Part of why the moves in the AL East weren't big is that they didn't need to be. New York, Boston and Tampa Bay had three of the five best run differentials in the Majors a year ago. These aren't clubs that needed radical makeovers. They needed upgrades, and they got them.

Let us count the ways Joe Maddon is unique. On the first day of spring training, he essentially told his players he had two hard and fast rules: play hard, play defense. He seems willing to negotiate everything else.

Two Japanese baseball icons will go head to head when the Rangers play the Mariners on April 9. Yu Darvish will debut that day against Ichiro Suzuki.

What began as an overhauling of prospect catcher Carlos Santana five years ago has reached the point of fine-tuning a future All-Star, with the help of a former one.

Jeff Samardzija scored a personal goal Thursday, securing a spot in the Cubs starting rotation.

The second season of HBO's Emmy Award-winning “Game of Thrones” premieres on Sunday night, and two nights later comes Cardinals at Marlins for Opening Night at a new ballpark. Six Opening Day games are played on Thursday, remaining openers Friday, and the quest for an all-powerful throne resumes, the intersection of life and art best captured in a new video mashup from MLB.com and the producers of HBO's series.

The rebuilding plan that Alex Anthopoulos undertook when he became the Blue Jays' general manager in 2009 is starting to bear its fruit.

The USA Baseball National High School Invitational is being held in Cary, NC, and features a number of players expected to be taken early in the First-Year Player Draft.

The Tigers optioned Andy Oliver to Triple-A on Thursday, leaving Drew Smyly and Duane Below as the final two competitors for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Anything could change at any moment, but right now the Twins expect to have their two biggest stars — Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau — on the field regularly in 2012. And what better starting point could you ask for in a bid to prove that last year's last-place finish was an aberration?

Veteran experience didn't weigh in Aaron Rowand's favor, and on Thursday, the Marlins released the 34-year-old outfielder.

Francisco Rodriguez was sent to Minor League camp on Thursday, thus bringing more clarity to the Angels' bullpen situation.

Since the Marlins have red-orange as a prominent color, Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez each have decided to go with red-orange hair.

One of Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine's least favorite things to do during his time as an ESPN analyst was to make predictions. Now that he is back on the other side, other “experts” are making predictions about his team.

The Red Sox simply don't think it is prudent to publicly outline a timetable for the return of Carl Crawford, because it could force the left fielder to push too hard to make a perceived deadline.

The Reds are hardly the only National League Central team scrambling to lay out a bullpen. Other than the Cards and their wealth of power arms, the other teams are looking around.

Charlie Morton continues to make steady progress in his comeback from hip surgery, but his inability to reach his pitch target on Wednesday confirmed the Pirates' intent to have him begin the season on the disabled list.