A raft of stories to grab onto as we near ever closer to the start of Spring Training. Positives and negatives included below. It's hard not to feel the enthusiasm.

Beyond our Royals, there's talk of the Cubs playing at the Cell, a look at the young Tribe, and a strange move by Billy Beane.

Royals:

• Royals ink Eric Hosmer, three others to one-year deals | royals.com: News
• Rany on the Royals: For Want Of A Pitcher: Left Wanting.
• With KC's Starters, The Bullpen Needs To Be Deep - Royals Review
• Prospect Q&A: Odorizzi looks to spring | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball
• The Royals, spring training and the question of optimism | The Star's Blog on the Royals and Baseball
• 40 Man Roster Review – Jose Mijares - Royals Authority
• Pine Tar Press- The Downside The Infield
• Four areas to watch as Royals start spring training - KansasCity.com
• Time to put up the money Mr. Glass - Kings of Kauffman
  
• Rex Hudler 'humbled' to take over KC's TV broadcasts | royals.com: News
• Royally Speaking: On Gordon And Aging
• Royal Revival: Prospect Countdown #17 Will Smith

Baseball:

• What in the world did Billy Beane just do?
• The Boston Red Sox And 4,828 Fifth-Starter Candidates - Baseball Nation

Grab Bag:

• Is it time for Northern Independence?
• Beautiful, Aesthetic, Erotic by Richard Dorment | The New York Review of Books
• Germania: Hitler's Dream Capital | History Today