Introduction

With the weak free agent market, the Winter Meetings were expected to feature plenty of player movement. They did not disappoint. Due to the large number of major transactions, we are going to go off our bi-weekly Transactional Analysis schedule. This article is a long one, but there is much to report on.

Padres Re-sign Giles to a Three-Year, $30 Million Deal

Brian Giles had a pretty good year in 2005. He is detrimentally affected by PETCO Park, batting a paltry .267 with a .417 SLG there, but he crushed the ball on the road, hitting .333 with a .545 SLG. Bringing in fan favorite for three more years is good to draw fans, but at 34 the long contract has some risk.

Giants Sign Worrell to a Two-Year, $4 Million Deal

The Giants bring back Tim Worrell who last pitched for San Francisco in 2003. In 2005, he pitched poorly to start the season, was placed on the disabled list for personal reasons, and returned in July. He asked the Phillies to trade him to the West coast, and they did, dealing him to Arizona, where he pitched much better. With the Giants, Worrell is expected to be the primary set-up man. If Armando Benitez goes down next year, you can also expect Worrell to get the ball first.

Yankees Sign Farnsworth to a Three-Year, $17 Million Deal

The Yankees made Kyle Farnsworth the highest paid set-up man in baseball, brought in to replace Tom Gordon. Farnsworth can dial it up to 100 mph, and he also has a good slider and split finger. Farnsworth also comes with a 23-38 record and a 4.45 ERA for his career. The Yankees may come to miss Flash Gordon.

Twins Trade Two Rookies to the Marlins for Castillo

The Marlins continued to dump players, this time sending Luis Castillo and his $5 million salary to the Twins for pitchers Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler. Castillo missed 40 games with assorted muscle-related injuries that never required a trip to the DL, but would make him miss three to five games each. He has no power, so traditionally is bid on for steals. With the assorted injuries, Castillo only stole ten bases. For the Twins, he will fill a hole the team has had for a while at second base and bat at the top of the order.

Bowyer had a great season in Triple-A this year. He struck out 96 in 74 innings with a 2.78 ERA and 23 saves. Bowyer is expected to make the majors and pitch out of the bullpen in 2006.

Tyler had a 3.95 ERA with 109 strikeouts in 118 innings in High-A. He is expected to pitch in Double-A this year.

Angels Sign Carrasco to a Two-Year, $6 Million Deal

After a season in the Japanese League in 2004, Hector Carrasco signed with the Nationals for 2005. He pitched completely out of character, going 5-4 with a 2.04 ERA and was rewarded by the Angels with a two-year deal. This is the same 36-year-old pitcher with a career ERA hovering around 4.50 until this year. Carrasco will not start, close or setup with the Angels.

Phillies Replace Wagner With Gordon to Close

After losing out on the Billy Wagner bidding, the Phillies signed Tom Gordon to a three-year, $18 million deal. Gordon was used as the primary set-up man behind Mariano Rivera, but has closer stuff. There is no reason why he shouldn’t succeed in the new role as he has been a closer in the past.

Marlins Dump Lo Duca to the Mets

The Marlins continued to dump salary and talent, this time catcher Paul Lo Duca and his $4.6 million salary. Lo Duca has proven to be a highly reliable catcher. Other than 2001, when he hit 25 home runs, he has shown little power. Lo Duca is a good hitter who sprays the ball all over the field. As a catcher, he is a good receiver, but his arm is only average.

The Marlins received two players in return. The first is pitcher Gaby Hernandez. He pitched very well in Low-A, going 6-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 92 innings, but struggled in High-A (2-5 with a 5.74 ERA) as he was obviously tired.

The second player in the deal will not be announced until next week.

Tribe Sign Byrd to a Two-Year, $14.25 Million Deal

Paul Byrd, a former Indian farmhand, returned to the Indians. He had a good year in Anaheim, going 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA. Byrd does not throw hard (mid-80s), but has excellent control. He is expected to be the third or fourth starter.

