Opinion

The Oakland A's have several position players whose performances will decisively dictate the overall success of the team in 2014.

One of those key players is first baseman Brandon Moss. In 2013, Moss played a full season for the first time in his career, and he performed exceptionally. He blasted 30 home runs, drove in 87 runs and slugged .522, the latter of which was good for sixth in the American League.

It's time for Auld Lang Syne and the bubbly as we ring in 2014.

That also means the MLB hot stove is set to heat back up after the holiday lull that followed a frenzied December. With bidding open for Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka, the entire offseason market is finally set and the remaining marquee pitchers figure to sign deals in the near future.

There are only a few potential items left for the Los Angeles Dodgers to attend to this offseason. With the inking of Juan Uribe to a contract, only optional moves remain.

The Dodgers roster is basically set, so general manager Ned Colletti doesn’t need to panic or make any desperation moves. Instead, any transaction would be solely to improve a Dodgers team that won 92 games last season.

I am a firm believer that the Texas Rangers' 2014 offense is set for Opening Day. That means the club should turn away from making any further significant signings to upgrade the offense. 

Instead, the Rangers should be very pleased with the lineup they will field next season. There is a nice mix of high-paid star talent and value guys who outplay their contracts.

The St. Louis Cardinals represented the National League in the World Series in 2013. They put together the best regular season record in the National League to get there. Since the close of the season, they have improved their roster by making moves by both trade and in free agency.

Along the way, there have been some headlines worth noting. Combined, they form a subscript of the calendar year and help to define the current state of the franchise.  

Make no mistake about it, the Texas Rangers have a top lineup for the upcoming 2014 MLB season, but they should still pursue a designated hitter in Kendrys Morales.

I'm sure I am not alone when it comes to the excitement I have about the 2014 season and what it holds for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Coming off their second World Series appearance in three years, the Cardinals appear primed to make a deep run into October in 2014.

Their roster is pretty loaded, and they actually reduced payroll heading into next season. However, no matter how loaded a roster may be, there are always injuries, slumps and unforeseen circumstances.

The New York Yankees made a big splash during the early stages of free agency by signing free-agent center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a seven-year deal worth $153 million.

The MLB offseason will jump back into the swing of things once the calendar flips to 2014. For now, the rumor mill has slowed down during the holidays, serving as a lull between a wild December and a January that also figures to feature plenty of high-profile moves.