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A year after signing Marlon Byrd to a two-year contract, the Philadelphia Phillies have dealt the outfielder to the Cincinnati Reds.

The Reds confirmed the move via their Twitter account:  

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported earlier on Wednesday that a deal was in place to send Byrd to the Reds.

Byrd had a standout 2014 season with the struggling Phillies, posting a career-high 25 home runs while hitting .264 with 85 RBI. That production made him a valuable free-agent asset.

John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer shared some statistical perspective on the move:

Prior to the deal taking place, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News offered his thoughts on Byrd:

For teams in need of a right-hand hitting corner outfielder, Marlon Byrd is the most attractive candidate on the market, regardless of his contract. As long as Byrd is willing to waive his limited no-trade clause … he could be the first Phillie out the door.

Corey Seidman of CSN Philly noted just how well Byrd was performing during last season:

Cincinnati will be Byrd’s eighth MLB team. 

Before being dealt, Byrd spoke about wanting to remain with the team that drafted him, per Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly:

“I don’t want to get traded,” Byrd said in July. “I signed a two-year deal here for a reason. The thought process was to retire as a Phillie. At the same time, this is a business and I know how it works. If trading me makes the organization better, I have to go with it.”

In his contract with the Phillies, Byrd had a four-team no-trade clause. Of those teams, the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners—two teams that coveted the outfielder before the 2014 trade deadline—were on the list, according to Salisbury.

What Byrd brings to Cincinnati is a strong right-handed bat and a consistent defensive player in the outfield. 

The Phillies add a prospect that can help them build toward the future. Philly is in desperate need of a turnaround after finishing 73-89 and in the cellar of the National League East.

The two teams are heading in completely opposite directions, but the deal ultimately helps both franchises. Byrd, who was also dealt by the Phillies in 2005, has another chance to compete on a team with hopes of contending in the postseason.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.

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As the world prepares to turn the final calendar page of 2014, it creates a time of reflection. The 2014 calendar year was a busy one for the sport of baseball, and the St. Louis Cardinals are no exception. The top five stories of 2014 give a snapshot of a dynamic time in St. Louis.

The Cardinals have been one of baseball’s most successful teams in recent memory. Consistently finding their way to the postseason, developing talent from within the organization and being strong-willed enough to make trades to try and improve the team have all become standard operation for the team.

During 2014, the Cardinals faced tragedy, traded away fan favorites and former top prospects, saw a prospect start to realize his potential and continued to provide surprising news. The team had big moments on and off the field. 

Here are the top five stories from 2014.

All statistics in the following article are provided by Baseball-Reference.com.

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While James Shields is a very good starter who can handle pitching at the top of a rotation, he’s not quite the prize that fellow free-agent right-hander Max Scherzer is. That’s why for all the intrigue, guesswork and speculation over where Shields might wind up, everything in that realm is much more compelling when it comes to Scherzer.

As Richard Justice of MLB.com points out: “In the last three seasons, Scherzer’s 55 victories are the most in baseball. He’s first in strikeouts, too, and 11th in innings [in that span]. By almost any definition, he’s a true No. 1 starter. The Tigers [were] 65-23 when Scherzer gets the ball and 205-192 with anyone else on the mound.”

Tack on the fact that the 30-year-old Scherzer, who took home the 2013 American League Cy Young Award, is represented by agent Scott Boras, and, well, this has all the makings of a free-agent frenzy.

And yet there hasn’t exactly been a Scherzer sweepstakes set up, as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes:

The best player on the MLB free-agent market not only doesn’t have a team yet, he doesn’t even have a rumor.

No team has declared or even admitted serious involvement, but everyone believes star right-hander Max Scherzer…will easily surpass the six-year, $144 million deal he turned down last spring.

And most think it won’t be by only a little, either.

So what are the key factors that will determine where Scherzer ultimately signs?

The Massive Money

Scherzer’s camp has made it known that he is seeking a contract worth $200 million, if not more, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.

