The MLB winter meetings came and went with some small moves going down, including the Mariners snagging Corey Hart and Logan Morrison, while the Mets signed Bartolo Colon and moving forward, players like Nelson Cruz, Shin-Soo Choo, Matt Garza, Joaquin Benoit, Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana and Stephen Drew are the best players available at their various positions.
Nelson Cruz appears to be the top name left on the market with Shin-Soo Choo, who has been getting interest from the Texas Rangers and other teams while he looks for a long term deal. The Baltimore Orioles have been linked to Cruz and he would be a nice fit in their park for the type of hitter he is and the team sure could sue a power bat right in the middle of the lineup. Choo has been mentioned in connection with the Rangers, Angels and Houston Astros and the Reds appear to be out of the bidding, as they looked into a trade with the Yankees to snag Brett Gardner and he could take over for Choo in center.
Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana and Matt Garza are the top pitchers currently on the market as starters and teams like the Yankees, Rangers and Diamondbacks could be options as each team could use another arm in the rotation. Trades for pitchers could be in the mix going forward, with names like David Price, Cole Hamels, Chris Sale and Cliff Lee getting mentioned and with Grant Balfour looking like he is heading to the Orioles, that would leave Joaquin Benoit as the top reliever left on the market.
Garza did not get a qualifying offer and that makes him an attractive free agent, while Santana reportedly wants over $100 million on his deal. The Mariners were connected to Nelson Cruz, but based on the deals that the team made at the winter meetings, chances is they will not sign him. The Yankees have money tied up in Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran while the Mariners also would like to add another bat and possibly another pitcher.
