The Hot Stove: 2012/2013 MLB Offseason Update

By: Nakeem Grant

            As the 2012-2013 MLB offseason is well under way, several big trades and signings have already been made. Players that have been household names for their respective franchises have been on the move including Josh Johnson being traded from Miami to Toronto, B.J. Upton being signed by ATL and Mike Napoli moving to the Boston Red Sox.  Nevertheless, there are several primetime free agents that are still on the market including All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton, former Cy Young pitcher Zack Greinke, and All-Star pitcher Rafael Soriano. The teams in line for a playoff push are trying to stocking up and teams looking to rebuild their rosters are focusing on building their team around newly acquired cornerstone players.

            Some franchises didn’t even titillate with the notion of leaving their players in free agency to see whether or not they were willing to resign. The New York Yankees reassured a portion of their starting rotation, resigning starting pitchers Andy Pettite and Hiroki Kuroda to one-year deals. They also resigned veteran closer Mariano Rivera to a one-year contract. Even so, they are a team that exemplifies the situation that a lot of playoff-calbur teams are dealing with this offseason. Outfielders Nick Swisher and Ichiro Suzuki are still in the free agent market and catcher Russell Martin turned down their two-year offer and opted to sign with the up and coming Pittsburgh Pirates. However, with A-Rod out due to hip surgery, the Yankees have made an effort to fill that void by offering third baseman/utility player Kevin Youklis a one-year, $12 million deal.

            Other franchises looking to change the platform of their team are throwing their stakes out to some of the most popular free agents. Non-playoff teams from last season such as the Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Philadelphia Phillies have given their bids to Josh Hamilton and his agent, Mike Moye. The Rangers would like to resign him, but money might bring up issues if they go on to bolster their starting rotation in signing pitcher Zack Greinke.

            Several other notable free agents have yet to make any concrete decisions on what team(s) to pursue. The speedy, base-stealing outfielder Michael Bourn has yet to find a new home after his tenure with the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have already made their move in securing centerfield, signing outfielder B.J. Upton to a five-year deal. It looked as if Bourn was headed back to the team that drafted him in the Phildelphia Phillies, but the Phillies looked in another direction as they traded for another speedy outfielder in Ben Revere.

Another big time free agent who is still on the market is the crafty right hander, Kyle Lohse. Lohse, leading the National League in win percentage for 2012 as well as coming off a career high in multiple pitching categories with St. Louis, has received offers from several teams including the Red Sox, the Angels and the Blue Jays.

As always, in each offseason there are winners and losers for each ballclub, and this year is no different. The New York Mets won in managing to sustain their best all-around player in All-Star third baseman, David Wright. They managed to lock him up for a record-setting contract in Mets history, seven years with over $130 million coming his way. Wright had a stellar 2012 season, making him a big free agent to pursue in the offseason. It seems however that he was committed to staying with the Mets as they were able to hold on to at least one of their star players. With Cy Young knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey still exercising his free agency, it’s safe to say that the Mets are winners for now this offseason.

One of the biggest losers this offseason would have to be the Miami Marlins. With the big splash they made in the 2011/2012 offseason, they were expected to be a force to be reckoned with in the NL East Division. Unfortunately, the entire 2012 season was a bust as they finished last in the division. The team overwent a complete overhaul, trading Hanley Ramirez in midseason and eventually trading away Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonafacio, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and John Buck to the Toronto Blue Jays. They went from a team that was primed to win to a team that is back to the drawing board, making them one of the biggest losers this offseason.

In the end, with many free agents still out on the market, there are bound to be more blockbuster moves to come as teams look forward to preparing for the 2013 MLB season.