Opinion

Imagine the 2017 seasons as a bunch of puzzle pieces spread all over a table.

We know which players will influence the outcome of the upcoming baseball season, but we don’t know how they will fit together. The winter provides us with many of those answers.

But until free agents sign and teams conclude trade talks, a handful of questions will surround the 2017 offseason. These are the biggest among them.

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The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are the perennial giants of the MLB offseason.

They're always among the game's biggest spenders. This year, they've also got stellar farm systems, meaning mega-trades are theoretically on the table.

It's possible, however, that Boston and New York could tinker around the edges without significantly impacting the winter landscape.

On Thursday, the Houston Astros sent a message to their fanbase, and it was loud and clear: We want to get back.

Back on track. Back to the postseason. Back into position as one of baseball's up-and-coming contenders.

It feels like an upset that Mike Trout won the American League MVP. That says enough about where the baseball world is.

Or rather, where it's been.

In the weeks, days and hours leading up to Thursday's big announcement, it seemed like everyone was bracing for Trout (and fellow finalist Jose Altuve) to fall short of Mookie Betts in the AL MVP vote.

Ripped from the headlines!

Or…

Ripped from the headlines?

November 2016: Versatile Cubs slugger Kris Bryant named NL MVP.

November 2017: Cubs superstar Kris Bryant wins back-to-back NL MVPs.

November 2018: Cub-stock continues as NL MVP Kris Bryant three-peats!

The Chicago Cubs already won their first World Series in 108 years, but they probably aren't done collecting hardware in 2016.

Kris Bryant is the front-runner to bring the National League MVP award to Wrigleyville but will have to stave off Daniel Murphy of the Washington Nationals and NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Justin Verlander won the popular vote, which is worth about as much this week as it was last week.

There's a system for these elections, and we all have to come together and accept Rick Porcello as our 2016 American League Cy Young winner. Hey, it's not that bad.

Max Scherzer has thrown no-hitters. He's struck out 20 batters in a game. On Wednesday, he joined a club that counts Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay as its only other members.

Here's your smoking jacket, Max. Pedro will teach you the secret handshake.

Mistakes are inevitable. Everyone makes them, including general managers of MLB teams.

They come in all shapes and sizes. From overpaying for a free agent to trades general managers wish they hadn't made to ignoring a glaring need on the roster, errors occur far more often than even the most honest baseball insider cares to admit.

The winter meetings are just a few short weeks away as the MLB offseason figures to kick into full swing during the annual league-wide congregation that will take place this year from Dec. 4-8 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Every offseason brings a unique crop of free agents and trade targets, but this winter in particular will be a unique one thanks to a barren starting pitching market.