Kuzul

It shouldn’t be surprising that the Boston Red Sox are expressing interest in the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ Matt Kemp as has been reported by the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo.

Kemp is an excellent player when healthy, and Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington should be kicking the tires on any above-average player in MLB this winter. It never hurts to talk with anyone, especially when it is a player with Kemp’s skills. 

The 29-year-old Kemp has struggled to stay on the field the past two seasons, playing in only 179 of a potential 322 games and is coming off a season where he had ankle surgery that caused him to miss the playoffs this past season, as detailed by Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.

Kemp will also have to deal with a shoulder issue the entire winter, as discussed by B/R’s Rob Goldberg. It is an injury history that should give any team pause, especially the Red Sox. 

If the Red Sox do not re-sign Jacoby Ellsbury this winter, part of the reason will obviously be the money involved for the star outfielder but also concerns over Ellsbury’s injury history and ability to stay on the field over the course of a six- or seven-year deal. 

What would be surprising is if the Red Sox readily took back the remaining six years and close to $130 million remaining on Kemp’s contract. The Red Sox are in a perfect position right now, with very little in the way of long-term commitments on their payroll. 

Boston’s approach of signing veterans to short-term contracts and avoiding the big dollars for free agents proved to be an excellent strategy last year, resulting in a World Series title in 2013. It is a blueprint that is likely to be copied by other teams because it is becoming clear that long-term contracts have too much risk attached. 

Kemp could bring power to the Red Sox offense, looking at his career slash line of .293/.350/.493 in eight seasons with the Dodgers. In that time, Kemp has been an excellent player who has had one MVP-type season in 2011, but he has struggled to repeat those numbers since, mostly due to injury. 

If the Dodgers were willing to send $30 to $40 million back to Boston with Kemp, I’m sure that Boston would be all ears. Maybe the Dodgers would be motivated to do that in order to pursue a player like Robinson Cano this winter, especially if there is a soft market for Cano due to his price.

Boston could benefit from making a trade for Kemp, but they would have to be convinced that his injuries will be healed by Opening Day and that they are not an indication of a player who is starting to breakdown physically before the age of 30.

The Red Sox have the pitching and prospects to trade, but it would be somewhat ironic if Boston was the team taking on the big contract this time. 

Stats are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As MLB free agents continue to get exorbitant contracts, general managers are instead looking for ways to improve through trades.

Fans already saw a shocking trade already take place Wednesday when the Detroit Tigers sent Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for Ian Kinsler. The Los Angeles Angels then got into the action by acquiring David Freese from the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

Shi Davidi of Sportsnet believes this type of bold thinking is a sign of things to come, with front offices willing to part with big-name talent to get a deal completed.

With a long time remaining until the start of next season, do not be surprised to see some more stars change cities. Here is a look at the latest trade buzz from across baseball regarding other players who could soon be moved.

Austin Jackson, CF, Detroit Tigers

The Tigers are not exactly having a fire sale, but GM Dave Dombrowski is certainly willing to be aggressive this offseason. After trading away Fielder, the team is apparently fielding offers for Austin Jackson as well, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

Jackson is arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason, so his price is set to go up. However, he remains under team control for another two years.

Considering an alternatative option is someone like Jacoby Ellsbury, it should be clear that money is not an issue while trying to fill the position.

Still, Jackson is coming off a relatively down year after a huge 2012 season. His averages dropped from .300/.377/.479 to only .272/.337.417, and he also struggled to produce in the playoffs.

Of course, he is still only 26 years old with above-average range in center field. He has twice led the league in triples and has hit double-digit home runs in each of the last three seasons. If the Tigers are willing to part with him, there will be plenty of teams ready to make a deal.

Chase Headley, 3B, San Diego Padres

A year ago at this time, Chase Headley was celebrating what was by far the best individual season of his career. He posted a .286 batting average, hit 31 homers and led the National League with 115 RBI. This production helped him win a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove, and he finished fifth in the MVP voting.

