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While the bulk of the offseason wheeling and dealing takes place prior to the start of spring training, there are always at least a few trades that go down after preseason play starts, and it looks like Chicago Cubs outfielder Nate Schierholtz could be on the move.

The Cubs signed the 30-year-old last offseason after he was non-tendered by the Philadelphia Phillies, and he went on to hit .251/.301/.470 with 32 doubles and 21 home runs over 462 at-bats last season.

His named popped up in trade rumors at the deadline last year and at various times throughout the offseason, but he wound up staying put heading into camp. Now, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, he could be available.

As Morosi points out, the health of Ryan Kalish, who missed all of 2013 following a torn labrum and subsequent cervical fusion, may play a role in the Cubs’ willingness to move Schierholtz.

Kalish is a former top prospect in the Red Sox organization, so the front office has obvious connections to him, and with a number of outfielders already vying for roster spots, a move of Schierholtz could open up a spot for him.

Justin Ruggiano, Ryan Sweeney and Junior Lake already look like locks to make the Opening Day roster as outfielders, while George Kottaras, Donnie Murphy and Emilio Bonifacio also look like safe bets to earn bench spots.

The question now is, who could be a possible fit for Schierholtz if these rumors are in fact true and the outfielder is set to be dealt? Two teams in particular look like reasonable destinations at this point.

Detroit Tigers

The Tigers are the obvious fit for Schierholtz after Andy Dirks underwent back surgery, and he is expected to be sidelined for roughly 12 weeks, according to Dayn Perry of CBS Sports.

The team signed Rajai Davis to a two-year, $10 million deal this offseason to serve as the right-handed hitting half of a platoon, but he has not had great success against right-handed pitching in his career so he’s best suited remaining as a platoon option.

Ezequiel Carrera and Trevor Crowe are in camp as non-roster invitees and prospect Steven Moya has impressed so far this spring, but the most likely replacement at this point looks to be utility man Don Kelly.

The team doesn’t have the deepest farm system, but if the Cubs are in fact set on dealing Schierholtz to open up a spot for Kalish, it likely won’t take all that much to acquire him.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have a clear need for a left-handed hitting corner outfielder, with Marlon Byrd, John Mayberry and Darin Ruf all hitting from the right side of the plate.

Schierholtz was acquired by the Phillies at the deadline in 2012 as part of the Hunter Pence trade, and he hit .273/.319/.379 down the stretch before being non-tendered.

The team took a chance on Bobby Abreu this spring after a solid winter league performance, and there was some hope that he could fill the void. However, he has gone just 3-for-20 so far this spring and has looked very much like a 40-year-old who sat out all of last season.

Trading any of their prospects to add another veteran may not make sense long-term, but the Phillies seem set on making a run at contention this year, and they may be willing to pull the trigger on a deal as a result.

Other Options

The Arizona Diamondbacks were the team most linked to Schierholtz during the offseason as they looked for a left-handed hitting bat with some pop to protect Paul Goldschmidt.

They would end up acquiring Mark Trumbo, a right-handed hitter, and are banking on Miguel Montero putting together a bounce back season hitting between them.

Outside of that, there is no other team that has been linked to Schierholtz or looks like a clear fit, and if the Cubs don’t get a trade package to their liking, they may very well opt to hold onto him and shop him again come July.

His $5 million salary makes him the fifth-highest paid player on the Cubs, according to Spotrac.com, so the team does have some motivation to move him at some point. He’s also a free agent at the end of the upcoming season and is unlikely to be part of the team’s long-term plans.

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As play heats up in Arizona and Florida, the start of the regular season moves closer to reality for baseball fans. Yet, despite the calendar inching toward spring, winter isn’t over for some teams.

Offseason activity still exists, especially within free agent circles impacted by draft compensation, lingering trade activity and teams looking to find the missing piece to a complete 25-man roster.

Although we’re finally to the point where play on the field overshadows the rumor mill, the hot stove isn’t totally cool just yet. For more than a handful of teams, upgrades are still available for the right price. 

Over the next four weeks, the rumor mill will churn out narratives, stories and juicy tidbits for fans to devour before the real games arrive. Of those, only some will have real meaning. The others will simply be noise.

