30 Christmas gift ideas for 30 MLB teams
As the offseason moves closer to Christmas, and surprising trades and free-agent signings continue to fill baseball fans with holiday glee, a number of teams around MLB continue to shop with the hope of scoring a Christmas miracle.
Not all gifts may be as substantial as acquiring Chris Sale or signing Aroldis Chapman, but clubs still have an opportunity to improve their clubs in attempt to dethrone the World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
In order to do this, they may need to secure some special gifts that go beyond the realm of actual players, so here are 30 unique Christmas gifts for each of MLB's 30 organizations:
Angels
Cloning device: Tech gadgets are always a hit during the holidays, so the Los Angeles Angels could use a cloning device to help create multiples of 2016 AL MVP Mike Trout, helping them climb atop the AL West standings once again.
Astros
Reddick's patriotic speedo and referee combo: The Houston Astros have been busy during the offseason, with Josh Reddick paving the way as one of their biggest acquisitions. The 29-year-old outfielder is fresh off celebrating a postseason appearance with the Los Angeles Dodgers, doing so in the most American way possible: decked out in a stars-and-stripes speedo.
Athletics
New stadium: Widely considered the worst stadium in baseball, the Oakland Athletics desperately need some renovations at Oakland Coliseum. From bad sewage to having to share a home field with the NFL's Oakland Raiders, something has to be done.
Blue Jays
A time machine: The Toronto Blue Jays' four-year, $80-million offer to Edwin Encarnacion has emerged as one of the biggest storylines of the offseason. After the slugger turned down the offer, Toronto acted quickly, signing Kendrys Morales instead. If both sides had simply waited, Encarnacion could have kept the parrot north of the border.
Braves
Hot tub at SunTrust Park: The Braves made a splash this offseason by signing Bartolo Colon, so naturally, what's better than welcoming "Big Sexy" with a hot tub at the new stadium? After the New York Mets' season ended last year, Colon continued to enjoy the playoffs in style with a pool party. So if the Braves don't make it to the postseason, at least Colon won't have to party too far from the yard.
Brewers
A team to take on Braun's contract: Ryan Braun's tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers has been a roller-coaster ride, despite him producing at an elite level for most of it. The Brewers have been shopping the 33-year-old for some time now, but his prior use of performance-enhancing drugs and the guaranteed $76 million owed to him until 2021 are hurting his value on the trade market.
Cardinals
Rivalry revenge: After losing Jason Heyward and John Lackey to their storied rivals in Chicago last season, the St. Louis Cardinals also lost the season series against their division foes. They added fuel to the fire by swiping away Chicago's 2016 leadoff hitter, Dexter Fowler, in free agency, and they could put one more log on an already scorching fire and exact sweet revenge if they could take the season series against the Cubs.
Cubs
Szczur's slump-busting socks and underwear: The Cubs winning their first World Series title since 1908 was the headline of the season, but Matt Szczur's unique contributions off the field were a spark as well. Szczur gave his undergarments, as well as bat and socks, to teammates Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell during the postseason to help them get out of slumps. His graciousness led to near-immediate contributions from his pals.
Diamondbacks
Miller turnaround: The Arizona Diamondbacks paid what seemed like a king's ransom to acquire Shelby Miller from the Atlanta Braves last season in exchange for No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson. So far, it's being viewed as one of the biggest trade busts in baseball history after Miller went 3-12 with a 6.15 ERA in his first year with the D-Backs. If the talented 26-year-old can figure things out in he desert, he could take some attention off the highly scrutinized swap for the foreseeable future.
Dodgers
A new second baseman: The Dodgers have had a unique offseason, as they've reportedly spent $192 million to re-sign Rich Hill, Justin Turner, and Kenley Jansen. The next move is acquiring a dependable second baseman, and they could look no further than Brian Dozier of the Minnesota Twins, who could give L.A. its best option at the position in years.
Giants
Cy Young for Bumgarner: Believe it or not, Madison Bumgarner has yet to win a Cy Young award. The Giants southpaw has finished in the top 10 in voting in each of the last four seasons, but is a casualty of pitching in the same league as Clayton Kershaw. A Cy Young for Bumgarner would look great on the shelf next to his three World Series rings.
Indians
A healthy Brantley: Michael Brantley's return to the Cleveland Indians is something the team - and its fans - have been hoping for since September 2015. When healthy, Brantley is as dependable an asset as they come, earning 15.9 WAR since 2012 and finishing third in 2014 AL MVP voting.
Mariners
A postseason berth: The Seattle Mariners own the longest postseason drought in all of baseball, and desperately need to make a statement in 2017. The club is coming off a 86-win season, and with the addition of shortstop Jean Segura to a core of Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano, and Kyle Seager, the playoffs are a realistic possibility.
Marlins
Stable ownership: Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is reportedly willing to sell the team to sports bankers, so the Marlins being bought isn't entirely out of the question. This was followed by Aroldis Chapman admitting Miami intrigued him, but he chose the Yankees because of the franchise's instability.
Mets
Bubble wrap for rotation: When healthy, the New York Mets' rotation is one of the deepest in the National League. The issue has been having them pitch together at the same time. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, and Zack Wheeler all missed time last season because of injuries. With those pitchers avoiding the disabled list and Noah Syndergaard leading the way, the Mets could do serious damage.
