Opinion

When last we saw Bobby Valentine, he was up to his neck in trouble trying to run a single baseball team.

Now he's going to try to run a whole athletic program.

We all know the situation by now.

The Yankees really want to keep Robinson Cano around for a long time.

The second basemen is one year away from hitting free agency and is likely in line for a major payday.

The Yankees are also historically known as a team that doesn't negotiate with players before or during a season.

The Seattle Mariners have finally started playing baseball. They did drop their spring training opener (via MLB.com) by a score of 9-3 to the San Diego Padres, but it is good to finally get things started.

While the Oakland A's had a successful season by all means in 2012, the infield is bound to be a lot better in 2013. 

The A's went out and got Hiroyuki Nakajima and Jed Lowrie, and they will return formerly injured Scott Sizemore in 2013. Brandon Moss hit .291 in 2012, and Donaldson hit .284 in his last 225 at-bats (for the regular season). Sizemore doesn't have too much on his resume, but he is a talented player who may start at second base.

Remember Kyle Seager?

Third baseman for the Seattle Mariners? 

It's strange, for a guy that led his team in a handful of key offensive categories last year, you're not hearing too much about him so far this spring. 

Get ready to see more of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper this year.

Literally.

With the start of spring training this weekend, there are still several free agents that haven't signed with a team. One of the players who top the list of unsigned contributors is Kyle Lohse. Lohse is an excellent right-handed pitcher that has been on four different MLB teams throughout his 12-year professional career.

If you turn on a New York Yankees spring game and find yourself staring at Brett Gardner in center field and Curtis Granderson in left field, do not adjust your television set. The situation will be under control.

While the Oakland Athletics didn’t have any legitimate stars last year, they managed to strike some magic, win the AL West and come within one win of the ALCS. However, this year the A’s won’t need a supply of magic to bring out the big-boy bats and pound opposing pitchers.

Pitching prospects will not decide the Philadelphia Phillies' fate in 2013.

If Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon do not perform as expected, the Phillies have virtually no chance to contend.

But the emergence of a young arm or three could mean the difference between just contending and a return to the playoffs.