It's easier to make an argument that a player such as Albert Pujols or Alex Rodriguez are worth their mega-money because they're in the lineup every day, and while both have been injured, it hasn't threatened their careers.

Pitchers are a lot different. One tear in a tiny shoulder or elbow ligament and it could be a two-year process for a return, and there's no guarantee they will ever be the same.

The Boston Red Sox built some protection into their five-year, $82.5 million deal with John Lackey with that in mind. Keep in mind that Lackey has never been seriously injured - he's one of the more durable pitchers in the league. But he'll turn 32 this year, and the arms of 32-year-old pitchers have thrown a lot of baseballs.

From Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

The Red Sox found there was enough concern about the wear and tear on Lackey's elbow to warrant contract protection for the elbow. They did it in a very creative manner, which was subject to approval by both Major League Baseball and the Players' Association in that the team can pick up a sixth-year option at the minimum salary if Lackey undergoes Tommy John surgery anytime during the five-year stint.

So if Lackey has the radical elbow surgery at any point, the Red Sox can capitalize on that by having Lackey at a "bargain" rate in an additional year. It's within the context of a story about Josh Beckett and his shoulder (which is a more tricky surgery to come back from).

It's interesting that the players' union was willing to go along with that, although I'm sure having a five-year deal off the top helped that along. They probably wouldn't be happy about that in a short-term deal for the oft-injured Mike Hampton, for instance. But now that the cat's out of the bag, more teams are going to try to be creative to protect themselves.

Red Sox's Lackey deal is a groundbreaker originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 12:29:13.

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But Tim Lincecum's value isn't confusing at all - it's just in dispute heading into an arbitration hearing in which the teams are a whopping $5 million apart. Lincecum asked for $13 million next season. The San Francisco Giants countered with $8 million. And to this point, they haven't come up with anything in the middle, and if it goes to arbitration, it will be one figure or the other.

It's uncharted for a pitcher who has won two Cy Young Awards to be so young, which is the biggest reason why it's been hard to come up with a figure. Lincecum is entering his fourth season.

"At some point. something's going to get figured out," Lincecum said, according to the Associated Press, before a Giants team FanFest on Saturday.  "Either way, I try not to have ill feelings about anything. I just try to come out here and the whole purpose is to try to help the team win. It's not about a grudge match. When it gets finalized, it will be good. I just try to take in what I can in the experience and not be too oblivious to everything but also not getting too involved, either. I let my agent do his job and I'll just do mine."

And Lincecum knows that the Giants might have to bring up those marijuana charges to try to win their case with the arbitrator. That might turn out to be one expensive traffic stop.

"I'm not going to try to take any ill regard to it at all -- try to take it as constructive criticism, I suppose," he said.

Lincecum's pot arrest could put $5 million deal up in smoke originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 14:23:22.

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One strange place it's still felt is the licensing agreement between the players' union and video game makers. And the two major console video game franchise - Sony's MLB The Show series (on PS3 and PSP) and 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K series (on virtually all current systems) - still have to abide by a weird rule.

There are five players remaining - Brendan Donnelly, Matt Herges, Ron Mahay, Jamie Walker and Kevin Millar - who are on their real-life teams in these ultra-realistic games under different names, uniform numbers and player images. Why? They crossed the picket line back in 1995 and were almost replacement players. That near-travesty was averted when a deal between the players and owners was finally struck that spring, but those five players above - and several others - were young players who tried accelerate their way into the majors by agreeing to play when the union was still on strike.

As punishment - and this grudge has been held for 15 years now - none of those players are allowed to join the MLBPA, ever. They get big-league pensions and are subject to the same free agency rules as everybody else, but they can't benefit from the deal that the union made to license their names and likenesses.

Both games are scheduled to be released on March 2. Millar, Walker and Mahay are all free agents; Donnelly is with the Pirates and Herges with the Royals. It's been a long time since they were called scabs. But the union never forgets.

1994-95 strike effects are still felt, at least on video games originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 02:18:40.

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Kansas City's Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, like many museums in a troubled economy, is having financial difficulties in its 20th year. It held its annual Legacy Awards banquet on Saturday - honoring the top players of last season, regardless of race - but still is staring at a lot of red ink, according to an Associated Press story.

Attendance is down, and a big reason for that is the fact that the museum's best ambassador, Buck O'Neill, died in 2006 at age 94. The former Negro Leagues great, who became a celebrity in Ken Burns' "Baseball" miniseries in 1994, was a driving force behind the museum. There's also some infighting and controversy among the museum's leadership. Burns says it would be a "cultural tragedy" if the museum - which has plenty of positive reviews - is forced to close.

What Burns' miniseries so accurately recounted was how baseball took a lead role in the civil rights movement. Jackie Robinson's success in the majors was a death blow to the Negro Leagues, but a birth of something much bigger.

Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star writes that baseball's stars of today need to embrace that history, and make an effort to attend the Legacy Awards, or at least come to the museum when they're in town to play the Royals.

Negro Leagues museum facing tough times originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 12:13:11.

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Assuming no player remaining a free agent will receive a contract of three years or longer - and that seems reasonable less than three weeks from spring training - only eight players received a deal of that length. That's the fewest long-term deals since 1994-95, a year that doesn't really count because there was a strike going on. The most? Just three years ago, when 26 free agents signed deals of three years or longer before the 2007 season.

The "big eight" this winter, with their 2010 ages in parentheses: Matt Holliday (31), Jason Bay (30), Chone Figgins (32), John Lackey (31), Placido Polanco (34), Marlon Byrd (32), Randy Wolf (33) and Brandon Lyon (30). Note the profile: Young veteran, in his prime, without a major injury history.

Why? The economy is one big reason. One bad long-term contract (think oft-injured DH Travis Hafner of the Indians, who has two years and $24.5 million remaining on a horrible deal) and a team is starting from a money pit. Manny Ramirez, now 37, couldn't even get a three-year deal last winter. Older than 35, a player is looking at two years, max.

Bobby Abreu (36) received good money from the Angels ($19 million), but just two years. So did Mike Cameron (37) from the Red Sox and Mark DeRosa (35) from the Giants.

Collusion? That's what some agents might say. But there's no doubt that the prime earning years of players is skewing younger and younger.

Contracts getting shorter and shorter originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at 13:10:27.

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Orlando Cabrera, shortstop: For a shortstop, Cabrera is a surprisingly good run-producer. He drove in 77 last season with Oakland and Minnesota, and is just two years removed from an 86 RBI season with the Angels. He's also sneaky good in the field - he won a Gold Glove in 2007, and had a .965 fielding percentage last season, decent for a shortstop. But the 35-year-old keeps bouncing around the league and has few suitors.

Erik Bedard, starting pitcher: The reason Bedard isn't locked up yet is because of injury - he' s coming off shoulder surgery. But a career ERA of 3.71, a 51-41 record, age 31 on opening day - seems like a lot of upside. Left-handed, too. New A's righty Ben Sheets was in a similar situation, and he somehow wrangled $10 million a year from Oakland. Bedard won't cost nearly as much. Not even half of that, probably.

Chan Ho Park, relief pitcher: He pitched well in the postseason and is a dependable middle reliever late in his career. He's 36. The Rays and Cubs seem to be the most interested.

Hank Blalock, first baseman: The Orioles seemed to be interested, but settled on a Miguel Tejada-Garrett Atkins combo at the corner infield spots instead. Blalock is only 29, and he hit 25 home runs last season (but slumped to .234, 35 points below his career average). He's not a Gold Glove-caliber player anymore, but he's worthy of an incentive-laden deal.

Ryan Garko, first baseman: Similar to Blalock - good bat, so-so in the field, but with an upside at age 29. He's a .279 career hitter with decent pop (15 homers last season in Cleveland and San Francisco). Cleveland used him as a corner outfielder at times, too.

Fernando Tatis, third baseman: It looks like the Mets are trying to bring him back as a utility player. Few are better at the plate (.282 with eight home runs and 48 RBI in 2009). He can play at first and the outfield as well - good insurance everywhere. At 35, he certainly doesn't appear to be done.

Who else is out there? Check out the updated free agent scorecard.

How are these guys still free agents? originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 23:44:10.

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The Scotts Co. is marketing to that whim with a new premium grass seed line. Beginning in April, Scotts is selling the seed blends and fertilizers for Fenway Park (Boston), Wrigley Field (Chicago), Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati), Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia) and Busch Stadium (St. Louis). The cost: A lush $21.99 for a three-pound bag. (That's roughly three times the cost of a typical bag. Depending on how big your lawn is, a season-ticket package might be cheaper.)

The seed blend in your market is most likely the one closest to you. If you're in New England, it will be Fenway; in Ohio it's Cincinnati, etc.

According to SI.com, it will be a slightly different blend than the actual park, in order to minimize upkeep. Because you don't have a grounds crew tending to your every blade, that should be welcome.

Marketing to a "Lawn of Dreams" originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 11:56:01.

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He's among the elite hitters in baseball, and he's done it with a big crutch. He admitted to the Detroit media this week that he's an alcoholic, and has been in treatment for the past three months.

This came after Cabrera's ill-timed drinking binge during the final weekend of the regular season last year, with the Tigers fighting for a playoff spot.

"This is a wonderful kid, and we're happy because he has a great life ahead of him," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, to the Detroit News. "But for selfish reasons, we're also happy because there's no telling how good he can be."

Now baseball history is full of players who could hit with a hangover, but getting help now can only bode well. As Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press wrote, Cabrera didn't have a problem with not caring about baseball while he was drinking. He might have cared too much.

Is an MVP-type season coming? Wouldn't be surprising at all.

How good can Miguel Cabrera be? originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 15:30:58.

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The political world is abuzz after a Republican upset in the special election for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. And one of the big reasons Democrat Martha Coakley lost to Scott Brown is because she showed she was out of touch with baseball fans.

How do you make that leap? First, Brown was shown on video shaking hands outside Fenway Park on Jan. 1. When asked about her campaign strategy of staying low-key, Coakley said: "As opposed to standing outside Fenway Park? In the cold? Shaking hands?''

That got the attention of former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, who came out for Brown and against Coakley in his blog. No surprise there - Schilling is an outspoken conservative. Coakley took the bait and labeled Schilling a Yankees fan in an interview.

If there's one thing Schilling isn't, it's a Yankees fan. (The title of Schilling's post: "I've been called a lot of things..."). Schilling is still revered in Massachusetts for pitching hurt in the 2004 playoffs, and he used the spotlight to campaign for Brown.

As much as Brown's victory is seen as a national movement, politics are always local, as the saying goes. The Red Sox sell out every game at Fenway Park and get huge TV ratings. They're as New England as clam chowder. And Coakley painted herself as out of touch by not knowing who Curt Schilling was. Said Schilling at a Brown rally over the weekend:

"It does reflect on an elected official's relationship with her constituents. I don't think that somebody who's lived here their whole life, not understanding the importance of the prominence of the sports teams in this city, it's a big deal to people. I think it's another sign of her aloofness, and just the fact that she's very out of touch, I think, with the people."

Coakley lost, the Democrats' health care plan is wavering because of it, and it indirectly was caused by ... the Boston Red Sox.

How the Red Sox might have changed the health care system originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 13:28:38.

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The Cleveland Indians hate arbitration so much, they haven't used it since 1991. And Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein has a perfect record when it comes to arbitration: 0-0.

