For Fernando Rodney, the arrow has gone international. When the Mariners closer peers skyward as he pulls back his imaginary bow following every save, he pictures the arrow sailing far into the distance. But even Rodney seems surprised that his trademark move has become familiar to young fans in South Korea, where he visited last week on a personal goodwill tour.

Willie Mays’ appearance highlighted one of several events that the Giants scheduled last week to share the glory of the 2014 World Series triumph with fans in the franchise’s original home.

Phillies No. 3 prospect Maikel Franco capped his playoff run Sunday in Game 8 of the Liga de Beisbol Domincano championship series against Estrellas de Oriente with a dominant effort, hitting two home runs and driving in seven runs as Cibao defeated Oriente, 12-5.

Royals reliever Brandon Finnegan was honored by the Rangers as the Texas Professional Baseball Player of the Year at their awards dinner on Friday night.

Aaron Loup had another effective season out of the Blue Jays’ bullpen in 2014, but if there was one cause for concern, it was his occasional loss of command.

Leading the array of new faces among top second-base prospects is Jose Peraza, who could soon be part of a formidable double-play combination with Andrelton Simmons in Atlanta. Micah Johnson of the White Sox and the Blue Jays’ Devon Travis are the two players who remain from last year’s list.

To say Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli is energized for the coming season is far from the typical mantra you hear from just about every baseball player at this time of year. The slugger has the energy now that he lacked for close to a decade as he battled a severe case of sleep apnea.

The Jame Shields saga continues as the calendar is set to turn to February, better known as the glorious month in which pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. By the time the weekend hits, those Arizona and Florida arrivals will be about 2 1/2 weeks away, and Shields will optimally have a fresh contract in hand and a choice parking spot at one of those glittering Cactus League or Grapefruit League stadiums.

Every season is an opportunity for everybody fortunate to participate at the Major League level. But some have more riding on the outcome than others. With that in mind, here’s a look at 10 people in and around the game who have reached a particularly interesting intersection in 2015.

The Orioles haven’t had a busy offseason, but with Spring Training approaching, the storyline will shift from who the club should add to who is having a strong camp.

Commissioner Rob Manfred is eager to get to work on his plan for Major League Baseball, which includes incorporating an umbrella approach to participation in order to better engage today’s youth.

The Orioles have reached a one-year deal with infielder Ryan Flaherty worth $1.075 million, avoiding arbitration, a source told MLB.com.

At one point last season, Jered Weaver stepped on the scale, saw “199” and committed himself to getting bigger. On Sunday night, 25 days before reporting for Spring Training, the Angels’ ace weighed in at a career-high 224.

Now, it’s official. “Robert D. Manfred Jr.” is the cursive stamped signature as of today on all Rawlings game balls to be used in Major League Baseball, representing Manfred’s first day as MLB ‘s 10th Commissioner.

Josh Hamilton’s personal goals haven’t changed, even though expectations from the outside have plunged. “I’m gonna say .300, 30 and 100,” Hamilton said Sunday night, referencing his batting average, home run and RBI totals when asked about his own expectations for 2015. “Keep it simple. Those are very obtainable.”

White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia looks slim and trim, a fact confirmed by anybody who ran into him this past weekend at SoxFest. Garcia smiled and guessed that he dropped about 15 pounds but wasn’t as worried about the total as much as how getting prepared will help him.

Rob Manfred’s letter to fans on his first day as the 10th Commissioner of Major League Baseball.