The Cardinals’ two prominent free-agent signees — Matt Belisle and Mark Reynolds — received their first public welcomes to St. Louis at Saturday’s Winter Warm-Up, and it was the anticipation of such a setting that lured them here in the first place.

After back-to-back last-place finishes, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo says he and his teammates have had enough, and he has predicted a National League Central title in 2015. The Red Sox haven’t said much, but their offseason activity has made it clear that they, too, are hoping for one of those last-to-first stories.

During a stopover in St. Louis for Winter Warm-Up activites, Peter Bourjos had a follow-up visit with team orthopedist Dr. David King, who performed right hip surgery the outfielder in late October. At this most recent visit, Bourjos received the green light to resume swinging.

According to exchange figures, the Marlins are a combined $1.720 million apart in contract talks with right-handers Mat Latos and David Phelps and lefty Mike Dunn.

There has been a long-standing partnership between the Blue Jays and Baseball Canada, but never before have the two sides been intertwined quite like this. When Opening Day arrives, the Blue Jays project to have three Canadian-born players in their everyday lineup on a team with postseason aspirations.

Ryan Dempster cracked one-liners, took friendly jabs at former teammates and had the crowd roaring in laughter Friday night on Day 1 of the 30th annual Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

Can the Royals’ bullpen be as good as they were in 2014? Or, and this could be viewed as some sort of baseball blasphemy to even suggest, but here goes anyway … can they be even better in 2015?

After two months of debating where he’d fit in the lineup and whether he’ll sign a long-term deal with St. Louis, Cardinals fans enjoyed their first opportunity to welcome new outfielder Jason Heyward to town.

The prospect of taking the arbitration process a step further brought a torrent of transactions Friday, as dozens of Major League players settled with their clubs on a salary for 2015, highlighted by an arbitration record for the Tigers’ David Price.

A flurry of signings occurred throughout Major League Baseball on Friday, as clubs and players came to agreements on the final day to exchange salary numbers for the 2015 season. Here is is a list of all arbitration-eligible players who agreed to contracts.

A day after the Padres and Petco Park were awarded the 2016 All-Star Game, executive chairman Ron Fowler, along with team president and CEO Mike Dee, lead investor Peter Seidler and San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer spoke with reporters at the downtown ballpark.

The Blue Jays kicked off their fifth annual Winter Tour on Friday afternoon with an incredibly warm welcome and an extremely enjoyable visit to a very enthusiastic Joshua Creek Public School.

By 1 p.m. ET on Friday, teams were required to exchange salary figures with all of their remaining arbitration-eligible players. But the significance of that deadline varies depending on the club. For many, it’s simply a landmark in the negotiation process. For others, who employ a strategy known as “file and trial” or “file to go,” the meaning is much more concrete.

The Cubs’ new marketing slogan for the 2015 season is “Let’s Go,” and it was unveiled Friday at the opening ceremonies of the 30th convention. New manager Joe Maddon has heard the same message from fans while walking around Chicago this past week.

Starlin Castro says he was in the “wrong place at the wrong time” regarding two shooting incidents in the Dominican Republic in December, and the Cubs’ shortstop likely will move his family to the United States.

The Reds’ winter arbitration focus is now directed toward getting deals done with three All-Stars, in third baseman Todd Frazier, closer Aroldis Chapman and catcher Devin Mesoraco. Friday was the deadline for clubs and unsigned arbitration-eligible players to exchange salary figures ahead of a potential hearing.

Speaking to 97.5 The Fanatic, Philles GM Ruben Amaro Jr. talked about a recent conversation he had with slugger Ryan Howard, who struggled in 2014. “We talked to Ryan, and I told him that in our situation, it would probably be better for the organization not with him, but without him.