The Biggest Free Agent Signings During The Off Season For Baseball Teams
As baseball fans patiently await the beginning of a new season, we're still in a position where we've witnessed some notable free agent signings since the conclusion of the previous year of baseball. Cards have been shuffled and some teams have new and improved rosters as a result.
Many signings during the winter can have a profound impact upon the season to come. After all, look at what the Yankees were able to pull off last season.
The team looked nothing like its former self after adding Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher to its batting lineup and CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett to its pitching rotation. This gave the Yanks a powerhouse roster that no team could compete with.
Many are wondering if any team will pull off what New York was able to accomplish last year. After looking at some of the major free agent transactions we've witnessed thus far, we'll probably have a better idea.
In the world of pitchers, the biggest free agent was John Lackey. Not only does he boast a tremendous amount of playoff innings on his resume, but he's also still young, as he's just barely over 30 years old.
When healthy, Lackey is a top 15 pitcher in baseball. The Red Sox now have a reliable arm to pitch right behind Josh Beckett, making for a dangerous one two punch.
One may be surprised by the fact that a competitive team like the Angels somehow let Lackey go. While this is obviously an unfortunate blow to the franchise, all is not lost. Having signed Hideki Matsui, the balance of power slightly shifts away from the Yankees and in favor of the Angels. The man who many credit with having won the World Series for New York will now be playing in Los Angeles.
Matsui's role as a fielder will be just as valuable to an Angels team that could stand to benefit from some more stellar defense. This helps to dampen the blow that they'll feel from the loss of their star pitcher.
Many signings during the winter can have a profound impact upon the season to come. After all, look at what the Yankees were able to pull off last season.
The team looked nothing like its former self after adding Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher to its batting lineup and CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett to its pitching rotation. This gave the Yanks a powerhouse roster that no team could compete with.
Many are wondering if any team will pull off what New York was able to accomplish last year. After looking at some of the major free agent transactions we've witnessed thus far, we'll probably have a better idea.
In the world of pitchers, the biggest free agent was John Lackey. Not only does he boast a tremendous amount of playoff innings on his resume, but he's also still young, as he's just barely over 30 years old.
When healthy, Lackey is a top 15 pitcher in baseball. The Red Sox now have a reliable arm to pitch right behind Josh Beckett, making for a dangerous one two punch.
One may be surprised by the fact that a competitive team like the Angels somehow let Lackey go. While this is obviously an unfortunate blow to the franchise, all is not lost. Having signed Hideki Matsui, the balance of power slightly shifts away from the Yankees and in favor of the Angels. The man who many credit with having won the World Series for New York will now be playing in Los Angeles.
Matsui's role as a fielder will be just as valuable to an Angels team that could stand to benefit from some more stellar defense. This helps to dampen the blow that they'll feel from the loss of their star pitcher.
About the Author:
Besides sports, the writer additionally regularly blogs on monogram bath towel and monogrammed diaper bags
Posts
Post a Comment