It's fair to wonder if the New York Yankees could have already resolved all of their pitching needs before the Masahiro Tanaka posting situation is completed.

Frank Thomas is mediocre—at least that's what one scout seemed to think back in 1989. 

As Frank Thomas looks forward to possible induction into the Hall of Fame, it's fun to look back at some scouts who did their best to play baseball soothsayer with the hulking behemoth who once smashed the cover off the ball. 

As we officially turn the page from 2013 and plunge head-first into 2014, every team in MLB begins the new year with expectations and dreams of glory. 

The New York Yankees as an organization have created a history of success, and after a season that saw them miss the playoffs for only the second time in the past 18 years, the team certainly hasn't rested on its laurels in trying to return to October play.

When the 2014 season opens for the Chicago White Sox, the composition of the 25-man roster will be quite different from the one that ended last season with a 63-99 record, and that’s a good thing for both the White Sox and their fans.

There was, after all, no way that the team could move forward without making some significant changes. They needed to upgrade in so many areas that a complete overhaul was most certainly in order.

The New York Yankees have been on a shopping spree this winter, committing $300 million in new contracts to players such as Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts among others as well as re-signing Hiroki Kuroda and Derek Jeter. 

As the MLB offseason winds down and the pickings get slimmer and slimmer for every team, each club figures to have a couple of more players on their Christmas wish list that didn't quite make it for the holiday season. For the Chicago Cubs, there are two remaining players that could land in Chicago by the time the snow melts in the spring. 

Los Angeles Dodgers phenom outfielder Yasiel Puig was arrested on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 28, in Collier County, Fla. for reckless driving—his second such charge of 2013. 

NBC 2 News in Florida has the report:

The holidays have nearly run their course, but MLB hot-stove action is still going strong and figures to play out weeks into the new year. Offseason dealings can bleed into February, so this isn't entirely novel, but this year's strangely forming market can be attributed mostly to the circumstances surrounding Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka.

While there are still a number of MLB free agents available, most of the top options are already off of the market. This has caused teams around the league to look toward trades to improve the roster for next season.

Of course, franchises are smart enough to avoid giving away a player for nothing. This will keep potential deals from moving quickly as the negotiation process continues through the start of the regular season.

After weeks of speculation and rumors regarding the future of starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League have officially decided to post him for bids from teams in Major League Baseball.

Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times was able to translate the announcement from Sankei Sports: