MLB

There isn't a baseball fan alive—myself included—that at one point or another hasn't been convinced that they could do a better job of running their favorite team than the general manager at the time.

Yet how many of us could honestly handle the pressure that comes along with the job?

Although they usually don’t feature the same combination of big-ticket prospects and all-around depth as the Arizona Fall League, the various international winter leagues at least offer those of us going through offseason prospect withdrawal a temporary fix.

Put a whole bunch of Major League Baseball executives and player agents in one place for a few days, and there's bound to be action.

Yup, it's time to start looking forward to the winter meetings. The offseason has already produced its share of impact trades and free-agent signings, and there ought to be a few more in San Diego next week.

Naturally, that's our cue to see if we can predict some of them.

Prizes are only as valuable as the people who covet them.

That is why the first month-plus of Major League Baseball’s offseason has been a slugfest for those who slug. Like wild and crazy Black Friday shoppers looking for the season’s hottest toy in a snug department-store aisle, baseball executives are doing all they can to lure the winter’s best bats.

If there is a forgotten man in Major League Baseball's vast crop of unsigned free-agent pitchers, it's James Shields. 

Sure, the 32-year-old right-hander has been the subject of numerous rumors. But while twin aces Max Scherzer and Jon Lester have commanded the offseason spotlight, Shields has been mostly shoved into the shadows.

Is this fair? That's an interesting question.

After looking up at the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in the NL West in 2014, the San Diego Padres are giving off strong signals that they mean to level the playing field this winter.

Question is: Is Matt Kemp the right man for the job?

Former Major League pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka signed a contract with Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of the Pacific League in Japan.

Ervin Santana hit the free-agent market last winter with hope of scoring a long-term deal. It never materialized, so he inked a one-year pact with the Atlanta Braves. After a solid campaign, he's set to enter the open market once again.

He came out of the gates on fire for Atlanta. He went 3-0 with a 1.95 ERA in four April starts. It was an up-and-down season from that point forward, with the final stat line showing a 3.95 ERA with 179 strikeouts in 196 innings over 31 starts.

The Toronto Blue Jays made big news late last week, executing a blockbuster trade with the Oakland A’s, receiving Josh Donaldson in exchange for Brett Lawrie and three prospects.

The Pittsburgh Pirates currently are in a situation that a lot of teams would like to be in: They have a surplus of reliable and productive outfielders.  

The most well-known outfielder on Pittsburgh's depth chart is obviously 2013 National League Most Valuable Player Andrew McCutchen, who has become the face of the franchise in his six-year career.