Unfortunately, Headley was not nearly as impressive in 2013, hitting only .250 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI. While he missed some time due to injury, the overall effort was simply not there.

As a result, the Padres are now looking to make a trade that could possibly lead to filling more holes around the roster, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

There’s growing sentiment that Headley will be traded this offseason. There’s been talk about an extension, but the Padres, who are now willing to increase payroll under CEO Mike Dee’s leadership, are thinking that they can improve a couple of different areas long-term by dealing their third baseman. 

San Diego finished with only 76 wins this past season, so it is clear the club needs to find ways to improve. Trading a big-time hitter who still has plenty of value would be a decent way to accomplish that feat.

If the Padres can find a trade partner willing to part with multiple prospects for the 29-year-old third baseman, you can imagine they will find a way to get a deal completed. 

Then again, any team would have to be cautious that 2012 was more of a fluke than anything else. Looking at his wins above replacement by year, it is hard to argue against this being the case.

Still, good-hitting third basemen are not easy to find. If an organization feels Headley can once again reach his potential, it might be worth a deal.

Matt Kemp, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Matt Kemp fits right into the list of talented players coming off of disappointing seasons. The two-time All-Star dealt with various injuries all year that limited him to only 73 games. Combined with last year’s issues, he has now missed 145 games since the start of the 2012 season.

To make matters worse, Kemp was ineffective when he was on the field, hitting only .270 with six home runs. With $130 million still owed on his contract over the next six years, it makes sense for the Dodgers to see if anyone is interested in making a deal.

According to Cafardo, the Boston Red Sox are among those interested:

The Red Sox are one of several teams who have made inquiries on Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp according to a major league source.

[…]

The Dodgers, according to the source, have not been shopping Kemp, but teams have inquired. The Dodgers were reportedly recently in trade talks with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners.

Boston will likely need someone in center field if free agent Jacoby Ellsbury decides to go elsewhere. While Kemp is still owed a lot of money, he certainly is an intriguing option.

Injuries have certainly slowed down the 29-year-old player’s career, but he is only two years removed from finishing second in the MVP voting and was one of the best all-around players in baseball. 

If the Dodgers are willing to pay some of the remaining salary, this could be a decent risk for the defending World Series champions.

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

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

David Freese and Fernando Salas were traded to Anaheim in exchange for outfielder Peter Bourjos and minor league outfielder Randal Grichuk, as reported by various outlets including the Cardinals‘ Twitter account.  The move is an interesting one for the Cardinals and impacts far more than the outfield.

You can read an in-depth look at Grichuk on the Angels blog Monkey With A Halo.

It can be speculated that Bourjos will contend for the starting center field job in St. Louis.  If that is true, the Cardinals will shift Oscar Taveras to focus on a corner outfield spot.  That would project a Cardinal outfield of Matt Holliday, Peter Bourjos and Oscar Taveras.

Taveras shifting to right field is likely a good thing as it provides the Cardinals a defensively strong center fielder in Bourjos.  The logjam gets created at first base.  The deficiency gets created in the middle of the lineup.

Bourjos is a fast, defensive outfielder that will provide the Cardinals with speed in the lineup but is not considered a powerful hitter.  Taveras remains a bit of an unknown and will likely take some time to develop his bat when he arrives at the major league level.  Prior to the trade, the assumption was that Taveras would play center field and leave right field to Allen Craig.  Matt Adams would then be allowed to play first base.  The Cardinals would keep Craig and Adams in the same lineup and increase the power potential.  

It appears that the Cardinals will be faced with a lineup that features Craig or Adams and no longer both.  In addition, the trade would likely move Matt Carpenter to third base and give prospect Kolten Wong the everyday second base job.  Neither of those players are considered power threats, though both are good hitters.

That leaves pressure on general manager John Mozeliak to continue to look for an upgrade at shortstop that also provides an offensive upgrade to the lineup.  

