Kuzul

The blockbuster trade that sent Prince Fielder to the Rangers and Ian Kinsler to the Tigers was one of the offseason’s first landscape-changing transactions. There have been relatively few swaps since then, with the Diamondbacks-Angels-White Sox three-way deal leading the way, but perhaps the winding down of the free-agent market will spell the re-opening of the trade market.

Certainly, there’s no shortage of name-brand players out there who could be on the move. Here’s a look at five of them who have surfaced in reports at various times throughout the offseason, and where they might be headed.

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As the year that saw the Boston Red Sox win their third World Series Championship in 10 years winds to a close, fans and analysts are wondering what the franchise will do to back up their crown in 2014.

Boston has been relatively quiet this offseason, as shown by the team’s transactions provided by CBS Sports.

The heart of Red Sox Nation primarily has focused on the departures of a number of key figures from the 2013 championship team—most notably Jacoby Ellsbury and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Still, the Red Sox’s relative silence thus far into the offseason does not mean the team will remain inactive until Opening Day next year.  There is still plenty of time for general manager Ben Cherington to make some moves.

Let us take a look at some of the recent rumors surrounding the Red Sox and cash in on whether they are fact or fiction.

Trading for Outfielder Matt Kemp

There was a time, not so long ago, where the Red Sox were rumored to be involved in discussions with the Los Angeles Dodgers regarding a potential trade for All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp.

Perhaps it is time to put these rumors to bed once and for all.

While it would have been nice for Boston to add a vaunted offensive presence to their lineup—as well as a two-time Gold Glove recipient—a deal for Kemp is virtually out of the question at this point.

For starters, Kemp’s injury concerns have hampered any serious discussions with a number of teams that have reportedly been interested.

This aspect is elaborated upon by Ricky Doyle of NESN who states:

The 29-year-old has missed time in each of the last two seasons with a shoulder problem and an ankle issue, so there’s obviously going to be some concern about his health status for whichever teams consider making a deal.

That alone is reason enough to thwart any potential deal.

In addition, Kemp’s agent Dave Stewart stated that Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti informed him that the team has no intentions of trading Kemp this offseason per Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.

If you were hoping to see Kemp in a Red Sox uniform in 2014, you may want to back away from those prospects.  It is not going to happen.

Status: Sell

Re-signing Shortstop Stephen Drew

Unlike the aforementioned deal for Kemp, the retaining of shortstop Stephen Drew is a little tougher to disseminate.

The situation is relatively simple—if Drew signs elsewhere, Boston will roll with the upcoming Xander Bogaerts at shortstop and two-year veteran Will Middlebrooks at third.  The Red Sox will also receive a compensatory first-round draft pick if Drew signs with another team.

If Drew re-signs with Boston, there will be a slight logjam on the left side of the infield with Bogaerts and Middlebrooks competing for time at third.

Fortunately enough, the Red Sox are in a position to be patient.  Drew’s market has not been that hot as of late, and he remains a free agent.

If the Red Sox elect to go with the former option, they will be relying on a very young core of players, especially on the left side of the infield.  This facet is further described by Alex Speier of WEEI.com.

Should Cherington re-sign Drew?

Marc Normandin of SB Nation does not think so.

Middlebrooks is likely the player who would suffer the most from Drew’s potential signing.  Normandin argues that Middlebrooks, at 25 years old, should receive at least a full year of everyday playing time.  This will at least give him the chance to showcase his potential.

If Middlebrooks flourishes, that puts Boston in a good position.  If not, the Red Sox could look towards having prospect Garin Cecchini eventually taking over at third.

Normandin writes:

This is true whether the Red Sox envision [Middlebrooks] as their third baseman of the future or not.  Giving him a full season in 2014 to show off what he can do—something he hasn’t had the chance to yet—could raise his stock enough that Boston could benefit from a huge trade in which they sell off his pop to the highest bidder, making room for Cecchini at third in 2015.  Having this option is something they can only do if Middlebrooks plays for the Sox in 2014, while Drew plays for someone else.

