ESPN Search

Though the vast majority of roster spots are already won before spring training even begins, it is worth following every game in March down to the wire to see how teams handle those few remaining slots. Will the veteran trying to resuscitate his care...

When baseball fans talk about Roy Halladay, it seems to be done in the past tense these days. "He was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era," or "his sinker was nasty." It is hard to fault them after the season Halladay had, finishing 2012 sea...

Albert Pujols started the 2012 season slowly and ended it slower, causing many to jump off the first baseman's bandwagon. He hit just .217 in April and didn't hit his first homer until May 6, but he eventually caught fire. From May 6 through August 2...

On Thursday, the Chicago White Sox announced they had signed soon-to-be 24-year-old left-hander Chris Sale to a five-year, $32.5 million contract, taking him through the 2017 season. The deal also includes options for 2018 and '19. Sale finished sixt...

The return of baseball brings unbridled optimism for fans of many teams. Last season's underdogs can become this year's powerhouses, as the Nationals, Athletics and Orioles proved in 2012. The injured veteran, the slumping sophomore and the projectab...

With the dawn of a new spring training comes optimism and excitement for a slate of baseball-filled months. The freshly cut grass, the neatly chalked lines and the carefully manicured infield dirt are just a few of the aesthetic wonders we come to ap...

When you think of the best bullpens, you likely think of the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves first and foremost. The two teams featured, by measure of ERA, the highest-quality bullpens in 2012 behind 24-year-old closers Aroldis Chapman and Craig K...

Having ranked the top five outfields and starting rotations in baseball, we now move onto infields. This is particularly intriguing because many of the infields feature some of the game's best young players, while the infields with the old standbys -...

Continuing the theme started last week of ranking the top five teams at a given position, we move on to starting rotations. Unlike with outfields, there is a lot more room for debate and diverging methods of evaluation with pitchers. Do you consider ...

Justin Upton has been in the news all offseason, especially once the Arizona Diamondbacks needed to fix their outfield logjam after signing free agent Cody Ross. Rumors throughout the winter included both Upton and Jason Kubel, but Braves acquired th...

Something strange happened in 2011, and something equally strange happened in 2012. In 2011, exactly zero third basemen posted a wRC+ above 140, after four consecutive seasons in which at least three third basemen accomplished that feat. (wRC+ compar...

The Boston Red Sox were baseball's most disappointing team in 2012, with the Miami Marlins finishing a close second. After finishing at 90-72 in 2011, the Sox added Kelly Shoppach, Nick Punto, Mark Melancon, Andrew Bailey, Ryan Sweeney and Cody Ross ...

Last summer, Cole Hamels signed a six-year $144 million contract to remain with the Philadelphia Phillies through 2018. Just a few weeks ago, Zack Greinke signed a six-year, $147 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Over the past three seas...

Did you know that, since 2006, Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer has accrued the sixth-most Wins Above Replacement among all major leaguers? With most of the conversations these days revolving around free-agent signings and the 2013 Hall of Fame ball...

The 2013 Hall of Fame ballot is the most interesting in quite some time, if only for the inaugural appearances of controversial figures Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Sammy Sosa, Curt Schilling, Mike Piazza, and Craig Biggio also appear for the first...

The Phillies are in an interesting and unfamiliar position this offseason. Finishing at 81-81, they watched the playoffs from home for the first time since 2006, a result of a rash of injuries and under-performing players, particularly the young arms...