Opinion

We are now more than halfway through January and spring training is just weeks away.

The Baltimore Orioles are coming off two consecutive winning seasons, including a playoff berth in 2012, and that—coupled with the team's talented core—gives O's fans hope for the 2014 season.

However, the Orioles have done virtually nothing to improve their team this winter, or at least in the sense of an impact signing of a bigger-name player.

For the Tampa Bay Rays, planning to trade star pitcher David Price isn't so much a matter of whether the price is right but when the timing is.

At the end of the 2013 season, speculation started that the small-market Rays more than likely would be swapping their ace left-hander, primarily because of his escalating salary and imminent free agency following 2015.

The Boston Red Sox have been awfully quiet this offseason. Too quiet, some might say.

Or, you know, not. To say they've been "too" quiet, Mr. Strawman, is to imply that the Red Sox have been quiet to a fault this winter. I'm not sold that's the case. 

In the midst of a number of splashy moves made around the MLB, the Boston Red Sox have remained very quiet this offseason.

Following its 2013 World Series crown, Boston could have been in a dire situation heading into spring training 2014.  The team had its share of free agents, including Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli, Stephen Drew and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Two have already departed, and another may do so soon.

Today is the day that players love and teams dread. It's the deadline for arbitration-eligible players to officially exchange proposed salaries for the 2014 season with their clubs. 

Players, traditionally, will make a high offer, while teams, unsurprisingly, counter with a lower number. If the cases go to arbitration, which will take place from February 1-21, a judge will decide which side is right. 

The important thing to remember when cases go to arbitration is that there is no middle ground for the judge to decide on; either the team or player will win. 

Over the last two decades, the New York Yankees have put the fate of their franchise in Derek Jeter's hands. Now, as the 39-year-old enters the twilight of his career, the team is asking its captain to do something only three shortstops in the history of the sport have done: profile as an everyday shortstop as a 40-year-old.

The clock is ticking on the Masahiro Tanaka derby, meaning we're likely near another wave of big free-agent signings just in time for pitchers and catchers to report for spring training. Hard to imagine, but in about a month, the familiar sounds of rawhide smacking the leather in the bullpen will return to Arizona and Florida.

Fact: A solid foundation of sports knowledge will never be held against you.

You can use it for small talk, impressing strangers and making friends when you've been dragged to dinner parties. Also, in the rare event you end up on a gameshow, a command of sporting trivia can help make you cash money. 

While "busy" might be the best word to describe the offseason for the New York Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman, "hectic" is probably the best word to describe the upcoming month leading up to when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Despite a relatively quiet offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies have not necessarily filled all of their holes. Outfielder Marlon Byrd might be a bust, while starting pitcher Roberto Hernandez is an unknown in a shallow stadium like Citizens Bank Park.