Baseball

The Washington Nationals have been maddeningly patient this winter, but the team still has a few months to let its fans stew and a short list of pieces that could fill its only visible hole: second base.

Nationals rumors this offseason have been largely dominated by who might be leaving the team. Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Ian Desmond are no closer to learning their fate. 

After a relatively quiet start to the offseason, general manager Neal Huntington and the Pittsburgh Pirates have added a few key pieces to the team's roster that could help lead them back to the postseason for the third straight year.  

While the signings of starting pitchers Francisco Liriano and A.J. Burnett were much needed insurance for the Pirates' rotation, there are still doubts about the back end of the rotation.    

The Arizona Diamondbacks enter 2015 with much uncertainty regarding their starting rotation.

According to the depth chart, Josh Collmenter is listed as the team's top starting pitcher. He is followed by Rubby De La Rosa, Jeremy Hellickson, Allen Webster and Vidal Nuno.

The Atlanta Braves' 2015 roster became more clear after the Justin Upton trade.

The outfield will consist of Evan Gattis, B.J. Upton and Nick Markakis. Christian Bethancourt will be the primary catcher.

The infield also looks set with Freddie Freeman, Andrelton Simmons, Chris Johnson and either Alberto Callaspo or Jace Peterson.

While the positional players look clear, the rotation still has some question marks.

The 2014 season was a major disappointment for the Boston Red Sox, as the defending 2013 World Series champions dropped all the way to last place in the American League East.  In the process, the Red Sox traded away several veteran starting pitchers while looking to retool for 2015.   

The New York Yankees have had an eventful offseason despite not making any major splashes, yet there is still some work to do.

They have already found Derek Jeter's successor in Didi Gregorius, traded for young starter Nathan Eovaldi, re-signed third baseman Chase Headley, brought in reliever Andrew Miller and made a handful of other smaller moves, so it has not exactly been quiet on the Yankees' front.

One of the Los Angeles Dodgers' biggest weaknesses last season was their bullpen.

It was no secret, and the numbers didn't lie. Los Angeles relievers in 2014 surrendered more earned runs than 18 other bullpens in the majors, and only four other relief corps finished the year with a higher walk rate.

With the additions of Nelson Cruz, Justin Ruggiano and Seth Smith, the 2015 Seattle Mariners roster is nearly complete.

Seattle did a nice job of addressing its major needs while only adding payroll and trading marginal prospects. At the very least, this team looks ready to contend for a playoff spot.

Ever since the departure of former shortstop Jack Wilson, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been searching for an everyday player who could potentially become their franchise shortstop.  

Wilson had a successful career in Pittsburgh, serving primarily as the Pirates' everyday shortstop from 2001-2009.  In 1,159 career games with the Pirates, Wilson batted .269 with 60 home runs, or roughly 10 home runs per season.  

The San Francisco Giants have won three world championships in the past five seasons, and the cornerstone of their success has been strong pitching.

Whether it is the starting rotation or the bullpen, general manager Brian Sabean has consistently built a solid pitching staff. Manager Bruce Bochy and pitching coach Dave Righetti know how to get the most out of their pitchers.

Looking ahead to the 2015 season, once again, pitching will be essential to the Giants' success.