MLB

The New York Yankees officially reached an agreement with lefty reliever Matt Thornton Friday afternoon.  

Jack Curry of the YES Network first reported the agreement, which is for two years and $7 million, on December 17.  

That gust of wind you just felt came from Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and manager Ron Washington upon learning that starting pitcher Derek Holland will be out until midseason after injuring his knee (via Hardball Talk). 

Not much went right for the San Francisco Giants in 2013, as they saw their win total drop by 18 from the previous season thanks to a barrage of injuries and an underperforming pitching rotation.

Yet, despite the disappointing season, 2014 holds several promising signs for the Giants. Perhaps most importantly, they'll have a few new faces on the field, with the return of Angel Pagan and Ryan Vogelsong in addition to the newly acquired Michael Morse.

With little major league-ready depth after their projected five starters, the Cincinnati Reds aren't currently in a position to shop Homer Bailey as he enters his last season before free agency. So it makes sense that the Reds were telling teams last month that he's not available, as was reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Texas Rangers might be weighing trade options with bringing in a starting pitcher for replacing Derek Holland who is out until midseason after he suffered a knee injury on Tuesday.

Sportswriter Anthony Andro of FoxSportsSouthwest.com reported the news via Twitter.

The New York Mets currently have a number of prospects on the cusp of making the major leagues, creating the question as to who will ascend in Mets system and become the next exciting young star.

The Mets have a number of prospects in the lower minors who have the tools to rise and become star talents but who have yet to harness their physical gifts and produce in the minors.

Updates from Saturday, Jan. 11

Richard Durrett of ESPN provides Derek Holland's description of what occurred:

It's no secret that the Chicago Cubs have been in a rebuild for the past couple of seasons, and the effort has resulted in several top prospects working their way through the organization. Some top prospects are still at least a year away from playing at Wrigley Field, while others could be making their way to the Friendly Confines within the calendar year.

The Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes have officially taken over baseball headlines. But the question remains: Is he worth all the hype?

Get your popcorn ready, folks.

When it comes to the free-agent tour for Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, expect a whirlwind of rumors, news and excitement over the next two weeks. By the end of January, the top pitcher on the market will pick a team, starting a domino effect for the rest of baseball's available players.