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A handful of Major League Baseball teams are scheduled to have pitchers and catchers report Feb. 18, which means only one thing: We’re barely a month out from the official start of spring training.

That makes right about now as good a time as any to update the winners and losers of this active offseason so far.

In the interest of keeping things fresh, the focus will be on any moves, signings, trades or decisions that have been made since the calendar flipped to 2015 and who was impacted by each—for better or worse.

Because not everyone can be a winner.

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Now that it’s mid-January and spring training is just about a month away, the hot stove has started to settle down, at least a little.

Sure, there’s still a pair of big-name free-agent arms available in Max Scherzer and James Shields, and a trade or two tends to come to fruition every few days. But for the most part, the wave of transactions reached its peak in December.

That doesn’t mean there still isn’t all sorts of speculation and rampant rumors about moves that might happen, particularly on the trade front. To that end, there’s never a shortage of highly regarded prospects who are mentioned as potential chips.

Like these five to follow.

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The 2014-2015 MLB offseason is coming down the homestretch, but there are still more than a few things to be sorted out between now and the time pitchers and catchers start to report to spring training roughly a month from now.

The biggest story here in mid-January is when and where front-line starters Max Scherzer and James Shields will wind up signing. Their eventual decisions will undoubtedly shift the balance of power one way or another, and the baseball world continues to hold its collective breath.

That being said, there is not much in the way of fresh news to report regarding either pitcher, so we won’t waste time rehashing all of the old rumors regarding both pitchers.

Instead, what follows is a look at five other interesting storylines worth keeping an eye on in the week ahead, as there are other significant decisions to be made outside of those awaiting Scherzer and Shields.

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Major League Baseball may be in the midst of its offseason, but that hasn‘t stopped the rumor mill from churning out hot rumors about some of the biggest stars in the sport.

With Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, New York Mets starting pitcher Dillon Gee and others reportedly on the market, the scuttlebutt has baseball fans excited about the changes that could occur this offseason.

Here are the latest trade rumors from around MLB.

Ryan Howard Accommodating Philadelphia’s Desire to Trade Him?

Howard is one of the highest-paid players in the league, earning $25 million in each of the next two seasons, but the team is looking to trade the veteran slugger while he still has value.

At 35 years old and after 11 years with the same team, even Howard may be ready for a change of scenery.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Howard has altered the list of teams he will accept a trade to in order to make a deal happen this offseason:

Howard, according to major-league sources, even revised his nine-team no-trade list at the end of the season to help facilitate a trade, choosing mostly teams that were either set at first base/DH, unlikely to add payroll or focused on other needs.

Considering the good faith that Howard showed in crafting his list, he probably would approve a deal to even to one of his restricted clubs. The Mariners, who began the season needing right-handed hitting, are one such team. The rest of the list, according to ESPN.com, consists of the Tigers, Royals, Angels, Yankees, Rangers, Rays, Orioles and Red Sox.

Howard is a double-edged sword for prospective teams. There is no questioning his power at the plate, as he has slugged 334 career home runs, but he is a strikeout machine. In his time with Philadelphia, he has amassed an incredible 1,591 strikeouts.

While his declining numbers should be a concern for any club thinking about making the move for Howard, he is as healthy as he has been since 2011. With a full offseason to get in optimal shape, he could be a force in the American League as a designated hitter.

The Phillies will inevitably have to contribute money to get a deal done, but any team looking for a designated hitter should be kicking the tires on a slugger with the track record of Howard.

New York Mets Actively Shopping Dillon Gee?

Gee has been a bright spot for the franchise over the last four seasons, but he has been buried by the lack of success around him. Gee may finally find his way to a contender this offseason.

According to a report from Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Mets are actively shopping Gee:

While Gee isn’t the ace of a rotation, he could easily be a back-end starter who would find more success on a better team. In 22 starts last season, he was 7-8 overall but amassed 94 strikeouts and a 4.00 ERA in 137.1 innings pitched.

Gee’s familiarity with the National League should have several playoff-caliber teams looking to acquire a player who would be able to fill the role of fourth or fifth in the rotation throughout the season.

