The Indians have been monitoring Trevor Bauer’s progress this offseason, and the information received has the club confident that the top pitching prospect will take a step forward in 2014.

The batting cage at Anthony Rizzo’s home was completed just in time for Christmas. His neighbors don’t need to worry about late-night noise, though. The Cubs first baseman didn’t install lights because he didn’t want to be tempted to take swings at 2 a.m., but he is eager to start baseball activities.

Walt Hriniak, who served as White Sox hitting coach from 1989-95, was the first to work with Frank Thomas at the big league level. As the Big Hurt waits to learn the results from the Hall of Fame balloting, he credits Hriniak for challenging him early in his career.

We’re here in the New Year, excited by possibilities, formally representing the first of hundreds of thousands of pieces of content you will encounter from Major League Baseball Advanced Media in the form of stories, videos, live streams, photos, Cut 4 shares, social posts, chats, Beat the Streak picks and more.

On the final day of 2013, the Hot Stove was relatively quiet. However, the biggest news of the day came out of Houston, where the Astros made a move to strengthen their bullpen.

The Astros agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free-agent right-handed pitcher Jesse Crain, who played his college ball at the University of Houston.

The ball is in the on-deck circle at Times Square, and as usual, there are plenty of useful players still available on the free-agent market. Phil Rogers grades teams’ offseason moves so far.

Bud Selig has been the Commissioner of Major League Baseball for 21 years, the second-longest tenure of any Commissioner. At some point, the game’s current popularity and prosperity can be measured only as the result of the policies he has pursued and enacted.

It was a year in which baseball gave us so much. In the end, though, it was the Red Sox who hoisted the World Series trophy to put the finishing touch on a season that had a magical, inevitable quality about it.

Infielder Yuniesky Betancourt could still find a starting role on the open market, and the Yankees continue their pursuit of Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka in today’s Hot Stove roundup.

Infielder Yuniesky Betancourt could still find a starting role on the open market, and the Yankees continue their pursuit of Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka in today’s Hot Stove roundup.

In this edition of Pipeline Perspectives, Jonathan Mayo argues that St. Louis’ haul from the 2009 First-Year Player Draft was the best from the past 10 years.

In this edition of Pipeline Perspectives, Jonathan Mayo argues that St. Louis’ haul from the 2009 First-Year Player Draft was the best from the past 10 years.

Fans wishing to pay their respects to Paul Blair can do so on Friday, Jan. 3, from 2 to 8 p.m. ET at Ruck’s Funeral Home, 1050 York Road in Towson, Md., where Blair’s family will be greeting family and friends.

Fans wishing to pay their respects to Paul Blair can do so on Friday, Jan. 3, from 2 to 8 p.m. ET at Ruck’s Funeral Home, 1050 York Road in Towson, Md., where Blair’s family will be greeting family and friends.

The Rangers added another candidate to their bullpen on Monday when they acquired right-handed pitcher Miles Mikolas from the Pirates for first baseman Chris McGuiness.

One of the major questions facing the Angels next year is what Raul Ibanez can provide as their primary designated hitter. The recently-signed veteran struggled in the second half of last season, and he’ll turn 42 in June. But to Ibanez, it’s not even a question.