Opinion

The 2014 MLB postseason was the epitome of the mantra "pitching wins championships."

Teams lacking pitching will look to upgrade their staffs in the coming weeks. Luckily for the high number of teams in pursuit of arms, there appears to be plenty to go around. More than a handful of ace-like hurlers can be had via free agency or trades, meaning the balance of power in both the American League and National League could shift with one acquisition.

If the early stages of the MLB offseason are any indication of the types of players we'll hear on the rumor mill over the next few months, then we're in for a wild winter.

While not every rumored name will be moved, it's likely some top-of-the-line players will be switching teams. These impact bats will cost a small fortune. That said, a number of teams will line up to acquire their production.

The offseason has officially started, and the rumor mill is getting hot. 

There are a few names, Russell Martin and Yasmany Tomas in particular, who have gotten the most buzz thus far, but the big names in Jon Lester and Pablo Sandoval aren't far behind. 

This list of players isn't the top free agents available, but rather the names that have been dominating the rumors to start the season, including a potential position change for the top hitter available this offseason. 

The cheers have quieted and the confetti has been swept away, but the 2014 season will never be forgotten.

The San Francisco Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals to win their third World Series title in five years. In the modern era, with free agency and so much parity in the game, the Giants are a baseball dynasty.

As salaries continue to rise and the demand for immediate results continues to build, MLB's offseason has morphed into one gigantic, expensive crapshoot.

As Pete Rose can tell you, there are strict rules prohibiting betting on baseball when you are in uniform.

As Max Scherzer told us all year, there certainly are no rules against betting on yourself.

This country is an interesting piece of real estate, especially around this time of year, when elections are held and democracy plays out at its finest.

You get to hear all sorts of debate and argument. And if you listen closely enough, you can find politicians manhandling certain points of contention in ways that fit their argument on one day, and on another, twisting the same point to fit a different argument. 

Coming off an unexpected last-place finish in 2014, the Boston Red Sox look to be a major player in free agency this offseason.  Big names like Jon Lester, James Shields and Pablo Sandoval are being widely discussed as players Boston may go after.

On the other hand, which available free agents should the Red Sox stay away from?

After a regular season to remember, Clayton Kershaw had a postseason to forget. The question now: When it comes to individual awards, should one impact the other?

As the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) prepares to hand out its shiny trophies, culminating with the league MVPs on Nov. 13, the answer for the moment is "no."

Both Max Scherzer and Jon Lester will command big-money contracts this upcoming offseason. 

But because this is the offseason, it's only natural to compare the two most coveted free agents in the 2015 class.