MLB Free Agency

Barring major spring training injuries, the 2014 Detroit Tigers profiled as the team to beat in the American League Central. Yet, if Jose Iglesias—last year's AL Rookie of the Year candidate—misses significant time, the Tigers actually could be an even bigger lock to reach the postseason.

The Atlanta Braves—a mid-market team on the verge of becoming a large-market team with a new ballpark—spent the winter locking up young, ascending stars. Along the path to securing future cost certainty, the Braves inadvertently changed the business structure of large-market foes.

For years, large-market teams have used deep pockets to fill holes—replace aging veterans and re-shape short-term goals. 

Looking at the calendar, seeing that the regular season is just around the corner, it's amazing to look at the names still on the market who can be had for the right price. 

Of course, with most of the top players, the big caveat for a team trying to sign them is giving up a draft pick and the slot money that goes along with it. It's amazing how much the new qualifying system has changed the way teams approach free agency. 

As play heats up in Arizona and Florida, the start of the regular season moves closer to reality for baseball fans. Yet, despite the calendar inching toward spring, winter isn't over for some teams.

Offseason activity still exists, especially within free agent circles impacted by draft compensation, lingering trade activity and teams looking to find the missing piece to a complete 25-man roster.

With starting pitcher Homer Bailey officially off the 2014-2015 free-agent board after agreeing to a long-term contract extension with the Cincinnati Reds, the pressure could be rising for the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers to get deals done with their own free agent-to-be front-line starters. 

From the beginning of the MLB offseason, Nelson Cruz seemed like a very good fit for the Baltimore Orioles, with their interest in Cruz reported early on. They weren't alone, however.

Teams that have patiently waited out the free-agent market in hopes that prices would fall are in luck. Even those teams that may not have been strategically planning for a last-minute acquisition could have a bargain fall into their laps in the near future. 

Late last offseason, the Cleveland Indians landed Michael Bourn at a discounted rate in mid-February, while the Milwaukee Brewers didn't sign Kyle Lohse until late March at a team-friendly rate of $11 million per season over three years.

Major League Baseball is officially here.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks have opened up their respective spring training camps early in preparation for their season-opening series on March 22-23 in Sydney, Australia. The rest of the league is set to follow suit with pitchers and catchers reporting the coming days throughout Arizona and Florida.

It's the start of spring training, do you know where your free agent is going to sign? That's the question facing quite a few player agents right now, as spring training is already underway and their free-agent clients remain all too, well, free.