At 28 years old, Gee is a long-term solution available via the trade market. While he wouldn’t be the biggest trade acquisition of the year, the team that adds the depth and talent he brings would be instantly better. For a team on the cusp of contention, Gee could be a difference-maker.

Arizona Diamondbacks Looking for a Catcher?

After the Arizona Diamondbacks traded high-priced catcher Miguel Montero to the Chicago Cubs, the need for another player at the position became clear.

While freeing up salary space was a key to the deal, the need for another catcher is evident.

According to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, Arizona has been working hard to acquire a catcher via trade:

Morosi also reported that the Diamondbacks have inquired about the Toronto Blue Jays’ Dioner Navarro:

The trade market isn’t overwhelming for catchers, but the franchise must continue looking or risk starting the season with an unproven commodity behind the plate in Tuffy Gosewisch. The 31-year-old will be entering his third season in the majors and has a batting average of .213 over his first two years.

There is no doubt Arizona has the assets to get a deal done, but how much the franchise is willing to spend could limit the market for the Diamondbacks. In order to get a blockbuster deal done, Arizona will have to prove it’s willing to pay.

Stats via MLB.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

1. January Will Bring the Max Scherzer Thaw

Spring training is little more than a month away, which means the biggest marquee free agent this side of Jon Lester is about to sign with…

“The two sleepers all along for me were St. Louis and Washington,” one American League executive said of Max Scherzer’s possible destinations. “They’re just guesses. I can see him with the Yankees, too, or going back to Detroit.”

Happy New Year, in case I missed you the first time around, and please join our executive friend in the biggest guessing game remaining before pitchers and catchers report: Which club will push to the max for Max?

The Cardinals have not previously shown an appetite to spend the $200 million or so that Scott Boras, Scherzer’s agent, hinted at last month, but we can all agree (can’t we?) that Scherzer to St. Louis makes a ton of sense. It’s his hometown, the Cubs are closing the gap fast in the NL Central, and St. Louis’ rotation is working under potential storm clouds: Adam Wainwright (elbow), Michael Wacha (shoulder) and Jaime Garcia (you name it) all are recovering from health issues.

Talk surrounding the Nationals has quieted down from earlier this winter, when Jordan Zimmermann’s name was in the rumor mill. Plus, with outfielder Jayson Werth’s shoulder surgery keeping him sidelined for two or three months, Washington has other, more pressing issues.

But the relationship between Boras and the Lerner family—owner of the Nationals—is very good, and for that reason alone, you can’t completely discount Washington until Scherzer has signed elsewhere. Among the Boras clients with the Nats: Werth, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa.

The Yankees expect CC Sabathia to be full-go when they report to Tampa later this month, but they have the two most important things where Scherzer is concerned: Money and need. Even if healthy, Sabathia is no longer what he once was and will turn 35 on July 21. And with luck, Masahiro Tanaka will pitch the entire season after rehabbing his elbow injury last summer.

But Tommy John surgery lurks in the background. Many pitchers with Tanaka’s injury (Chad Billingsley being one recent example) have tried the rehab route before having to undergo surgery. Depending on Tanaka to make 33 or 34 starts at this point is a risky plan for the Yankees.

The Tigers? General manager Dave Dombrowski said last month, per MLB.com’s Jason Beck, that there are no talks ongoing but “I guess that anything can happen.” The Tigers were rebuffed by Scherzer last spring when they made a six-year, $144 million offer. 

Given Boras’ track record, even in a Scherzer market that has been noticeably quiet, history has shown time and again that it is foolish to underestimate the agent. But where Detroit is concerned, it appears that the only way that works is if Scherzer’s market doesn’t develop as expected and he falls back to Detroit on a short-term deal.

As for Scherzer, he’s mostly stayed under the radar this winter, though he did pop up to say hello on Sunday:

Prediction: Yankees.

2. The Cardinals May Have a Big Move Left

As Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi over at Fox Sports reported last week, the Cardinals, in looking to upgrade their rotation, are checking into Scherzer on the free-agent market and Cole Hamels and David Price on the trade market. Hamels and Price make great sense, in that St. Louis lacks a strong left-hander. And Scherzer, as I mentioned above, would be quite the homecoming story.

