Be the GM: Time for Hot Stove yay or nay

At this point in the off-season, all 30 Major League teams are asking themselves the same kinds of questions: @mlb.com>@mlb.com>

1. How good are we right now? 2. Is there one more acquisition that makes sense? 3. Are we letting an opportunity pass?

There’s no right answer to any of this. Things may look totally different six months from now. Baseball’s best general managers say roster building happens in three phases: offseason, the end of Spring Training and Trade Deadline.

Analysis is ongoing. What did we miss? What can we do? The Boston Red Sox are looking at their roster and projecting Pablo Sandoval to be their third baseman. Problem is, they can’t know what to expect from someone two years removed from a productive season.

But the Red Sox don’t want to sign someone to a long-term commitment that might block one of their best young prospects.

Six or seven months from now, the answer might be clearer and a reminder that building a championship team is as much an art as a science.

Let’s look at eight teams and the discussions they could be having:

YANKEESThe move: Royals left-hander Danny Duffy (trade)

Pros: One more quality starting pitcher might be the difference in the Yankees making or missing the playoffs. And their farm system is deep enough that general manager Brian Cashman could deal for almost any potentially available starter, including Jose Quintana or Chris Archer.

Con: Slow down. The Yankees have the best farm system in the game, including a handful of highly regarded starters who are on the cusp of the majors (Justus Sheffield, Dillon Tate, James Kaprielian). The Yankees may already be good enough without making a move. Regardless, they shouldn’t deal any of the kids general manager Brian Cashman has worked so hard to acquire.

• Yankees’ Top 30 prospects

ASTROSThe move: Quintana (trade)

Pro: To acquire a top-of-the-rotation 27-year-old left-hander signed for four more seasons would complete a terrific offseason and cement Houston’s status as one of the American League’s three best teams.

Con: If Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers are healthy, the Astros are already good …

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