Kuzul

After two weeks of banter, rumors and potential offseason landing spots opening up, the Hot Stove has finally started to burn.

Over the last few days, a blockbuster between the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers,  an under-the-radar signing by the New York Mets, an intriguing swap between the Los Angeles Angels and St. Louis Cardinals and delusional approach by the Philadelphia Phillies front office have combined to own the news cycle.

Thus far, the destination of free-agent shortstop Stephen Drew has not been at the forefront of baseball’s rumor mill. If his agent, Scott Boras, follows a recent script of good, not great, free-agent profiles, Drew could be waiting for months to sign his next lucrative contract.

When the Boston Red Sox placed the one-year, $14.1 million qualifying offer on Drew, his market was severely altered. Now, any team that signs Drew must forfeit a top draft pick. If the team owns one of the 10 worst records in baseball, the pick will be outside the first round. However, if it’s a contending team, or even a losing team outside of the bottom 10 records from 2013, the pick will come from the first round of the 2014 draft.

Needless to say, Drew is going to find a home, regardless of the compensation that will come with his next contract. Yet, it could take a while for his market to come down and interested teams to justify millions spent and a draft pick surrendered. 

If the process is anything like Michael Bourn or Kyle Lohse‘s free agency from last winter, Drew could be without a permanent home until February. 

Last winter, both Bourn and Lohse were quality free agents, but neither looked to be a franchise-changing player. As a speedy outfielder, Bourn was looking to be paid based on his defense, speed and ability to hit at the top of the order. Lohse, a durable, 200-inning arm, was looking to cash in on his ability to stabilize any rotation in baseball.

Eventually, both did garner solid deals. Bourn, after nearly landing with the New York Mets, found a home in Cleveland on a four-year, $48 million deal. Meanwhile, Lohse landed in Milwaukee on a three-year, $33 million pact. Based on their track records of success prior to free agency, it’s likely that both would have landed even bigger deals had draft pick compensation not been attached.

At first, it was clear that some suitors passed on both due to the draft pick issue. As the offseason progressed, teams filled needs and zapped up their budgets to the point where neither player, even if there was mutual interest, became a natural fit any longer.

Stephen Drew, although not a perfect parallel to the patient free-agent stars of last winter, is on a similar tier of talent. It’s easy to dismiss the merits of Drew’s value, especially after a dismal offensive postseason for the World Series champions, but, much like Lohse and Bourn, his contributions are clear to those immersed in the game.  

Since 2008, Drew is one of only nine shortstops to post at least an OPS+ of 100 and contribute a 9.0 or higher WAR to his clubs. As offense fades away and the game becomes geared to young power-pitching, shortstops that can provide league average offense and decent total value are very, very valuable. 

Eventually, there will be suitors for Drew, but the draft pick compensation will scare enough suitors off to make his plight more interesting than it would have been without the conundrum. 

Furthermore, one of the teams in the Stephen Drew sweepstakes, the New York Yankees, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, may have to wait months in order to fill out their roster and set their final winter budget. 

Due to the Alex Rodriguez circus, the Yankees are handcuffed, possibly until sometime in late December or early January. According to Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York, that’s when arbitrator Fredric Horowitz is expected to finally rule on A-Rod’s 211-game suspension. If it goes into effect immediately, the Yankees could have $33.1 million extra to work with in 2014. 

They would also have a major hole on the left side of the infield. Not only would Rodriguez have to be replaced for a full season, but Derek Jeter is nearing his 40th birthday and fresh off an ankle injury that cost him most of the 2013 season. The fact that Stephen Drew can play shortstop or third base makes him, along with fellow free-agent shortstop Jhonny Peralta, a no-brainer for the Yankees.

If circumstances were different around the Red Sox qualifying offer or the state of New York’s budget, Drew’s free agency could have been quick, perhaps over by the end of the Winter Meetings in December. 

Now, don’t be surprised if his name is used in conjunction with Michael Bourn and Kyle Lohse. It doesn’t mean he won’t be rewarded for a stellar 2013 season, it just might take time.

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For New York Mets fans, it’s been a difficult run of futility, especially during the hot stove season. While rebuilding and retooling can be justified by any rational fan, the lack of big-market activity by general manager Sandy Alderson has been alarming over the last few years.