Question is, how much money are the Cardinals willing to spend? Scherzer still seems like a seriously remote possibility, given that the fiscally responsible club drew a hard line even with a franchise icon like Albert Pujols a few winters ago. And not only did they live to tell about it, but the Cardinals have fared far better than Pujols since then.

That, combined with the fact that the most the Cardinals have ever paid for a pitcher is the five-year, $97.5 million extension they awarded Adam Wainwright two years ago, likely doesn’t foretell the eventual signing of Scherzer. Unless the Cards and Boras get awfully creative, of course.

As for Price, industry speculation still has him linked, to a degree, with Scherzer. The thinking is that the Tigers intended to try to sign Price longterm, and the fact that they haven’t done so yet has convinced some that Price, who can be a free agent next winter, isn’t interested in an extension with Detroit. Might the Tigers deal him? And if so, will they use the money to take another run at Scherzer?

The Cubs’ move to the precipice of contending with a slew of young talent, the signing of Lester and the deadly serious hire of Joe Maddon as their manager has added fuel to the NL Central Hot Stove fire this winter, intensifying speculation that the Cardinals will strike for another pitcher.

Of course, under general manager John Mozeliak, the Cards have continually moved at their own pace, made smart decisions and refused to be bullied into making a move out of concern for their rivals’ actions. It’s part of why they’ve won for so long.

Prediction: The Cards strike for Hamels, who makes a lot of sense. He’s affordable, and the Cardinals have the prospects.

3. Speculating on the Phillies

Finally, the Phillies moved Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers last month. Then they dealt outfielder Marlon Byrd, acquiring a solid prospect in right-handed pitcher Ben Lively. That was another small step toward an overdue and badly needed reconstruction.

Next up: Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels?

To be sure, those are two completely different situations. Hamels is owed $94 million over the next four years and is viewed as one of the game’s best left-handers. Howard, 35, is owed $60 million over the next two seasons and is viewed as a has-been who can’t do much more than hit homers.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told 97.5 The Fanatic’s Mike Missanelli (h/t Matt Lombardo of NJ.com) that the club is better off without Howard going forward, and the Phillies know they’re going to have to eat a sizable portion of his contract. Clearly, the best thing for both sides is a deal before camp opens. The Phillies’ sluggishness to deal continues to be crippling at best and irresponsible at worst, given that they missed their window to jump-start a retooling by at least a year.

Predictions: For Hamels, see item No. 2 (though people close to him say he would love to pitch for the Dodgers). For Howard, look for the Orioles, who need bats and tend to work late during the winter under Dan Duquette (see Ubaldo Jimenez last year), to make a move.

4. James Shields‘ Prospects

Remember the days when marquee pitchers were in demand? There is no better illustration of the state of today’s game—how runs and hits have regressed back to early 1970s levels—than the fact that two of the three marquee free-agent pitchers—Shields and Scherzer—remain unsigned, while hitters were snapped up early this winter as eagerly as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler jokes at the Golden Globes.

While Scherzer and Shields continue to look for new homes, Victor Martinez (Tigers), Hanley Ramirez (Red Sox), Pablo Sandoval (Red Sox), Nelson Cruz (Mariners), Russell Martin (Blue Jays), Melky Cabrera (White Sox), Chase Headley (Yankees), Michael Cuddyer (Mets), Alex Rios (Royals), Adam LaRoche (White Sox) and even Yasmany Tomas (Diamondbacks) all have signed.

So what happens with Shields? Rosenthal reported on Jan. 4 that he supposedly has a five-year, $110 million offer on the table (though the team has not yet been identified, so no guarantees that such an offer even exists).

If the Marlins deal Dan Haren, who prefers pitching for a West Coast team at this stage of his career, there could be a fit in Miami (financially, though, that’s another question). Boston and Arizona both expressed interest at various points this winter. The Giants did as well, before they signed Jake Peavy. Now? Crickets. At least, publicly where Shields is concerned.

