Baseball is only weeks away and the excitement is building with hope and a sense of anticipation for what the new year will bring.

Last week the Rangers wrapped up their negotiation by signing Japanese sensation Yu Darvish to a six-year deal. It’s a gutsy move for the Rangers who are one of the few teams that appear to be able to field a well-rounded competitive team. Their rotation will hold up with six pitchers to choose from and a solid bullpen that will feature Joe Nathan as the closer this season. But I have to find it funny that a team that needed to be sold only a few years ago now has the bankroll to spend more than $50 million just to negotiate with a player.

Either way, I think the Rangers are still the team to beat in the American League despite the additions the Yankees and Angels made earlier in the off-season. But in the coming weeks when teams start reporting we’ll take a closer look at what lies ahead in both leagues.

RETIREMENT: Jorge Posada is going to announce his retirement Tuesday after a 17-year career with the New York Yankees. Posada is one of the last players that have done something very few players do anymore: play for one team.

Posada finished with a career batting average of .273 while hitting 276 homers with 1,065 RBI and 1,664 hits. There is no doubt that he will have his jersey rightfully retired after being one of the core leaders during his tenure. Along with Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, the Core 4 led the team with the kind of respect any player that dreams of winning titles hopes for. His leadership on the field and off of it leaves no doubt to his loyalty to a franchise with 27 championships.

Whether he will be inducted in the hall of fame one day remains to be seen, but if the criteria was based on character alone, there’s no doubt he’d get in.  However the admiration I have for him is his loyalty to the Yankees and vice versa. It’s the kind of ending Braves fans had hoped for with Dale Murphy and will probably will receive with Chipper Jones.

Good luck with retirement and while you’re at it, keep Jose Canseco and Manny Ramirez away from the game please.

CARAVAN UPDATE: Last week I mentioned that the Braves Caravan might not be coming to the area this year. An e-mail to a Braves representative was answered the next day with news the Braves are coming to the area but only to Fort Gordon to visit the troops before heading to Columbia for an autograph session.

I have to say that while I think visiting and supporting our troops is absolutely the right thing to do, short changing the fans but not having a separate autograph session will leave a bad taste in some people’s mouth. In the past couple of years alone the Augusta area has met six-time All-Star Brian McCann and first base prospect Freddie Freeman. Those scheduled to appear at Fort Gordon are Jason Heyward, manager Fredi Gonzalez and Julio Teheran.

For those of you wanting to make the trip, the autograph signing will be at the Columbia Academy Sports + Outdoors, on 730 Fashion Drive, Columbia, S.C. 29229.