On Friday morning, the Mets made a move to bolster their outfield, but a vocal portion of fans haven’t been able to separate the present and future when breaking down the deal. According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, former Diamondbacks and Athletics outfielder Chris Young is on his way to New York. 

When first glancing at Young’s 2013 numbers, it’s easy to understand the lack of excitement at a player that will cost $7.25 million, per the New York Daily News. This past season, Young posted an 85 OPS+ in 375 plate appearances for Oakland.

Yet, after taking a look at the 30-year-old outfielder heading to New York, Mets fans should be excited for a player poised to resurrect his once promising career. 

Before we dive into why Young is ready to reemerge in 2014, let’s look at the type of player he was before a disappointing season in Oakland, the level he could return to next year and where he ranked among the top outfielders in baseball during his best days.

When at his best, Young is a rare player. Few outfielders possess the ability to hit 30 home runs, steal 25 bases and play top-tier defense. During three separate seasons (2007, 2010, 2011) in Young’s career, he’s been at least a 20/20 (20 home runs, 20 stolen bases) offensive player. During the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Young’s glove was good enough to account for 38 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) in Arizona. 

The following charts illustrate just how prolific Chris Young was when at his best. The fact that he’s coming off a poor year in Oakland makes him a perfect buy-low for the New York Mets. Without the budget or willingness to splurge on lucrative, long-term deals, the front office in Flushing, Queens, led by Sandy Alderson, is forced to search for bargains. At the age of 30, Young is still young enough to repeat or exceed past performances.  

As you can see, Young’s power-speed combination is rare. Since 2007, only Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp, the top two finishers on the 2011 NL MVP ballot, have profiled as better power-speed combinations among outfielders.

Furthermore, the names below Young on the chart, Alex Rios and B.J Upton, both signed contracts in excess of $69 million during their respective careers. On a one-year, $7.25 contract, the Mets are receiving a player with a skill set that has been paid between $69 and $160 million. 

When factoring in WAR, Young’s defensive prowess puts him above many star outfielders in Major League Baseball. From 2010-2012, the three years prior to Young’s awful 2013, he profiled as one of the 12 most valuable outfielders in baseball. Among the names behind him on that list: Shin-Soo Choo, Giancarlo Stanton, Justin Upton and Hunter Pence. 

If Young can experience a career resurgence, the Mets will be rewarded with one of the more valuable outfielders in all of baseball.

It’s abundantly clear that Young has been a versatile and excellent player during the bulk of his career, but neither of those accolades are enough to predict an upswing in performance for the Mets during the 2014 season. Instead, we can look to the poor luck experienced in Oakland as a reason for his revival. 

As Dave Cameron of Fangraphs pointed out when discussing the bargain deal the Mets just shopped for, Young’s 2013 season was hurt by a well below-average BABIP (batting average on balls in play). As Cameron discusses, Young was basically the same hitter in 2013 as he was in his good years, but he suffered from an inordinate amount of bad luck on batted balls. Per Cameron’s thoughts:

None of that changed last year. He still hit for power, drew walks, struck out, and hit fly balls. However, he posted a .237 BABIP that was the lowest of his career, so his wRC+ fell from 98 to 82. Other than that, he was basically the same hitter he’s always been, and while BABIP for hitters isn’t entirely random, there’s no reason to expect him to sustain a career low. Steamer projects him to post a .269 BABIP in 2014, a little below his career average, and that bump would push him right back to league average hitter status.

The final thought is key. After a difficult 2013, it won’t take much more than better luck to return Young to being a league average player. At the age of 30, it’s hard to believe his defense and speed have disappeared. Thus, an uptick in luck at the plate, combined with good defense, potentially in a corner outfield spot in New York, and 20-plus stolen bases, can put Young back in the category of rare outfielders that he profiled as during his time in Arizona. 

Frustration from Mets fans is easy to understand, but the road back to contention doesn’t have to be littered with big names. Young, even on a reasonable deal, will take up a significant chunk of the organization’s offseason budget. If he produces, it will be a boon. If he doesn’t, more despair will emanate from Citi Field. 

