Rangers pitcher Derek Holland is hoping for a quick return after undergoing surgery on Friday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. Holland will be shut down for six weeks and the initial prognosis is he won’t be back until mid-season.

The Alex Rodriguez situation has been difficult for baseball. But this whole ordeal was completely necessary, writes columnist Mike Bauman.

When outfielder Michael Choice was acquired by the Rangers from Oakland earlier this winter, it appeared he had a chance to win a job as the starting left fielder. That was on Dec. 3. However, that was also the day Rangers general manager Jon Daniels was in California meeting with agent Scott Boras to discuss free agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo.

More than a month and a half away before hosting its first Cactus League game, Cubs Park opened its gates Saturday to droves of fans eager for a sneak peek at the recently completed stadium.

Rubby De La Rosa was a highly regarded prospect when he was with the Dodgers. Now, after one season with the Red Sox, the hard-throwing righty is coming off a healthy winter for the first time in a while and is looking to make a big impact in Boston in 2014.

Alex Rodriguez, who will be suspended for the 2014 regular season and postseason, is now a cautionary tale. To have all that talent and to still look for shortcuts is as amazing as it is sad.

The MLBPA strongly disagrees with the award issued today in the grievance of Alex Rodriguez, even despite the Arbitration Panel’s decision to reduce the duration of Mr. Rodriguez’s unprecedented 211-game suspension.

Major League Baseball issued a statement Saturday regarding the decision rendered by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.

Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz has notified both Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association of his ruling that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will be suspended for a period that includes 162 regular-season games in the 2014 regular season, as well as the entire 2014 postseason.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez underwent an emergency appendectomy in Denver late Friday night, according to Gonzalez’s personal Twitter account.

Robinson Cano and Jacoby Ellsbury added their names to the list of players earning over $20 million per year this offseason, as more and more teams prove that they’re more than willing to spend big to win.

Ringolsby notebook: Undrafted out of high school, Frank Thomas always had the tools to justify his potential. The White Sox slugger, who was scouted by Houston, became the first primary DH elected to the Hall Of Fame.

Angels infielder Erick Aybar and Ed Rogers went 2-for-3 and Kansas City’s Emilio Bonifacio drove in two runs as Licey defeated the Gigantes in Dominican Winter League action Friday.

Friday’s four-hour National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) session was an added bonus for the 565 amateur baseball coaches from across Canada who have descended upon the Rogers Centre to participate in the second annual Blue Jays Baseball Academy National Coaching Clinic.

Blue Jays’ Steve Delabar, Anthony Gose, Adam Lind, Josh Thole and manager John Gibbons joined the Winter Tour as the group visited the military personnel at CFB Kingston in the afternoon. They then attended a Kingston Frontenacs Ontario Hockey League game later in the evening.

Masahiro Tanaka’s posting period ends on Jan. 24, two weeks from Friday. It’s go time, and teams are going to Los Angeles to welcome the 25-year-old to the big leagues, hopefully slap their uniform on his back, and resume Hot Stove wheeling and dealing.

The Hot Stove remained quiet on Friday, but one of Major League Baseball’s top teams received a huge blow to its 2014 outlook. The Rangers will begin the season without left-hander Derek Holland, who underwent surgery on Friday to repair torn cartilage behind his left kneecap.