MLB's 16 Best of 2016

Betts would have been the best of 2016, were it not for Trout (Suffolk Voice)

Counting down the 16 best baseball players of 2016 while the season's still (relatively) fresh in our minds:

1. Mike Trout
After becoming more of a strikeout-prone slugger in 2014 and '15, Trout returned to his five-tool roots by replicating his marvelous 2012 campaign. His 123 runs, 116 walks, .441 OBP, 174 OPS+ and 10.6 bWAR were all tops in the Majors, leaving the BBWAA no choice but to vote him MVP despite his team's 74-88 record. Trout also totaled 29 home runs, 100 RBI, and 30 steals in 37 attempts while slashing his strikeout rate to 20.1 percent -- the second lowest mark of his career.The 25-year-old generational talent has never been better.

2. Mookie Betts
In a universe where Mike Trout doesn't exist, Betts runs away with the 2016 AL MVP award. Instead, he finishes second despite amassing 9.6 bWAR and leading the Majors with 359 total bases. Betts was the complete package last year, batting .318/.363/.534 with 31 homers and 26 steals while winning a Gold Glove for his work in right field. He also knocked in 113 runs despite leading off 109 games for Boston. Like Bryce Harper, he's only 24.

3. Kris Bryant
Bryant followed up his unanimous Rookie of the Year campaign with a near-unanimous MVP run, scoring all but one first place vote after pacing the Senior Circuit with 121 runs and 7.7 bWAR for the World Champion Cubbies. Bryant improved significantly as a hitter in his sophomore campaign, slashing his strikeout rate from 30.6 percent to 22.6 percent while adding even more power. With above average defense and baserunning to go with his elite bat, he's already a superstar entering his age-25 season.

4. Jose Altuve
Houston had a disappointing season in 2016, but Altuve's was the best of his career. In addition to winning his second batting title (.338) and leading the Majors in hits with 216, he achieved personal bests in home runs (24), RBI (96), OBP (.396) and slugging (.531). The diminutive second baseman has steadily improved his power stroke over the past three seasons, emerging as a perennial MVP candidate.

5. Josh Donaldson
Donaldson continued to produce at an MVP level, notching his fourth straight season with at least 7.0 WAR after clubbing 37 home runs and slashing .284/.404/.549 (155 wRC+). He also became more selective or pitchers started being more afraid of him, as his 109 walks were easily a career high.

6. Robinson Cano
Cano carried his torrid second half of 2015 all the way through last season, belting a career-high 39 home runs (more than the previous two years combined) while batting .298/.350/.533. His defense also returned to his previous Gold Glove level after slipping below average last year, helping him amass 7.3 bWAR. He now has more than 60 for his career and would be a Hall of Famer if he retired tomorrow.

7. Daniel Murphy
Murphy transformed from a solid, two-win second baseman into MVP runner-up overnight, starting with his Babe Ruth impersonation during last year's playoffs. He nearly won the batting title last year at .347 while launching 25 home runs -- more than he had in the previous two seasons combined (23). His power surge was no fluke, either, as his 47 doubles and .595 slugging led the NL. It's hard to believe this is the same guy who hit nine home runs and barely slugged .400 in 2014.

8. Manny Machado
Machado essentially replicated his 2015 breakout campaign at the plate, creating the same number of runs (113) while adding a bit more power to finish with career highs in runs (105), homers (37), RBIs (96), total bases (341) and slugging (.533). He also transferred his excellent defense from third base to shortstop for a good chunk of time while JJ Hardy was on the mend, even if the switch likely cost him a second straight Gold Glove at the hot corner.

9. Brian Dozier
After several seasons as one of baseball's most underrated stars, Dozier etched his name in history by becoming the first American Leaguer to sock 40 home runs while manning the keystone. He belted 42 in all, 23 of which came during the season's final two months. His career year went largely unnoticed during Minnesota's ghastly season, and led to his finishing 13th in the MVP race despite totaling 6.5 bWAR. More than a slugger, he's also an above average defender and baserunner (18 steals in 20 attempts).

Kershaw was superhuman despite missing 1/3 of the season (Pixels Talk)

10. Clayton Kershaw
Kershaw was having his best season ever when a back injury sidelined him in late June. He returned in September without skipping a beat, then finally exorcised his postseason demons by nailing down the last two outs of NLDS Game 5 with the winning run on base. His regular season was so otherworldly, however, that he finished fifth in the Cy Young vote despite missing two and a half months. He went 12-4 with a 1.69 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and a 1.80 FIP. He also paced the Majors with three shutouts despite making only 21 starts. Most impressively, he walked just 11 batters in 149 innings and his 15.64 K/BB ratio was the best in history.