Transcendent talents cost over $100 million to secure. Young isn‘t that good, and likely never will be, but he does possess some of the same skills as comparable players that got paid on that level. By mid-summer, he could become underpaid and highly valuable member of an improved Mets team.

Agree? Disagree? 

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Fifteen years in the big leagues and Carlos Beltran‘s offensive numbers are still good enough to place him as one of the most valued free agents in the majors this winter. 

Beltran recently turned down a one-year, $14.1 million offer from the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. He is seeking a multi-year contract, and teams such as the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles are interested in signing the 36-year-old.

During the 2013 regular season, Beltran hit .296 with 24 home runs and 84 RBIs.

Throughout his career, in a total of 51 postseason games for the Astros, Mets and Cardinals, Beltran has 16 homers, a .333 average and a .445 on-base percentage per Dick Kaegel of MLB.com.

With an aging Beltran’s stats still pretty good, it is clear to see why the Boston Red Sox are interested in signing him. According to a number of sources, including Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald, Boston and Beltran are having serious discussions about their future.

The biggest reason why the Red Sox should try for Beltran is because free agent Jacoby Ellsbury is most likely going to leave the team. With Ellsbury gone, there will be space in the outfield for Beltran.

This may appear desirable to Beltran, who told Kaegel that whatever team he goes to he wants more playing time.

Even if Beltran doesn’t play the Boston outfield, he has a chance to play first base. Right now, there is the question of whether or not Mike Napoli will stick around with Boston, according to Lauber. If he doesn’t, Beltran could take his spot. Beltran has gotten slower with age so the decreased mobility required at first base could fit him well.

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com noted that the Red Sox’s rivals, the New York Yankees, are also interested in signing Beltran.

Beltran is just one of many free agents the Yankees are considering. New York is also interested in Brian McCann, Jhonny Peralta, Masahiro Tanaka and Stephen Drew, per Mark Feinsand and Michael O’Keeffe of the New York Daily News.

As we all know, money is usually not an issue for the Yankees. So it may be possible that a deal goes down between New York and Beltran. Currently the Yankees’ outfield consists of Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki and Alfonso Soriano. Carlos Beltran would be an offensive improvement over at least both Suzuki and Gardner.

The Baltimore Orioles have also expressed interest in signing Beltran per Chris Mascaro of Sports Illustrated. However, Ricky Doyle of NESN Sports argued that the Orioles cannot pursue the outfielder until they clear up some salary space.

The Boston Globe writer Nick Cafardo agrees with Mascaro, tweeting:

And to do so, the Orioles are considering trading catcher Matt Wieters. In 2013, Wieters hit .235/.287/.417 for his worst statistical season of his career.

Trading Wieters doesn’t seem to be the right move however. Jay Jaffe of Sports Illustrated suggests that the Orioles should keep Wieters and bank on a rebound from him. With Wieters being a career .255/.319/.420 hitter and the lack of catchers on the market, the Orioles should stick to Wieters and move on from Beltran.

Beltran, who was first drafted by Kansas City in 1995, spoke to Kaegel about a possible return to the Royals:

Based on how they played this year, of course that’s a possibility — they competed; they had a team that almost won the Wild Card. They can compete, and my decision will be based on teams that are competing. That’s a team that I would consider, for sure. I don’t want to go back to a team that’s not competing.

Even though Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports stated the Royals would love to see a reunion with Beltran, they may not be able to afford him.

The Royals have a low payroll. Their 2013 payroll was $81.9 million according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Compared to the Red Sox, the Yankees and others, the Royals can easily be outbid for Beltran. So chances are, although both parties are interested, Beltran won’t end up in Kansas City.

Of all the teams considering Beltran, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees seem to be the biggest contenders. Both need help in the outfield. But while the Yankees are looking to upgrade their outfield with Beltran, the Red Sox are looking to fill a gap if Ellsbury leaves.

Besides the opportunity to play more, the fact that the Red Sox beat the Cardinals in the 2013 World Series just might intrigue Beltran enough to sign with Boston.

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It’s been a busy week in MLB free agency, with several veteran pitchers and position players receiving multi-year deals. Even the latest rumors about some top free agents have been juicy.

