In just two short weeks, pitchers and catchers will begin reporting to spring training and camps will open across Florida and Arizona. The first Grapefruit League and Cactus League games are less than four weeks away. Baseball is coming, folks.
Barring a surprise blockbuster trade, teams are done with their heavy lifting this offseason. We have a pretty good idea how each team will look and a pretty good idea which teams will contend in 2017. And we'll be wrong! That's what makes baseball fun. It would be boring if it were predictable.
What we do know, at least to some degree, is how much pressure each team is facing this coming season. Pressure to win right now, in 2017. Some teams are all-in. Others are looking ahead to 2018 and beyond. So, with that in mind, let's look at how much pressure to win each team is under this season, shall we?
Arizona Diamondbacks
2017 Pressure Level: Low
The D-Backs have a new general manager (Mike Hazen) and a new manager (Torey Lovullo) who will be tasked with picking up the pieces left behind by the Dave Stewart regime. A.J. Pollock is two years away from free agency and Paul Goldschmidt is three years away, so Hazen & Co. will have some tough decisions to make in the near future. For now, in 2017, not too many folks expect big things from Arizona.
Atlanta Braves
2017 Pressure Level: Low
Yes, the Braves did acquire some low-cost veterans on one-year contracts, and yes, they are opening SunTrust Park, but the club is still very much rebuilding. Their offseason moves were made in an effort to be respectable this coming season, not win it all. Atlanta boasts a powerhouse farm system with more high-end pitching than any team in baseball, and once that pitching arrives, then the pressure will really be on.
Baltimore Orioles
2017 Pressure Level: High
The O's have had some nice success the past five seasons, going to the postseason thrice and even advancing to the ALCS in 2014. Now they're at the point where they need something to show for this recent success. Franchise cornerstone Manny Machado and ace closer Zach Britton are two years away from free agency, and veterans like Adam Jones and Chris Davis are still in their prime. The window to win won't get any more open.
Boston Red Sox
2017 Pressure Level: High
The pressure is always on in Boston, and that is especially true now following the Chris Sale blockbuster trade. That's a move you make when you want to win the World Series, not simply get over the hump and win a postseason game or two. The Red Sox have a ton of talented young players, most notably Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, but with Sale joining reigning AL Cy Young award winner Rick Porcello and $1 million-per-start man David Price, the time to win is right now.
Chicago Cubs
2017 Pressure Level: Moderate
It would be high had the Cubs not, you know, won the World Series last year. The Theo Epstein regime got that 108-year-old monkey off the franchise's back, so now they can focus on building a dynasty, not simply exorcising some demons. I do think the Cubs feel some pressure to win again given the status of their veteran starters -- Jake Arrieta and John Lackey will be free agents next winter, and Jon Lester is entering his mid-30s -- though given their stellar young position player core, this team is in good shape for a long time.
Chicago White Sox
2017 Pressure Level: Low
The White Sox are rebuilding. They made it official when they traded Chris Sale and Adam Eaton this offseason. Chances are Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier and David Robertson will be traded in the coming weeks and months as well. Maybe even Jose Abreu. The White Sox aren't looking to win this year. The goal is to improve and add depth to their young talent base.
Cincinnati Reds
2017 Pressure Level: Low
Another rebuilding team. The Reds have traded most of their veterans -- Zack Cozart is the notable exception since Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips probably aren't going anywhere -- and now they're trying to turn their prospects into big leaguers. Given their ultra-competitive division, winning in 2017 feels like a pipe dream. Their goals are more long-term.
Cleveland Indians
2017 Pressure Level: High
Even without two of their three best starters ( Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar) and their best all-around hitter (Michael Brantley), the Indians pushed the best team in baseball to extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series. They gave Edwin Encarnacion the largest free-agent contract in franchise history this offseason to add more thump, and they'll have a full season of Andrew Miller in 2017 as well. The Indians are set up for immediate success, and given their status as a small payroll club, that success can be fleeting. Now is the time to capitalize.
Colorado Rockies
2017 Pressure Level: Moderate
Expectations are mounting. The Rockies have a bona fide franchise player in Nolan Arenado, a great supporting cast that includes Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu, a cache of youngsters like David Dahl and Trevor Story and the promise of a young pitching staff. Jon Gray, Chad Bettis, Tyler Anderson and Jeff Hoffman form the best collection of young arms in franchise history. The Rockies might not get to the postseason this year, but you can see the makings of a contender here, and soon the fan base will expect big things.
Detroit Tigers
2017 Pressure Level: High
The Tigers are the tough team to gauge. Early in the offseason general manager Al Avila indicated changes were on the horizon, and all that led to was the Cameron Maybin salary dump trade. Bottom line: The Tigers have Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander signed to massive contracts, ditto Justin Upton and Jordan Zimmermann, and they want to win with those guys. J.D. Martinez will be a free agent after 2017 as well. Until they go in to a full rebuild, it's full speed ahead for Detroit.