11. Nolan Arenado
Arenado proved 2015's power spike was legit, leading the league in homers (41), RBI (133), and total bases (352) for the second straight year. He also showed the ability to reach base at an above-average clip for the first time in his career, doubling his walk rate to boost his OBP from .323 in '15 to .362. Throw in a near-.300 batting average (.294) and a fourth consecutive Gold Glove, and he's a bona fide star (6.5 bWAR). His numbers are much better at Coors, but his 16 road homers and .832 OPS away from home indicate he can hit anywhere.

12. Adrian Beltre
Beltre continues to age like fine wine, turning in one of the best seasons ever by a 37-year-old third sacker last year. His power returned after two straight seasons with less than 20 homers, as he totaled is most home runs (32) and RBIs (104) since 2012. In addition to batting .300/.358/.521 (130 wRC+), he netted his fifth Gold Glove for still being a human vacuum cleaner at the hot corner. Just 58 hits shy of 3,000 for his career, Beltre figures to reach several milestones this year, including 1,500 runs (72 away), 1,600 RBIs (29) away), 600 doubles (nine away), and 450 homers (five away). He's quickly turning into a slam-dunk Hall of Famer.

13. Max Scherzer
Scherzer's numbers were nearly identical to 2015's, when he finished fifth in the Cy Young voting, but he won the award after his record improved from 14-12 to 20-7. He topped the circuit in wins, innings (228 1/3), and K/BB ratio (5.07) while leading the Majors with 284 strikeouts and a 0.97 WHIP. Scherzer wasn't the best pitcher in the National League last year (that was Kershaw), but his combination of excellence and durability made him the top choice. His signature performance came against his former team -- the Tigers -- on May 11, when he became just the third pitcher ever to whiff 20 batters in a nine-inning game. That was his first double-digit strikeout performance of the year, but he would notch a dozen more (over 26 starts) before the season was through.

14. Joey Votto
Votto batted .207/.330/.367 through the season's first 50 games, causing many to question whether the 32-year-old was toast. He proceeded to hit .377/.479/.630 the rest of the way, proving he's still as lethal as ever. His .434 OBP and 160 OPS+ led the National League, while his .326 average was the second-highest mark of his career.

15. Justin Verlander
For the second time in the past five seasons, Verlander finished second in a Cy Young race he deserved to win (Kate Upton apparently thinks so). David Price robbed him of consecutive Cy's in 2012, and Price's current teammate Rick Porcello stole another election from him four years later. He was basically the AL equivalent of Madison Bumgarner, who was just a hair worse than Scherzer. His 254 strikeouts, 1.00 WHIP and 6.6 pitching bWAR all led the American League, and he finished just 2 1/3 frames shy of Price for the league-lead. If he can lower his home run rate (1.2 HR/9) next year, he may win the second Cy that has eluded him since 2011.

16. David Ortiz
All Ortiz did was have the greatest season ever by a quadragenarian hitter. The 40-year-old's 48 doubles, .620 slugging and 1.021 OPS all led the Majors, while his 127 RBI topped the American League. It wasn't a picture-perfect ending for the Sox slugger, as he managed just one hit while his team was swept out of the ALDS, but Ted Williams ain't got sh*t on him.

Sandoval Shaping Up

Can a slimmed-down Sandoval save his career? (Boston CBS Local)

Pablo Sandoval was probably pretty disappointed when he found out he was going to need season-ending shoulder surgery last May. Nobody wants to be told they’re done for the year when it’s only just begun, especially when your only memorable highlight was busting your belt. If there’s a silver lining from Sandoval's lost season, however, it’s that surgery might yet save his career.

Because let’s face it; even if he'd stayed healthy, Sandoval wasn't going to offer much last year. Coming off the worst season of his career, he arrived at spring training overweight (again), failed to bat said weight and wound up losing his starting job to a player making $17 million less than him. Sandoval rode the pine in April, appearing in just three games as Travis Shaw and the Red Sox got off to torrid starts.

Sandoval was stuck. His team had little use for him while his contract and recent performance made him untradeable. So he wasted away on the bench, watching Shaw’s success systematically destroy whatever shot he had at redemption in 2016.

Now, with Shaw out of the picture, Sandoval has another opportunity to get back in Boston’s good graces. He wisely used his time off to get in "the best shape of his life" and prove he’s serious about his conditioning. Hopefully he also used that time to fix his swing and work on his defense, but both should improve if he maintains his svelte physique.

A year off could do Sandoval wonders. It certainly did for John Lackey, another West Coast star who initially struggled upon signing a big contract with the Red Sox. After pitching at a historically awful level in 2011, Lackey missed all of ’12 recovering from Tommy John surgery. It was a turning point in his career, as a slimmed-down Lackey returned to form in 2013 and is still going strong into his late 30s.