Every free-agent update reverberates around the league, resulting in numerous winners and losers.

Contracts signed so early in free agency give us a better idea of what comparable players should expect to receive. Also, as the free-agent crop grows thinner, front offices are forced to reluctantly abandon their preconceived strategies.

Picking up from where Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells left off, we’ve hand-picked the biggest beneficiaries and victims of the Nov. 15-21 action.

*Stats provided by Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise specified.

Begin Slideshow

The bidding war for Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is on hold after Major League Baseball and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball were unable to reach an agreement on a new posting system.

However, despite the recent news, the market for the 25-year-old right-hander is alive and well.

Considered by many as the top pitcher in this year’s free-agent class, Tanaka had a historic season pitching for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the NPB, registering a 24-0 record and a 1.27 ERA during the regular season. He also put together an impressive 30-game unbeaten streak, dating back to his final start of 2012 in the postseason.

Tanaka’s ridiculous streak came to an end on Nov. 2, as the Golden Eagles’ ace was saddled with his first loss in over a year. Starting Game 6 of the NPB title series, the right-hander threw 160 pitches in a 4-2 complete-game loss to the Yomiuri Giants. However, he did return to the mound the next day to pick up the save in the series-deciding Game 7.

Given Tanaka’s overwhelming success this past season in Japan, it’s easy to assume the 25-year-old will make an immediate impact in the major leagues—whenever he finally arrives.

At 6’2” and 200 pounds, Tanaka typically throws his fastball in the low 90s but can reach back for 94-95 mph when necessary. The right-hander also demonstrates a feel for manipulating the pitch through his use of a cutter and two-seam fastball, and his knowledge of how to effectively mix the pitches stands out.

While Tanaka’s fastball velocity isn’t anything special, the pitch plays up thanks a combination of late movement and his ability to paint the outside corners against both left- and right-handed hitters. However, he’ll need to learn to pitch inside more effectively against major league hitters, and it’s likely that his overall command of the offering will be challenged—at least initially. 

Perhaps the biggest knock against Tanaka pertains to the lack of downhill plane on his fastball. After collapsing his back side and dropping low to the ground during his stride, Tanaka’s inconsistent upper-body posture—specifically, his head tilt—prevents him from getting on top of the ball, which, in turn, affects both his velocity and command. And with only average velocity to begin with, he simply can’t afford to linger up in the zone with the pitch against left-handed hitters.

However, Tanaka’s pitching up in the zone is mostly by design and vital to his overall approach—not to mention a major reason he was the top pitcher in the NPB for the last few years.

You see, the right-hander is all about changing hitters’ eye levels. So when he can effectively command the top of the zone with his fastball, it theoretically makes his assortment of breaking and sinking secondary offerings more attractive. 

Tanaka’s best pitch arguably is a plus splitter (or forkball) that is flat-out nasty and features a devastating late tumbling action, causing it to drop off the table and induce ugly swings from opposing hitters. The slider is his go-to breaking ball, thrown with considerable velocity in the mid-80s with tight spin and sharp break—and he throws the pitch a lot, especially to right-handed hitters. When he’s at his best, Tanaka can spot the offering to both sides of the plate and generally avoids making mistakes. 

The right-hander also threw his curveball more this past season, though it projects as more of a show-me pitch in the major leagues given it’s lack of velocity and slow, loopy shape. Tanaka rounds out his arsenal with a changeup that offers a different look in typical slider-splitter counts, but his use of the pitch has decreased in recent years, according to NPBtracker.com, and it’s unlikely to be a weapon in the major leagues.

Because Tanaka relies primarily on a fastball-slider-splitter combination, the popular comparison to Hiroki Kuroda is actually dead-on.

As Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs notes:

The comparison between Tanaka and Kuroda goes beyond just the Japanese thing. Both are right-handed starters. Both have fastballs around the low 90s. Both throw a lot of sliders, both are known for their command, and most importantly, both feature a frequent splitter. There just haven’t been that many splitters among big-league starting pitchers lately, which is one reason why the Kuroda comparison isn’t as lazy as it can seem. Since 2002, just seven starters have thrown at least 20 percent splitters. Just 11 more have thrown at least 10 percent splitters. Included are names like Kuroda, Hideo Nomo, Kenshin Kawakami, and Hisashi Iwakuma. The splitter is a popular pitch in Japan, so Japanese pitchers frequently make for easy comparisons for Japanese pitchers.

