Four moves I liked

With MLB's opening day coming this weekend, it seemed like a good time to point out a few off season moves that left me impressed. If you're a regular reader, you're aware that I don't love the free agent mega contracts... I'm a believer in building from within, and then augmenting with smart, lower cost and lower risk signings.

As such, here are a few that caught my eye this year.

• Mat Latos- Whitesox- The Hardball Times pointed out that no one is as good at keeping players healthy as the White Sox. Latos is a guy who, when healthy, can be dominant. This is a match made in heaven. I'm anticipating a terrific season from Latos, and the Whitesox to make a bunch of noise in the AL central.
• Garin Cecchini- Brewers- The Brewers picked up a guy who's been a terrific hitter throughout his minor league career, and whose struggles seemed to coincide with a switch in positions. He's been high up on all of the prospect lists (BA, BP, Etc). I acknowledge this guy is a bit of a personal cheese-ball (H/T John Manual for the verbiage), but I think he's going to end up being a year, year good player for the Brewers for the next few years. And it kills me that the Red Sox, a team that just benched their $90 million 3rd baseman, dropped this guy in the off season. Anyone want to give odds on who ends the year with better numbers: Shaw or Cecchini?
• A little off the beaten path for me, but was the rest of the league sleeping when the Dodgers signed Kenta Maeda? $3 million per year, with more if the guy pitches well? It's an absolutely ideal contract for the Dodgers, who, at the very worst case scenario, spent 1.5% of their budget on a long reliever?
• John Jaso- Pirates Two years and $8 million for the strong half of a platoon? Add in the fact that he, based on how many catcher have made this transition, will likely be an above average defender (my personal theory is that guys who spent the better art of their career picking pitches out of the dirt will easily transition to digging out throw from other IF's... so while his range may not be great, he'll make the rest of the infield better), and this is a great signing.
• Bonus pick: Toronto has a history of taking struggling power hitters and turning them into monsters. Could Dominic Brown be the next one?
• Amateur signing:Eddy Julio Martinez - Cubs- It's not an inexpensive signing, but this is a guy who's regularly comped to Andruw Jones. I know the Cubs brought back Dexter Fowler, but the idea that Martinez and Solar could become part of a young, dynamic outfield together (throw in Schwarber, and is there another OF you'd rather have for the next 6-8 years?). This was a terrific signing for Theo and Co.