On the positive side, that's a talented core. On the negative, all but two of them played a full season for a team that finished 14 games under .500 in 2009.

That makes this an interesting transition year for the Houston Astros under first-year manager Brad Mills. Get better, or get younger. Because you can explain away "bad" with "young," but "bad" and "old" is a combination that will take years to recover from. Enter Mills, who was manager Terry Francona's right-hand man in Boston.

"He's a take-charge kind of guy,'' McLane said of his new manager, to the AP. "He really said that he's going to provide the leadership that's necessary.''

Better years from Berkman, Lee and Oswalt would help. All are creaking into their mid-30s, and bounce-back years would help the Astros be contenders again. After all, old teams don't finish in fifth place three years in a row.

Other storylines in Astros camp:

• Brett Myers is out of a Phillies uniform for the first time in his career. He's an interesting bargain pickup (only $3 million guaranteed) as a No. 3 starter. And he's riling up his former Philly followers a bit, too.
• Age seems to be catching up to Lance Berkman quickly. But he lost some weight in the offseason and, at 34, looks to get his stats back where they were a few years ago.
• Hunter Pence might be the Astros' best player now, entering his fourth season. If Houston must rebuild, they'll do it around him.
• Wandy Rodriguez is eager to show that his statistically stellar 2009 was no fluke.
• Brandon Lyon, fighting for the closer's role with fellow newcomer Matt Lindstrom, is off to a slow start because he had to have a cyst drained from his pitching shoulder in January.

2010 Houston Astros preview.

Coming Tuesday: No. 22 Arizona Diamondbacks.

Astros will count on veterans more than most sub-.500 teams originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 13:20:02.

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In places such as Boston, Chicago, New York and elsewhere, it's what the Red Sox, White Sox and Mets have to offer to wrestle away Adrian Gonzalez in a trade.

Gonzalez's contract expires after this season (the Padres do have a $5.6 million option). And his agent, John Boggs, said talks with the Padres came to a screeching halt when he mentioned Mark Teixeira's contract (8 years, $180 million) as a starting point for an extension.

The Padres aren't the Yankees, of course, which is part of baseball's biggest problem. It means Gonzalez will need to keep a moving service on his speed dial all season. The sad part is that Gonzalez, who lived for 12 years as a child in Mexico, is perfect for the city of San Diego.

"While I'd be thrilled to have (Gonzalez be) part of the organization for the long term, the early signals indicate his cost will be greater than our ability to pay," said Padres CEO Jeff Moorad, a former agent used to being on the other side of these negotations, to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Other Padres storylines:

• Coming off his first season as a regular, Chase Headley is now the starting third baseman (after Kevin Kouzmanoff was traded to Oakland) and is one of the few power bats in the Padres lineup.
• Chris Young, the second-tallest big leaguer in history at 6-10, was an All-Star pitcher in 2007 but is now coming back from a torn labrum in his shoulder. It's so far, so good in his return.
• Tony Gwynn Jr. ran out of chances in Milwaukee, and fittingly, the team giving him another shot is San Diego, where his father had 3,141 hits in a Hall of Fame career. The younger Gwynn will get a shot at being the leadoff hitter and center fielder.

2010 San Diego Padres preview

Coming Monday: No. 23 Houston Astros.

Gonzalez sideshow will be a sad scene in San Diego originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 13:34:33.

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The Orioles picked up Josh Bell in the deal that sent George Sherrill to the Dodgers last season, and Bell looks the part of a big-leaguer - 6-3, 235 pounds and 23 years old. He hit two homers in the Orioles' exhibition opener.

"I see a big, strong switch-hitter; [the] ball jumps off his bat," said Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley, to MLB.com. "He's very aggressive, he's a big presence in the batter's box. He's a big guy, and these are all things that I like."

Barring injury, he'll start the season in the minors, however. He's still learning third base (he was a shortstop), and he's not as comfortable hitting lefties.

So Tejada is the third baseman. For now.

Other storylines in Orioles camp:

• Two rookies are likely to be in the Orioles' starting rotation, and Brian Matusz had a successful debut.
• Dave Trembley is back for a fourth season as manager, which is a long time considering how the Orioles have floundered. There's a new Dave and an old Dave, according to the Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck, but they look a lot alike.
• Aside from Bell, another powerful hitter turning heads in camp is that of Rhyne Hughes, who might be changing positions.

2010 Baltimore Orioles preview

Coming Sunday: No. 24 San Diego Padres.

Tejada faces some competition in Baltimore, at least down the line originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 14:59:07.

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Cutting payroll, trading their lone star player (ace Roy Halladay) for prospects and playing in the roughest division in baseball doesn't translate well for the majors' only Canadian team, which will try to rebuild behind Adam Lind, a breakout performer at designated hitter last season, when he hit .305 with 35 homers and 114 RBI.

Lind, 26, is a pretty laid back guy.

"He got (a) nickname last year from [former teammate Marco] Scutaro. Scutaro called him Sleepy. He's Sleepy till he walks up to that plate," said Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston, to the Toronto Star.

Lind won't have Scutaro and others setting the table for him, so his RBI total might take a hit. But on a lineup mostly filled with nobodys and has-beens, he's somebody the Blue Jays will have to build around.

Other storylines in Blue Jays camp:

• Vernon Wells will make $12.5 million this season and another $86 million in the next four years. For their money, the Blue Jays got 16 homers and a .260 average last season as Wells developed nagging injuries for the third consecutive season. All apologies to the Indians' Travis Hafner, but this contract could be the worst in baseball right now.

• Halladay went 148-76 in 11 seasons with the Blue Jays before he was traded away this offseason. The combined win total of the top six contenders for the five rotation spots? 68. Shaun Marcum, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, is the team's ace by default.

• The Blue Jays' new shortstop is Alex Gonzalez, who is on his fourth team in four years and wants to play every day. No longer is he considered one of the good young shortstops in the game at age 33, and he has knee problems. Playing on the turf in Toronto probably won't help that.

• Will this be the year for outfielder Travis Snider, who shot through the minors like a cannon but faltered in his first big-league try?

2010 Toronto Blue Jays preview.

Coming Saturday: No. 25 Baltimore Orioles.

Lind a bright spot despite a 'sleepy' outlook for Blue Jays originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 12:04:07.

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Justin Upton signed a huge deal this week with the Diamondbacks after a breakout 2009. The Brewers' Ryan Braun is one of the best outfielder in the game already. Ryan Zimmerman is the cornerstone of the Nationals, and Troy Tulowitzki is the same with the Rockies, and Andrew McCutchen already is approaching that status with the Pirates. Jacoby Ellsbury is already a star with the Red Sox.

But many thought the can't-miss guy went No. 3 in that draft to the Kansas City Royals: Alex Gordon.

"There were a lot of scouts who viewed Gordon not only as a sure thing but as a sure-fire Hall of Famer," an anonymous MLB official told the Kansas City Star. "That draft was loaded, but everyone -- and I mean everyone -- thought Gordon was the surest bet."

Gordon has battled injuries, however, and has hit .250 with 37 homers in three full seasons as the Royals' third baseman. All signs point to a fourth season as starter, but the Royals traded for Josh Fields, another former White Sox first-rounder who has a similar resume and should provide a little pressure.

Other storylines in Royals camp:

• Billy Butler had a great 2009, and it wasn't noticed by many outside Kansas City. He hit .301 with 21 homers, 93 RBI and 51 doubles. And better yet for the Royals, he showed he was more than a DH, playing a serviceable first base.
• The Royals have had plenty of high draft picks in recent years, and another one - 2006 No. 1 overall pick Luke Hochevar - has a big year ahead of him as well.
• Former Cardinals pitcher-turned-outfielder Rick Ankiel is starting over across the state of Missouri.  Said George Brett, to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "He can write a new chapter in his life here and, hopefully, it will be for a while. I heard the other day he saw 10 pitches off (Royals ace) Zack Greinke and hit four home runs, one to the opposite field. It's pretty impressive how he gets the bat through the zone."

2010 Kansas City Royals preview.

Coming Friday: No. 25 Toronto Blue Jays.

Gordon needs to show flash to Royals originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 22:08:47.

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And while the Indians certainly aren't on the short list to end the city's skid in 2010, the potential loss of one of their best players is typical Cleveland luck. Their best hitter from last year could be lost to the South Korean military.

That's the dilemma of outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who hit .300 with 20 homers and 86 RBI in 2009. In South Korea, two years of military service is mandatory before age 30. Choo turns 28 in July.

"It's hanging over my head a little bit," Choo said to the Associated Press.

Choo is very popular in his native country, and the government might relent if he plays in the Asian Games this fall. If not, another option would be to revoke his Korean citizenship and apply for American citizenship, which certainly would hurt that popularity in his native country.

