Tuesday Rockpile: NL West Offseason in Review (So Far)

Yesterday marked the halfway point between Game 162 of 2011 and Opening Day 2012. With Troy Renck, Dan O'Dowd and most of baseball's front offices on holiday vacation, there has not been much news for us to chew on/eviscerate/overanalyze. So at the midway point, here's a quick summary of what the rest of the teams in the division have done thus far. The first half of the offseason includes the Winter Meetings, while the second half includes six weeks of Spring Training. So a large majority of the moves that will be made have been made.

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Diamondbacks

Additions: RHP Trevor Cahill (trade, $3.5m in 2012, with $30mil owed through 2015, two club options over $13m), LHP Craig Breslow (trade, $1.4m), "LF" Jason Kubel (2/$15m), RHP Takashi Saito (1/$1.75m), IF Cody Ransom (MiLB)

Subtractions: LHP Joe Saunders, RHP Micah Owings, RHP Juan Gutierrez, LHP Zach Duke, RHP Jason Marquis, 1B/OF Xavier Nady, RHP Kam Mickolio (released). RHP Jarrod Parker (trade), OF Collin Cowgill (trade), RHP Ryan Cook (trade).

Returns: 2B Aaron Hill (2/$11m), SS John McDonald (2/$3m), SS Willie Bloomquist (2/$3.8m), C Henry Blanco (1/$1.2m), 1B Lyle Overbay (1/$1m), a healthy SS Stephen Drew?

Possible Future Moves: Nothing notable. Kevin Towers seems to have checked off the major items on his list.

What This Offseason Tells Their Fans: "We do not expect large regression despite many career seasons from players on the roster. Therefore, we will retain as much of that roster as possible and make suspicious overall moves with the intent of taking advantage of this now wide open contention window in the NL West. "

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Rockies

Additions: RF Michael Cuddyer (3/$31.5m), C Ramon Hernandez (2/$6.4m), RHP Tyler Chatwood (trade), IF DJ LeMaheiu (trade), OF Tyler Colvin (trade), RHP Kevin Slowey (trade, $2.75m), OF Andrew Brown (MiLB), OF Jamie Hoffman (MiLB), C Wilkin Castillo (MiLB), C Wil Nieves (MiLB).

Subtractions: 3B Ty Wigginton, C Chris Iannetta, RHP Aaron Cook, 3B Ian Stewart (trade), RHP Huston Street (trade), 2B Mark Ellis, OF Ryan Spilborghs, C Jose Morales, RHP Kevin Millwood, 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, LHP J.C. Romero, RHP Matt Daley, OF Cole Garner.

Returning: 1B Jason Giambi (1/$1m). Possibly Millwood or Romero.

Possible Future Moves: Potentially a low priced veteran starting pitcher and an infielder. Likely a trade of Seth Smith.

What This Offseason Tells Their Fans: "We are trying the addition by subtraction method as applied to clubhouse character, otherwise known as "Plan G." We are not in position for clear contention nor a complete rebuild, so we'll do moves as if we are both simultaneously."

Dodgers

Additions: IF Adam Kennedy (1/$0.8m), 2B Mark Ellis (2/$8.75m), RHP Aaron Harang (2/$12m), LHP Chris Capuano (2/$10m), C Matt Treanor (1/$1m), IF Jerry Hairston (2/$6m), RHP Shane Lindsay (MiLB), C Josh Bard (MiLB)

Subtractions: C Rod Barajas, 3B Casey Blake, 2B Jamey Carroll, C Dioner Navarro, RHP Vicente Padilla, RHP Jon Garland, RHP Hiroki Kuroda, IF Aaron Miles, RHP Jonathan Broxton, OF Jamie Hoffman, LHP Hong-Chih Kuo, RHP Mike MacDougal, LHP Dana Eveland (trade)

Returning: 1B James Loney ($4.875), OF Juan Rivera (1/$4.5), possibly MacDougal.

Possible Future Moves: Probably nothing. Ned Colletti has a habit of spending his budget early in the offseason. Unless Prince Fielder will take a two-year contract with deferred money.

What This Offseason Tells Their Fans: "We can't commit to too much long-term due to the ownership issue, but there's money to spend and we'll spend it on whatever players are willing to come here. We are positioning for a spending spree in the 2013-14 offseason."

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Padres

Additions: RHP Huston Street (trade, $7m), RHP Edinson Volquez (trade, $1.625m), RF Carlos Quentin (trade, $7.5), RHP Brad Boxberger (trade), 1B Yonder Alonso (trade, $1m), C Yasmani Grandal (trade), OF Mark Kotsay (1/$1.25m), C John Baker (trade, $0.417m), LHP Alex Hinshaw (MiLB).

Subtractions: RHP Heath Bell, RHP Mat Latos, RHP Aaron Harang, OF Aaron Cunningham (trade), C Rob Johnson, 1B/RF Brad Hawpe, RHP Chad Qualls, LHP Wade LeBlanc (LHP), IF Alberto Gonzalez, OF Cedric Hunter, RHP Evan Scribner.

Returning: OF Jeremy Hermida (MiLB).

Possible Future Moves: 1B prospect Anthony Rizzo, named the Padres #1 prospect, is now their biggest trade chip with the acquisition of Alonso.

What This Offseason Tells Their Fans: "We aren't ready to contend. We are building towards the future, but we are willing to spend here and there on short term players to have at least a respectable on field product."

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Giants

Additions: OF Melky Cabrera (trade, $1.25m), OF Angel Pagan (trade, $3.5). That is all.

Subtractions: OF Carlos Beltran, OF Pat Burrell, LHP Jonathan Sanchez (trade), CF Andres Torres (trade), RHP Ramon Ramirez (trade), IF Orlando Cabrera, OF Cody Ross, UT Mark DeRosa, RHP Guillermo Mota, OF Darren Ford, 2B Jeff Keppinger

Returning: IF Mike Fontenot (1/$1.05), C Eli Whiteside (1/$0.6m), a healthy C Buster Posey and 2B Freddy Sanchez?

Possible Future Moves: Telling a reporter that they are trying to sign Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum longterm, but not meaning it.

What This Offseason Tells Their Fans: "Now that we won the World Series and ousted Bill Neukom, we are going to make our fans jealous of the budget of every MLB team, including Oakland, by spending absolutely no money. To our loyal fans....suck it."

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Links

Tulowitzki top Hot Stove award winner - San Jose Mercury News Three weeks from today, Tulo will be in Giants country accepting an award for being the MLB Player of the Year, as voted by the "hot stove committee." Juicy.

New Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer fielding fans' questions | On the Rox — Colorado Rockies news — Denver Post Fire away fans. Remember, the Monforts shelled out more money for this guy since any free agent hitter (not previously with Colorado) in franchise history. For comparison, Larry Walker signed for $22mil over four years in 1995, compared to the 3/$31.5mil for Cuddyer.

Computer glitch denies Broncos fans playoff tickets - KDVR Yes indeed, there is a reference to the 2007 World Series. Hey! It's 2012 already, and likely only Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton will remain from that 2007 team on Opening Day.