Leaving L.A.

In an off-season that's already provided several surprises, the biggest so far might be Zach Greinke moving to the Diamondbacks as a free agent. His six-year contract worth $206-million averages out to $34-million annually! That's more than a million bucks per (regular season) start. Of course, going 19 - 3 with an unreal 1.66 ERA will bring such an unworldly offer.
Eager to close the gap that kept them behind Dodgers and Giants, the Diamondbacks put together the massive package that convinced Greinke to leave L.A.  Now, we'll see whether Arizona has enough budget room left to surround the 32-year old righty with a deep enough supporting cast to make them a challenger. Or will this be another A-Rod in Texas situation, where a premium priced star will eat up too much of a team's budget?
Either way, the Greinke deal is sure to change the balance of power in the NL West. It likely led to the weekend's other big signing -- Jeff Samardzija with the Giants -- as the spiral in salaries continues.

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