Baseball

The Los Angeles Dodgers system took a hit last season with the graduation of top prospect Yasiel Puig to the major leagues. However, the organization had a slew of other promising young players step up in his place.

The San Francisco Giants won the 2012 World Series, their second title in three years. Expectations were very high as they entered the 2013 season, but a myriad of injuries and a few mediocre performances by key players derailed their hopes.

The Giants finished the 2013 season with a disappointing 76-86 record, a distant third behind the NL West-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.

The New York Yankees' whirlwind 2013 may not have culminated with a playoff berth, but that's not to say there weren't some unforgettable moments for the Bronx Bombers during the season.

The Texas Rangers have made a number of transactions this offseason, with moves affecting players on the roster both positively and negatively. In addition to players being affected by these moves, the organization as a whole will also be seeing positive and negative effects of some of their decisions this offseason.

As I said in my previous piece, it's seeming more and more as though the place for the Texas Rangers to find the final quality starter they need is the trade market rather than free agency. 

It's fair to wonder if the New York Yankees could have already resolved all of their pitching needs before the Masahiro Tanaka posting situation is completed.

The New York Mets have already made some significant free-agent signings during the offseason but may still be trying to make a big trade or two to make the team even better. The Mets' offseason is not done by any means right now, so after 2014 begins, more transactions could very well happen.

Here are the three biggest winners and three biggest losers from the Mets' offseason thus far.

Statistics are courtesy of Baseball Reference.

The Oakland A's have several position players whose performances will decisively dictate the overall success of the team in 2014.

One of those key players is first baseman Brandon Moss. In 2013, Moss played a full season for the first time in his career, and he performed exceptionally. He blasted 30 home runs, drove in 87 runs and slugged .522, the latter of which was good for sixth in the American League.

The Texas Rangers are looking to put the 2013 season completely in their rear view as they gear up for 2014.

Last year was filled with both good and bad memories, from a near-perfect game to a trade that didn’t pan out. The team also made history during a July series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Texas didn’t get a chance at a playoff run, but it was still a fun season to watch.

There are only a few potential items left for the Los Angeles Dodgers to attend to this offseason. With the inking of Juan Uribe to a contract, only optional moves remain.

The Dodgers roster is basically set, so general manager Ned Colletti doesn’t need to panic or make any desperation moves. Instead, any transaction would be solely to improve a Dodgers team that won 92 games last season.