MLB

Back in November, it seemed the San Diego Padres were taking a risk when they offered $15.8 million to pitcher Ian Kennedy. It seemed like Kennedy was taking just as big a risk when he turned it down.

Seriously, $15.8 million for one year, for a guy who lost 15 games and served up home runs at a higher rate than any other full-time major league starting pitcher? Seriously, he thought he was going to do better than that, especially after the Padres' offer guaranteed he would cost the signing team a draft pick?

We're wading past the middle of January, and Justin Upton still doesn't have a job.

It seems crazy: We're talking about a five-tool 28-year-old here, and baseball is littered with teams that could use a power bat and an outfield upgrade.

Only a fool would argue that the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox haven't drastically upgraded their respective rosters heading into the 2016 MLB season.

The Cubs and the Red Sox are the kings of the winter, and with that title comes endless hype. It's not easy to measure hype or buzz, but it's also far from impossible.

In order to determine which teams are already being overhyped entering the upcoming campaign, we've considered a slew of factors:

Established stars give an MLB team a base to build around, put fans in the seats and, more times than not, give the team an identity of sorts.

However, young players breaking through and becoming stars that often prove to be the difference in whether or not a team emerges as a contender.

All 30 clubs have at least a handful of promising young players who are either establishing themselves in the majors or trying to make the leap as top prospects.

More than two months into the offseason, Chris Davis got his payday. The Baltimore Orioles got an impact hitter. And the battle for supremacy in the American League East got even more interesting.

Few agents know how to make a splash like Scott Boras, so we really shouldn't be surprised that before much of the baseball universe awoke Saturday morning, Boras had found new homes for his two biggest remaining free-agent clients.

Ian Kennedy may not be the ace he once projected to become, but the Kansas City Royals felt he's good enough to upgrade their rotation, signing him to a five-year, $70 million deal Saturday.

Chris Davis steered hard into the regression curve in 2014. His return to slugging prominence wasn't enough to get the Baltimore Orioles in contention, but the team still decided to keep him in the fold. The slugger agreed on a seven-year, $161 million contract Saturday that will put him among the highest-paid players at his position. 

Following his most successful season in the big leagues and a World Series title, the Kansas City Royals have rewarded outfielder Lorenzo Cain with a two-year contract extension to avoid arbitration. 

The Tampa Bay Rays locked in their 2015 team MVP by reportedly signing second baseman Logan Forsythe to a two-year contract extension.