Opinion

It's hard enough to find five good starting pitchers. But the high occurrence of injuries to pitchers in this day and age commonly forces teams to utilize at least eight or nine starting pitchers to get through a 162-game season.

As a result, certain characteristics have become extremely important when assembling a starting rotation. Without a good combination of consistency, durability and reliability, things can get ugly very quickly. 

This is what the Arizona Diamondbacks have been waiting for. Masahiro Tanaka will be posted by the Rakuten Golden Eagles after a contentious battle with MLB over the posting fee.

What is Masahiro Tanaka worth?

That question is bound to dominate Major League Baseball for the next few weeks, now that the star Japanese pitcher has officially been posted after months of expectation, speculation and anticipation.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten so accustomed to adding big-name talent and payroll over the last two years that the idea of them trading a superstar like Matt Kemp is insane.

Of course, when you already have a surplus of expensive outfielders on your roster, everyone becomes available for the right price.

The New York Yankees have already made big changes this offseason, but there are several more things that need to be done after Jan. 1 to get this team over the hump.

There are a few New Year's resolutions that Yankees management needs to make in an effort to ensure the most success in the upcoming season. The Bombers have been very active this offseason, but there's more to be done and more things that need to change.

The MLB rumor mill tends to slow around the holiday season, but as Zach Links of MLB Trade Rumors noted, sometimes baseball executives and agents are fiddling on their phones during family functions while discussing possible deals.

The 2014 season will be better than 2013's version for New York Mets fans because the team will be showcasing its young, promising talent while taking one step closer to completing its plan of becoming a championship contender once again.

2014 is almost here, and that means time for New Year's resolutions, Texas Rangers style.

The Texas Rangers must sign Japanese phenom Masahiro Tanaka for the 2014 MLB season.

It's pretty simple: Pitching wins in the playoffs.

Christmas has passed, and we're less than a week away from the new year. Most Major League Baseball teams are at or near the completion of their winter shopping, and are looking to make minor moves in the month-and-a-half before spring training.

Then there's the Baltimore Orioles, a team who has the resources to make an impact move or two, but has only seemingly gotten worse on paper.