After last year, Sandoval has nowhere to go but up. It’s not hard to imagine him having a similar renaissance in 2017, given that he’ll only be 30. He’ll also be extra motivated to prove himself after everything that's happened since he landed in Boston.

On the other hand, going under the knife may only hasten Sandoval’s decline. Adrian Gonzalez fell off significantly as a hitter following the same procedure, which doesn’t bode well for Sandoval -- a much lesser hitter to start with. He may also find that taking a whole year off severely disrupts his timing, which could prevent him from having the kind of start he needs to secure regular playing time again (Shaw may be gone, but Brock Holt and Rafael Devers are looming).

How the rest of Sandoval’s career plays out will likely be decided by what he does over the next calendar year. If he keeps the weight off and recovers the skills he showed in San Francisco, he'll return from the abyss. But if his body balloons and his struggles persist, he may lose his job for good.

Cavs' Poor Defense Puts Them Down 0-2

Cleveland's defense had no answer for the Warriors in Games 1 & 2 (TopBET.eu)

This submission comes from friend of the think tank Glen Krebs, who was probably wearing his Steph Curry Davidson jersey while writing this:

For the second straight game, the Cleveland Cavaliers' defensive issues from the regular season (but were masked by their dominance of the Eastern Conference) were exposed by the Golden State Warriors, as the Warriors trounced them by 33 points at the Oracle Arena on Sunday night.  

It's hard to believe this is the same Cleveland team that coasted to its second straight Finals, rolling over the rest of the East with its superior talent level.  Going against one of the best teams in history, however, its deep-seeded flaws have come to the forefront.  Heading back home for Game 3, the Cavaliers find themselves in a position they haven’t been in since 2008: down 0-2 in a playoff series. 

What has to be most concerning for the Cavs is that they seem to be running out of adjustments to make on defense.  Their personnel have put Tyronn Lue between a rock and a hard place in terms of defensive game planning.  Cleveland played defense at the beginning of Game 2 the same way they did in Game 1, with their guards fighting over off-ball screens and switching on off-ball screens.  Their defensive communication was still sloppy, however, leading to a series of easy lay-ups and open shots for Golden State during the first quarter.  

Lue adjusted by having the Cavs switch on everything, which incurred disastrous results as Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson were repeatedly switched onto Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.  The two bigs have shown no indication that they can adequately guard either of those two on the ball, forcing Lue back to his original game plan early in the second quarter. After that, it was all Warriors.

Although Lue seems to be running out of options, there is one key change he can make to try and (literally) slow Golden State down.  After Kyrie Irving went down with a fractured kneecap in Game 1 of last year's Finals, David Blatt reconfigured the offense to feature LeBron James catching the ball in the high post and running iso-heavy sets through him.  Although the strategy had mixed results as James had a historically inefficient Finals on offense, it did slow the Warriors down enough to keep the series competitive for the next five games. Now would seem to be the best time for Lue to return to that, as his players have repeatedly blown assignments in transition that have either led to wide-open threes or defensive mismatches that the Warriors capitalized on immediately.

LeBron must be more assertive in Game 3 (CheatSheet.com)

It will be interesting to see what LeBron’s mindset is at the beginning of Game 3.  Although he finished Game 2 with 19 points and a near triple-double, it never felt like James was in attack mode.  He seemed focused on getting his teammates involved early, finishing the first quarter with no points and five assists.   If LeBron really is the “offensive coordinator” of the Cavs as claims to be, then it was clear he wanted to spoon feed Irving and Love to get them in an early rhythm.  

While the reasoning behind this makes sense--if Irving and Kevin Love get going early they will have more confidence at the end of games--the best thing for Cleveland might be for James to attack early and often.  The consummate team player throughout his career (often to a fault), LeBron might have to let the other All-Stars worry about getting their shots while he’s on the bench.  The most important thing for him looking ahead will be getting Andre Iguodala in foul trouble at the beginning of Game 3 by using the home atmosphere to get some calls that went against him in Game 2. 

Finally, the Cavs were also out-rebounded on both ends of the floor.  Coming into the series, that was supposed to be one of their biggest advantages over the Warriors.  That was not the case in Game 2, however, as Golden State annihilated Cleveland on the boards, 46-34.  If the Cavaliers are to have any shot at making this series competitive, they need to reverse this trend immediately.  