So while two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum asked for an arbitration-record $13 million from the Giants - $5 million less than the team offered - Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon never got to that point, agreeing to a "bargain" $9.3 million, the biggest deal ever for a closer after his fourth season.

Why is it a bargain? He'll make less than Francisco Cordero, Brad Lidge, Francisco Rodriguez, Joe Nathan and Kerry Wood. Papelbon, statistically has been better than all of them. He's a four-time All-Star with a 1.84 career ERA, 151 saves in four seasons and a postseason reputation that was spotless until the final game of the Division Series against the Angels last October.

So why haven't the Red Sox and Papelbon been able to agree on a longer-term deal? Papelbon seems content to prove himself year after year, pitching with a chip on his shoulder but risking major injury. And the Red Sox, mindful of a flame-out, are playing along.

And there's another variable, too, in the team's favor. The Red Sox are developing Daniel Bard into a closer, and he was solid in middle relief as a rookie in 2009. He throws just as hard as Papelbon, and is the insurance policy.

It's a high-stakes game that both Papelbon and the Red Sox are taking, and one that really won't come to a head for two more years, when Papelbon is eligible for free agency. And it's Papelbon with the most risk. If he gets hurt, or takes a step back, he's the one with a lot more to lose.

Red Sox, Papelbon at an uneasy truce originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 11:57:33.

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Just 23-years-old at the time and coming off his most productive season as a pro, Gonzalez was 10-for-17 in the four game NLDS series. He had at least two hits in each of the four games, scoring five runs and stealing two bases, even though the Rockies fell to the eventual NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies.  

Though Gonzalez was still considered a high-level prospect when he came over from the Oakland A’s in the Matt Holliday trade, his performance in the majors was largely disappointing in Oakland.

Playing for AAA Colorado Springs early in the 2009 season, Gonzalez caught fire and forced his way into regular playing time with the Rockies. Many thought it was the momentum he would need to start cashing in on his immense talent.

In his first two months with the team, however, he struggled as he had with Oakland, unable to make consistent contact and looking overmatched against left-handed pitching.

Then, in early August, something seemed to click. Gonzalez finished the month with a .371 average, six home runs, and only 13 strikeouts.

The hot streak did not continue all year, but he finished the year respectably. In less than 300 at bats, Gonzalez hit .284 with 13 homers, 29 RBI, and 16 stolen bases, which went with an impressive and unexpected .353 on base percentage.

Going into 2010, the Rockies have added even more depth to a team that already shared playing time among its many talented young players.

In the outfield alone, Rockies Manager Jim Tracy will have to find room for Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Brad Hawpe, Seth Smith, and Ryan Spilborghs.

Such depth is considered an advantage going into the grueling 162-game baseball season, but it means less work for young players who may need to play themselves out of slumps in order to maintain their place with the team.

After Gonzalez’s playoff outburst, however, expect the 24-year-old Venezuelan to come out of Spring Training as the starting left-fielder in Coors Field. He will likely spend time in the top two positions in the lineup, depending on how well Dexter Fowler plays in his sophomore season.

Looking at the long term, it’s entirely possible to expect Gonzalez to develop more of a power stroke as he refines his approach and his strikeouts decrease. A high-end projection for Gonzalez might be as a middle of the order bat with above average speed and exceptional defense in the outfield.

Whatever happens, if the playoffs were any indication of what this young man can do, Rockies fans won’t be disappointed come April when he is back on the field again.

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In 2010, Lackey will cash $18 million in checks from the Red Sox ownership group, and as so many Red Sox haters have pointed out, the former Angels’ ace will be overpaid. Of course, as the only top starter cooking on this past winter’s Hot Stove, how could Lackey have not been overpaid?

According to Fangraphs , Lackey’s sabermetric value in a less-than-career-best 2009 weighed in at $17.6 million, so it’s not like the old pit bull will be hoodwinking the Red Sox brass for millions. He’s not Alex Rodriguez.

In fact, over the life of his contract, Lackey should perform a tad more effectively than his average annual salary. Is he a steal? No. Did the Sox get ripped off? Absolutely not. The Red Sox are paying a fair price for what they’re getting, and they can afford to pay someone what they’re worth.

(Side note: Anyone who thinks ballplayers are overpaid should reread Das Kapital. Seriously, and I’m not a communist, you clever purveyors of all things McCarthy.)

So what exactly are the Red Sox getting? How will John Lackey perform in 2010?

Transitioning from Anaheim to Boston, Lackey loses the benefits of the slightly more pitcher-friendly park he’s called home his entire Major League career. Fenway favors hitters roughly five percent more than does Angel Stadium.

Factoring in that difference, along with his history of difficulties with the Green Monster, Lackey should manage a repeat of his lackluster 11-8 2009 season. In Boston, Lackey should see his career 3.81 ERA and 1.31 WHIP rise to 3.91 and 1.34, respectively.

Similarly, Lackey’s 2009 38.8 RAR and 3.9 WAR should sink to 38.8 and 3.8, respectively.

All that said, setting aside the raw statistics for a moment, Lackey may have a dramatically better career in Boston than those numbers predict.

When analysts discuss Lackey’s intangibles, so called, phrases like “pit bull,” “big Texan,” and “fierce competitor” are bandied about. There could be something to such language.

Lackey will be joining a staff with two possible aces already aboard. Against Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, this former Angels’ de facto ace could find himself in the third spot of the Red Sox rotation.

If Lackey and his Abilene stock translate to anything valuable, then a more dominant pitcher could emerge from the heat of competition.

Saving career performances from Weaver, Lackey has been largely uncontested as the Angels’ staff leader. In Boston, Lackey, Beckett, and Lester could butt heads. Two Texans and a rising star could create enough competition to take all three to the next level.

Or the statistics could prove immutable.

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But as for the fifth spot in the rotation, a relatively new kid on the block in Madison Bumgarner will be taking over for future hall of famer Randy Johnson.

While Bumgarner pitched strong in just 10 innings of work as a September call up last season, his style was far from what was advertised. Scouting reports suggested a mid 90s fastball, but Bumgarner consistently threw between 88-92 during his short stint with the big club.

Now there could be many different reasons for the lack of velocity, and the most likely scenario is that the recently turned 20-year-old was simply running on fumes down the stretch.

Either way, Bumgarner's ability to handle his first full year at the ML level is one of the main talking points going into the season because if he is able to impress right out the gate, it might just mean playoffs for the Orange & Black.

Bumgarner will be taking over a rotation spot that was filled by four different pitchers last season. Randy Johnson, Ryan Sadowski, Joe Martinez, and Brad Penny all spent time in the rotation last year. Now how successful were they?

Thanks to Penny, the overall numbers look solid for a No. 5 starter (granted RJ was a No. 2 starter when he was in the rotation).

In 17 starts, the Big Unit went 8-6 with a 4.81 ERA for the Giants while following Lincecum in the rotation.

Ryan Sadowski proceeded to go 2-4 with a 4.45 ERA, and Joe Martinez delivered a 2-2 record but with 7.60 ERA in the starting role.

Last but not least, free agent pickup Brad Penny went 4-1 with an astounding 2.72 ERA.

Overall, the spot in which the top pitching prospect will take over went 16-13 with a 4.58 ERA.

Those numbers for a fifth starter would be more than welcome on most clubs. But this is the San Francisco Giants, with pitching standards higher than that of any other team.

While Giants management would like fans to believe they "bolstered" the offense this offseason, the additions clearly aren't enough to make the realistic fan believe the run production will be drastically better.

But what if Bumgarner starts throwing darts right out of the gate? What if Bumgarner lasts the whole season in the rotation and notches an ERA closer to his career minor league ERA of 1.65 than the combined mark of 4.58 that he is replacing?

If Bumgarner can finish his first full year in the big leagues with an ERA right around three, then the Giants will without a doubt finish with the top rotation in baseball and because of it will end up with more wins than last year.

Simply said, of all the "improvements" the Giants have made to their offense, it is a pitching decision that has the best chance to increase the team's 88 win total from a year ago to 92 or above.

Once the Giants lost Penny to free agency, the best offseason move they made was one they didn't make. They did not sign a washed up veteran starter and allow Bumgarner to take the fifth spot in the rotation, which is what gives Giants fans their optimism heading into the season.

Considering that Bengie Molina, Mark DeRosa, and Aubrey Huff are all past their prime, it will be asking a lot for either of them to come close to what the Giants claim they are capable of.

But since Bumgarner has his best days in front of him, his addition to the club will be the most pivotal.

Why is this the case? Because as logic dictates, there are two ways to win more baseball games:

1) allow fewer runs

2) score more runs

With GM Brian Sabean signing more mediocre bats this offseason, it is highly unlikely that the Giants offense improves enough to get them over the hump.

The more feasible scenario is the Giants pitchers actually improves from their 2009 performances and allows even fewer runs.

If they do, Madison Bumgarner will have been a huge part of it.

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Another reason the Cardinals don't have a stacked farm: they don't trade their most expensive talent for young, top prospects.

The Texas Rangers have the top system in the game for this reason. They convinced the Atlanta Braves to trade Elvis Andrus, among others, for Mark Teixeira. In return, the Rangers filled their system out with top talents*.

And it helped that the Rangers pretty much sucked for several years and had top pick after top pick in the draft.

*The Braves actually dealt Teixeira for Casey Kotchman, who was dealt to the Boston Red Sox for Adam LaRoche and was not offered arbitration either, and Steve Marek. Oh, the Braves also received Ron Mahay in the deal. So, if you're following, the Rangers added five top prospects; the Angels received two draft picks for Kotchman and half-a-season from Teixeira; the Braves received close to a full season of Teixeira, half-a-season from Mahay, one draft pick, half-a-season from LaRoche (and no compensation)...all for five top prospects.

Balanced? I think not. Oh, the Braves did it again in the Javier Vazquez swap that sent more top prospects to the Chicago White Sox, and then flipped Vazquez to the New York Yankees for a decent prospect and Melky Cabrerra.

I totally lost myself here.

Ummmm, Cardinals don't trade expensive talent for prized prospects, don't suck, play it safe...

Oh yeah. I remember now. Final reason. Right here.

They actually win.

Yes, it is the same as not losing, but the Cardinals actually win. They play it safe in the draft and receive the role players that help ascend the team to success. Who needs top-tier talent when you win?

When the Cardinals start losing, worry then about the no prized prospects.

Let the good times role, baby.

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Most have been developed in the team’s storied minor league system, but others such as Osteen, Hooton, and Reuss have joined the team via the trade or free agent market.

The current stable of arms does not have an established ace in the vein of championship teams from the past, some of which would go three or four deep.

Instead, the 2010 Dodger staff—as currently constructed—will go to spring training in search of that bellwether starter which can be relied upon when times become bleak and trouble is knocking at the door.

Clayton “Chinstrap” Kershaw , Chad Billingsley , Hiroki Kuroda, and Vincente Padilla will arrive in Arizona for the Dodgers' second spring at their Camelback Ranch facility as the bulk of the starting staff, with a fifth starter to be determined.

In reality, a major league team needs to have eight starting pitchers, given inevitable injuries and/or lack of execution that will develop. One will be parked in the bullpen and designated as a long reliever and two more will be pining way down in Triple-A, waiting for their opportunity to shine.

