The time for action is dwindling before MLB teams conclude the waiting and begin spring training.
Although most of the marquee free agents have picked new homes, quite a few big-time players are still waiting for an employer to come knocking on their door. The trade rumor mill might have slowed down considerably, but the availability of a couple top-notch starting pitchers has become a popular talking point this winter.
Of course, rumors always run rampant on the hot stove. The media is overcrowded with people eagerly trying to transmit their voice amid a sea of shouting. (I hear this Gould kid is just the worst.) So when do you know whom and what to believe?
Well, you don’t. The best you can do is logically examine the details and decipher the results which makes the most sense. Assuming those in power agree on those assessments is no lock, but one can hope.
Let’s analyze some of the baseball rumors gaining steam. Some discussion heard from the grapevine is spot on, but other whispers deserve a closer look.
All advanced statistics courtesy of FanGraphs
Contract information obtained from Cot’s Baseball Contracts