That’s, uh, a lot of scratch. Even if the ultimate price tag is shy of that figure, Scherzer is going to get at least the $155 million that Jon Lester landed from the Chicago Cubs during the winter meetings in mid-December.

In other words, only teams with the financial fortitude need apply.

The Big-Market Teams

Speaking of those clubs possessing proper payrolls…

For this drawn-out speculation and eventual negotiation tactic to work out, Boras needs a market to develop around Scherzer in order to grab some leverage in any talks by playing interested teams against each other.

Which teams might that include?

The New York Yankees, who have been active this offseason without having gone after any top-tier, big-money players and instead playing it safe by re-signing third baseman Chase Headley, inking lefty reliever Andrew Miller and trading for shortstop Didi Gregorius.

Various reports have popped up that indicate the Yankees could jump into the Scherzer mix at some point toward the end, including one from Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. But so far, general manager Brian Cashman has held steady in his oft-repeated winter plans not to spend big, according to Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.

Maybe, however, the loss of right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, the most durable and consistent member of an intriguing but injury-prone rotation, will force the Yankees’ hand on Scherzer. (On Monday, the news broke that Kuroda would return to Japan, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.)

“The Yankees need [Scherzer],” Justice wrote. “He might be the difference between making the playoffs and missing out for a third straight year. As long as Scherzer is still on the market, the Yanks have to be considered a contender.”

The other teams that have the funds and could make sense as a fit? The Giants, Angels and Red Sox each have a need at the top of their rotations and the money to make a very bold move.

And while the Nationals, Dodgers, Cardinals and Tigers, with whom Scherzer spent the past five seasons, seem to have enough arms at the moment, they simply might get greedy and stock up on as much talent as possible in their respective quests to get to the World Series.

Then again, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said in mid-December, “I guess anything can happen, but we’re not in active pursuit of that situation at this time,” via Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press.

Still, that doesn’t mean owner Mike Ilitch, who has a history of signing Boras clients and has been chasing a World Series title for the past handful of seasons now, won’t find a way to pony up to keep Scherzer around.

Timing and Desperation

If Shields signs first, Scherzer’s status on the open market would certainly be affected. 

On one hand, if Shields comes off the board before Scherzer does, then that makes Scherzer the very last prize among free agents. That’s not a bad position to be in, especially when a team or three is likely to be desperate after missing out on Shields.

Depending on how long Boras and Scherzer let this play out, desperation also could set in if a club gets bad news about one of its pitchers between now and the start of spring training in mid-February. Should anything happen to a key arm on a contending team, the circumstances would change immediately.

The Alleged Arms Race

One of the biggest storylines of this busy offseason has been how many great pitchers are available between free agency and trades.

Well, aside from Scherzer and Shields, the free-agent well has just about dried up, what with the likes of Ryan Vogelsong, Aaron Harang and Roberto Hernandez looking like the next-best arms on the open market. Remember: Japanese star Kenta Maeda isn’t going to be posted, news that broke before Kuroda’s decision. 

On the trade front, however, there are still a handful of big names that have been mentioned, including Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, Jordan Zimmermann and Zack Greinke, the latter two of which could be replaced by Scherzer were the Washington Nationals or Los Angeles Dodgers actually to make such a move.

It could very well be, though, that those very top arms actually won’t change teams. So far, the best pitchers to be traded are more of the No. 2- or No. 3-starter caliber like Jeff Samardzija, Mat Latos, Rick Porcello, Shelby Miller and Wade Miley.

That makes Scherzer look more attractive, especially since he costs only money as opposed to money and talent, which would be the price for, say, Hamels or Cueto.

Contenders over Pretenders

Dollars appear to be driving Scherzer’s search for a team, as is often the case when Boras is involved.

That said, Scherzer undoubtedly wants to win after reaching the playoffs the past four years, but ultimately falling short of the World Series each time. 

Therefore, an in-his-prime ace like Scherzer is not going to sign with the Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies or any other team that isn’t already a contender, or at least on the very precipice of being one.

