Unfinished offseason business

— -- LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Free agency is largely about chasing dollars, but the emotional component can't be discounted. Baseball players, like all athletes, crave certainty, and nothing puts the entire family on edge more than an uncertain job situation after the holidays.

"Even agents admit there's a mental hurdle for a player to go past Christmas," said Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer. "That's coming up fairly soon, and, because of that, I think there'll be a greater sense of urgency over the next couple of weeks for players to get signed."

If there's a run on talent between now and the holidays, it's likely to revolve around pitching. That's pretty much all that's left.

Although Robinson Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury and the other marquee hitters not named Shin-Soo Choo or Nelson Cruz are off the board, starting pitchers of all talent levels and price tags are still available through trade or free agency. So, what hot stove storylines should we keep an eye on between now and New Year's Day? Here's a handy checklist:

The Masahiro Tanaka watch

Like other clubs with similar agendas, the Blue Jays will focus on pitchers who fit their needs at a price that makes them comfortable. If it happens before Christmas or New Year's Day, so much the better. Just like players, teams have been known to get a little antsy when they have unfinished business around the holidays.