That is an interesting perspective to say the least.

In conclusion, the Red Sox appear to be in a much better position by letting Drew go than they would be if they re-signed him.  The fact that no deal has been made by this point suggests that Cherington is considering options outside of Drew’s services.

Status: Sell

Red Sox Interested in Left-Handed Pitcher Mark Mulder

According to a report from Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, veteran lefty Mark Mulder has drawn interest from the Red Sox, as he attempts to make a comeback in the majors.

Mulder has not pitched since 2008 after a shoulder injury ended his major league tenure.

The report, which was also listed by Al Melchior of CBS Sports, suggests that Boston might be interested in Mulder’s services to some regard.

Yet, the Red Sox already have a plethora of starting pitching, as well as young prospects in the folds, so signing Mulder makes little sense.

Cafardo also suggest that Boston will not likely make a deal.

Status: Sell

Boston Signing Japanese Right-Handed Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka

Let the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes begin.

Biddings from MLB teams on Tanaka‘s services began on December 26, per Drew Silva of NBC Sports.  The Cubs, Yankees, Angels and Diamondbacks were all reported to have interest in the same article.

Yet Cafardo also makes the claim that Boston should get in on the bidding.  He writes:

The 25-year-old Rakuten Golden Eagles right-hander, who was 24-0 in the regular season in 2013, was posted and teams have begun to bid the new maximum $20 million fee.  The Red Sox are the least mentioned big-market team, but don’t be surprised if they quietly slip into this.  One American League scout suggested it’s the perfect time for the Red Sox to strike.

This is backed up by the fact that Boston has a number of pitchers with either one- or two-year deals left on their respective contracts—Jake Peavy, Ryan Dempster and Jon Lester most notably.

Tanaka could easily slide in as a solid No. 2 or No. 3 starter for a Red Sox rotation that could see some significant changes in the next couple of years.

Yet, there are plenty of problems with this potential deal.

First, would Cherington be weary of an expensive deal that could thwart Boston’s future much like the deal the team struck with Daisuke Matsuzaka some years ago?

That is a legitimate possibility.

In addition, there is an argument that the Red Sox’s priority should be upon signing Lester to a contract extension after his current contract expires at the end of 2014.

Doyle backs up this claim and also states that the Red Sox, who currently have a surplus of starting pitching, don’t need to make a sizable financial commitment to an unknown commodity.

This is true in a number of ways.  There is a surplus of starters already.  In addition, Boston has some talented prospects waiting to make debuts.

From that vantage point, signing Tanaka makes little sense.

Status: Sell

The Red Sox look poised to enter the 2014 season with the team they currently have on paper.

While there may be continued rumors and stories that surround Boston in future weeks and months, all signs point to Cherington and the Red Sox front office being content with what they have moving forward.

As indicated, the aforementioned rumors have been classified as “sellers” and should not be given much credence regarding whether or not a deal will take place.

This author could be wrong of course, but that has yet to be determined.

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

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

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The holidays have nearly run their course, but MLB hot-stove action is still going strong and figures to play out weeks into the new year. Offseason dealings can bleed into February, so this isn’t entirely novel, but this year’s strangely forming market can be attributed mostly to the circumstances surrounding Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka.

Recall, if you will, the flurry of activity the week before the winter meetings. That’s when Robinson Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Mike Napoli and Curtis Granderson agreed to terms, to name just a few of the bigger moves. Since then, there have been a few notable transactions, including the Rangers’ signing of Shin-Soo Choo, but things have been quieter overall.

Now, though, Tanaka‘s posting could signify a second wave of activity. Here’s the latest as we enter a new chapter of the offseason.

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While there are still a number of MLB free agents available, most of the top options are already off of the market. This has caused teams around the league to look toward trades to improve the roster for next season.

Of course, franchises are smart enough to avoid giving away a player for nothing. This will keep potential deals from moving quickly as the negotiation process continues through the start of the regular season.

