2013 MLB Spring Training

Carlos Marmol’s 2011 campaign was a disaster. His 2012 season was equally awful.

Why would the Cubs stick with Marmol as their closer?

A huge factor in the success of the San Francisco Giants over the last four seasons has been their ability to turn minor league free agents in to key contributors.

The Boston Red Sox dropped their first official matchup of the spring Saturday afternoon to the Tampa Bay Rays—overall, Boston didn’t play half bad.

Spring training is here, and while some fans may be content to stick to college hoops and hockey until Opening Day arrives, others are going to want to get a closer look at all 30 teams before the season begins.

Whether you prefer the Cactus League or the Grapefruit League, this spring has plenty in store for serious MLB fans.

Below we'll highlight a trio of upcoming preseason matchups that fans won't want to miss.

The Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of some inconsistent Boston Red Sox pitching as they took the first game of spring training, 4-3.

John Lackey took the mound for the first time since 2011 for the Red Sox, allowing one run in one inning of work. He struggled early in the inning, but got more comfortable with each batter and got out the first without further damage.

When the Atlanta Braves traded Martin Prado the Arizona Diamondbacks, most thought the Braves got a good deal in return.

After all, the Braves received Justin Upton and Chris Johnson in a deal that saw the Braves give up a bunch of prospects in addition to Prado.

However, with the loss of Prado, there is one question on many people's mind—who becomes the new super utility guy for the Braves?

Spring training isn’t just about players getting ready for the regular season. It's also about the sunshine in Florida and Arizona while most of the United States is still getting snow.

Several teams have magnificent spring facilities that include batting cages, practice fields and, of course, the actual stadium.

Creating a comfortable environment for fans to watch the rising stars of each organization is important to every club. That’s shown in the time and money the teams put into these complexes.

Due to both the volume and caliber of players confirmed to participate in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, teams are in a unique position to offer their top prospects additional playing time over the course of the spring. However, despite the additional opportunities, it’s still extremely doubtful that any of baseball’s top prospects will make an Opening Day roster. 

The Seattle Mariners have finally started playing baseball. They did drop their spring training opener (via MLB.com) by a score of 9-3 to the San Diego Padres, but it is good to finally get things started.