-Brewers sign Aramis Ramirez. After two consecutive unspectacular season Ramirez was rejuvenated in 2011 which coincidentally enough was a contract year. Ramirez cashed in with the division rival Brewers and will attempt to ease the pain of losing Fielder. Ramirez was slated to protect Braun in the lineup which is certainly better than anything he has had with the Cubs the last four years. Regardless of what happens with the Braun saga Ramirez is easily a Top 3 NL 3B heading into the season and is a Top 10 3B option in all of baseball. Consider Ramirez to be among the top options of the 2nd Tier of 3B with a AVG in the .280 range with 25 HR to go with a run total in the 180's if he can appear in 145+.
- Marlins sign Aaron Rowand. Let's face it at this time of the year we are desperate to fill space in this post. Rowand will continue to be irrelevant in all formats but relevant enough in the real world to take away AB's from the likes of Logan Morrison and Chris Coghlan upon occasion.
- Cardinals resign Skip Schumaker. Skippy returns to the Gateway City and continuous it illustrious history of unspectacular MI play. Tommy Herr anyone. Schumaker is Waiver Wire injury replacement in standard mixed leagues, and a who the hell is left option in NL only and deep mixed formats.
- Pirates acquire Casey McGhee from Brewers for Jose Veras. Veras doesn't offer any Fantasy value outside of Hold Leagues but he does make the Brewer Bullpen very formidable in MTV's the real world. McGhee who followed the Ryan Ludwick career path(one excellent season in a stacked lineup convinces everyone you can play), brings his washed up career to the Steel City and will likely serve as a backup option and AB taker from young Buccos Pedro Alvarez or Alex Presley.
- Red Sox sign Kelly Shoppach. Another signing that doesn't mean anything other than robbing more interesting options of playing time. Shoppach will likely battle the very intriguing Ryan Lavarnway in the spring for platoon spot with Saltalamacchia. Shoppach does offer some pop but even should he get 12 AB's per week his value would be limited to AL only formats.
- Josh Willingham signs with Twins. The very undervalued Willingham is constantly thrown into the Waiver Pool in standard mixed leagues yet by years end he will produce decent pop with a AVG that typically won't kill you and run production totals that certainly demand a roster spot. Given his Free Agent status and 29HR last season Willingham will certainly be in demand this season on draft day however I must warn his drastic BB decrease and K increase has to be concerning could it be the switch to the AL or is it a sign of a declining skill set? Willingham should certainly have a better lineup with the likes of Mauer and Morneau likely hitting ahead of him. Willingham should still be targeted in the late teens or 20's but expect his name to be called a little earlier than in years past.
- Red Sox trade Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland to Astros for Mark Melancon. I've never been a Lowrie fan but to hand him over for a 7th or 8th inning option with only moderate stuff is baffling to me. Unless something is in the works I find it hard to believe that Red Sox nation is looking forward to 162 games of Marco Scutaro or all glove Jose Iglesias at SS. Lowrie will likely find a home somewhere in the Astros IF but he is still nothing more than a League only or deep mixed play. Melancon will likely follow suit however with question marks surrounding the Red Sox 9th inning role he is worth monitoring at this point but I just can't see it playing out that way. At this point Weiland is a long shot for a back end of the rotation spot and should be dismissed of being a relevant person outside of his direct family come March.
- Rockies sign Michael Cuddyer. The Rockies likely overpaid for the glorified Utility player but given the Rockies many question mark at positions Cuddyer can play I understand the deal. Most expect Cuddyer to occupy a OF spot taking AB's away from Seth Smith, who many would argue is better or at worst equivalent to Cuddyer. However I expect Cuddyer to see action at the hot corner of 2B with Young moving to 3B. I can't recall a good hitter who has joined the Rockies and flamed out playing in Coors Field so to expect Cuddyer to at least match last seasons numbers is very reasonable. Cuddyer much like Willingham is a late round option who will likely get his name called a little earlier than it should.
- Phillies resign Jimmy Rollins. From Barry Larkin to Derek Jeter teams are suckers for those longtime homegrown talents who man the middle. Rollins joins the aforementioned by signing a contract double what he is worth late in his career. Rollins has had three consecutive under performing season since his MVP year and I find it hard to believe he will turn it around this season. I suppose the deal makes sense for the Phillies, they are built to win now, Rollins is better than any in house option at this point, and he is certainly the best option still on the market. Rollins still has decent speed with a .280 AVG potential but the days of 20 HR are over. Rollins is a very solid MI option but can no longer be counted on to carry your SS position himself. His name alone rises his stock 2 rounds don't be the sucker in your league.
- Reds trade Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez, Yasmani Grardal and Brad Boxberger to Padres for Mat Latos. I have said for the last two years that the Reds need a true Ace in their rotation to win in the playoffs. However I question if Latos is that guy. Latos is certainly young and his first to years have been very impressive but is he really worth all the Reds gave up? Sure the Reds have a surplus of talent at every position included in the deal but wouldn't have they been better served going after a certain Top 20 Pitcher or perhaps breaking the players up in multiple deals near the deadline? Moving on the the Fantasy aspect of the deal. Latos certainly moves down the P pecking order with his departure from Petco. Latos isn't an extreme FB pitcher but his ratio slightly over 1 doesn't play well at the GAB. Alonso should be close to a everyday play for the offensive challenged Padres but where is the question. Alonso could give Rizzo a full season of minor league seasoning or he could find his place in the young and unproven Padres OF with the likes of Jesus Guzman, Will Venable and Kyle Blanks in the fold. Alonso is the high upside option I like to target however the move into Petco will certainly effect his ceiling. Volquez to me could be the wild card in this deal. If Volquez could simply shave one to two BB/9 IP of his statline the move to Petco could make him relevant once again. Certainly a player I would not fear targeting in the back end of the draft. As for the two prospects Grardal will likely spend most of the 2012 season in the minors but his solid bat could make him a relevant play come roster expansion in September. Boxberger figures to start the season in the minors but his high K totals could find him a bullpen spot at some point and a long term closing option a possibility.
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