That seems unlikely to happen, however. As much of a toll as the OKC series took on the Warriors, it forced them to focus on both individual and team rebounding in a way they hadn't all season.  Their newfound dedication to improving that weakness has completely snuffed out any advantage that the Cavs had on the glass.  Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green were active in the early going, with Bogut doing a commendable job boxing out Tristan Thompson and keeping offensive chances alive by tapping them off the glass.  After having to deal with Steven Adams and Serge Ibaka for the last two weeks, Bogut and Green must feel like a baseball player swinging a bat without the weights on it.  Barring a major injury or divine intervention, it feels like the Warriors are going to cap off the best season of all-time with a ring.

Random Musings from Game Two

1.     LeBron’s Post Problems

a.      If it’s possible for the best player in the world to improve upon anything this offseason, it’s his postgame.  The King has done a masterful job of transitioning his game to being almost completely interior-based to accommodate the strengths of Love and Irving.  Although James is a mismatch against any small forward and most traditional fours, he still has a tendency to end his post-ups by finding himself underneath the basket with a crowd of people around him.  If he can start his post moves with more of a plan and sprinkle in some counters when he gets stopped initially, he should be the best back-to-the-basket player in the league.  That’s a scary thought for the rest of the Association, considering he’s already a supersized Blake Griffin in his current iteration. 

2.     The Curious Case of Harrison Barnes

a.      For as much as Harrison Barnes has struggled this year, he has found new life against Cleveland.  Lue has tried to hide J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving on Barnes sporadically throughout the first two games without any success.  Barnes has done a great job exploiting Irving and Smith’s ball-watching tendencies by cutting for open looks close to the basket and driving to a spot that puts the defense at a disadvantage and opens up playmaking for his teammates.  Although Barnes struggles at creating his own shot and often seems to get in his own head, his smart play on both ends of the court show he is still a valuable asset for Golden State.

3.      Richard Jefferson’s Last Stand

a.      One Finals story that never gets old is that of the veteran role player, long past his glory days who knows this is his last real chance at a ring.  Jefferson is that guy this year.  He was ignominiously traded from Golden State in 2013 to clear up cap space fir Iguodala, his four year $39 million contract suddenly an albatross.  Although Jefferson is nowhere close to the player he was as an All-Star with the New Jersey Nets of the early 2000’s, he has aged gracefully as a backup small forward for these Cavaliers.  He was one of their few bright spots in Game 2, tallying 12 points and five rebounds in a throwback performance  Here’s to hoping to he’ll be able to continue that success as the series progresses.  

Boston Back on Top?

Can Price (center) get Boston back on track in 2016? (MLB.com)

The Red Sox start spring training today, which means it's time to assess their busy offseason and chances at contending in 2016.

 

The Good:

Boston addressed its greatest need; pitching. After stumbling through last year without an ace, Dave Dombrowski ponied up for one by handing David Price a six-year, $217 million contract. One of the best pitchers in the game, Price makes Boston's rotation drastically better and is capable of adding five to six wins by himself. 

While Price was their biggest splash this winter, the Red Sox made upgraded other problem areas as well. Their bullpen was horrendous last year, but now looks like one of the league's best with the additions of Craig Kimbrel and Carson Smith. They also took a flier on Carlos Marmol, who has the potential to be a valuable contributor if he could just get his wildness under control.

Lastly, Boston added outfield depth and a power bat off the depth in Chris Young, a lefty-masher who should fill the role that Jonny Gomes and Cody Ross have played in the past. 

While the Red Sox finished last again in 2015, it's important to remember that they were only outscored by five runs over the course of the season, so they weren't actually that bad. It's also encouraging that they were one of the best teams in the second half without a) any of the names mentioned above, and b) several star players, including Hanley Ramirez, Clay Buchholz, and Dustin Pedroia. Supplement their new additions with continued growth from Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Henry Owens, and Eduardo Rodriguez (all 23) as well as Blake Swihart (24), plus a healthy Christian Vazquez behind the plate, and Boston should be substantially better in 2016.

The Bad:

Boston's rotation remains incredibly shaky beyond Price. Rick Porcello was a major disappointment last year, and no one still has any idea what to expect from Buchholz, Owens and Rodriguez have just 32 combined major league starts under their belts, which means their futures likely include more growing pains. Third-year starter Roenis Elias offers depth but doesn't appear to be anything more than a league average starter (Wade Miley wasn't anything special, but at least he was reliable). Furthermore, Boston's rotation is now excessively left-handed, which could spell trouble in Fenway Park.

The Red Sox look great up the middle, but their corner infielders appear to be a problem. Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez were two of the worst players in baseball last year, as both supplied sub-.300 OBPs and horrific defense at offense-first positions last year. Sandoval has been steadily declining for some time now (his OPS has dropped every year since 2011) and Ramirez is 32, so it's hardly a given that either will return to form. To make matters worse, both are drastically overpaid and thus untradeable. Ramirez is also learning a new position (first base), which didn't go well last time. 

