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INDIANAPOLIS -- This was one of the busiest divisions in baseball before the Winter Meetings, with the additions of Placido Polanco, Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito.Yet there's still plenty to do. The Mets came to Indianapolis to add, the Marlins to subtract and the Braves to do both -- and none of the three made a great deal of headway.
Atlanta got sidetracked when reliever Rafael Soriano accepted its arbitration offer. The Mets are flirting with the major free agents, but no one knows if it's just a tease to New York fans. And the Marlins shed arbitration-eligible reliever Matt Lindstrom but not the bigger name, second baseman Dan Uggla.
And who added a potential Hall of Famer? The Nationals, with catcher Ivan Rodriguez.
Big Winner
Soriano. The Braves tried thinly- (or not at all) veiled threats to move him to middle relief to get him to not accept arbitration, but with lots of relievers on the market, Soriano's agents didn't cave. Thus Soriano will get $7 million or more in 2010 and the chance to close for the Rays and earn another payday next winter.
Unfinished Business
Plenty, with Atlanta having the most on its plate. The Braves need to trade a starting pitcher -- preferably Derek Lowe, but they'll have to be willing to eat more of his remaining contract than they have been -- to free up cash for first base and left field.
The Mets have about as much, with needs for a first-string catcher, left fielder with power and mid-rotation starter.Washington's first step toward double-digit losses is relief help. Philadelphia also wants to strengthen its relief corps -- but the Phillies are close to tapped out on payroll. And Florida needs to find a home for Uggla, since the Marlins don't want to give him the raise he's got coming.
Conclusion
A year ago, the Phillies needed a left fielder, picked the one they wanted and signed him quickly (Raul Ibanez). This year they did the same at third base with Polanco. So Philadelphia, already the team to beat, has a leg up so far this winter. For Atlanta and New York to catch up, they will have to make a splash.
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