Clint Hulsey of I R Fast also supports the comparison:

The easiest comp for Tanaka in the Majors is Hiroki Kuroda since they have somewhat similar fastballs, and rely a lot on splits (assuming you call Tanaka‘s “forkball” a split) and sliders. Obviously they are at totally different moments in their careers (though Kuroda is pitching as effectively, if not more effectively, than he even has), and Kuroda was throwing quite a bit harder at Tanaka‘s age (he was averaging over 92 MPH in 2008 with the Dodgers at age 33).

Even though Tanaka is the top pitcher in the NPB and poised to land a monster free-agent contract, that doesn’t mean he’s a flawless, finished product ready to dominate. 

Since the start of the 2011 season, the right-hander’s strikeouts-per-nine-innings (K/9) rate has dropped from 9.6 to 7.8. Meanwhile, his walks-per-nine-innings (BB/9) rate has quietly climbed from 1.1 to 1.4.

Along those same lines, there is sure to be ongoing concern and endless second-guessing regarding the impact of his heavy workload—his high school is also notorious for dangerously high pitch counts—in Japan on his long-term success in the major leagues. 

But if we’ve learned anything over the years about Japanese pitchers that go through the posting process and sign with a major league team, it’s that stateside success tends to vary case by case.

While one team may view Tanaka as too great a risk for the presumed final price tag due to his workload and mechanics, another organization may believe he’s healthy and primed for a great career in the major leagues. 

The reality is that there’s no way to predict exactly how Tanaka’s body will age. So, while his numbers in Japan don’t necessarily reflect his potential in the major leagues, there’s not much else to go on right now.

Like every pitcher, Tanaka is a risk. However, there’s no question that he has the stuff and feel for pitching to get major league hitters out.

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The New York Yankees are going through an identity crisis, but these free agents could help them head back on the right track.

While most teams would actually have to suffer a losing record to consider their season a complete, utter disappointment, the 85-77 Yankees missed out on the postseason for the second time in 19 seasons, which is enough to send the Big Apple into a frenzied panic.

To make matters worse, Robinson Cano, Hiroki Kuroda and Curtis Granderson are all set to enter free agency after rejecting their qualifying offers. It also doesn’t help that Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte, part of the franchise’s core that led the Bronx Bombers through their dynasty years in the late ’90s, both retired.

Derek Jeter is also set to make $1 million for every base hit he notched during the 2012 season, so that’s fun, too.

But even with their goal to avoid the $189 million luxury-tax threshold, the Yankees have money to spend with big contracts exiting their payroll. Outside of retaining Cano and Kuroda—which should be their top priority—here are the top free agents the Yankees should recruit.

C Brian McCann

A new catcher is certainly high on Brian Cashman’s holiday wish list. When he’s not needlessly protecting the game’s sanctity from hooligans like Carlos Gomez, who dared to smile and display other such human emotions, Brian McCann is one of the game’s finest behind the plate.

According to the New York Daily News‘ Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden, the Yankees are hot in pursuit of McCann, as well as another veteran slugger we’ll get to next:

The Yankees are “moving fast” in an attempt to sign both Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran, according to a source, hoping to make a preemptive strike with a “full-court press” to get both players secured before a major market develops for the pair of free agents.

McCann is a career .254/.350/.473 hitter who has crushed at least 20 homers during each of the past six seasons. He made amends for a shaky 2012 by obtaining a .461 slugging percentage and 2.7 WAR by FanGraphs‘ measure.

That’s still a step down from his heyday, and catchers are not known for aging well, so any team should be careful not to sign him for too many years. But if the Yankees are anxious to win now (and they’re the Yankees, so of course they are), McCann is the best catcher on the market.

Yankees fans will take kindly to him, as he’s the type of no-nonsense player who seemingly wouldn’t laugh at the notion of a sporting team banning beards during the 21st century. The pitching staff would enjoy working with the veteran even more.

