It does not matter if John Farrell, Terry Francona and DeMarlo Hale are in Sapporo, where MLB’s All-Stars wrapped up the five-game All-Star Series against Samurai Japan on Monday, back home on American soil or anywhere else. For three friends who met years ago over baseball, who bonded over baseball and who reunited this month in Japan over — what else? — baseball, the topic rarely strays.

The Arizona Fall League not only serves as a developmental league for baseball’s top prospects, but also as a testing ground for new baseball initiatives. In 2013, Major League Baseball used the Fall League to test expanded instant replay, which was then implemented for the 2014 regular season. This year, MLB utilized the AFL as it looks for ways to improve the pace of play.

The Marlins will hold a news conference at Marlins Park on Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET, presumably to announce a record-setting contract with slugger Giancarlo Stanton, and MLB.com and marlins.com will provide a live stream.

Jason Heyward still has the potential to live up to his first season of hype, but after years — and with all of their pitching issues — the Braves got tired of waiting.

Two seasons ago, Corey Kluber and Yan Gomes competed for jobs with the Tribe during the spring, but both were shipped to Triple-A Columbus to start the year. It did not take long for the duo to join the Indians, seize regular roles and develop into one of the best batteries in Major League Baseball.

With Giancarlo Stanton now as their long-term centerpiece, the Marlins’ next order of business is surrounding the slugger with a playoff-caliber roster. The quest for a front-line starting pitcher and a middle-of-the-order bat is about to begin.

What sets Pirates closer Mark Melancon apart from the masses is that he has an unusual perspective, one that he strives to bring to life each day. He knows that if he does lose, which doesn’t happen often, it’s not the end of the world. Never was this more apparent to Melancon than last offseason, when he and his wife, Mary Catherine, took the trip of a lifetime.

One cannot rewrite history. But the Pirates, unable to bring back the joyride of the 2012 season, have at least brought back one of the unsung arms who had made it happen. Brad Lincoln, the valuable swingman of the pitching staff that had the Bucs in serious contention in mid-2012, is returning to the organization on a Minor League deal.

The White Sox and free agent left-handed reliever Zach Duke have agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract.

I know we’re just getting started, and there is so much work to do, but as I made my way home from the General Managers Meetings, I couldn’t help but thinking, “So far so good.”

Jeremy Hellickson’s trade to the D-backs on Friday night became the latest move of a busy offseason for the Rays. More action could come this week in anticipation of setting the team’s 40-man roster by Thursday.

The Phillies on Tuesday announced that they have finalized their player development staff for next season.

Two things happened Monday that could affect the Phillies indirectly this offseason.

The Red Sox spent much of Tuesday — David Ortiz’s 39th birthday – recruiting another gregarious personality who would give Big Papi some much-needed protection in the batting order. Pablo Sandoval touched down in Boston on Monday in preparation for a pitch from the Red Sox, who are trying to add enough offensive firepower to sufficiently recover from a last-place finish in 2014.

Last offseason, the Prince Fielder-Ian Kinsler trade made headlines across the country, but the Rangers’ claim on Shawn Tolleson was buried in the transactions column in the back of the sports sections. This shows that a successful offseason is not always dictated by the biggest headlines.

The end of the Arizona Fall League season last week meant the end of the offseason leagues in the United States. But in several Latin American countries, the baseball season is just beginning.

A Major League source said free-agent pitcher Jon Lester and the Braves will meet on Thursday.