It has been 104 days since Josh Beckett induced a slow-roller from Jorge Posada to end the 2003 World Series. However, though the games have long since ended, and many stadiums are filled with snow, baseball's second season, filled with trades, free agent signings, and salary arbitration hearings, is in full swing. This year's offseason has been especially dramatic in the American League, as the Yankees and Red Sox, both angry over their exits from the post-season, have taken turns making headlines with big moves and even bigger non-acquisitions.
As many of the big-name free agents have already found new homes, and pitchers and catchers report to spring training in just over two weeks, it is an appropriate time to identify the winners and losers of one of the more eventful offseasons in recent memory.
Winners
The Boston Red Sox, led by brash young GM Theo Epstein, 29, have positioned themselves for another run at the AL pennant after a couple of outstanding acquisitions. The Bosox went into the off-season with two pressing needs: a true number-two starter to eat innings in case the ever-brittle Pedro Martinez were to break down, and a closer who could be trusted to shut down the opposition's top hitters if, say, they were up by three in the eigth inning in what is arguably the most important game in franchise history. Epstein obtained his workhorse in the form of Curt Schilling, who has gone the distance 79 times out of the 338 games that he's started. For his bullpen problem, Epstein turned to Keith Foulke (9-1, 2.08 ERA, 43 Sv last season), who limited opponents to a .184 batting average last season, and is widely considered to be the most dominant closer in the American League.
George Steinbrenner, not to be upstaged by the Sox, ensured that the New York Yankees will remain competitive despite the defection of their top two starters. GM Brian Cashman acquired the best young starting pitcher available in Javier Vasquez (13-12, 3.24, 241 Ks), a dominant right-hander who should anchor the Yankees rotation for years to come, along with the fragile Kevin Brown (14-9, 2.39, 185 Ks), who has topped 30 starts only once in the past three years, but who also is downright filthy when healthy. Plug perrenial malcontent Gary Sheffield (.330, 39 HR, 132 RBI, .419 on-base percentage) into right field to complement what was already one of the top offenses in the game, and the Yankees should have no trouble making it to the postseason for a ninth straight season.
Trying to compete with their free-spending AL East counterparts, the Baltimore Orioles finally found some players willing to accept their money after years of fruitless spending efforts. Former AL Most Valuable Player Miguel Tejada (.278, 27 HR, 106 RBI) solidifies a young infield, while catcher Javy Lopez, coming off a career year (.328, 43 HR, 109 RBI) provides much-needed power while providing stability behind the plate. Also joining the O's for a second tour of duty are 1B/DH Rafael Palmiero and P Sidney Ponson, both of which should help return the team to respectibility.
The 2002 World Champion Anaheim Angels lured several big-name free agents to southern California, none bigger than Vladimir Guerrero (.330, 25 HR, 79 RBI in limited duty last year), who along with Jose Guillen (.311, 31 HR, 86 RBI) and the returning Garrett Anderson (.315, 29 HR, 116 RBI) simultaneously solidifies the Angels outfield and middle of the order. On the mound, the acquisitions of Bartolo Colon (15-13, 3.87 ERA, 173 Ks in 224 innings) and Kelvim Escobar (13-9, 4.29 ERA, 159 Ks) bolster a mediocre starting rotation to complement the AL's number one bullpen.
Finally, the Detroit Tigers have done the unthinkable: they have added a premier free agent despite coming off a 119-loss season in the form of C Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. This accomplishment alone should put Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski in the running for executive of the year honors. However, in addition, Dombrowski managed to lure aging 2B Fernando Via (.251, 4 HR, 35 runs scored), as well as serviceable arms Jason Johnson (10-10, 4.18 ERA, 118 Ks) and Al Levine (3-6, 2.79 ERA in 54 appearances) with oversized offers, while shoring up his infield by obtaining SS Carlos Guillen (.276, 7 HR, 63 runs scored) from Seattle. Overall, Dombrowski helped his team about as much as he could with such albatrosses as Bobby Higginson ($11.85 million salary, .235, 14 HR, 52 RBI in 469 at bats) still on the books.
Losers
Though their team is markedly improved, Red Sox fans were tormented all offseason by the possibility of acquiring Alex Rodriguez for Manny Ramirez, which, if they had completed a second trade with the Chicago White Sox to bring Magglio Ordoez to Beantown in exchange for Nomar Garciaparra, would have made them the prohibitive favorites in the AL. Now, though, team chemistry has been ruined by Kevin Millar's ill-timed interview with ESPN, in which he made known his preferrence for Rodriguez over Nomar as a teammate. The Sox soap opera, as usual, will be a great story to follow in the months to come.
Though the Sox may have made a mistake, at least they figure to be in contention this year.Their near-trading partner, the Texas Rangers, should be ashamed of themselves for the state that they have allowed the franchise to regress. They were too greedy in asking the Bosox to take on some of Ramirez's remaining salary, and paid for it by losing any flexibility that ridding themselves of Rodriguez's monster contract would have provided them. Now, facing an alienated star, an apathetic fan base, and a lack of anything remotely resembling a major league-caliber pitching staff, they figure to once again man the basement of the AL West.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays attempted a severe overhaul of their team this year, but what appear to be sweeping changes lose their luster upon closer inspection. Sure the team jettisoned perrenial goat Travis Lee (.275, 19 HR, 70 RBI), but they replace him with another team's older, more expensive problem in the form of Tino Martinez (.273, 15 HR, 69 RBI). Their team now reads as a "who's who" of above-average players from 1998 -- Fernando Tatis, Dannys Baez, Todd Jones, Mike Williams -- these guys used to be decent, but time and/or injury has eroded their skills. The Rays better have a flashlight and plenty of food and water, because they're going to be in the cellar of the AL East for years to come.
Finally, the Chicago White Sox, facing a solid-if-unspectacular Minnesota team, the surprising Royals, and the ever-improving Indians, hoped to make a big splash by acquiring Garciaparra from Boston, but the cancellation of the Rodriguez-Ramirez deal quashed those hopes. So instead, after losing Colon to the Angels, and midseason acquisitions Carl Everett and Roberto Alomar to free agency, the Chisox went out and signedMarvin Benard? Robert Person? Cliff Politte? These journeymen cannot replace two starters up the middle and a true ace the caliber of Colon. Chicago GM Ken Williams must be hoping for a repeat performance by Esteban Loaiza (21-9, 2.90 ERA, 207 Ks) to entrust some of the journeymen he has dug up with the ball every fifth day.
Coming soon -- the National League, complete with the winners, losers and traitors of what has already been a surprising and exciting off-season.