The only problem: Imagine how much money McCann will draw if Carlos Ruiz can land a three-year, $26 million contract. After watching Chris Stewart hit .211/.293/.272 in the starting spot last year, the Yankees might shut their eyes and pay McCann whatever he wants.

OF Carlos Beltran

It’s weird talking about how much offensive help the Yankees need, but alas, they need offensive help.

As a team, they notched a .307 on-base percentage, which ranked 23rd in MLB. For some perspective, the New York Mets finished with a .306 OBP.

With a .359 career OBP, Carlos Beltran seems like the perfect guy to alleviate those woes. As mentioned earlier in Feinsand and Madden’s report, the Yankees definitely want him.

To up the ante on signing him, The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo reported that the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are looking to snatch Beltran before their American League East rival can:

Although oddly enough, the usually patient Beltran walked in just 6.3 percent of his plate appearances, down from his 10.4 career percentage. The once-nifty fielder is now a weak spot in the outfield during his waning years as well. Wait, this is supposed to be in support of signing Beltran?

OK, yes, Beltran’s smooth line-drive swing would make a killing in Yankee Stadium, which is beckoning the former Met to return to 30-homer glory. He’d also cover much less space out in the claustrophobic right field while receiving some time as the designated hitter.

Also, he is still a premier power bat, having slugged at least .490 in each of his last three seasons.

SP Masahiro Tanaka

Feeling lucky?

If there were ever a year to take a chance on an unknown pitching commodity, this is the one. Is the same Ervin Santana who was among’s baseball’s worst in 2012 now trustworthy after a strong 2013? Is the erratic Ubaldo Jimenez worth a massive deal after an incredibly timed second-half surge to close the season?

Masahiro Tanaka is even more of an uncertainty, as the Japanese pitcher has never tossed a pitch in MLB. But he’s enticing enough that the Yankees are making him their top pitching priority. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan, landing Tanaka is their top goal after keeping Cano, and “they’re willing to spend more money than any team ever has bidding on a Japanese player”:

Sources with knowledge of the Yankees’ plans said they are “going to be bold” in bidding on the 25-year-old right-hander when the Rakuten Golden Eagles post him, likely later this month. Just how high the Yankees plan on going is unclear, but executives believe the winning bid for the rights to negotiate a contract with Tanaka will top $75 million, nearly a 50 percent premium over the posting fees for Yu Darvish and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Tanaka posted a 1.27 ERA with the Golden Eagles last season, and his posting fee is not included in the team payroll. Now the Yankees just need to make sure Tanaka can come to the U.S. in 2014.

According to The Star-Ledger‘s Andy McCullough, a snag in negotiations between MLB and Japanese baseball officials for a new posting system could delay Tanaka‘s arrival. Feinsand, however, said a source told him otherwise:

There’s also danger in venturing into the unknown. The fact that his strikeout rate dropped to 7.8 last season also raises some concerns that his Japanese club is wearing him out. The 25-year-old has already logged 1,315 innings pitched, way more than he would have accrued in the U.S. 

But his impeccable control and ace upside makes the gambit worthwhile for a team with many questions in its rotation. Pettitte is gone, and Kuroda could leave next. The team wants Phil Hughes to leave, and CC Sabathia registered a 6.08 ERA after the All-Star break.

There’s no American ace on the market this winter, so the Yankees should take a chance on Tanaka if the opportunity presents itself.

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He was the hero of so many games for the New York Yankees in 2012, and now, 41-year-old Raul Ibanez may be heading back to the Bronx.

According to George A. King III and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, the Yankees are considering offering Ibanez another contract this winter. This comes one year after the team let him walk following a playoff performance New Yorkers have not seen from one player since Reggie Jackson.  

Almost all analysts considered Ibanez’s career near over during spring training in 2012, when he simply could not get a hit. As soon as the regular season started, however, Ibanez found a spark in his swing and put together one of the most memorable seasons of his long career.  

That magical season consisted of Ibanez batting only .240 in 130 games played, which would make little sense to someone who just reads the statistics.

All season long, Ibanez came up with timely hits for the Yankees, delivering more than a handful of game-winning hits for his team. However, it was his postseason performance that forever etched his name in Yankee lore.  

