One of the main reasons for the Indians' turnaround from 68 wins in 2012 to 92 victories last season was ownership giving general manager Chris Antonetti the financial resources to improve the roster. Cleveland showed its ambition to challenge the Tigers in the AL Central by signing free agents like Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. […]

The Indians made major investments in their manager and everyday lineup before last season, and those changes paid off with the franchise's first postseason bid since 2007. Terry Francona provided a new voice and direction for a team that was no longer listening to Manny Acta, and his presence in the dugout made a significant […]

As it turns out, Ian Kinsler's comments about the Rangers and general manager Jon Daniels was not the only issue making news with the Tigers on Tuesday. Later in the afternoon, the team learned that outfielder Andy Dirks needs back surgery and is expected to be out for 12 weeks. Dirks was tabbed as the […]

Any hopes the San Diego Padres had for getting through the 2014 season without a significant injury have already been crushed. Outfielder Cameron Maybin will miss two to three months with a ruptured biceps tendon in his left arm, suffered while making a diving catch on Sunday. A MRI exam conducted on Monday revealed the […]

When selecting the Padres' four horsemen, is it more important to look toward the future than the present? Players like Chase Headley and Josh Johnson will certainly play major roles in how successful or disappointing San Diego is this season. But looking at potential building blocks for this franchise and taking a longer view seems […]

The Padres have enough injury risks on their roster that every key question concerning the team could revolve around staying healthy. Getting 30 starts from Josh Johnson and 130 games from Carlos Quentin would make a tremendous difference for San Diego. But slogging through a full season without suffering any significant injuries is an issue […]

The Padres' infield could be one of the team's strengths this season. So leading a post about San Diego's two biggest weaknesses with an image of third baseman Chase Headley might seem curious. He's two years removed from hitting 31 home runs with 113 RBI and an .875 OPS. Yet his drastic drop in production […]

As we've established during our initial team season previews here at The Outside Corner, a club's "four horsemen" does not necessarily mean its four best players. The intention is to present the four guys who might have the greatest influence on their team's fortunes with their success or failure during a season. Players like Prince […]

Going into the 2014 season, the Rangers' biggest concern appears to be their starting pitching. The team has one, perhaps two spots to fill in its rotation, depending on who's healthy. With Matt Harrison again having back issues, there may be three openings on the staff. So that may be the key question for Texas […]

With the additions of Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo, the Rangers once again have a fearsome lineup and look as if they could be one of the best teams in the AL this season. But general manager Jon Daniels has not assembled a perfect roster. (To be fair, has any MLB GM put together a […]

For the past couple of seasons, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has been reluctant to make the big addition that could push his team back into World Series contention. No Zack Greinke, no Cole Hamels, no Justin Upton. Apparently, he and the rest of the Texas front office learned that lesson. The Rangers were one […]

The Orioles finally spent some money in free agency, inking pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to a four-year, $48 million deal on Monday. It's the first time Baltimore has given a four-year contract to a free agent since catcher Ramon Hernandez agreed to a 27.6 million contract in 2006. And it's the biggest offer the O's have […]

How loaded are the Nationals? Narrowing down the team's pivotal players to "four horsemen" was kind of difficult. Washington's young superstars are obvious, but who else will determine the team's fortunes by his success or failure? It could be seen as an unfortunate or glaring omission that Jayson Werth is not on this list. I […]

The Nationals went into last season viewed as a World Series contender. But enough went wrong that the Nats got off to a slow start that could never be overcome. As a result, the team never really came close to fulfilling its lofty expectations. Washington looks like a heavy favorite again this year, but could […]

In looking over the Nationals' roster, no weaknesses immediately stand out. That's surely a reason why the team is viewed as a World Series contender going into the 2014 season. The Nats have outstanding starting pitching and a strong bullpen (though general manager Mike Rizzo is always looking to add a reliever), while their lineup […]