Offseason Review: NL Central

Chicago Cubs
Added: 2B Mark DeRosa (FA/TEX), SP Ted Lilly (FA/TOR), SP Jason Marquis (FA/STL), OF Alfonso Soriano (FA/WAS), OF/1B Daryl Ward (FA/ATL), RP Neal Cotts (Trade/CHW)
Lost: OF Juan Pierre (FA/LAD), OF Freddie Bynum (Trade/BAL), OF Josh Hamilton (Trade/CIN), RP David Aardsma (Trade/CHW)
Grade: B+
Summary: The Cubs ended up with the best free agent on the market in Soriano. The contract he got was a bit rediculous when at age 38 he'll be making $17 million. He's always good for 30+ homers, drive in 90+ and steal 30+ bags but his average has been on a decline since he hit .300 in '02 (.290, .280, .268, .277 respectively). SP's Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis cashed in with the Cubs getting $10 million per year and $7 million per year, respectively. DeRosa picked a great time to have a career year (.296, 13 HR, 74 RBI) and, he too, cashed in with Chicago (3yr/$13mil). Trading Aardsma for Cotts brings a lefty the 'pen to take some stress off Scott Eyre. Ward will be used primarily as a bench player, filling in for Derek Lee at first.

Cincinnati Reds
Added: SS Alex Gonzalez (FA/BOS), RP Mike Stanton (FA/SF), 2B Jeff Keppinger (Trade/KC), CF Josh Hamilton (Trade/CHC), 1B Jeff Conine (Trade/PHI)
Lost: 3B Rich Aurilia (FA/SF), SS Royce Clayton (FA/TOR), RP Ryan Franklin (FA/STL), RP Scott Schoeneweis (FA/NYM), 3B Brendan Harris (Trade/TB), C Jason LaRue (Trade/KC)
Grade: D
Summary: The Reds added two experienced vets in Stanton and Conine to bring some help to the bullpen and the bench. Also the addition of Gonzalez at short helps fill the void that was left by Clayton. Aquiring the oft-troubled Josh Hamilton from the Cubs (Chicagos's Rule V draft pick from Tampa Bay) will spend the season in the minors and still has the ability be a very talented player if he can stay out of trouble.

Houston Astros
Added: OF Carlos Lee (FA/TEX), SP Woody Williams (FA/SD), 2B Mark Loretta (FA/BOS), SP Jason Jennings (Trade/COL), SP Miguel Asencio (Trade/COL)
Lost: 3B Aubry Huff (FA/BAL), SP Andy Pettitte (FA/NYY), RP Russ Springer (FA/STL), SP Taylor Buchholz (Trade/COL), SP Jason Hirsh (Trade/COL), CF Willy Taveras (Trade/COL)
Grade: C
Summary: Adding Lee (.300/37/116) and Loretta (.285/5/59) to one of the worst offenses in the NL, if not all of baseball, should help out tremendously. Replacing Pettitte, Buchholz and Hirsh with Williams and Jennings is about even and should do fine to fill those holes. Trading away Taveras hurts the top of the order without his speed and also the defense without his glove but Chris Burke will take over that position well.

Milwaukee Brewers
Added: SP Jeff Suppan (FA/STL), SS Craig Counsell (FA/ARI), C Johnny Estrada (Trade/ARI), SP Claudio Vargas (Trade/ARI), RP Greg Aquino (Trade/ARI)
Lost: 3B Jeff Cirillo (FA/MIN), SP Doug Davis (Trade/ARI), SP Dana Eveland (Trade/ARI), OF Dave Krynzel (Trade/ARI)
Grade: B
Summary: The Brew Crew aren't that far from being a serious contender in the NL Central and also the NL. Adding Counsell to back-up both SS J.J. Hardy and 2B Rickie Weeks is a great signing because they're both injury prone. They also added a very reliable player in Estrada but also gave up a 200+ inning horse in Davis in the deal. Adding Suppan to fill Davis's void is decent and a change of scenery could do Aquino well, who will be used in front of Fransisco Cordero. Look for big things from this Milwaukee team in a very weak NL Central.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Added: 1B Adam LaRoche (Trade/ATL)
Lost: RP Mike Gonzalez (Trade/ATL)
Grade: B+
Summary: Only one move that was made for the Pirates and it was a big one, aquiring LaRoche from Atlanta. Despite giving up their closer in Gonzalez, the Pirates got the left-handed power hitting they been hungry for and also they're getting a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman.


St. Louis Cardinals
Added: 2B Adam Kennedy (FA/LAA), SP Kip Wells (FA/TEX), RP Russ Springer (FA/HOU), RP Ryan Franklin (FA/CIN)
Lost: SP Jason Marquis (FA/CHC), RP Jorge Sosa (FA/NYM), SP Jeff Suppan (FA/MIL)
Grade: D+
Summary: The Cards go the second basemen they've been searching for in Kennedy, who was rumored to be landing there for a while. The lack of starting pitching behind Carpenter is really killing them right now (losing Suppan and Marquis to free agency) and the signings of Wells, Springer and Franklin seems like they're finding out how much crap can stick on the walls.

Nixon Signs With Cleveland

The Indians and OF Trot Nixon have reached a deal on a one year, $3 million deal. Nixon has spent his entire eight year career with the Boston Red Sox hitting .278 with 133 home runs and 523 RBIs. Nixon mashes righties so a platoon with Shin-Soo Choo is out of the question, unless a trade is in the works or someone might platoon at first with Ryan Garko.

D'Backs Lock Davis For 3 Years

The Diamondbacks and P Doug Davis agreed to a three year, $22 million dollar deal to avoid arbitration. The 31-year old was 11-11 with a 4.91 ERA in 203 1/3 last season with Milkwaukee. Davis gets $5.5 million this year, $7.75 million in 2008 and $8.75 million in 2009. Davis has eaten up 200+ innings the past three years so the deal isn't all that bad in a very insane market this offseason.

Braves Making Moves; Sign Wilson

John Schuerholz wasted no time to find a replacement for Adam LaRoche. The Braves agreed to terms on a one-year, $2 million deal with 1B/OF Craig Wilson. Wilson split time between the Pirates and Yankees last season. He'll probably platoon with Scott Thorman at first and also might see some time in left field.

Braves Deal LaRoche To Bucs

After two months of the deal being on and off, it finally went through yesterday. The Braves sent 1B Adam LaRoche and OF Jamie Romak to Pittsburgh for RP Mike Gonzalez and SS Brent Lillibridge. LaRoche had a break out year in Atlanta hitting .285 with 32 homers and drove in 90 runs, it's appears that he'll hit in the fifth spot behind Jason Bay. Gonzalez closed for the Pirates last year (24 for 24 in save opportunites) will be the primary set-up man for Bob Wickman, which pushes newly acquired Rafael Soriano into the seventh inning.

Update

Ok, I really don't know when the next post will be. I'm heading back to school Saturday afternoon and really have no idea if the internet is working in my apartment or not. Also I'm working on a ton of features so stay tuned.