The following is an attempt to separate fact from fiction during the busy, frantic days of spring training. 

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

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At this point of the MLB season, it’s all about spring training as players get tuned up for 2014 in Arizona and Florida.

While trades during spring training are pretty rare, the MLB trade rumor mill is still alive with a few rumblings that involve a couple of starters and other players that could have big impacts this season.

Here’s a look at the latest buzz from around the league on the trade front.

RHP Jeff Samardzija

The Chicago Cubs don’t have many bright spots on their roster to start the 2014 season.

After going 66-96 last year in the competitive National League Central, the Cubs essentially stood pat during this past offseason and didn’t make many major moves.

That leaves right-hander Jeff Samardzija as arguably the top player on the team, for a franchise that is trying to develop its minor league system under general manager Theo Epstein. While it’s a smart way to build an organization, Samardzija might not have enough time to wait around to see top prospects like Kris Bryant and Javier Baez make major impacts with the Cubs.

He has two years of club control left on his contract, which makes him an attractive trade candidate, and the Cubs might be spurred to move him now while the rebuilding phase continues under first-year manager Rick Renteria. Reports surfaced earlier in the offseason about stalled extension talks between Samardzija and the Cubs, but nothing much has come up recently.

While Samardzija is expected to start the season in the Windy City, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times cited MLB sources who said the righty could be shipped out before he makes his Opening Day start for the Cubs.

But teams including Texas and Toronto still have starting pitching needs. And two more industry sources said they believe ­Samardzija could be traded before the season starts.

‘I would be surprised,’ said Samardzija, who started Opening Day for the Cubs last year. ‘From what it sounds like, we’re going head over heels for this season with this team. Rick’s made it very clear that we’re here to win, which I love.

‘I love to hear him talk about his excitement for winning. Not development. Obviously, development’s part of it, but Rick’s No. 1 goal is winning, and me and him are 100 percent on the same page when it comes to that. We want to win. We want to win here. And we want to win now.’

Samardzija‘s spring outings have reportedly been heavily attended by scouts, adding more fuel to the trade rumors that have surrounded him all offseason. While he sounds like he’s keeping a level head about the situation, this seems like a matter of when and not if.

In 2013, his second full season as a starter, Samardzija topped the 200-innings-pitched mark (213.2) and 200-strikeout mark (214) while going 8-13 with a 4.34 ERA, 91 ERA+ and 1.35 WHIP. According to Wittenmyer, an MLB team executive labeled Samardzija a “monster in the making,” and he’ll surely have suitors lined up for his services whenever the Cubs make him available.

LHP Cliff Lee

There aren’t many players that Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro can trade away from this high-priced, underperforming roster, but southpaw Cliff Lee is one of them.

Even though he is owed $50 million combined the next two years and potentially $77.5 million over the next three, Lee’s consistent production over the course of his career might make him worth the investment to a contending big-market team.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com gave his take on Lee’s situation heading into 2014.

Lee has been the subject of trade rumors each of the last two seasons, but Phillies management, hoping for one more run at a championship, has hung on to him.

If the 2014 Phillies aren’t positioned to make that run in July, this might end up being the season that management pulls the trigger on Lee.

That’s the conventional wisdom around baseball. Lee’s salary, though still huge, will be more manageable in July and his value, provided he’s healthy and effective, will be strong because a contending team can have him for two Octobers -– and maybe three if option for 2016 kicks in.

Could a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees add Lee by the trading deadline? It certainly seems conceivable.

Lee didn’t show any signs of slowing down in 2013 when he turned 35, going 14-8 with a 2.87 ERA, 133 ERA+, 1.01 WHIP and 222 strikeouts in 222.2 innings of work.

While his age might scare some teams off right now, he can convince them otherwise with a strong start to the season. The Phillies figure to have a tough shot to contend against the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals in the National League East, so they might as well get some salary relief while they can, even it means trading away a front-line starter like Lee.

Arizona Diamondbacks

General manager Kevin Towers has been busy for the D-backs this offseason, as he traded away three prospects to get two players who figure to play key roles on the 2014 squad while also signing veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo to a two-year, $23.5 million deal.

But Towers might not be done wheelin‘ and dealin‘ just yet.

