MLBTR Originals

Here is the past week’s worth of original content from the MLBTR writing team…

• Relievers have been pretty much the only members of the free agent class to see some serious action this winter, so Jeff Todd outlines which noteworthy bullpen arms are still available for teams in need of late-inning help.
• Contributor Matt Swartz and his arbitration model are back with the “Arbitration Breakdown” series, looking at some of this winter’s most interesting and perhaps influential arb cases.  Mookie Betts (link), Khris Davis (link), and Manny Machado (link) are the first three players spotlighted.
• The “Taking Inventory” series continued, examining what the Reds, Padres, Rays, and Royals still have to offer in the way of possible trade chips.
• The start of the new year usually signals the beginning of extension season, as teams consider long-term deals for core players.  Since clubs often try to lock up pre-arbitration players, Jeff looks at the record contracts given to players who were still awaiting arbitration eligibility.
• Connor Byrne took a look at what the 2017 postseason teams from the National League and American League have done this winter to reinforce their chances at some more October baseball.
• A majority (57.04%) of MLBTR readers polled feel that the Pirates should trade more than one of Andrew McCutchen, Gerrit Cole, and Josh Harrison this offseason.  In other surveys of the readership, Zack Cozart’s three-year contract with the Angels was judged (with 33.25% of the vote) as the best three-year deal of the offseason so far, while 27.45% of readers polled feel J.T. Realmuto is the most likely of seven notable trade candidates to be dealt.