MLB Trade Rumors

It's not always a player's fault when he ends up on the chopping block.

Sure, lots of big names around the league play their way out of jobs by drastically underperforming the expectations. Other stars merely have the misfortune of playing for teams that don't live up to the billing and subsequently need to sell of any valuable assets in a desperate effort to reload. Finally, there is the group of players who excelled on competitive teams but who have simply outgrown the means of their small-market clubs.

It shouldn't be surprising that the Boston Red Sox are expressing interest in the Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp as has been reported by the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo.

As MLB free agents continue to get exorbitant contracts, general managers are instead looking for ways to improve through trades.

David Freese and Fernando Salas were traded to Anaheim in exchange for outfielder Peter Bourjos and minor league outfielder Randal Grichuk, as reported by various outlets including the Cardinals' Twitter account.  The move is an interesting one for the Cardinals and impacts far more than the outfield.

Every MLB team is faced with a number of tough decisions each offseason, as whether or not to pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade or big free-agent signing can sometimes influence the entire future outlook of the franchise.

This offseason is no different, and with a relatively weak crop of free agents, there could be more activity on the trade market than usual.

Great pitching ultimately prevails in the MLB postseason, but qualifying for October baseball in the first place requires a formidable offense.

Five teams in particular ought to be busy this winter pursuing established hitters through trades and free agency as they aspire to remain relevant in 2014. 

It's looking increasingly likely that Jeff Samardzija won't stick around through the Chicago Cubs' rebuilding, as Chicago Now's Tom Loxas has added the Pittsburgh Pirates to his list of suitors.

As so many championship teams have proved throughout the years, signing the top free agents on the market is rarely the key to success on the field. 

The Boston Red Sox had the payroll flexibility to sign Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke last offseason. They passed. Instead, they spread out the wealth and filled out the roster with several veteran free agents who didn't require more than three-year contracts. 

This week saw the annual GM meetings take place in Orlando, and while there is not as much activity as the winter meetings as far as actual transactions go, this is often when the groundwork for later deals is laid.

As a result, the rumor mill has kicked into full swing the past few days—both on the trade market and free-agent fronts—and sorting through all of the news is no easy task.

Welcome to Major League Baseball's crazy season. With the league's general managers and other front-office personnel descending upon the unsuspecting folks in Orlando, MLB's hot-stove movement is just getting ready to heat up as the weather cools down.