At the time of this preview being written, the following are considered as having a shot at the Dodgers fifth starting slot: James McDonald, Eric Stults, Charlie Haeger, Scott Elbert, Carlos Monasterios, Josh Lindblom, and John Ely. Other vets trying to shoehorn their way into the race include Jeff Weaver, Russ Ortiz, John Koronka, and Ramon Ortiz.

Clayton Kershaw

Chinstrap developed quite nicely into one of the more dominating starters in the league. Another season of continued improvement at his previous pace would move him into elite status and make him a serious contender for the Cy Young Award.

Unlike Tim Lincecum , the current award holder, Kershaw has faced the fires of postseason competition in both of his major league seasons. Lincecum does have one additional Major League season under his belt and is four years older.

2010 will be Chinstrap’s second full season in the majors, but he has displayed an advanced physical and mental capacity for the game. The counterweight is Kershaw’s tender age—he will be 22 come opening day—and the problems it can still bring, as witnessed in the first game of the NLCS when he hit the wall hard in the fifth inning of Game One.

It is reasonable to question why pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and manager Joe Torre left him in the game when it was clearly apparent Kershaw’s tank was empty, thus making a bad situation even worse and contributing to the Dodgers immediately losing the home-field advantage, as LA dropped an 8-6 decision.

Despite the playoff troubles, there are few things to make Dodger fans more excited while considering what may unfold in 2010 than the thought of another year of maturity raising Kershaw’s abilities into ace status.

Chad Billingsley

2009 for Chad Billingsley was a tale of two seasons. In the first half, he went 9-4 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.229 WHIP, and 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 125.1 innings over 19 starts. These numbers were good enough for a berth on the NL All-Star squad, where he gave up a run and two hits in his only inning of work.

That All-Star performance proved to be a harbinger of the bad times to come in the second half of the year, as Bills turned in a 3-7 finish. His ERA bloated to an unseemly 5.20 and the WHIP to 1.479. Strikeouts per nine innings dropped to 7.6 in 71 innings, over 13 starts and one relief appearance. It should be noted that he suffered from two different hamstring injuries and very poor offensive support in the second half.

The only postseason appearance Billingsley made was in the horrific NLCS Game Three, an 11-0 loss where Chad came out of the bullpen to concede two hits, two walks, and two earned runs in 3.1 innings.

In January, the Dodgers and Billingsley agreed on a one-year contract for $3.8 million, a deal which allowed both sides to avoid arbitration. That sounds pretty good until compared to the two-year, $10.95 million pact 2003 draft classmate Matt Kemp landed. It would appear the Dodger brass want to see Bills put together a quality full season before truly opening the bank vault for him.

The soft spoken Billingsley might also benefit from a “bulldog”-type mentality such as what Tommy Lasorda grafted onto Orel Hershiser, which helped take him to the next level in performance.

Hiroki Kuroda

Kuroda’s 13th professional season was laden with bad luck when it came to his health. Named the opening day starter, Kuroda allowed one run over 5.2 innings and bagged a win over Jake Peavy , only to strain his left oblique before his next start—an injury that kept him out until Jun. 1.

Taking a regular rotation spot over two and a half summer months, Kuroda was inconsistent in his first eight starts but pitched much better in the next seven. A line drive to the forehead on Aug. 15 in Arizona knocked him back to the DL, from which he would not return until Sept. 6.

Capping off the physical misery was a late-season shoulder injury which kept Kuroda out of the NLDS series against St. Louis. It was obvious Hiroki was in no condition to pitch against Philly, as the attempt in Game Three was an unmitigated disaster. Six earned runs and six hits in 1.1 innings of work stand as testimony to the misguided nature of the decision to let him start, much less go out for the second inning.

Entering the final season of the three-year pact he signed when coming from Japan, Kuroda will no doubt be looking to show his true capability at the major league level. There has been brief runs of domination sidetracked by lack of support his first year and injuries in the second, but if Kuroda is able to put his talent on display for a full season, the Dodgers will have a very solid starter upon which to rely.

Vincente Padilla

A late season waiver wire pick-up from Texas, Padilla stepped into Los Angeles and provided some quality starts down the stretch run, going 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA in eight appearances. His WHIP was 1.220 and he averaged a couple of ticks under a strikeout per inning as a Dodger.

Now entering his 12th major league season, Padilla was available mainly due to his owning what is perceived around the league to be a less-than-stellar attitude. Padilla is a battler out of time, happy to buzz batters in a manner that would have been more appreciated in the ‘60s compared to now.

The Dodgers decided to bring him in last season on the advice of two people, coach Larry Bowa and pitcher Randy Wolf . Bowa managed Padilla in Philly and Wolf was a teammate there. Both hold Padilla in high regard on and off the field. GM Ned Colletti and Torre decided it was worth the risk to bring Padilla over and were rewarded for their gamble.

Getting a taste of the postseason for the first time in his career, Padilla started three games. His first outing against the Cards saw Padilla throw seven innings of shutout ball and record the victory in the series clincher. He turned in another superb effort the next time out in Game Two of the NLCS, surrendering a single tally over 7.1 innings in the only game Los Angeles would win in the series.

A free agent after the season, Padilla suffered a minor gunshot wound to his right leg when a shooting range instructor tried to clear Padilla’s jammed pistol. The Dodgers remained interested in signing him and finally cut a one-year deal for just over $5 million in January. Padilla can earn another $1 million in incentives.

Padilla has expressed his appreciation with the Dodgers for sticking with him, and it would be very nice indeed for the True Blue fans if he is able to channel a little bit of Drysdaleian-type magic on the mound in 2010.

Fight for the Fifth

Of all the candidates for the fifth slot, Los Angeles would be best served if either McDonald or Stults would be able to secure the position.

McDonald is a hard throwing righty who backed into the starting rotation at the end of last spring, but quickly gave up the position. An ERA north of 8.00 will usually do that for an unproven youngster. After a spell in Albuquerque, McDonald pitched fairly well out of the bullpen the balance of the season. He recently finished pitching in the Dominican Winter League and has spoken about the learning process, where he is compared to last year, and feeling he is now better suited to handling the starting role.

The lefty Stults would provide some balance to the rotation, given Chinstrap is the only southpaw in the first four slots. Last year, an injury to this throwing thumb knocked Stults out of the rotation. One start in August was all he would be able to muster for the balance of the season. Given he is out of options and the team has deflected interest from Japan, it would seem they would like to keep Stults in Los Angeles for 2010.

It would seem unlikely for the knuckleballing Charlie Haeger to get the nod based on his treatment last season. An August call-up, his first two starts in Dodger blue were very effective. Charlie got hit hard in Cincinnati the third time out and was pulled after only 2.1 innings. The balance of the season saw Haeger appear three times in relief, for a total of 2.1 innings. After previously seeing time with the White Sox and Padres, don’t be surprised if Haeger hits the road again and ends up with another franchise in 2010.

Scott Elbert has only worked as a reliever in his short time in the show, but has extensive starting experience in the minors. While he will be given an opportunity, it seems more likely Torre would prefer to have Elbert work out of the pen for the upcoming season, given he has the ability to work both multiple innings in a game or multiple games in a week. This is a valuable asset to have, especially in a hard-throwing lefty.

Carlos Monasterios is a Rule V acquisition from the Phillies through the Mets. Last season—his fourth in professional ball—he appeared in two games at the AA level, the highest to date in his career. Considering the underwhelming numbers he has put up so far, it seems unlikely Carlos will make the Dodgers' roster, not the mention crack the rotation, but stranger things have happened in baseball.

After making a surprising push for the rotation last spring, Josh Lindblom split time between AA and AAA, starting 14 times in his 34 appearances. His strikeout-to-walk ratio was solid as was his WHIP, but it seems more likely Lindblom will serve as a reliever if he makes the roster in 2010.

Acquired as part of the Juan Pierre deal from the Chicago White Sox, John Ely enjoyed a stellar 2009 in AA ball, going 14-2 in 27 starts with a 2.82 ERA over 156.1 innings. He turned in a WHIP of 1.215 and averaged 2.5 strikeouts per walk surrendered. Given the Dodgers and White Sox now share their training facilities, it seems likely various sets of Dodger eyes observed Ely and liked what they saw. Whether he will be ready for 2010 is open for debate. Those attending spring ball should keep a look out for Ely.

Jeff Weaver was recently re-signed by the club, both hoping for more of the success from 2009 as a spot starter and long reliever. It would be extremely unlikely Weaver would take a regular turn in the Dodger rotation, but he offers plenty of experience for younger players to absorb.

Both Russ and Ramon Ortiz are looking to revive their careers. While not related, both have experienced success with California teams—Ramon with the Angels and Russ with the Giants. At this point, they most likely would be AAA starters at best, ready to step up in emergency situations.

Meanwhile, John Koronka’s high-water mark over four major league seasons was 7-7 with a 5.69 ERA and 1.536 WHIP in 2006 with Texas. Sorry, but I can’t recommend for anyone to try and hold their breath waiting on him to emerge.

Conclusions

As currently constructed, the 2010 Dodger rotation has a fairly reasonable chance for great things. There are plenty of pitfalls that have to be avoided, as quality depth does not appear to be at hand. 

If anything, the Los Angeles faithful can look for more young talent to emerge and try to take their place in Dodger lore. However, they should not waste their time pining for top-shelf help to ride in and save the day via trade or free agency.

The starting lineup and bullpen must continue to perform at a high level for the Dodgers to make the postseason in 2010, and at least one of the top three starters has to really break out if they want to reach the World Series. Two would be preferred.

Up next: the bullpen

Previously: Gearing up for spring

Photo credit: JC Ayvazi

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However, I seriously believe that the Blue Jays will contend in 2014 and possibly make the playoffs as well in 2012 and 2013 for these five reasons.

1. The Blue Jays have serious young talent coming up in their organization, either in the farm system or at the major-league level.

Travis Snider was ranked in most experts' list of the five best prospects in baseball last year, and through bouncing between AAA Las Vegas and the big-league club, he showed real potential. Snider should develop even more this season, enough to play as an every day left-fielder. He should enter his prime in 2014, a prime that includes 40 HR power potential to go along with a .290 or better average.

Brett Wallace, one of the players acquired in the blockbuster Roy Halladay deal, has great potential as a corner-infield slugger. His bat has been said to be already major league ready, the Jays are just trying to develop him into a first basemen, instead of third where they fear he will be an error machine. He has tremendous upside and isn't just a power hitter, he has a great approach to hitting and should draw plenty of walks while hitting at a .300 clip.

The Jays have a ridiculous amount of starting pitching talent, Kyle Drabek simply adds to the long list of young pitchers the Jays are working hard to develop. While most of them were christened last year at the major league level and so aren't "prospects" anymore, they have a bright staff of the future shaping up.

Brett Cecil, Mark Rzepczynski, Brad Mills, Robert Ray, Drabek, Zachary Stewart, Jesse Litsch, plus Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan (who are still developing). Out of that list of nine Jays hopefuls, plus Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow, it shouldn't be too hard to at least turn one of them into the ace of the future, the face of the post-Halladay era in Toronto.

2. The Jays already have a top flight offense, contrary to popular believe they scored the eighth most runs in the Major Leagues last season.

That's right. The Toronto Blue Jays scored more runs last year than the Texas Rangers' perennial offensive machine. Heck, even more than the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers.

