Winter Meetings: Tuesday-Thursday

Dave Dombrowski made a statement during the Winter Meetings...a big, tall, lefty statement.

On Tuesday, December 6th, the Boston Red Sox made it clear to the MLB that they were going all in for the 2016/17 season by making a move that sent tremors throughout the baseball universe: acquiring Chris Sale from the other pair of sox in exchange for Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz. Sale is a five time MLB All Star and will make the Boston Red Sox a force to be reckoned with in the American League. His lanky body and awkward release will pair up nicely with the Red Sox rotation of odd pitchers that very from CY Young winners, to knuckle balling veterans. The Sox weren't done yet, as the went out and signed Mitch Moreland to a 1 year, 5.5 million dollar deal. Moreland won a Gold Glove with the Rangers last year and is expected to share, if not take over the 1st base role that Hanley Ramirez was surprisingly successful at last season for the Sox. At this point during the day one probably thought that the Red Sox were done making moves, but everyone who thought that found out that they were dead wrong when the Sox traded for Brewers relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg in a four player deal. The Sox may have acquired a strong relief pitcher but they also gave up one of their only third basemen in Travis Shaw. The questions circulating the 3rd base position for the Red Sox are now heightened because of the Shaw departure, but do not forget that the Red Sox have a "Brock Star" in Brock Holt.

Fellow AL East foe, Tampa, made moves on Tuesday as well. The Rays went out and signed former Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos to a two year, 12.5 million dollar deal. Ramos being signed so early in the offseason is surprising after a torn ACL made him exit the lineup for the needy Nats in late September. Best of luck to Wilson Ramos and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Rounding off the chaotic day that Tuesday was, the Rangers re-signed Carlos Gomez to a one-year, 11.5 million year, and the Diamondbacks signed Fernando Rodney to a one-year, 2.75 million dollar deal.

If you thought that Tuesday was crazy, the Wednesday would send you through the roof. The Marlins would make a series of moves including signing Pirates' Jeff Locke to a one-year, 3 million dollar deal, AJ Ellis to a one-year, 2.5 million dollar deal. The Marlins also resigned Dustin McGowan to a one-year deal.

Seattle made a move to get a decent arm in Chris Heston, who was on the San Fransisco Giants before getting moved to Seattle.

Some bigger moves of the day were that Ian Desmond signed a 5-year, 70 million dollar deal with the Rocktober squadron up in Colorado. Desmond should fit well in the thin air at Coors Field.

Also in the NL, the Chicago Cubs swapped Jorge Soler for Wade Davis in a big deal with the Kansas City Royals. This deal should be interesting to see as Soler has not proved himself to be an elite outfielder, and Davis has battled injuries over the past two years.

The Yankees re-signed flamethrower Aroldis Chapman to a five-year in a controversial decision to drop 86 million on the injury prone closer. The Yankees have Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances, so some Yankees fans are shaking their heads at the decision to sign a pitcher known for his wild pitching to a five year deal. Thus, the Yankees are continuing to be under the spell of Brian Cashman and his odd decisions with large sums of money.

The Nationals made what seemed to be the most questionable move of the Winter Meetings by trading their top tier prospects in Lucas Giolito, Dane Dunning and Reynaldo Lopez for Adam Eaton, who just recently turned 28. Given up Giolito and other prospects for Eaton doesn't make much sense to a baseball fan, but the Nationals were aggressively shopping for missing pieces (outfielders + pitching), so the hasty move shouldn't be a surprise to a more active MLB follower.

Thursday was a relatively quiet day compared to the week that had been full of major moves, bringing along only two notable deals. The first was former Red Sox closer Koji Uehara being signed by the Chicago Cubs to a one-year, 4.5 million dollar deal.

The last noteworthy deal that took place was the acquisition of Dexter Fowler for the Red Birds. The Cardinals signed Fowler to a 5-year, 82.5 million dollar contract. It will be an interesting year for the Cards, as they are in a division with the champion Cubs, who lose a strong outfielder in Dexter Fowler.

The Winter Meetings have baseball fans everywhere in a frenzy, and the anticipation levels have exceeded their limits. The Outcasts are ready for another year season of the greatest game on Earth.