With Spring Training just around the corner, it makes perfect sense to check out how every team did over the winter to try to improve their teams. Here is my opinion as to how every team has done so far this winter:
Teams Getting an A:
Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays wanted to add to the offense and the bullpen over the winter. They went out and have signed Carlos Pena, Luke Scott, Jeff Keppinger and Jose Molina as free agents, tightening the lineup and the defense. The Rays also signed righty reliever Fernando Rodney to help out the back end of the pen. The Rays added righty relievers Burke Badenhop and Josh Lueke in minor deals over the winter. The Rays have made their team better without dealing any of their vaunted starting pitchers.
Detroit Tigers: The Tigers didn’t have a lot of needs heading into the winter. But, when C/DH/1B Victor Martinez went down to a torn ACL, the Tigers quickly signed 1B Prince Fielder to a 9-year, $214 million dollar deal. Fielder will give the Tigers an awesome one-two punch in the 3 and 4 spots in the lineup as he hits behind Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers also signed catcher Gerald Laird this winter and he will backup Alex Avila behind the plate. The Tigers signed righty reliever Octavio Dotel and they dealt for righty reliever Colin Balester. The Tigers have done a good job of improving their team this winter.
Los Angeles Angels: The Angels preferred quality over quantity this winter. First off, the Angels made a deal with the Rockies to bring in Chris Iannetta as their new starting catcher and he will definitely improve the position as it was a black hole for the Angels. The Angels also signed righty reliever LaTroy Hawkins early on in the free agency period and he will help them out late in games. But, it was at the winter meetings in Texas when the Angels made the biggest splash of the winter when they signed 1B Albert Pujols and lefty starting pitcher C.J. Wilson on the same day. The Rangers better be looking in the rearview mirror, because the Angels are right on their bumper.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies suffered a lot of injuries position player wise last season, so they went out and improved the bench big time over the winter. The Phillies traded for infielder Ty Wigginton and they have signed 1B Jim Thome and outfielders Juan Pierre and Laynce Nix to bolster the bench. The Phillies made a huge splash when they signed closer Jonathan Papelbon early on in free agency. I don’t think they overpaid for him as he is going to be a nice upgrade over Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge. The Phillies have also added Joel Pineiro (free agent), Dontrelle Willis (free agent), Brian Sanches (free agent), Chad Qualls (free agent) and Jeremy Horst (trade) to bolster the pitching staff in 2012.
Florida Marlins: The Marlins traded for manager Ozzie Guillen and then they went on a spending spree. The Marlins signed SS Jose Reyes, lefty starter Mark Buehrle and closer Heath Bell right after free agency opened. They also dealt for Carlos Zambrano to improve the starting rotation as long as Guillen can convince him to behave. The Marlins added lefty starter/reliever Wade LeBlanc in a deal with the Padres early on in the winter. They have also signed Aaron Rowand, Austin Kearns and Chad Gaudin to minor league deals.
Cincinnati Reds: The Reds threw caution to the wind this winter to bolster the pitching staff. They dealt a boatload of prospects to the Padres for righty starting pitcher Mat Latos. Latos is a horse, and he will slot near the top of the Reds’ rotation in 2012 and beyond. The Reds then dealt for lefty reliever Sean Marshall from the Cubs and he will serve as a set-up man this season. That is because the Reds also signed Ryan Madson to be the closer in 2012. The Reds also brought in veteran lefty Jeff Francis on a minor league deal to compete for a spot in the rotation. The Reds signed outfielder Ryan Ludwick, catcher Dioner Navarro and IF/OF Willis Harris to compete for jobs this spring. Ludwick will compete with Chris Heisey for the starting job in LF. The Reds also acquired infielder Wilson Valdez in a deal with the Phillies.
Arizona Diamondbacks: The D-Backs wanted a starting pitcher, a LF with power and relief help this winter….and they got all of it. The D-Backs made a huge splash when they acquired righty starting pitcher Trevor Cahill and lefty reliever Craig Breslow from the A’s for a few prospects. The Diamondbacks also signed veteran righty reliever Takashi Saito and lefty swinging outfielder Jason Kubel to start in LF! Missions accomplished!