The Toronto Blue Jays already have a terrific framework to score as many runs as possible: Adam Lind and Aaron Hill are both young, talented, .300/30/100 threats, as they both performed at that level in 2009. Hill has basically hit his potential, but Lind could have even more improving to do, enough to bring up MVP whispers.

3. The Blue Jays are a big-market team, as Toronto has the fourth most populated metropolitan area in North America. They are capable of making free agent pickups and will when they believe they can contend for a pennant.

In recent years, the Blue Jays have been labelled as a small-market team simply because they haven't made many notable free agent acquisitions recently. Torontonians have an excellent capacity to love baseball, and when the team was playing well last year (or Roy Halladay was pitching, the Jays must've made a fortune off of him) the Rogers Centre was usually pushed to capacity.

This is a ballclub that signed Roger Clemens to a $25,000,000 contract before the 1997 season and has previously signed other impact players such as Paul Molitor, Dave Stewart, and many others. I believe if the Jays win 88 or so games in 2011, management will go out and pursue a highly-touted free agent.

4. Am I the only one who remembers the Blue Jays' torrid start last year? Everyone suggests it was a total outlier, a downright fluke, but it was the start of something good.

It is May 19th, 2009. The Toronto Blue Jays have the best record in the American League with a 27-14. There is a growing trend to rank them first or second in MLB power rankings. People are finally waking up to the fact that they are "for real," and "should follow Tampa as consecutive non-NY/BOS AL East pennant winners."

They then fall into a terrible downward spiral and finish with only 75 wins, good for fourth in the AL East. It seems baseball is about streaks. If you lose a few games in a row, it becomes a habit, a habit the Jays are particularly susceptible to since they're terrible with pressure added in.

But the new Jays should change the culture. I sincerely believe that if the Jays wouldn't have fallen into that terrible losing streak, they would have finished with over 90 wins. They fell back to .500, and the players looked at the season as a rebuilding year.

5. Alex Anthopoulos is a good GM, willing to make blockbuster trades and sign key free agents if it means strengthening his team.

People must remember that it was Anthopoulos, not Ricciardi, that dealt Roy Halladay. Ricciardi may have publicly announced that the America League's best pitcher was up for grabs, which was a total failure, but it was Anthopoulos that ended up pulling the cord on the deal.

He succeeded in tearing Drabek away from the Phillies and Wallace from the A's. He's younger than most general managers, which is a good thing since we're in the midst of a baseball revolution: new stats that older GMs don't believe in or don't care much about.

Anthopoulos is also willing to take risks. Taking risks is necessary when you play in a division with the Red Sox and Yankees. One of them is a mortal lock for 95 wins, you can't just have a "good" season, the type of season Ricciardi was always happy with.

No, if you want to win the AL East pennant, you're going to have to take calculated risks and have them pan out, which seems to be something the Blue Jays' GM of the future is willing to do.

- - - - -

To conclude, I don't see why the Jays can't win it all in 2014, if they continue to make good decisions regarding their future and sign a few impact players after the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the fans will get behind them again and they can renew their dynasty.

Thanks for reading my article! Please leave a comment below, I'm interested in feedback and having a discussion about the Blue Jays, and if you enjoyed this article feel free to press the "like" button.

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There are different reasons the Yankees would invite these players. Some are young prospects who the Yankees want to get a look at like lefty pitcher Jeremy Bleich and catcher Jesus Montero. Some are guy who could help the team at some point down the road this season like outfielder Colin Curtis, and some are like Marcus Thames and actually have a shot at making the 25-man roster. Then there are also catchers who are just there to make sure that the pitchers get enough work like Mike Rivera and PJ Pilittere.

Here is the list:

OF Marcus Thames
LHP Wilkins Arias
LHP Jeremy Bleich
OF Colin Curtis
RHP Grant Duff
OF Reid Gorecki
C Kyle Higashioka
RHP Jason Hirsh
LHP Kei Igawa
RHP Zach McAllister
C Jesus Montero
C PJ Pilittere
LHP Royce Ring
C Mike Rivera
C Austin Romine
RHP Amaury Sanit
RHP Zack Segovia
OF Jon Weber
RHP Kevin Whelan
OF David Winfree

Out of that list, I’d say the only one with any real shot at making the Yankees out of spring training would be Thames. The rest would need a great spring and a rash of injuries to go along with a great spring.

Although there are probably a couple who can be called up to the Bronx at times during this season.

Out of the players on this list obviously I’m most excited to see Montero and Austin Romine. I also wouldn’t mind seeing Bleich as well.

Who are you looking forward to seeing this spring?

Most Commented Posts

• November 24, 2009—Yankees 2010 Lineup Projections (20)
• December 9, 2009—Dealing For Halladay Could Mean Bidding War for Mauer (12)
• December 10, 2009—Updated Lineup Projections (12)
• December 22, 2009—Yankees Returning to Unsuccessful Ways of Decade? (12)

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With Spring Training coming upon us, I will be adding one or two main discussion topics about the Boston Red Sox and their 2010 season daily. I will be analyzing the hottest topics and expressing my opinions about each. Today, I ask whether or not Victor Martinez will be able to handle the full time catcher position.

The heading may be confusing, so let me clarify. With Victor Martinez being the new full time catcher on the Red Sox, can he work well with the pitching staff and fill the shoes of the man who has caught four no hitters, Jason Varitek?

In my honest opinion, it was common sense to make Victor Martinez the full time catcher for the 2010 regular season. He is clearly a major step up from the captain and will no doubt provide at the plate, but will he work the same magic when it comes to chemistry with the staff like Varitek always did?

This Spring is where this question will really be put into perspective in my opinion. He has Jason Varitek to help him as well as the staff and there should be no real worries besides catching Tim Wakefield, which may not even be that much of a problem seeing as he's the odd man out in the rotation, or his other problem being Josh Beckett.

Last season there seemed to be some communication problems between Beckett and Martinez that proved a lack of chemistry. Josh obviously worked far better with Varitek behind the plate and it's up to V-Mart and Beckett to build a bond of sorts before Opening Day.

Can Martinez handle the roll?

Honestly, I do not think it will be much of a problem because like I said, he still has Varitek there to help him out and the rotation is arguably the best in baseball today.

The final answer is, yes, Martinez will learn how to handle the rotation and take over for the veteran captain, Jason Varitek, very well. There may be some miscommunications at the start of the process, but I have no doubt in my mind that V-Mart will be a  suitable replacement on the Red Sox

Found at Boston Sox Journalism

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Here is a list of players already previewed:

Catchers
Jorge Posada

Infielders
Mark Teixeira
Robinson Cano
Derek Jeter

Outfielders
Nick Swisher

Pitchers
CC Sabathia
AJ Burnett
Andy Pettitte
Javier Vazquez

We’re not done yet, and over the next couple of weeks you’ll get a chance to see how our writers think these players will do in 2010:

Catchers
Francisco Cervelli

Infielders
Alex Rodriguez
Nick Johnson
Ramiro Pena

Outfielders
Brett Gardner
Curtis Granderson
Randy Winn
Marcus Thames

Pitchers
Joba Chamberlain
Phil Hughes
Mariano Rivera
Damaso Marte
David Robertson
Alfredo Aceves
Boone Logan
Chad Gaudin

So be sure to keep coming back to Bronx Baseball Daily everyday to see our input on these players and more.

Most Commented Posts

• November 24, 2009: Yankees 2010 Lineup Projections (20)
• December 9, 2009: Dealing For Halladay Could Mean Bidding War for Mauer (12)
• December 10, 2009: Updated Lineup Projections (12)
• December 22, 2009: Yankees Returning to Unsuccessful Ways of Decade? (12)

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Their thinking is that while Johnson has superior on-base skills, his speed (or lack thereof) will do the team damage in the two-hole. Last season, the Yankees switched Damon and Derek Jeter in the lineup and one of the reasons was that Jeter was hitting into too many double plays.

Damon, on the other hand, is one of the best players in the majors at avoiding double plays. On average, batters hit into double plays in around 11 percent of their double play opportunities. For his career, Damon has only hit into double plays in five percent of his chances.

The switch was definitely successful in this regard. Damon had a career-high 160 double play opportunities and hit into only nine double plays (5.6 percent). Jeter had only 106 opportunities and still hit into 18 double plays (17 percent).

Basically, if the Yankees didn't switch them and they had faced the other's double play opportunities instead, they would have combined for 33 double plays instead of 27. While this isn't a huge number, it makes a difference. On average, a double play costs a team .35 runs. So, it seems that this switch netted the Yankees 2.1 runs, just based on double plays. This isn't especially substantial, it's important for teams to find runs wherever they can.

Now let's bring the newly-acquired Johnson into play. Johnson is the ideal No. 2 hitter for statheads everywhere. Last season, he put together an absurd .426 OBP, good for third in the majors. It's unlikely he'll post such an impressive number again in 2010, but getting on base has always been Johnson's specialty.

Damon is no slouch in that department either, as he got on base at a .365 clip last season. As we all know, just using last season's numbers is not an effective way to project a player going forward.

CHONE projects that Johnson will put up a .392 OBP in 2010 while Damon will have a .357 OBP. While getting on base is extremely important, I wanted to see if Damon's other prowess make up for the big OBP gap between the two players.

I prorated each of their CHONE batting lines to 600 plate appearances and got that Damon projects to be worth 10 runs above average and Johnson projects to be around 20 runs above average, so he has a nice 10-run advantage here.

Now, on to baserunning. Johnson is known as a very slow runner, and that's an accurate description. Damon has always been quick, but he only stole 12 bases in 2009. I'm sure part of this is based on the fact that you don't want to risk getting caught stealing when Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez are coming up behind you. In terms of total baserunning value, Damon gains some runs back.

Using a simple MARCEL-like 5-4-3 projection with some regression of the two players eqBRR, I get that Damon has around a four-run edge on the bases. Cut Johnson's advantage down to six runs now.

Getting back to where we started, Damon stands to make up some more ground because of his superb ability to avoid the double play. Looking at their career numbers on Baseball-Reference, I'd say it's fair to make a rough estimate that Damon will hit into a double play in six percent of his opportunities and Johnson will in 12 percent of his.

The player hitting second in the Yankees' lineup is sure to see a ton of double play opportunities, but there's no real way of knowing how many. I'm just going to put the number at 150, slightly below the number Damon had last season.

Using that -.35 linear weight and the 11 percent average, we find that Damon projects to be around 2.5 runs above average and Johnson looks to be about a half a run below average. Put it all together and here's what we get:

When the Yankees signed Johnson, I assumed he would be a huge upgrade over Damon batting second because of his 35 point edge in OBP, but it just isn't that cut and dry. The numbers tell me it is way closer than I thought, but they still bear out the fact that Johnson is the better option for the Yankees.

There are still some people who would prefer Damon to Johnson in the two-spot, but the numbers suggest that's the wrong move. As I said earlier, teams need to find ways to add runs in any little way they can. Just from an offense and lineup perspective, the Yankees did just that by signing Nick Johnson to be their number two hitter.

Thanks to Daniel  of Camden Crazies  and Matt K.  of FanGraphs  for some help with these numbers. Also, I feel like I may have just put some numbers in here without fully explaining them. I didn't want to overwhelm the piece with numbers, so if you have any questions about my methodology just let me know and I'll elaborate.