More storylines in Cleveland's camp in Goodyear, Ariz.:

Jake Westbrook's return: When Westbrook last pitched in a major-league game, he was in a starting rotation with CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Since then, Sabathia and Lee were traded away, and Westbrook got a new elbow ligament. He hasn't pitched since early in the 2008 season. Now, instead of a No. 3 or No. 4 starter, he's the team's ace by default in the last year of a three-year, $33 million contract.

Sizemore moving down: New Indians manager Manny Acta is moving Grady Sizemore to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, which should help his RBI totals (for you fantasy followers out there). Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera will lead off.

Why Branyan, why now: For a team that's in a no-doubt rebuilding situation, signing Russell Branyan (31 homers last season) to a one-year deal was a little curious. The Indians' projected lineup has six left-handers and a lot of guys who strike out too much. So in that aspect, Branyan fits right in.

Young catchers duel: For now, 23-year-old Lou Marson (obtained in the Cliff Lee deal from Philadelphia) is the starting catcher. But hot prospect Carlos Santana is hot on his heels.

More: 2010 Cleveland Indians preview.

Coming Thursday: No. 27 Kansas City Royals.

Indians chew on possibility of losing Choo originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 12:41:19.

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They're still No. 29 in the power rankings for 2010, which means an 18th losing season looks imminent. But not for a lack of trying. The Pirates tore up another core group of players in the last couple of seasons, and will try again with another, built around center fielder Andrew McCutchen, outfielder/first baseman Garrett Jones, catcher Ryan Doumit and a few others.

A few storylines in Bradenton, Fla., the spring home of the Pirates:

Can McCutchen make the next step? A first-round pick in 2005, he's proven himself worthy of a high pick, taking the place of one-time cornerstone Nate McLouth and filling his shoes and then some.

Iwamura's impact: Akinori Iwamura played in the World Series in 2008 for the Tampa Bay Rays, but now drives by his former ballpark on a contender to get to the Pirates' spring headquarters after being traded last fall. He'll be at second base and could be an important table setter for Jones, Doumit and Lastings Milledge.

Clement's switch: Can Jeff Clement, who has never played first base, make a successful move from catcher? He set a record for high school home runs and once was one of the top prospects in baseball for the Mariners, but injury concerns have led to the move.

2010 preview: Pittsburgh Pirates.

Coming Wednesday: No. 28 Cleveland Indians.

Seventeen losing seasons and counting, but there is talent in Pittsburgh originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 22:18:49.

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First up, in reverse order of the About.com MLB Power Rankings, is the team that's been the worst in baseball for two years, the Washington Nationals (No. 30). But I have a feeling they won't be the worst by the end of this season, with plenty of young talent that should get better as the season progresses. The team also spent some money in free agency to boost some key positions, such as Pudge Rodriguez at catcher and Adam Kennedy at second base.

Some Nationals spring storylines:

• There is intense focus on the No. 1 overall draft pick last season, Stephen Strasburg, who has yet to throw a minor-league pitch yet has a shot to be in the team's rotation when camp breaks. Every move this guy makes seems to warrant a 500-word report on MLB.com.  He's probably a long shot for the opening-day rotation, but it will be hard to keep a $15 million man with a 100 mph fastball in Harrisburg or Syracuse for too long.
• The Nats also added veteran Jason Marquis to the rotation, and they hope to have former Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang healthy by June.
• Adam Dunn is now the regular first baseman, a fact that should help a defense that was the worst in the majors last season. Dunn was not a great outfielder, and Cristian Guzman and Kennedy up the middle will never be confused for Omar Vizquel and Roberto Alomar.
• An interesting player to watch will be center fielder Nyjer Morgan, who looks like a prototype leadoff hitter, something the Nats have been missing. He got on base 82 times in just 49 games with Washington after being traded from Pittsburgh last July.

2010 preview: Washington Nationals.

Coming Tuesday: No. 29 Pittsburgh Pirates.

March to the Opener: Nats should be peskier originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 11:51:47.

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The Seattle Mariners are trying something new this spring, however, a bat developed by Baden Sports, a company that has specialized in manufacturing balls for many sports. The handle has no knob and instead is contoured like an axe. The company hired former Mariners slugger Jay Buhner to promote the bat.

"It's a big-time different feeling, but it's a great concept," said Mariners infielder Jack Hanrahan, to the Seattle Times. "It feels weird, obviously, because there's no knob to it, so the first couple of swings it feels like it's going to fly out of your hands."

According to the Times story, one benefit is it keeps the "face grain" facing the pitcher, which means the bat shouldn't break as often, and contact should be more solid, in theory.

The bat has received conditional approval by Major League Baseball, and the Mariners and Padres (who share the same Arizona complex) are likely to try them out in some Cactus League games.

But for players who have swung bats with the same shape for their entire lives, it will undoubtedly feel a bit strange, which is why the company is moving slowly. But the early reviews seem to be promising from players who have used the bats.

New bat's shape goes against the grain originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 11:07:33.

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There's a guy who looks like he should be playing for the Atlanta Falcons, but is actually in camp just down the road from Disney's Magic Kingdom with the Atlanta Braves - 6-5, 245 pounds and 20 years old. It's Jason Heyward, the 14th overall draft pick in 2007 out of high school in McDonough, Ga., and they're wishing upon a star. Listen to what people are saying:

"He's Jevon Kearse - he's The Freak. ... I'm telling you, he's a bigger version of Freddy McGriff." - Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

"There's a little sound off the bat with his line drives. Kind of like the ol' Hank Aaron sound. We don't want to put him in that class yet, but the same sound." - Braves manager Bobby Cox, to MLB.com.

Now Cox is in his final year as manager, and Jones' career seemed to fade last season. They sound like they're passing the torch. And protecting some other assets, too. One of Heyward's home runs in batting practice last week went into a parking lot that doesn't see too many fly balls, and smashed a sunroof in the car of assistant GM Bruce Manno. They might install nets to protect the cars.

"I'm serious," Cox said to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "Smashing too many cars."

Heyward has less than 200 at-bats in Double-A and only 13 Triple-A plate appearances. He wasn't expected to be in the big leagues so soon. But his bat is doing some loud talking. If he hits well against big-league pitching in the Grapefruit League, the Braves have to give him a shot.

Braves outfielder Jason Hayward, just 20, is off to a smashing start originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 at 22:57:10.

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Imagine a World Series where Bad A.J. Burnett shows up instead of Good A.J. in Game Two, or Johnny Damon is thrown out trying to take that extra base in Game Five, or Hideki Matsui rides the pine with a bum knee in Game Six.

Had the Baseball Gods seen things differently, the Yankees may have entered a new decade riding the same ghost train that departed the Bronx in October 2004.

While Vazquez wasn't the conductor of that grim locomotive six years ago, it's hard to argue he wasn't a main member of the crew. It was Vazquez whose first pitch essentially finished off the Yankees on 10/20, a meatball that Damon (the Homeless Jesus version) lifted into the right field seats for a backbreaking grand slam.

The pitch set in motion a chain of events that led to the Yankees foolishly giving up on the then 28-year-old right-hander. (See: Move, Panic ) He was shipped off as part of the Randy Johnson deal, assumedly never to be seen again.

Now he's back, asked to be the No. 4 starter on a loaded Yankees team coming off a World Series title. I doubt Vazquez thinks about, or even realizes, how his return would be different had the Yankees still been shackled to the '04 ALCS.

Luckily, the events of last fall finally moved the franchise out of that valley. Vazquez will have to endure some beat writer copy about Game Seven before his first start against the Red Sox, but that will likely be it.

Vazquez, like the Yankees, begins 2010 with a blank slate.

The trade for Vazquez was undoubtedly Brian Cashman's finest move of the offseason. Due to an absurd postseason schedule loaded with off days, the Yankees were able to navigate through three rounds of the '09 playoffs without a No. 4 starter. They got away with it, but it was clear that more depth was necessary moving forward.

Enter Vazquez. Now 33, he's coming off arguably the best season of his career. The right-hander went 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA for the Braves in '09, striking out 238 in 219.1 innings. Those are ace numbers from a guy the Yankees will ask to shoulder far less weight than in 2004.

It'd be unfair to ask Vazquez to match his statistical production of a year ago. Pitching at Turner Field in the offensively inferior NL East, Vazquez was a big fish in a small pond. How he adjusts in the "AL Beast" will be a major subplot of the Yankees' season.

Vazquez made his spring training debut on Monday against the Phillies, allowing a run over two innings and striking out four. The sole damage came on a home run—a first-pitch home run—by Jimmy Rollins.

It was impossible to block out the déjà vu of the occurrence. But Vazquez and the Yankees have moved on from 2004. The scar is still there, but it doesn't hurt as much anymore.

