The 2014 MLB postseason was the epitome of the mantra “pitching wins championships.”
Teams lacking pitching will look to upgrade their staffs in the coming weeks. Luckily for the high number of teams in pursuit of arms, there appears to be plenty to go around. More than a handful of ace-like hurlers can be had via free agency or trades, meaning the balance of power in both the American League and National League could shift with one acquisition.
Is your favorite team in the market for a shiny new ace to feature at the top of its rotation? If so, it might want to check in on the following arms.
Cole Hamels
The Philadelphia Phillies have a number of assets who would fetch the organization a nice return, but the willingness to deal said parts has always been unknown.
CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that not only is Cole Hamels available, but also that the Chicago Cubs are showing early interest:
The Cubs, already connected heavily in speculative reports about top free-agent pitchers Jon Lester and Max Scherzer, are also interested in Cole Hamels, according to sources, and are expecting to talk to the Phillies about him.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs will look into Hamels, who’s comparable to the top two free-agent pitchers, and also available.
A pitcher of Hamels’ caliber would certainly reshape a rotation. He’ll be 31 in December, but he still turned in arguably the best campaign of his career in 2014. Despite a 9-9 record, Hamels posted a 2.46 ERA (3.07 FIP) to go along with a WHIP of 1.148 and 198 strikeouts in 204.2 innings.
He’s under contract at least through the 2018 season, though his team could lock him up for the following year by activating a $20 million team option. Without the option, he’s still owed $90 million.
The Cubs have money to spend and figure to be active this offseason. They already brought aboard Joe Maddon to bring the team into a new era of legitimacy. Maddon will help infuse the young talent in the organization into a roster that will hopefully (for the team) be filled with successful veterans.
Hamels would instantly slot in as the ace of the rotation, though he might not be the only top arm Chicago brings in. Heyman also noted that the team could look to Jon Lester.
Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija
Nothing has ever stopped the Oakland Athletics from dealing top talent before, and Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that this offseason could be no different. The latest on the potential chopping block? Pitchers Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija.
“The A’s would listen if teams inquired on pitchers such as right-hander Jeff Samardzija and lefty Scott Kazmir,” reported Rosenthal.
Kazmir and Samardzija were two of the better pitchers in baseball in 2014. Take a look at the numbers below:
It’s strange to think of the Athletics possibly clearing house following their largely successful season. Yes, they collapsed miserably at the end of the season, but a few offensive upgrades would make this team better.
There’s a real chance the A’s lose Lester, Jason Hammel, Kazmir and Samardzija this offseason. They have Sonny Gray, A.J. Griffin and Jarrod Parker to lean on, but wouldn’t it be nice to keep a few extra arms who can mow down lineups?
The market for both Kazmir and Samardzija should be strong, and the A’s could capitalize on their solid seasons.
Max Scherzer and Jon Lester
The New York Yankees have question marks galore in their starting rotation. CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Ivan Nova are injury risks. Michael Pineda and Shane Greene bring questions of consistency with them to spring training. Hiroki Kuroda is a free agent who could either retire or return to Japan.
Logically, one would have to think that the team would at least look into signing Lester or Max Scherzer. Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News report otherwise:
“According to a source, the Yankees have no plans to pursue either Scherzer or Lester, the top two free agents on the market this winter. [James] Shields, the third-best free-agent starter, is also off the Bombers’ radar…”
Lester and Scherzer are impact arms capable of changing the outlook of a team’s season. Both are perennial Cy Young candidates, and to hear that the Yankees apparently aren’t interested in bringing one of them aboard is strange considering the team has now failed to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
That’s good news for other high bidders, though, because it means there is less competition. The Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are typically a few of the high bidders, so they are teams to look out for in the chase for both aces.
Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn
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