Prediction: Rockies.

5. The Next Market to Flourish

Though top-flight, late-innings men David Robertson (White Sox), Andrew Miller (Yankees), Pat Neshek (Astros) and Luke Gregerson (Astros) struck gold earlier in the winter, several free-agent closers (or setup men) remain unsigned: Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez, Rafael Soriano, Casey Janssen and Alexi Ogando are all there for the taking.

6. Don’t Tread on Alexi Ogando

Ogando’s agent, the highly respected Larry Reynolds, took to Twitter the other day to defend the reliever from the rumor mill:

7. Don’t Tread on the Hall of Fame Voters

One quick follow-up from last week’s announcement that Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio have been elected to the Hall of Fame:

I find it interesting that, just two years after the Baseball Writers’ Association of America was roasted for not voting anyone into the Hall of Fame for just the eighth time ever, voters put four men into the Hall—the largest group in 60 years, since 1955.

Was the system broken two years ago, as many claimed? No.

Is it broken now, as many claim in the aftermath of steroids guys like Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire being shut out? No.

I don’t know how the steroids class ultimately will fare—Bonds, McGwire, Roger Clemens, etc.—but I also know this: It is an unprecedented chapter in baseball history. There is absolutely no harm in continuing to take time to sort that era out.

Look, the system is not perfect. No system ever is. But since the first Hall of Fame election in 1936, it’s worked pretty doggone well. The baseball Hall of Fame is easily the best Hall of any sport. And part of that is because it is so difficult to get elected.

And if you think voters today are wrong-headed on some issues, how about this for a history lesson: No Hall of Famer has ever been elected unanimously. That is crazy, of course, but it is a fact.

In 1966, 20 voters did not cast a ballot for Ted Williams (out of 302). In 1936, 11 voters did not cast a ballot for Babe Ruth (out of 226). In 1962, 36 voters bypassed Jackie Robinson (out of 160).

There will always be issues with voting, no matter who is charged with doing it. And you know what? Differing viewpoints and dissenting opinions only make the process stronger. As with many other things, the process can get messy. But in the case of the baseball Hall, it has worked and it continues to work.

8. Cue the Theme from The Odd Couple

Bruce Bochy and Tim Flannery played together for years, then worked together as manager and third base coach for many more years. They were teammates for one World Series run in San Diego in 1984, they were manager and coach for another World Series run in San Diego in 1998, and then they teamed up for three World Series rings in San Francisco in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

So where does that leave them? Well, for now, featured in what I’m sure will be one terrific MLB Network Presents feature that will debut Tuesday night on the network. I know my DVR is set. For an advance peek, check this out:

9. In the Spirit of the Game

Dennis Gilbert has been many things throughout a life dedicated to baseball: agent, special assistant to White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, prospective owner (oh, what fun it would be if he ever gets a team). But the role in which he’s touched the most lives, easily, comes this Saturday night in Los Angeles, when the Professional Baseball Scouts’ Foundation hosts its 12th annual charity fundraiser, “In the Spirit of the Game.”

Gilbert started the event more than a decade ago as a way to raise money for indigent scouts who were down on their luck. You won’t find anybody who loves the game more than the scouts, who don’t make much money but are so important to the game’s soul.

The event has become one of the biggest of the offseason, with a silent auction before the program that, in the past, has featured items such as dresses from Marilyn Monroe, guitars signed by the Rolling Stones and autographed memorabilia from Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and more. It’s a who’s who from the baseball world—and, given the Los Angeles location, Hollywood. Two years ago, I bumped into Bo Derek.

This year, Dusty Baker will receive the Tommy Lasorda Managerial Achievement Award, Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Jim Palmer, George Brett, Goose Gossage, Brooks Robinson and Dave Winfield are scheduled to appear, and retiring Commissioner Bud Selig will be honored.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area and would like to attend, here’s the information. If not, check it out on MLB Network television later this month.

Scott Miller covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report. He has over two decades of experience covering MLB, including 14 years as a national baseball columnist at CBSSports.com.