Dan Hanzus writes the Yankees blog River & Sunset and can be reached via e-mail at dhanzus@gmail.com. Follow Dan on Twitter at danhanzus .

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Starting pitchers.

For as long as I have been a Rangers’ fan their pitching has been a topic of much discussion, and limited group success. Last year proved to be a diamond in the rough as numerous young pitchers had good outings for the big club.

The further success of this team is largely contingent on these same young arms. There have also been some additions that should aid the team this season.

Scott Feldman is the leader of this pitching staff as I see it. He is the senior starting pitcher on this staff, and he has proven that he can pitch with the best. With Millwood gone (woo hoo!) this is his staff to lead.

He led the team with 17 wins last season and was amongst the league leaders in numerous statistical categories. He did all of this very quietly for the most part. He is not a big flashy pitcher, but he comes out and throws strikes, and plain and simple gets it done.

There is no question in my mind that he should be the Opening Day starter based on his history with the team. Rich Harden may have had the better stuff in his past, but he has not proven himself as a Ranger, yet.

I for one was thrilled when I heard Harden had been signed. I remember his days in Oakland and the dominant pitcher he was. We are all aware of his injury issues, but he has had a couple of decent years recently.

In 2008 and 2009 he threw the second and third most innings of his career tossing about 140 innings both seasons. The Rangers are hoping he will be closer to 200 this season, something he has never done, but I guess there is always hope.

The real exciting thing to look forward to is that he pitched better in the American League than he did in the National League. He should also provide some veteran leadership for this young staff.

Colby Lewis is back with the Rangers following two years of pitching in Japan. He has looked good so far securing the number three spot in the rotation.

Lewis’s first stint in Texas was less than stellar as he holds the record for worst ERA by a rookie at 7.30. Having gained some experience he should do better than that number, but we won’t really know until he gets a few games under his belt.

The final two spots in the rotation are the focus of discussion amongst the Rangers and their fans. Tommy Hunter, Brandon McCarthy, Derek Holland, and Matt Harrison appear to be leading the race, with others, notably CJ Wilson and Neftali Feliz, on the outside looking in.

Tommy Hunter came into camp lighter and focused on winning the fourth spot, and after his first outing he appears to be the front runner. He pitched two solid innings allowing only one unearned run. I loved watching him pitch last year, and look forward to numerous starts this season.

The Rangers continue to hope that Brandon McCarthy will find some success and not get injured.

He has only thrown more than 100 innings once in his career, he threw 101 in 2007, his first season with the Rangers. Since then he has only started 22 games because he always seems to be injured. He has also never had an ERA under 4.00.

I was never a huge fan of McCarthy since we gave up John Danks to get him, and his performance in Texas has not helped my feelings. Maybe his new cut fastball will help, but I think it is just time for the Rangers to cut their losses and move on.

Derek Holland started off the spring with a minor injury that kept him from pitching in a game until yesterday. It was a less than stellar outing giving up four runs, one earned, on two hits in a third of an inning.

It has to be tough mentally to feel behind everyone else, especially when you are so young, so hopefully he can catch up quickly and show us what he really has.

Holland struggled at the end of last season, but showed us how great he can be in stellar performances against the Red Sox and Angels. The fact that he is a lefty should also help his cause.

Matt Harrison is another lefty that showed moments of brilliance last year, but reminded us how young he was at other times. He has started off the spring in a brilliant fashion.

He threw two scoreless innings allowing only two hits. He was another pitcher that I thoroughly enjoyed watching last year, and am excited to see him further prove himself this year.

CJ Wilson is someone that I have never really enjoyed watching. He had decent numbers last year, and threw a lot of innings out of the bullpen, but for some reason I cringed every time he came into the game.

I don’t know if he just gave up some big runs at crucial times or what, but I have no faith in the guy. His cocky comments this spring didn’t help my perception of him either.

He has no business in the rotation, and would only be taking away innings from the young guys that need them.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

But is there any truth to that claim in this day and age?

While teams built primarily on pitching and defense may have been more suited to win World Series Championships in past eras, the current age of baseball is built on offense.

A popular phrase in American football is that today’s NFL is a “quarterback’s league” and similarly, MLB can be considered a “hitter’s league.” Just like a quarterback can make a difference in any of his team’s games, everyday hitters can make an impact bigger than any one pitcher.

Ask any baseball fan you know the following question:

Who would you rather have the Cy Young Award winner or the MVP (assuming the MVP isn’t a pitcher)?

Almost every knowledgeable fan would tell you they would rather have the MVP.

Why, you ask? Because the MVP usually is a position player that finds his name etched in the lineup on a daily basis.

In fact, in the National League a pitcher hasn’t been named the MVP since Bob Gibson back in 1968.

Pitchers make a difference, but if any one team had the option of adding either Albert Pujols to their team or Tim Lincecum, they would assuredly take Pujols.

If said team had equally mediocre pitching and offense, adding Pujols to the squad would do more to win games than adding Lincecum. That is simply the nature of the game.

And the nature of a hitters league is highly evident when it comes to the San Francisco Giants. The squad by the Bay has the highest amount of young talented pitching (both at the Major League level and in the minors) than any team in the entire league.

Now if pitching and defense have won championships, one would think the Giants could trade one of their young talented pitchers straight up for a young talented hitter.

Of course rumors out there suggest that this could have happened.

Matt Cain for Prince Fielder was a popular rumor a while back but that would have been a terrible move for the Milwaukee Brewers because Fielder is someone the opposing team fears every single game he plays. Cain on the other hand goes out there once every five games.

Clearly, a young top of the rotation pitcher is not of equal value to a young impact hitter. Now there are varying opinions to how much more would be added to a deal to equal the value of a talented young hitter, but clearly something has to be added.

And with a team like the Giants, you would think a deal could be reached with a team that has a surplus of hitting talent but a shortage of pitching.

The unfortunate problem for San Francisco fans is that their team appears to be valuing their pitchers higher than they should.

A deal including one established starter (like a Cain or Sanchez), and a top notch prospect like Madison Bumgarner, Zach Wheeler, or Thomas Neal, would probably be enough to swing a deal to get a young impact middle of the order bat.

But instead, Giants fans have Aubrey Huff as their cleanup hitter.  A 33-year-old free agent first baseman who has played the position of designated hitter more than any other position in his career.

San Francisco is paying their cleanup hitter $3 million and yet they are paying their super utility man $3.5 million? Who has ever heard of a team paying more money to a bench player than their cleanup hitting first baseman?

Go figure, right?

The Giants are built on pitching, but all eight teams who made the playoffs last season (while each had their fair share of pitching talent), were built on offense.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero, Kendry Morales

Minnesota Twins – Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer

Boston Red Sox – Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Jason Bay

New York Yankees – Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter

Los Angeles Dodgers – Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp

Colorado Rockies – Brad Hawpe, Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton

Philadelphia Phillies – Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez

St. Louis Cardinals – Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols, Ryan Ludwick

All these teams had quality pitching because that is a requirement to make the postseason in baseball, but nobody ever said you needed the best pitching in the league to make the postseason.

The Rockies didn’t exactly have a great rotation. Neither did the Phillies, nor the Twins.

But the everyday offense propelled each of them to the postseason.

As for the Giants, the claim that the continued veteran offseason additions are just to bridge the gap to the talented young position players is overstated.

Nobody truly knows how prospects will pan out in the big leagues. A team like San Francisco who holds a benefit of having a deep farm system should realize that parting ways with some of that talent in order to get an established hitter is a necessary sacrifice.

All the rumors and proposed trades for San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez are always scoffed at by the majority of readers and professional media members.

But if anyone could create a package for such a player, wouldn’t it be the Giants?

Word around the league was that the Padres weren’t against trading their slugging first baseman, so why was it scoffed at that the Giants could acquire him?

The reason is because the Giants have over valued their roster of pitchers and their minor league prospects.

In order to win championships, teams need hitters and hitters are more important than pitchers.

It’s about time the Giants brass realizes that.

The author originally published this article for hotstove.com and it can also be seen here:

http://www.hotstove.com/2010/03/do-pitching-defense-really-win-championships-not-in-the-giants-case/

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Spring training is the time where hope springs eternal. There's always, "We got a new hitting coach!", or "We added some big bats!", or "Eric Chavez will finally be healthy this year!".  I've been amongst the group of A's fans that have been saying each year, "Well, the offense couldn't be worse than last year!". Ever since 2006, A's fans have consistently been disappointed. The discussions I've heard seem more centered on who they think will hit the DL first.

To combat the injury after injury the A's have endured this past offseason, Billy Beane has gone out and gotten the A's depth, depth, and more depth. Will that help the A's or will they break their DL use record all over again? ...Ummm here's hoping for health?

Whatever it is, the A's need to do something for their anemic offense. Because having Ben Sheets on the mound won't mean a thing if they can't give him more than two runs to work with.

