MLBTR Originals

A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR during the first week of the 2013 season:

• MLBTR was the first to learn of additional provisions in the Elvis Andrus contract extension regarding full no-trade protection and how his 2023 vesting option could be converted into a player option.
• In the wake of Andrus receiving not one, but two opt-clauses in the aforementioned extension, Tim Dierkes listed other notable deals in which a player obtained an opt out.
• The Andrus extension also prompted Steve Adams to hark back to other April extensions from the past two years.
• MLBTR was the first to report David Aardsma cleared release waviers and became a free agent with roughly ten interested in his services.
• Tim listed the ten largest contracts given to starting pitchers in terms of new money and years.
• Steve reviewed the offseason of the Cardinals, Reds, and Dodgers while Zach Links recapped the Padres.
• The Why I Chose My Agency series continued with MLBTR correspondent B.J. Rains discussing Rex Gary and Jimmy Turner of Turner-Gary Sports, Inc. with Shaun Marcum. 
• Steve presented another installment of the Transaction Retrospection series by revisiting the Doug Fister trade.
• MLBTR contributor Chuck Myron examined how the timing of the blockbuster James Shields–Wil Myers trade affected the Rays. 
• Tim hosted the weekly live chat.
• Zach gathered the best the baseball corner of the web had to offer in Baseball Blogs Weigh In.