NL East

I hope Giancarlo Stanton has this contract written in blood. Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria's blood. That's the only sane way to sign your life over to the Marlins.

Think about it. We know Loria. We've watched his act. Things are never as they appear. Come on, 13 years and $325 million? This guy is a carnival barker.

Whenever Major League Baseball gets a new record-sized contract, it's tempting to get into hand-wringing and bellyaching about the league's eternally reckless spending.

But that's not what we're here to do with Giancarlo Stanton and the Miami Marlins. Rather, we're here to issue a well-deserved toast to both parties.

Move over, A-Rod! The Miami Marlins have reportedly signed Giancarlo Stanton to the largest contract in baseball history at 13 years for $325 million, according to Miami Herald's Manny Navarro.

Giancarlo Stanton is about to ink a deal of epic proportions.

The Miami Marlins are close to signing the 25-year-old outfielder to the richest contract in baseball history: an unprecedented 13 years and a ghastly $325 million. The news was first reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

With the general manager meetings getting underway Monday in Arizona, the hot-stove rumor mill is just getting started, and already the Atlanta Braves have been linked to several moves. While many teams’ rumors are rumors of addition, many of the Braves rumors thus far have been rumors of subtraction.

You know, we really should get to work thinking of a good nickname for the New York Mets' starting rotation. 

Why? Well, put it this way: Now's a good time to realize it's going to need one before long.

The Atlanta Braves have yet to fill the vacant general manager position, so it's still unclear exactly how this offseason will unfold.

However, there are looming decisions that will need to be made by whoever fills in as GM. In looking at the roster, there is potential for many changes to help bring the Braves back to the postseason.

Change should also be expected after an embarrassing last month of the season and an overall underwhelming 2014 season.

You're a fan without a nation. 

The 2014 MLB Playoff field is set, and while you mourn your beloved New York Yankees from your home probably nowhere near New York, you need a surrogate team. Well, the Washington Nationals bandwagon is accepting applications, and no other franchise makes a better case for your temporary affection. 

After quietly returning to the big leagues in 2014 after a one-year hiatus, New York Mets outfielder Bobby Abreu has officially called it a career.  

According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Abreu made the announcement Friday with a simple, quiet message:

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard and outfielder Marlon Byrd are the first teammates in MLB history to each strike out 180 or more times in a season, per Lee Sinins of Complete Baseball Encyclopedia.