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MLB Winter Meetings 2017: 5 biggest winners

By Joshua Sadlock

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 31: Brandon Morrow #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in game six of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 31: Brandon Morrow #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in game six of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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1. Middle relievers

While All-Star closers Wade Davis and Greg Holland wait around, the middle relievers are getting PAID. Here is a breakdown of all the setup men and sixth-inning guys who signed new contracts during the Winter Meetings:

  • Brandon Morrow — Chicago Cubs, two years, $21 million
  • Mike Minor — Texas Rangers, three years, $28 million
  • Joe Smith — Houston Astros, two years, $15 million
  • Anthony Swarzak — New York Mets, two years, $14 million
  • Steve Cishek — Chicago Cubs, two years, $12-14 million
  • Jake McGee — Colorado Rockies, three years, $27 million
  • Bryan Shaw — Colorado Rockies, three years, $27 million
  • Yusmeiro Petit — Oakland Athletics, two years, $10 million
  • Pat Neshek — Philadelphia Phillies, two years, $16.25 million
  • Tommy Hunter — Philadelphia Phillies, two years, $18 million
  • Brandon Kintzler — Washington Nationals, two years, $10 million
  • Juan Nicasio — Seattle Mariners, two years, $17 million
  • Luke Gregerson — St. Louis Cardinals, two years, $11 million
  • Fernando Rodney — Minnesota Twins, one year, $6 million

The rise in analytics and the understanding that most pitchers — save the Clayton Kershaws and Max Scherzers of the world — are not effective more than two times through a lineup has made middle relievers more important than ever. If you don’t have four competent relievers — in addition to your closer — you may as well not even bother showing up for the postseason. It’s also worth noting that veteran relievers have become a sort of currency for rebuilding teams to hold and use at the trade deadline. How else to explain the Phillies plopping down nearly $35 million for Neshek and Hunter?

Next: 5 teams who should target Manny Machado

Middle relievers had always been viewed as interchangeable parts by general managers and front offices, but this run at the Winter Meetings shows that line of thinking is way in the past. The market is slow to develop at every other position, and power bats aren’t nearly as valuable as they once were. In this new era of pitching, the middle reliever is king of the offseason.

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