Towers’ decision to deal young right-hander Tyler Skaggs and outfielder Adam Eaton away in order to acquire one-dimensional slugger Mark Trumbo was met with some criticism, but Trumbo should provide some nice power along with MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt in the lineup. In the other major trade of the offseason, the Diamondbacks acquired closer candidate Addison Reed for third base prospect Matt Davidson.

According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, Towers is at least entertaining the thought of trading away one of his club’s shortstops.

‘It’s been pretty quiet of late,’ General Manager Kevin Towers said of the trade market. ‘With Stephen Drew still out there right now, I haven’t had much trade discussions.’

But Towers didn’t shoot down the idea of a trade. In fact, he spelled out what the Diamondbacks probably would be looking for in return if they were going to trade one of their shortstops.

‘For us, it would have to be the right deal,’ Towers said. ‘Our biggest needs in our system are catching. If it’s the right, top-notch catching prospect. Someone we could have right behind (Miguel Montero). More of an upper-level guy. Maybe a top, upper-end starter. We have a lot of bullpen depth, infielders. Maybe an outfielder, but probably more catching and Double-A, Triple-A type starter.’

Towers spelled out a possible trade scenario, as his club currently has two MLB-caliber shortstops in Chris Owings and Didi Gregorius battling it out for the starting job, along with MLB veteran backup Cliff Pennington.

Piecoro labeled the New York Mets, Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox as teams that could be potential trade partners, so we’ll keep an eye on this situation as spring training unfolds.

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The New York Mets have had a productive offseason in many respects, but they still missed out on a number of opportunities that would have improved their team in both the short and long term

The Mets addressed many needs this offseason, especially with their signings of Curtis Granderson and Bartolo Colon to bolster their outfield and starting rotation respectively. While filling these holes was necessary, the Mets missed on a number of opportunities to improve the team, especially since the signings of Granderson and Colon were geared to improve the team in the short term.

In early January, I laid out four areas in which the Mets needed to make further acquisitions, and they successfully completed two. They added cheap, veteran arms for their bullpen by signing Kyle Farnsworth and Jose Valverde, and they added veteran depth to their starting rotation with the acquisitions of Daisuke Matsuzaka and John Lannan.

The team clearly doesn’t have the funds or desire to approach big-money players such as Shin-Soo Choo, Robinson Cano or Masahiro Tanaka, so I do not classify the failure to sign players like them as a missed opportunity.

Looking back at the offseason, here are the Mets’ biggest missed opportunities, although some of them could still be fixed.

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

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Ubaldo Jimenez has finally found a new employer, but there are still a few premier MLB free agents available on the open market, despite the fact that spring training is underway in ballparks all across Florida and Arizona. 

Ervin Santana, Nelson Cruz, Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales are the top targets up for grabs on the free-agent front. While there’s been a noticeable lack of trade buzz in recent days, there’s been plenty of talk about contract extensions for some of the brightest starts from around the game. 

So, here’s a look around the league at all the latest trade and free-agency updates. 

Note: All Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Major League Baseball is officially here.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks have opened up their respective spring training camps early in preparation for their season-opening series on March 22-23 in Sydney, Australia. The rest of the league is set to follow suit with pitchers and catchers reporting the coming days throughout Arizona and Florida.

Still, there are a handful of quality free agents on the market looking for work. Now that the season is so close, things are sure to pick up in the coming days, so here’s a look at the latest batch of MLB rumors complete with fact or fiction predictions.

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While there are still several intriguing free agents on the market as spring training approaches, many teams are looking to make last-minute improvements prior to the 2014 MLB season via trades. Luckily, some talented players are potentially on the block.

For those teams that failed to hit it big in free agency, which is essentially everyone other than the New York Yankees, going the trade route may be the best option. There are no compensatory draft picks attached to trades, and contract negotiations oftentimes aren’t necessary either.

With that in mind, here is the latest buzz surrounding some of the hottest names available in trade talks as the 2014 season draws closer.

Jeff Samardzija

There is no question that the Chicago Cubs are in a dire situation, but the one bright spot is starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija. The former Notre Dame football star has made strides as a starter over the past couple years, and he has the potential to be an ace moving forward.

