The Cardinals organization was honored with the first “Musial Award for Extraordinary Character” at Saturday evening’s Musial Awards event at the Peabody Opera House. It was the final honor passed out on a night in which eight organizations and individuals were recognized for acts of sportsmanship.

Saturday was a relatively quiet day around the Majors, as the Hot Stove merely simmered with rumors and speculation. But it should start to heat up soon, as the General Managers Meetings will begin Monday in Orlando, Fla.

Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia and his wife, Amber, held their second “CC Challenge” scavenger hunt in Central Park on Saturday to raise money for their PitCCh In Foundation, which aims to enrich the lives of inner-city youths.

The Orioles are set to hire Dom Chiti as their bullpen coach, completing the 2014 Major League staff, a source confirmed Friday night.

The Arizona Fall League is not limited to developing players. It is also a testing and proving ground for future managers and one of those who trod on that ground, Bob Melvin, on Friday night was celebrated as the latest inductee into the AFL Hall of Fame.

CC Sabathia says that he is always up to offer a recruiting pitch if it might point a free agent toward the Bronx, and that certainly holds true as Robinson Cano begins to explore the open market.

Now that the Cubs have a manager in place, the next step is to stock the roster, and Theo Epstein, president of baseball operations, said they are in the market for more pitching. “We need to add some quality,” Epstein said Friday.

Major League general managers are expected to discuss home-plate collisions next week when they gather in Orlando. Here’s to hoping they have nothing more than a discussion.

Theo Epstein, president of baseball operations, and Crane Kenney, president of business operations, met with season-ticket holders at the downtown Bank of America Theater and presented a video interview with Rick Renteria, who was named manager on Thursday. The presentation also included video of some of the Cubs’ top prospects, a look at the new Spring Training facility, and at renovations planned for Wrigley Field.

The question was bound to come up to Brad Ausmus, just as it will to any young first-time manager. With Ausmus, though, the question of sabermetrics posed at his introductory news conference Sunday was different.

Now that the TV lights are off and the introductory news conference is over, it’s time for Lloyd McClendon to begin his real work. For the new Mariners skipper, the first order of business is hiring a coaching staff, and then he will begin meeting with his players.

Between teams looking to shed payroll and those striving to improve in the short term, the recipe is there for some of the game’s biggest stars to potentially get traded this offseason.

Rays bench coach Dave Martinez interviewed for the Nationals’ managerial job before the team hired Matt Williams. Martinez impressed Washington’s front office, and he was one of the top three candidates for the position.

There usually isn’t a lot of activity at the General Managers Meetings, but it’s still likely where Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos will lay the groundwork for his approach this offseason.

Anthony Castrovince believes Giants GM Brian Sabean is better off working on the fringes of free agency, as it pertains to starting pitching, and expending the bulk of his dollars on an offensive upgrade.

The Rangers and Astros will play a pair of exhibition games at San Antonio’s Alamodome next March in the second H-E-B Big League Weekend, officials from the city and Ryan-Sanders Baseball announced in a Friday news conference in the Alamo City.

The Rangers have to consider all of their options as Jon Daniels gets ready to leave for the annual GM Meetings that start in Orlando, Fla., on Monday. The Rangers have been in touch with just about every club to feel out trade possibilities. The Rangers’ primary goal is still to reload offensively, especially in left field and at designated hitter.