Last season, after all hope was lost...again...the A's got rid of all their big name players (Holliday, Giambi, Cabrera) and just let the kids show what they could do. The A's front office found out that those kids could play! In 2009, the A's were 37-49 before the All-Star break and 38-38 after, a number that could've been more impressive if not for the season ending 7 game losing streak.

Aside from letting Rajai Davis run rampant on the bases, the A's bats improved significantly. Those showing better numbers in the second half included Ryan Sweeney, Rajai Davis, Daric Barton, Mark Ellis, and Jack Cust. Here's hoping they can keep up that hot streak when the 2010 season starts.

Who knows the state of the A's 2010 bench, but that's what spring training is for. A healthy Eric Chavez would be a boon for the bench, but where does that leave Jake Fox? We all know he's out of options so he has to make the team or get traded. I dare say it's critical for him to make the team. The A's need to jump start their offense early, and Fox and catcher Kurt Suzuki are among the very few who performed better in the first half.

The acquisition of Kevin Kouzmanoff was so critical. Not only does it stabilize the hot corner and give the A's offense that they've lacked there since the days of a healthy Chavez, it takes pressure off Chavez and just lets him focus on what the A's really need from him: offense.

I'll be at the Oakland Coliseum this year hoping and cheering them on chanting "O-ffense! O-ffense! O-ffense!"

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The subsequent barrage of texts, tweets, and comments from White Sox fans were overwhelmingly celebratory.

As one Sox fan friend of mine put it, "Hell yeah!"

There's no doubt that Nathan being removed from the equation seriously hurts the Twins' chances of winning the AL Central even though it's only the beginning of Spring Training. But the response from White Sox Nation made me wonder.

Is it right to celebrate an injury?

Color me cynical, but I think there's a very clear line between celebrating an injury and being excited about the potential impact the loss of a player on another roster could have on a team's playoff chances.

And being happy at someone else's loss is not a bad thing.

Not always.

Take, for instance, the infamous hit Charles Martin of the Packers put on Jim McMahon. Clearly, Martin was out for blood.

You can see a "hit list" on the towel hanging from his belt, and his intention was to take McMahon off the field for longer than a couple plays. History, and Bears fans, would argue that Martin might have eliminated the Bears' chances at a repeat appearance in the Super Bowl with McMahon that afternoon.

Similarly, over this past weekend we saw Matt Cooke of the Pittsburgh Penguins take a blatant cheap shot on Boston's Marc Savard. Savard has subsequently been diagnosed with a level two concussion, and his season is likely over. Cooke, by being a goon, has seriously hurt the Bruins' playoff prospects this season and the career of Savard.

Cheering for a player that goes out of his way to hurt someone is miserable, and players like Martin and Cooke should be required miss as many games as the player they hurt.

But those scenarios are dramatically different than the situation with Nathan. This is an injury that wasn't caused by someone else.

On the most basic level, I see the injury to Nathan as something that sucks for Minnesota fans. They're losing one of only two consistent closers over the past decade. The Twins are now going to have to scramble to figure out what their bullpen looks like with just a few weeks before Opening Day.

But for Sox fans...

For me, the best example of an injury worth celebrating was when Lara Flynn-Boyle, playing the part of Wayne Campbell's psycho hose beast ex, rides her bike into a parked car while harassing Wayne and Garth while they play street hockey.

That's Hollywood (or Aurora), though. This is real life.

A more real example is the devastation that hit the Red Wings roster earlier this season. Detroit lost most of their best players for a, pardon the pun, healthy part of the first half of the season to injuries, and they're now fighting for a playoff spot (at the expense of Cristobal Huet) with a month left in the season.

The line between celebrating an individual's pain and the positive ramifications on a team's postseason opportunity is absolutely something to be explored.

Any fan wants what's best for their team. Look at the excitement in Chicago over the weekend after the Bears signed Julius Peppers. The impact on the Bears' defense will be incredible. Injuries to opposing teams can be seen in the same light.

Privately, and even publically, many Bears fans hoped for the better part of the last two decades that Brett Favre would miss a couple games.

Cubs' fans wouldn't mind Albert Pujols taking a couple months off, either.

The Blackhawks are going to win the Central Division for the first time since 1992-93 this year, and the ease with which they're going to do so can be credited, in small part, to the injuries the Red Wings were dealt in October and November.

Injuries are part of the game, and should be treated as such.

So my approach to the Nathan injury is the same as it was when Johan Franzen was lost for a couple months: I'm thrilled. Not at the specific player's expense, but because a Chicago team I cheer for has increased chances of winning.

For more great sports commentary, check out Tab's blog on ChicagoNow: the Daily Chicago Sports Tab!

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While that may be true, some players get more out of their talent than others. To date, Carlos Zambrano has always fallen into the underachiever category.

Look, it has never been a question of whether he has the stuff to succeed; rather, it has always been a question of preparation, self-control, and health.

It's not just a matter of statistics, though everyone likes to point out that Big Z has never won 20 games in a season. In fact, it can't be just about stats, for they fail to tell the whole truth.

First of all, if you are still judging pitchers by their win-loss record, you are living in the past. There are so many variables that go into a decision that are beyond a pitcher's control, such as run support and defense, that to make this about winning 20 games would be shallow.

Instead, the outward signs of a visibly upset Carlos Zambrano angrily shouting at teammates, breaking a bat over his knee, or  killing a water cooler looms over the big right-hander's broad shoulders.

And that's too bad because it clouds the enormous talent exuding from this Cubs "wanna-be" ace. He should be the ace, and he has been in the past, but he usually isn't because things get in the way that are within his control.

One of those things relate to his conditioning, or lack thereof. In the past, there were issues over his weight, and whether or not he was drinking enough water.

And at times it seemed he was almost more interested in hitting a baseball than pitching one.  

But this year, he is supposedly a changed man. He has lost weight, done his exercises, and will not be pinch-hitting during the season unless absolutely necessary.

In other words, could it be that Carlos is finally, dare we say, maturing?  

Hey, the proof is in the pudding, and the results have to be on the mound. No, not winning any arbitrary set number of games, but instead delivering consistently solid pitching performances would be nice.

Limiting his walks, making fewer mistakes, and pitching deeper into ballgames is what we hope for and what this ball club desperately needs if it's going to contend in 2010 and beyond.

And Carlos needs to understand that there is a fine line between having the fire and passion and being out of control.

The best pitchers are often cerebral assassins. Consider Greg Maddux, for instance. You seldom saw him display much emotion during a game, yet you knew the competitive fire was burning brightly underneath.

He was trying to out-think you, not throw a baseball through your body. And that's what Carlos needs to understand. That's what Carlos needs to do.

There is certainly still time. He turns 29 in June. He can regain his past level of performance, perhaps even surpass it, but he will need to keep working hard and staying healthy in order to make consistent, quality starts.

His arm still appears to be strong. His SO/9 last year was higher than his career average and the opposing batting average on balls in play, BABIP, was higher in 2009 than in any of his other full seasons (Bill James, for one, expects that to decline by more than .25 points next season), implying some bad luck and equally bad defense.

In short, Big Z can be the ace he seems to truly want to be and that Cubs fans have been clamoring for. He did have 17 quality starts last year despite a myriad of ailments.

Let's not bet our mortgages on it, but there's no harm in keeping our fingers crossed. We're Cubs fans, after all, we should be used to it.

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When the Rays signed two-time All-Star Hank Blalock to a minor league contract, they gave a 29-year-old player another shot to reclaim a career that was once one of the most promising in the Majors.

Blalock finished the 2005 season as one of baseball's rising stars, batting .263 while belting 25 home runs and 92 RBI. It was Blalock's third straight season with at least 25 homers and 90 or more runs batted in.

After slumping in the 2006 season, various injuries in 2007 and 2008 (including a torn hamstring and a condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) robbed Blalock of playing time.

In 2009, Blalock returned to the Texas Rangers lineup, moving to first base and for the first time since his last All-Star appearance. He began to jack the ball out of the park like old times, pounding 25 homers for the Rangers last season.

Even though his power returned, Blalock had his worst performance at the plate since his rookie season, batting just .234 on the year with a career worst .277 on-base percentage.

His injury history and struggles at the dish prompted the Rangers to allow him to test free agency, where he received a pretty icy reception.

When asked why he chose to come to the Rays, he told the Tampa Tribune, "Well, I didn't have any other choice. So that's why I'm here."

The signing of Blalock provides some competition for Pat Burrell for the DH spot and gives the Rays some depth at first and third.

It's expected that Blalock likely will platoon with Burrell for the first portion of the season.

Personally, I don't blame the Rays for taking a flyer on this power hitter. He's cheap ($925,000 with the chance to make another $350,000 if he reaches incentives), he gives the Rays a left handed bat, and he might be able to push Pat Burrell to reach his potential with the Rays.

