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Now that the 2014 spring training is fully underway, The New York Yankees can officially begin their quest to return to the top of the American League East standings and the playoffs.

This camp is certainly going to have a different feel than many of the previous visits to George M. Steinbrenner Field.

This is the first camp since 1995 that Mariano Rivera won't be an active part of.

When the New York Yankees traded for Michael Pineda in January of 2012, visions of a future top-of-the-rotation arm floated throughout the Bronx. In 2014, providing 20-plus starts and league-average production would be an accomplishment for the 25-year-old.

The Los Angeles Angels enter their fourth straight spring training without the leftover confidence of making the playoffs the previous season. Consequently, with a good-sized payroll and star power on the roster, that scenario leaves a little bit of pressure to get things turned around right now.

And what better time to tidy up a mess than during the spring.

Pitchers and catchers reported to spring training on Valentine's Day, and the rest of the squad joined their teammates on the diamond February 18.  

New Giants, like pitcher Tim Hudson and left fielder Michael Morse, are looking to prove themselves to their new teammates, but their spots on the roster are secure.  

After an arduous winter that hammered much of the country with freezing temperatures and heavy snow, there may be no better words in all of sports than “pitchers and catchers report.”

While that has already happened, there are plenty of notable dates remaining on MLB’s spring training schedule for the 2014 season. 

Let’s preview some of them.

Tuesday, Feb. 25: College Day

Here’s the first look at the 2014 Lester’s Legends’ Closer Rankings.


1. Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves

Craig Kimbrel has a 1.48 ERA, a 0.57 WHIP, 138 saves and 341 strikeouts in 206.2 innings over the past three seasons. He’s as dominant as they come.


2. Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds

The MLB offseason has come to an end, as all 30 MLB teams have reported to spring training and preseason games are set to kick off next week.

It was an eventful offseason, headlined by the Seattle Mariners signing of Robinson Cano, the New York Yankees spending big on a handful of guys (including Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka) and several free agents struggling to find homes after receiving qualifying offers. 

With the top 150 fantasy baseball players all ordered and ranked on the inaugural Big Board, it's time to get into the individual position rankings.

As we head toward the first games of spring training, the Cincinnati Reds' roster contains quite a few "ifs." Fortunately, some of those "ifs" are in a position to break out both in spring training and the 2014 regular season.

The 2014 version of this list contains a few familiar faces. However, two prospects joined the rank of breakout candidates, with one holding the potential to make himself into one of the most dynamic players in all of baseball.

The last half-decade has been rough for the Chicago Cubs.

The franchise owns a 356-453 overall record since its last playoff berth in 2008, recording only one winning season (2009) during that span. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the Cubs are coming off back-to-back dismal seasons in which they combined for 197 losses.

However, help is on the way.