Front Office Grades

How baseball's final four have done in each major category of team-building

[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]

TEAMS	FREE AGENCY	DRAFT	TRADES	INTERNATIONAL SIGNINGS	SYNOPSIS
Royals	C	A-	A	A-	Trading Greinke for Cain and Escobar gave Kansas City a CF and a SS and set the stage for the Royals to become a great defensive team. But Dayton Moore's free-agency misadventures (like pitcher Gil Meche) ruin a report card that otherwise puts his scouting bona fides on display.
Blue Jays	A	B+	A-	C	Chris Colabello was a waiver-wire pickup, but we'll count him under "free agency." The draft grade takes into account picking players who developed trade value, not just current contributors. The Jays, once a dominant force in the Caribbean talent market, have fallen behind in that area.
Mets	B	A-	B+	B	Young arms Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and Steven Matz were draft picks, while Noah Syndergaard, catcher Travis d'Arnaud and OF Yoenis Cespedes arrived in trades. The Mets are conservative in free agency, but Curtis Granderson has worked out well.
Cubs	B	A+	A+	C	Homegrown position players are exceptional, and getting ace Jake Arrieta from Baltimore in 2013 was the difference between still rebuilding and a playoff berth. Had OF Jorge Soler been healthy all year, the International grade might be higher.

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