Had it not been for Ibanez, the Yankees probably never would have advanced past the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Division Series. It was his presence that propelled New York to the Championship Series, which it lost in four games to the Tigers. However, Ibanez did everything he could in that series as well, delivering a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth off closer Jose Valverde. 

After reuniting with the Seattle Mariners last season, Ibanez tied Ted Williams’ record of single-season home runs after 40 years of age. The lefty hit 29 home runs last year, giving people in Seattle something to cheer about even when their team had been eliminated from playoff contention.

With a suspension for third baseman Alex Rodriguez looming and extreme demands from Robinson Cano, per Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York, the Yankees could use a cheap and reliable bat in the lineup. He would not come at a great asking price, which is beneficial to an organization doing everything it can to avoid paying the giant luxury tax this season.

Furthermore, Ibanez proved last season that he is far more than just a designated hitter at this point in his career. In 2013, he played 99 games in left field.

Ibanez could provide a spark to a Yankees team that is desperately searching for help in the free-agency market. 

If the Yankees make this move, land Ibanez and make the playoffs, we may witness more of that October magic New Yorkers missed out on last season.  

Statistics Courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

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Tim Hudson has signed with the San Francisco Giants, per John Shea and Henry Schulman of SFGate.com, and now the Atlanta Braves are in a position where they need to replace the veteran righty.

After having gone 113-72 in nine years with the Braves, Hudson is returning to the West Coast after he and the Giants agreed on a two-year, $23 million deal.

For Braves’ fans, it’s just another big name that has gone elsewhere, something that will happen again this offseason when Brian McCann signs with another team.

With Hudson gone, this is how the Braves rotation currently looks (2013 stats):

1. LHP Mike Minor (13-9, 3.21 ERA)
2. RHP Kris Medlen (15-12, 3.11 ERA)
3. RHP Julio Teheran (14-8, 3.20 ERA)
4. RHP Brandon Beachy (2-1, 4.50 ERA)
5. LHP Alex Wood (3-3, 3.13 ERA)
6. RHP David Hale (1-0, 0.82 ERA)

There’s a lot of confidence in the top three in the rotation, but after that, things aren’t as clear.

Here is a look at the options the Braves have with the departure of Hudson:

In-House Options

Wood seems like an easy pick to fill one of the rotation spots in 2014.

As a starter, he went 3-2 with a 3.54 ERA and 54 strikeouts. He seemed to have good control and was able to handle a good workload.

The one thing that people may point to is that he had a 2.08 ERA in 21.1 innings coming out of the bullpen. If Jonny Venters struggles coming back from Tommy John surgery, and other relievers struggle as well, Wood could be moved back to the bullpen to solidify that area.

Then there’s Beachy. After having had Tommy John surgery in 2012, Beachy made five starts last year before being shut down due to more elbow trouble. Then there is this tweet by MLB.com’s Mark Bowman:

Although Beachy is expected to be ready for spring training, there are some question marks there as well. And there will continue to be question marks until he can pitch a full season.

Hale is another option and someone who had a lot of success in the minor leagues. In 22 games in Triple-A (20 of which were starts), Hale went 6-9 with a 3.22 ERA and 77 strikeouts.

Top-pitching prospect J.R. Graham could be another option, but as Bowman notes in a mailbag post, he’s more likely to start 2014 in the minors:

Graham has made significant strides since his right shoulder sidelined him for the final 3 1/2 months of this past season. Still, while there is a chance he could end up in Atlanta’s bullpen or rotation at some point next year, it seems safer to assume Graham would begin the 2014 season back at the Minor League level.

Obviously, Wood and Beachy will be on the roster to start the season, as should Hale in the bullpen. But what if something goes wrong. Shouldn’t the Braves have some insurance?

John Lackey

It seems crazy to think this, but David O’Brien of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution believes the Braves should look at Boston starter John Lackey in a potential trade:

Lackey is owed $15.25 million in 2014, while he will be due the league minimum in 2015 because of a weird clause in his contract, according to Dave Cameron of Fan Graphs:

So, they (or maybe his agent) came up with a pretty creative solution, adding a league minimum club option to the end of the deal if Lackey missed significant time due to an elbow issue. Sure enough, Lackey’s elbow became problematic, and after the 2011 season, he underwent Tommy John surgery and spent the entire 2012 season on the DL, triggering the club option for 2015.

