Also in the Honorable Mention: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-best-tr...014-off-season/

 

6. The White Sox acquire Adam Eaton.

Cost: Hector Santiago and Brandon Jacobs.

 

In an era where teams are putting a higher value than ever on young, cost-controlled talent, the White Sox still managed to pick up a 25 year old center fielder who they control for the next five years, and they did it without giving up anything of serious value. Santiago is a major regression candidate who probably fits better in the bullpen than the rotation, and Rick Hahn managed to sell high on his artificially low ERA and turn that into a guy who could be a quality regular for the rest of the decade. This is perhaps the very best example of buying low and selling high of any trade this winter.

 

4. The White Sox sign Jose Abreu.

Cost: Six years, $68 million.

 

Yes, another White Sox deal. I really liked their off-season, if you haven’t noticed. And I think this is the deal that has the potential to turn out to be the best move any team made all winter, even though it comes with some pretty decent sized risk. $68 million in guaranteed money is a lot for a bat-only guy who has never played in the U.S., but if the White Sox are right about his offensive potential, this deal will be a massive bargain over the long term. Rather than just focusing on the $68 million, keep in mind that the White Sox just signed up for an $11 million AAV, which in today’s dollars gets you in the bidding for a guy like Bronson Arroyo. Even if Abreu is just an average first baseman, this contract probably works for Chicago, and if he turns into a monster, they’ll be one of the few teams with a locked-in bargain rate on premium power.

With the deals at number 9-10, I have no idea how the Davidson deal didn't make this list.

I was wondering if Davidson would end up on this, and he did as an honorable mention. 3 of the best 17 moves (according to Dave Cameron)? I just can't fathom how they didn't have the best offseason.

I really dont understand the Peter Bourjos dicksuck fest. I get he is a great defender, but come on.

With the deals at number 9-10, I have no idea how the Davidson deal didn't make this list.

 

I agree with you Balta. I think it was a better deal than Santiago/Eaton.

I really dont understand the Peter Bourjos dicksuck fest. I get he is a great defender, but come on.

 

thats a rare kind of fest, but it may be the best fest

I really dont understand the Peter Bourjos dicksuck fest. I get he is a great defender, but come on.

 

I think the Bourjos thing has a lot to do with context. An elite defender in CF was what they needed most, and what they needed second most was room for Wong in the infield. They essentially handled their (admittedly small) entire offseason wishlist in one fell swoop.

Edited February 19, 201412 yr by Eminor3rd

I really dont understand the Peter Bourjos dicksuck fest. I get he is a great defender, but come on.

 

The guy is theoretically worth 2 wins in defense alone. If he hits .270, he's got enough speed and power to steal 50 bases and get 50-60 extra base hits. He's a 3-5 win player.

I wouldn't go that far. Davidson has a pretty big bust chance.

 

Of the 4 (well 5, but I don't even consider Jacobs in this context), I think Davidson definitely has both the highest ceiling and the lowest floor. The Sox have done pretty well trading for DBacks players in the past too, though Javy kind of sucked in years 1 and 3.

Assuming he stays healthy, I really think the Paulino move will be considered one of the best moves of the offseason. I just love his stuff and think Coop will get the best out of him.

I love Paulino too, but the injury concerns are very real and worth mentioning. If he stays healthy, it could be a very good move.

I love Paulino too, but the injury concerns are very real and worth mentioning. If he stays healthy, it could be a very good move.

 

Which is precisely why I mentioned it

thats a rare kind of fest, but it may be the best fest

 

I believe its called a "blowbang"

I love Paulino too, but the injury concerns are very real and worth mentioning. If he stays healthy, it could be a very good move.

And conveniently, if he manages to open the season with the team, he buys Rienzo some extra time in the minors.

It was a better than good and possible great offseason. Sadly, it won't really payoff for two maybe probably three years.

It was a better than good and possible great offseason. Sadly, it won't really payoff for two maybe probably three years.

 

 

Don't get Marty started, lol.

The DBacks trading for Addison Reed was the 6th WORST move of the offseason according to Cameron.

The DBacks trading for Addison Reed was the 6th WORST move of the offseason according to Cameron.

 

I agreed a lot with that idea up until the Kimbrell extension. Now I wonder if closers are about to become a lot more valuable?

I agreed a lot with that idea up until the Kimbrell extension. Now I wonder if closers are about to become a lot more valuable?

 

I don't think you can use Kimbrel as a standard for guys like Addison Reed, though. Plus, I thought Dave made a good point that Reed's save totals actually make him less valuable in that he'll get better arbitration raises:

 

6. Diamondbacks acquire Addison Reed.

Cost: Matt Davidson.

 

I don’t mean to pick on the Diamondbacks, but I actually like this trade even less than I like the Arroyo deal, and I don’t think I hid the fact that I didn’t really like that deal too much. It’s not that Addison Reed is bad, because he’s not. He’s fine, and he’ll be a good enough closer for Arizona. But they already had J.J. Putz and David Hernandez, who also would have been good enough closers, and the D’Backs didn’t need a third good-not-great right-handed reliever enough to justify trading a player with some legitimate value. Even if they didn’t see Davidson as a long term piece to build around given their roster and his defensive skills, he’s still a property of some real value; Marc Hulet ranked him #62 on his Top 100, while Baseball America came in at #72. This isn’t a guy to just give away for a minor bullpen upgrade. To make things worse, Reed has racked up a ton of saves in his time in Chicago, and is going to be quite expensive to retain in his arbitration years, so this probably ends up being Davidson for a few years of Reed’s services before he gets non-tendered. And that’s not a good swap.

I don't think you can use Kimbrel as a standard for guys like Addison Reed, though. Plus, I thought Dave made a good point that Reed's save totals actually make him less valuable in that he'll get better arbitration raises:

 

When top notch relievers get huge contracts, it moves up the scale for everyone.

 

When top notch relievers get huge contracts, it moves up the scale for everyone.

 

Yeah, I see what you're saying, it's just that Kimbrel has been literally historic. He's as much ahead of everyone else as Mariano Rivera was -- the type of guy that is the exception to the model.

How is throwing $22 million at Scott Kazmir over two years EVER considered a good move?

How is throwing $22 million at Scott Kazmir over two years EVER considered a good move?

 

Thats what i was thinking. The guy hardly pitches for years and was garbage when he did, then he comes back and has a decent season and all of the sudden he is worth $22 million over 2?

Thats what i was thinking. The guy hardly pitches for years and was garbage when he did, then he comes back and has a decent season and all of the sudden he is worth $22 million over 2?

That may be a bit harsh. Do you really think 4 consecutive years with ERA+ of 116, 141, 130, 127 is garbage?

That may be a bit harsh. Do you really think 4 consecutive years with ERA+ of 116, 141, 130, 127 is garbage?

 

I'm not talking about the beginning of his career. He was good then. What I'm talking about is from '09-'13 when he made a total of 84 starts and had an ERA of 5.02 with a 1.449 WHIP and he really wasn't all that great last year.

Edited February 24, 201412 yr by lasttriptotulsa