Teams Getting a B:
San Diego Padres: The Padres wanted to improve the offense, replace closer Heath Bell and reload in the bullpen this winter. They have done all of that. The Padres went the trade route to bring in RF Carlos Quentin, 1B Yonder Alonso, C Yasmani Grandal and C John Baker. They also signed veteran 1B/OF Mark Kotsay to bolster the bench. The Padres dealt for Huston Street and he will replace Heath Bell as the closer. They also acquired Edison Volquez in the Mat Latos deal and he will replace him in the starting rotation this year. The Padres also dealt for righty reliever Andrew Cashner and they signed righty reliever Micah Owings to bolster the bullpen.
New York Yankees: The Yankees were taking their time this winter before getting into the game recently. In one day, they dealt for righty starting pitcher Michael Pineda and they signed right starter Hiroki Kuroda. In one fell swoop, the Yankees turned their starting rotation from a weakness to a strength. The Yankees also signed veteran lefty Hideki Okajima to a minor league deal and he could team with Boone Logan to make the pen strong from the left side.
Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays wanted to rebuild the bullpen and fortify the bench for 2012. It looks like they have done exactly that. In separate deals with the White Sox, the Jays landed righty closer Sergio Santos and righty reliever Jason Frasor. They then went out and signed lefty Darren Oliver and righty Francisco Cordero to tighten up the bullpen in front of Santos. The Jays dealt for catcher Jeff Mathis, infielder Luis Valbuena and outfielder Ben Francisco this winter to tighten up the bench. The Blue Jays also have signed veteran infielder Omar Vizquel to help out in the infield in 2012.
Cleveland Indians: The Indians are bringing in a lot of veterans to compete for jobs this spring. The biggest moves the Indians made were dealing for righty starting pitchers Derek Lowe and Kevin Slowey. They also signed 1B Casey Kotchman today and he should jump right into the starting lineup. The Indians have signed Felix Pie, Jose Lopez, Andy LaRoche, Ryan Spilborghs and Fred Lewis to compete for bench spots this spring. They also dealt for righty swinging outfielder Aaron Cunningham in a deal with the Padres early on this winter. The Indians are also bringing in righty relievers Dan Wheeler, Jeremy Accardo, Chris Ray and Robinson Tejada on minor league deals to compete for jobs in the bullpen.
Kansas City Royals: The Royals spent money wisely this winter and I think they have improved their team. The Royals signed SS Yuniesky Betancourt and 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff in to battle for starting jobs this spring. If they lose out, they will likely win bench jobs. The Royals acquired lefty starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez in a deal with the Giants and he will be one of their top starters in 2012, book it. The Royals also signed righty Jonathan Broxton and lefty Jose Mijares to pitch in for the bullpen in 2012.
Texas Rangers: The Rangers didn’t make a lot of big moves this winter. The biggest was laying out the big bucks to sign righty starting pitcher Yu Darvish out of Japan. The Rangers also signed closer Joe Nathan with the idea of moving Neftali Feliz into the starting rotation in 2012. They also signed lefty swinging 1B/OF Brad Hawpe to compete for a bench job in 2012.
Washington Nationals: The Washington Nationals had high hopes about signing Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder to bolster the offense but it didn’t work out. The Nationals then quickly turned their attention to improving the pitching staff and they certainly have done that. They dealt for lefty starter Gio Gonzalez in a big deal with the Nationals and they have also signed righty Edwin Jackson to a 1-year deal to bolster the starting rotation. They have also signed Brad Lidge, Chad Durbin and they dealt for righty Ryan Perry to improve the bullpen in 2012. The Nationals also signed outfielder Mike Cameron and infielder Mark DeRosa to improve the bench this year.
San Francisco Giants: The Giants dealt for outfielders Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera to try to jumpstart the offense in 2012 with their speed. They also signed Ryan Theriot as a free agent and he will also add some speed to the lineup. The Giants brought in righty starter/reliever Clay Hensley to add some versatility to the pitching staff in 2012.
Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers tried to fill a lot of holes with their spending money rather than just signing one big guy. The Dodgers moved quickly in free agency to sign righty Aaron Harang and lefty Chris Capuano to be their #4 and #5 starters in 2012. They also inked lefty John Grabow to help out in the pen. The big ticket in the field was 2B Mark Ellis, who will start. The Dodgers signed catchers Josh Bard and Matt Treanor to compete for the starting job behind the plate in 2012. They also signed Jerry Hairston, Adam Kennedy and Josh Fields to bolster the bench.
Colorado Rockies: The Rockies have added a lot of talent this winter. The Rockies have signed catcher Ramon Hernandez and outfielder Michael Cuddyer and they will both be in the starting lineup in 2012. They also signed 3B Casey Blake to compete for the starting job this spring. The Rockies traded for 2B Marco Scutaro (he is going to start), outfielder Tyler Colvin and infielder D.J. LeMahieu over the winter. The Rockies wanted to improve in the starting rotation so they dealt for righy Tyler Chatwood, righty Guillermo Moscoso and lefty Josh Outman. They also have signed 49-year old lefty starting pitcher Jamie Moyer and he will get a shot to compete for a starting job this spring.
Teams Getting a C:
Boston Red Sox: I don’t really see where the Red Sox have improved this winter. They signed catcher Kelly Shoppach, infielder Nick Punto and outfielder Cody Ross and they dealt for outfielder Ryan Sweeney. Not a great bunch by any means. The Red Sox dealt for closer Andrew Bailey and set-up man Mark Melancon to replace Jonathan Papelbon and Josh Bard (moving to the rotation) in the bullpen. They also dealt for starter/reliever Clayton Mortensen and they have signed Vicente Padilla, Carlos Silva and Aaron Cook to compete for jobs in the starting rotation. Not the typical high impact class of newcomers that the Red Sox are used to bringing in.
Minnesota Twins: The Twins tried to improve the team on the cheap over the winter as they are going to have a lot of players in spring training on minor league deals. The Twins signed three new starting players over the winter in outfielder Josh Willingham, C/DH Ryan Doumit and shortstop Jamey Carroll. They also signed 3B Sean Burroughs to compete for a job on the bench in 2012. The Twins signed righty starting pitcher Jason Marquis to help out in the middle of the rotation and he’s an innings eater when healthy. The Twins are also taking a chance on righty reliever Joel Zumaya. If he can stay healthy, the Twins might have something in Zumaya.
New York Mets: The Mets didn’t have much money to work with. They decided to improve the bullpen as they signed closer Frank Franciso, set-up man Jon Rauch and they dealt for righty Ramon Ramirez. So at least the Mets should be able to protect leads late in games in 2012. Andres Torres came to the Mets in the same deal as Ramon Ramirez and he will likely replace Angel Pagan as the Mets’ starting CF in 2012. The Mets also brought in SS Ronny Cedeno to likely be the utility man on the infield in 2012.
St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals acted quickly to replace Albert Pujols in the starting lineup when they signed outfielder Carlos Beltran. They also signed catcher Koyie Hill and lefty reliever J.C. Romero. That’s about it for the new faces on the Cardinals heading into 2012.
Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates preferred quantity over quality in the free agent market this winter. They quickly signed catcher Rod Barajas and shortstop Clint Barmes to start for them in 2012. They also dealt for 3B/1B Casey McGehee, who could win a starting job at one of the corner infield spots this spring. The Pirates also signed C Jose Morales, C/1B Jake Fox and outfielder Nate McLouth to compete for bench jobs this spring. In a minor deal with the Royals, the Pirates acquired Yamaico Navarro and he will compete for a backup job on the infield. The Pirates inked lefty Erik Bedard to a 1-year deal this winter and he will be the ace of the rotation as long as he can stay healthy. Righty reliever Juan Cruz signed a minor league deal recently with the Bucs and he should have little problem winning a job in the pen.