Sometimes a change of scenery can do a lot for a player, and if the Rays are forced to move Carlos Pena, Blalock could be a solution that eases the loss.

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But before all you Brett Gardner fans out there (all 12 of you) get too excited, Curtis Granderson started in center field for the New York Yankees yesterday as well.

The Yankees played split squad games in Florida.

Gardner was 0-for-3 at the plate, dropping his spring training average to .083. He has one bunt hit in 12 times at bat. Meanwhile, headlines out of Tiger land show rave reviews for former Yankee prospect Austin Jackson.

Jackson was traded in the offseason in part of the deal that brought Granderson to the Yankees. Jackson is starting in center field for Detroit and so far this spring he is hitting .556. He has five hits in nine at-bats.

Jackson has also had five walks this spring. So he has been on base 10 times. He has also shown speed on the base paths. Jackson was heralded for the past several years as the future of the Yankees in center field. But the Yankees apparently showed a preference for Gardner over Jackson and let Jackson go.

Obviously all these numbers, both for Gardner and Jackson, are early spring training numbers. Neither of them is hitting against the same pitching as they will see when the games start for real in April.

But last year Gardner won his starting job based on his spring training performance. If Yankee management uses the same basis for who will start this year and if spring training were over today, they should ship Gardner out to the minor leagues.

Austin Jackson may make a great many Yankee fans wonder, "What could have been?"

And Brett Gardner may make a great many Yankee fans wonder, "Why?"

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2009 Statistics (Split between Two Double-A Teams)

448 At Bats
.295 Batting Average (132 Hits)
20 Home Runs
76 RBI
65 Runs
3 Stolen Bases
.376 On Base Percentage
.516 Slugging Percentage
.339 Batting Average on Balls in Play

What You Need To Know:

• His power was good all year, but he really turned things up after the trade, hitting nine home runs in 114 AB for the Orioles’ Double-A team.
• In 2009 he was the MVP of the Southern League All-Star Game after he went 2-4 with a home run and two RBI.
• Baseball America ranked him as the team’s second best prospect (and 37th overall) heading into 2010, ahead of the highly touted Jake Arrieta.  They said that he “has above-average power and a good approach, showing the ability to work counts to get on base”. 
• He was selected in the fourth round (136th overall) of the 2005 draft.
• One of the biggest knocks against him is his ability to hit lefties.  Despite being a switch hitter, he hit .340 against right-handers in 2009 and .198 against left-handers.  He’s always had similar struggles, posting averages of .240 (Rookie League), .246 (two levels of Single-A) and .262 (Single-A) from 2006-2008 against southpaws.
• He does strikeout a fair share, at 25.5 percent over his minor league career.  He was below that at both levels of Double-A he played in (24.6 percent for the Dodgers, 21.0 percent for the Orioles), but it still needs to be monitored.  The more he strikes out, the tougher it’ll be for him to post a usable average in the Major Leagues.  How he performs against the upper-levels in 2010 will certainly help tell us the full story.
• His success in 2009 comes after missing most of 2008 due to preventative knee surgery.  According to mlb.com, “The surgery was for a small divot that was found in the cartilage near his kneecap. It was the kind of thing that wasn’t bothering the 21-year-old in the slightest. The problem was that, if left untreated, it would get bigger and could be career-threatening down the road.”
  

Final Thoughts

He has plenty of power and given the opportunity, could prove usable in all formats, especially given how shallow 3B is in 2010.   He’s likely ticketed for Triple-A to open the season, but all it will take is an injury to one of their new corner infielders, or potentially Luke Scott, to give Bell his opportunity to shine.

Monitor him closely because once he makes an impact he could be a name you need to know for many years to come.

What are your thoughts on Bell?  Could he be usable in 2010?  What type of production do you expect from him?

If you would like to see a free preview of the Rotoprofessor 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide (available for just $5) now including a Top 50 Prospects for 2010 List, click here.

For more looks at prospects, you can check out the following articles:

• J.P. Arencibia
• Jake Arrieta
• Phillippe Aumont
• Jason Castro
• Allen Craig
• Aaron Crow
• Kyle Drabek
• Todd Frazier
• Christian Friedrich
• Jeremy Hellickson
• Daniel Hudson
• Jay Jackson
• Desmond Jennings
• Martin Perez
• Gaby Sanchez
• Carlos Santana
• Michael Saunders
• Brett Wallace

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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As a result, the Twins and Nathan decided to shut it down before a re-evaluation will decide what is the best course of action for one of the game's best closers.  Nathan said a decision regarding season-ending surgery will come within two weeks.

A tear in the ulnar collateral ligament has resulted in the dreaded Tommy John surgery for the majority of pitchers who suffer the injury.  Not only is the possible loss of their closer a tough blow for the Twins' chances in 2010, but Nathan, 35, faces an uncertain future if he does go under the knife. 

Nathan already endured arthroscopic elbow surgery following the 2009 season before leaving the mound during an appearance on Saturday against the Red Sox.

"I'm going to do whatever I can right now,'' Nathan said, "to give myself the best chance to go out there and help this team out.  But at the same time, I'm not going let this go on too long. I know these guys have a decision to make, and they've got to  prepare for the season, too.

"So I will make a decision quicker rather than later and give them ample time to do what they have to do.''

The Twins require a quick decision regarding Nathan's 2010 season because behind Nathan lies a slew of bullpen arms, none with viable closing experience.  Jon Rauch's 26 career saves ranks second in the Twins bullpen behind Nathan's 247.  Nathan recorded a career-high 47 saves in 2009.

Spring Training is a time of preseason hope, but the Twins were handed a season-altering injury.

"We probably won't have a final decision on where we're going for a week or two. Let it calm down, get some of the soreness out and re-evaluate from there," said Twins general manager Bill Smith.

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The greatest pitcher in Yankees' history was a free agent, but only because he didn't want to occupy a spot on the roster until he discovered if he could still pitch.

Physical Problems

In Oct. 1964, Ford had surgery to alleviate a circulatory problem that resulted in a numbness in his left hand. A bizarre aspect was that he perspired only his right side. As usual, Whitey took it in stride.

"I'm the only ball player who can get 10 days out of a five-day deodorant pad."

A Short-lived Comeback

Whitey had a decent 1965 season, which was more than the rest of the team could say.

Pitching for a team that finished sixth, the diminutive left-hander worked 244 and one-third innings, won 16 games, lost 13, and posted a 3.24 ERA.

He passed Red Ruffing for the most wins as a Yankee on the last day of the season when he beat the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Whitey had tied Ruffing almost a month before, but despite pitching extremely well, he failed to get the needed win.

"That was a strange one. I tied Red's record when I got my 15th win of the year with a month to go. Then my luck went sour. I kept losing 2-1 games, one close one after another. I thought I'd never make it.

"Then, up in Boston, on the last day of the season, I pitched my worst game. But we won by some terrible score, 11-7, or something like that."

The following season was another story. Whitey's arm miseries returned, and he needed another operation in Aug. 1966.

"I had to have that second operation. I really thought it was the end because I thought they would have to cut through the left shoulder. But they took an artery from my thigh and inserted it under the shoulder without disturbing it.

"Now I have a pulse again and my left arm doesn't sweat as much, but at least it's a little damp."

After the operation in October, Ford went to Florida. He tried to throw, and much to his delight, discovered that he still had a fast ball.

"If it had not been for what I saw and felt in October, I wouldn't even be here. Under no circumstances do I want to be a hanger-on. Unless I contribute something, I don't want to stay."

The Yankees had finished last in 1966, and they sorely needed Ford for 1967.

The Yankees and Whitey knew he was no longer what once he had been, but both hoped he had enough left to help.

"My fastball isn't as fast as it once was, and my breaking stuff isn't as sharp. And I'm also 38-years-old. The good part is that no one is counting on me. If I don't make it, I can go home."

It didn't work out.

On May 30, 1967 Whitey Ford announced his retirement. As he held back tears, Whitey spoke to reporters and a crowd of over 41,000 fans at Yankee Stadium.

"This is a much tougher job than I ever thought it would be. But I have no complaints. I came in wearing a $50 suit and I'm going out wearing a $200 suit, so that's pretty good."

So was Whitey Ford.

References:

By ARTHUR DALEY. (1967, March 2). Sports of The Times :Man With an Asterisk No Sweat Glorious Year. New York Times (1923-Current file),41. Retrieved March 9, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 89662243).

By LEONARD KOPPETT. (1967, May 31). Ford, Suffering From Elbow Injury, Retires :Yankee Hurler Gets Standing Ovation at the Stadium. New York Times (1923-Current file),31. Retrieved March 9, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 83122393).

Baseball-Reference

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Such was the case for me yesterday on the way down to the first floor from my job on the eighth floor to go home for the night. I stepped on the elevator and some guy from a different office got on as well.