These trades will likely take some time to be completed, but the latest buzz seems to indicate that a move will be made before the offseason ends. Here is a look at the latest trade rumblings from around the league. 

Jeff Samardzija, SP, Chicago Cubs

After two full seasons as a starting pitcher, Jeff Samardzija has proven he has the potential to be an above-average major leaguer. However, the Chicago Cubs do not feel he is worth his cost.

Earlier in the offseason, David Kaplan of CSN Chicago quoted a source who said, “I don’t see him throwing another pitch in a Cubs uniform. I think it’s 99 percent that he gets moved. They’re not ready to win and he brings you the young pitching you need for the future.”

Although the mindset has not changed, Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago reports that the team will wait for the timing to be right:

Multiple industry sources have predicted the Cubs will let the free-agent market play out – Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana are still on the board – and see what happens with the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes before pulling the trigger on any Samardzija deal.

Still, Samardzija told Mooney that he did not want to go anywhere:

My first preference is to win here and be a success here. I know the upside that comes with surviving through this. Just the personal gratification I would get for battling through these few years and then down the road when we’d be looking back on this – (that’s) what really excites me.

Although the pitcher’s ERA inflated to 4.34 this season to go with an 8-13 record, he finished fourth in the National League with 214 strikeouts and fifth with 213.2 innings pitched.

If the Cubs do not want to see if he turns into a legitimate ace in the future, there will be plenty of other teams willing to take that chance.

David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

For most of the offseason, it was almost common knowledge that the Tampa Bay Rays would continue their tradition of trading players before they reach free agency with David Price. However, they do not feel like they need to rush a deal.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times provided the latest buzz regarding the Rays:

They are willing to listen on Price, who has two seasons until free agency, but it’s going to take a lot — in terms of young talent — to get him. Fair conclusion: They haven’t been made a good-enough offer yet.

In essence, the Rays are waiting to see if someone makes it worth their while to trade Price and take the accompanying step back team-wise.

Topkin also clarified, “There hasn’t been much media chatter about a Price deal, though that may be more a product of the Rays’ intense efforts at secrecy than a lack of actual talks.”

The biggest problem has been the Rays unwillingness to give up on the year by trading away arguably their best player. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports broke down what the club is looking for:

Acquiring “now” players would be the Rays’ preference, enabling them to gain back some of the short-term value they would lose by trading Price. The right fit, though, could prove elusive, considering that Price is even more accomplished than Shields.

The James Shields trade brought Wil Myers, who contributed immediately and was named the 2013 Rookie of the Year. It is hard to find a team willing to part with a player of this ability, but Price might be worth that cost.

Either way, it is important not to give away a perennial Cy Young candidate without getting quality players in return.

Heath Bell, RP, Tampa Bay Rays

Once a dominant closer, Heath Bell has struggled in recent years while bouncing around the league from the Miami Marlins to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is now the property of the Rays, but this might not be the case for too much longer.

While discussing the Baltimore Orioles’ need for a reliever, Roch Kubatko of MASN provided the latest rumors out of Tampa Bay:

Grant Balfour would have made $15 million over two years if the Orioles hadn’t backed away following his physical. Now, he could end up with the Rays, who are shopping Heath Bell, according to multiple industry sources.

[…]

The Rays acquired Bell from the Diamondbacks on Dec. 3 in a three-team trade with the Reds. Now they’re gauging the market for him.

It is hard to imagine too many teams running at the chance to bring in a reliever who had 15 blown saves over the past two seasons. However, he showed some signs of life with a 4.11 ERA in 2013. 

Additionally, Bell had 132 saves from 2009-11, and the talent is still there for a bounce-back season. If a team is able to pull him away for a low cost, it might be worth the deal.

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

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It’s still too early to declare a team as a “winner” or “loser” at this point in the offseason. Because there’s still plenty of time left for them to make trades and several impact players still available on the free-agent market, the perception of how a team’s offseason has gone can change in a moment’s notice. 

A lot has happened, though, and there are teams that have certainly established themselves as having had a successful offseason and those who have either made enough questionable moves or non-moves to give their fanbase a reason to be disappointed. 