Nationals
Contract extension for Harper: Bryce Harper was a household name before he even entered MLB, at one point dubbed the "LeBron James of baseball." An extension for the 2015 NL MVP courtesy of the Washington Nationals would be a great thing for the organization, though it remains unlikely at this point. Both sides have yet to engage in talks, and there's the possibility Harper could join the Yankees as a free agent in 2019 - a team he's loved since childhood.
Orioles
An RBI for Joseph: Caleb Joseph saw his name entrenched in the record books for all the wrong reasons in 2016. The catcher made 141 plate appearances this past season for the Baltimore Orioles, and had no RBIs to show for it. That's the second most plate appearances without an RBI during a single season in history.
Padres
Get down with the brown: The San Diego Padres feel like the distant relative you always forget to buy a present for. The organization has only one winning season since 2008, and had a chance to step up their jersey game, but decided to pass on the vintage look of the brown and yellow to return to a more boring blue-and-gray design for next season.
Phillies
A winning season: The up-and-coming Philadelphia Phillies remained near the bottom of the NL East standings after completing their fifth straight season below .500. The club could rid themselves of that streak now that they're moving in a new direction. Ryan Howard's contract is finally gone, and the team has a solid young nucleus to build around.
Pirates
A bounce-back year for McCutchen: After nearly witnessing his eight-year career in Pittsburgh come to an end, Andrew McCutchen remains with the only organization he's ever known. A trade with the Nationals fell through amid rampant trade speculation involving the 2013 NL MVP, but regardless of what team he's on, McCutchen must return to his previous form next season to up his value.
Rangers
A bad season from the Blue Jays: It's evident the Texas Rangers and Blue Jays don't like each other much. It's also become clear the Rangers have a hard time beating their AL counterparts in the postseason, having been ousted from the ALDS in back-to-back years by Toronto. Texas has what it takes to make a postseason push once again, but would presumably enjoy facing a different playoff opponent.
Rays
Moving to another division: Even though the Tampa Bay Rays are one of the smallest markets in baseball, the team deserves credit for their past success, making a World Series appearance in 2008. The Rays are in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, contending with the Red Sox and Yankees - two markets with a combined 2016 payroll of $394 million. Considering the Rays hover around $70 million each year, a move to a different division would do them well.
Red Sox
Leaner Sandoval: It's likely Pablo Sandoval will be on many preseason "potential breakout players to watch for" lists. After struggling with his weight and missing all but two games this past season due to shoulder surgery, "Panda" is looking healthy and slim during offseason workouts. The 30-year-old seems poised to earn - and keep - a starting role.
Reds
Higher walls at Great American Ballpark: The Cincinnati Reds shouldn't be holding out for many Christmas gifts, but one that could benefit them is the installation of higher walls at home. The team is coming off a season in which they allowed 258 home runs, by far the most in baseball.
Rockies
A sequel to the Story: After becoming the first rookie in history to hit six home runs in his first four games, Trevor Story's remarkable rookie campaign for the Colorado Rockies was cut short due to a thumb injury. Story missed the team's remaining 65 games, but was still exceptionally productive, hitting 27 home runs and collecting 72 RBIs in only 97 games. A sequel in 2017 is what many fans would like to see.
Royals
A mantis farm: The Kansas City Royals' success the past four seasons led them to two straight World Series appearances in 2014 and 2015, and their first championship since 1985. Add the rally mantis to the team's string of success this past season. After two separate praying mantises made their way to the dugout, the team started winning games and broke out of a slump, leading to the mantis craze. The Royals should do everything they can to collect and preserve the lucky insects in 2017.
Tigers
Re-vote for Verlander: It comes as no secret that while Rick Porcello deserved to be in the Cy Young conversation, Justin Verlander should've won it. The Tigers' right-hander notched far more first-place votes than Porcello, with two BBWAA voters failing to include Verlander on their ballot. That prompted Kate Upton, Verlander's fiancee, to excoriate voters in an explicit and extremely entertaining manner.
Twins
Jose De Leon: Branching off of the Dodgers' gift idea, the Minnesota Twins may find it difficult to part with Brian Dozier after his 42-home run campaign, but could be rewarded in a swap with L.A. in the form of pitching prospect Jose De Leon, an impressive 24-year-old who posted a 7-1 record with a 2.61 ERA while walking just 20 and striking out 111 in the minors last season.
White Sox
Quintana the ace: The Chicago White Sox have essentially rebuilt their farm system in two separate trades involving Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, acquiring a bevy of top prospects including Yoan Moncada and Lucas Giolito. As the team embraces a rebuild, one player currently rumored as the next to go could end up staying. Jose Quintana has earned a reputation as one of the most underrated starters in the AL, and with those prospects on the rise, the White Sox could hang onto the young hurler and make him their ace of the future.
Yankees
Staying under the luxury tax: For the 14th straight year, the Yankees went over the luxury tax and had to open their wallets. This year New York had to pay $27.4 million in taxes, and have spent $325 million since 2002 on luxury penalties. Yankees brass has stated an intention to get below the threshold, and they better, because the new CBA's punishment for teams that continually go over the limit is harsh.