Blue Jays Sign Burnett to a Five-Year, $55 Million Contract

The gem of the free agent class, A.J. Burnett, agreed to a back-loaded contract to start for the Blue Jays. He will be paid only $1 million in 2006, but will receive $12 million for the other four years. Don’t be sad for A.J. He also receives a $6 million signing bonus which should allow his to decorate his new place.

Burnett was considered the best starter the Marlins had in 2005. Only injuries and a bit of bad luck have prevented him from breaking out. He is comfortable throwing his four-seam fastball around 95 mph, but he can dial is up into triple digits if he want to. His two-seam fastball is a better pitch with more movement and a better bite. Burnett also has a great knuckle curve. He will be the number two starter for the Blue Jays.

Giants and Orioles Swap Relievers

The Giants traded set-up man LaTroy Hawkins to the Orioles for reliever Steve Kline. The Giants needed a solid left-handed reliever when they were unable to resign Scott Eyre. The Orioles, always in need of arm, receive the hard-throwing Hawkins.

Hawkins had a rough season with the Giants. Although he had a 3.83 ERA, he managed to lose eight games in 56 innings. He has often been given the role of closer, but has always failed. He has shown much more success as a set-up man.

Kline also did not pitch as well in his primary role, getting left-handers out. Right-handers hit only .209, but lefties hit .317.

Brewers Trade Overbay to the Jays for Gross, Bush and a Minor Leaguer

The Brewers freed up first for Prince Fielder by trading Lyle Overbay. Overbay will start at first for the Blue Jays and Shea Hillenbrand will move to DH.

Overbay lacks the power of a traditional first baseman. He does hit for average and will take a walk.

David Bush started the season in the rotation, but was sent down in May after going 0-5. He was called up again and pitched better in July and August, but had control issues in September. There was talk to moving Bush into the bullpen prior to the trade. He is expected to make the major league roster and either be used as a starter or reliever.

Gabe Gross had a great season in Triple-A, hitting .297 with 29 doubles in 390 at-bats. Gross gets on base, takes a walk and has some speed, but is not considered a full-timer. He will be used primarily as a pinch hitter with the Brewers.

Zach Jackson had a breakout season in 2005. Starting the season in High-A, Jackson went 8-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 59 innings. The Jays moved him up to Double-A, where he continued to pitch well. In July, Toronto pressed him some more and moved him to Triple-A. Although he did not pitch as well there, he did make adjustments. The Brewers will send Jackson to Triple-A, and he may make the majors some time in 2006.

Rays and Padres Trade Troublemakers

The Padres traded third baseman Sean Burroughs to the Devil Rays for Dewon Brazelton. Burroughs, once considered a premier third base prospect, has the body of a power hitter, but that power never developed. He is still only 25, but after three seasons, one has to question if the power will ever come. Burroughs started the season in the majors, but failed to hit for average. When the Padres acquired Joe Randa, they no longer needed Burrough’s services and he was sent to Triple-A.

Brazelton was expected to be the ace of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays when they drafted him third overall in the 2001 draft. He showed some signs of maturing in 2004 and was made the Opening Day starter this past season. After going 1-7 with a 6.43 ERA, he was demoted to Triple-A in mid-May. He refused to report and was placed on the restricted list. He reappeared three weeks later and worked out in extended spring training before reporting to Double-A in mid-June. He was called up and pitched in long relief before being demoted to Triple-A in August.

Brazelton claims that his poor performance and lack of maturity had to do with legal problems he was dealing with. He will try to earn a job with the Padres as either a starter or reliever.

Padres Re-sign Hoffman

Trevor Hoffman agreed to a two-year, $13.5 million contract to return to the Padres, the team he has spent almost his entire career with. He continues to dominate at the age of 38. He closed 43 games with a 2.97 ERA and pitching half of his games in PETCO can’t hurt either. He will retire now with the Padres in all likelihood.

Padres Trade Loretta to the Red Sox for Mirabelli

With all this signing going on, the Padres needed to move some salary, so they traded second baseman Mark Loretta for backup catcher Doug Mirabelli.

Loretta had a good season for a second baseman, hitting .280, but not a season you expected from him. He suffered from a major thumb injury that robbed him of his power. He is fully healthy and will start at second for the Red Sox.

