Football season is over and the
Olympics only go for two weeks – what comes next? Why baseball season is just around the
corner, of course, and for those of us who are tired of these record-cold
temperatures, we’re hoping that the start of a new baseball season brings with
it some warmer weather.
So once you’re done rooting for
Lolo Jones, Bode Miller and Shaun White, it’s time to get geared up for the
2014 baseball season. Before you don
your Orioles shirt, Nationals cap, or Yankee pinstripes (ugh!), you may want to
catch up on what went on during the off-season, after the Boston Red Sox won
the World Series. Well here’s a recap of
what transpired since November in a nutshell (start your stopwatch – this should
only take two minutes to read):
·
Detroit's Miguel Cabrera earned his second consecutive Most
Valuable Player Award in the American League, took Players' Choice top honors
and added a Silver Slugger as well.
·
The Dodgers' Clayton
Kershaw won his second National League Cy
Young Award in three years, and José Fernandez of the Marlins received the well-deserved
reward of NL Rookie of the Year award. (Remember
him? He’s that Cuban kid who spent time
in immigration jail before successfully defecting by coming over on a makeshift
boat that hit rough waters and a bunch of people fell overboard including his
family. And he can really pitch!)
·
Free agents: Robinson Canó went to the Mariners, Jacoby
Ellsbury is now a Yankee, Shin-Soo Choo signed with the Rangers, and Japanese
pitching star Masahiro Tanaka went to the Yankees. Who didn’t see that one coming? Oh, the Yankees also signed outfielder Carlos
Beltrán and catcher Brian McCann; they’re clearly trying to buy their way to
another World Series. Whatever!
·
Trades: The Rangers acquired
slugging first baseman Prince Fielder from
the Tigers for second baseman Ian Kinsler, a doozy of a deal featuring All-Star
talent and big bucks. The Cardinals followed by sending third baseman David
Freese to the Angels for Peter Bourjos.
·
New managers: Bryan Price in Cincinnati, Matt Williams in
Washington (it should have been Sandy Alomar, Jr.), Brad Ausmus in Detroit,
Lloyd McClendon in Seattle, and Rick Rentería with the Cubs -- and don't forget
Ryne Sandberg in Philadelphia, a late-season addition.
·
Oh, and in case you didn’t realize this, the Orioles lost their
closer, Jim Johnson, to the Oakland A’s.
I felt really bad about that one – despite Johnson’s blown saves last
season, he was a good pitcher and will be hard to replace.
·
What about my Nationals?
They acquired starting pitcher Doug Fister from the Tigers and were able
to avoid arbitration with pretty much every player who was eligible for
it. They also announced “Jayson Werth
Garden Gnome Day,” which is pretty exciting.
·
Notable quote: Curtis Granderson went across
town from the Yankees to the Mets, saying “True New Yorkers are Mets fans.” That one made me smile, since I started out
as a Mets fan back in the 80s. Too bad
the Mets will suck again this season.
·
Three of the all-time great managers were honored with their
election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame -- Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa and
Joe Torre, all heading to Cooperstown in July.
·
In an election that again was preceded by considerable debate, the
BBWAA elected three first-timers on
the Hall of Fame ballot: pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, and hitting star
Frank Thomas.
·
Lucrative deals: Lefty Clayton Kershaw agreed to
the richest deal ever for a pitcher, signing a seven-year, $215 million
contract through 2020. The Tigers then
signed AL Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to
a one-year, $15.5 million deal, and the Rays signed David Price to a one-year pact worth $14 million.
So there you have it – now you know what went on during
the “Hot Stove” season and you can pretend like you know what you’re talking
about when necessary. Stay warm, enjoy
the Olympics, and remember that Opening Day is only about seven weeks away!
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