Breaking down the pitching staffs in the NL East

Breaking down the pitching staffs in the NL East
Super Bowl LI is in the books and that means pitchers and catchers will soon begin showing up in spring training. Here's a look at pitching in the National League East: Atlanta: The Braves are rebuilding their rotation by using experienced pitchers so that their prospects can develop without big-league pressure. ... RHP Julio Teheran, 25, an All-Star in two of his four seasons, will be the opening day starter, followed by RHPs R.A. Dickey, 42, and Bartolo Colon, 43. Dickey had a 4.46 ERA for...

Mound matters: Taking a look at the AL East pitching staffs

Mound matters: Taking a look at the AL East pitching staffs
With the Super Bowl done, it's time to turn attentions to baseball, with pitchers and catchers soon reporting to Florida and Arizona for spring training. Here's a look at how the pitching staffs shape up in the American League East. Baltimore: The Orioles rotation finished strong in 2016, but going into spring training there are two questions: Depth and consistency. RHP Yovani Gallardo was traded to Seattle, leaving RHPs Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson - and maybe RHP Logan Verrett - as rotation...

Looking at Matt Wieters' market and the top free agents at each position

Looking at Matt Wieters' market and the top free agents at each position
Now that the Orioles have catcher Welington Castillo to bridge the gap to prospect Chance Sisco, the market for free agent catcher Matt Wieters shrinks again. Catchers have moved on the market this offseason. The Rays signed Wilson Ramos, the Twins picked up Jason Castro and the Astros, Castro's former team, traded for Yankees catcher Brian McCann. The Diamondbacks didn't offer Castillo a contract and signed Jeff Mathis. The Nationals picked up Derek Norris. So where does that leave...

Breaking down what NL teams did and didn't do at Winter Meetings

Breaking down what NL teams did and didn't do at Winter Meetings
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The Winter Meetings have finished, but there's plenty of work to do with teams in the National League: NL EAST Atlanta: The Braves whiffed when it came to landing a top-of-the-rotation starter such as Chris Sale. They'll look other places. Their rotation is deep with youth and talent. And they had the fifth-best second-half run production in the NL last season. They added R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon to keep pressure off the kids in the rotation. Miami: The Marlins...

Looking at how AL clubs fared at the Winter Meetings

Looking at how AL clubs fared at the Winter Meetings
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The Winter Meetings are over. Here are thoughts about teams in the American League: AL EAST Baltimore: The Orioles spent their time at the meetings looking for an outfielder, a catcher and bullpen depth. Dan Duquette's best quote was telling Jose Bautista's agent that he didn't want to sign the outfielder because Bautista is a villain in the eyes of Orioles fans. Duquette, though, says that the Orioles have a better chance of adding an outfielder through the free agent...

Trade winds bring changes in Windy City baseball landscape

Trade winds bring changes in Windy City baseball landscape
The Cubs will defend their World Series title with a new closer next season. Instead of investing millions long-term for lefty free agent closer Aroldis Chapman and his 100 mph fastball, the Cubs acquired closer Wade Davis, a two-time All-Star, from the Royals for outfielder Jorge Soler on the third day of the winter meetings. Chapman and Kenley Jansen are the two free agent closers left on the market, but the Cubs couldn't fit either into their 2017 budget. Former Nationals closer Mark...

After landing Sale and Thornburg in trades, Red Sox seem well-stocked on mound

After landing Sale and Thornburg in trades, Red Sox seem well-stocked on mound
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - When Red Sox manager John Farrell sat down for his gathering with reporters late Tuesday afternoon, the first question asked was, "Who is going to be your opening day starter?'' Farrell laughed. "It's only Dec. 6,'' he said. "There's time to figure it out.'' There's also an impressive list from which to choose, especially after the Red Sox on Tuesday acquired pitcher Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox in a deal that included Boston's top prospect, Yoan...

Winter Meetings Day 1 wrap: Local teams busy, but Giants and Dodgers land big names

Winter Meetings Day 1 wrap: Local teams busy, but Giants and Dodgers land big names
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The first day of baseball's Winter Meetings was a day of fact-finding for the local nines. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was on the telephone all day. His Orioles counterpart, Dan Duquette, prepared for the Rule 5 draft, met with agents and talked trades with others teams. But two National League West teams signed free agent pitchers, hoping to fix glaring needs: San Francisco signed closer Mark Melancon and Los Angeles retained lefty Rich Hill. Melancon, 31,...

Some questions and answers as major league teams head into Winter Meetings

Some questions and answers as major league teams head into Winter Meetings
Baseball's Winter Meetings - the meetings that had a chance to be canceled for lack of a labor agreement - start Monday. Who wins? Both the players and ownership feel good about the new agreement, so they each won. But for the fans, it's better to be talking trades than luxury tax. The meetings are at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxen Hill, Md. - eight miles south of Nationals Park. The Orioles want to upgrade their outfield defense, so how will their corner...

Explaining WAR's role in MVP results

Explaining WAR's role in MVP results
Mike Trout and Kris Bryant were named the American and National League MVPs, begging a question: Does this mean that the Baseball Writers' Association of America will judge MVP candidates by different standards in the coming years? Both vote totals are a victory for the new-age sabermetrics statistic called WAR - wins above replacement. Although debatable about what it means, WAR tries to summarize a players' all-around ability in one number. Both second-place finishers - the Nationals'...