The largely unproven outfield could potentially be a mess as well. Betts is a superstar in the making, but may regress in his second full season as pitchers adjust. Rusney Castillo and Jackie Bradley, Jr. are several years older but just as inexperienced. Castillo has underwhelmed since signing a seven-year, $72.5 million contract while Bradley, as great as he is in center field, is still searching for consistency at the plate. Young's a solid fourth outfielder, but he's also 32 and will be exposed if he's forced into an everyday role.

Lastly, while the Red Sox are a mostly young team, they are still counting on several older players to be productive. Pedroia is 32 and has spent time on the disabled list in four of the past six seasons, meaning he's a good bet to get hurt again. Koji Uehara will be 41 in April and was hurt last year. David Ortiz is 40, and the list of productive hitters at his age is woefully short. Boston's offense looks a lot less scary if Papi and Pedroia are absent or otherwise not themselves, plus their bullpen won't be nearly as formidable if Uehara can't sustain his dominance.

Prediction: Boston's improved, but Toronto's still the team to beat in the AL East. Luckily for the Sox, none of their division rivals made much of an effort to improve this winter, so look for them to threaten 90 wins and a wild card berth. 

Who's Number One in Fantasy?

Let the debates begin (ESPN)

With the Super Bowl over and Spring Training just days away, it's time to start making preparations (if you haven't already) for fantasy baseball.

One scenario that every player must prepare for is what he'll do if the fantasy gods bless him with the top pick in his draft. That hasn't required much thought the last few years, as Mike Trout was clearly the top choice in fantasy due to his age and all-around skill set, but with the emergence of Bryce Harper it's not so clear-cut. And could Paul Goldschmidt really be a better fantasy option than both of them? Let's find out.

The case for Trout:

Trout isn't quite as valuable in fantasy as he once was due to his shrinking stolen base totals and back-to-back seasons below .300, but he's still arguably the top choice. Trout's sacrificed some average for power the last two years, which has helped him produce career-highs in home runs both seasons. He's now a threat to go yard 40 times which, combined with his huge runs/RBI figures and double-digit stolen base totals, guarantees elite production across the board. His averages, while not what they once were, are still pretty good, making him a true five-category contributor. Trout's also been phenomenal at making adjustments since arriving in the majors, which makes him a good bet to maintain, if not improve on, his stellar numbers (it'd be nice if the Angels put some decent hitters around him, though). Draft Trout with confidence, make sure he's in your lineup Opening Day, and forget about him the rest of the season.

My Projections: 110 R 37 HR 96 RBI 13 SB .295 BA

The case for Harper

When healthy, Harper has the potential to be the best player in baseball, as he proved last year when he batted .330/.460/.649 (205 OPS+) with 42 home runs and 9.9 bWAR. "When healthy" is the key phrase there, as 2015 marked the first time in four seasons that Harper eclipsed 140 games. He also doesn't run much anymore, with only eight steals in his past two seasons, so he's more of a four-category stud. But man, he'll carry you in those four categories. He might be the only player in baseball capable of winning a batting title and a home run crown (which he nearly did last year), and he should be good for around 100 runs and RBI again. The RBI total might drop to "disappointing" Joey Votto levels because of his weak supporting cast and how often he gets walked with guys on base, but he'll still be a boon in that department. Plus he's only 23, which means he might, you know, get better (only kidding).

My Projections: 111 R 38 HR 105 RBI 7 SB .311 BA

The case for Goldschmidt

Arizona's first baseman is a true five-category monster--Miguel Cabrera if Cabrera could run. He's batted over .300 each of the past three years and exceeded 30 home runs, 100 runs/RBI, and double digits steals in the two seasons where he was healthy. Nobody else has done that multiple times during that span, making Goldy the best bet to provide help in all five departments. He's 28, plays everyday, and calls one of the friendliest hitter's parks in the majors home. All signs point to another big season from Goldschmidt, especially if A.J. Pollock repeats his breakout batting in front of him.

My Projections: 103 R 34 HR 112 RBI 19 SB .316 BA

My gut says to go with Trout, but based on the numbers I actually think I like Goldschmidt a bit more. I'd expect him to hit for a higher average, steal more bases, and knock in a few more runs. However, you usually need at least three (often five) outfielders as opposed to only one first baseman, so positional scarcity might sway me back to Team Trout.

