Greg Bird Requires Shoulder Surgery, Will Miss 2016 Season  —  2:22pm: During an October check-up on Bird's shoulder, two different doctors recommended against surgery, tweets Chad Jennings of the Journal News.  However, the injury flared up in the past 10 days or so, he adds.

The Brewers' Quiet Upside Play  —  There's a lot to talk about with any five-player trade.  And with the trade that sent Jean Segura from the Brewers to the Diamondbacks, there are plenty of noteworthy angles.  There's the matter of Segura's offensive upside vs. Segura's offensive reality.

Rebuilt Cubs ready to take the next step  —  Let's say his Chicago Cubs win the World Series for the first time since 1908.  —  That would make Theo Epstein a Hall of Fame executive.  To win three championships with two of the most storied franchises while ending epic title droughts would give Epstein …

Brandon Phillips will be Reds' second baseman, Bryan Price says  —  FLORENCE — Brandon Phillips, despite the Reds' front office's attempts to trade him this offseason, will most likely be a Cincinnati Red this season — and he'll be the starting second baseman.

Clinton keeps slim edge over Sanders in latest Iowa Poll  —  Hillary Clinton has kept a tight grip on her slim lead over Bernie Sanders in the waning hours leading into the Iowa caucuses, a new Iowa Poll shows.  —  Clinton is the top pick for 45 percent of likely Democratic caucusgoers …

Happy 157th Birthday to Tony Mullane, the First Switch Pitcher  —  It's hard to describe Tony Mullane in a way that does him justice.  (via Goodwin and Company)  —  Saturday was the 157th birthday of Tony Mullane, a native of Cork, Ireland, who became known as “The Apollo of the Box” and …

Rotation drags down offseason score  —  We've entered the month of February and the Orioles aren't receiving rave reviews for their offseason  —  Various outlets have given them failing grades.  They're picked to finish in last place in the American League East.  They aren't the winter darlings within the industry.

McGee trade creates hole in Rays' setup role  —  Trading for Corey Dickerson last week was the latest move in an offseason clearly designed to bolster the Rays' typically impuissant offense.  —  But in giving up one of their top relievers, Jake McGee, to add the lefty slugger to what now is a crowded …

Ray Searage has work cut out this year with Pirates, but he won't mind  —  Ray Searage is going into the final year of his contract as Pirates pitching coach.  He says he wants to stay for the long haul because he enjoys the city, fans and organization.  “I'd love to retire as a Pirate.”

The subtle changes that helped the small-money Royals spend big  —  They are World Series champions mostly because of their players and front office  —  But baseball's financial landscape is also different than it used to be  —  Some of the changes have been critical in the Royals' rise

Angels are wasting the best years of Mike Trout  —  Ty Cobb played in three World Series by the time he was 22, lost them all, and never made it back.  —  Ted Williams played in one World Series, hit .200 in a seven-game defeat, and never made it back.  —  Ernie Banks never made one at all.

A portrait of a pitcher: Daniel Norris' journey to find perspective  —  Ben Moon had come very close to selling it on Craigslist.  The renowned adventure photographer and filmmaker was switching over to Sony as a brand ambassador and had found a potential buyer for his Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II portrait lens …