Opinion

In professional sports, smart, forward-thinking organizations have the ability to project ahead, anticipate the future, yet still focus on the present. For Major League Baseball general managers, deciding on which arbitration-eligible players to extend before free agency arrives is a yearly right of passage. 

The Baseball Writers' Association of America thought it was fixing a problem.

Instead, with one swift, sweeping act of judgement it revealed its true nature—the BBWAA, at its core, is nothing more than a frightened dictator.

By releasing a statement that Dan Le Batard would be banned for giving his vote to Deadspin, the BBWAA flaunted its power to show the baseball world that its word is final, to cast fear into the eyes of anyone who even thinks of rebelling against it.

The New York Yankees have had a busy offseason to date, but the effectiveness of their offseason exploits will ultimately be defined by the moves general manager Brian Cashman makes in the weeks leading up to spring training.

Wilmer Flores has been a top position player prospect for the New York Mets since he signed as an international free agent in 2007. Now that he’s made his MLB debut six years later, will he have a role with the Mets in the big leagues for 2014?

Months after a season-ending press conference turned awkward for the Los Angeles Dodgers, manager Don Mattingly received what he wanted all along: a contract extension.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is a sensitive and controversial topic, regardless of which player, era or concept is up for discussion. As the baseball community reacts to the 2014 induction list, one thing is certain: At some point, a designated hitter will be inducted into Cooperstown.

When that day arrives, former Seattle Mariners great Edgar Martinez should be the man to carry the torch into baseball's hallowed hallways. 

The goal of every Major League Baseball team is to draft and develop All-Stars. These players are the very best talents and will be the faces of the sport for a long time to come. 

Despite having All-Star goals for every prospect drafted or, in the case of international players, signed, it's not as simple as saying that a player who has All-Star potential will reach that ceiling. 

The big names may be mostly off the board, but there is still a vibrant free-agency market out there for teams trying to fill various holes on their rosters.

From a pitcher from Japan many teams are salivating over to a trio of veterans who could improve teams at the right cost, baseball's free-agency period continues to rumble along.

Let's take a look at a few rumors making the rounds.

Masahiro Tanaka

The Prince Fielder-Ian Kinsler trade kicked down the door on the MLB offseason, but there hasn't been another blockbuster deal since.

That could change in the near future, though, and maybe Masahiro Tanaka is to blame for the holdup.

Whether there’s a true ace to be found on the free-agent market is very much up for debate.

What’s not up for debate is whether there’s a true ace to be found on the trade market. Not as long as David Price is out there to be had, anyway.

There’s a chance the Tampa Bay Rays will hold on to Price, but they certainly can’t afford to do so for much longer given how expensive arbitration is making him. If they’re going to deal him, dealing him now while the getting is good is the right idea.