Best Off-Season?

[A.E]

To this point in the off-season, what team do you feel has made the best moves? Seattle has certainly re-vamped a majority of their 25-man, Philadelphia has upgraded pitching, Baltimore looks better, and even Atlanta in on the action.

For me, the Yankees have had the best off-season. Biased? Maybe but you look at what they've done and its truly impressive. Center field has been the Achilles heel of this team for a few years and leave it to Cashman to go out and drop a bombshell of a trade. Curtis Granderson adds superb defense, a ton of speed, and no more worries about that arm strength at the position. I was sad to see Austin Jackson go but Granderson is still in his 20's and is the proven commodity. The Yankees better their rotation in adding Javier Vazquez, the Braves best pitcher of 2009. Vazquez's first go-around in NY wasn't too hot to finish the season but this guy is an innings-eater and consistently puts up high strikeout numbers. A guy like Vazquez not only improves the rotation but put a little more ease on the bullpen. Speaking of bullpen, he may not sound like much, but I like the small addition of Boone Logan. I know, I know, what's he got? You can never undervalue lefty-arms coming from the pen, we've been weak in the area for a few years, and Logan does have some upside. Speaking of upside, I am pretty high on Jamie Hoffman. If Hoffman can get comfortable at the plate, earn opportunities, then he can be the solid player the Dodgers expected him to become. The kid is big, drafted by the Nashville Preds a few years ago, and his bat has some pop. Love the fact that we re-signed Pettitte, satisfied that the right decision was made in letting Matsui go, and super happy that we will most likely end up re-signing Damon for a 1-year deal...closer to our price range.

The Yankees had to be the favorite to re-peat as Champions coming into the off-season and given these moves they've made...without a doubt the biggest contender.

 

[playmaker7]

Gotta go with the DBacks

 

[.infamous]

I can tell you who had the worst, the Detroit Tigers. But yeah the Yanks had the best offseason imo.

 

[A.E]

Gotta go with the DBacks

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[playmaker7]

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They kept some of their key players, they got Adam LaRoche for a good low price (<_<), they got rid of Eric Byrnes, they got Kelly Johnson which is a good pickup, Bob Howry could help that bullpen, got Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy, and Brandon Webb is coming back next year

 

[A.E]

They kept some of their key players, they got Adam LaRoche for a good low price (<_<), they got rid of Eric Byrnes, they got Kelly Johnson which is a good pickup, Bob Howry could help that bullpen, got Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy, and Brandon Webb is coming back next year

I don't mind the additions of LaRoche and Johnson but I think they're crazy to give up Scherzer for Jackson. They had so many better deals they could of landed in the past if they would of been willing to trade Max earlier. Jackson had a very uncharacteristically good season...and I am not sure its anymore than a "flash in the pan". Ian Kennedy could develop into a good #4 or #5 but I dunno.

 

[Yankees2772]

Max Scherzer wouldn't have been traded unless the Dbacks knew something bad about him... I see a career filled with injuries and eventually having him settle into a 7th inning role where he throws 93 MPH.

 

[A.E]

Max Scherzer wouldn't have been traded unless the Dbacks knew something bad about him... I see a career filled with injuries and eventually having him settle into a 7th inning role where he throws 93 MPH.

I think they grew impatient with him. The D-Backs trip to the 2007 NLCS got them into more of a contender mindset and they've been trying to win now since.

 

[cruzg24]

Gotta go with the Mariners, they really set their team up for years to come.

 

[RipCity32]

I think Grandy is a bit overrated which is why the Yankees really didn't have the best IMO.

I think Mariners get it for me though.

 

[A.E]

Of course I anticipated some throwing out the Mariners and I will tell you why I am not so hot on their off-season. I will say that I like the Mariners trying to spend the money to make a run at the AL West...but beyond 2010, their off-season doesn't look so hot. The M's acquisition of Cliff Lee instantly provides some clutch starts but Cliff Lee is on borrowed time. The team is out on a limb, gave up some solid 'spects for a Cliff Lee who is in the last year of his deal and won't be affordable next season. Cliff Lee only won 7 games in the AL last season, not a ton of run support behind him in Cleveland, so w/o the bats swinging in Seattle...Cliff isn't gonna be able to do what he did in the 2009 post-season, all 2010 season long.

Chone Figgins is a prized player, Mr. Versatility, but I have to question the M's spending so much on player like Figgins. Figgins deserves his money because he lead off and play practically the entire infield. That said, I don't think it makes sense for the M's to spend that money being they need him to play 1 position and they already have a lead-off guy. The market at 3B was garbage but I think that money should of been used to add some much needed power to a line-up that already has decent speed.

The addition of Milton Bradley won't benefit the M's in the longterm. The guy can produce but he's a classic headcase and literally been thrown off of every team he's ever played. I don't see how at this point in his career, Bradley will suddenly be able to control his temper and keep his mouth shut. On top of that point, Bradley is making a hefty salary and locked into that deal for more than a single season. This move could seriously bite the team in the ass.

Kotchman needs to learn how to drive the ball better and power into the gaps. He's not a homerun guy, never will be, and only average defensively.

Re-signing Felix was huge but I still like the Angels in the AL West.

 

[elcheato]

I think Grandy is a bit overrated which is why the Yankees really didn't have the best IMO.

I think Mariners get it for me though.

Exactly.. Guy can't hit lefties for <Censored>, but he'll be able to launch some homers over that right field wall.. Not much of a lead off hitter because of his tendencies to let it fly instead of just putting it on the ground or plugging a gap, don't know where the Yankees will bat him. And Vazquez is still a question, hasn't been that good in the AL in his career. Maybe he has improved, but only time will tell.

 

[Yankees2772]

Grandy will likely bat 7-9 somewhere... So .260, 30 HR is pretty good down there.

 

[.GR]

Ben Sheets, Coco Crisp, Kevin Kouzmenoff. Definitely not even close to the best, but a solid offseason for a small market team.

 

[STLZACH]

IMO the cards had a good enough off season with Holliday/Penny. Even though they lost piniero and DeRosa

 

[Cejis33]

Well Jays had the worst. Sure we got some young player and Halladay was going to leave next year, but we lost the face of the franchise. The player that made people think that losing streaks couldn't get past him and so that every season we had a chance at the World Series.