Pete Kozma was the starting shortstop last season.  The Cardinals have expressed an interest in acquiring a young, controllable shortstop in exchange for one of their bulk of pitchers, as reported by Jim Bowden of SiriusXM.

The Cardinals could deal Matt Adams, or even Allen Craig, as part of a package to acquire a shorstop.  They currently will rely on Matt Holliday and Allen Craig as well as Yadier Molina to provide power to the lineup.  A shorstop that can provide some power would go a long way in helping the Cardinals improve.

The Cardinals traded a World Series hero in David Freese.  It remains to be seen if it will be the only trade the Cardinals make this offseason.

Follow me on Twitter to discuss all things baseball.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The acquisition of Nick Punto sparked a few rumors surrounding other members of the Oakland A’s infield. Add to it plenty of talk regarding the starting rotation, and it can be tricky determining which will come into fruition and which is just plain false.

Is Alberto Callaspo on his way out now with a crowded infield? Is Jed Lowrie the missing piece for the St. Louis Cardinals? Will the A’s sign a power bat? Or will they spend the money on a veteran starting pitcher?

There are five major rumors floating around the Web. Here’s a look into each of them with a final verdict of fact or fiction.

Begin Slideshow

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!

Begin Slideshow

New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis has been the topic of various MLB trade rumors this offseason. The Mets must decide whether they want either him, Lucas Duda or someone else to be their starter at first base in 2014.

Coming off a season in which he hit 30 home runs, Davis has been drawing more trade interest than Duda.

Neither has shown enough to think that either should stick around in New York for 2014. I’d rather have a fresh face from outside the organization be the team’s first baseman next season. The probability of that happening, however, will likely depend on how the trade market develops later this winter.

After enduring a slow start in 2012, Davis rebounded in the second half, slugging 32 home runs with 90 RBI despite a .227 batting average. Manager Terry Collins expected on Davis to be the main source of power and protection in the Mets lineup behind David Wright in 2013.

Unfortunately for the Mets, that didn’t happen.

Davis finished the season with a .205/.326/.334 stat line to go with nine home runs and 33 RBI, as he spent nearly a month in Triple-A. New York may allow the market to decide whether it will hold onto Davis for another year, or hand over most of the playing time at first base to Duda.

At this point of the offseason, teams in need of a cheap power option at first base prefer Davis. Unlike Duda, he has shown the ability to be a productive source of power with his home run total from 2012. The Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers have most notably been linked to Davis and the Mets following the GM meetings last week.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times touched upon why the Rays would be interested in Davis:

But the Rays, who drafted but didn’t sign Davis in 2005, would have to be intrigued by the potential lefty power, plus getting three years of control and a somewhat reasonable cost — an arbitration projected $3.5 million salary. That’s about the same as Matt Joyce is to make, and the Mets seek a corner outfielder, though the Rays need lefty power.

Matt Joyce would be an interesting acquisition for the Mets. In 140 games during 2013, the corner outfielder hit .235/.328/.419 with 18 home runs and 47 RBI. He would provide some extra power in the Mets outfield, but would likely not be used more than as a fourth outfielder or utility man if this trade were to come about.

The Brewers are a more intriguing trade partner, especially if they make Norichika Aoki available. According to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin recently acknowledged that his team would be a good fit for a potential swap with the Mets.

Aoki is due to become a free agent following the 2014 season, but would provide the Mets with a true leadoff hitter. The 31-year-old hit .286/.356/.370 last season, including eight home runs, 37 RBI, 80 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. He’s due to earn $1.95 million next season.

Adam Rubin of ESPN New York noted that the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies have all expressed interest in Davis. It’s all but certain that he won’t be suiting up for the Mets next season. Alderson will likely hold onto his first baseman until later in the winter, when the market isn’t full of players with power potential.