Follow Scott on Twitter and talk baseball @ScottMillerBbl.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Sometimes, baseball’s rumor mill spins furiously, spitting out juicy tidbits with the speed of an Aroldis Chapman fastball and leaving us with more potential trade scenarios to dissect and speculate about than we know what to do with.

Other times, the rumor mill resembles David Ortiz rounding the bases, taking a slower, plodding approach that forces us to dig deep in finding worthwhile trade scenarios to banter about. For a weekly series such as this, it’s those other times that prove to be the most difficult.

As luck would have it, this week finds us in the midst of a lull.

That doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to talk about and debate, however, and we present to you five trade scenarios that potentially make sense for all parties involved. Keep in mind that these deals are pure speculation—there’s no indication that any of them have actually been discussed.

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There’s less than three months remaining until Opening Day, and the Los Angeles Dodgers look decidedly different than they did at the beginning of the offseason.

For starters, the front office was stripped down and replaced with a new regime headed by president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi.

The metrics-minded duo wasted little time revamping the roster, trading away several popular players in an effort to improve the team in less noticeable ways while saving money and replenishing the farm system.

Los Angeles also saw other players walk away, either for a lucrative deal elsewhere in free agency or simply because they were no longer wanted.

It has been one of the busiest winters for the Dodgers in recent years, and there’s still time for more moves to be made before the regular season begins. For now, though, here are the winners and losers from the first three months of the team’s offseason.

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The best way to summarize Major League Baseball’s offseason is it resembled a heavy metal concert. There was a quiet beginning, followed by the massive head rush that happened at the winter meetings and currently waiting for one loud coda before spring training begins. 

All eyes are on the two big free agents still on the market, Max Scherzer and James Shields, but the trade rumblings are also starting to pick up steam. Teams are more reluctant to deal with each other because of the cost in money and prospects, though it’s still a more efficient way to upgrade a roster. 

Another thing that will also determine trades, at least in the next couple of months, is injuries. Teams are aware of players still recovering from ailments that occurred last year, or unexpected findings during the offseason, that can force them into a deal. 

Whatever the rationale for trades may be, here are the rumors that have captivated our attention and what they could mean. 

Dan Haren’s West Coast Saga

There will need to be some resolution to the Dan Haren dilemma soon, as the Miami Marlins are scheduled to open camp with pitchers and catchers on February 20 in Jupiter, Florida.

Haren, who was acquired from the Dodgers on December 11, has reportedly reiterated that he doesn’t want to pitch away from his family on the West Coast, per Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.  

Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald has reported the Marlins have been trying to move Haren with no success thus far:

At his request, the Marlins have been trying to trade pitcher Dan Haren to a team closer to his Southern California home but have found no takers. The Marlins have no intention of parting with the $10 million that the Dodgers are giving them to pay Haren’s salary or to keep if he retires.

There is a new player in the Haren sweepstakes, per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, though it’s not exactly the ideal match the right-hander is likely hoping for:

Haren has been trying to dictate his fate this entire offseason, though nothing seems to be in his hands. The Dodgers wanted to get rid of him, to the point where they are paying his whole salary to Miami, and no other team has stepped up to make an appealing offer. 

The Giants were linked to Haren for a time, though Morosi also noted that was before they re-signed Jake Peavy:

Colorado doesn’t fit Haren’s criteria exactly, other than the fact the Rockies play in the National League West. It’s also a bad environment for a pitcher like Haren, who isn’t a power pitcher and doesn’t miss a lot of bats (145 strikeouts in 186 innings last year), so he has that to consider. 

The other big question for Haren, if the Marlins can’t find a trade partner, is will he be willing to walk away from $10 million? In an email he sent to ESPN, Haren has said that is an option. 

Speaking strictly about his baseball ability, because family is another matter entirely, Haren seems to understand that the West Coast is best for where his skills are at. The parks out there, either in the American League or National League, are typically better for pitchers. 

The only true hitters parks in either West division are Texas, Houston, Colorado and Arizona. That leaves five places for Haren to pitch, excluding the Dodgers for obvious reasons. It all comes down to what the Marlins are willing to take for him and how it changes the financial component for his 2015 salary. 

