The Cardinals were quick to act this offseason, filling their three primary areas of need by mid-December. Now, the organization merely awaits the payoff.

The turning of the calendar to 2014 is not just a happy occasion for the Rockies. It’s an optimistic one. Even without the big splash in free agency, there is a feeling the team spent wisely enough to make improvement possible in 2014.

The Tigers have no shortage of questions entering 2014. After all, no matter what else happens this offseason, Detroit looks like a team in transition after trading All-Star slugger Prince Fielder and rotation stalwart Doug Fister and replacing the retired Jim Leyland with first-time manager Brad Ausmus.

There is nowhere for the Astros to go but up. As the calendar gets ready to turn to 2014, they are setting themselves up to make the long climb to respectability on the field. Even the most cynical observer doesn’t have to squint to see the organization is moving in the right direction.

Now that the Rangers played at the top of the free-agent market, they can look back at a busy offseason that still has seven weeks to go. Whether or not they make any more moves, there are still some big questions facing the Rangers while everybody is toasting the New Year.

They can hope for wins, strong performances offensively, defensively as well as on the mound. But in order for any of that to happen for the Padres in 2014, and for them to make a move north in the National League West standings, something else has to occur. Good health.

With a new manager, a new mega-millionaire star and the likely promotion of one of baseball’s premier pitching prospects, change is in the air at Safeco Field as the calendar turns to 2014.

Arizona finished with back-to-back 81-81 seasons, and general manager Kevin Towers is determined to find a way over the hump in 2014. He has again made significant changes to the roster, adding a power bat in Mark Trumbo and a top bullpen arm in Addison Reed.

Though it once seemed to be eons away, the Reds’ Spring Training report date of Feb. 14 is now just around the corner — about six weeks from now, in fact. The disappointment of 2013 has now turned into a new outlook for 2014 behind new skipper Bryan Price.

Anthony Castrovince takes a brief gander at each of MLB’s 30 clubs and offers up a holiday gift to assist their efforts in the coming New Year. The National League was first in line, with the focus now on the American League.

The challenge of winning a title is topped only by the quest of repeating. Nobody has done it since the Yanks from 1998-2000, and the Red Sox will be on the clock, trying to show that it can be done. However, manager John Farrell is hopeful his team will attack this challenge in incremental steps, rather than trying to do it all at once.

With a third straight disappointing season, the Twins are more than ready to turn the page on 2013 and move on to ’14. The club has lost at least 96 games in each of the last three years. But it heads into the new year with some optimism because of one of the game’s best farm systems and a revamped rotation after signing free agents Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes and Mike Pelfrey to multi-year deals.

You’ll hear a lot about Wrigley Field celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2014. There will be retrospectives on the ballpark, replica uniforms, appearances by alumni throughout the season and plenty of fanfare. It’s the first year, though, for rookie manager Rick Renteria, named the Cubs’ 53rd skipper in November.

The Orioles are eager to flip the calendar as they seek a return to postseason form in the new year. The rehab progress of Manny Machado and Dylan Bundy is among the top issues facing the club in 2014.

As skipper Clint Hurdle’s Pirates swaggered down the stretch in 2013 on their newly-paved glory road, the oft-heard cautionary note sounded by team officials was this: “Achieving success is hard. But maintaining it is harder.” General manager Neal Huntington and Co. are looking to arrange a suitable encore to a 94-win season.

A World Series ring remains the ultimate prize and the Dodgers, even with the richest payroll in the game, still have questions to answer as they prepare for a 2014 season that opens in Australia against Arizona.

After many things went wrong for the Angels last season, Mike Scioscia and Co. look to bounce back in 2014. Here are the 10 biggest questions facing the Halos in the coming year.