As much as money matters, winning while at the top of your game, like Scherzer is right now, also presents a powerful pull.

Statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Despite graduating a host of players to the big leagues last season, the Boston Red Sox enter 2015 with one of the finest collections of talent in the sport thanks to an aggressive draft strategy and outstanding player development.

The Red Sox’s core of pitching prospects continued their steady climb of the organizational ladder, as right-handers Anthony Ranaudo and Matt Barnes reached the major leagues after strong showings in Triple-A, while 22-year-old left-hander Henry Owens, the team’s top pitching prospect, furthered his impressive professional career with a strong, consistent performance across Double- and Triple-A.

Switch-hitting catcher Blake Swihart also thrived in his first taste of the high minors, as the 22-year-old hit for both average and power while playing phenomenal defense. Meanwhile, third baseman Garin Cecchini made his mark in the major leagues despite an overall disappointing campaign at Triple-A. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see where he fits into the organization’s long-term plans after the offseason signing of Pablo Sandoval.

All that being said, 2014 will be remembered as the year Boston’s next wave of international prospects put themselves on the prospect radar. Eighteen-year-old third baseman Rafael Devers showcased arguably the highest ceiling in the system with his excellent performance between the Dominican Summer and Gulf Coast Leagues, while 19-year-old outfielder Manuel Margot put himself on the map with his power/speed combo across both Class-A levels.

The Red Sox’s draft this year once again featured a good mix of high-ceiling, high–floor talent. Shortstop Michael Chavis, the team’s first-round pick at No. 26 overall, is a player who does a lot of things well—including a short swing and advanced approach—without dazzling in one area.

Right-hander Michael Kopech is a projectable right-hander who has touched the high 90s with his fastball. Second-round pick Sam Travis, a right-handed-hitting first baseman, got lost behind Kyle Schwarber at Indiana, but his bat is very good with above-average pop, and he has a good idea of what to do in the box.

Boston also added some fresh faces at last year’s trade deadline, acquiring left-handers Edwin Escobar and Eduardo Rodriguez in separate deals, and they still have both the talent and depth to pull off a potential blockbuster deal.

Here are the Boston Red Sox’s top 10 prospects for the 2015 season.

Want to talk prospects? Hit me up on Twitter: @GoldenSombrero.

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Of the attractive trade chips in the Philadelphia Phillies‘ collection, Cole Hamels is the Action Comics No. 1 of the bunch. He’s the prized possession, and the one available for the highest price. 

Or so they think. But in reality, his trade value is…well, complicated.

Granted, we don’t actually know what Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is demanding for Hamels. But some hints have appeared on the rumor mill, with two reports in particular standing out.

In early November, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reported that the Phillies want “at least three top prospects” for their ace left-hander. More recently, Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News wrote that the team had discussed a deal with the San Diego Padres centered on 2013 American League Rookie of the Year Wil Myers.

Again, these are just rumors. But they do fit with the team’s new rebuilding direction, as well as with recent remarks from manager Ryne Sandberg.

“There’s no way that Ruben’s going to just give away a player,” he said at the winter meetings, via Alex Speier of WEEI.com. “I mean, we’d have to be wowed to give up a guy like Cole Hamels, which would be a wow that would help us with the process and go in the direction that we want to go.”

Getting three top prospects for Hamels? Yeah, that would qualify as a “wow” trade. So would acquiring a guy with Myers’ talent and controllability. (He’s a free agent after 2019.) 

But regarding what Hamels is actually worth, we have to start with the elephant in the room: his contract.

The six-year, $144 million extension Hamels signed in 2012 has four years remaining on it at $23.5 million per year, plus a $6 million buyout on a $20 million option for 2019. As such, he’s owed between $100 million over four years and $114 million over five years.

For the Phillies, the ideal scenario involves moving all of that money and getting the young pieces they desire. But because young players are probably more valuable now than ever before, the Phillies’ best hope of pulling that off lies in convincing buyers that Hamels’ remaining contract is a bargain.