Nationals Not Willing to Pay Price for Zobrist

One team that has been linked to Ben Zobrist, if the Rays are going to trade him this offseason, is the Washington Nationals. The defending NL East champions certainly need an upgrade at second base.

Danny Espinosa, who has been the primary second baseman since 2010, has battled injuries the last two years and was a mess when he did play. The 27-year-old has hit .200/.255/.326 with a wins above replacement total of negative-0.1, per FanGraphs. 

Further compounding the Nationals’ need for offense is this report from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports about Jayson Werth needing shoulder surgery:

However, a later tweet from Rosenthal seems to indicate the Nationals aren’t going to increase their efforts to land Zobrist because the price is so high:

Credit the Nationals for not wanting to overpay, but if there is a franchise that should be willing to do it for a chance to win now, it’s this one. Washington is nearing the end of this window that’s been open since 2012.

This might be the last year with this current roster together, as Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister will be free agents after the season. Stephen Strasburg isn’t eligible for free agency until after 2016, but his arbitration numbers are going to start increasing exponentially. 

At some point the financial cost of keeping this rotation together will become too great. Zobrist is only under contract through 2015 at $7.5 million, which both helps and hurts his value. Teams like seeing the low salary but don’t want to give up multiple talented assets for one year of control. 

Werth‘s injury doesn’t seem like a long-term issue, though you never know how things will respond once he starts to swing a bat. It’s reasonable to expect the offense will be better through internal options, especially if Bryce Harper is finally able to play 140 games. 

Yet even with Harper at 100 percent, this lineup is still flawed. It lost some production with Adam LaRoche leaving. Ryan Zimmerman, another injury-prone star, isn’t the same player he used to be. 

Zobrist is exactly the kind of player Washington needs because he can play every position except pitcher and catcher. He doesn’t add much pop to the middle of an order, but a .350 on-base percentage would look nice hitting in front of Harper, Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon. 

Mets Have Pitchers for Sale

It’s been a long time since there was a rumor about the Mets trading one of their starting pitchers. Fortunately, that problem seems to be ending at some point in the near future. 

According to Mike Puma of The New York Post, the Mets are expecting to start receiving offers for at least three of their starters soon:

Most notably, the team has three starting pitchers for two spots in the rotation and expects trade talks to heat up soon, according to a club source.

But the source added that if the Mets can’t find a deal for Dillon Gee, Bartolo Colon or Jon Niese, there is a chance the team would go to spring training with six starters and potentially begin 2015 with one of them in the bullpen.

One thing that always happens when teams appear to have too many starting pitchers is questions abound over what to do with all of them. Yet no one ever seems to talk about how much of a luxury that is, especially at this stage, because someone will inevitably get hurt. 

The Mets are also in a delicate position with Matt Harvey, who is returning after missing all last year recovering from Tommy John surgery. He’s not going to come out of the gate the way he left things in 2013. His innings will be closely monitored all year. 

As far as the names mentioned in potential trade talks, none of them has a lot of value. Jon Niese is the best of the bunch, posting three straight seasons with an ERA of 3.71 or less, but he’s also allowed 351 hits in 330.2 innings since 2013. 

Dillon Gee likely has the most value simply because he’s not signed to a long-term contract. He’s in his second year of arbitration and is projected to make $5.1 million in 2015, per Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors. 

Despite the earlier sentiment about needing pitching depth, trading someone is essential for the Mets because that lineup is in desperate need of an upgrade. Michael Cuddyer might be David Wright’s buddy, but he certainly isn’t the answer. 

Trading Gee, Niese or Bartolo Colon isn’t going to bring back an impact hitter either, but at least the team should be able to get a serviceable hitter to play shortstop or an outfield spot. 

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

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The St. Louis Cardinals have found success over the last few seasons with a strong pitching staff. The rotation, while successful, has been a source of injury concern. The team has seemed confident that the starting pitchers are healthy for the 2015 season. Their rumored interest in top-tier starters may suggest otherwise.

