MLB

The hot stove is officially cookin', but with Major League Baseball's winter meetings set to start on Monday, Dec. 9, in Orlando, it's as good a time as any to take a break from all the heat—and take stock of the fantasy impact from all the activity.

Owners and general managers from all 30 MLB teams will convene in Orlando, Fla., starting on Monday for the four-day winter meetings that could include more big deals.

This past week has been a busy one for offseason MLB player movement, and there are still many high-profile trade candidates who could be moved in the near future. Here are the latest rumblings regarding three of the top pitchers available on the trade market.

Nobody is offering the New York Yankees a shoulder to cry on following Friday's free-agent departures of Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson.

When the money's available and there are no clear options to replace him in-house or on the free-agent market, sometimes the best thing to do is re-sign your own guy.

Everyone, let's thank the Boston Red Sox for demonstrating this concept by agreeing to a deal with Mike Napoli. He will be back in Boston in 2014. And 2015 too.

Eight-time MLB All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran has reportedly signed a three-year contract with the New York Yankees, marking the sixth time he's moved teams entering his 17th season.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News broke the news on Friday:

BREAKING: Source says Yankees and Carlos Beltran have agreed to a three-year deal. More details to come.

Mike Napoli has reportedly reached an agreement to return to the Boston Red Sox. He Tweeted about the deal on Friday night:

This has been a week worthy of the Hot Stove Hall of Fame.

Though the winter meetings don't kick off until Monday, there were enough free-agent signings and trades made over the last few days for several winter meetings. Notably, the two best free agents are off the board, and some big pieces got moved via the trade market.

Robinson Cano's ten-year, $240 million deal with the Seattle Mariners, which was first reported by Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes (spanish link) earlier in the day, ties him with Albert Pujols for the third-highest contract ever handed out to a major league player—Alex Rodriguez holds the record for the first two sp

Things have really been heating up on the MLB Hot Stove as of late. A number of big-name free agents have already signed, but there are more top players that are still on the market.

Teams will be competing over the remaining free agents, but there are some fits that are much better than others.

However, for one reason or another, there are many dream MLB free-agent fits that simply will not happen this winter. A player may be perfect for a team, but it might not be able to afford him.

With the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reporting that the New York Mets inked Curtis Granderson to a four-year, $60 million deal, the team is undoubtedly improved heading into the 2014 season.