The 2015 calendar year marked the inevitable passages in baseball. Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Yogi Berra both died, leaving behind millions of grateful admirers and some indelible memories. And veteran mainstays Tim Hudson, Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins, Michael Cuddyer, Dan Haren, Aramis Ramirez and Barry Zito all came to grips with the inevitable and announced their retirement.
As the Kansas City Royals' title run showed, the most compelling narratives can be team-based. But select individuals stood out from the crowd in 2015, and that's certain to be the case in the year to come.