Opinion

So much of the focus of the 2014 Major League Baseball season in recent weeks has been on the Tommy John surgery epidemic, the ever-growing list of injured star players (Ryan Braun, Bryce Harper, Joey Votto, Jason K

There are just over 10 weeks remaining until Major League Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline. That means we all have just over 10 weeks of rampant speculation and intrigue awaiting us at every turn.

This past week only added to the anticipation with news that several players could be available. The wheels turn quickly around MLB.

Right about now, debates are heating up in front offices around baseball as to what moves teams can make to improve their rosters—and in some cases, their chances of remaining in contention for a playoff spot.

Some teams are focused on acquiring that help via the trade market, while others have their eyes on the pair of established veterans who remain available as free agents: Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales.

When spring training ended, New York Yankees infielder Yangervis Solarte looked like a fringe major league player in the right place at the right time. With depth and age concerns at second base, third base and shortstop, Solarte's inclusion on the Opening Day roster was born of necessity, rather than dreams of future production.

That silence you feel is coming from every Major League Baseball scouting department, as farm directors and talent evaluators have put their pen to the paper to fill out their 2014 draft boards. 

Like any draft, the MLB version has undergone several drastic changes this spring.

The offseason that followed the 2012 season could have cured some of the problems the Texas Rangers have faced since the start of the 2013 campaign.

When baseball fans think of the Detroit Tigers, names like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer

1. Should a DH ever win an MVP Award?

No. Heck no. Hail no.

Unless…

There is one avenue toward the MVP award if you are a DH, and one avenue only: A slugger must stack up offensive numbers so massive that they dwarf everything else in his path, from whomever is the runner-up in slugging percentage and homers to that year’s Super Bowl’s television ratings.

OK, so that last part is an exaggeration. But not by much.

Baseball's 162-game schedule allows for introspection and wide-ranging narratives, but the day-to-day news cycle looms for every team. With each injury, disabled list stint, minor league call-up or transaction, the state of the league can easily shift.

With few dominant or awful teams, the beauty of this season lies in the details. Every pitch of every at-bat matters. Therefore, it's instructive to review the season on a weekly basis. 

A quarter of the way through the season, the 2014 American League Cy Young race isn't lacking in participants. Masahiro Tanaka is one standout. So is Sonny Gray. And Mark Buehrle. And usual suspects Felix Hernandez and Yu Darvish.