Rankings/List

The MLB rumor mill is grinding away, and the Washington Nationals are in the thick of it, according to MLBTradeRumors.com. 

Nationals fans will want to consider the positives and negatives of each new rumor involving their favorite team. 

Earlier this week, the Philadelphia Phillies jump-started both their offseason and that of the entire major leagues, striking first to sign outfielder and former Phillie Marlon Byrd to a two-year, $16 million contract. Byrd, who hit 24 home runs in 2013, is one of the less expensive sources of right-handed power, and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

The Mesa Solar Sox and Surprise Saguaros will play in the Arizona Fall League Championship game on Saturday, beginning at 3 p.m. ET and airing on MLB Network.

For those of you that weren’t planning on watching the game, you may want to reconsider; the two teams’ rosters are absolutely stacked with top-ranked prospects.

Max Scherzer is on the verge of winning the American League Cy Young Award. Is he also on the verge of being traded?

Imagine a scenario where the Miami Marlins calls Jay Z's sports agency, Roc Nation, and tells him they are prepared to offer All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano the 10-year, $300 milllion contract the New York Yankees aren't willing to put on the table. 

It's time for the offseason shuffle! The St. Louis Cardinals will be among the 30 MLB clubs shaping up their lineups heading into 2014, and the free agent market is the biggest tool at their disposal.

The team made headlines with their young talent this year, but it seems as if trading away the farm system is not in the plans.

With the 2013 baseball season over, the sting of a six-game NLCS loss still fresh in Dodgers fans hearts, it's time to do one of two things:

During the MLB offseason, there will be a flurry of rumors that fly around connecting players to new teams and potential trade partners. Most of these rumors turn out to be false, but there are certainly a few that turn out to be right every single year.

A lot of these rumored connections make a lot of sense for both sides. General managers will be looking to turn their teams into championship contenders with the moves they make this winter.

Keep an eye on the following players and teams because these potential deals should happen at some point this winter.

There's no doubt that there are some supremely talented hitters available on the MLB free-agent market this winter. 

As general managers scour the market for that impact bat, which will likely cost an exorbitant sum, they will have to dig deep inside the numbers. There are plenty of red flags to consider. Has a player been linked to PEDs in the past? What are his platoon splits? And finally, what kind of a health record does he have?

The 2014 MLB free-agent class is the best of the last decade. But where does its strength lie? Is it in the pitching department? The outfield? Catching? 

Does it have depth, star power or both? Will the supply and demand of the market force some teams to move quicker at certain positions than in others?