Unless Alderson can pull off a miracle and pry Troy Tulowitzki or Carlos Gonzalez from Colorado, the Brewers seem to be the best fit for either side in a trade. Milwaukee would receive a relatively cheap option to fill its void at first base while Davis would bring a solid glove and great power potential that would become even more notable due to playing half his home games at Miller Park.

On the flip side, the Mets would get a true leadoff hitter with a knack for getting on base. In 1,117 career at-bats, Aoki has struck out 95 times while drawing 98 walks and boasts a .355 on-base percentage. Striking this kind of deal would save New York some money and allow the Mets spending more on a power hitting outfielder or shortstop elsewhere.

If the Mets front office is tired of giving Davis a chance to blossom into a consistent major league hitter, it needs to acquire a player who Collins can write into his lineup every day. If the Mets wait long enough, there will be a team desperate enough to give up something that it would prefer to hold on to in a potential exchange.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Every MLB team is faced with a number of tough decisions each offseason, as whether or not to pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade or big free-agent signing can sometimes influence the entire future outlook of the franchise.

This offseason is no different, and with a relatively weak crop of free agents, there could be more activity on the trade market than usual.

With that in mind, here is a look at five teams who could be on the verge of making a huge mistake this offseason if rumors that have surfaced about them do in fact come true.

Begin Slideshow

Great pitching ultimately prevails in the MLB postseason, but qualifying for October baseball in the first place requires a formidable offense.

Five teams in particular ought to be busy this winter pursuing established hitters through trades and free agency as they aspire to remain relevant in 2014. 

We aren’t necessarily alluding to baseball’s bottom-dwellers. The Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros and Miami Marlins, for example, have no sense of urgency to improve immediately. They’re amid the rebuilding process and not expected to achieve contender status until later this decade.

Rather, the following teams are those with the most to gain or lose in their offensive searches. Entering spring training devoid of substantial acquisitions would doom them to finish below the .500 mark, while addressing glaring weaknesses could elevate them into the championship hunt.

*All stats provided by Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise specified.

Begin Slideshow

It’s looking increasingly likely that Jeff Samardzija won’t stick around through the Chicago Cubs’ rebuilding, as Chicago Now’s Tom Loxas has added the Pittsburgh Pirates to his list of suitors.

Although he’s ridiculously talented, Samardzija is not necessarily the best pitcher on the trading block. (Spoiler alert: he definitely isn’t.) The Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals all have interest in him, according to Loxas, but there are a handful of other top-of-the-rotation options on the market.

This article features Cy Young Award winners, Rookie of the Year finalists and world champions, along with the insider rumors that link each of them to new teams.

Begin Slideshow

As so many championship teams have proved throughout the years, signing the top free agents on the market is rarely the key to success on the field. 

The Boston Red Sox had the payroll flexibility to sign Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke last offseason. They passed. Instead, they spread out the wealth and filled out the roster with several veteran free agents who didn’t require more than three-year contracts. 

When Mike Napoli’s medical exam revealed a degenerative hip condition, they had to get creative to keep him from signing elsewhere by structuring a one-year, incentive-based deal. Stephen Drew was signed to a one-year deal at a bargain rate as he aimed to rebuild his value after an injury cost him most of the prior two seasons. Koji Uehara’s total cost for 2013-14 will be $9.25 million, which has already proved to be one of the best values of last offseason. 

It wasn’t a typical offseason plan, but general manager Ben Cherington executed it to perfection. 

The small market Pittsburgh Pirates also did well, freeing up about $6 million by trading Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox for setup man Mark Melancon and three other minor leaguers after signing Jason Grilli to close at a much cheaper rate. Then there’s the Francisco Liriano’s deal, which will pay him less than $13 million for 2013-14. It’s an even better value than Uehara’s deal with Boston. 

With the reported asking prices for some of the top free agents having reached alarming rates, several teams will look to get creative this winter as they try to fill holes on their roster without making the risky big-money deal to land the top free agents.

Here are some cost-efficient and creative moves that six contenders could make.  

Begin Slideshow