MLB Offseason Recap

Andrew Slap THE SANTA CLARA January 11, 2017

Winners

Red Sox

Boston avoided the underwhelming free agent market and turned to the trade wire to drastically improve upon their 93-win season. The addition of ace Chris Sale vaults the Red Sox from contender to prohibitive favorites.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman is already waving the white flag, calling the Red Sox the Warriors of baseball. He has a point, as Boston has major star power just in their rotation. Sale joins reigning Cy Young winner Rick Porcello and David Price at the top of a potent staff.

The Red Sox are the most complete team in baseball. World Series aren’t won on paper, but don’t be surprised when another parade rolls through the streets of Boston.

Cubs

Theo Epstein continues to prove why he’s the best in the business.

It’s hard to let Aroldis Chapman and Dexter Fowler walk out the door, but it had to be done. Chapman isn’t worth $86 million when you can trade for Wade Davis, a two-time All Star making less than half as much as Chapman this year. And it doesn’t make sense to give Fowler a five-year, $82.5 million dollar deal when you have Albert Almora Jr., the sixth overall draft pick in 2012 who’s already proven he belongs.

With all the talent Chicago possesses, they’ll have to decide which players to keep around and which players can walk. So far they’re making all the right choices.

Losers

Yankees

You’d think the Yankees would’ve learned from the past and stopped handing out such lucrative deals. New York was plagued with long term, expensive deals (Rodriguez, Texiera), but instead of spending responsibly, they’re giving Chapman the largest contract ever for a closer.

The deal would be fine if the Yankees were one piece away, but they’re years away from seriously competing for their 28th World Series.

The Yankees have a promising young core to build around. For once they should be patient and let the process play out.

Giants

The Giants paid a hefty price for closer Mark Melancon when they awarded him with a fouryear, $62 million dollar deal. The move itself is questionable, but it’s part of a larger issue of the organization. The Giants are shelling out plenty of expensive, long-term deals (Cueto, Samardzija) but have little postseason success to show for it.

It seems like the Giants are going all in this year, but they still lack the talent to seriously compete for a title. And it won’t be long before the contracts catch up with them, leaving San Francisco with a team of old, overpaid players.

Articles in the Sports section represent the views of the individual authors only and not the views of The Santa Clara or Santa Clara University.