2013 – The Astros sign veteran relief pitcher Jesse Crain as a free agent.

2013 – The Angels sign veteran OF Raul Ibanez, a long-time nemesis, to a one-year contract at age 41.

2013 – The Dodgers add some relief pitching, signing veterans Jamey Wright, Chris Perez and J.P. Howell to join a bullpen that is now quite crowded.

2013 – 41-year-old Alex Cabrera hits his 21st homer, breaking Bo Díaz’s Venezuelan League mark, which had stood for 34 years, surviving assaults from players like Cecil Fielder and Tony Armas. Cabrera takes Caribes de Anzoategui hurler Daryl Thompson deep for his record shot, a 1st-inning grand slam in a 4 – 3 win for the Tiburones de la Guaira

2013 – OF Shin-Soo Choo signs a seven-year deal with Texas worth $130 million to be the team’s new leadoff hitter.

Orioles P Troy Patton is suspended for 25 games at the start of the 2014 season for testing positive for amphetamines.

Veteran 3B-1B Kevin Youkilis signs a one-year contract with the Rakuten Golden Eagles, hoping for a comeback in Japan after an injury-plagued year with the Yankees. He replaces Casey McGehee, who had turned a strong season in Japan into a return to the US for 2014. In other signings, the Twins ink C Kurt Suzuki as a replacement for Joe Mauer, who will move to 1B in 2014.

2013 – After three months of frenzied speculation, it appears that Japanese ace hurler Masahiro Tanaka will not be posted after all, and thus will not leave Japan for the United States next year. Tanaka went 24-0 for the Rakuten Golden Eagles and led them to the first Japan Series title in franchise history, but his team is unhappy that it can only receive $20 million for its top player, after changes to the posting system agreed to recently by Major League Baseball and Nippon Pro Baseball. However, in five days’ time, Rakuten will turn around and grant Tanaka’s request.