Most of the rumors caught attention when Ken Rosenthal mentioned the Cardinals as a potential landing spot for James Shields on MLB Network’s Hot Stove. The comment was made during a prediction segment of the show and was not based on any inside information, according to Rosenthal.

@BirdsOnTheBat13 That was simply my speculation, not an actual report.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 6, 2015

Now, Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi have shared thoughts, via FoxSports.com, that the Cardinals are looking to upgrade their rotation. The names the writing duo are connecting to St. Louis in this piece are David Price, Cole Hamels and Max Scherzer. Rosenthal and Morosi also point out that this interest sheds light on the team’s concern with its current staff.

As of right now, the Cardinals would look to open the season with a starting rotation of Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn, John Lackey and Carlos Martinez with Marco Gonzalez providing some competition to Martinez for the final spot. Looking at that rotation, it is easy to see why the team shouldn’t need to add a pitcher.

However, Wainwright underwent minor surgery following the Redbirds’ elimination from the 2014 postseason, as reported by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wacha pitched limited innings and continues to deal with a stress reaction in his throwing arm, an ailment that is extremely rare and comes with no guarantees of health. Lynn has avoided injury but has battled with bouts of inconsistency over his career. Martinez and Gonzalez are unproven commodities.

But interest in Price, Hamels and Scherzer does not suggest that the Cardinals are hoping to round out their staff. Those names belong at the top of the rotation and would suggest that there is concern with the trio of Wainwright, Lynn and Wacha. More specifically, it raises concern that Wainwright may not be recovering from his surgery as well as expected or that Wacha is not comfortable with his ailment.

It is all speculation. General manager John Mozeliak, while surprisingly candid on some subjects, tends to play his cards very close to his vest. Seldom does word leak out of the St. Louis offices about trades, negotiations or even injury updates until the team is ready to release the information.

The fact of the matter remains: It appears that the Cardinals are interested in some of the best starting pitchers available. Why they are interested in that market is currently a mystery.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

One month removed from the winter meetings, Major League Baseball’s hot stove seems to have burned out. There are still two big free-agent dominoes in Max Scherzer and James Shields, but the trade winds are starting to pick up once again. 

Teams that missed out on free agents they were hoping to get, or see an opportunity to strike a deal with a team perhaps in over its head financially, will be working the phones for the next few weeks to make those final tweaks before spring training begins in February. 

Think of this portion of the offseason as a shark in the water. There’s a boat approaching that it’s going to start circling, but it’s unclear if there will be enough momentum to finish the deal. General managers will try everything they’ve got, especially if it brings them closer to a championship. 

Here are the latest rumors floating around, complete with analysis of the news. 

St. Louis Cardinals Looking For One Big Splash

Having seen their division rivals in Chicago and Pittsburgh upgrade their starting rotations this offseason, the defending NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals are starting to feel the heat. Their stranglehold over the division is more tenuous than ever. 

When you combine that with questions about what the Cardinals rotation looks like right now, it’s no surprise to see Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com report the team has made some effort into finding out the availability for two of baseballs best pitchers:

The team is exploring trades for left-handers Cole Hamels and David Price and the possibility of signing free-agent right-hander Max Scherzer, according to major-league sources.

No deal appears close on any front, and it’s possible that the Cardinals will simply decide that the acquisition cost in each case is too high.

Rosenthal and Morosi also note that the Cardinals could be concerned about the depth in their rotation. Adam Wainwright had offseason surgery to trim cartilage in his pitching elbow. Michael Wacha was injured most of last season and may need time to get his legs back under him. 

Scherzer is a different animal in this case because he’s a free agent represented by Scott Boras. That does bring a certain appeal to teams, as they would just have to shell out money without giving up multiple prospects like they would have to in a trade. 

Looking at the two trade candidates, Cole Hamels makes more sense simply because there’s more incentive for Philadelphia to move him than there is for Detroit to move David Price. 

The Phillies have finally accepted the reality that they aren’t a contender, having already traded Jimmy Rollins, Marlon Byrd and Antonio Bastardo.

While there are other players who should be moved to really begin the transition to a rebuild, it doesn’t seem likely due to issues of loyalty (Chase Utley) or a bloated, immovable contract (Ryan Howard). 

