SAN DIEGO — The Winter Meetings began awfully slowly, from a player movement perspective, but each day was busier than the one before it, culminating with some serious craziness on the final full day of “action” at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
With most teams packing up and leaving immediately following Thursday morning’s Rule 5 draft, this was the last chance for the face-to-face schmooze action that is the hallmark of this annual get-together, and several teams made the most of it, with one standing out above the rest.
The first two days of the meetings were very Chicago-centric, though. Monday started with the Cleveland Indians dealing minor-league second baseman Joe Wendle to the Oakland A’s for slugger Brandon Moss. Then the White Sox stole the show. They continued their off-season bulk-up by signing ex-Yankee closer David Robertson and picking up potential top-of-the-rotation righty Jeff Samardzija as part of a six-player trade. The Pale Hose had taken a couple of pre-meetings dips into the free agent market, signing slugging first baseman Adam LaRoche and resurgent bullpen lefty Zach Duke, and all eyes were on the South Side of Chicago on Day 1.
Those glances turned northward on the meetings’ second day, with the Cubbies making two big splashes of their own, acquiring former all-star catcher Miguel Montero from Arizona and then, after midnight on the East Coast, reaching an agreement with ace lefty Jon Lester on a six-year deal that could be worth as much as $170 million — making Lester the second-highest paid pitcher in the game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw. New manager Joe Maddon couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he walked through the hotel lobby, despite the fact the Cubs still haven’t announced the deal.
Early Wednesday, it was the Houston Astros’ turn. Having missed out on both Robertson and Andrew Miller despite hefty offers to each, Houston pulled in a pair of relievers before Noon, signing righties Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek. The Pittsburgh Pirates made their second move of the meetings as well, dealing for mildly-sought-after Philadelphia Phillies’ left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo a day after retaining lefty starter Francisco Liriano on a three-year, $39 million contract.
Then the Dodgers got involved. Actually, that’s putting it mildly. Then the Dodgers took over.
The highest-payroll team in the big leagues made over its front office over the last couple of months, bringing in Tampa Bay Rays’ boy-wonder general manager Andrew Friedman to serve as president of baseball operations, former Padres and Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes as vice president and long-time Oakland assistant — and Sudbury native — Farhan Zaidi to be the GM, and now they’re getting to work.
Before the meetings, the Dodgers made a couple of minor deals, bolstering their pitching staff with the additions of Joel Peralta from the Rays and Juan Nicasio from the Rockies. And on the final evening down here in Southern California, they shook up the proceedings by landing the top left-handed pitching prospect in the game, Andrew Heaney, as part of a seven-player deal in exchange for second baseman Dee Gordon. Gordon led the majors with 64 stolen bases and 12 triples in 2014.
The Dodgers then turned around and flipped Heaney to their neighbours, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, for Howie Kendrick, who will take over second base from Gordon.
Some of the other prospects the Dodgers picked up in the Gordon deal are reportedly on their way to the Phillies in exchange for shortstop and former MVP Jimmy Rollins, and just for good measure, Brandon McCarthy is headed to Chavez Ravine as well. The free-agent righty turned a fantastic 14 post-deadline starts for the Yankees into a four-year contract worth $48 million.
The Dodgers have a tonne of money and a young, enthusiastic and creative front office — and that’s a dangerous combination. They’re still talking trade with the San Diego Padres to send Matt Kemp south in exchange for a package that includes catcher Yasmani Grandal.
Don’t be surprised to see them go hard after the top remaining free agent starter: 2013 Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.