The actual fictional book edition of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” according to the inimitable Douglas Adams, “has the words DON’T PANIC inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover. But there is no official Guide to the Baseball Season, and so panicking comes easily.

The Sacramento River Cats are cracking down on individuals who misspell their name in print. From Rivercats to RiverCats and everywhere in between, perpetrators will be issued a $1 fine that will be donated to charity. The press release has Jesse Goldberg-Strassler contemplating the rest of the quirks of the world of baseball team names.

The World Baseball Classic is a terrific idea, a competitive tournament, and a fine showcase of baseball’s global reach. Sadly, there are three key factors holding it back which Jesse Goldberg-Strassler explains. Does the good outweigh the bad on the international level? The answer might surprise you.

We’ve seen a wave of reality programs take over television sets around the world, yet only a few that have touched on America’s game. Jesse Goldberg-Strassler contemplates all of the possibilities that stem from MLB-inspired television, pitching a handful of shows that just might have what it takes to become the next summer sensation.

Quick, name the player: He’s won two Gold Gloves, three Most Valuable Player Awards, 10 Silver Sluggers and has been named to 14 All-Star Games. He led the league in batting average, runs scored, and total bases when he was just 21 years old, and has topped the circuit in home runs five times since then. He scored at least 100 runs in 13 straight seasons and collected at least 100 RBIs in a span of 14 out of 15 seasons. Are we taking media punching bag Alex Rodriguez for granted?

The mantra pops up on Twitter, retweeted with exuberance; it surfaces in a Facebook post drawing dozens of likes; it dominates the thoughts of diehard fans akin to children counting down the days toward Christmas. Suddenly, well, this cold, harsh winter isn’t so bad after all. Ladies and gentlemen, “Pitchers and catchers are reporting”. Soon.

For the eighth time in history, the Baseball Hall of Fame will not welcome any new members. As we begin the precarious time where those suspected of cheating during MLB’s “Steroid Era” are becoming eligible for induction, the Baseball Writers of America have spoken and decided that nobody is worthy this year. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Pre-Integration Committee has chosen to honor the careers of three baseball men nearly a century after they made their contributions to the game. Deacon White, Hank O’Day and Jacob Ruppert will all go in to Cooperstown next year, but is the significance of the event overshadowed by the decades, or is late better than never when it comes to honoring the stars of days gone by?

There’s a lot more that goes on at the baseball Winter Meetings than just GMs of the MLB teams shuffling players on their rosters. With a complete who’s who of baseball decision-makers in attendance, the Meetings are the perfect place for you to get your start in the wonderful world of professional baseball. Get the inside scoop on how to land a job from a man who did it himself: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler.

Marco Scutaro has been vastly undervalued throughout his career, and while the 36-year-old Venezuelan has gone through some slumps, he’s also been at the forefront of many critical moments for several of the franchises he’s played for. This was never more evident than his MVP performance in the 2012 NLCS, where he ensured that he’ll be a widely sought after player when he hits free agency this winter.