Here are four winners and four losers from the first two months of the offseason. 

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The top names like Robinson Cano, Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo and Brian McCann have been signed. The biggest trade we’re likely to see this offseason—Prince Fielder for Ian Kinsler—has been completed, too.

So what’s left?

Well, while there are still second-tier free agents like Nelson Cruz and Ervin Santana available, there are also some intriguing players still possibly available on the trade block. Let’s break down some of the latest trade rumors in Major League Baseball.

David Price and Jeff Samardzija, SP

Without question, the biggest name remaining on the trade block is David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays. The 28-year-old went 10-8 with a 3.33 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 151 strikeouts in 2013, but he is due approximately $13 million and could bring back a lot of young talent in a deal.

Plus, the Rays have plenty of young talent in the rotation. So why hasn’t he been traded?

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times has the answer:

With the start of spring training now closer than the end of the season, the Rays’ position appears to be the same as it was. They are willing to listen on Price, who has two seasons until free agency, but it’s going to take a lot—in terms of young talent—to get him. Fair conclusion: They haven’t been made a good-enough offer yet.

So what might the Rays want for Price? Well, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe has more on that (along with providing an update on Jeff Samardzija‘s status with the Chicago Cubs):

On the trade front, the Rays and Cubs want at least three very good players for Price and Samardzija, respectively, major league-ready or top prospects. The team that trades for Price must figure out a long-term agreement with him. And that goes for Samardzija, as well.

Samardzija has emerged as a very good starting pitcher in the past two seasons and finished 2013 with an 8-13 record, 4.34 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 214 strikeouts. While Price is the more appealing starter based on his track record, Samardzija surely could be had for cheaper. 

Of course, as Cafardo notes, neither player is likely to be dealt until Masahiro Tanaka of the Rakuten Golden Eagles is signed by an MLB team (if he is at all). Meanwhile, free agents like Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana and Bronson Arroyo also remain available for teams as cheaper alternatives to Price.

Thus, it’s very possible Price will remain with the Rays for at least one more season. A team willing to pay the right price can have him, but it sounds as though that price will be rather steep.

Brett Gardner, OF

After signing both Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran this offseason, the Yankees have a total of six outfielders: that pair, along with Brett Gardner, Alfonso Soriano, Ichiro Suzuki and Vernon Wells.

General manager Brian Cashman has already said the team won’t go into the season with six outfielders, but who will be moved? 

While Gardner will likely stick around and man left field, Cafardo believes the team will listen to any serious offers for the outfielder:

Have you noticed that every time Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi are asked about the Gardner-Jacoby Ellsbury situation, they indicate they have two center fielders?

Given his contract, we’re assuming Ellsbury is going to play center, and the last time Ellsbury played left field he collided with Adrian Beltre, broke five ribs, and played in 18 games in 2010.

The Yankees are trying to reinvent the Ellsbury-Shane Victorino dynamic by having two center fielders playing their toughest outfield spots, which are left and center at Yankee Stadium. However, even with their declaration that Gardner won’t be traded, they would listen to the right deal.

The one reason to deal Gardner, quite simply, is that he would bring back the most in any potential trade, likely for a pitcher to add to the Yankees rotation. He was solid in 2013, hitting .273 with eight home runs, 52 RBI, 81 runs and 24 stolen bases. 

While the Yankees would certainly be strong in the outfield with he and Ellsbury—and have plenty of speed on the basepaths—the Yankees may yet be tempted to deal their best trade chip from a position of strength.

Ultimately, it comes down to what they can get for Gardner in return and if they trust Ichiro or Wells to handle the third outfield spot with Soriano likely be the designated hitter.

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There’s an old saying that says don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. That might not be any more true than when it comes to the art of MLB “rumor mongering.” In this business, negotiations and posturing often play out in the media, and it’s up to us, the readers, to make sense of it.

