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Cabrera signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays today, according to ESPN, in a move that will make Met fans initially scratch their heads. Cabrera is a cheap veteran who would serve as a serviceable stopgap at the position, where Ruben Tejada has stunk up for too long and Wilmer Flores may need more time to learn defensively. Cabrera was an All-Star as recently as 2012 and received MVP votes as recently as 2011, although his production has declined. But he's still just 28 and would provide decent plate production while excelling in the field. He looked like a perfect fit. Now it looks like the Mets missed out. Or did they? Read More »
The Washington Nationals signed second baseman Dan Uggla to a minor-league contract Friday, Dec. 26, according to espn.com, in a low-risk move made with the hope of catching lightning in a bottle. Uggla is a three-time MLB All-Star who's still just 34 and could have some pop left in his bat. But ... God has he been bad lately. In case you forgot about his completely forgettable past few seasons, here's a recap: • Uggla signed a five-year, $62 million contract with the Atlanta Braves in 2011 and immediately hit 36 home runs for the Braves. • His batting average slipped the next two seasons, first to .220, then to .179 in 2013. Uggla was never much of a batting average threat, but his power subsided as well. He made several high-profile errors at second base. Read More »
This has been one of the most exciting MLB Hot Stove seasons in recent memory, with the Dodgers completely revamping their roster, the Padres, White Sox and Marlins making serious moves towards contention, and the Red Sox stealing two former NL West stars. The Dodgers, for example, have made more than 30 transcations in seven weeks, according to SB Nation, one which included sending starting outfielder and former MVP candidate Matt Kemp to a division rival. They also sent away an All-Star in his 20s in Dee Gordon. This after winning the division last season. So it's been an interesting winter. Still, there are a few teams with items still on their shopping lists. Here are four squads that can get better in the new year. Read More »
"Best of luck on their new teams to these 4 Allstars," Puig wrote on Instagram below a collage of dearly departed Kemp, Ramirez, Haren and Gordon. "We shared a lot of winning moments together and had fun doing it. I'm proud to have been your teammate in LA." Then Puig hilariously penned a tribute to former teammates Tim Federowicz and Drew Butera by making a collage of their pictures outlined on a FedEx package. Federowicz was traded to the San Diego Padres with Kemp, while Butera was shipped to the Angels, according to the LA Times. A FedEx package. Long live you, Yasiel. Read More »
Ever since April 2011, when Troy Tulowitzki spent four games pulverizing the New York Mets at Citi Field, making diving catches and blasting home runs over the previously unreachable fences, Mets fans have salivated for the power-hitting shortstop. Now that the Colorado Rockies have put Tulowitzki officially on the trading block, that salivation has turned into a ravenous drool. Throw in the fact that the Mets's starting shortstop hit .237 last season while Tulowitzki owns a career .299/.373/.603 slash line and ... you get it. They want him bad. But can they get him? The Rockies will ultimately want a huge return for Tulowitzki, who is perennially considered one of the National League's top three position players despite a career filled with injuries. He's a four-time All-Star who batted .340 in 91 games last season before his season was cut short yet again. Read More »
We can grieve for formerly great closer Brian Wilson, who was released Friday by the Los Angeles Dodgers despite $9.5 million left on his contract. Or we can grieve for the part of him that's most worthy of grieving for: his spectacular, congenial beard. That's right, the best beard in all baseball, the one that parties with Charlie Sheen and ruins his host's chances of signing with the New York Yankees, according to CBS Sports, is now officially unemployed. Wilson rose to fame as the shutdown closer of the 2010 World Series champion San Francisco Giants. That year, he recorded his third consecutive 30-plus-save season, led the league with 48 and pitched to a 1.81 ERA in 70 appearances. He was dominant in the playoffs, and as his success grew so did his facial hair. Fame followed right behind it and his mustache began to curl and you wondered just how deep down there his chin actually lived. But a mediocre season in 2011 left Wilson in need of Tommy John surgery and he missed all of 2012 before latching on with arch-enemy Los Angeles in 2013. The Dodgers gave WIlson the eighth-inning job with intentions of having him set up for incumbent closer Kenley Jansen. Wilson struggled to recover and was awful in 2014, posting a 4.66 ERA in 61 appearances. The struggles of Wilson and the rest of the bullpen were one of the only things standing between the Dodgers's excellent roster and a World Series appearance. Read More »
For so much of the past 20 years, it almost seemed like the San Diego Padres didn't even know who the good players were. Now, in just a week, it seems like they've acquired all of them. Who are these Padres, the ones that just traded for Matt Kemp, Wil Myers, Justin Upton and Derrick Norris? Who are these Padres, the usually flint-sticked team that now has enough hitting to make 2014 All-Star Seth Smith expendable? And where did they come from? Read More »
The Chicago White Sox haven't made the playoffs since 2008. In that time, the American League Central Division has been mostly dominated by the Detroit Tigers, who built a divisional empire on the backs of Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. A few months ago, the White Sox had two sellable assets: dynamic ace Chris Sale and AL Rookie of the Year Jose Abreau. Now, as Christmas approaches, they may be the Majors's most improved team. The White Sox continued their offseason assault this weekend by signing Melky Cabrera to a three-year deal worth $42 million, according to ESPN. The signing enhances one of last year's least-productive outfields and adds to a long list of quality players added since the World Series ended. In November, Chicago added power-hitting first baseman Adam LaRoche — who will probably DH — in a low-key, two-year deal. They them made a splash by snatching former New York Yankees closer David Robertson to a four-year, $46-million contract. The White Sox then traded for coveted Oakland Athletics starter and notorious mustache enthusiast Jeff Samardzija, giving Chicago a legitimate No. 2 starter behind Sale. The team also acquired reliever Zach Duke to help the bullpen and now has added to its outfield. Cabrera was an All-Star in 2012, the same year he was suspended for elevated testosterone levels. Read More »