Be sure to check out Pending Pinstripes for more great content.

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For weeks, rumors persisted that the Yankees were looking to add one more right handed hitting outfielder on a minor league contract, and it looks like they got their man in Thames. There is no word as to whether or not Thames got a minor league or a guaranteed major league contract yet, but you can probably assume this is of the minor league variety.

In 258 at bats last season, Thames had a 99 OPS+ including a .323 OBP and a .453 slugging percentage. Against lefties, he struck out much less and walked more often although his batting average and slugging percentage were similar.

Some people are sure to be upset that the Yankees went after Thames instead of two other options, Rocco Baldelli and Jonny Gomes. There are strikes against each of the other two though. Baldelli is a good hitter and probably the best defensively out of the three, but is almost certain to be on the DL at some point in 2010, and if that point comes down the stretch, he wouldn’t have been much help to the Yankees. Also, Gomes is probably the best hitter of the three, but a terrible defender. Thames is in the middle of the two. He is not the best hitter of the group, but not the worst defender either.

If it is true that Thames was signed to a minor league contract, then it is not guaranteed that he will start the season with the Yankees. He will likely compete against Jamie Hoffmann, who the Yankees got in the "Rule 5" draft, as well as some other candidates like Colin Curtis and David Winfree. Curtis and Winfree are longshots, but they could make the team with a very impressive spring or if injuries occur.

Thames was originally traded in the middle of 2003 for Ruben Sierra.

Update: Via Jon Heyman we find out that Thames is going to make $900,000 plus incentives and Randy Winn signed for $1.1 million base plus incentives. There is your $2 million that Cashman had to spend.

Related Stories

• January 28, 2010–Yankees Rumors: Not Quite Done Yet (1)
• January 7, 2010–10 Potential Bench Players the Yankees Could Sign (2)

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But dumb jokes aside, I just cannot support a decision to erect a statue in honor of a man who does not deserves to be immortalized. In my not-so-humble opinion, Selig  hasn't done a good job as MLB commissioner.

First of all, let me say that I know that Selig used to own the Brewers, so I recognize that the statue isn't being built to honor his legacy as Commissioner. Yet when you honor a man, you honor his entire body of work. You can't pick and choose, saying that he was great in one area, and lousy in another.

Second, let me acknowledge that I don't dislike everything the man has done as Major League Baseball's top dog.

I love the wild card, which was introduced on Selig's watch. It not only gives hope to teams that might otherwise not have it, but it sometimes prevents teams from selling off higher priced ballplayers during the season, since it keeps them in the hunt longer.

Yet despite this win, and the relative labor peace that has existed recently, I do not like what Selig has done to the game overall.

Why not? Let me count the ways.

Integrity Issues

Putting an owner in charge of baseball's integrity is like asking a team's catcher—instead of an umpire—to call balls-and-strikes.

Plus, Selig became the first commissioner to simultaneously own a team, which raises complicity issues. Sure, his daughter eventually was named owner, but there's no reason to believe that Bud wasn't still pulling the strings.

It wasn't until 2004 that Selig sold his interest in the Brewers. Oh, and guess who was allowed to gain a considerable financial advantage by moving to the National League?

Meanwhile, the former used car salesman's backstabbing and underhanded ways are known to many. Consider this comment from Fay Vincent, who was forced to resign as commissioner in 1992, at least in part due to Selig's organizing the owners collusion against Vincent:

"The Union basically doesn’t trust the ownership because collusion was a $280 million theft by Bud Selig and Jerry Reinsdorf of that money from the players. I mean, they rigged the signing of free agents. They got caught. They paid $280 million to the players. And I think that’s polluted labor relations in baseball ever since it happened. I think it’s the reason Fehr has no trust in Selig."

Further, his decisions have largely been more for the good of the almighty dollar than the good of the game, or its fans.

In 2000, Selig had Major League Baseball take control of each team's websites. Shortly thereafter, baseball began requiring fees from fans who wanted to listen to radio play-by-play online. Pop-up ads were triggered on every page at mlb.com, so fans who cared enough to click ten pages of statistics got ten pop-up windows.

Selig allowed his friend, and then-current Expos owner, Jeffrey Loria to dump the Expos and instead purchase the Marlins, but he couldn't find a buyer. So Selig had MLB "buy" his team.

Loria, meanwhile, was immediately allowed to buy the Marlins. His ex-partners in owning the Expos have sued Major League Baseball under the U.S. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

Steroids

Yes, the 800-pound gorilla in the room, but worth mentioning anyway, because Selig's blind eye to performance-enhancing drugs has left a stain on an entire generation of baseball.

Not to mention the blemish on some of baseball's sacred records. Let's face it, numbers are critical in baseball, perhaps more so than any sport.

What baseball fan doesn't recognize the number 755, for example?

But thanks to Selig's leadership, or lack thereof, the owners, GMs, and yes even the media ignored the incredibly exploding bodies of players like Barry Bonds, thus allowing the number 755 to be overtaken by a cheater.

Following the release of the Mitchell Report, Congressman Cliff Stearns called publicly for Selig to step down as commissioner, citing his "glacial response" to the "growing stain on baseball".

Oh, by the way, who led the commissioning of the Mitchell Report? A director of the Boston Red Sox.

And don't tell me that Selig didn't know what was going on, my friend. He needed some way to attract fans back to the game following the next blunder on my list.

Cancelling the World Series

The 1994 strike resulted in the cancellation of the World Series, and, whether or not it was the owners or the players fault, the fact is it occurred under Selig's watch...and it almost killed our national past time.

The cancellation of the World Series was the first since 1904. Major League Baseball became the first professional sport to lose its entire postseason due to a labor dispute.

This had far reaching implications within the game, and eventually may have led to the rise of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. After all, remember MLB's slogan: "chicks dig the long ball"?

Well apparently, so did Selig, and as a result we lost far more than just a postseason.

The strike was settled before the season began, by acceding to almost all the players' demands. Canceling the 1994 World Series, then, accomplished nothing for baseball, except to discourage and alienate its fans.

Changes to the All-Star Game

First, Selig declared the 2002 All-Star game a tie, to the dissatisfaction of the Milwaukee fans in his own hometown. 

Then, in a knee-jerk reaction to this debacle, Selig decided to award the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series as a way of reinvigorating the game.

Instead, what that has done is to make the outcome of the game a major factor in determining who wins the Series every year, which is an awfully high stake for an exhibition game.

In order to focus more on winning the game, the All-Star managers may refuse to play your local team hero and leave the starters in longer, which reduces the enjoyment for some people.

Postseason schedule

Selig's decision to extend the traditional postseason schedule into November in an attempt to increase Nielsen ratings has furthered an already too long season, and increased the chances of weather impacting the results of the playoffs.

Look, it was known as the "October Classic" for so many years, why ruin that?

World Baseball Classic

Hey, I'm not against increasing the game's exposure to the rest of the world, but this is strictly an attempt by Selig to obtain additional MLB.TV revenue.

And it may have resulted in players, especially pitchers, being forced to overextend their bodies too early in the season, leading to unnecessary injuries, and impacting the results of the regular season.

Revenue Sharing

While it may sound like a good idea on the surface, Bud's plan has been fraught with corruption.

Teams can now field a roster whose total payroll is less than what they take in from revenue sharing, thereby ensuring that fielding a low-cost, non-competitive team will bring in a profit before the season even starts.

Nice.

Interleague Play

For every Cubs-White Sox matchup, there are Twins-Pirates and Astros-Rays games that no one cares about.

Meanwhile, he keeps Pete Rose out of the Hall of Fame, yet Selig has done more damage to the game than Rose ever did.

A statue? Maybe one with Selig shaking hands with Mark McGwire would be appropriate.

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The Academy Award nominations are out, so it must be just about time for pitchers and catchers to report to camp.  This year’s field is pretty much “Up In The Air” (my pick to win the Oscar for Best Picture this year). Here’s a look at how this year’s major league teams stack up for 2010, plus a look at which Best Picture Oscar winner of the past will be playing prominently in the clubhouse throughout the season (in parentheses).

AL EAST

1. New York Yankees  (The Greatest Show On Earth - 1952)  

Determined to repeat as World Series champions, the Yankees look to last year’s blueprint to try and duplicate another championship season.

2. Boston Red Sox  (No Country For Old Men - 2007)

With the aging bodies of David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, and Tim Wakefield producing diminishing returns early in the season, the Red Sox need a late push and a slightly younger roster just to squeeze into the wild card.

3. Tampa Bay Rays  (The Sound Of Music - 1965)

You won’t be hearing all those cowbells echoing through Tropicana Stadium by the end of summer.  The Rays starting staff fails to live up to past standards, which is music to the ears of the Red Sox and Yankees.

4. Baltimore Orioles (One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest - 1975)

As Albert Einstein said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  Orioles-owner Peter Angelos finally gets out of last place in the division, but that isn’t the different result he has been looking for.

5. Toronto Blue Jays (The Last Emperor - 1987)

The last time the Blue Jays were a first place team was seventeen years ago, when Cito Gaston was the manager.   That dynasty has long been a thing of the past and shows no promise of returning.  

AL CENTRAL

1. Minnesota Twins (The Best Years Of Our Lives - 1946)

With their division rivals taking a step backward this season, the Twins wrap up a playoff spot early and make a lot of noise late into the playoffs with a World Series appearance.

2. Chicago White Sox  (Chicago - 2002)

The White Sox added quite a few new pieces to their ensemble, but Ozzie Guillen struggles to get this squad to harmonize on the field.  The new additions look good on paper, but there are quite a few sour notes in a disappointing season.

3. Detroit Tigers  (The Silence Of The Lambs - 1991)

The Tiger offense is toothless and doesn’t inflict fear into the opposition at all.  Instead of the roar of the jungle, it is more like the silence of the lambs in Comerica Park this season.

4. Cleveland Indians  (Rain Man - 1988)

Indians fans won’t need an autistic savant to count all the runs they score this season.  Plus, with David Huff and Aaron Laffey at the back of a patchwork rotation, Cleveland will be praying for a lot of rainouts.

5. Kansas City Royals  (Platoon - 1986)

The Royals go through 50 different lineups trying to find the right mix, as this perennial group of underachievers led by Alex Gordon and Billy Butler fail to put it all together once again.

AL WEST

1. Seattle (All The King’s Men - 1949)

With King Felix Hernandez securely back in the fold for the next five years, newcomers Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins add to an established roster and propel the Mariners to the division crown.

2. Los Angeles Angels (The Departed - 2006) 

After dedicating last season to fallen comrade Nick Adenhart, the Angels once again use his memory to light the spark under the 2010 season.  Unfortunately, it is other departed team members, John Lackey and Chone Figgins, who are sorely missed as the Angels fail to reach the playoffs.

3. Texas Rangers (Crash - 2005)

The Rangers played like a team on the rise last year but crash back to Earth with a patchwork rotation that is an accident waiting to happen.

4. Oakland Athletics  (A Beautiful Mind - 2001)

Billy Beane is revered for his innovative thinking, which made "Moneyball" a term synonymous with his overachieving Athletics.  After another last place finish, it might be time to reassess whether the Oakland GM still has all his marbles. 

NL EAST

1. Philadelphia Phillies  (A Man For All Seasons - 1966)

Roy Halladay finally gets a chance to find out what it’s like to pitch in the fall.  The Phillies rotation carries this team deep into the playoffs once again.