Houston Astros
2017 Pressure Level: High
Last season was a bit of a disappointment for the Astros, who missed the postseason a year after breaking through and getting to the ALDS. General manager Jeff Luhnow went out and added Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, Josh Reddick and Charlie Morton this offseason to give his team the best chance to win. And given all their talk about having the right process over the years, it's time to deliver.
Kansas City Royals
2017 Pressure Level: High
The 2015 World Series champions went 81-81 in 2016, and now they're faced with the prospect of losing many core players to free agency after 2017. Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar will all become free agents next winter. It's unlikely Kansas City will be able to re-sign all of them, so this season figures to be their last chance to win with this group. And if things aren't looking good at midseason, a trade deadline fire sale is very possible.
Los Angeles Angels
2017 Pressure Level: Moderate
The Angels went 74-88, the 10th worst record in baseball, yet there's reason to believe they can contend this summer. Franchise player Mike Trout, who will pass Chuck Finley for the franchise lead in WAR this summer, is signed for another four years, so that window is wide open. The problem? The Angels have a poor farm system and few young big leaguers. General manager Billy Eppler has done nice work with limited resources in his 16 months on the job, though he still has more to do to make this club World Series caliber.
Los Angeles Dodgers
2017 Pressure Level: High
Is any team under more pressure this season than the Dodgers? They have the generation's best pitcher in the prime of his career -- by the way, Clayton Kershaw can opt out of his contract following the 2018 season -- not to mention other win-now veterans like Rich Hill, Justin Turner, Adrian Gonzalez and Kenley Jansen making big bucks. Youngsters like Corey Seager, Joc Pederson and Julio Urias ensure the Dodgers aren't going away anytime soon, but this team has gone to the postseason four straight years without reaching the World Series.
Miami Marlins
2017 Pressure Level: Low
The Marlins have a very nice core -- Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Dee Gordon, J.T. Realmuto and Adam Conley are all either signed or under team control through 2020 -- though the death of Jose Fernandez will hurt the club's chances to contend in 2017 considerably. He was on the short list of the game's best pitchers and is basically impossible to replace. The Marlins, throughout their history, have played with relatively low expectations and twice come out of nowhere to win the World Series. That's where they stand right now. If they contend, it'll be an unexpected and fun ride.
Milwaukee Brewers
2017 Pressure Level: Low
The Brewers are another rebuilding club and they are very close to seeing some of their top young prospects reach the big leagues. Shortstop Orlando Arcia arrived last year. This year outfielder Lewis Brinson and lefty Josh Hader should make their MLB debuts, among others. The Brewers aren't ready to win yet, but the tide is turning.
Minnesota Twins
2017 Pressure Level: Low
Minnesota lost 103 games last season, nine more than any other team, and they've lost at least 92 games in five of the past six seasons. As a result, the club has a new front office led by chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine. This is a club in rebuild with little hope of contending in 2017. They're looking ahead to 2018 and beyond.
New York Mets
2017 Pressure Level: High
Amazingly, the Mets have not added a single new player to their major-league roster this offseason. They re-signed Yoenis Cespedes, picked up their club options for Jay Bruce and Jose Reyes and Neil Walker accepted the qualifying offer. Add in a few minor-league contracts and that's it. That's all the Mets have done this offseason. Their talented rotation is starting to get expensive -- Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler are all coming off assorted arm surgeries as well -- so the pressure is on. No one wants losing the 2015 World Series to be this group's peak moment.
New York Yankees
2017 Pressure Level: Moderate
The Yankees are in a weird place right now. On one hand, they're the Yankees and there's always pressure to win. That's why they signed Matt Holliday and Aroldis Chapman. On the other hand, the team sold at the 2016 trade deadline and continued selling in the offseason with the Brian McCann trade. They're trying to rebuild on the fly. They want to get younger without tanking. Considering they've made the postseason just once in the past four years -- that one was a loss in the 2015 AL Wild Card Game -- and sold at the deadline last year, I think most understand the Yankees are now focused on the future, not the present, despite the Holliday and Chapman deals.
Oakland Athletics
2017 Pressure Level: Low
This is a difficult team to figure out. Despite back-to-back last-place finishes, the A's seem unwilling to commit to a total rebuild. As a result, they seem destined to continue treading water. The club is hamstrung by its payroll and stadium situation, no doubt about it, but recent questionable moves (none moreso than the Josh Donaldson trade) are the reason the Athletics will go into 2017 as an afterthought.
