Rankings/List

The St. Louis Cardinals are sure to be wheeling and dealing this offseason.

The 2013 World Series exposed some of their weaknesses—namely production from the bottom of the order and a thin bench. And it's been clear throughout the season that Pete Kozma is probably not a long-term answer at shortstop.

Luckily, they have one of the most enviable farm systems in all of baseball. But are there bigger names who may become trade bait to help fill in the blanks?

Like any baseball season, the 2013 season had its ups, downs, surprises and “I told you sos."

While it’s always exciting to watch rookies like Michael Wacha emerge from the depths of the minor leagues to start games in the World Series, it’s equally as exhilarating to witness offseason acquisitions prove their value.

With the 2013 Major League Baseball season now in the books, speculation regarding this year’s free-agent class and the developing trade market is beginning to heat up.

Last winter, several of the game’s top-ranked prospects were dealt in exchange for established, veteran talent.

Free agency is the best chance a team has of building its roster for the upcoming season, but it is by no means an exact science, and there is a good deal of risk/reward that goes into each signing.

Every offseason, there are a handful of players who exceed expectations and wind up being absolute steals. And on the other end of spectrum, there are a few guys who wind up being vastly overpaid.

Now that the Boston Red Sox have wrapped up the World Series, it's time to focus on what will occur during the Major League Baseball offseason. 

From the Alex Rodriguez debacle, to filling the remaining managerial vacancies, plus two marquee free agents on the markets, there is plenty to discuss regarding the offseason.

But which of these unanswered questions is the most pressing? 

Find out as we rank the 10 hottest burning questions of the MLB offseason.

Of the free agents who will be able to negotiate and sign with new teams beginning on Tuesday, November 5, several of them had an extended opportunity to increase (or decrease) their value in the postseason. 

While only a handful of innings pitched or a small sample size of at-bats normally wouldn't move the needle very much on a veteran player's perceived value, a player's ability to produce in the playoffs certainly can. 

Here are 10 players whose asking price has likely risen or fallen since the end of the regular season.

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.

The 2013 World Series has been an exciting one. Despite dropping Game 2 and 3 to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Boston Red Sox have come roaring back, taking a 3-2 lead in the series.

But while players’ minds are certainly focused on capturing a ring, many of the series’ stars will either be free agents or in line for a salary boost in the offseason.

The offseason ahead will potentially be one of immense surprise for the Philadelphia Phillies, for a few reasons. First and foremost, the oft-mentioned television contract situation will near its climax, as the Phillies are expected to sign their new, multi-billion dollar TV deal within the next month, according to CBS Philly.

There are no more than two games left in the 2013 MLB season, as the Red Sox took a 3-2 series lead over the Cardinals in the World Series with a 3-1 victory Monday night.

It's been a great series to this point, and will no doubt finish with a bang, but it's still never too early to turn our attention to the upcoming crop of free-agent talent.

Last offseason, it was Zack Greinke and Josh Hamilton who highlighted the crop of available talent, and this winter should have its fair share of impact talents changing teams.