2. Florida Marlins  (You Can’t Take It With You - 1938)

Marlins owner Jefferey Loria is the cheapest owner in the big leagues.  If he’d spend even a little more money toward improving his roster, he might receive a nice return on his investment.   He might as well spend his money now because it’s not going to buy him anything in the afterlife.

3. Atlanta Braves (Gone With The Wind - 1939)

There’s trouble in the deep south again.  Plantations might not be burning to the ground, but an anemic offense leaves the Braves hopes gone with the wind.  The only way this team is scoring bunches of runs is when the wind is blowing out.

4. New York Mets (Mutiny On The Bounty - 1935)

Omar Minaya is asleep at the wheel, and after a season spent battling the Nationals for last place, Mets fans rise up and demand that someone else lead them back to shore.

5. Washington Nationals  (Million Dollar Baby - 2004)

Rookie fireballer Stephen Strasberg might not start the season with the big club, but he’ll give the Nationals some much-needed buzz with his 102-mile-per-hour fastball.

NL CENTRAL

1. Milwaukee Brewers  (Forrest Gump - 1994)

The Brewers pitching is somewhat suspect, but they can do it all on offense.  Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder drive in run after run after run and Milwaukee runs all the way to the division title.

2. St. Louis Cardinals  (Unforgiven – 1992)

Matt Holidays’ error in the playoffs cost St. Louis from advancing last October.  A poor start, fresh after signing a seven-year, $120 million dollar contract has the Cardinal faithful in a very unforgiving mood.

3. Cincinnati Reds  (Gladiator – 2000)

Dusty Baker’s squad fights valiantly into the final weeks before falling out of playoff contention.  In today’s era, you can’t win on just heart and brute strength. 

4. Chicago Cubs (Titanic – 1997)

This expensive vessel experiences disaster during the season and sinks into the depths while the Captain spontaneously combusts in frustration on the bridge.

5. Houston Astros (The Sting – 1973)

Whatever happened to The Killer B’s?  The Astros miss that kind of sting in their offense this season.

6. Pittsburgh Pirates (Slumdog Millionaire – 2008)

Pirate’s owner Robert Nutting refuses to spend money on established players when an 18th-consecutive losing season is already a foregone conclusion.

NL WEST

1. Colorado Rockies   (Braveheart – 1995)

Jim Tracy instilled a winning spirit into the Rockies when he took over a manager in midseason of the 2009 campaign.  The 2010 Rockies continue that crusade and march into the playoffs by winning the National League West.

2. San Francisco Giants  (On The Waterfront – 1954)

AT&T Park is built right on the waterfront. A power hitter or two capable of reaching McCovey Cove would be enough impetus to squeak the Giants into the wild card.  Alas, GM Brian Sabean is the one who ends up being all wet.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (Kramer vs. Kramer – 1985)

It’s McCourt vs. McCourt this time, as the owner’s nasty divorce battle keeps the Dodgers from being able to spend money to fill the holes on a once vibrant roster.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks  (Rocky - 1976)

There is no rags-to-riches finish for Arizona this year.  The Diamondbacks have enough talent to contend, but AJ Hinch does not have the experience to lead a team that underachieves for the second-straight season.  With another manager at the helm, they could have been a contender.

5. San Diego Padres  (All Quiet On The Western Front – 1929)

The Padres are still years away from contending and stick with their slow rebuilding plan.  The trading deadline quietly passes without Adrian Gonzalez going anywhere.

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McLouth was sent to the Braves in a deal that angered quite a few Pirates fans who became high on Nate after one above average season.

The deal was actually a very good deal for the Pirates, as Charlie Morton outside of one performance looks like a very good pitcher.  Yes, Gorkys Hernandez and Jeff Locke didn't necessarily "impress" in their short time with the organization, but they still have talent. 

Of course, the point of this isn't to debate the trade it's to talk about the effect it had on the organization.

Many may wonder as to WHY we didn't move Nate to the corner and quite frankly I do not have the answer to that question.  Many may wonder why we didn't call up Andrew to start the season as he had a very productive spring training, again I do not have the answer.

I'd assume it had to deal with his arbitration clock and allowing his call-up to be productive in many ways.  It allowed Andrew to develop more before his debut and allowed the organization to have more years of control.

Could we, as Pirate fans, see a similar situation with Jose Tabata and Pedro Alvarez?  We very well could be.  I highly doubt we will see Jose or Pedro in our starting lineup immediately out of spring training, but I do believe it will happen by the end of June. 

The reason?  Once again, the arbitration clock.

Are Pedro and Jose even READY for the show?  While I'm not certain they are "ready" they certainly aren't not ready.  The big test for each of them will be this spring when they likely will see a lot of time with the big league team to get at bats against major league quality pitching.

If Pedro comes up, what happens with Andy LaRoche?  I don't have an answer for this, but I feel that Andy's production along with new acquisition Akinori Iwamura's production will define just how long Pedro Alvarez stays in the minors. 

If one of those two falter and are having disastrous seasons by mid-June expect the slumping player to hit the bench and for Pedro to hop in.  Obviously you wouldn't stick Alvarez in there at second base if Iwamura falters.  Logically I could see LaRoche making that switch.

There's been a lot of controversy lately as to Jose Tabata's age as many believe he is at least 24-years-old.  I for one, am with the Neal Huntington camp in the fact that regardless of his age he is still a very young player with tremendous upside. 

How much of an upside can be changed simply due to his age.  Based on what Huntington said I have no doubt that Tabata is 21-years-old, but hey if Miguel Tejada lied, then I'm sure Jose Tabata can lie too.

I think Jose is a long shot to appear on the Bucco's major league squad before the July trade deadline.  His power has yet to develop, and that is one of the few major holes in his game, much like McCutchen going into camp last year. 

If Jose impresses at Pirate City, like Andrew did last year, he will only improve his chances of joining the team by the end of June.

The Pirates have a bright future, and based on the way they handled Andrew McCutchen, they are not ready to rush a prospect to the majors until they prove they are ready.  That bodes well for the Bucco faithful that anticipate a successful 2012 season.

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Just a few days ago, sports radio in Dallas was talking about the trucks that had rolled into the Ballpark at Arlington and were loading up for their trip to Arizona and the Rangers' spring training complex.

But the Rangers aren't the only ones who are getting ready. Every team in Major League Baseball has loaded up their trucks and will be getting ready for pitchers and catchers to report to their spring training homes in Florida and in Arizona.

Can you smell that? The smell of freshly cut grass, the chalk being freshened up to lined down the first and third base lines; it's the smell of America's pastime and the smell of a new baseball season about to get underway.

The familiar saying "it's a new season, everybody is undefeated" will be said more times and by more players than any of us can count. But there's something about that phrase that makes us realize that even our team can be the World Champions this season, maybe it's their time. That's a feeling that every fan has leading up to the start of any season in sports.

Who will be the favorites going into this season? Will the Yankees be able to repeat or is there a National League team that will be able to step up and bring the crown back.

Speaking of the National League, can they finally break through and win the All-Star game?

What will be the story lines leading into the 2010 season? There's no doubt that the St. Louis Cardinals will be getting a lot more media attention this time around, especially with Mark McGwire being their new hitting coach. Will the attention he gets be a distraction to the rest of the team?

How will Roy Halladay do with his new team, the Philadelphia Phillies? What about the trade talk that continues to surround San Diego Padres' first baseman Adrian Gonzalez? Can he put that aside and be the same sweet swinging power bat in the Padres' lineup?

What about the new additions for the Boston Red Sox? Do those additions make them automatic favorites in the American League or are the Yankees still the team to beat?

In just a few weeks, players will slowly start to trickle into what will be their home over the next few months. They'll begin a routine that has been everything but since their season came to a close last year.

The silence that surrounds each respective complex today will be replaced, in just a few short weeks, with the popping of gloves, the crack of the bat and the voices of coaches and staff working with their players.

That familiar feeling has returned, baseball is in the air, and the boys of summer are getting prepared to take center stage once more.

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I know—the cash is short and these guys will want to be paid. However, if you look at the slim options each of these players has right now, you will notice that the Mets can make cheap competitive offers for each.

Jermaine Dye and Johnny Damon

I would argue that Daniel Murphy's relative newness to the first base position and his current issues with hitting left-handed pitching means that New York might be better served by allowing Murphy to become more seasoned at the AAA level. Dye and Damon could from a formidable platoon at first base and each could fill in for the Mets OF as well.

Will Ohman and Joe Beimel

The Mets currently have one left-handed arm in the bullpen, Pedro Feliciano. The addition of Ohman and Beimel would give the Mets some great bullpen depth in the majors and the minors. Either pitcher could also be used as trade bait later in the season if necessary.

Todd Wellemeyer

In 2008 Wellemeyer looked like he had finally put it all together for the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2009 though, he fell back into his pre-2008 form. By signing Wellemeyer the Mets add another talented middle of the rotation arm that can be stabled at AAA just in case the team is hit with another string of pitching injuries.

He would make a very good fill in fifth starter alongside Nelson Figueroa, Fernando Nieve , and Jon Niese .

These moves allow the Mets to let Daniel Murphy continue developing (perhaps moving him to second base because Ike Davis should be playing the everyday first baseman role for Buffalo), and it allows the Mets to cut/trade either Gary Matthews Jr. or Fernando Tatis .

It also gives them better hitting options off the bench, as well as added lineup depth. All indications from the Mets front office is that they are finished making moves for this offseason, though if the opportunity arises to sign a pitcher they might.

I doubt these deals are waiting in the wings—but a Mets fan can only hope.

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This article will list the prospects who were on most 2009 lists and fell short of their fantasy impact potential but should still not be forgotten heading into this year's fantasy drafts.

If you are in a keeper league and/or deep league, take a shot at these names before selecting veterans like Tim Wakefield, Jamie Moyer, Kevin Millwood, David DeJesus, Adam Kennedy, or Aaron Rowand.

Don't give up and forget these players, or you may miss out on the next Adam Lind, Kendry Morales, Nelson Cruz, or Jorge De La Rosa. Those players struggled in their initial major league stints similar to the names listed below.

Good luck.

OF - Colby Rasmus (St. Louis Cardinals)

2009 Stats: .251 BA, 72 R, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 474 AB

What They Said Last Year

He is a deadly pull hitter with aggressive baserunning skill and the potential for a 20-20 season. Rasmus may be a younger version of the guy he's replacing, Jim Edmonds.

What They Are Saying This Year

He couldn't do a thing against southpaws (.160 batting average), but the Cardinals aren't going to jump ship. 

Forecast

The Cardinals view Rasmus as a future star who has the potential to hit in the middle of the lineup. His minor league track record shows that he has hit southpaws in the past. At the age of 23, Rasmus should be considered around the 18th round, especially since there's a spot in the outfield for this '05 first rounder.

OF - Travis Snider (Toronto Blue Jays)

2009 Stats: .241 BA, 34 R, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 241 AB

What They Said Last Year

Snider has tremendous power and excellent bat control. He uses the whole field and should hit for a decent average, though he will likely strike out in large numbers.

What They Are Saying This Year

Strikeouts are a problem for the compact slugger. He did struggle against southpaws (.296 slugging percentage), so it will be interesting to see if they will let him sink or swim against lefties.

