In 1972, relief pitcher Tom Walker nearly joined Roberto Clemente on his fateful mercy mission. Today, Walker’s son, Neil, is a living testament to the Pirates legend.

After four decades, the designated hitter isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s more likely the DH will be added to the NL in the future than removed from the AL.

There are plenty key players who missed most, if not all, of last season, who might be worth keeping an eye on in 2013. Victor Martinez, John Lackey, Logan Morrison, Scott Sizemore and Wilson Ramos were among the notable players mostly absent from play last summer, along with a string of closers including Mariano Rivera, Ryan Madson, Joakim Soria, Sergio Santos and Brian Wilson.

Though Bartolo Colon’s winter ball stats equate to a small sample size, the A’s are convinced that the veteran right-hander has maintained the form that helped him win 10 games for them last year.

The bout of fiscal conservatism currently being displayed by the New York Yankees may be disconcerting to Yankees fans. Experience has instructed these fans that money is no object as it applies to their team’s pursuit of excellence.

Having checked off all of their offseason needs in rapid fashion in late November and December, the Reds are poised to keep more additions to a minimum in the final weeks of the Hot Stove season.

While Baltimore remains interested in bringing back free agent Joe Saunders and could potentially sign another reliever or two, there’s plenty of competition already on the roster.

After his first full season in the Major Leagues, what was the biggest difference for Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas? All those extra games, of course.

Franklin Gutierrez has wrapped up his Venezuelan Winter League season, and the Mariners will be thrilled if the center fielder can carry his success there over into Spring Training next month in Arizona.

With the start of Spring Training less than six weeks away, general manager Jeff Luhnow says the Astros aren’t likely to add any additional key players before the team hits Kissimmee, Fla.

There’s a chance the Padres won’t add another starting pitcher before the start of Spring Training.

For the Tigers, January has been more like holiday shopping. But whether it’ll be that kind of January for Detroit this time around remains to be seen.

On Wednesday, the Indians claimed Russ Canzler off waivers from the Blue Jays, who plucked the first baseman off the wire when the Tribe removed him from its roster on Dec. 18.

Because baseball’s rules have remained fundamentally unchanged for more than a century, the sports’ greatest records are represented by iconic numbers.

Tim Raines, in his sixth year on the Hall of Fame ballot, will join the Blue Jays as a Minor League baserunning and outfield coach this season. An official announcement from Toronto is expected later this week.

Heading into 2012, starting pitching was perceived to be the Angels’ greatest strength. Now, it’s the main concern for a club with championship aspirations.

After knocking out a career-high 16 homers and compiling 60 RBIs, Gordon Beckham believes to have found something important within his overall game.