MLB Free Agency

In the long run, it's hard to know how the Texas Rangers' decision to dole out over a quarter of a billion dollars to Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo will work out. In 2014, though, the team arguably boasts the best lineup in MLB.

Matt Garza is a lucky guy.

He's a big league pitcher who's made millions to this point in his life and career, but because of a little quirk in a relatively new Major League Baseball rule, Garza may be in the best position of all the remaining big-name free agents.

The New York Yankees need to fill a Robinson Cano-sized hole in their lineup, but the club is far from the only team that has lost a big-name MLB free agent this offseason.

In determining just how detrimental the departure of a given free agent will be, there's far more than on-field production to consider. There are plenty of players who provide value that transcends any statistical breakdown. Tim Hudson is widely renowned for his work on the mound, but he's equally, if not more respected, for his intangibles off it.

After trading away closer Jim Johnson in early December, the Baltimore Orioles locked in on free agent Grant Balfour as their ideal replacement.

It has been a wild offseason for the Boston Red Sox following their 2013 World Series title.

Boston has already endured a slew of transactions that have taken place since the team walked off with the World Series trophy.

Through less than two months of MLB offseason activity, the following teams have already done irreparable damage to themselves.

We've witnessed baseball's version of binge eating from several clubs this winter, those who made big-name acquisitions that they'll inevitably regret, both in the short term and several years down the road. Meanwhile, heavy-spending franchises who expect to contend immediately made questionable decisions that will ultimately impede them from qualifying for the 2014 playoffs.

The Tampa Bay Rays have been relatively quiet, as usual, this offseason.

Some teams make big splashes in the offseason, signing expensive high-profile players, while others make ripples. The big splashes garner a lot of attention, are seen and heard from further distances and are projected to make a significant impact immediately.

Small ripples make less noise and attract a smaller national audience. Instead of a single large splash, multiple ripples need to be put together with the intent of building a sustained winner.

The old adage of "you win some, you lose some" sure rings true when it comes to the moves the Oakland Athletics have made so far this offseason. Assembling a bullpen of this caliber could be an A+ by itself. But the A's failed to fill crucial holes with big trade chips.

The starting rotation is young and talented.

Bartolo Colon was the lone veteran of the staff, but he became a free agent. Rather than look internally, the A's filled Colon's spot in the rotation with another free agent.

There are still diamonds in the rough to be found on the free-agent market in MLB.

A few big names in their primes are surrounded by a host of inconsistent veterans in the available talent pool, but this is still a crucial part of the offseason even with most of the marquee players off the table. There are only a few days left until the holidays, so expect a small flurry of action in the near future.

For some position groups on the MLB free-agent market, it's down to slim pickings following the torrid pace of the offseason action so far. For other spots on the diamond, there are still several marquee players available after the ho-hum winter meetings wrapped up earlier this week.