MLB

The offseason just kicked off. And while there hasn’t been a monumental free-agent signing or a blockbuster trade, it’s inevitable that the first domino will fall soon.

And as soon as players are on the move, fans and owners naturally begin to critique general managers.

The anticipation and speculation leading up to a Major League Baseball season is unlike that of any other sport.  As soon as the last out of the final game of a World Series is recorded, the calculation and dreaming for a campaign still five months away begins.

For the New York Yankees, 2014 can't get here fast enough.  The sooner they can get the disappointment of 2013 in their rear-view mirror, the better.

The Hot Stove League hasn't been officially open for a full week yet and the rumor mill has already begun to spin, with teams expressing interest in free agents and general managers beginning to chat on the phone about how their respective clubs may be able to help each other out in potential trade scenarios.

Teams that we don't normally expect to be aggressive in the offseason, such as the Minnesota Twins, have been dominating the headlines this week, while news surrounding the biggest name available, second baseman Robinson Cano, has been far less than anyone expected.

If you love prospects, then it doesn’t get any better than the Arizona Fall League.

With six teams comprised of baseball’s top prospects from all 30 organizations, the AFL provides an opportunity to witness the future of the game on one field.

There are no proven No. 1 starting pitchers on MLB's free-agent market this year. Too many are signing extensions these days. Others, presumably, have simply migrated to warmer climates.

What the market does boast is a solid collection of No. 2 and No. 3 starters who can be had at fair prices. And if there's one guy who's likely to be had at a fairer price than anyone, it's Ricky Nolasco.

For Washington Nationals fans, the MLB offseason is the time to dream. 

Nats fans can dream about the season that could have been or the season that is yet to come. Or perhaps they can dream about the free agents who will help the team next season. 

Of course, some potential free-agent signings are just that: a dream. A mirage. A figment of the imagination. 

If you love prospects, then it doesn’t get any better than the Arizona Fall League.

With six teams comprised of baseball’s top prospects from all 30 organizations, the AFL provides an opportunity to witness the future of the game on one field.

For a team that finished with 91 losses like the Seattle Mariners, the offseason is exceptionally crucial. The roster is full of an interesting but not necessarily intriguing or promising mix of youth and experience, and it was ineffective last season.

One of the topics expected to be discussed at next week's GM meetings is how to reduce the number of home plate collisions, which have always been injury risks.

Due to the vulnerable position of the catcher trying to block home plate while concentrating on trying to catch a baseball, while the runner bears down on him at full speed with the intention of jarring the ball out of his glove—whether he catches it or not—it's not exactly the safest job on the field.

Martin Perez is just the latest.

On Thursday, the Texas Rangers gave the 22-year-old left-hander—who has all of 26 starts in the majors—a contract extension worth $12.5 million over the next four years, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.