Extreme makeovers: after a frenzied offseason of buying and trading, pitchers and catchers are prepared to report—let's just hope they know where to go

Sporting News, The, Feb 18, 2005 by Ken Rosenthal

Spring training is upon us. Do you know where your favorite players are?

Randy Johnson is a Yankee, Pedro Martinez a Met, Sammy Sosa an Oriole. Fortunately, Florida still is in Florida, Arizona still is in Arizona and pitchers and catchers still will report in another week--as long as they can locate their new clubs.

The offseason. What a misnomer. Major League Baseball doesn't turn off after the World Series ends. It morphs into an even more frenetic state. Transaction Overload.

Just as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has its design teams, major league teams have their general managers. Tear down a house. Tear down a roster. Build new rooms. Buy new players.

And if at first the G.M.s don't succeed, they try, try again on July 31, the nonwaiver trade deadline.

Sixty-eight players who have been All-Stars--with more to come--were among the more than 300 players who changed teams this winter. Even more astonishing, seven players who never have been All-Stars--Adrian Beltre, J.D. Drew, Orlando Cabrera. Eric Milton. Kris Benson, Jaret Wright and Corey Koskie--signed contracts worth a combined $237 million.

Meanwhile, Tim Hudson is a Brave, Carlos Beltran a Met. Carlos Delgado a Marlin.

Not to worry, some things remain sacred. There is no truth to the rumor that Yankee Stadium has been traded for Fenway Park.

Offseason improvements

MAJOR UPGRADES

Yankees

Giants

Mets

Diamondbacks

Mariners

UPGRADES

Red Sox

Angels

Marlins

Brewers

Nationals

MINOR UPGRADES

Cardinals

Braves

Padres

Twins

Reds

NEED FURTHER

INSPECTION

Indians

White Sex

A's

Phillies

Tigers

Orioles

DOWNGRADES

Dodgers

Astros

Cubs

Rangers

PERPETUALLY REBUILDING

Blue Jays

Pirates

Devil Rays

Royals

Rockies