Red Sox New Year's Resolutions

Ramirez (left) and Sandoval were duds in their Red Sox debuts (Yahoo Sports)

No matter how dedicated we are to our new gym memberships, it's going to take awhile for most of us to shed those unwanted pounds we packed on during the holidays. The Boston Red Sox, however, have used the last few months to beef up in a good way, bolstering their starting rotation as well as their bullpen. While they're already looking new and improved, here are some things they need to do to ensure good health in 2016:

Maintain their second half momentum

While the Red Sox sunk themselves with a terrible start last year, they were quietly one of the hottest teams in baseball after the All-Star break. From July 30th on, Boston had the fourth-best record in the American League and outscored everyone except the Toronto Blue Jays thanks to big turnarounds from David Ortiz and Blake Swihart as well as unexpected production from Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Travis Shaw. Their pitching improved too, with Rick Porcello and Joe Kelly rebounding from disastrous first halves while Eduardo Rodriguez and Henry Owens improved down the stretch. Boston played terrific baseball for two months without Dustin Pedroia, Hanley Ramirez, and Clay Buchholz, leaving one to wonder what the Sox are capable of if they can all stay healthy.

Fix Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez

Boston desperately needs to get something from their two highest-paid position players, because last year they got less than nothing from the $40 million tandem. Both were All-Stars before joining the Red Sox and are young enough to return to that level, but they need to remind Bostonians why their team shelled out $170 million to acquire them in the first place. Ramirez should have an easier time at first base than he did in left field, while Sandoval's offense should bounce back after cratering last year. 

Play Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Rusney Castillo regularly

After years of trying to figure out what the future holds for Bradley (26) and Castillo (27), the time has come for Boston to commit to them as everyday outfielders or start searching for replacements. Bradley's entering his fourth season and has yet to prove he can hit consistently at the major league level, whereas Castillo is much too expensive be a project at over $10 million per year. Neither has logged a full season in the Show yet, but they're both in their primes now and it's not like the Red Sox have better options. Boston needs to know what these guys are capable of, because if they're not everyday players then they'll need to find outfield help fast.

Have a backup plan

Even with the (costly) addition of David Price, Boston's rotation is still loaded with question marks. Buchholz is expected to be the team's second best starter after Price, and he's been one of the most volatile--not to mention injury-prone--pitchers in baseball. Porcello was a major disappointment last year and will be again if he can't keep the ball down. Joe Kelly has potential but seems better suited for the bullpen. Owens and Rodriguez also have potential but just 32 combined major league starts between them, which makes them difficult to count on this year. Roenis Elias and Steven Wright offer depth, but you don't want either one making regular turns. Even Price is a bit risky given the heavy workload he's carried the past six seasons, making him increasingly susceptible to injury as he enters his 30s. It's entirely possible that Boston ends the season with a completely different rotation than the one it starts with, which means the Sox may want to consider shipping out some of their prospects for a proven starter at some point.

Commit to a catcher

Boston is blessed with two young, talented backstops in Christian Vazquez and Blake Swihart. Their skillsets are very different, however, as Vazquez is an excellent pitch-framer and potential Gold Glove winner while Swihart is a switch-hitter with Matt Wieters potential. Swihart looks like the better long-term option due to his bat, which improved by leaps and bounds in the second half along with his defense. Boston was in a similar position in 2013, when they had two phenoms at short (Jose Iglesias and Xander Bogaerts)--one of whom was a defensive wizard while the other excelled at the plate--and wound up trading the better fielder (Iglesias) for starting pitching help at the deadline. The Red Sox would be wise to make a similar decision this year, dealing from a position of strength to address their needs. With Ryan Hanigan also in the mix, they'll want to avoid carrying three catchers on their 25-man roster.

Utilize the bullpen effectively

With Craig Kimbrel, Koji Uehara, and Carson Smith at his disposal, John Farrell has a dominant trio of relievers capable of shortening games by several innings. He should not hesitate, however, to use them to get out of jams in the middle innings, rather than save them for late inning save opportunities that may never come. If Boston's going to roll the dice with this iffy rotation, Farrell needs to forego conventional bullpen usage and be aggressive with his firemen by deploying them in high leverage situations (as Joe Maddon does).

This is going to be a big year for the Red Sox, who seem to be at a crossroads with their manager and numerous players. Everyone on the roster has something to prove and a lot of questions need to be answered as the team tries to chart a new course under Dave Dombrowski. Above all, Boston must get back on track after finishing last three of the past four years, if not by making the playoffs this year then by greasing the skids to do so next year. The Sox certainly have the talent to do so; they just need to find a way to make it all work.

