Catching up with the Hot Stove League

I've neglected baseball in this space for a while, but now that some things are starting to happen at the baseball Winter Meetings, I figured I'd check in with my thoughts.

* The Atlanta Braves signed Billy Wagner to a one-year deal to be their closer next year. It gives the Red Sox a first round pick and a compensation round pick. The Mets, who traded Wagner to the Red Sox for two organizational fillers get nothing. That's why they finish 4th with a high payroll and the Sox are in the playoffs every year.

* Not sure the Braves are thrilled now since Rafael Soriano accepted arbitration and will come back on a one-year deal around 7-8 million depending on his arb figure. The Braves will most likely try to trade him as that is one expensive 7th inning man. It'll be interesting to see how this affects the Braves pursuit of a bat while they try to unload some money.

* Randy Wolf, do you need a head examination? The Brewers have offered Wolf, a solid yet mediocre left-handed starter, a 3-year deal in the range of 30-33 million. I would have had a seizure and not been able to sign that deal if I was Wolf.

* The St. Louis Cardinals signed Brad Penny to a one-year deal. Two words: phe-nominal. (Sorry for the bad Jim Rome joke) This is a great deal and insurance for Joel Pineiro leaving. Dave Duncan does wonders with pitchers and Penny was close to dominant with the Giants in the last two months of the season.

* I'm sorry, I know everyone loves the Mariners signing of Chone Figgins, but I don't at all. Just a couple years ago, the baseball world was talking about Figgins as a super utility kind of guy. Now, he's worth 4 years and $36 million. What did I miss? He doesn't hit for power at a position that is expected to produce power. He's a good defender, but not better than who he is replacing. Where is the offense going to come from for this Mariners team? A 40-year old Ken Griffey, Jr.?

* The mega-deal between the Tigers, Yankees, and Diamondbacks is near complete. Curtis Granderson goes to the Yankees, Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy go to the Diamondbacks, and the Tigers receive Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth, Phil Coke, and Austin Jackson. I know I'm a bit biased, but I really like this deal for the Tigers. They get younger, cheaper, and better while giving up two players who are on the decline. Jackson's second half numbers were more in line with his career numbers and Granderson hit .249. He'll be better in New York, but he's never been a superstar caliber player. The Tigers get a pitcher in Scherzer who strikes out over a hitter an inning to go along with Verlander and Porcello. Also, Austin Jackson has the ability to be a solid regular center fielder and he's much cheaper than Granderson. I know why the Yankees made this deal. They play to win now and it also makes them younger, cheaper, and more athletic. Scott Boras might want to rethink his decision to ask for 4 years for Johnny Damon. I have no idea what the Diamondbacks are doing. They give up the best player in the trade (Scherzer) along with a young reliever who projects to be a closer in the future. They take on two players with less team control and who are worse pitchers in general. How many home runs will Ian Kennedy give up in that park? It's just another example of big market teams in the AL bettering themselves and a small market NL team trying something that on paper doesn't work.