Baseball

The Seattle Mariners had several prospects make their major league debuts in 2014, with a few of them going on to be important contributors on a contending ballclub.

The Atlanta Braves fired general manager Frank Wren on Monday after seven seasons with the club. MLB.com writer Mark Bowman confirmed the news:

For most of the 2014 season, Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners has been the undisputed choice to win his second AL Cy Young award. 

But Corey Kluber has produced an incredible second half for the Cleveland Indians, making the decision for voters much more difficult than anticipated.

Both pitchers are deserving of the award.

Baseball in September represents a time when teams on the outside looking in make one last effort to secure a playoff spot. Other clubs fight for positioning. And yet, roster spots for the playoffs remain up for grabs in St. Louis, where a few of the Cardinals’ call-ups are making their case.

Some of the late-season call-ups have already displayed the ability to provide this club with a spark. Starting pitcher Marco Gonzales heads the group. 

The to-do list for the 2014-2015 Cincinnati Reds offseason seems to grow by the day as more and more rumors surrounding the dealing of Aroldis Chapman, Brandon Phillips and others circulate. And while a 72-84 record is bad enough to make the short to-do a whole laundry list of items, the truth is, there is still real talent on this 2014 product beyond the obvious talent. 

We've reached the final week of the 2014 MLB season, and there are still five postseason spots up for grabs heading into Tuesday's slate of games.

The National League field is essentially set, with the Milwaukee Brewers all but eliminated at five games back in the wild-card standings. The big question is who will host the Wild Card Round game, as the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates are currently tied atop the standings.

When David Price takes the mound Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, he'll have a lot riding on his left arm, namely the postseason hopes of the Detroit Tigers, whose trade for the former Cy Young winner initially looked like a coup that would put the organization over the top down the stretch and in the playoffs.

The Baltimore Orioles have secured their spot in the 2014 MLB playoffs as they clinched the AL East division crown last Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

While the Orioles have lost a few vital pieces, the club has embraced the "next man up" mentality. It's not a question whether someone may be a good replacement—he needs to be.

The Red Sox made some stunning moves at the trade deadline, effectively throwing in the towel on the 2014 season.

Two months later, it's time to take a look back and see how the deals look like with some hindsight. While the overall evaluations of the moves won't be able to be fully judged until at least after 2015, there's already been some clarity on how the moves will turn out.

The big-money stars just might be coming on at the right time.

For nearly the entire season, the Los Angeles Dodgers could not get health or consistent, steady production from the bulk of their highly priced core, especially the men whose primary job is hitting.