The Rangers should be competitive again and also better offensively with a healthy Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero, but their pitching staff is probably one season away.
JP Riccardi and Roy Halladay are out. Alex Anthopoulos is in and though the Jays absolutely won't be in the playoffs, their rebuilding efforts may be shorter than expected.
Jack Zduriencik would probably be a household name in Seattle by now, if anyone knew how to spell it. He gave the Mariners another great offseason and they should be AL West contenders
The Braves acquired another left-handed bat in Nate McLouth, who is under Atlanta's control at a reasonable contract until 2012.
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The New York Mets needed to make a significant splash this winter after a season in which their fan base slogged through a 70-win season and saw the neighboring Yankees win the World Series.
They officially accomplished that on Tuesday when they announced their four-year, $66 million deal with free-agent outfielder Jason Bay.
A deal was struck between the two sides on Christmas, but news of the agreement didn't get out until last week and become set in stone until Monday when Bay underwent a physical in Manhattan.
In addition to the $66 million Bay will make over the next four seasons, the contract includes a vesting option that could pay him $14 million in 2014, what would be the fifth year of the deal.
The Mets opted to pursue Bay more strongly than fellow free-agent outfielder Matt Holliday, or so it seems, for a variety of reasons. Holliday has long been expected to re-sign with the St. Louis Cardinals -- an agreement could be reached any day now – and Bay comes a bit cheaper.
Holliday would have fit New York's needs just as well, but he and super-agent Scott Boras are believed to be seeking a contract longer than five years and for at least $18 million annually, which is what the Colorado Rockies offered him in an extension a few years ago.
Many point to the 92 games the Mets lost in 2009 and clamor for serious changes, but injuries were the main reason for the team's demise. The fact that the Philadelphia Phillies won the NL East again and that the Metropolitans' two most-hated rivals (the Phils and Yanks) battled in the Fall Classic just magnified everything.
The Mets slugged just 95 home runs last season, the lowest total in the major leagues and a total that Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder (93 combined HRs) nearly reached on their own.
Cavernous Citi Field didn't help their offensive struggles, but the games missed by first baseman Carlo Delgado (136), shortstop Jose Reyes (126), and center fielder Carlos Beltran (81) had a much bigger effect.
The trio combined to produce 81 home runs and 295 RBIs in 2008, when they were all healthy and hit higher than .270.
Instead, the Mets were forced to use a makeshift lineup that included David Murphy (first), Angel Pagan (center) and Alex Cora (shortstop).
If Reyes and Beltran return to full-strength -- Delgado is a free agent -- the Mets may have all the offense they need in 2010.
They lost out on John Lackey, who signed with the Boston Red Sox, but the Mets still have a pitching rotation headlined by Johan Santana. As bad as the Mets were offensively in 2009, the lefty went 13-9 with a 3.13 ERA and 7.88 strikeouts per nine innings as he missed time with injuries as well.
Unlike third baseman David Wright, who seemed to struggle at Citi Field with just 10 home runs (after hitting 33 in 2008), Santana thrived at his new home, which many believe was built to suit his talents.
He was 8-3 with a 2.43 ERA at home, but just 5-6 with a 4.10 on the road.
Assuming the Mets are able to fortifying their rotation via free agency or trades prior to Spring Training, Bay will likely provide the offensive shot in the arm that this club needed.
If nothing else, he'll provide protection in the lineup for Beltran, who has had his best seasons alongside a healthy and productive Delgado.
Bay hit .267 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs in Boston last season, numbers that are better than the 24 HRs and 109 RBIs that Holliday produced between Oakland and St. Louis in 2009.
While it's true that Holliday hit for a better average (.313, including .353 with the Cardinals), Bay is better defensively, which will further benefit New York's pitching staff in a park that, as I mentioned above, is already geared towards pitchers.
Bay's ability to pull the ball with relative ease should play nicely into the vast gaps at Citi Field, where defenders have a ton of ground to cover.
Grade for Bay: B
Jay-Bay moves into a situation where he could be thought of as a savior if the Mets contend for a playoff spot in 2010, but in reality he'll only be one in a number of important cogs on a team that could surge if healthy. He also gets a big payday, more than doubling his 2009 salary, but his statistics will likely suffer and the Red Sox were closer to a World Series title.
Grade for the Mets: A-
While $66 million over four years sounds like a ton, it isn't when compared to what the Cardinals will likely give Holliday and what teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies have spent on the likes of Teixeira, Sabathia, Lackey, Cameron and Halladay recently.
He's a no-fuss guy, a good teammate and a reliable hitter. If he can stay healthy, he'll be exactly what Omar Minaya needed in New York.
Andrew Perna is Deputy Editor of RealGM.com. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail: Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com. You can also follow Andrew on Twitter: APerna7.
