actions without taking a look at their chief rivals—the Yankees.

With New York having inked a plethora of star players, including Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann—along with landing Japanese star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka—one might easily speculate that the Yankees won the offseason battle of addition.

The Yankees are, once again, looking like the Yankees after spending plenty of cash and signing players to lengthy contracts.  They have the money and are using it.

Still, in the opinion of this author, New York’s starting rotation remains suspect after Tanaka—an unproven major league commodity—and CC Sabathia.

Pitching wins championships after all, and the Red Sox can boast plenty of that.

As far as the offense is concerned, the Red Sox look as though they are starting the phase of getting younger, which has been indicated by their apparent reliance upon young stars like Bogaerts and Bradley. 

Yes, they have brought in some older veterans, but these pieces should merely be viewed as supplementary and temporary.

While the Yankees appear to be reliant upon star-studded offense in 2014, the Red Sox will once again bank on Cherington‘s formula.  It paid off in 2013.

The Conclusion

Boston will still have plenty of questions moving forward into spring training and the 2014 regular season. 

Aside from talks of extending long-term contracts for players like Jon Lester—and more recently, those about David Ortiz—Cherington‘s formula of short-term contracts appears to be paying off. 

There will be some drop-off in a number of areas, most notably from the Red Sox leadoff position.  Bradley and Bogaerts will likely go through some growing pains this season, and the production, so potent offensively last year, may be slightly hindered in 2014.

Still, it is impossible to overlook the fact that Boston has most of its chips in place for the upcoming season.  The starting rotation is set, and the bullpen has been reinforced.  Defensively, the Red Sox should remain solid. 

Say it again—pitching and defense win championships.

Boston’s offseason additions will not likely sell more jerseys or generate the same amount of hype that the Yankees have generated.

The moves were neither splashy, nor blockbuster.  They did not have to be.

It is a league where the biggest moves are not necessarily the best ones.  Cherington has proven that before and hopes to do so again.

All that remains is seeing how it all pans out.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.  Contractual information provided by Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the Boston Red Sox.  Follow him @PeterMcShots on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Several teams are in the mix for Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka, who could sign with an MLB team any day now, as well as free agents Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana. In the case of those four starting pitchers, however, they won’t necessarily end up with teams, aside from the New York Yankees, that have a gaping hole in their starting rotations. 

Teams hoping to fill obvious needs on their roster will be looking elsewhere in what has become a very thin market for trades and free agents this late in the offseason. 

Here are five teams with roster problems and some possible solutions for each.

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