Blogs

Tom Kessenich

Offseason Moves: NL East

February 9, 2010 11:23am CST

Atlanta Braves

Shoring Up The Bullpen
The Braves took some strong steps toward ensuring the back end of their bullpen would be sturdy in 2010 by signing closer Billy Wagner and setup man Takashi Saito. The 39-year-old Wagner missed all but one month last season with an elbow injury, but the Braves were encouraged by what he showed when healthy for the Red Sox (1.98 ERA, 26/8 K/BB rate) and believe he can be a stabilizing force in their bullpen. Saito, meanwhile, turns 40 this month but had solid numbers with Boston last season (2.43 ERA, 52/25 K/BB ratio). He's no longer a standout reliever, but he has enough left in his arm to provide setup help to bridge the gap from the middle innings to Wagner in the ninth.

New First Baseman
The Braves dug into the veteran well again to find a new first baseman in the offseason, signing 33-year-old Troy Glaus to a one-year deal. Glaus will take over at first even though he's only played six games there in his career. Shoulder and back injuries limited him to only 14 games last season, but he's just two years removed from a 27-home run campaign. Considering the price tag, this was a cost-effective signing by the Braves, if not a sexy one.

Ex-Yankee In The House
Atlanta dealt star pitcher Javier Vazquez to the Yankees over the offseason and Melky Cabrera was part of the return. He'll step into the starting position in left field for Atlanta and is coming off a .274-13-68 season for the Yankees in 2009. He offers some mild power potential and has shown the ability to perform well as a starter at times in the past. The Braves are hoping the move to the National League opens up his power and he emerges as a key part of their batting order. Fantasy owners would be wise to have more trepidation about his potential than the Atlanta brass currently possesses.


Florida Marlins

Quiet Offseason
The Marlins were one of the teams that dominated the winter headlines in terms of potential movement. Dan Uggla and Josh Johnson were rumored to be on the trading block, among others. But as of early February, they hadn't made any major moves. They completed two trades - sending outfielder Jeremy Hermida to Boston for minor league prospects and dealing reliever Matt Lindstrom to Houston for prospects. Instead, Florida is banking that returning its core players from last season's 87-win team will boost its profile and playoff potential in 2010.


Philadelphia Phillies

Roy Halladay landed in the NL over the offseason.
New Staff Ace On Hand
The Phillies landed one of the offseason's biggest fish, acquiring star pitcher Roy Halladay from Toronto for prospects in December. That move came on the heels of the team sending Cliff Lee to Seattle for three minor-league prospects. The Phillies then signed Halladay to a three-year extension worth a reported $60 million. Halladay is a proven winner who will give the rotation a better balance of right-handed starters and southpaws. He's topped 15 wins in each of the past four seasons and will settle into the role of staff ace with ease.

Polanco Steps In At Third
The Phillies upgraded from Pedro Feliz when they signed veteran Placido Polanco to a three-year deal worth $18 million. Polanco hasn't played third since 2005 and, at 34, he's no spring chicken, but he's a reliable hitter, having batted .285 or better for 10 consecutive seasons. He won't provide much pop, but he'll avoid the extreme inconsistency that plagued Feliz.


New York Mets

New Power Source
With injuries and question marks hovering over Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, the Mets needed to upgrade their offense in the offseason and they did so by signing outfielder Jason Bay to a four-year deal worth $66 million. The 31-year-old Bay brings plenty of pop to the lineup, having topped 30 home runs and 100 RBI in four of the past five seasons. He also brings a little speed, having posted double-digit steals in four of the past five years. He'll quickly become the chief source of run production in the heart of the Mets' batting order.

More Outfield Help
The Mets didn't stop with Bay when it came to refurnishing their outfield. New York also acquired Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels in January. Matthews hit only .250 with four home runs last season and chronic knee issues make him a dicey proposition as a full-time starter. With Beltran out, Matthews and Angel Pagan will compete for the starting center field job in spring training.


Washington Nationals

Pudge Takes Over At Catcher
The Nationals have had a quiet offseason in terms of personnel moves. Their most prominent acquisition was signing 38-year-old catcher Ivan Rodriguez to a two-year deal worth $6 million in December. Pudge is far removed from his stud days and hit a paltry .249 last season. He's essentially a stopgap until Jesus Flores is ready to start every day and for the Nationals' sake, they had better hope Flores' learning curve speeds up significantly. Pudge has little left to offer besides his veteran experience.

Marquis Name For The Rotation
The Nationals signed Jason Marquis to a two-year deal in December and hope he can provide a stabilizing presence for their starting rotation. Washington starters carried a 4.97 ERA last season and while Marquis is far from a difference maker, he posted a 4.04 ERA for the Rockies last season while also winning 15 games. He's far from a No. 1 starter but he could handle that role until Stephen Strasburg takes over. Possibly the strongest positive about this move was it bounces a pitcher out of the rotation who may be currently overmatched as a starter.

Bullpen Help
Washington also attempted to shore up its bullpen by adding Matt Capps, Brian Bruney and Doug Slaten. Washington relievers finished last in the league with a 5.09 ERA last season. Capps, who will take over the ninth inning duties, struggled last year but is a good bounceback candidate. Bruney is a decent setup man with control problems, while Slaten gives the team another left-handed arm.

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