Winners and Losers at MLB Winter Meetings

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

Did anyone see this coming? New GM Jerry Dipoto certainly has made a statement with only 2 months on the job by signing the top free agent hitter and pitcher available in Pujols (10yr $254 million) and Wilson (5yr $77 million). With one of the worst offenses in the American League in 2011, the Halos will be glad to see Pujols in the 3 hole everyday providing some much needed power. Southern California native C.J. Wilson gets set to join Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana to make up the best rotation in the American League without a doubt. These moves don’t guarantee a World Series title or even a division title for that matter, but one thing is for certain, they got a LOT better. Did they overpay? Yes. Will it be worth it? We’ll see. Why did they do it?….because it’s Albert freaking Pujols.

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.