Top 10 Remaining Free Agents

Chris Davis is still the market's top prize (CBS Sports)

With the offseason now two months old, several of this winter's big-ticket free agents are already off the board. Most of the top hurlers--Zack Greinke, David Price, Jordan Zimmermann--in this year's class have been scooped up, but a plethora of impact position players remain. Here are the 10 best players still up for grabs, with next year's age in parentheses:

1. Chris Davis (30)

Crush quietly had a monster season for the Orioles, re-establishing himself as the best slugger in baseball with a major league-leading 47 home runs and 12.2 AB/HR ratio (his .300 ISO was second only to Bryce Harper). Nobody has swatted more homers over the past four years, during which time Davis has averaged 40 big flies per season. Sure, he strikes out a lot, but he actually hits for solid averages and gets on base plenty via walks. His profile is eerily similar to Ryan Howard's, however, which should make teams think twice before handing him the pretty penny he's going to cost.

2. Justin Upton (28)

After an up-and-down tenure with the Diamondbacks, Upton has stayed remarkably consistent over the past three years, settling into a three-win player with close to 30-home run power. He's durable, having exceeded 149 games five years in a row, and a capable left fielder to boot. He'll even steal a base every now and then. One cause for concern, however, is that his OBP has declined every year since 2011.

3. Yoenis Cespedes (30)

It's hard to believe that Cespedes is already 30, seeing as how he's only been in the league four years. He's had two amazing years sandwiched around two so-so ones, but he is one of the more reliable sources of righthanded power in the game. He's also a good defensive outfielder, though he was horribly miscast as a center fielder with the Mets last year. Cespedes can hit anywhere, as he's posted strong numbers despite playing in some brutal slugger's parks in Oakland, Detroit, and New York, so if he lands in a hitter's haven watch out.

4. Alex Gordon (32)

No left fielder has provided more defensive value than Gordon over the last five years (Martin Prado only played left in 2011 and 2012), which is reflected in his four straight Gold Gloves. He's also a pretty great hitter, too, typically good for around 20 homers with double digit steals and strong on-base numbers. Add it all up and Gordon's been one of the 10 most valuable position players over the last half decade, ahead of flashier names like Dustin Pedroia, Evan Longoria, and Giancarlo Stanton. He turns 32 next month and missed almost 60 games last year with a groin injury, but he had been exceptionally durable before that and his all-around skill-set should age well,

5. Matt Wieters (30)

Teams in need of a backstop should consider rolling the dice on Wieters, who's been limited to 101 games over the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery. He was a durable two-way receiver before that, however, and has remained productive at the plate in spite of his injury woes. He's still young enough to rebound, and his price should be reasonable given his spotty track record. He's the perfect candidate for a one-year deal to rebuild his value, as Adrian Beltre did with Boston in 2010.

6. Wei-Yin Chen (30)

The ideal midrotation starter, Chen has remained consistent, healthy, and effective while cutting his teeth in the AL East. The lefty is more of a finesse pitcher, as his strikeout rate is only average, but he hardly walks anybody. You know what you're getting from him, which makes him one of the safer investments this offseason.

7. Dexter Fowler (30)

Last winter, the Cubs traded for Fowler to be their everyday center fielder and leadoff man. The catalyst for Joe Maddon's fearsome lineup, he drew a career-high 84 walks, scored a career-high 102 runs, and swiped 20 bases--his most since 2009. He also tossed in 17 homers, another personal best. The former Rockie has proved he can thrive outside of Coors Field, so teams shouldn't be shy about bringing on the outfielder.

8. Yovani Gallardo (30)

No longer the power pitcher who eclipsed 200 strikeouts in four straight seasons, Gallardo has remade himself into an effective ground ball pitcher. That approach served him well in his transition to the American League last year, which went more smoothly than I or anyone else anticipated (his ERA improved despite pitching half his games in Texas). Solid as a rock, he's made at least 30 starts and exceeded 180 innings in each of the past seven years, only one of which yielded an ERA over four. He's not sexy, but as with Mike Leake reliability is his strong suit.

9. Ian Desmond (30)

Desmond is hitting the market at a terrible time, coming off his worst offensive season to date. It wasn't merely a fluke, either, as his numbers have steadily declined since his All-Star breakout in 2012. His strikeout numbers have gotten out of control--370 times over the past two years--for a guy with 20-homer power. In his defense, no shortstop has launched more homers over the past four years, and Desmond was the only player to go 20/20 every year from 2012-2014 (when he earned three straight Silver Sluggers). Desmond also salvaged his poor 2015 with a strong finish, rallying from a horrid first half to slash .272/.343/.464 with a dozen homers after July 19th. He's a decent defender, but all his offensive value is tied up in his power, so if that dries up he'll become unplayable.

