Rankings/List

It may not be as big or impactful of a trade as Prince Fielder for Ian Kinsler was from earlier in the week, but the swap between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels does leave plenty to dissect and discuss.

Major League Baseball is on the cusp of something big. Whether it is the bursting of a looming bubble from overwhelming television contracts to pricing casual fans out of the ballpark with substantially high, overpriced contracts for aging stars. 

It's been a busy week in MLB free agency, with several veteran pitchers and position players receiving multi-year deals. Even the latest rumors about some top free agents have been juicy.

Every free-agent update reverberates around the league, resulting in numerous winners and losers.

Contracts signed so early in free agency give us a better idea of what comparable players should expect to receive. Also, as the free-agent crop grows thinner, front offices are forced to reluctantly abandon their preconceived strategies.

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. 

If you love prospects, then it doesn’t get any better than the Arizona Fall League.

With six teams comprised of baseball’s top prospects from all 30 organizations, the AFL provides an opportunity to witness the future of the game on one field.

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. 

The Major League Baseball free-agent market isn't ripe with young, ascending players that are guaranteed to give their next employer great production for the duration of a contract. Instead, the list of 2014 MLB free agents is littered with question marks. 

Fans and critics alike were on the edge of their seats awaiting the coveted 2013 MVP award winner announcements. And while the ongoing debates about "Miguel Cabrera versus Mike Trout" were at full force yet again, it will hardly be the last time the pair square off.

Looking ahead to 2014, the potential winners for all major awards could go in a variety of directions. For instance, a strong season from 2013 Rookie of the Year Award-winner Jose Fernandez could unseat ace Clayton Kershaw as the reigning Cy Young Award winner.

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.