The NFL season is long gone and your NCAA bracket is probably busted, which means it is time to get excited for a new MLB season. As we look ahead to the long season before us, it is important to look back to the offseason and the changes each team made. Here are some teams from each league who made some noise in the offseason, and will look to cash in on their investments in 2016.

American League:

• 1.The Boston Red Sox made the biggest deal of the offseason when the signed David Price and made him the highest paid pitcher in MLB history. In addition, the Red Sox brought in Craig Kimbrel to take over closing duties in the bullpen. After finishing in last place in the AL east, the Red Sox hope these moves are enough to win in a highly competitive division.
• 2.The Detroit Tigers added left fielder Justin Upton and starting pitcher Jordan Zimmerman to round out their already impressive lineup this offseason. Other additions — including Cameron Maybin and Francisco Rodriguez — show that Detroit is not only ready for another competitive year in the AL central, but possibly another championship run.
• 3.The Chicago White Sox made their case for a turnaround season when they signed six starting players including: Todd Frazier, Austin Jackson and Mat Latos. With franchise players like Jose Abreu and Chris Sale already in place, the White Sox made the decision to go for a winning season instead of rebuilding. Only time will tell if the moves pay off.

National League:

• 1.The Chicago Cubs quite possibly made the biggest splash in this year’s free agency with acquisitions like Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, and John Lackey. Without these signings, the Cubs would still have fielded a strong team that would have the pieces to win this season. Now, they find themselves as the favorite to win it all in October.
• 2.The Arizona Diamondbacks looked to boost their pitching rotation when they signed Zach Greinke and Shelby Miller. Both pitchers should provide some much needed consistency to a rotation that cannot seem to support Arizona’s exceptional lineup. Also, Tyler Clippard joins the Arizona bullpen as a setup man for closer Brad Ziegler.

• 3.The Washington Nationals suffered major disappointment last year when they missed out on a playoff spot despite being a favorite to win it all. This year the Nationals add some key players like Ben Revere and Daniel Murphy to round out their lineup. The Nationals hope that these pieces, as well as a new manager, are enough to get them back to the postseason.

As we know, big free agent signings do not always pan out like we think. Combine that with a long season and the countless variables that happen every game, and you have a very unpredictable season. However, we can count on an exciting and competitive year from some of the teams listed above and others around the league.

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