MLB: Does Winning the Winter Meetings Guarantee Wins in October?
By s.a. rose
2014 Winter Meetings
Winter Meetings Winner: Chicago White Sox
Moves: Acquire SP Jeff Samardzija from Oakland, sign CL David Robertson to a 4 year, $46 million dollar deal
Record (2015): 76 – 86, 10 Games back for the AL Wild Card
World Series Winner: Kansas City Royals
Analysis: While their division mates from Kansas City lifted the trophy in 2015, the White Sox were nowhere to be seen despite making impact moves that would put them over the top. Samardzija (11 – 13, 4.96 ERA) was not the ace the White Sox needed and while Robertson filled the closer role admirably (34 SV, 3.41 ERA), but there just weren’t enough games to save. Samardzija left after one season to become the number 4 pitcher in San Francisco and Robertson looks to be on his way to a contender in this offseason’s purge that Rick Hahn is conducting. The assets Chicago gave up were underwhelming so it was not as painful as the D-Backs’ acquisition of Shelby Miller is, but the moves also fell well short of expectations.
The other contender for Winter Meetings Winner in 2014 fared even worse than the White Sox. The Tigers acquired Yoenis Cespedes to add another big bat to their lineup (in exchange for Number 5 SP Rick Porcello) and RP Alfredo Simon and finished behind the White Sox in the AL Central at 74 – 87.