To this end, there’s an obvious target Amaro can point at to sell teams on the idea: Jon Lester.

A couple weeks ago, Lester signed with the Chicago Cubs for six years and $155 million. Amaro can point to that as the going rate for ace left-handers on Lester’s level.

And you know who matches that description as well as anyone? Yup. Hamels.

That Hamels and Lester were born barely a week apart 30 years ago (Lester turns 31 on January 7) helps the comparison, but it goes further. Courtesy of Baseball–Reference.com and FanGraphs, check out how Hamels and Lester stack up throughout their careers and in more recent history:

If you don’t know ERA+, that’s a version of ERA that’s adjusted for ballparks and leagues and placed on a scale of 100. Anything over 100 is above average.

So, in a nutshell: Hamels has been a slightly better pitcher throughout his career and was more or less on par with Lester in 2014. Plain old ERA says he was exactly on par, in fact, as the two southpaws pitched to 2.46 ERAs in 2014.

If you’re Amaro, this is an excuse to point out that Hamels at $23-25 million per year over the next four or five years doesn’t look so bad compared to Lester at around $26 million over the next six years. The money on Hamels’ contract represents a slight discount, with the years representing less overall risk.

However, there’s a problem. While Lester’s contract may be there as an excuse for Amaro to push for what he wants, it’s not hard for prospective buyers to push back. 

Maybe you’ve already spotted one issue with the idea of Hamels’ remaining contract being a discount next to Lester’s deal. But even if it is a discount, it’s not a very big one.

Another way to frame the conversation would be to look at the surplus value Hamels should offer over what he’s due to be paid. FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan did that recently, concluding that he projects to offer $23.5 million at most in surplus value. More realistically, his surplus value is in the $10-20 million range.

That’s not a lot of surplus value. Certainly not enough for three top prospects. Maybe not enough for just Myers either. Remember, these are guys who, hypothetically, are going to be really good and really cheap for several years.

So that’s one way we can knock the Hamels-Lester comparison down a peg. We can take things even further by gazing into what the future may hold.

If the Phillies do trade Hamels, his future will more than likely contain different competition. That wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing.

We once again turn to Sullivan, who looped Hamels in with Lester, Max Scherzer and James Shields and found he’s faced by far the weakest hitting opposition since 2012:

On average, since 2012, Cole Hamels has faced a bunch of Everth Cabreras. James Shields has faced a bunch of Eric Hosmers. There’s little difference between the AL guys, but Hamels is far removed. You have to assume this has worked to Hamels’ benefit.

Knowing this, the money remaining on Hamels’ contract suddenly looks like less of a bargain.

Beyond that, there’s also the matter of how Hamels is going to age. That’s where Lester once again works as a helpful comparison point, though not in a flattering way.

Though Hamels has pitched more career innings than Lester, more innings mean more mileage. Also, Baseball Prospectus’ injury records can show that Hamels has more of a history of arm and shoulder trouble than Lester. Pitchers are largely known for being injury risks, but Hamels appears to be more of one than Lester.

As for Hamels’ stuff, the above MLB Network segment trumpets his recent velocity increase in recent years as a good sign going forward. But it’s really as much of a curse as it is a blessing.

We have plenty of history that says velocity becomes harder to muster as pitchers age. Hamels’ new-found velocity should follow the trend eventually. And though he’ll still have his all-world changeup, solid curveball and cutter, he’ll have to alter his pitching style to accommodate his lost velocity.

Lester has already done that.

Whereas Hamels enjoyed a superb season with career-best velocity in 2014, Lester enjoyed his own superb season with his worst velocity since 2007. Grantland’s Shane Ryan did a fine job of breaking down how Lester did that with sudden mastery of location, movement and sequencing. 

All these things are bearing in my mind if I’m a GM eyeing Hamels. While the best-case scenario for the Phillies involves selling him as something of a Lester clone, it’s too easy to debunk the idea.