Chicago Cubs: The Cubs are in rebuilding mode now. The Cubs quickly signed outfielder David DeJesus to start in RF in 2012. They also dealt for 3B Ian Stewart, 1B Anthony Rizzo and outfielder Dave Sappelt in separate deals and they all have nice upsides. The Cubs bolstered the pitching staff in dealing for lefty starter Travis Wood and righty starter Chris Volstad. The Cubs also signed lefty starter Paul Maholm, righty starter/reliever Andy Sonnanstine and lefty reliever Trever Miller to help out the pitching staff.
Houston Astros: The Astros are a rebuilding team, but they are starting to add some players as of late. The Astros dealt for Jed Lowrie and he will be their starting SS in 2012. They also signed catcher Chris Snyder and he will likely start for them too in 2012. Outfielders Jack Cust (free agent) and Fernando Martinez (claimed on waivers from the Mets) will get shots to make the team this spring. The Astros added righty Kyle Weiland in a deal with the Red Sox and they have signed righty starter Livin Hernandez and lefty Zach Duke to compete for spots at the back end of the starting rotation this spring.
Teams Getting a D:
Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles thought about spending some real cash before deciding to hunt in the bargain bin for players. The Orioles have signed outfielder Endy Chavez, IF/DH Wilson Betemit, C Ronny Paulino and they dealt for C Taylor Teagarden this winter. They also went to the Far East looking for pitching and the result was the signing of lefties Tsuyoshi Wada and Wei-Ying Chen, who could both wind up in the Orioles’ starting rotation with good springs. The Orioles also dealt for lefty starter Dana Eveland and they have signed righty reliever Darren O’Day, righty starter Armando Galarraga and righty reliever Pat Neshek to compete for spots on the pitching staff this spring.
Oakland Athletics: The A’s don’t have a clue. They pretty much had a firesale in dealing young pitchers Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and closer Andrew Bailey. I have never seen a team acting like the A’s are this winter. New blood in the field comes in the form of catcher Derek Norris (trade), 1B/DH Kila Ka’aihue and outfielders Collin Cowgill (trade), Josh Reddick (trade), Seth Smith (trade) and Jonny Gomes (free agent). They will all be competing for starting jobs this spring with the exception of Norris. The A’s signed righty Bartolo Colon to a 1-year deal to help mentor the kiddie corps. Righty Jarrod Parker, righty Brad Peacock and lefty Tom Milone came to the A’s in the Cahill and Gonzalez deals and they will compete for starting jobs this spring. Righty Ryan Cook will compete for a bullpen job this spring.
Seattle Mariners: The Mariners needed to bolster the offense this winter, but they have not done much. DH/C Jesus Montero is the only potential big bat addition to the Mariners so far this winter. Carlos Guillen and John Jaso have also been brought in over the winter by the Mariners. The Mariners are throwing names at a dartboard as far as the rotation goes behind Felix Hernandez and Jason Vargas. The Mariners have brought in Hisashi Iwakuma, Hector Noesi, Kevin Millwood and Oliver Perez to compete for starting jobs this spring. They have also signed lefty George Sherrill and righties Aaron Heilman and Brian Sweeney to help out in the pen in 2012.
Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers have lost 1B Prince Fielder and N.L. MVP Ryan Braun (for 50 games due to a league suspension), so they have a lot of offense to replace. The Brewers added 3B Aramis Ramirez and SS Alex Gonzalez to the left side of the infield, and I like both of those pickups. They have also signed 1B Travis Ishikawa, outfielder Norichiku Aoki, Cesar Izturis, Corey Patterson and Brooks Conrad to compete for jobs this spring. The Brewers also acquired righty reliever Jose Veras to bolster the bullpen in 2012.
Teams Getting a F:
Chicago White Sox: The White Sox have been blowing up the roster this winter, but they aren’t exactly getting a lot of top prospects for their veterans. Osvaldo Martinez, Dan Johnson and Delwyn Young are the top position players the White Sox have added so far this winter. Righty reliever Jhan Marinez might get a shot to make the Pale Hose’ bullpen in 2012. Kenny Williams needs to do better in bringing in top talent in return when he makes deals.
Atlanta Braves: The Braves have decided to stand pat so far this winter. They have not brought in anyone new who will likely make the team when the 2012 season begins.
