Opinion

A year ago, the Chicago Cubs bullpen was a weak point. That's saying something. Slowly but surely, the unit got better in the second half of the season, and now with some new additions to the 'pen, it looks like the team actually might be able to secure some wins for its starting pitchers. 

Rumors of Major League Baseball implementing protective headgear for pitchers have been floating around for years, though there hasn't been any significant movement on that front for a while.

Until now, it seems.

Masahiro Tanaka has a terrifying arsenal of pitches, great command of the strike zone and an arm that can handle an exhausting workload. Oh, and he can also beat celebrity chefs at a strike-throwing contest and make the whole thing rather entertaining. 

Major League Baseball made history in 2013 as its revenues reached a new record high.

According to Maury Brown of Forbes, a league source said revenues will be between $8-$8.5 billion for 2013:

It doesn’t look like Nelson Cruz or Shin-Soo Choo will be playing for the Texas Rangers in 2014.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but Jaime Edmondson only really needed a few to convey her tremendous news. She and Tampa Bay Rays star Evan Longoria are getting married. 

The Boston Red Sox entered the offseason by embarking on a World Series parade through the city of Boston. When the floats came to a stop, business picked back up for the 2013 champions. 

Since the start of business this winter, the Red Sox have been active. Yet due to their aversion to handing out long-term contracts, the team hasn't held a huge media gathering at Fenway Park to introduce the newest star to Red Sox faithful.

The Baltimore Orioles have a new closer, and one thing we know is that he'll be cheaper in 2014 than their old closer would have been.

But better? I wouldn't be quick to count on it, no.

If it were profitable, Alex Rodriguez would get on the biggest hill he could find, spin around and sing his story for all to hear like a baseball Julie Andrews. Instead, he is opting to just write a tell-all book about his plight and possibly secure a documentary feature. 

Even though the results aren't showing up at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs are heading in the right direction. It's hard to see when a team is coming off a last-place finish in the National League Central and 96 losses in 2013, but there is a plan in place that will start to bear fruit soon.