Philadelphia Phillies
2017 Pressure Level: Low
A dirty little secret: The Phillies' rebuild hit some bumps in the road last year. Third baseman Maikel Franco failed to take a step forward, top prospect J.P. Crawford struggled, outfield prospect Nick Williams continues to swing at everything and righty Aaron Nola didn't pitch after July 28 due to an elbow injury. General manager Matt Klentak brought in several low-cost veterans on one-year contracts this winter to help make the team respectable in 2017, though the young players at the heart of the rebuild are going through some very real growing pains.
Pittsburgh Pirates
2017 Pressure Level: High
There were times this offseason when it felt like an Andrew McCutchen trade was minutes away. It really did. McCutchen remains with the team and he had such a poor 2016 season that I can't help but think he was playing hurt. When's the last time a star caliber player lost his skills so suddenly in his age-29 season? McCutchen is under contract for another two years, so at some point soon general manager Neal Huntington is going to have to make a difficult decision about his franchise player's future. The Pirates do boast an impressive collection of young talent and a strong farm system, but it's entirely possible the McCutchen era in Pittsburgh will end with nothing more than an NLDS loss and two NL Wild Card Game losses to show for it.
San Diego Padres
2017 Pressure Level: Low
I'm not sure any team will be playing with less pressure in 2017. Two years ago the Padres went for it and failed spectacularly. Now general manager A.J. Preller is trying to pick up the pieces. He gutted his big-league roster of every recognizable name except Wil Myers -- the team projects to have an Opening Day payroll in the $60 million range, if you can believe that -- and in the process built an excellent farm system. Forget 2017. Heck, forget 2018. The Padres are currently looking ahead to 2019 and '20.
San Francisco Giants
2017 Pressure Level: High
Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey remain elite players while others like Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt form a strong supporting cast. Johnny Cueto, arguably the best No. 2 starter in baseball, can opt out of his contract following 2017, and given the way he performed last summer, that seems like a certainty at the moment. The Giants have won three World Series titles in the past seven seasons, and if they're going to win another title with this group, it has to happen basically this year.
Seattle Mariners
2017 Pressure Level: High
The Mariners have baseball's longest postseason drought -- they haven't qualified for the playoffs since 2001, Ichiro Suzuki's rookie season -- and it's entire possibly the core of Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz has already seen its best days. General manager Jerry Dipoto has been extremely active this offseason making trades to improve his club's chances in 2017. Between the postseason drought and the aging core, the pressure is very much on.
St. Louis Cardinals
2017 Pressure Level: High
The glory days of the Adam Wainwright/Yadier Molina-led Cardinals will soon come to an end, and while youngsters like Aledmys Diaz and Alex Reyes are coming to pick up the torch, the team is clearly trying to win right now. That's why they threw $82.5 million at Dexter Fowler this offseason. The Cardinals will be good because the Cardinals always seem to be good. Still, the core of their most recent World Series team is aging and the rival Cubs are thriving. Of course they're feeling some pressure.
Tampa Bay Rays
2017 Pressure Level: Low
Even when the Rays were bona-fide contenders from 2008-13, they rarely went into the season with the pressure to win. They were always underdogs. The David to the Goliath that is the big market AL East. It has been four years since Tampa Bay finished with a record at or over .500 -- they went 68-94 a year ago -- and they continue to swap veterans for prospects. (See: Drew Smyly and Logan Forsythe.) That all equals a low pressure environment in 2017.
Texas Rangers
2017 Pressure Level: High
Yu Darvish will be a free agent after 2017. Adrian Beltre and Cole Hamels are now well into their 30s. The Rangers won the AL West the past two seasons and suffered embarrassing ALDS losses both years, and that stings. Texas has been built to win for several years now and it has yet to win. The time is now.
Toronto Blue Jays
2017 Pressure Level: High
Under president and CEO Mark Shapiro, the Blue Jays essentially held steady this offseason. They were able to retain Jose Bautista on a team-friendly one-year contract, though they essentially replaced Edwin Encarnacion with a combination of Steve Pearce and Kendrys Morales. Marco Estrada will be a free agent after the season and Josh Donaldson is two years away from free agency. Who knows how much longer Troy Tulowitzki will remain a top-tier shortstop? Back-to-back ALCS losses shouldn't be considered good enough.
Washington Nationals
2017 Pressure Level: High
I take back what I said about the Dodgers. The Nationals are under more pressure to win than any other team in baseball in 2017. Bryce Harper is two years from free agency while Daniel Murphy, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are in their primes right now. Washington has gone to the postseason three times in the past five years and they've lost in the NLDS all three times. General manager Mike Rizzo traded his top pitching prospects for Adam Eaton yet has been unable to come up with a closer. "We've got a lot of bright and happy days ahead of us," Rizzo said following the Strasburg shutdown in 2012. The team has had plenty of regular-season success, but fans are getting anxious waiting for a championship.
