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Category: MLB hot stove Sizing up National League

MLB hot stove Sizing up National League


By lovelystyle, 2023-03-05

The calendar has flipped to 2021, and the only thing you Oscar Lindberg Jersey can say about Major League Baseball's competitive landscape is that it looks an awful lot like it did last year. The and gave the hot stove a much-needed jolt these last two weeks, otherwise things have been very quiet. , including only one of the top 14.Spring training is scheduled to begin in five weeks, though there's a chance it will be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. . History tells us the two sides will continue their bickering publicly over the next few weeks. Hopefully hot stove action provides a nice distraction from the labor war. Now that we're in a new year, let's take a look at the National League's competitive landscape. It's important to note this is only a snapshot in time, because rosters will change between now and spring training, whenever that is. , and now it's time to cover the Senior Circuit (teams are listed alphabetically within each tier). The powerhouses As they've done under GM Alex Anthopoulos the last few years, the again struck quickly this offseason and signed and to one-year contracts in November. They'll join , , and a hopefully healthy in the rotation. Atlanta still has needs in the outfield -- at the moment they have , , and penciled in alongside Jr. -- and questions about third base (why not call Cleveland and ask about at this point?), and re-signing or replacing and rather than winging it with internal bullpen options wouldn't be a bad idea either. The core of the team that won the last three NL East titles remains intact. The Braves just need to supplement that core with another outfielder and maybe a third baseman. There's little reason to think they will be anything but one of the best teams in the league again in 2021. It has been a relatively quiet offseason for the defending World Series champions. The re-signed , traded for , and signed (he signed a two-year deal and will mi s 2021 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery), and that's about it. And, truth be told, I'm not sure the Dodgers need to do a ton more than that. They could use Brandon Pirri Men Jersey a third baseman -- I still think a reunion with is inevitable -- though and are viable in-house options. Los Angeles could probably live with them at the hot corner. A versatile fourth outfielder type to replace figures to be on the shopping list as well. The Dodgers were the best team in baseball all last season and, on paper, I think they'll again be the best team in baseball going into next year. Patch up third base and the outfield, and off they go. I was all set to put the Mets in their own "burgeoning powerhouse" tier, then they went out and added and without giving up anything they'll mi s, so into the powerhouse tier they go. The Mets still lack a natural center fielder and there's room for another pitcher. They can sign a starter and put in the bullpen, or sign a reliever and put Lugo in the rotation. The Mets have flexibility there. Keep in mind the Mets have a ton of players entering their contract year (Lindor, , , , , , , ). I have to think a Lindor extension is coming. The Tomas Hyka Men Jersey others will need to be re-signed or replaced. That could make Jr. a more sensible fit than to fill that center field spot. Either way, the Mets have a lot to prove after going 26-34 last year, and adding Carrasco and Lindor (and e sentially Stroman, who opted out of 2020) is a huge step in the right direction. No team has made more big splashes this offseason than the Padres, and they made all those big splashes in a 24-hour span. and bolster the rotation, Ha-Seong Kim improves their infield and overall depth, and reports San Diego made a run at Japanese ace Tomoyuki Sugano before, which tells me they aren't done this offseason (also, the interest in Sugano is not easing my concerns about health). I think the Padres have the most complete roster in the National League right now., though they don't have a glaring need like the Braves and their outfield, the Dodgers and third base, or the Mets and center field. San Diego had the third best record (37-23) and second best run differential (plus-84) in baseball last year and they've added significantly this winter. They are no longer an underdog. They're a bona fide powerhouse. The Tomas Nosek Kids Jersey division no team wants to win The snuck into the postseason with a 29-31 record last year, and with all due respect to , they've done nothing this offseason. They traded Corey Knebel -- traded him only because they were going to non-tender him, I should note -- and declined several club options, most notably , and that's it. The roster at this point is slightly worse than last year's and last year's roster was one of the worst offensive teams in the sport. It's not unreasonable to expect more from and in 2021, plus will return after opting out, though Milwaukee has obvious needs all around the infield and in the bullpen. There is some merit to sticking with , , and . It's just that with the NL Central so wide open, it wouldn't take a whole lot to vault the Brewers into the mix for the division title, so make an effort. There are clear ways to improve this roster and the reward could be significant. If we include Rule 5 Draft picks, the are the only team in baseball to not add a player to their 40-man roster from outside the organization this offseason. They declined affordable option and that's it, folks. That is the extent of the changes to their MLB roster. Last year's Cardinals were pretty mediocre (30-28 with a plus-11 run differential) and having a full year of top prospect should help, ditto a bounce-back year, but gosh, what an uninspiring offseason this has been for St. Louis. is likely to return at catcher -- I'll believe he will sign with another team when I see it -- yet there are still needs on the infield (second and third bases), on the bench, and at the back of the rotation. Might be time to get on that, Cardinals. The division is there for the taking. Fun fact: The won the NL Central in 2020. That's a real thing that happened. And James Neal Men Jersey yet, , Chicago's payroll is down $75 million -- $75 million! -- from last year thanks to trades ( and Yu Darvish), non-tenders ( Jr. and ), and free agency ( and ). Payroll could drop even further should the Cubs trade and/or . The Cubs badly need another outfielder, an innings-eater for the back of the rotation, most of a bench, and a reliever or four. The crazy thing is this roster, as it currently sits, could win the NL Central in 2021. There's still talent on the roster and every other team in the division is cutting back. I get it, the pandemic has cut into revenues and teams all around MLB are reducing payroll, but no big-market team has done it as shamele sly and as much to the detriment of their contention window as the Cubs this offseason. . It is disappointing then to see them cutting costs this offseason. Trade deadline pickups and were non-tendered, was traded in what amounts to a salary dump

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