You can’t always discern which reports are legit and which are likely to look silly in a matter of days or weeks, but if you are mindful of a team’s needs, its budget and its recent history, it goes a long way toward figuring out what makes sense and what doesn’t.

From Masahiro Tanaka to Stephen Drew, here’s my take on five reports surrounding the biggest ongoing stories of the offseason.

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Attention, holiday shoppers: If you’re a general manager of a Major League Baseball team, there may not be much available in position players anymore, but they’re not quite sold out just yet, and there still are pitchers galore ready to be plucked from the shelves in time for the new year.

As the calendar gets ready to flip, here’s a rundown of the top names who remain up for grabs as either free-agent factors or trade targets.

The problem for many of the former is that a bunch are second- or third-tier talents who are tethered to draft-pick compensation, which severely limits their market.

And of course, the holdup on the pitching side can be traced to the fact that the baseball world is waiting on a final decision about the potential posting of a certain Japanese right-hander.

The expectation, it seems, is that one of these last big chips is about all that needs to fall for the others to follow suit. Much like that big ball that drops at midnight next week.

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

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The New York Mets still need improve this offseason if they want to compete for a playoff spot in 2014, and they can do so by trading for a shortstop.

Stephen Drew is the only legitimate option who is a free agent. Considering the Mets are only willing to sign him to a one- or two-year deal, Drew returning to Boston is more likely. Outside of Drew, the best options are on the trade market.

While every team in the league would love to have a shortstop to build around, the Arizona Diamondbacks have an excess of major league-ready shortstops who should be impact big leaguers for a long time. After acquiring Didi Gregorius for Trevor Bauer in a three-team trade last winter and drafting Chris Owings in the supplemental first round in 2009 out of high school, the Diamondbacks have the happy problem of having too many young shortstops.

Arizona also has been in search of established starting pitching all offseason, as Buster Olney tweeted earlier this offseason.

With the Diamondbacks’ trade for Mark Trumbo it is clear they want to win now. Both Gregorius and Owings can’t play shortstop simultaneously, so it would be wise for the Diamondbacks to trade one of their young studs for starting pitching.

That’s where the Mets come in. New York has a number of established pitchers either in the prime of their careers or on the cusp of promising ones, many of whom would appeal to the Diamondbacks.

The two teams match up on for a trade very well, with the Mets having no legitimate options at shortstop other than Ruben Tejada and the Diamondbacks in need of a starter to solidify their rotation.

This article will focus on Owings rather than Gregorius, as the Mets should target Owings for his greater offensive upside. Arizona general manager Kevin Towers also compared Gregorius to Derek Jeter, so it’s pretty clear he values Gregorius more than the rest of the league, therefore making Gregorius less likely to be dealt.

I will first explain why the Mets should want Chris Owings, and then present three realistic trades that the Mets could make to acquire the young shortstop.

Why the Mets should want Chris Owings

Although Chris Owings has limited experience at the major league level, he should be an impact shortstop for a long time.

The Topps 2013 Pacific Coast League Player of the Year has plus bat speed that allows him to hit balls with authority and gives him the potential to hit for extra-base power. He combines this with a great feel for hitting, which should allow him to be a perennial .280 hitter.

Owings isn’t the most patient at the plate, but considering the lack of impact hitting shortstops across baseball, Owings should be well above average offensively at the position. Owings‘ extra-base hit potential is evident in the below video.

As a 21-year-old in the hitter-friendly PCL, he had a concerning walk rate of just 3.8 percent, but at the same time showed off his hitting prowess with a .330 batting average and .482 slugging percentage. In Ruben Tejada’s single quality season in 2012 in which he hit .289, he had a walk rate of just 5.4 percent and slugged only .351.

Owings‘ fielding is a concern, as he has over 20 errors per season since 2011. However, he displays impressive instincts at shortstop which imply that the high error totals could decline with more experience and could be inflated by the poor quality of minor league infields. Owings was especially impressive defensively in the futures game, making a number of solid plays, especially when he went back nicely on a pop-up.

