MLB

MLB free agency is usually frustrating to follow for fans of low-spending teams.

Thankfully, the class of 2014 is unique. This offseason, many of the top available players could wind up committing to under-the-radar organizations.

You'll see the New York Yankees attempt to use a ladder of cash to climb back to the playoffs, and the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers plan to overpay to fill their roster holes (again). The rich keep getting richer.

While nothing has been said about Rafael Furcal returning to the St. Louis Cardinals, if the right deal doesn’t come along, it could be the smartest option.

The free agent market for this year is extremely slim—and there’s little doubt GM John Mozeliak would rather spend dollars (which they have) than prospects (which they cherish).

We can make all the predictions we want about the upcoming offseason. But the reality of the prediction business is that each time a move is made that comes out of left field, a lot of the thinking that went into the remaining predictions can go right out the window.

FOX is currently searching for an MLB color commentator to replace Tim McCarver, who retired at the culmination of the World Series, and Harold Reynolds is reportedly at the top of the list of candidates. 

Many words get used to describe the offseason in Major League Baseball, but looking at what awaits us this year, the one I keep coming back to is "uncertainty."

Look at the crop of free agents, potential trade chips, possible suspensions, players returning from suspensions and foreign players looking for big contracts if you don't believe me. All of this screams of an unclear and volatile offseason that will get crazy in a hurry. 

From an outside perspective, Major League Baseball's offseason can be difficult to understand. Unlike the NBA, NFL and NHL, a salary cap isn't present to handcuff the ability of an organization to retain stars with expiring pacts.

Yet, despite the lack of a unified budget for each team, owners and front office executives have limits for each player during the hot-stove season.

A Los Angeles Angel today, not a Los Angeles Angel tomorrow. That’s the reality several of the key players on the Angels roster face as the organization moves into a busy offseason.

Right about now, the Boston Red Sox probably aren't too focused on their future. After capturing their third World Series title in the last decade on Wednesday, the present is just too good.

Heck, they haven't even done the parade yet. The duck boats await on Saturday.

The Boston Red Sox have picked up the 2014 club option in starting pitcher Jon Lester's contract, which will pay him $13 million, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford:

Per source, Red Sox have activated Jon Lester's $13 million option for next season

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) November 1, 2013

The Red Sox confirm the news:

Of the free agents who will be able to negotiate and sign with new teams beginning on Tuesday, November 5, several of them had an extended opportunity to increase (or decrease) their value in the postseason. 

While only a handful of innings pitched or a small sample size of at-bats normally wouldn't move the needle very much on a veteran player's perceived value, a player's ability to produce in the playoffs certainly can. 

Here are 10 players whose asking price has likely risen or fallen since the end of the regular season.