Notable Off-Season Player Movement (American League East)
With the MLB off-season nearing a conclusion, this is a recap of the notable American League off-season player movement. For each team you’ll find a note of the 4 biggest additions, 4 biggest subtractions, and a synopsis of how the team did this off-season.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Additions
Garrett Atkins– 1 yr, 4 million
Mike Gonzalez – 2 yrs, 12 million
Kevin Millwood – Trade with Tex
Miguel Tejada - 1 year deal
Subtractions
Danys Baez – Signed with Phi
Sean Henn – Claimed by Tor
Radhames Liz – Claimed off waivers by SD
Chris Ray – Trade with Tex
Summary: Baltimore has had a pretty solid off-season to this point. Nobody expects Millwood to replicate his success of last year, but to pick up a solid, innings eating starting pitcher for just Ray isn’t a bad move. Atkins was signed at a discount and could prove to be one of the better value free agent hitters of the year. Gonzalez is a very viable closing option and will be especially useful against some of the AL East’s power hitting lefties. Baltimore suffered a couple knocks to their pitching staff, but none of the players moving on have proven to be consistent options. It is also worth noting that Baltimore was able to re-sign a couple useful bullpen arms in Cla Meredith and Matt Albers and the Orioles retained designated hitter Luke Scott for another season. Baltimore could still stand to lose Melvin Mora, Rich Hill, and Mark Hendrickson to free agency. Mora’s loss becomes more likely with Tejada returning to Baltimore, likely to man third base.
BOSTON RED SOX
Additions
Adrian Beltre – 1 yr, 9 million
Mike Cameron – 2 yrs, 15 million
John Lackey – 5 yrs, 85 million
Marco Scutaro – 2 yrs, 11 million
Subtractions
Jason Bay – Signed with NYM
Casey Kotchman – Traded to Sea
Javier Lopez – Signed with Pit
Takashi Saito – Signed with Atl
Summary: Boston did a good job of filling their hole at shortstop, with Scutaro taking over the spot manned by cast-offs like Nick Green and Alex Gonzalez last season. Losing Bay is a hit to the middle of the Boston lineup, but they should make up for it by having a more complete lineup top-to-bottom, and a better starting rotation with the addition of Lackey. The Boston bullpen takes a slight hit with Lopez and Saito leaving town, but Boston was able to sign a couple arms for their bullpen including Brian Shouse and Jorge Sosa and retain Ramon Ramirez, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, and Jonathan Papelbon. Parting ways with Kotchman will allow for more regularity in their lineup as David Ortiz, Victor Martinez, and Kevin Youkilis should all be able to start with more consistency. Beltre is a nice pickup with Mike Lowell already sidelined, if Lowell can come back strong there may be something of a corner infielder logjam again, but that would not be a bad problem to have.
NEW YORK YANKEES
Additions
Curtis Granderson – Trade with Det
Nick Johnson – 1 yr, 5.5 million
Boone Logan – Trade with Atl
Javier Vazquez – Trade with Atl
Subtractions
Melky Cabrera – Traded to Atl
Phil Coke – Traded to Det
Jerry Hairston Jr. – Signed with SD
Hideki Matsui – Signed with LAA
Summary: The Yankees were active early in the off-season bringing in a few players via trade and Nick Johnson came back to the Bronx via free agency to replace Matsui as designated hitter. Andy Pettitte was also re-signed to an exorbitant $11.75 million, one year contract. After all these moves, the Yankees have just about reached their off-season budget. Logan should replace Coke as a solid lefty out of the bullpen and Granderson will directly replace Cabrera in center field. This all leaves one main void for the Yankees, left field. As it stands, speedster Brett Garnder will man that spot, but the possibility remains that a veteran like Jermaine Dye or Randy Winn could be brought in, or even that free agent Johnny Damon could return. Hairston could have helped fill that spot and provided depth, but was recently lost to free agency. Despite their additions, the Yankees lost two solid prospects this off-season in Arodys Vizcaino and Austin Jackson.
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Additions
Dan Johnson – 1 year deal
Ryan Shealy – Minor League Deal
Kelly Shoppach – Trade with Cle
Rafael Soriano – Trade with Atl
Subtractions
Michel Hernandez – Signed with Bal
Akinori Iwamura – Traded to Pit
Brian Shouse – Signed with Bos
Gregg Zaun – Signed with Mil
Summary: The Rays did not make many additions this off-season. However, they were successful and continued to retain the core of this team that has brought some excitement to baseball, in Tampa Bay. Grant Balfour, Jason Bartlett, Matt Garza, J.P. Howell and Dioner Navarro were all retained as only B.J. Upton seems destined for arbitration. Aging bullpen arms Troy Percival and Jason Isringhausen seem likely to leave via free agency. But with Balfour and Howell back to rejoin Dan Wheeler in the pen and Rafael Soriano joining the team, these are losses Tampa Bay can certainly stomach. Iwamura moves on to Pittsburgh as his spot was lost to bust-out Ben Zobrist. Shoppach should make a nice platoon at catcher with Navarro and only cost the Rays a struggling pitcher, Mitch Talbot.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Additions
John Buck – 1 yr, 2 million
Kyle Drabek – Trade with Phi
Brandon Morrow – Trade with Sea
Brett Wallace – Trade with Oak
Subtractions
Johermyn Chavez – Traded to Sea
Roy Halladay – Traded to Phi
Brandon League – Traded to Sea
Marco Scutaro – Signed with Bos
Summary: The Blue Jays lost the heart of their team this off-season when Halladay was dealt to Philadelphia, but it was a move we knew was coming for some time. The good news is Toronto has been able to pick up a number of solid prospects in return for their players this off-season including third basemen Wallace and starting pitcher Kyle Drabek. John Buck will take over as Toronto’s starting catcher and Alex Gonzalez will fill the void left by Scutaro. Rod Barajas remains a free agent, but could rejoin the team and platoon with Buck. Toronto did a good job re-signing a number of their arbitration eligible pitchers including Jeremy Accardo, Jason Frasor, Casey Janssen, Shaun Marcum, and Dustin McGowan. When you consider that the Jays were also able to bring in Morrow who may develop into a top of the rotation starter, this off-season really was not all that bad for Toronto and could be a big part of the Jays rebuilding this ball club.
Off-Season Rankings
1. Seattle Mariners
2. Baltimore Orioles (AL East)
3. New York Yankees (AL East)
4. Boston Red Sox (AL East)
5. Texas Rangers
6. Detroit Tigers
7. Toronto Blue Jays (AL East)
8. Oakland Athletics
9. Tampa Bay Rays (AL East)
10. Minnesota Twins
11. Los Angeles Angels
12. Chicago White Sox
13. Kansas City Royals
14. Cleveland Indians
AL EAST
AL CENTRAL
AL WEST
- Dustin Ward- RotoKingdom Staff Writer
Dustin Ward, aka DAtaris17, has been playing fantasy sports for about a decade with expertise in Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Golf. Dustin has widespread success in RotoKingdom's Die Hard leagues and participates in Die Hard I in Baseball, Football, and Basketball. A devoted, lifelong, New York sports fan, Dustin does not let his affinity for the Yankees, Knicks, and Jets interfere with his fantasy knowledge and infrequently drafts players from his teams. Dustin is also an avid golfer and fantasy golf player. Currently, Dustin is the Lead Forum Administrator for RotoKingdom.net.