He saw I was wearing a White Sox hat and lobbed over this grenade, “So you think the Sox will do it this year?”

I know, this doesn’t seem like a malicious question. And truthfully I know he just meant it as a casual way of talking as we descended the eight floors.

However, I enjoy talking sports. More precisely I enjoy talking sports with knowledgeable sports fans, and LOATHE doing it with sports fans who get their only sports information from Sportscenter at night and Mike and Mike in the morning.

So now that he’s lobbed this question over I have to give him a response. Even though all I can think is "Do it this year? What does that even mean?

“As long as Twins players keep getting hurt I think they can win the division.” That was the gem I responded with.

As soon as it left my mouth I felt like a goober sports for two reasons. One, he likely had no idea what I was referring to. Two, I realized immediately that I too sounded like a casual baseball fan.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, a group of women who were leaving what I can only assume was a daycare, since they smelled like little kids and vomit, got on the third floor and that put an end to the short-lived yet very painful White Sox conversation.

On my drive home I thought about elevator guy’s question, will the Sox do it this year?

Maybe it’s the hope that comes every Spring training, or maybe it’s the fact they have two aces at the top of the rotation, but I think they “can do it." That is, if by “it” you’re referring to a division title. If that is referring to a World Series title? Well I’ll need a few more elevator rides to figure that one out.

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Rodriguez had been told to stay away from the team until the pink eye cleared, but the contagious infection took longer than expected to improve.

He was sick when he reported to New York’s spring facility, but his eye went undiagnosed until just before full-squad workouts began on Feb. 25.

The right-hander said he went to the doctor on Friday and was cleared to return Monday, although he still is infected. He continues to take eye drops and isn’t allowed to wear contacts yet.

“It feels much better,” Rodriguez said. “It’s still a little uncomfortable, but it’s good to be around. I was cleared to be around the guys, so it’s fine.”

While away from the team, Rodriguez found any way he could to throw and was limited to playing catch with his brother, Edward, in the driveway of his home, but Rodriguez said he is not worried about his progress. He told reporters that he probably only needs one bullpen session before pitching in a game and is looking forward to getting back into a regular routine.

Rodriguez last stepped on a mound about a week ago when he emerged from hiding for a light bullpen session.

“It’s not the same thing playing catch as doing bullpens, being on the field and doing field drills,” Rodriguez said. “It’s completely different, but the good thing is I played winter ball and I am good.”

Rodriguez first had conjunctivitis in his left eye, but it quickly spread to the right eye. He said his entire family back in Venezuela has conjunctivitis as well, and now his brother has it in both eyes.

Rodriguez plans to wear prescription sunglasses for a few weeks until his eyes feel completely healthy.

“The first couple days the infection was really strong, and I kind of lost the vision,” Rodriguez said. “It made it a little blurry, but right now I don’t have that, so it’s good.”

Good to know that K-Rod is back to camp and is slowly feeling better. Hopefully we will be able to get a look at him soon in a spring training game once he feels comfortable on the mound once again.

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One common myth about spring training is that it actually matters. Now don’t get me wrong, the live game action provides valuable experience for young prospects and is useful to players as they battle back from injury. Even the grizzled veterans need time each spring to get back into the groove.

However, if you’re using pitcher’s spring training stats to find hints at regular season success, you’re going to get burned.

MLB Network recently aired a segment on this topic, and the findings include information every fantasy baseball manager should be aware of. The following includes the top-10 ERA's from last spring. The first two columns list the pitcher’s innings pitched total and ERA during exhibition play. The third and fourth columns reveal their regular season totals. (Spring statistics courtesy of ESPN.com)

Of the players listed above, only Chris Carpenter and Joel Pineiro carried their spring success into the summer months. Not coincidentally, the two St. Louis Cardinals starters are the only pitchers from this list to have posted more than one season of 200-plus innings and a sub-4.00 ERA.

Surprisingly enough, this works both ways. In fact, three of the top-five leaders in ERA last season failed to post stellar numbers in the spring.

Bottom line: a pitcher’s spring training stats are typically not a good indication of their upcoming regular season production. If you’re trying to find subtle clues that may suggest upcoming success, stick to these basic factors: pedigree, velocity, pure stuff (K/9), control (BB/9), and perhaps the most valuable of all, the eye test.

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Players who live by this Ricky Henderson quote play the game like nobody else.

Players who live by this quote hustle every play of the game like it’s the only one they’ll ever make.

And that’s why I love players who play the game that way.

Adam Rosales runs the bases after a home run like he’s trying to beat out a single at first base.

And that’s why I love Adam Rosales.

Denard Span plays the game with ultimate confidence, striving to show the world that the best has yet to come.

And that’s why I love Denard Span.

No one is prouder to be the center fielder for the Minnesota Twins than Span. It’s something he’s worked for as he was making the long journey through the Twins minor league system.

Span has become one of many major leaguers who frequents twitter and his bio says just that.

“Centerfielder for the Minnesota Twins.”

That’s the dream, right? Even though center fielder is two words, that is the dream.

Span came up through the system watching Torii Hunter command the Metrodome’s outfield. When Hunter exited, you would presume an opening would be there for Span to slide in. However Minnesota’s glut of outfielders made that difficult at first.

Now with Carlos Gomez in Milwaukee, the dream becomes reality. Of course, the one glaring difference from now and the time when Hunter was playing center for the Twins is the fact that the experience will be outdoors.

Why do I love players like Denard Span? Why wouldn’t I love players like Denard Span?

Span comes off as a humble, yet confident individual. He seems to possess that quiet confidence and determined demeanor that I can identify with. He doesn’t attract attention, but he goes about his business with maximum effort.

At first, he is kind of just there, but when he starts to get comfortable and the rest of the scene starts to take notice, he falls into his comfort zone.

Span has gone from an afterthought in the minors, to the Twins leadoff hitter. He’s a perceived good guy with the media and his expansion into twitter says how comfortable he’s become with being himself.

In 145 games last year, Span hit .311 with a .392 on-base percentage. As a leadoff hitter, he brings a little bit of everything to the table with his ability to get on base, knock in runs and run the bases.

Defensively, he’s as sound as you will find. Last season, Span bounced around in all three outfield positions and committed just five errors. Beyond the stats, however, when you watch Span play the position, he’s constantly coming up with remarkable catches that I like to call “effort plays.”

Effort plays happen when it doesn’t really look like you could normally make the play, yet your maximum effort results in success.

Span’s frequent “Web Gems” on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight are due to his constant effort plays. Is he the fastest or the most gifted fielder? No, but he isn’t bad, and he makes up for everything else with his effort.

Now realizing what kind of player Span is, is it any surprise the Twins chose him to be their guy instead of Gomez? An organization like Minnesota values players like Span. He was destined to get this job, and I doubt anyone is going to take it away from him for a long time.

On the other end of the spectrum of effort is Adam Rosales, the new Oakland A's third baseman that doesn’t really have a job of his own.

Rosales was traded from Cincinnati to Oakland in the off-season. He joins a club that also added Kevin Kouzmanoff to be their starter at third base and has Daric Barton, Jake Fox and Eric Chavez fighting to man first base.

Fox and Chavez are likely to compete for backup third base duties as well.

Even more of an incentive for Rosales to play every play like it’s his last this spring.

Whether it’s his first home run or his third, Rosales plans on running the bases for each one. It’s just the way he is.

First and foremost, who does that?!

There is no need for someone to go into an all-out sprint on the base paths. Prior to Rosales’ quick home run trots, the fastest I’ve ever seen someone round the bases on a home run was my dad in a softball game when he didn’t know the ball cleared the fence.

So why does Rosales do it?

He’s always done it. According to him, not only is it fun, but it’s who he is. And that’s what it comes down to.

It’s who he is. That is a person who gets it.

Running around the bases gives me the impression that this is someone who cares about the game and is going to give his maximum effort every time out.

When he did manage to grab a walk with the Indians, Kelly Shoppach would not walk to first base, but rather break into an accelerated jog. For Shoppach’s standards, he’s running as hard as he can; it only appeared that way because Kelly isn’t very fast.

To me, those sorts of little things display what type of effort someone gives on a daily basis, and what kind of player they are.

Rosales is a flat-out player. You have to love someone who runs the bases after a home run as if he’s trying to beat out a double play. When asked why he does it, he explains that it’s just who he is.

That’s why I love him.

"Players I Love" is a part of a month-long series of articles that are previewing the 2010 MLB season. For the other parts of "Players I Love" and a schedule, click here.

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At best, it’s partially torn, and he’ll be able to avoid surgery and pitch through the pain this season, albeit with a seriously diminished skill-set due to the injury.