Acquiring Owings would give the Mets a young shortstop who could be a cornerstone of the resurgence of New York Met baseball, as he has the ability to be an impact hitter at a premium position.

Now, with the Diamondbacks not having a place for Owings to play every day, the Mets need to figure out what packages they would need to put together in order to get the young shortstop as well as decide if making the deals would help both their long- and short-term goals.

Mets trade SP Dillon Gee to Diamondbacks for SS Chris Owings

Dillon Gee established himself as a solid mid-rotation starter in 2013 who is an integral part of the Mets’ 2014 playoff chances, but they need to give something to get something.

Last year Gee came just one inning short of 200 innings and pitched a 3.62 ERA. A mid-rotation starter may not be the sexiest trade piece, but Arizona’s best pitcher, 2013 All Star Patrick Corbin, had an ERA only slightly better than Gee’s, sitting at 3.42.

The Mets have plenty of reasons not to trade Gee. Right now, the Mets’ top four starters are their most dependable assets (outside of David Wright), with the fifth spot likely occupied by a young starter with promise or a cheap veteran yet to be signed this offseason. If the Mets trade Gee, the 2014 team will be forced to be more reliant on young and unproven starters, changing the team’s strength into a potential weakness.

Losing Gee would hurt the Mets’ pitching depth, but because of the multitude of promising young starters New York has on the horizon, risking the 2014 rotation’s stability could be worth it if it could acquire Owings.

Mets Trade SP Jenrry Mejia to Diamondbacks for SS Chris Owings

Jenrry Mejia has the upside as a starter that the Diamondbacks desire, and the risk that comes with Mejia could make the Mets comfortable with letting him go.

Coming into spring training, Mejia is the front-runner for the fifth starter position in the Mets rotation. Last summer he burst onto the scene once after years of being forgotten, coming back from injuries. He looked like a young Pedro Martinez on the mound, both in appearance and as a pitcher, with Mejia’s size and afro, along with his devastating changeup, reminiscent of the former ace.

Mejia was truly amazing in his short 2013 stint. In 27.1 innings, he allowed only 28 hits and four walks while pitching to a 2.30 ERA.

The great talent Mejia put on display in 2013 is why the Diamondbacks would consider parting with Owings, but Mejia comes with a lot of risk. In his career in both the major and minor leagues, he has yet to pitch more than 100 innings in a season and has only eclipsed the 90-inning mark twice.

Mejia’s small frame has always brought up questions about whether he would ever be able to pitch enough innings to be a starter, and the time he’s missed due to injury just adds to those concerns.

The Diamondbacks may prefer the more predictable pitcher in Dillon Gee, but Gee lacks Mejia’s upside. If the Mets were willing to sacrifice their 2014 rotation and make both Gee and Mejia available for Owings, the Diamondbacks could choose between the upside of Mejia or the stability of Gee.

Mets Trade SP Rafael Montero, OF Brandon Nimmo, SP Jake deGrom and SP Gabriel Ynoa to Diamondbacks for SS Chris Owings

This is by far the least likely of the three scenarios present. The Mets would need to create a prospect package around Rafael Montero to acquire the Diamondbacks shortstop.

The prospects in this deal are interchangeable, but the point is that the Mets would need to give up a number of assets other than Montero to acquire Owings. Montero is not highly valued around the league despite his impressive minor league numbers because of his small frame and lack of overwhelming stuff. Montero’s most optimistic projection is as a No. 3 starter at best, but he could be destined for the bullpen.

Unless the Diamondbacks are as high on Montero as most Mets fans, the team will need to include a number of other pieces. Nimmo, deGrom and Ynoa are just examples of a combination of lower-level minor league talent with upside and talent close to the majors it would take to get a deal done.  Deals exclusively involving prospects also rarely happen, making this scenario less likely.

If the Mets are unwilling to trade Mejia or Gee in a deal for Owings, they could turn to this option, however. If the Mets think Montero is destined for the bullpen in the future, they could try and sell high on him in a package to get Owings. They should be careful in considering this deal, however, as Montero’s superb feel for pitching bodes well for his future as a potential mid-rotation starter.

