As the Cardinals have proven twice in the past six seasons, you don't have to win more games in the regular season than your postseason competitors to climb to a World Series title.

If Hot Stove happenings have any impact on the swing of the pendulum between the American and National Leagues, one can't ignore the manifest migration of star talent to the AL this winter.

Bobby Valentine was right at home Sunday night in Stamford, Conn., wearing his old letterman's jacket on the same stage where he had held the lead in the school play decades ago.

Fresh off a handful of one-on-one meetings with select fans, A's managing partner Lew Wolff took his turn with the media at FanFest on Sunday, addressing a number of issues in a small room housed in Coliseum neighbor Oracle Arena.

As Mariners FanFest wrapped up Sunday at Safeco Field, young pitching prospects Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker signed their final autographs, shook a few more hands and headed home to crank up preparations for their first Major League training camp.

Leave it to A's lefty Dallas Braden to shake up the holiday calendar. "Tomorrow's Christmas for me," Braden said Sunday. "Get to bed early, leave cookies and milk out on the table, see what happens."

Prince Fielder was off to Detroit and Ryan Braun stayed out of the spotlight, yet fans posed a half dozen questions to Milwaukee's baseball brain trust on Sunday before anybody mentioned either of the most noticeable absences from Brewers On Deck.

TwinsFest 2012 concluded successfully on Sunday, after an estimated 30,000 fans attended the event over three days at the Metrodome.

Brewers ace Zack Greinke said he is still operating without an agent, but that does not necessarily scuttle the chances of a contract extension.

Philip Humber is intent on following his breakout 2011 season on Chicago's South Side with an even better performance this season. Despite being annointed the club's fifth starter, the right-hander is not taking anything for granted.

Eager to start the 2012 season with a clean slate, Adam Dunn doesn't believe handling last year's failure with grace necessarily translates into success this season.

Count White Sox general manager Ken Williams among the optimists, one of the many in the organization who hasn't been shaken by low preseason predictions for his team.

Brent Lillibridge, a super-sub defensively in the outfield and a potential middle infielder, isn't considered a starter going into the 2012 season, but he's the sort of valuable player any contending team needs to have.

The White Sox will begin Spring Training for the second straight season without an experienced closer, but leading candidates Matt Thornton and Adddison Reed insist they aren't going to be distracted by the competition.

Despite the loss of Prince Fielder to free agency and the potential loss of NL MVP Ryan Braun to suspension, Brewers fans are snapping up tickets to see the reigning NL Central champions at a record pace.

Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson suffered a broken clavicle and another fracture to his rear shoulder area when he fell six to eight feet off a stage Friday night, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Following a one-year hiatus, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's Legacy Awards gala was held on Saturday in Kansas City to honor some of today's stars and reflect on the contributions of those who made it all possible.