Winners
Miami Marlins
Key Acquisitions: SS Jose Reyes, SP Mark Buehrle, RP Heath Bell
The Marlins are not known for spending money, but this week they spent a lot of it. They finished last in the NL East with a 72-90 record, however, they are showing everyone that they plan on moving out of the basement and contending in 2012. You know what you’ll get with Buehrle and Bell, two of the more consistent players in the game, but Jose Reyes is a bit of a gamble. He signed for $100+ million and has a reputation of being injury prone. Right now they look great on paper and we’ll see how it translates to the field, along with the ongoing drama queen that is Hanley Ramirez.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Key Acquisitions: 1B Albert Pujols, SP C.J. Wilson, RP LeTroy Hawkins
St. Louis Cardinals
Key Subtractions: 1B Albert Pujols, RP Octavio Dotel
How are the Cardinals winners!? Very simple, they didn’t pay Albert Pujols $250+ million. This isn’t the NBA where one player can make or destroy a franchise (see LeBron James) they had to let him walk. The deal makes sense for the Angels because they were is desperate need of a big bat, but the Cards are the defending world champs and are still a very good team and will be ok without Pujols. They now have more money to spend on future free agents and they have a great young core in Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, World Series hero David Freese, and their ace Adam Wainwright is set to return to the starting rotation in 2012. Maybe they use that money to sign Prince Fielder?
Losers
Chicago Cubs
Key Acquisitions: 3B Ian Stewart
The Cubbies went into the winter meetings with new GM Theo Epstein and was one of the front runners to sign Albert Pujols to help them end their World Series drought. Then they traded for Third Baseman Ian Stewart. When your only acquisition was a guy who batted .156 and played his home games at Coors Field, resulting in being demoted to AAA for the rest of the season…you are a loser. Now, this could all change if they can sign Prince Fielder -- that is if the Cardinals don’t get to him first.
New York Yankees
Key Acquisitions: None
They did nothing. Literally. For a team that has seemingly an unlimited amount of money and that desperately needs a starting pitcher to help CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova in the starting rotation, the Yankees did nothing to make their team better.
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