Now, one thing that could lead prospective buyers to match the Phillies’ lofty demands is leverage.

Amaro seems to think he has a lot of that. He told Bob Nightengale of USA Today in November that he feels “no pressure” and “no necessity” to move Hamels, and he’s right to a certain extent. 

Hamels is under contract for several more years, and the Phillies have more than enough funds to afford his contract. If they can’t get what they want for him this winter, they can tell teams to try again over the summer or next winter.

And yet there is risk involved with the idea of holding on to Hamels.

Beyond the usual risk of his value being hurt by an injury and/or a poor performance in 2015, there’s the specter of how many options there are going to be outside of Hamels next winter. Jordan Zimmermann, Johnny Cueto, David Price, Doug Fister and assorted others are set to be free agents. 

In the meantime, clubs in need of an ace this winter have the option of spending money on Scherzer or Shields rather than giving the Phillies money and talent for Hamels. To boot, the list of teams with the money and young talent required to be in the mix for Hamels is pretty short.

To make a long story short: the idea of Hamels being worth a big haul of young talent on top of his remaining contract is a stretch, and the Phillies lack the leverage to make teams meet their price. If they mean to move his entire contract and get talent back, one top prospect is a more realistic price than three top prospects or an established youngster like Myers.

Mind you, this doesn’t mean the Phillies flat-out can’t get what they want for Hamels this winter.

Because the Phillies do indeed have a lot of money, they can make like the Los Angeles Dodgers did with Matt Kemp and eat a chunk of money to enhance their return for Hamels. If they were to cover, say, $30-40 million of his remaining contract, it’s not hard to imagine them getting what they want.

We’ll see if the Phillies are willing to do that. If they are, we’ll be talking about a fair deal all around.

Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted/linked.  

If you want to talk baseball, hit me up on Twitter.

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Another unsuccessful bid for a World Series title in 2014 has again prompted an offseason of introspection for the Detroit Tigers. Tweaking their talented—albeit flawed—teams has kept them highly active on the hot stove in recent years. This winter has been no different.

Here’s a reminder of what’s happened so far:

• In: Yoenis Cespedes (OF), Shane Greene (SP), Alfredo Simon (SP), Alex Wilson (RP), Anthony Gose (OF), Josh Zeid (RP)
• Out: Torii Hunter (OF), Rick Porcello (SP), Eugenio Suarez (SS), Jim Johnson (RP), Jonathon Crawford (SP), Devon Travis (2B)
• Unsigned: Max Scherzer (SP), Phil Coke (RP)

What do these changes mean for Detroit?

With Porcello and probably Scherzer headed for new pastures, it appears that the team ethos of building around the game’s most dominant starting rotation has ended. The Tigers will now have to make do with Greene and Simon behind a strong top three of David Price, Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander.

The addition of Gose consolidates the theme of increased athleticism that began with the acquisitions of Ian Kinsler and Rajai Davis last year. The team has also cranked up defense with the capture of Cespedes.

If the Tigers are to get their hands on the Holy Grail, then they will need to make everything click. Fulfillment of these three New Year’s resolutions may help make this happen.

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Let’s be honest: New Year’s resolutions almost never work out. Of course, that’s no reason not to make them in the first place. 

Looking around the big leagues, there are resolutions—both big and small, bold and not so bold—that all 30 MLB clubs need to be making. 

For teams like the Washington Nationals and the Detroit Tigers, it’s resolving whether it’s time to part with a free-agent-to-be ace. For other teams, like the Cleveland Indians and the Philadelphia Phillies, it’s a matter of resolving to ditch an underperforming and high-priced veteran who’s nothing but dead weight. 

There are also clubs, like the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, who should be resolving to end their playoff-less streaks. Plus, there’s even a dark horse or two who should be resolving to make an unexpected October run.

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Taken in isolation, the trade that landed Seth Smith on the Seattle Mariners won’t rock the baseball world.