At worst, it’s a complete tear, and Nathan will have to decide whether or not to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Nathan, 35, is coming off a year in which he set the franchise record for saves with 47 and posted a 2.10 ERA, a .932 WHIP and earned a trip to his fourth All-Star Game.

However, he is also coming off a year that ended with the sight of Nathan imploding against the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series.

That implosion had fans and sportswriters alike calling for his head and demanding that the best closer in franchise history be jettisoned out of town.

This was a notion I completely disagreed with, especially when we later learned that Nathan had bone chips in his throwing elbow. He underwent a procedure last fall to remove the chips and was on track to be ready for spring training.

All seemed well through the winter, as Nathan was throwing free and easy and reportedly felt great on the hill.

After his first performance this spring—a performance that lasted just two batters and roughly 20 pitches—Nathan felt pain in his surgically repaired elbow and was pulled from the game for precautionary reasons.

It was initially believed to be some scar tissue that had broken loose. Nathan flew back to Minneapolis to have an MRI done. The results, however, were far more dire than Nathan or the Twins’ staff had anticipated.

The club has decided to give Nathan’s arm two to three weeks to allow the swelling and pain to die down before figuring out how to proceed.

In this morning’s clubhouse mini-press conference, manager Ron Gardenhire said that the final say regarding surgery would be totally Nathan’s decision.

As is often the case, the club will operate under the guise that Nathan is lost for the season and potentially longer. It is a serious blow to a club that has made such big strides this offseason to improve and build for a potential championship push.

Nathan is slated to make $11.25 million in each of the next two seasons, and the club holds a $12.5 million option for the 2012 campaign.

The current list of in-house candidates for the closer's role is headed by big right-hander Jon Rauch, who has some experience in the role from his time in Washington.

Following Rauch on the list are setup men Pat Neshek and southpaw Jose Mijares.

Neshek is probably a long shot. He’s coming back from Tommy John surgery himself and figures to be eased back into late-inning situations.

Mijares reportedly showed up to camp in good shape this year and has made strides as a member of the club’s late-inning attack in recent years.

The Twins' other late-inning specialists include Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier, neither of whom figures to legitimately play into the battle for closing duties.

A final dark horse option is Francisco Liriano.

Liriano is coming off a great stint in the Dominican Winter League and currently seems poised to win the fifth starter’s job out of spring training.

He does, however, have a number of incentives worked into his contract regarding work done in the bullpen. After last season’s collapse, the club envisioned Liriano as a weapon out of the pen, and it’s entirely possible that the club could use him as a makeshift closer.

It’s a long shot, but there’s still a shot.

For now, the club will monitor the health of Nathan and hope that things progress well in the coming weeks.

All the while, expect an intense battle to heat up for the seemingly vacant closer role.

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While many players like David Wright, Johan Santana, and Jason Bay know their roles and are simply preparing for the season, there are others in position battles.

Some are trying to make the roster as bench players, and others are fighting for a spot in the starting lineup.

Let's take a look at the latest update on how these players are performing.

Visit Double G Sports to see who has the early lead in the position battles.

Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve battle for the fifth starter spot.

Daniel Murphy, Mike Jacobs, and Fernando Tatis battle for the starting first base role.

See the other position battles and stats at Double G Sports.

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Was it an epic saga? A melodrama? A romance? A buddy flick?

A little of each probably, but mostly it was a broad farce, and with a surprise ending coming that only long-suffering Tigers fans will be able to appreciate come Opening Day.

With Damon batting behind Yankee prospect-turned-Tiger Austin Jackson, the Tigers lineup now boasts a 22-percent "Official Yankee Castoff" seal of disapproval.

So what kind of show can the fine fans of Detroit expect from their game day tickets this season?

A whodunnit, for starters. Who exactly, they will ask themselves again and again, had the bright idea to essentially swap an economically priced young All-Star in a vaunted payroll amputation for an even bigger ticket Damon?

Perhaps a psychological drama. For all of Damon's current declarations that he would rather have been a Tiger than a Yankee four years ago (eerily echoing even earlier claims he made with the Red Sox that he'd never leave them for the Yankees), it doesn't change the fact that he disingenuously claims at every turn that he never turned down $14 million for two years from NY GM Brian Cashman, and then in the next breath asserts he has no idea if agent Scott Boras didn't turn it down for him without his knowledge and that, if he did, Boras wasn't speaking for him.

I don't know if that says more about his own stupidity, his chilling narcissism, or his ill-disguised disdain for the intelligence of baseball fans, but whatever it is, Tigers fans, it's now all yours to enjoy.

What about the Costnerish feel-good locker room script? True, he was a well-liked guy in the Yankee locker room palling around with a bunch of other well-paid, far more talented nice guys that Cashman hand-picked to surround him with in the lineup. So what? Ruth and Gehrig despised each other. The triple ring 1998-2000 Yankee clubhouse was a war zone. Winning is the only thing that matters. Chemistry is nice, but on the days Damon sat down, the Yankees always won anyway. Look it up.

Face it. Ol' JD's done like dinner, and as a hardcore Yankee fan who watches every game and would like to thank you all for the Granderson deal, consider yourself warned.

Like ribald cross-dressing comedies with lots of costume-changing antics? Johnny's your man. He's an overrated paycheck player who throws like a girl. 

Feel like a good mystery? You'll be asking yourselves time and again this season how this renowned speedster mysteriously managed to switch bodies with a corpse. Speed was the biggest lie in Boras's playbook, and Tigers management bought it. His legs are gone, and our centerfielders Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera had to cover left center for him all season.

He only had 12 stolen bases all year batting No. 2 with the most accomplished lineup of contact hitters and power bats in baseball directly behind him. That's only two more SBs than Melky, by the way, who batted ninth, played less games and was our worst hitter. That double-steal he pulled off in the Series was a Phillies double error, nothing more.

In left field, though, is where your ticket really buys you a ringside seat to the season-long thriller that is Damon, as you gasp and cringe at how his rusty wheels and noodle arm inflate opposing batters' RISP average.

If you're expecting respectable run totals out of him like last season, then you're obviously a fan of the suspense genre, but better not hold your breath to the end. You'll see why only eight of his HRs were hit away from Yankee Stadium. If you're planning on spending any time down the right-field line at Comerica this year with a glove hoping to snag a Damon homer for a souvenir, you've got a long wait ahead of you. Better snare one on eBay. It'll be a lot cheaper and far quicker.  

Bottom line: Without our sweet rightfield porch in the Bronx, and Arod and Teixeira batting behind him, Johnny Spoiled Rotten will not see another season in major league baseball after this one, let alone another post-season.

It's been heart-warming, really, watching the fans of all the teams with a Tiger Woods-like fixation on this refugee from the Evil Empire's Damon/Matsui geezer dump rooting to sign him. And reading the ecstatic rationalizations of Detroit sportswriters and bloggers at landing him was a real tear-jerker. 

But now, Tiger fans, it's time to grab some kleenex, blow your noses and buy a clue. For years, the myth of the Yankees' role in inflating league salaries to unjustifiable levels for unworthy personnel has festered. But deals like Damon's in Detroit somehow leak through the sieve of collective memory. Well, this one is all on the Tigers. They wanted him and they got him for the price they paid with nobody bidding against them. And we got Granderson.

Enjoy the show everybody, and thanks again for your generosity. We'll tell Grandy you all said hello.

Popcorn anyone?

[For even more Yankee fun, see the musical comedy vid "Joe's Job - The Ballad of Terry Francona" at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvVZQnELQ9s

It's must-see entertainment for baseball fans everywhere!]

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In 2003, Howry, while pitching for the Red Sox, struggled with right elbow problems. He would end up on the 60-day disabled list after undergoing season-ending surgery at the beginning of July to repair his flexor tendon.

The Indians would swoop in and sign the damaged righty to a minor league deal after the 2003 season, hoping it would pay off.

Obviously, it did. The All-Aught Indians relief pitcher No. 4 is Bob Howry.

Howry was a solid relief pitcher prior to his stint in Cleveland.

In his first full season with the White Sox in 1999, he served as their closer and saved 28 games in 34 chances. Keith Foulke replaced Howry as closer after struggling early in the 2000.

Howry rebounded in the set-up role and finished the year with a stellar 3.17 ERA in 71 innings. He would continue to be an innings hog in 2001 and the start of 2002, when the White Sox traded him to the Red Sox at the deadline.

The 2003 season would become a wash because of the elbow injury, and Howry would turn to the Tribe to rehabilitate him.

Howry spent the first month of the season rehabbing the elbow in extended spring training, having started throwing off the mound for the first time just before the Indians left Winter Haven.

He made his first appearance for Buffalo on May 11, and after proving his arm was once again healthy, was called up by the Tribe on June 29. He ended the season 4-2, with eight holds and a paltry 2.74 ERA.

He would pitch in 37 games and 42 2/3 innings, while striking out 39 and walking only 12. He was exactly what the bullpen-starved Indians needed.

