Marty’s musings: The free agent floodgates are open

Welcome to ‘Marty’s Musings’, my weekly column of numbers summarizing the happenings in the baseball world. I am your guide for taking an analytic look at the news and notes throughout the game, and highlighting key pitching matchups throughout the year.

With the floodgates on new signings last week it was an active free agent market. The Dodgers, Red Sox, and Twins made big splashes causing some projection adjustments. The Rockies made an eye-raising splash of their own.

News & Notes

6 - Years and $162 million deal that recent World Series Champion first baseman Freddie Freeman agreed to with the Dodgers. It seemed inevitable that Freeman would end up in LA, especially when rumors leaked that the Dodgers would give him an additional year on the deal compared to Atlanta’s offering. Freeman spent over a decade in a Braves uniform.

5.0 - 2021 fWAR for Matt Olson, whom the Braves traded for last week. Olson had two years left on his contract, and Atlanta was quick to lock him up to an eight-year $168m deal. Oakland unloaded the All Star caliber first basemen for four prospects, hoping they can hit on at least one of them.

$182m - Contract the Rockies doled out to former Cubs and Giants third baseman Kris Bryant. Another dumbfounding move by Colorado leadership, after trading Nolan Arenado last season and letting Trevor Story walk for virtually nothing, the Rockies went out and overpaid for Bryant, who is good, but not nearly as good as some of the other free agents, or Arenado himself! A truly head-scratching move.

2 - Excellent shortstops currently signed by the Red Sox, who inked Trevor Story to a six year $140m deal over the weekend. Story will be moving over to second base, which likely means Enrique Hernandez will see more reps in the outfield. The move was unexpected good news in Boston, where the Red Sox made incremental changes but had not made a big splash. Boston is now projected to finish ahead of the Rays (but still behind the Yankees and Jays) per PECOTA rankings.

10 - Years since Zack Greinke pitched in a Royals uniform, but the 38 year old starter is returning to his roots, after having signed a one year $13 million deal with Kansas City.

2 - Big trades for the Yankees last week. New York has finally moved on from underperforming (and often regressing) backstop Gary Sanchez, sending him and third baseman and fan favorite Gio Urshela to the Twins for a deal highlighted by Josh Donaldson. Luke Voit.was shipped-off to the Padres in exchange for pitcher Justin Lange. The Yankees are projected to win the division despite not inking any major free agents this offseason.

3 - Year deal the Twins agreed to with shortstop Carlos Correa, who has an opt-out after year two. The Twins are apparently going for it after an injury plagued season that derailed any hopes of competitiveness in 2021. Supposedly the Orioles offered Correa 10 years and $300m, but he instead chose Minnesota for three years and $105.3m. Minnesota also added starting pitcher Sonny Gray last week.

$35m - Current payroll for the Cleveland Guardians, once a perennial contender in the American League Central, has now turned into a piggy bank for ownership. Cleveland’s payroll was more than twice that amount twenty years ago, it’s a shame what has happened to the franchise.

17 - Days until Opening Day.