Taken in the context of Seattle’s offseason outfield overhaul, however, it could shift the balance of power in the American League West.

The swap, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, will bring Smith to the Mariners and send 24-year-old right-hander Brandon Maurer to the San Diego Padres. 

The trade makes sense for San Diego, which had a glut of outfielders after acquiring Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton in separate deals. 

But it also benefits Seattle, which scored the fourth-fewest runs in the American League last year. “Our No. 1 goal this offseason was to improve our offense,” general manager Jack Zduriencik told MLB.com‘s Greg Johns. 

And that’s exactly what they’ve done.

Smith figures to platoon with Justin Ruggiano, acquired by the M’s in a Dec. 17 trade with the Chicago Cubs.

The left-handed Smith owns an anemic .205/.291/.314 slash line against southpaws but has tagged righties to the tune of .277/.358/.481.

Ruggiano’s splits aren’t as extreme, but he has fared better against lefties over his career. 

Joining them in the outfield will be Austin Jackson, who came over from the Detroit Tigers as part of the David Price deadline deal last season. Jackson hit an unimpressive .229 in 54 games with the Mariners but posted a .256/.308/.347 slash line overall with 20 stolen bases.

Then there’s Nelson Cruz, who should see significant time at designated hitter but can also play the outfield. Cruz signed a four-year, $57 million deal with the Mariners in early December and was the only player in baseball to crack 40 home runs last season while driving in 108.

The soon-to-be 35-year-old comes with warts—most notably his PED past—but he’ll provide thump in the middle of the order and needed protection for Robinson Cano.

Even with its subpar offense, Seattle finished with an 87-75 record in 2014 and stayed in the playoff picture until the season’s final day. Would these new additions, paired with the Mariners’ superlative pitching led by King Felix Hernandez, have been enough to get them over the hump?

Larry Stone of The Seattle Times thinks so, writing after the Cruz signing, “It’s not hard to imagine how the addition of a hitter like Cruz to stick between Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager could have made up the one-game deficit that kept the Mariners out of the playoffs.” 

Speaking of Seager, Seattle inked him to a seven-year, $100 million pact this winter, locking up the All-Star third baseman and gritty fan favorite for the long haul.

Add it all up, and surely M’s fans are imagining big things. Like, say, Seattle stepping into the role of division favorite?

The Los Angeles Angels ran away with the AL West last year and remain dangerous. But the Oakland A’s, who narrowly edged Seattle for the second wild-card spot, are in full-on fire-sale mode, while the injury-bit Texas Rangers and young, small-market Astros figure to tussle at the bottom of the pack.

It’s been 13 seasons and counting since the Mariners last played a postseason game, and during that span they’ve endured seven last-place finishes. So a return to relevance would be a ray of sunshine in the soggy Pacific Northwest. 

Maybe they’d even compete for attention with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks. 

Count manager Lloyd McClendon among the believers. “I told you guys when I took the job this was a golden era for the Seattle Mariners, and they haven’t let me down,” McClendon said after last season, per The Seattle Times‘ Jerry Brewer. “And we’re only going to get better.”

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

2014 was an exciting year for a suddenly revitalized Seattle Mariners team.

Robinson Cano was brilliant in his first season in Seattle, and Felix Hernandez just missed out on a Cy Young award, leading the Mariners to within one game of a playoff spot after the franchise looked lost for the previous four years.

In 2015, things should be even more exciting. The Mariners are poised to make the postseason for the first time since 2001 and even look like a World Series contender on paper.

The pieces are in place for the Mariners to be an excellent team in 2015, but first they must adhere to some New Year’s resolutions.

Add some depth

The Mariners rounded out their 2015 starting lineup on Tuesday, acquiring Seth Smith in exchange for Brandon Maurer, per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. 

However, if one or more starters get injured—which is almost certain to happen—the Mariners would be in trouble from a depth standpoint.