10. Howie Kendrick (32)

Kendrick has been one of the steadiest second-basemen in the game over the past decade, routinely providing above average offense and capable defense at the keystone. Injuries have cut into his playing time lately, causing him to miss at least 40 games in two of the past three seasons, but he's remained as productive as ever with the stick. An annual threat to bat .300, he should have several more solid seasons ahead of him, especially if he winds up in a hitter's park for a change. However, he's getting to an age where even the best second-sackers typically show signs of decline.

16 to Watch in 2016

All eyes will be on Big Papi next year (Monstah Mash)

With 2016 just around the corner, here are 16 players you should be watching next year:

1. David Ortiz

In his final season and still one of the best hitters in baseball, Big Papi should give us a victory lap to remember.

2. Adam Wainwright

How will the 34 year-old Cardinals ace hold up after missing most of last season with an Achilles injury? He only pitched out of the bullpen after coming back late last year, but St. Louis is counting on him to be a frontline starter.

3. Alex Rodriguez

Rodriguez returned from a year-long suspension to post one of his best seasons in years, He dropped off sharply in the second half, batting just .191/.300/.377 after August 1st, causing doubt as to whether he can repeat that performance at age 40. Health permitting, however, he should become the fourth player to surpass 700 long balls.

4. Carlos Correa

Can't wait to see what the A-Rod clone (Mariners version) does in his first full season. He's only 21.

5. Jason Heyward

Will Wrigley Field help him realize his power potential? Probably not, but perhaps a second 20-homer season (and his first since 2012) is in the cards.

6. Carlos Gomez

One of the game's premier talents with Milwaukee the last few years, Gomez was an absolute disaster after getting traded to Houston last summer. 2016 is a contract year for the 30 year-old, so expect him to right the ship.

7. Jackie Bradley, Jr.

We know he can play a mean center field, but we still don't know if he can hit major league pitching. JBJ is entering his fourth season and turns 26 in April, so he's running out of chances to prove himself.

8. Zack Greinke

How will going from from one of baseball's pitching-friendliest venues to one of its hitting-friendliest affect the 32 year-old? Let's just say I don't see any more Cy Youngs in his future.

9. Kris Bryant

As great as Bryant was last year, he didn't come close to touching his 40-homer ceiling. We'll see what adjustments he makes as a sophomore, or if his strikeout problem (199 K's last year--most in the NL) drags him down some.

10. Joc Pederson

Pederson had a terrific first half but fell apart after the All-Star break. Did the league figure him out, or was it merely pitchers adjusting to the talented rookie? The Dodgers are hoping for more consistency from their 24 year-old center fielder in 2016.

11. Wil Myers

Still waiting to see what the former AL Rookie of the Year can do in a full schedule, as he has averaged just 78 games per year over his first three. Now 25, he should be entering his prime.

12. Bryce Harper

You're not not going to watch Bryce Harper.

13. Yasiel Puig

Just a few years ago he looked like the next Mike Trout, but his injury-married 2015 marked a huge step back for him. His Hanley Ramirez-esque attitude problems are a huge issue, but that can be overlooked if he finally puts it all together.

14. Nolan Arenado

Can he come close to replicating last year's power outburst? As long as he plays half his games in Coors Field, he has a chance.

15. John Farrell

Boston played considerably better after cancer forced Farrell from the dugout, leaving one to wonder whether he's contributing to the team's consecutive last place finishes. Farrell's under contract through 2017, but should the Sox sputter again he'll likely be out of a job by season's end.

16. The Yankees Bullpen

With Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and now Aroldis Chapman waiting for teams at the end of games, will the Yankees lose any games they're leading after the sixth inning? New York is still a flawed team, but its relief corps should be the best in baseball.

My 2016 Hall of Fame Ballot

Bonds and Clemens are the most deserving candidates on this year's ballot (CBS Sports)

Hall of Fame ballots were due Monday, and while I don't have a vote here is how I would have voted if I did. As has been the case the last few years, there are more qualified candidates than one is allowed to vote for, due to the Hall's arbitrary 10-player maximum. As such, my ballot reflects the 10 players I believe are most worthy of enshrinement, though several more (listed below) also deserve to have their name called in Cooperstown one day.

1. Barry Bonds

2. Roger Clemens

3. Ken Griffey, Jr.

4. Jeff Bagwell

5. Mike Piazza

6. Curt Schilling

7. Mike Mussina

8. Tim Raines

9. Larry Walker

10. Mark McGwire

11. Sammy Sosa

12. Edgar Martinez

13. Jim Edmonds

14. Alan Trammell

15. Jeff Kent

16. Gary Sheffield

17. Fred McGriff

18. Trevor Hoffman

19. Billy Wagner

20. Lee Smith

Two ballots barely fits all the Hall-worthy candidates on this year's ballot. No wonder there's such a logjam to get into Cooperstown.