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The Winter Meetings are over. The offseason is not. So although we just had a wild week in San Diego, it is not advisable to make any major declarations based off what did — and what did not — get done at that high-visibility industry gathering.

But sometimes fans can’t help but get caught up in the drama of the Meetings.That’s why we present this special edition of the Freak Out Factor (FOF) — our patented scale to help you determine how much you should be concerned about a given development.

The 2022 Orioles won 31 more games than the ’21 Baltimore team did, putting them on a select list of clubs to improve by at least 27 wins from one year to the next. But what those teams do in Year 3 doesn’t usually follow the same trend.

After a game in September, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina sent Willson Contreras a signed jersey with an added note: “This is my last year, you are the future.” Little did Molina know that Contreras would also be his successor.

The Padres’ roster was loaded with shortstops before Xander Bogaerts put pen to paper on his 11-year deal on Friday morning. The ripple effects are numerous, but GM A.J. Preller is adamant that the puzzle pieces will fit.

This offseason has already featured two superstar reunions, so let’s look back at other star teammates throughout MLB history who have split up only to come back together on a different team later in their careers.

Carlos Rodón turns 30 today. Will the free agent celebrate with a new contract?

Answer »

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