For as good as Howry was in 2004, he was that much better in 2005.

The Indians had avoided arbitration with Howry by signing him to a one-year, $900,000 deal. Howry was banking on a big year for a big payday, and that's exactly what he got. He may have been the best relief pitcher in baseball.

Howry went 7-4 with 29 holds and a 2.47 ERA in 79 games pitched. He would hold opponents to a .191 batting average against, but Howry saved his best for last.

He pitched in 37 games after the All-Star break with a 0.99 ERA. He gave up only four earned runs, which included both a 13-inning scoreless streak and a 21-game streak in which he didn't give up an earned run.

The Indians' pen may have been the best in the league during that 2005 season, anchored by Howry and closer Bob Wickman. David Riske, Rafael Betancourt, and Arthur Rhodes also had stellar seasons in leading the Indians to a 93-69 record, and a near playoff appearance.

Howry had more than proven his mettle with the Tribe.

In the one-and-a-half years in Cleveland, he would go 11-6, with 37 holds, 87 strikeouts and a 2.61 ERA. More than that, he had closer experience, and had proven that his arm was sound.

The Indians, coming off a run at the playoffs, had an opportunity to sign Howry. Howry, however, was looking for a three-year deal between $10.5 and $12 million, and the Indians decided to take a chance at signing a bigger target for slightly more money.

Closer Bob Wickman was also a free agent, so Shapiro made a fullcourt press for closers Tom Gordon or B.J. Ryan. If they spent a big chunk of change for Howry, they wouldn't be in play for the two pitchers they had ranked higher.

Howry would be the first to sign, heading to the Cubs with a three-year, $12 million deal. He would never regain his 2004-2005 success, but he would continue to eat up innings (four straight seasons with 70-plus innings, including an 84 inning season), would spot save, and earn every penny of his deal.

What about Ryan and Gordon?

Well, Ryan would visit Cleveland with his wife and get the royal treatment from Shapiro and the Dolans. Ryan would then use the Indians to drive up the price, eventually signing a mammoth deal with the Blue Jays to the tune of five years and nearly $50 million.

Gordon would sign a three-year, $18 million dollar deal with Philly.

The Indians would re-sign Bob Wickman, Danny Graves, and Steve Karsay, and would acquire Guillermo Mota from the Red Sox in the Coco Crisp deal.

In other words, Howry's loss turned into a mammoth hole that the Indians couldn't fill.

Hindsight is 20/20, and the Indians likely should have signed Howry to some sort of deal to either close or set-up, but they didn't.

Ryan and Gordon would turn out to be busts over the length of their deals.

It turns out that Howry was the deal after all. The Indians paid the ultimate price, but Bob Howry had already earned his place on the All-Aught Indians.

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So you missed out on Dustin Pedroia or Hanley Ramirez. There are still plenty of runs out there.

Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers
With his speed and Texas’ offense, he should cross the plate often.

Erick Aybar, SS, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Aybar scored 70 last year for the Halos, but I expect him to approach 90 runs in 2010.

Julio Borbon, OF, Texas Rangers
Ditto Andrus.

Everth Cabrera, SS, San Diego Padres
He has great speed, which should help him get into scoring position. It’s just a matter of who’s going to drive him in.

Juan Pierre, OF, Chicago White Sox
Pierre should have plenty of scoring opportunities leading off the White Sox order. Scott Podsednik had 75 runs for them last year.

Placido Polanco, 2B/3B, Philadelphia Phillies
He gets on base meaning the Phillies boppers will drive him in.

Denard Span, OF, Minnesota Twins 
He won’t give you a bunch of HRs, but he should contribute everywhere else. 100+ runs should be within reach.

Rickie Weeks, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
As long as the wrist is healthy, he should score plenty this year. He had 87 and 89 in ‘07 and ‘08 and was on pace for 122 before the injury.

Also check out :
Value SB Options
Value HR Options
Value Save Options
Value Strikeout Options
Value Win Options
Value ERA Options
Value WHIP Options
Value Batting Average Options

Originally published at LestersLegends.com .

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It’s all true, but don’t forget about category scarcity.

Using a little bit of foresight (and a few easy to read graphs), we can get an idea of how a 2010 fantasy draft will play out. Those of you who are smart enough to keep coming back to Baseball Professor will continue to get access to this must-see math.

Yes, I'm a "stat head" with as much free time as baseball curiosity.

(If graphs aren't your thing, you can always check out our tips on Drafting Starting Pitching ).

All graphs are based on our 2010 Projections, which we will be releasing soon. Averages are calculated for all players projected to be taken in the designated rounds in a standard 10-team draft. Bear in mind, some rounds have more batters drafted than others, but this gives us an accurate snapshot of what we expect to see.

Runs Scored

As we would expect, there is a steady decline in the average runs scored per player as the draft progresses. Of the 30 picks in rounds one through three, 22 are projected to be batters. Of those 22, 16 are projected to score 100 runs or more.

By comparison, rounds four through six feature 24 batters, but only three of them are projected to score 100 runs: Dustin Pedroia, Derek Jeter, and Jimmy Rollins. If you want an elite run scorer, make sure you get him early. But with 16-of-22 batters in rounds one through three scoring 100 runs or more, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Home Runs

We see a sharper decline in home run production than with any other category. Nine-of-22 batters in rounds one through three are projected to hit 35 home runs or more versus just two-of-24 batters in rounds four through six. In the latter group, only Adrian Gonzalez is projected to hit 40.

The drop-off gets even steeper as we head to rounds seven through nine and 10 through 12. In that six-round sample, we see a greater frequency of pitchers selected (25 pitches versus 35 batters), but only four batters are projected to hit 30 home runs: Adam Dunn (40), Raul Ibanez (32), Carlos Pena (37), and Jason Kubel (30).

With consistent home run production hard to come by in the mid-rounds, we can see the value players such as Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder have to a fantasy team. Even though first base is extremely deep, you cannot replace that production at any other position.

Runs Batted In

As home run production falls, so do RBI. The drop-off isn’t quite as steep as we just saw with four-baggers because there is obviously more than one way to drive in a run, but the two are clearly intertwined.

Only five-of-22 batters in rounds one through three are projected to drive in fewer than 100 runs. Two of them are Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury (and I don’t think you’re drafting them for their RBI potential).

You can still find high-RBI guys in the middle rounds, but they’re offset by slap-hitting, lead-off types. We project Bobby Abreu, Derrek Lee, Adam Dunn, Manny Ramirez, Josh Hamilton, Brandon Phillips, Aramis Ramirez, and Chipper Jones to come off draft boards in rounds six and seven. They all have 90-to-100+ RBI potential.

Of course, they also have major weaknesses or question marks as well, so it may be risky to invest a lot of your team’s RBI production in them.

Stolen Bases

Don’t let the erratic-looking line take away from the data—steals can be found all throughout the draft.

Yes, it’s nice to have the almost guaranteed 60+ stolen bases from Jacoby Ellsbury but, at the expense of 20-30 RBI, you can have Michael Bourn about nine rounds later.

If you want Ellsbury thats fine. He’s clearly an elite player and very valuable to have, but make sure you’re taking him for the right reasons. Drafting him in the second or third round because you need his stolen bases is not the right reason.

Batting Average

Batting average is surprisingly stable until about round 10. At that point, the draft transitions from players such as Shane Victorino, Michael Young, and Chris Coghlan to Jason Kubel, Jay Bruce, and Ryan Ludwick.

Conclusion

If we look at all the graphs we’ve seen and look at them cumulatively round-by-round, we see rounds seven through nine featuring a significant drop in home runs and a rise in stolen bases while maintaining a high batting average. Victorino, Young, and Coghlan fit this mold.

In rounds 10 through 12, we see HR totals plateau while batting average and stolen bases plummet, indicating guys who are more power-based. Sounds like McLouth, Bruce, and Ludwick to me.

Of course, there are exceptions to these generalizations since they’re only averages, but on the whole they are accurate profiles of how the draft will play out.

There is definitely something to be said for visual representation. Even as I write this, I’m surprised by certain trends. I knew stolen bases were plentiful throughout the draft, but I didn’t expect there to be such “stability” (and I use that loosely) as late as rounds 15 to 20.

I was also surprised to see rounds seven through nine post a batting average of .294, only five points less than rounds one through three, but it makes sense as guys like Pedroia, Nyjer Morgan, and Ichiro Suzuki are projected to be drafted here.

Looking deeper though, only three-of-19 batters projected in rounds seven through nine are expected to bat under .280 (Phillips, Adam Dunn, B.J. Upton).

Overall, use the data to formulate your optimal draft strategy. It says nothing of pitchers, but we’ll get to that another day.

Check out Baseball Professor for more 2010 Fantasy Draft help, and as always, send us your questions.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

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