Major League Baseball took a significant step toward implementing expanded instant replay on Thursday as the owners unanimously approved of funding for the system.

Curtis Granderson and Bucs All-Star reliever Mark Melancon are among seven big league players who will travel to seven developing baseball countries this offseason as MLB Ambassadors.

Major League Baseball will donate $200,000 to UNICEF and the American Red Cross to assist with disaster relief efforts in the Philippines, struck by Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms on record. Additionally, MLB will encourage fans to support UNICEF and the Red Cross via public-service announcements, programming mentions and editorial coverage on MLB Network and MLB.com.

Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer took home the Cy Young Awards in their respective leagues on Wednesday night. But who would win if the BBWAA handed out only one award? And, perhaps, did one of a handful of other dominant pitchers — like Yu Darvish, Adam Wainwright or Anibal Sanchez — have a better season than Kershaw or Scherzer? It’s time for your voice to be heard in voting for the GIBBY Award for Starter of the Year.

The Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center hosted a special program on Wednesday night, bringing together a panel of five current and former managers to discuss their jobs and experiences in baseball. Former skippers Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland joined active skippers Joe Girardi, Don Mattingly and Buck Showalter to discuss their experiences and philosophies.

Pirates No. 2 prospect Gregory Polanco hit a two-run single that highlighted a four-run fifth inning for Escogido, which rallied from a 2-0 deficit against Gigantes in the Dominican Winter League.

With individual accolades being handed out to baseball’s best for more than a week now, it’s time for the finale, the announcement of the ultimate pieces of hardware: the AL and NL Most Valuable Player Awards.

The A’s signing of Nick Punto on Wednesday might not have been the loudest of deals to close the General Managers Meetings in Orlando, Fla., but certainly plenty of groundwork was laid for the offseason.

Curtis Granderson, in conjunction with his Grand Kids Foundation, hosted the inaugural Grand-Giving Fundraiser to benefit The Greater Chicago Food Depository on Wednesday night. Before the festivities began, the left-handed-hitting outfielder addressed what was important to him in this current free-agent process.

Debate over Max Scherzer’s worthiness of the 2013 American League Cy Young Award centered largely around whether 21 wins recorded while enjoying the league’s best run support was enough, but the Tigers ace accomplished much more this season.

Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw is the NL Cy Young Award winner for the second time in three years and Tigers righty Max Scherzer won his first Cy Young as the AL honoree in Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting results announced Wednesday.

Former Major League pitcher Rick Sutcliffe takes great pride in his relationship with the late Buck O’Neil, and receiving an O’Neil Legacy Award on Wednesday night gave Sutcliffe another chance to remember his friend.

Darin Erstad came of baseball age in the Arizona Fall League. Wednesday night, Erstad came full circle as the newest inductee into the AFL’s Hall of Fame.

The Rays grabbed few headlines at the General Managers Meetings, but executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman appeared confident the experience would help shape Tampa Bay’s offseason plans.

A Major League source confirmed the Braves avoided arbitration by signing Jonny Venters to a one-year deal that includes the same salary the left-handed reliever received while being sidelined throughout the past season.

The Twins have a lot riding on Alex Meyer. They’re rebuilding after losing 96 or more games for three straight seasons, and one of the ways they’re trying to do that is switching from a philosophy of finesse-minded strike-throwers to pitchers with more dominating stuff.

The Mets reported to the General Managers Meetings expecting to meet with agents and chat with other clubs, setting the groundwork for future moves. It’s a bonus that they were able to schedule face-to-face time with a free agent.