Samardzija is firmly in his prime at 29 years of age, and that makes him an attractive trade possibility. Losing Samardzija would send the Cubs even deeper into the abyss, but if they can score an impressive package of top-tier prospects, then perhaps it is worth looking toward the future.

One team potentially in play for Samardzija is the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, in addition to monitoring free agents Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez, the Jays are considering making an offer for Samardzija. There is a disconnect between the Cubs and Samardzija right now as Chicago is offering $4.4 million per season, while Samardzija has asked for $6.2 million, per Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.

Trading Samardzija to Toronto would be one way to solve that dispute.

After acquiring top talent like R.A. Dickey and Jose Reyes last offseason, the Blue Jays were expected to compete for a playoff spot. That didn’t happen as they finished last in the AL East by a wide margin. Even so, Toronto has plenty of talent, and bringing in a guy like Samardzija could work wonders. The starting rotation was Toronto’s biggest issue in 2013, and while Samardzija wouldn’t cure all of the Jays’ ills, he would be a huge help.

Danny Espinosa

After a breakout 2012 season, big things were expected out of Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa. Rather than building upon a campaign that saw him hit 17 home runs and steal 20 bases, though, Espinosa regressed in a major way. He played in only 44 MLB games in 2013 because of a demotion to the minors, and his stock has dropped significantly. Despite that, at least 12 teams have reportedly expressed interest in trading for him, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

Espinosa hit an embarrassing .158 with three homers and 12 RBI for the Nats in 2013, but he attributes his struggles to an injury suffered early in the season. Per Ladson, Espinosa played much of the year with a broken wrist:

I shouldn’t have been playing. But at the same time, I’m not the doctor reading the film. So I shouldn’t have been playing on a broken wrist the whole year. But you’re told, ‘You have a bruise,’ you have to play through a bruise. Everyone plays through bumps and bruises. I’m not gonna play through a broken wrist. If I’d have known it was a broken wrist, I wouldn’t have been playing.

While Espinosa deserves a great deal of credit for fighting through the pain, doing so put his future in jeopardy. He figures to be little more than a backup in Washington this year, so a trade may be best for him. The Nationals may not want to sell low, but perhaps some team will be willing to overpay a bit for the 26-year-old middle infielder’s potential.

Jose Lobaton

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Jose Lobaton is far from a household name, but he is certainly a capable backstop. With good catchers at such a premium, there is a great deal of interest in Lobaton across the league. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, there are six teams potentially in the running to acquire Lobaton through trade:

The Rays are notoriously penny wise, and with the 29-year-old Lobaton arbitration eligible from this season through 2017, they may decide that trading him away is the best course of action. With Ryan Hanigan and Jose Molina also on the major league roster, Tampa does have some measure of depth.

From an offensive perspective, however, Lobaton may be the team’s best option.

He hit .249 with seven home runs and 32 RBI last season in 277 at-bats, so he has the potential to be a solid contributor at the plate. Lobaton‘s defense is somewhat questionable, though, which makes him expendable. It’s difficult to imagine the Rays getting any great prospects in return for Lobaton, but the organization has a great eye for young talent, so perhaps Tampa can pull off a trade that will eventually go down as a major steal.

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There’s a proven closer in the NL East that can definitely be had, but teams could be more interested in trading for one of the division’s other relievers.

This guy’s name: Drew Storen.

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reported in January that the Washington Nationals would like to trade the right-hander, whose career has been riding a string of ups and downs ever since he saved 43 games in 2011. But, since he’s still only 26 years old and under club control through 2016, the Nationals could be able to find some takers once bullpen needs become more clear during the spring.

MLB Lead Writer Zachary D. Rymer is here to break down Storen’s trade candidacy, from what about him will attract teams to what might repel teams to which teams he could land with in a trade.

Leave your comments and questions below if you have any, and you’re also welcome to follow Zachary on Twitter.

Follow Zachary: @zachrymer

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With the start of spring training just weeks away, Major League Baseball teams are looking for small pieces to upgrade the roster heading into the season. 

There are plenty of big names still available in the free-agent market, including Ubaldo Jimenez, Fernando Rodney, Nelson Cruz, Stephen Drew and many more. However, teams have shown an unwillingness to give out multi-year deals or big money for these types of players.

