Former All-Star outfielder Chris Young has certainly found a comfort level hitting at Minute Maid Park, but could it be his home ballpark next year?

Sydney native Trent Oeltjen, who spent 99 games in the big leagues with the D-backs and Dodgers, is off to a great start in the Australian Baseball League, and he’s looking forward to his former teams opening the 2014 season Down Under.

The Blue Jays added some organizational depth on Friday morning by signing free-agent first baseman Dan Johnson to a Minor League deal.

It’s the term “valuable” that appears to foster differing viewpoints when it comes to voting on the MVP award. In fact, the letter sent to BBWAA voters states “there is no clear-cut definition of what most valuable means.”

Which talented Pirates right-hander has the brighter future, Gerrit Cole or Jameson Taillon? How long can Xander Bogaerts stay at shortstop for the Red Sox? Jim Callis answers these questions and more in the Pipeline Inbox.

There’s quite a bit of bang for the buck in this winter’s market if you know where to look for it. Here a number of position players who could fit that bill.

The Phillies on Friday announced they had signed four players to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training in Clearwater, Fla., as non-roster players: right-hander Shawn Camp, left-hander Cesar Jimenez, and outfielder Clete Thomas and Leandro Castro.

As the signing of Marlon Byrd, 36, showed, the Phillies are more interested in winning in 2014 than beginning a youth movement.

With free agency more unpredictable than ever, this figures to be an especially wild winter. To help make sense of it all, MLB.com has lined up its team of columnists to offer its predictions and suppositions on how things will shake out.

Not only are the Reds winning, but they have a huge event on the horizon that will put them even more on the national map when they host the All-Star game in 2015.

A year ago at the General Managers Meetings, the seeds were planted for what blossomed into one of the biggest and most controversial trades in Marlins history. At the time, the deal created a backlash, but Miami president of baseball operations Michael Hill stands by the talent the team got back in the blockbuster.

There were plenty of memorable moments in baseball’s November celebration of individual excellence, such Jose Fernandez winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award while reuniting with his grandmother. And there is one more set of awards to come next month, when the GIBBYs are presented.

A tight one throughout, where runs came at a premium, it was a walk-off bunt single by Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis that proved to be the difference in Zulia’s 2-1 win over Caracas in 10 innings in Venezuelan Winter League action.

Although the General Managers Meetings finished on Wednesday, the baseball world remained plenty busy on Thursday with the presentation of the AL and NL MVP Awards and the unanimous approval for funding an expanded instant replay system.

A year removed from the rarity of a Triple Crown, Miguel Cabrera has made history again with a Most Valuable Player double, winning the American League award for a second straight year. The Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen won the National League honor in voting results announced on Thursday by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Typical of how the Rays do business, they are not tipping their hand about their plans for David Price. Never have they said that they intend to trade Price. However, the Rays’ lack of declaration for their intent has not silenced the rumors.

Halls of Fame are always tied to heroic deeds. But this one will be presidential. The National College Baseball Hall of Fame announced Thursday that its new facility will be named after former President George H.W. Bush, who played on two College World Series teams at Yale.