Out of Left Field: A Look at Off-Season Moves, Bruce, Cole and Much More

This week on Out of Left Field with Chris and Graham we discuss the apparent end of the barren and uneventful off-season landscape. Finally, pieces are moving and falling into place and some of those moves have been record-setting. Some of them have been surprising as well, such as Jay Bruce’s return to the New York Mets on a 3-year, $39 million contract that adds a decent bat and good defender to that struggling lineup. Also surprising, was the nearly unexpected trade of Pirates Ace Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros, a move that will further strengthen an already strong and intimidating rotation and possibly make them the odds-on favorite to repeat at least as AL Champs. Andrew McCutchen was moved almost immediately after Cole, landing in San Francisco (which, of course, made Chris smile) which adds some power and dependability to their lineup and a top-quality defender to their outfield. Also, Josh Donaldson and Kris Bryant sign record-setting arbitration deals and we bid farewell to a player who should have been far greater and more widely recognized than he ended up being. Plus, we’ll talk a little football. What? Yes, football. All that this week on Out of Left Field.