The Houston Astros checked off the last offseason checklist item on Thursday when they signed free agent starter Doug Fister to a one-year contract for a guaranteed seven million dollars. The contract could possibly reach 12 million if he reaches all of the incentives in the contract. The move leaves

There are many ways to rank players. I don’t claim to have a monopoly on the truth, but I hope my methods balance analytics with common sense. The analytics part is probably the most involved. We take runs above replacement from the past three seasons according to three different sources

There are many ways to rank players. I don’t claim to have a monopoly on the truth, but I hope my methods balance analytics with common sense. The analytics part is probably the most involved. We take runs above replacement from the past three seasons according to three different sources

2015 Quick Overview The Astros finished 86-76 on the 2015 season. That marked a 16-game improvement from the previous season and a 35-game improvement over a two year period. Most interested observers believed 2016 would be the season where they would burst onto the playoff scene, but it came a

Two of the three last big names on the free agent reliever market went off the board on Wednesday when the San Diego Padres signed Fernando Rodney to a one-year contract and the New York Mets signed free agent lefty Antonio Bastardo to a two-year contract. Technically speaking, the Bastardo

The Detroit Tigers fired one of the first shots of the 2016 offseason when they signed Jordan Zimmermann in early November. Now, they’ve fired one of the final shots of the offseason by signing free agent left fielder Justin Upton to a six year, 132.75-million dollar deal. The two contracts

One of the more fun things about the offseason is watching the game of musical chairs evolve. There are 30 starting spots at each position and when one team improves at a spot, then that guy might end up landing somewhere else. The Padres were the latest recipient of the shuffling

It seems I write a column about this every year. For those new to the site allow me to establish a baseline for moving forward. I love the Hall of Fame. I care deeply about the Hall of Fame and the criteria for players to be elected. Many of you

The defending champions did an about face today when they agreed to a new contract with left fielder Alex Gordon. Previously, they had stated they weren’t willing to meet his demands, but the two sides came to an agreement on a four-year, 72 million dollar deal. The agreement marks somewhat

The Los Angeles Dodgers continued the arms race in the NL West by reaching an agreement with free agent right-hander Kenta Maeda. Now, the top three teams in the division have each added two arms to their rotation (although the Dodgers technically lost Zack Greinke, so they net one extra