Forecast

Though Snider strikeouts a lot, as most sluggers do, explosive things happen when he makes contact (23 homers in 416 at-bats, including the minors). He's going to be a 30-homer guy and this year may be the first of many seasons. Look to grab this slugger around the 20th round, especially since he is forecast to be a starter to begin the season.

OF - Matt LaPorta (Cleveland Indians)

2009 Stats: .254 BA, 29 R, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 181 AB

What They Said Last Year

LaPorta's bat is ready for the majors and the Tribe is thin in the outfield. The big right-hander gets excellent extension on his swing, allowing him to generate power to all fields.

What They Are Saying This Year

Physical concerns loom for this highly regarded prospect, as he had toe and hip surgery during the offseason.

Forecast

The Indians want this 25-year-old to be a starter in 2010, either as a first baseman, outfielder, or in the DH spot. He will given a long audition this spring and, if healthy, should have no problem winning a starting gig. Grab LaPorta after the 23rd round to fill a bench spot.

OF - Cameron Maybin (Florida Marlins)

2009 Stats: .250 BA, 30 R, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 176 AB

What They Said Last Year

Maybin has the penchant for swinging at marginal strikes. However, he showed better strike-zone discipline and has the potential to be a five-tool contributor.

What They Are Saying This Year

A year older and hopefully maturer, Maybin was demoted in April to regain his confidence. He did deal with a finger, back, and shoulder issues but was impressive in his late August call-up (.293 batting average).

Forecast

He landed in the post-hype sleeper file and will not be on most people's draft list. His last year's step back should trigger a major discount for this future star. He has the making to be a young Mike Cameron and offer 20/20 potential with lots of runs scored batting in the lead-off spot. Grab this player after the 23rd round as a bench player and see how he begins the season.

SP - Trevor Cahill (Oakland A's)

2009 Stats: 10-13, 4.63, 1.44 WHIP, 90 K, 178 IP

What They Said Last Year

He's mature for his age and will be effective in the majors by inducing ground balls by pitching low in the strike zone with sinking movement.

What They Are Saying This Year

After dominating Single- and Double-A hitters, the majors were not as hospitable in his first tour. Cahill struggled with his command (3.63 BB/9), and his low K rate (4.53 K/9) didn't help.

Forecast

Growing pains are inevitable for most young hurlers who were rushed to through the minors. If Cahill can know a walk of his ratio and continues to gain experience, we are looking at another Joe Saunders or Jeremy Guthrie type of player who plays in a pitcher-friendly park in Oakland. 

Though the rotation has become a bit cloudy with the recent addition of Ben Sheets, keep an eye on this guy and at the very least be ready to jump on him early if he shows success.

SP - Brett Cecil (Toronto Blue Jays)

2009 Stats: 7-4, 5.30, 1.65 WHIP, 69 K, 93.1 IP

What They Said Last Year

Don't expect ace-like numbers, but double-digit wins and a good strikeout numbers are reachable.

What They Are Saying This Year

Given a shot at a rotation job when injuries rocked the Toronto staff early last season, Cecil responded with a typical uneven rookie performance. The left-hander worked his way through the minors pretty quickly.

Forecast

There are starting jobs up for grabs in Toronto, and Cecil could break out of camp in the rotation for the second straight year. The success and experience gained last year will have him on my draft list to pick in the last two rounds. At the very least, add him to your scout list and keep an eye on him. His strikeouts will help, and you may be able to play matchups with this 24-year-old kid.

SP - Gio Gonzalez (Oakland A's)

2009 Stats: 6-7, 5.75, 1.71 WHIP, 109 K, 98.1 IP

What They Said Last Year

Gonzalez has the ability to be a solid starter, but it may take another season for him to absorb the changes made to his delivery. He could be a sleeper this year. 

What They Are Saying This Year

He continued to struggle with his control (5.50 BB/9) and only made it through the seventh inning just once in 17 starts. He's bound to be inconsistent, and his WHIP is a fantasy killer.

Forecast

He has looked like Oliver Perez during the past two years, but the potential is there for him to take the step forward like Johnathan Sanchez and Wandy Rodriquez did last year. Grab this guy in the last two rounds of your draft and see how he pitches in April. You can always dump him for a John Lannan or Ian Snell if his control fails again. 

SP - James McDonald (Los Angeles Dodgers)

2009 Stats: 5-5, 4.00, 1.49 WHIP, 54 K, 63 IP

What They Said Last Year

While it's uncertain whether he'll get a chance this year, McDonald is sure to start in the near future. The slender right-hander has a plus curveball, good fastball and an effective changeup which brings images of Ramon Martinez to Dodger fans. He profiles to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter.

What They Are Saying This Year

McDonald has enough upside to deserve a long look in the Dodgers rotation, but he spent most of last season in the bullpen, struggling with his control and his confidence.  He'll compete for the fifth spot in the rotation this spring, and if he wins it, he's a decent sleeper in NL-only leagues. Of course, the Dodgers might just decide to keep him in the bullpen, where he posted a 2.72 ERA last year.

Forecast

He'll compete for the fifth spot in the rotation this spring and will be a decent sleeper if he wins the spot. I always like to grab Los Angeles pitchers because of the pitching friendly environment Dodger Stadium brings.

If he doesn't win the spot, keep your eyes open during the season. He will then be the sixth man. But don't forget this name.

Other Names To Remember

Homer Bailey, Jordan Zimmerman (keeper leagues only), Clayton Richard, Carlos Carrasco, Michael Bowden, Jason Motte, and Will Venable.

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With the 2009 season behind him, Terry Francona will look to lead the Red Sox into the 2010 season with some new players on the diamond. He’ll also be looking to lead them into 2010 with a coaching staff that has shifted to fit the departure of Brad Mills (Now manager for the Houston Astros). Though some may be sitting in different chairs or standing by different bases, this coaching staff is the lifeblood of the Red Sox.

Manager

Terry Francona (Seventh season)

Terry Francona has had the good fortune of having a front office that will aggressively pursue the talent necessary to put a winning squad on the field, year in and year out. He’s also followed two of the more forgettable—or unfortunately unforgettable— managers in recent Sox history in Jimy Williams and Grady Little.

Seven seasons later, and Red Sox Nation has a pretty good idea of what they’re getting out of Francona each year. His hands-off approach has kept the fans from really being able to grab onto any particular issues with his coaching style; however, 2009 saw an increase in fans questioning whether Francona had gone from a hands-off approach to falling asleep at the helm.

Francona, like the Sox, is hamstrung by a lack of thump in the middle of the lineup this year; however, with Mike Lowell, Bill Hall, Jed Lowry, and Jeremy Hermida all on the bench, he should have enough managing between the bench and the rotation/bullpen to worry about the offense.

Bench Coach

Demarlo Hale (Fifth season, four as their third base coach)

This is where the Red Sox are feeling the coaching void the hardest. Francona had been quite open with the media about how comfortable he felt with Brad Mills; however, you can’t stay a bench coach forever.So with “Millsy,” as Francona referred to him, Demarlo Hale has moved from his post as third base coach to help Francona run the team a bit more closely.

Demarlo was one of the few third base coaches that wasn’t heckled/chastised by the Boston media over sending guys home. This begs the question: Will Demarlo be as effective as a bench coach as he was as a third base coach?

Hitting Coach

Dave Magadan (Fourth season)

With an offense that has already been nailed to the wall as underwhelming, this will undoubtedly be a make or break season for Magadan as the Sox hitting coach.

He already had enough heat on him early in 2009 when David Ortiz wasn’t hitting Jacoby Ellsbury’s weight. He was saved by the surging bats of Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay;  however, both saw their productivity drop as the season wore on.

Magadan will have a reclamation project on his hands as well with new third baseman, Adrian Beltre. No doubt Magadan will try to resurrect the doubles/home run machine that has laid dormant in Beltre since 2004.

Pitching Coach

John Farrell (Fourth season)

Farrell has received offers to manage ball clubs the past two offseasons, and has again decided to stick it out with the Red Sox for another year.

He has been credited with some of the success stories with the Sox. Most notably, Farrell changed Josh Becketts’ delivery heading into his 2007 season, which Beckett finished with a 20-7 record, 3.27 ERA, and a 2nd place finish in Cy Young Award voting (Oh, and a World Series Championship!).

This year, Farrell’s most watched storylines will include: Which Daisuke shows up this year? Can Jon Lackey perform with the Sox? Is Clay Buchholz ready to pitch a quality full season? Is Daniel Bard ready to close?

And of course more storylines will pop up as the season wears on.

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However, I got a text from my friend Kenny after the signing where Kenny asked what I though of Verlander's 3.5 year contract. Kenny is of course implying that Verlander will be traded with a year and a half left on his new deal. In 3.5 years, Verlander should really be in his prime and the Tigers could be in a Toronto Blue Jays situation like they had with Roy Halladay.

I hope Verlander sticks around, but you have to imagine that the Tigers will need to be contenders for him to play out the full length of the deal. If they struggle to compete for the next three years, expect to hear plenty of rumors about Verlander being shopped.

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In retrospect, that was a pretty silly prediction given his track record. He hadn’t played Triple-A ball prior to last year, and he had mixed results in for Double-A Carolina in 2008.

He had impressive numbers with 73 runs, 8 triples, 13 HRs, and 21 SBs in 390 ABs. He did hit just .277, which is fine by big league standards, but far from elite in Double-A ball. Even worse, he had the 124 strikeouts. He struck out once every 3.1 at bats.

For a player with his gift of speed, not putting the ball in play is a crime.

Maybin started the year in the bigs, but struggled mightily. He hit just .202 with 11 runs, 1 HR, and 3 RBIs in 84 ABs. He struck out 31 times or once every 2.7 at bats.

He was sent down to Triple-A New Orleans, where he hit .319, but he wasn’t the force he was in Double-A with just 44 runs, 3 HRs, and 8 SBs in 298 ABs. He did manage to cut his strikeout total down to 58, or once every 5.1 at bats.

Maybin was able to translate those numbers to the majors when he received his September call-up from the Marlins. He hit .293 with 19 runs, 3 HRs, and 10 RBIs in 92 at bats. Even more importantly, he struck out just 20 times, or once every 4.6 at bats.

So does that mean he’s ready to break out in 2010? I don’t think so.

He’s still very young, he’ll turn 23 the day before the Marlins’ 2010 season kicks off, and he has a lot to learn. He has the potential to be a fifth outfielder, but he’s more likely a guy I’d either stash on my bench or plug in to get some SBs.

How about you? Are you high on Maybin this year or do you think he still needs time to develop?

Prediction: .265, 70 runs, 10 HRs, 40 RBIs, 20 SBs

Past profiles :
Arizona Diamondbacks:  Brandon Webb
Atlanta Braves: Yunel Escobar
Baltimore Orioles:  Adam Jones
Boston Red Sox:  Clay Buchholz
Chicago Cubs:  Geovany Soto
Chicago White Sox:  Jake Peavy
Cincinnati Reds:  Joey Votto  
Cleveland Indians:  Grady Sizemore
Colorado Rockies: Ubaldo Jimenez
Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera


Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

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I am really happy the Indianapolis Colts didn’t win. It would have angered me to see a coach like Jim Caldwell win a Super Bowl. Is there a more useless coach in the NFL than him?

He is exactly what George Seifert was with the San Francisco 49ers. He just stands there, does nothing and wins with someone else’s talent. That act won’t last much longer.

