Mike Leake

After a season in which their starting rotation led Major League Baseball with a 2.99 ERA, you'd think a starting pitcher would be the last thing the St. Louis Cardinals would need this winter.

But need one they did. And Tuesday, they found just the man for the job in Mike Leake.

For the second time in less than a year, Mike Leake has found a new home, agreeing to terms with the St. Louis Cardinals.

With the free-agent pitching crop thinning out at the top, a valuable second-tier starter such as Mike Leake may see his market pick up heading into the winter meetings. 

Continue for updates.

As Major League Baseball's 2015 season winds down, injuries have a chance to affect the postseason standings.

Some clubs are counting on potential returns to spark their postseason push, while others face the reality of what a devastating injury means to their chances.

Can the New York Yankees capture the American League East if Mark Teixeira lands on the disabled list? Will Denard Span's return give the struggling Washington Nationals a lift in the National League East?

With the July 31 MLB trade deadline just a month-and-a-half away, some Cincinnati Reds players are starting to find themselves involved in trade rumors.

Even if the Cincinnati Reds don't get back into contention, they are going to be a team that has a big impact on the pennant race.

Why? Because the team has plenty of attractive trade chips.

The proverbial window appears to be closing on this Reds squad. Some of the key players are entering the final year(s) of their contracts, which will force the club to make some tough decisions. Keeping those players would certainly help the club stay relevant, but trading them would help the organization in the future.

Pitching has been the strength of the Cincinnati Reds the past few seasons, and stability in the rotation is the reason that the club is going to continue to contend.

Cincinnati's rotation finished near the top of the majors in most of the major categories. Despite pitching in Great American Ball Park, the staff has found a way to get the job done.

There isn't much to guess about when it comes to what the Reds rotation will look like in 2014. 

Despite the constant criticism from fans, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake has started the 2013 Major League Baseball season on fire.

Fans were disappointed with his 8-9 record and 4.58 ERA in 2012, but he has put last year behind him. 

It’s highly doubtful that any minor league player is going to have the type of impact Mike Trout had on the Los Angeles Angels when he joined the team in late April of last year and went to have one of the best rookie season’s ever (.326 BA, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 129 R, 49 SB). His team went 83-59 the rest of the way.

Is the thrill of the Majors already gone for the Cincinnati Reds’ young phenomenon Mike Leake?  Coming up, I’ll discuss this question and the ramifications for the Reds rotation.