Hamels is certainly a popular figure in Philadelphia, given his overall body of work and heroics during the 2008 World Series, but the ability to have a true top-line starting pitcher signed to a reasonable contract still in his prime is rare these days. 

General manager Ruben Amaro needs to find more impact young players in these trades. Getting rid of aging stars like Rollins and Byrd is nice, but they don’t bring back much in return because of their age and limitations. 

There are no limitations to Hamels at this juncture. He’s 31 years old, signed through 2018 for $97 million guaranteed with an option for 2019 and coming off a season in which he set new career benchmarks in ERA (2.46) and ERA+ (151) and tied a career high with 6.6 wins above replacement, per Baseball-Reference.com. 

Paying a top starting pitcher $23.5 million per season through his age-34 season is hardly a burden to most teams, so it comes down to whether the Cardinals would be willing to meet Philadelphia’s demands in a trade. 

Rosenthal and Morosi speculate on some of the possible names Amaro would want, including Carlos Martinez, Marco Gonzales, Randal Grichuk, Stephen Piscotty and Peter Bourjos. 

An actual deal wouldn’t involve all of those names, but that gives you an idea of where conversations would get started. 

As for Price, the Tigers are having an interesting offseason. It’s certainly not a good one, as they sold low on Rick Porcello. Yoenis Cespedes‘ offense is overrated because of his power, but his .298 on-base percentage since 2013 ranks 41st out of 44 outfielders with more than 1,000 plate appearances, via FanGraphs.com. 

If Scherzer doesn’t re-sign with Detroit, that leaves a rotation of Price, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, Shane Greene and Alfredo Simon. That’s certainly not the group Tigers fans have gotten accustomed to seeing the last few years. 

Trading Price, considering the Tigers are still in win-now mode, even though they are getting older and have contracts that are looking bad sooner than anyone would have predicted, would basically eliminate any hope the franchise has to contend in 2015. 

It might be the smart play for the future, as general manager Dave Dombrowski would be able to bring some talent to a depleted farm system, but it doesn’t make sense for what the Tigers believe they can accomplish right now. 

Dan Haren An Option In SF?

One of the unsolved mysteries of this offseason is Dan Haren’s status as a member of the Miami Marlins. The right-hander was traded to the Marlins from the Los Angeles Dodgers at the winter meetings, but he wasn’t happy about the move. 

Haren’s preference has been to pitch on the West Coast, to the point where The Associated Press reported on January 5 that the Marlins have “given up” in their attempts to convince the veteran to pitch for them in 2015, via FoxSports.com:

The Marlins have given up trying to persuade Haren to pitch for them this season, and the team hopes to swing a trade for the right-hander, a person familiar with the discussions said Monday.

…

The 34-year-old Haren wants to pitch close to his family in Southern California, and the Marlins knew that when they acquired him in a seven-player deal. He’s considering retirement but is working out this winter and preparing to pitch just as he has done in the past.

The trouble is finding a spot for Haren on the West Coast. Morosi reported on Twitter that the World Series champion Giants did have a conversation with the Marlins, but it happened before San Francisco re-signed Jake Peavy:

There are still concerns about San Francisco’s rotation in 2015. Madison Bumgarner is the ace, though there may be some pressure to lighten his load during the year after he carried the franchise to a championship in October. Matt Cain is coming back after missing most of last year following elbow surgery. 

Peavy and Hudson are back-end starters at this point in their career. Haren falls into that category as well, though he could put up solid numbers playing in a big stadium like AT&T Park. 

Given how light the rumor mill has been for Haren on the trade market, it doesn’t seem like teams are knocking down Miami’s door to get him. The Angels are a team that makes sense for Haren given his history with the franchise and the team’s need for more depth after the injuries last year to Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs. 

Whatever the case may be, the Haren pendulum seems to be swinging in the direction of retirement, unless the right team steps up to make Miami a fair offer to acquire the right-hander. It would be an unceremonious exit, but one he’s brought on himself by being so rigid in his demands. 

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