Now that the football season is officially over, it’s baseball season again. Now that we all can focus on baseball full-time, I want to talk about an article I came across the other day.

I was reading Buster Olney’s article on Saturday (which every baseball fan should be reading), and the beginning of his article focused on how Major League Baseball can help the college game.

Here are some of the suggestions Olney got in regards to how MLB can help college baseball:

1. As Major League Baseball restructures the draft in the next labor negotiations, it could help the colleges by moving their draft signing deadline up to July—somewhere in the middle of the month—so there can be an adjustment period for schools that lose kids to MLB teams.

Under the current deadline, in mid-August, colleges are left in a really difficult position regarding maximizing their use of scholarships when kids who would be on scholarship suddenly sign with the pro ranks. As it stands, college coaches don’t have a clear idea about their needs or available money until after the signing deadline.

Moving up the deadline might also be more attractive to MLB teams, because this would mean the drafted players would be signed and playing in short-season leagues by the middle of the summer.

2. There would be support in the college ranks for some sort of baseball combine, where players go and get the meetings with teams and physicals out of the way instead of having area scouts track the players all winter and spring.

As it stands, says one insider, “there are tons of meetings for these kids—they become redundant and it is a distraction during the most crucial time [before the college regionals and College World Series], right before the draft. They could have the combine in January before we start school.”

3. Move the draft so it comes after the College World Series. As it stands, the draft falls right in the middle of the college baseball playoff season, which has an impact on the teams.

These are all really good suggestions that I agree with. I think that MLB could be doing even more. Here are a couple of more suggestions I have for improving college baseball.

4. MLB and the NCAA needs to work better with ESPN and the MLB Network and start televising college baseball games. Let’s face it, the only time you hear about college baseball is during the College World Series or the Draft.

However, you can hear about college football or basketball 12 months a year if you want . That’s because ESPN covers these sports on a yearly basis.

How great would it be if ESPN or the MLB Network starting showing the college baseball game of the week on a Tuesday night during the summer. If baseball wants to put some juice into their draft, then people need to know who their favorite team is drafting.

Stephen Strasburg was the most hyped prospect maybe of all-time, and nobody ever saw him pitch on TV. That needs to change. Putting college baseball on TV would really help the sport tremendously.

5. Turn college baseball from a regional sport to a national sport. The way college baseball is setup now, it’s a regional sport. If you look at the College World Series over the last 20 years, it’s teams are predominantly from the southeast, southwest, and west.

I think the NCAA should bring back the northeast and midwest bracket like they had in the 1980’s. Back then, schools like the University of Maine, St. Johns and James Madison made the College World Series. Now, those schools don’t have a chance.

If you give those schools a chance to compete at the highest level, it will attract more kids from the northeast to baseball.

The reality is a coach from, let’s say, Penn State can’t walk into a kids home in Pennsylvania and say, “You will have a chance to play for a national championship.”

If college baseball gave everyone a chance, it would help the sport.

This is a pretty interesting topic, and I think we can all agree that baseball needs to do a better job of integrating itself with the college game. Hopefully, these suggestions are a start.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham of Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Here’s the back of the 1974 Mets schedule.  Box Seats for $4?  I’ll take it.

Here’s the front of the schedule, with the rarely seen Lady Met.

Wayne Garrett and his wife Donna scouting the competition.  Apparently the Mets and Phillies used to have their wives play a couple of innings of softball occasionally.  Seems like a cool idea.

This post is also viewable on The Real Dirty Mets Blog

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So far this offseason, the Twins signed and kept all eight of their arbitration-eligible players.

They also signed Jim Thome to shore up a bench with power they crave and Orlando Hudson to provide a consistent and All-Star type presence Minnesota hasn't seen at second base since Chuck Knoblauch.

With that said, Minnesota's team payroll this year is set to be over $96 million as it stands now...but is that the way it will stay? I don't think so.

First off, Minnesota has spent too much money this offseason to not commit now to the likely mission of a 2010 World Series.

The facts just keep lining up with new signings and an improvement in key areas that makes Minnesota look daring and quite possibly the favorite in the AL Central.

To say that the Twins are done is hard pressed to say the least. Especially with Jerrod Washburn still debating the big question of retirement while considering Minnesota as a possible landing spot if he returns.

Let alone, Washburn would set a rotation on the verge of going over the top into the same mode it had with its outfield in the past few years: Too many able and starter-worthy players to the limited number of positions.

The rotation looks as follows:

• Scott Baker
• Nick Blackburn
• Kevin Slowey
• Carl Pavano

The fifth spot (as of now) is still up in the air among:

• Francisco Liriano
• Glen Perkins
• Anthony Swarzak
• Brian Duensing

To add Washburn almost seems a waste to the valuable names that remain. Liriano is "throwing the fire out of the ball" in the Dominican Republic, supposedly recapturing the heat that scared hitters in his 2006 campaign.

Duensing proved late last year he can start in the majors and do it well. Swarzak is simply talking the big talk but has yet to prove he can do the big walk.

Perkins intrigues me. A lefty would be a big help to solidify a rotation dominated already by three right-handed pitchers and only one lefty. On top of that, Perkins is doing one thing that really impresses me...he's growing up.

After working in this past offseason, he knows now that his spot isn't guaranteed. True, he still has miles to go, but he knows who's in charge and is working on improving his game to "earn" a spot.

It will be interesting to see how the rotation will shape with it as is, much less with Jerrod Washburn.

There is another chore involving the signing of a player named Joe, however, he isn't already signed with the team through 2010.

Joe Crede currently is sitting ready for a pick-me-up year to prove his legitimacy as a player and to prove he still has what it takes and the ability to handle a full season. His back issues still waver, making him a liability if he's unable to make it the whole year.

However, the big picture here is that now that the Twins infield includes the likes of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy, the third base looks like more then just the hot corner, but a blaring hole.

Crede would come cheap and with although limited, proven power. A one-year, incentive-laden contract would seem rather fitting and very good for a team needing a hot bat and good glove over the likes of Brendan Harris or Nick Punto.

The point here is this: Minnesota has spent too much on other key positions to not finish the job and finish off the infield to make it a legit contender.

There is no other player left on free agency that could possibly produce at the third base position like Crede could.

The beautiful part of this is that with the likes of Harris and Punto behind him, you have a very deep bench to cover for him if he begins to feel fatigued.

Harris is also proving he can play legit in this league, but not enough to depend on him to earn the spot.

Not with this much money invested in the infield, and more importantly, especially not with the likes of the last chore Minnesota should really do before 2010, which is obviously shoring up the future of Twins baseball in 2009 AL MVP, Joe Mauer.

This deal has been an obvious need for the Twins. Even more then any other deal they make this offseason, this one will define their team for the next decade.

With the kind of offseason Minnesota has had, if they don't shore up third base, the signing of Thome and Hudson will be for naught and ultimately be just a media and fan stirring effort, nothing more.

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Baseball’s championship is called the World Series, even though it traditionally, (excluding the 1992 and 1993 seasons), takes place between two American teams. Commissioner Bud Selig wants that changed before he retires in 2012 and is working toward a postseason series between the champion in America and the champion in Japan. Our national pastime is taking another step towards globalization, and baseball needs it to continue to stay relevant.

The globalization of baseball started with the World Baseball Classic,  baseball’s World Cup. America’s sport took its greatest step towards becoming a game of the world, instead of a symbol of one country. While baseball had already taken off in Latin American countries and far eastern countries, this was the first time that all of these countries had gotten together and showcased their unique talent and style.

The world watched the plucky Netherlands team defeat the mighty Dominican Republic twice. The Classic has had games played in Puerto Rico, Japan, Mexico, Canada and the U.S.A.

Unfortunately, these games take place before spring training and the exhibitions have drawn controversy from American fans, because of their perceived lack of importance before the season and their potential to injure Major League Baseball’s stars.

Both of these problems are rectified with Selig’s “real” World Series. It would take place after America’s championship series, (which would still probably be called the World Series), but would still give players on participating teams enough time in the off-season to recover from any injuries. It would also carry weight as the game would be a real world championship between two international professional clubs.

Some would debate the merit of a championship between two teams that have never played each other, but they should be reminded that until 1997, MLB teams did not face each other if they played in different leagues. The only other issue would be free agency, which would have to be pushed back until after the international series, so that key players from the MLB team would not be free agents and therefore not be able to play.

Between the World Baseball Classic and this new “World Series”, baseball is closer than ever to joining team sports like soccer, cricket and rugby amongst the international elite. Americans have traditionally been egocentric when it comes to sports identifying and have identified on an international level the most with hockey, but the rest of the world is embracing baseball and meeting us more than half way.

Basketball is catching on around the world at a quick pace as well. In China, courts are teeming with young men who idolize the stars of the NBA. According to USA Today, during the Bejing Olympics, the loudest cheers for an individual Olympian went to countryman Yao Ming, but the cheers for Kobe Bryant were nearly as loud.

WNBA players regularly play in Russia during the off-season and make more money per game there. The Greek team Olympiacos Piraeus signed rising star Josh Childress to a three year deal, by out-bidding the Atlanta Hawks. The NBA is full of international stars, including players from every continent on the globe except Antarctica.

In both cases, the world has embraced our sport. Baseball is lucky, as it is losing popularity at home amidst the competition of football, NASCAR, extreme sports and the rest of the American sports buffet line. International competition is the future of the sport and we as fans will be the ones who benefit the most. It adds competition, raises awareness and fuels the fire in fans that has made soccer such a force in the world. 

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It could be that V-Mart is at the crossroads of his career as the injury bug hit him during 2008. If he can remain relatively healthy, then Martinez should put up decent numbers in '09. He's 30; given his track record, I expect Martinez to steal playing time from Kelly Shoppach. He is 1B-eligible, as well.

He managed to flourish even without Barry Bonds in the lineup and put up career-best numbers (33 doubles, 95 RBIs) and hit .292. The question remains whether he can duplicate that success or not. I think not as the Giants went free-agent shopping so he may get some protection in that respect. His numbers should be pretty good but don't expect '08 numbers from Molina.

If he can remain healthy during the '09 campaign, then he can jump into the elite pack of catchers; as it were, he had decent stats for a perennially underachieving Pirates squad (.318, 15 HRs, 69 RBIs). Again, he needs to stay healthy.

8. Mike Napoli, Los Angeles Angels

Good power obviously (20 HRs, 49 HRs), but can he stay healthy? He should play more than 78 games this coming season and you can expect at least 25 HRs from Napoli. If he can hang on to the starting catching gig from Jeff Mathis, he will flourish.

An intriguing player. It helped that he played in the thin air of Colorado, but he hit just as well as he did in Denver (.897 OPS on road, .893 OPS at home). He hit 18 HRs in only 333 at-bats, so that should give you an idea of what his potential is. If the elites are gone when your turn comes up, grab Ianetta.

He is the benefactor of having a decent Rays lineup batting ahead of him, so the pressure wasn't as pronounced. Don't look for true power from him as he is more a contact hitter (.295 BA in '08). But he is only 25 years old, so his numbers can only get better. A good catcher to have on your squad if you're not looking to be overly dependent on catcher production.

Sleepers: Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants (1B and 3B-eligible); John Baker, Florida Marlins; Taylor Teagarden, Texas Rangers; A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox

Tomorrow: First Base