As a result, the Red Sox now own the rights to Lackey’s 2015 season at a salary of around $500,000. 

For the Braves, that would be an extremely good deal considering Tim Hudson’s $9 million and Brian McCann’s $12 million will be off the books. 

The Braves could reasonably pay Lackey the money he is owed this year and then have him for a league-minimum salary next year.

Lackey was 10-13 with a 3.52 ERA and 161 strikeouts this past season. He was a key cog in helping the Red Sox win the World Series.

If he continues to pitch the way he did this past season, two years and $15.75 million is a great deal.

The Red Sox have even gauged other teams’ interest in Lackey, according to Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston:

Obviously, the trade chips would be another aspect of a potential deal. While not wanting to give up a lot, the Braves could conceivably give up Cody Martin and Matt Lipka (or Todd Cunningham) in exchange for Lackey and a lower-level prospect.

That would allow the Red Sox to clear out some room in their rotation and also give them pieces for the future.

Roy Halladay

Roy Halladay hasn’t been the same over the last two years, combining for a 5.15 ERA in 38 starts the last two seasons.

However, now a free agent, what if Halladay could be even a shade of his former self.

If that’s the case, O’Brien suggests the Braves should look at signing him:

The Braves would do something like sign Halladay only if they were reasonably certain, after looking at the medical reports, that such a pitcher might be ready to compete at a high level again.

The fact remains, before those past two painful seasons, Halladay was the game’s best starting pitcher, piling up 78 wins and 35 complete games during a remarkable four-year stretch (2008-2011) in which he posted four consecutive sub-2.80 ERAs and had seasons with 20, 17, 21 and 19 wins.

O’Brien makes a good point. Imagine if Halladay can compete at a high level again. How much of a steal would it be for the Braves (or any team) to sign him? Here’s how he looked in the previous four seasons before the shoulder issues:

Halladay would also bring a veteran presence in the rotation, something the Braves lost when Tim Hudson left for San Francisco.

Obviously, the Braves would need to get Halladay at a decent rate. Like many players have done in the past, Halladay could sign a one-year deal to rebuild his value for 2015, in which he could seek the final two- or three-year deal of his career.

It’s a gamble. But it’s no more of a gamble than what the Braves are dealing with when it comes to Beachy.

What Should the Braves Do?

As we saw late in 2013, having Hudson out of the rotation hurt the Braves. There was no veteran leader to set the tone for the rest of the staff.

Minor, Medlen, Teheran and others are more than capable of doing the job. But the Braves need a leader on the pitching side of things. Bringing in someone like Lackey, Halladay or even another veteran starting pitcher would be beneficial for the Braves.

It would help come September as the team looks to grab the top seed in the playoffs. Imagine if Hudson wasn’t injured last year. Would the Braves have lost the No. 1 seed to the Cardinals?

The Braves need veteran leadership with Hudson gone. Lackey or Halladay could provide that leadership. They have the experience and a proven track record. If either can be had for the right price, it’s something the Braves need to pull the trigger on.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The MLB offseason is one of the most exciting and most hectic periods of any professional sports season.

With a bevy of free agents and trade candidates circulating through the rumor mill, it can be pretty easy to lose sight of reality. Luckily, we here at Bleacher Report have you covered.

In this article, I’ll give you the definitive guide on how to follow the 2013-14 offseason rumor mill. We’ll look at key Twitter accounts to follow, unique sites to bookmark, big names to track, trackers and lists to follow, and finally a guide on how to separate legitimate rumors from fantasy.

So sit back, grab your pen and paper, and be sure to take notes!

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Every offseason, there are a significant number of free agents that come with risks attached. Some players are coming off a poor year, others are dealing with nagging injuries that limit their defensive abilities and some are question marks because of their home ballparks.

However, each of these risky MLB free agents can be a success story in 2014 if they end up in the right situation.

For some players, it is a matter of finding the right team to fit in with. Other players will benefit from a new ballpark or the opportunity to play in a city in which they are more comfortable.

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