Fan News

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly inked 29-year-old free-agent pitcher Brandon McCarthy, according to John Gambadoro of Sports 620 AM KTAR in Phoenix (via Twitter):

This year's winter meetings wrapped up on Thursday, capping off what was one of the quietest winter meetings in recent memory.

While there were no blockbuster deals, and the big three of Josh Hamilton, Zack Greinke and Michael Bourn all remain unsigned, that does not mean that the four-day stretch was without its significance.

Here is a look at the three biggest winners and losers of this year's winter meetings, as we look back at what happened this past week in Nashville.

The Detroit Tigers took Game 1 of the 2012 ALDS, beating the Oakland Athletics 3-1. Though the team is down one game in a five-game series, there's no reason for worry—yet.

The game opened up with excitement as leadoff batter Coco Crisp hit a home run against Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

However, Verlander regained composure as the game progressed, striking out 11 A's batters along the way. Jose Valverde came into for the save.

The Detroit Tigers successfully set the tone for the rest of the series by claiming a 1-0 lead in the American League Divisional Series. Behind a strong performance from starting pitcher Justin Verlander, the Tigers beat the Atheltics 3-1.

Verlander was his usual dominant self, going seven innings strong with 11 strikeouts and holding the Athletics lineup to one run.

The Oakland A's were quite good in the second half of the 2012 season. So good, in fact, that they had us all asking the same question every time they actually lost a game:

"Wait a second, how the heck did that just happen?"

Here we are on this Saturday night asking this question after Oakland's 3-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. What the heck kind of person/thing/ominous force sucked the life out of this A's team?

It's difficult to believe that there could be much criticism for a pitcher who won the AL MVP and Cy Young Award last season. 

But Justin Verlander carried a question over whether or not he could win a big game—more specifically, a playoff game—coming into the postseason.

Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto left Game 1 of the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants with what appeared to be a back injury.

Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area gave more specifics on the injury.

We use the words "courage" and "hero" much too often in sports to describe some of the amazing things we see from day to day that defy our expectations.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt made a sensational grab in foul territory in the top of the first in Game 1 of the NLDS. 

Belt went head-over-heels but was able to hang on for the out. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Pat Neshek came into Saturday night's American League Divisional Series game in the same tight situation that he's seen many times before in his six-year career.

With men on first and second for the Detroit Tigers, the Oakland Athletics reliever's main job was to escape the jam with a two-run deficit intact.