As resign numbers start coming into focus and trading prepares to reopen, a few offseason questions are already floating around the league:
• What does Toronto — arguably the best trading organization in baseball over the last few seasons — do to get back to the World Series?
• Will Los Angeles make a trade with anyone besides Miami this winter?
• Now that Seattle is no longer league-owned and suddenly loaded with picks, what direction do they take things?
• Does Montreal have another major splash in them after last offseason’s Matt Williams/Roger Clemens blockbuster?
• How much salary — and how many late-round picks — will Kansas City move to San Diego as they try to retain their core while climbing up the draft board?
• Are there any clubs headed toward a full teardown this offseason?
• Outside of the draft, will Washington finally land the ace they’ve been chasing?
• Orlando was involved in plenty of conversations at the deadline without pulling the trigger. Does that same aggressiveness carry into the offseason?
The stove’s about to heat up again. Front offices are talking themselves into “value,” contenders are convincing themselves they’re one move away, and somewhere a rebuilding team is preparing to call it a “retool.”
Only time will tell.