Mirabelli is a solid defender behind the plate who won’t hurt you with his bat as long as you do not use him much. That makes him a good baseball player but a poor fantasy option. As a related issue, downgrade Tim Wakefield now; he was horrible last season when Mirabelli went on the DL.

Dodgers Sign Furcal and Re-sign Saenz

The Dodgers signed Rafael Furcal to a three-year, $39 million contract. Furcal has been a model of consistency, playing 150 games in three of the past four years, and hitting between .275 and .290 with at least 20 bases every season of his career. In 2005, Furcal increased his steals total almost 60 percent, swiping 46 bases. With the signing of Furcal, Cesar Izturis (when he's healthy) will move to second base.

The Dodgers also re-signed utility man Olmedo Saenz to a two-year deal. Saenz platooned with Hee Seop Choi and even started 17 games at third. He hit a solid .263 with 24 doubles and 15 home runs in 319 at-bats.

Marlins Not Done, Trade Pierre

The Marlins traded center fielder Juan Pierre to the Cubs for pitchers Sergio Mitre, Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto.

Pierre played in all 162 games for the third straight season, hitting .276 with 57 stolen bases. His average dropped from .326 to .276, but that can be attributed to some bad luck. In 162 games, if 15 balls were hit directly at a fielder instead of dropping in for a hit, he’d be at .300 again.

Mitre started the season as the fifth starter, but was hit hard and was sent down. He had some success in Triple-A, going 5-6 with a 4.33 ERA in 13 starts. Mitre was called back up in September and pitched in long relief.

Nolasco spent the entire season in Double-A and pitched very well. He went 14-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 27 starts. Nolasco struck out 173 in 161 innings and only walked 46.  He will start the season in Triple-A and may be called up later in the year.

Pinto is a 23-year-old, hard throwing left-handed starter. He spent most of the season in Double-A and went 10-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 21 starts, striking out 123 in 130 innings. Pinto has a history of control issues.  He will also report to Triple-A.

Rockies Get Torrealba for PTBNL

With the Mariners signing of Japanese star Kenji Johjima, Yorvit Torrealba was no longer needed, so the Mariners traded him. The Rockies, disappointed with J.D. Closser’s struggles, needed a full-time solution. Danny Ardoin filled in last year and played very well behind the plate and showed some power, but hit only .229. Torrealba has the skills and endurance to be a full-time starter and now will get the chance.

To make room on the roster, the Rockies designated catcher Miguel Ojeda for assignment. Ojeda will report to spring training with the Rockies, however.

Indians Re-sign Wickman to a One-Year, $5 Million Contract

After losing out on Hoffman, who didn’t want to move his family, the Indians instead re-signed Bob Wickman. Wickman missed all of 2003 and some of 2004 after Tommy John surgery. He picked very well as the Tribe’s closer despite not having his best stuff, racking up 45 saves with a 2.47 ERA in 62 innings. Wickman will return to his role in 2006.

Braves Trade Estrada for Bullpen Help

With the development of Brian McCann, the Braves no longer needed the services of Johnny Estrada. What they needed was bullpen help. So with Braves sent Estrada to the Diamondbacks for Lance Cormier and Oscar Villarreal.

After a breakout season in 2004, Estrada struggled through an injury-filled season. He suffered from whiplash in a collision with Darin Erstad in June, and then strained his back in July. Both injuries affected his performance as he hit only .261 after back-to-back .300 seasons. Estrada will be the starting catcher in Arizona.

Cormier pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 2005. Although he ended the season with a 5.11 ERA, he did pitch well in June and September. Take out July and August and he had a 3.53 ERA. Cormier will fight for a job in the bullpen.

Villarreal has missed most of the last two seasons due to injuries. In 2003, he pitched nearly 100 innings with a 2.57 ERA at the age of 21. Villarreal will pitch for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic to help build up his strength.

Conclusion

What a week in baseball! Transactional Analysis will return in two weeks unless we have a large number of post-Winter Meeting deals.