Smith will be used in the corner spots against righties, and Justin Ruggiano can play all three outfield positions if needed. Still, Seattle could use another outfielder, as they don’t want to be playing Nelson Cruz extensively in the field or giving Stefen Romero regular at-bats should someone go down.

Logan Morrison has won the first-base job, but he has never played more than 123 games in a season. Unless Morrison suddenly sheds his injury-prone label, the Mariners could be looking at a lot of Jesus Montero or Ji-Man Choi.

The best depth addition for the Mariners would be someone who can play the corner outfield and fill in at first base. Ben Zobrist fits in well with the roster and appears to be available after the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a deal with Asdrubal Cabrera on Tuesday, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

However, just about every team in the majors could use Zobrist‘s versatility, so he is going to cost some talent. The Mariners might be better off targeting inexpensive trade candidates (like Ruggiano) or adding a free agent like Emilio Bonifacio for next to nothing.

A team in contention for a division—or even pennant—shouldn’t be relying on Willie Bloomquist, Romero and James Jones as it’s primary depth pieces. Seattle’s front office has done an excellent job of assembling a capable starting lineup, but it needs to apply some finishing touches before opening day.

Work on converting Brad Miller into an outfielder

One of the best in-house outfield options is converting Miller to the outfield. Miller is the type of athlete who could be successful in at least a corner spot and could fill a need on Seattle’s roster in a Zobrist-like type of role.

With Smith around, Miller won’t necessarily be needed as part of a right-field platoon. Still, he can help with the depth problems listed above and would allow the Mariners to keep both Chris Taylor and Miller in the lineup regularly, should they both play well.

It’s hard to predict how any player will respond to a position change, but the Mariners have had some success in the past transitioning infielders to the outfield. Outfield coach Andy Van Slyke deserves plenty of credit for helping Dustin Ackley convert into a successful left fielder, and he should get a chance to do the same with Miller.

Even it doesn’t pan out, there’s no harm in getting Miller some outfield reps during spring training.

Avoid selling the farm

General manager Jack Zduriencik has done a nice job of building a contender without giving up much top-tier young talent. Trading prospects could become even more tempting at the 2015 deadline depending on the situation the Mariners are in.

Apart from a questionable Michael Saunders trade, Zduriencik‘s deals dating back to last offseason have all been sound. The Mariners have been able to acquire players who filled needs while only giving up marginal prospects such as Abraham Almonte, Matt Brazis and Carter Capps.

The only real big name to be traded was Nick Franklin, but he was blocked in Seattle and returned a player with more than one year of team control.

Zduriencik must continue that for the rest of the offseason and the trade deadline. Young talent like Taijuan Walker and D.J. Peterson should not be leaving Seattle, particularly for rental players, even if the Mariners have a “win now” focus.

The Mariners have assembled a roster that can compete both now and in the future. They need to keep it that way in 2015.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The San Diego Padres have agreed to a trade that will send outfielder Seth Smith to the Seattle Mariners for right-handed pitcher Brandon Maurer.   

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com first reported the deal was done:

The Mariners would later confirm the trade. 

Smith, 32, had been garnering interest from the Mariners throughout the MLB offseason. The deal picked up steam in recent days, with Bob Nightengale of USA Today reporting earlier Tuesday that Maurer was San Diego’s prime target.

Smith hit .266/.367/.440 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI last season, his first with the Padres. His 2.6 wins above replacement (FanGraphs formula) was the second best of his career, as he made significant strides with his plate discipline. After flashing pop and patience with Colorado, Smith had regressed over a two-season stint in Oakland before landing with the Padres.

Drew Silva of Hardball Talk has an interesting stat on Smith that may come as a surprise to many:

Maurer, 24, is a strong, right-handed flamethrower who has yet to taste much big league success. He has a 5.58 ERA and 1.47 WHIP across 159.2 career innings. The Mariners brought him up as a starter in 2013 before slowly converting him into a full-time reliever prior to the 2014 All-Star break. It’s likely the Padres will move him back to the starting rotation at first given his age and physical tools.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter

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