Instead, front offices have been looking at smaller moves and trades that could add a few extra wins over the course of the season. These unheralded players could end up paying huge dividends in 2014 if they are moved.

Jose Lobaton, C, Tampa Bay Rays

A year after Jose Lobaton played the most games at catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, he appears to be the odd man out behind the plate.

The 29-year-old veteran played 100 games last season and posted a solid .320 on-base percentage in 311 plate appearances. He was also solid defensively and helped the rotation become one of the most consistent in the American League.

Unfortunately for him, Jose Molina appears healthy to start the year, and the team also acquired Ryan Hanigan this offseason in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. 

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes that settling the position is one of the final moves for the Rays before the start of the year:

With pitchers and catchers reporting Feb. 14, the Rays don’t have much else to do. They are still having talks about trading C Jose Lobaton, but bringing him to camp, though somewhat awkward, isn‘t the worst idea: protection if either Ryan Hanigan (already working out at the Trop catching bullpen sessions) or Jose Molina gets hurt, and opportunity if another team has to react to an injury.

While Lobaton was solid last season, Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune points out why he would be the one to go:

Lobaton appears to be the odd man out because he makes the least and would be easier to trade.

[…]

With Lobaton out of options, he would have to clear waivers to remain with the organization. The Rays likely would lose him in that case.

As a result, it would be smart to move him whenever they can find a suitor. Considering good catching has been tough to find in recent years, there should be plenty of organizations looking for a veteran presence like Lobaton to add to the lineup.

Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Boston Red Sox

Although Will Middlebrooks has shown flashes of brilliance in his short career with the Red Sox, his inconsistency has made him expendable. 

The third baseman hit 15 home runs in only 75 games as a rookie before slugging six more in April of 2013. Unfortunately, he hit only 11 more the rest of the year as his batting average continued to fluctuate. 

Middlebrooks ended up losing his starting job to Xander Bogaerts in the playoffs when he went 4-for-20 in the postseason. With his future in Boston uncertain, a number of teams are looking to make a deal, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe:

Teams ask about Middlebrooks, but the Red Sox haven’t pulled the trigger, feeling Middlebooks has power and they’d hate to lose that. The Marlins have asked a lot about Middlebrooks, but there’s no clear match unless it’s part of a Giancarlo Stanton deal, which isn’t happening. The Red Sox believe they could move Xander Bogaerts to third and still give Middlebrooks enough at-bats to make his power work by alternating him between the corners.

The reality is that the Marlins have little to offer the Red Sox besides young prospects, something they do not need. Boston wants players who can help compete right now and try to get back to the playoffs and win another World Series title.

That being said, there are plenty of teams who should be interested in adding Middlebrooks. Despite his inconsistency, he has shown plenty of raw power and could potentially be a 30-home run player at this level.

If the Red Sox are willing to part with him, this might be a worthwhile gamble for a contender.

Jason Castro, C, Houston Astros

This is the most high-profile player on this list as Jason Castro was named an All-Star last season as part of a breakout year. The catcher finished with a .276 batting average and 18 home runs as a rare bright spot on the depressing Astros.

However, Houston could look to deal him if it cannot lock him in for the long term, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

The Astros’ Jason Castro, a first-time arbitration eligible, is another catcher who could become a trade candidate, depending upon the development of Max Stassi.

Rival teams have inquired on Castro, according to major league sources. If the Astros cannot sign him to an extension, he could become the team’s best trade chip. The ‘Stros also could move him to first base.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that the two sides agreed to a deal to avoid arbitration this year:

Still, that price is just going to keep going up in the coming years as he keeps putting up big numbers. Considering Houston wants to keep its costs down, trading when the value is high might be a good strategy.

Plenty of teams around the league would love to bring in a 26-year-old catcher with a proven track record, but one can imagine the Astros will be looking for a lot in return in a potential trade.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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The five-player trade between the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics involving Jed Lowrie and Chris Carter, who both went on to have highly productive seasons for their new teams in 2013, was the lone “blockbuster” trade from last February.

It doesn’t mean that we won’t have an eventful month ahead of us, with the potential for multiple impact trades to happen. Several big names have already been discussed in trades this winter and it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see a few of them head into spring training with a new team.

Here are four impact trades that could go down in February.

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