The sixth annual Honorary Bat Girl Contest is underway, encouraging fans to share “Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer” stories for a chance to be honored on the field during Mother’s Day celebrations around Major League Baseball.

Jim Fregosi, a six-time All-Star shortstop who spent 53 years in professional baseball as a player, manager and scout, died early Friday morning, six days after suffering multiple strokes during a Major League Baseball alumni cruise.

Major League Baseball continued to ramp up preparations for expanded instant replay this season by announcing Thursday that Justin Klemm has been appointed as director of instant replay. In addition, seven new full-time umpires have been hired.

On Wednesday, the Cubs officially opened their new $84 million Spring Training facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Pitchers and catchers report Thursday, and new manager Rick Renteria will get his first look at them in a workout the next day.

Derek Jeter’s announcement that he will retire after the 2014 season grabbed most of the headlines on Wednesday, but the Hot Stove certainly saw its share of news — the most prominent involving one of Jeter’s former teammates — A.J. Burnett.

Yonder Alonso likes the message that was sent when the Padres bolstered the roster over the offseason, and now the first baseman and his colleagues will get to work on delivering that message as Spring Training gets underway in Peoria, Ariz.

Former All-Star shortstop and big league manager Jim Fregosi suffered a stroke during a Major League Baseball alumni cruise, and was flown to Miami from the Cayman Islands on Tuesday.

The D-backs will have the highest payroll in franchise history this year — somewhere in the neighborhood of $108 million — but that does not mean there is increased pressure to win.

Derek Jeter’s announcement that 2014 will mark his last season elicited responses of reverence for a player whose 13 All-Star Game appearances and five World Series rings tell only part of the tale of how this particular shortstop’s influence goes such a long way.

A.J. Burnett’s Pirates tenure ended Wednesday as reports surfaced that the right-hander had struck a free-agent deal with the Phillies — getting another Bucs Spring Training off to an eventful start.

Bronson Arroyo knew he was going to feel a little funny on Wednesday, when he worked out with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time. It marked his first job change in eight years.

Brewers special assistant Dick Groch spoke like a proud father Wednesday about Yankees star Derek Jeter, who announced he would retire at the end of this season. Groch was the Yankees scout who signed Jeter out of Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1992.

When Derek Jeter retires at the end of the 2014 season, he will take an impressive statistical profile with him. Although Jeter has drawn praise for his character, leadership and other impeccable intangibles, his tangible accomplishments clearly establish him as one of the most prolific Yankees, and shortstops, of all time.

As Reds pitchers and catchers prepare to open Spring Training on Friday, there remains unresolved business with pitcher Homer Bailey. Bailey, who has already arrived at camp ahead of schedule, is the last unsigned Reds player eligible for arbitration.

Last week, Luis Ayala signed a Minor League deal to return to Washington after a five-year absence, and is thrilled to be back with the franchise.

The Yankees don’t have a shortstop among their top 20 prospects, so they’ll likely look to free agency or trade options before they open their first Spring Training without Derek Jeter in two decades next year.

The Yankees have another high-profile retirement party to plan. Shortstop Derek Jeter, one of the most iconic players in the franchise’s rich history, has announced via his Facebook page that the 2014 season “will be [his] last year playing professional baseball.”