MLB

The Los Angeles Dodgers have big plans for Yasiel Puig in 2014, but some of the headlines he has been making may be cause for concern for his role with the team.

The typical criticisms of his off-field behavior and "non-traditional" playing style are generally unwarranted and not of any real concern.

The Dodgers' real issues with Puig should lie in his physical readiness to take on a leadoff and leadership role with the team.

As if the New York Yankees' middle infield situation wasn't difficult enough to figure out, Yangervis Solarte has plans to make it even harder.

The Kansas City Royals and Luke Hochevar were dealt a significant blow earlier in the week when it was reported by Dick Kaegel of MLB.com that the right-hander would miss time with a sprained pitching elbow. 

Returning to normalcy won't be easy, but pitcher Rich Hill took the first step toward doing so on Wednesday when he reported to Boston Red Sox spring training following the death of his infant son.

According to ESPNBoston.com, Hill made the news public on Thursday that his son, Brooks, had tragically passed away.

Since coming to San Francisco, the Giants have had a roller coaster ride, with moments of euphoria and crushing defeat.

Nevertheless, Giants fans will undoubtedly admit that the 21st century has been especially kind to them, especially over the last few seasons. Even so, the previous several decades weren't so pleasant for fans out west.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest moments for the Giants since they moved out to San Francisco.

The Atlanta Braves—a mid-market team on the verge of becoming a large-market team with a new ballpark—spent the winter locking up young, ascending stars. Along the path to securing future cost certainty, the Braves inadvertently changed the business structure of large-market foes.

For years, large-market teams have used deep pockets to fill holes—replace aging veterans and re-shape short-term goals. 

Bronson Arroyo is having trouble with a slightly bulging disk in his back and was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The news first came from MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. 

The Cincinnati Reds have played just nine spring training games, but as we head toward the second week of March, some players are already turning heads with their impressive play. This mix of players includes Reds veterans, non-roster invitees, minor leaguers and rookies all looking to raise their stock within the organization.

The New York Yankees entered the 2014 spring training schedule with several important tasks.

First, they needed to introduce several new players to the Yankees culture.

Helping injured players return to form and shake off some rust would also be important.

But what is of the utmost importance is seeing which players can win the remaining position battles and which young players can earn a spot on the Opening Day roster while turning heads.

The exhibition season might only be two weeks old, but on-field performance and injuries have already provided a shakeup among fantasy rankings at multiple positions heading into the regular season.

Whether it's someone looking to rebound from a dismal 2013 season, a youngster trying to make his mark or a veteran that is a consistently underrated contributor, there's no shortage of players that have opened eyes—and raised their fantasy stock—so far this spring.