Opinion

Freddie Freeman should feel special on this fine day in February, as the word is he's the first $100 million player in Atlanta Braves history.

Good for him, but even better for the Braves. They just locked up a young, talented player who's on the rise for money that's really not all that absurd by today's standards.

First of all, the news itself. As the Braves happily announced on Twitter:

If all you're looking for is a typical 150-200-word blurb, then this should do the trick.

After Murphy’s Law wrecked their 2012 season, everything went the Boston Red Sox’s way in 2013. They won 97 games, the AL East title, the American League pennant and, of course, the World Series.

The very idea of Major League Baseball teams investing big bucks in unproven international players doesn't sound like a good idea. A look back at recorded history will say that, yeah, it's really not.

The twist, however, is that this might not be the case for much longer.

You can probably guess why we're about to have this conversation. Surely you've seen seen the three big contracts handed out to international stars since the middle of last October. If not, well:

A successful baseball season usually consists of a team having a lot more players meeting or exceeding expectations than those who fall short. In most cases, at least one or two of those players will perform way above and beyond what anyone could have imagined.

The flurry of moves that many predicted was quick to follow Masahiro Tanaka's signing hasn't materialized as of yet, with the rumor mill eerily silent as it pertains to potential trades that could do down between now and Opening Day.

But the rumor mill has picked up steam when it comes to free agency, with the future homes for a number of high-profile players yet to be determined.

Here are some of the latest rumors from around the league and my take on whether they are closer to being fact or fiction.

Some 25 years after he retired from the game, I saw the Great One enter a baseball locker room and like an apparition, dissolve and disappear behind a shuttered door. When he reemerged—looking nearly the same as he did when he threw his last pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966—Sandy Koufax glided resplendently onto a baseball field, his iconic number 32 majestically emblazoned on his back, like righteous wings.

Arbitration hearings between MLB teams and players can lead to some awkward interactions at the negotiating table.

After the two sides exchange their figures, they often can come to agreements without the help of arbiter. If not, you have players trying to tout their worth and squeeze every dollar out of their team's ownership, while the club offers reasons why the player isn't worth so much money.

In November 2012, we witnessed the Atlanta Braves do something they have shied away from for a while. They signed outfielder B.J. Upton to a five-year deal worth $75.25 million. The sum of the deal put Upton in special company.

With MLB spring training set to start in a couple of weeks, it also signals the beginning of a new fantasy baseball season. Drafting is always one of best parts about fantasy (besides winning your championship, of course) and there's plenty of research to be done before you get ready to dominate your fellow owners.

Major League Baseball has decided to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to protecting pitchers from dangerous comebackers, and that's a good thing. The time is right.

...Possibly in more ways than one.