This past Sunday was a harsh reality check. For the first time in months, there was no professional football on TV. My Sunday felt empty, but I knew hope was right around the corner. That hope came on Monday, which was the day pitchers and catchers reported at Phillies camp. Yes, friends, baseball is back, and I thought now would be as good a time as ever to give my best and worst moves of the MLB offseason.
Best Big Money Move
Josh Hamilton signing with the LA Angels for five years and $125 million. You have to love this move from the Halos. I don’t care about his off-the-field issues or his health concerns. The fact of the matter is that the Angels first five hitters in the lineup are now Mike Trout, Erick Aybar, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Mark Trumbo. Hamilton was the biggest fish out on the market, and the Angels reeled him in. Good luck AL West, you’re going to need it.
Worst Big Money Move
This is a tie between Zach Greinke’s six-year, $147 million deal with the Dodgers and Anibal Sanchez’s five-year $80 million deal with the Tigers. Starting with Greinke, he’s always been a solid, above average starter in the league, but he is not worth this much money. In his career, he’s only 13 games over .500, and he has an ERA close to four. The Sanchez deal is even worse. He’s averaged seven wins a season in his seven-year career. Teams spent ridiculous money on good but not great pitchers because the depth of the free agency class was weak.
Biggest Offseason Winners
The biggest winner of the entire offseason is the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays not only brought in reigning National League Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, but they also acquired Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck and Emilio Bonafacio from Miami. On top of all of that, they signed the talented but troubled Melky Cabrera. With these moves, the Jays have to be the favorites in the AL East going into the season.
Another team that upgraded significantly without making as many player changes is the Atlanta Braves. After signing coveted free-agent centerfielder B.J. Upton to a five-year deal, they decided to make their outfield a family place by brining in his brother Justin Upton via trade. Atlanta’s starting outfield now consists of the Upton brothers and Jason Heyward, and it could stay that way for a long time.
Biggest Offseason Loser
Michael Bourn and his agent Scott Boras are the bigest losers. Bourn started as one of the premier young outfielders on the market, but his high demands have left him still unemployed. Rumors are he might end up with the Mets. A lesson to all the kids out there: Don’t demand too much, or you could wind up with the Mets, and no one wants that.
[Ed.: Bourn signed with the Cleveland Indians after this article was written.]
– Alex Smith