The Mets should be pursuing Chris Owings aggressively and be willing to sacrifice their starting pitching depth if necessary. If the Diamondbacks assert they want additional players than Gee or Mejia, the Mets should back out, but considering the Diamondbacks’ need for starters, both pitchers should be more than a fair price.

Sacrificing starting pitching depth is always tough to do. However, with the chance to acquire a shortstop with an impact bat combined with the promising young pitchers on the horizon for the Mets, Sandy Alderson should look into these different trade scenarios.

All statistics courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball Reference.

Propose your own trades in the comment section below, and follow Sean on twitter at @S_CunninghamBR.

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The 2013 MLB offseason has already brought about some interesting movement around the league. Some big-name players such as Robinson Cano have signed lucrative contracts with another club. However, others are still testing the market.

The rumor mill is in full swing as these players continue to garner interest from different teams. Three players in particular have been making headlines recently, as potential landing spots have begun to take shape.

Let’s break down each player, interested teams and what the signing would mean for these franchises.

Seattle Mariners Show Interest in Nelson Cruz

Despite the Mariners’ offseason spending spree, they are still eyeing some high-priced free agents. One happens to be outfielder Nelson Cruz, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

After the Texas Rangers signed Shin-Soo Choo to a seven-year, $130 million deal, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Mariners quickly turned their interest to Cruz.

Richard Justice of MLB.com thinks that Cruz would be a perfect fit in Seattle. Said Justice:

Another thing that makes [Cruz] so attractive is that the Mariners could add him without touching their nucleus of starting pitching, especially top prospect Taijuan Walker.

And then again, if they signed Cruz and wanted to trade Walker in a package that included a young position player, the Mariners would appear to be good enough to make a serious playoff run.

Cruz would certainly help out the Mariners’ bats, as he was able to deliver 27 home runs last season despite a 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

Tampa Bay Rays are in on Grant Balfour

According to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, the Baltimore Orioles were not able to close out their deal with Grant Balfour. Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette had this to say regarding the closer’s physical:

The Orioles were disappointed that we couldn’t complete a contract with Grant Balfour. The reason is the club’s not satisfied with the results of the physical exam.

We would never say never or close the door, but we’re turning our attention elsewhere for now to look at some other options to try to staff our team and try to build a contending team for 2014.

This opened the door for the Rays. Jim Bowden of ESPN tweeted that the team has interest in Balfour:

Tampa Bay is in the market for a closer, and Balfour seems like the logical fit. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that the Rays do not see the same red flags as the Orioles did. Rosenthal relayed this from Rays team physician Koco Eaton:

Eaton told FOX Sports that he saw no red flags with Balfour’s arm, and Reds team physician Timothy Kremcheck—who performed elbow and shoulder surgeries on Balfour in 2005—concurred.

Since the team doesn’t have doubts about Belfour’s arm, it seems as though they are ready to make a push for the closer who has converted 62 of 67 save opportunities over the past two seasons.

Baltimore Orioles Seek Out Andre Ethier

According to a tweet from Jim Bowden of ESPN, the Orioles are in on Andre Ethier and Raul Ibanez:

Of course, Ibanez is now off the market, as he recently signed a one-year deal worth $2.75 million with the Los Angeles Angels, according to CBSSports.com.

That leaves Ethier as the desired target.

Ethier remains a wild card here, as he is very familiar with trade rumors. In a report from Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Ethier explained how he feels about the situation:

I thought I handled it last year from the year before—it’s the same old stuff. I prepare every offseason to make myself better to make the team win. I’m a Dodger until I’m told otherwise. That’s why I’m here today.

I stand here today still a Dodger after all the rumors. I’m moving forward with the organization and happy to be where I’m at.

Ethier had a bit of a down year in 2013, delivering just 12 home runs and maintaining a batting average of .272. Still, the seven-year veteran has plenty left in the tank and would help Baltimore remain competitive during the upcoming season.

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