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Top 10 Biggest Stories from the MLB Hot Stove News Season (So Far), Part 1

Missed the 2014 MLB hot stove season? RotoBaller has you covered with the top 10 biggest stories from the MLB Hot Stove News Season, brought to you by Bill Dubiel.

 

At RotoBaller, we stay on top of the news so that you don't have to.  Here are the top 10 biggest stories (well, the first half of them), from the MLB Hot Stove News Season

 

10. Trumbo Top Name in Three-Team Trade

The Angels sent Mark Trumbo to Arizona, who sent Tyler Skaggs to the Angels and Adam Eaton to the White Sox, who sent Hector Santiago to the Angels. Whew. Everyone got that? This was one of those rare trades that is, on paper, a win-win-win. The D'Backs got some middle of the lineup power, which they have sorely missed in the last few years. The White Sox got a quality all-around player who will not put up MVP numbers, but will get on base and add some stability to the top of the lineup. The Angels bolstered their pitching staff with Santiago, a solid starter who lacks control but brings a respectable ERA to the table. They also received Tyler Skaggs, a young starter who showed flashes of his potential last season, but is still lacking the refinement that will only come with more big league experience. Tons of long-term upside there.

 

9. Red Sox Add Late-Inning Battery

Signing Edward Mujica to a 2-year deal gives the Red Sox a solid setup man behind Koji Uehara, who more than earned the closer role in the waning months of the 2013 season, particularly in the playoffs. With a 68/7 K/BB rate during his time in St. Louis, Mujica and Uehara will make it really difficult for opposing teams to beat the Red Sox with their bats in the late innings.  The rather under-the-radar signing of A.J. Pierzynski will give the Red Sox stability behind the plate after failing to resign Jarrod Saltalamacchia, as they have a capable backup in David Ross. The aging Pierzynski is still a strong offensive catcher with the fiery personality that is important to the Boston faithful, and should fit in nicely in the organization in the clubhouse and on the field.

 

8. Cardinals Balance Out Lineup

Who says connections to PED don’t pay? The Cardinals inked Jhonny Peralta, a two-time all star, to a healthy 4-year, $53 million dollar contract mere months after he served a suspension for involvement with PEDs. His quick agreement to the suspension did little to diminish his reputation (see Braun, Ryan), and he could be a big part of the Cardinals offense in 2014. Peralta will occupy the statistical gap left by David Freese's trade to Los Angeles, which saw him exchanged for the services of Peter Bourjos. Bourjos will bring one thing to the Cardinals—speed. He is a jackrabbit on the base paths when he does get on base, and covers a small country’s worth of space in the outfield, which he will need to do considering that the remaining outfield options are Matt Holliday, Jon Jay, and probably Allen Craig (yeesh).

 

7. Yankees Sign First Competent Catcher of This Century Not Named Posada

To quote Ranch Wilder from ‘Angels in the Outfield’, “It’s…about…time.” Since the retirement of Jorge Posada, the Yankees have been working with a hodgepodge of players behind the plate—Jose Molina, Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart, the Austin Romine experiment, Russell Martin (who they actually got 1.5 good months out of)…it’s been a rough couple of years. Signing Brian McCann to a 5-year, $85 million dollar deal is a sign that they’ve had enough. While he has battled some injuries, McCann has hit for 20 or more home runs in each of his last six seasons and is arguably the premier power hitting catcher in baseball. Throw in the fact that he’s a dead-pull hitter who is now moving into the lefty’s delight that is Yankee Stadium, and it’s a pretty safe bet that McCann’s offensive numbers will only improve. That designated hitter spot certainly won’t hurt when it comes to staying healthy, either.

 

6. Mets Making Moves

Ah, the Amazins. They’ve been down for the last…I don’t know, since the last time I saw a Mets game in primetime when I was 10 and they were playing the Yankees in October. However, the future looks pretty bright for the Metropolitans. A pitching staff full of young guns is the first step, and adding Bartolo Colon brings a solid veteran presence to the rotation. While he may be on the rotund side, that two-seamer hasn’t lost any of its potency. They also added Curtis Granderson, a veteran presence who will serve as a mentor to some of the younger players in the organization. While Granderson has seen a slight uptick in his batting average (particularly against LHP's) thanks to Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, Citi Field isn’t Yankee Stadium. I don’t see any way that he still hits 35+ homers this year, but he is a solid outfielder with a nice speed dimension to his game.

 

Stay tuned for the Top 10 Biggest Stories of the MLB Hot Stove Season Part II, coming in a few days...

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Max Fried

Exits Start With Blister
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Hunter Dobbins

to Miss Rest of Season With Torn ACL
Nolan Arenado

Held Out of Lineup on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Carlos Correa

Sitting on Saturday
Austin Riley

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Nolan Arenado

Exits Friday's Contest With Sprained Finger
Jake Burger

Expects to Play on Saturday
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Wyatt Langford

Records Four-Hit Night
Cal Raleigh

Homers Twice, Drives in Five
Cody Bellinger

Swats Three Homers in Victory
Jake Burger

Leaves With Quad Discomfort on Friday
Carlos Correa

Exits Game With Mild Ankle Sprain
Edward Cabrera

Dealing with Posterior Elbow Discomfort
Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
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