How Porcello beat out Verlander for AL Cy Young Award

How Porcello beat out Verlander for AL Cy Young Award
The American League Cy Young Award talk should be about Orioles closer Zach Britton and his perfect 47-for-47 save season winning the hardware. Instead, it was about starting pitchers making comebacks in one of the closest races in Cy Young history. Boston's Rick Porcello, who had nine wins and a 4.92 ERA for the Red Sox in 2015, won the award by five points over Detroit's Justin Verlander, who re-established his elite status after two rocky seasons of injury, ineffectiveness and a declining...

It's hard to argue with Roberts, Francona as Manager of the Year winners

It's hard to argue with Roberts, Francona as Manager of the Year winners
The managers who win Manager of the Year awards are usually the guys that won - or at least contended - despite a list of problems. That's why the Dodgers' Dave Roberts won the Baseball Writers' Association of America award over the Cubs' Joe Maddon and the Nationals' Dusty Baker. Roberts had 16 first-place votes and 108 points. Maddon had eight first-place votes and 70 points, Baker four first-place votes and 66 points. Roberts led the Dodgers to the National League West title and 91...

Nats, Cubs didn't meet in playoffs, but will battle for BBWAA awards this week

Nats, Cubs didn't meet in playoffs, but will battle for BBWAA awards this week
The Nationals and Chicago Cubs didn't play in October as expected, but this week, representatives from the two teams will be at the center of the Baseball Writers' Association of America awards debate. The Cubs have finalists for three of the four BBWAA awards, including MVP, Cy Young and Manager of the Year. The Nats have finalists in all four BBWAA awards categories. Nationals starter Max Scherzer is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award, but two Cubs pitchers - Kyle Hendricks and...

After Britton snub, should BBWAA institute an award for relievers?

After Britton snub, should BBWAA institute an award for relievers?
The Orioles' Zach Britton, who set a big-league record with 43 consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run, isn't going to win the American League Cy Young Award this season. And it might be the biggest snub in the history of the voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Maybe the snub will kick-start the BBWAA into adding a postseason award for relief pitchers, but the idea hasn't caught on with the 500-plus members of the group. That could be discussed at the...

What each NL East team needs this offseason

What each NL East team needs this offseason
The Chicago Cubs' agony is over. They are celebrating their first World Series championship since 1908 after beating the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings at Progressive Field in Cleveland. And this might not be a one-time thing for the franchise of Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg and Ferguson Jenkins. The Cubs are built for the long haul. The Cubs have two free agents - Aroldis Chapman and Dexter Fowler - and plenty of money to retain them. They also have their entire infield - Kris Bryant,...

Offseason to-do lists for AL East teams

Offseason to-do lists for AL East teams
The Cleveland Indians haven't won a World Series since 1948 and it's going to stay that way for at least another year. The Cubs beat the Indians 8-7 in 10 innings in Game 7 of the World Series. Interesting that the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA championship last June, but the Indians blew a 3-1 lead in the World Series. The Indians, who lost Game 7 of the 1997 World Series in extra innings to the Marlins, have three key free agents - Mike Napoli, Raijai...

Cubs can break "Curse of the Billy Goat" with World Series win

Cubs can break "Curse of the Billy Goat" with World Series win
The Chicago Cubs are in the World Series for the first time since 1945. For perspective, consider that Jackie Robinson didn't break baseball's color barrier until 1947. The Cubs haven't won the World Series since consecutive titles in 1907 and 1908. For perspective, consider that the World Series was created in 1903. In 2004, baseball's most famous curse - the Curse of the Bambino - ended when the Boston Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, their first title since 1918. Now, as the World...

Indians in search of Cleveland's second major championship of 2016

Indians in search of Cleveland's second major championship of 2016
Cleveland sports fans have suffered without a major championship for years. But that's all changing. In June, the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers won their first basketball title and now the Indians, after beating the Blue Jays for the American League pennant, are four wins away from winning their first World Series since 1948. The Indians beat the Boston Braves in the '48 World Series with future Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Lemon winning two games. Another future Hall of Famer, Bob Feller, lost two...

Dreamlike sequence ends with Kershaw, Dodgers advancing to NLCS vs. Cubs

Dreamlike sequence ends with Kershaw, Dodgers advancing to NLCS vs. Cubs
Closer Kenley Jansen, his goggles pushed up on his forehead, sat on the champagne-soaked hallway floor that leads to the Dodgers clubhouse early Friday morning. He was exhausted and trying to put into words what had just happened. "When I saw that Clayton Kershaw was warming up, I said to myself, 'Am I dreaming?' " Jansen said. "It was unbelievable. It was awesome." And it was a game the Dodgers and their will never forget. They beat the Nationals 4-3 in Game 5 of the National League...

Hill laments Dodgers leaving D.C. with only a split in NLDS

Hill laments Dodgers leaving D.C. with only a split in NLDS
Pitcher Rich Hill knows that a 1-1 split is a good road series in October. But he also knows that the Dodgers had a chance for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five National League Division Series with the Nationals. "I'm disappointed because if I execute, our team is in a good position," Hill said after the Dodgers lost 5-2 to the Nationals in Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday. But it wasn't all Hill. The Dodgers couldn't hit with runners in scoring position. They left 12 runners on base. Through...