It’s hard to imagine as we watch snow fall in Madison, but spring training kicks off this week. So while we curse the end of the Wisconsin winter, let’s think of a warmer topic: the MLB hot stove.

The biggest news of the offseason was Albert Pujols heading to the Angels. I mean it is understandable–the Angels hooked him up with a 254 million dollar contract. It’s not like he turned his back on the only team he had ever played for; a team that had just won the World Series; a team that also offered him a 200 million contract. Oh wait, he did all of those things. I guess sometimes 200 million just doesn’t cut it.

Watch out Miami Heat, there are some new kings in town. The Miami Marlins are moving to downtown and are splashing cash while they do it. Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, and Mark Buehrle will all ‘bring their talents to South Beach’ to go along with a new stadium, a (slightly) different name, and new orange jerseys. Not only that, but they also tried to get Pujols and ace pitcher C.J. Wilson.

The Texas Rangers lost C.J. Wilson to their American League West rivals, the Angels, but did land coveted Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish. The Rangers won a 50 million dollar bid just to negotiate with him, and then signed him to a 60 million dollar contract. That’s a lot of dough for a guy who’s never faced an MLB batter.

And my favorite move of the winter: the Cincinnati Reds trading for pitcher Mat Latos. I know that doesn’t seem significant, but let’s look at the facts. The Reds won the National League Central in 2010; they have the 2010 MVP in first baseman Joey Votto; they finished 2nd in the NL in homers in 2011; they finished 12th in the NL in team ERA last year.

Latos, just 24 years old, finished 2011 with a 3.47 ERA with the Padres. It’s rare that a single player can turn around an MLB team, but Latos could really push the Reds into a position where they can win the NL Central.

Finally, mark down 2011-2012 as the offseason where many teams in the majors realized that the Yankees and the Red Sox were not the only large market teams that could spend endless amounts of money on just a couple of players. That’s right Los Angeles, you can spend over 300 million on two players! Why yes Texas, you can bid 50 million just to negotiate with a Japanese pitcher! It may be weird defensively Detroit, but why not give Prince Fielder a nine year contract when you already have an MVP first-baseman! Sorry Mets and Dodgers, but fans don’t have much to say about your respective teams offseason moves.