MLB

Alex Cobb just put himself atop the early list for the best marriage proposal of 2014.

The Tampa Bay Rays pitcher got help from a dolphin at Discovery Cove in Orlando, Fla., in pulling off a spectacular proposal. When the dolphin surfaced to meet Cobb's girlfriend, Kelly, it held a buoy in its mouth which read "Kelly, will you marry me?"

Not a chance she could turn that down.

Even though that was a well-planned proposal, Cobb still did it the old-fashioned way of getting down on one knee afterward.

Being a prospect in Major League Baseball requires a degree of patience that few people in the world can match. These are players who, for the most part, have been signed or drafted to multi-million dollar contracts when they are between the ages of 18 and 21. 

One common term you will hear, especially during the spring when some stats can get inflated by small sample sizes and inconsistent competition is "MLB ready." Is this guy ready to step into the big leagues today and play a significant role for their team?

Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan has been off the mound for over two decades, but he can't seem to stay away from the game of baseball.   

The 67-year-old will now reunite with the Houston Astros in an advisory role, as first reported by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com:

Two of the three divisions in the American League housed at least three winning teams in 2013. The AL West was the one that didn't, and also had the dishonor of being home to MLB's worst team.

But since spring training is pretty much here, it's really no longer too early to look at the projections. And to this end, the AL West is looking pretty good for 2014. Quite good, in fact. Shoot, very good.

Spring training is just a couple of weeks away, and the Texas Rangers have two guys who are creating a lot of buzz.

Ironically, one player just won a Super Bowl, and the other pitched against the club last year.

Tim Hudson has been a model of consistency throughout his long career. Entering his 17th season, Hudson has never had a losing record as a starting pitcher and has exceeded 200 innings in eight different seasons. In 2014, Huddy will continue to be a bulldog and add depth to the Giants’ rotation. 

Masahiro Tanaka is officially a member of the New York Yankees organization.

When the team welcomed him to America with a press conference at Yankee Stadium, the brightest pitching star from Japan entered Major League Baseball. Within a few days, fans and media members will garner a live view of his pitches and ability.

For now, we have his personality and demeanor to dissect.

With very little fanfare, Roy Oswalt will retire after 13 seasons pitching for four different teams, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

All-Star pitcher Roy Oswalt has decided to retire, and plans to work with his agent, Bob Garber. 163 wins, 102 losses.

Longtime MLB pitcher Roy Oswalt is hanging up his glove after a 13-year career and heading over to the business side of baseball.    

According to a tweet by ESPN’s Buster Olney on Tuesday afternoon, the three-time All-Star will be working with his agent, Bob Garber, during a post-playing career:

For the Atlanta Braves, a core of young, ascending talent is a blessing. But it's also a curse for long-term payroll planning.