The Major League Baseball Post

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[h3]
[h3]Couples therapy in the Bronx  http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5002343[/h3]
March, 17, 2010
Mar 17

7:51

AM ET

 

In the first of the multiple mound conferences by A.J. Burnett and Jorge Posada on Tuesday night, the Yankees' pitcher and catcher met halfway between home plate and the pitching rubber. As they started to chat, Burnett put his arm over Posada's shoulder, collegially, and Posada put his arm around Burnett's waist and both walked back toward the mound.

Getty ImagesIt might be time to split this pair, if only to avoid the human rain delays when they have to meet.

They are each working to alter the perception, formed last season, that they can't work together. The situation became so awkward that Yankees manager
Joe Girardi decided to use Jose Molina as his catcher, rather than Posada, on the days Burnett started in the postseason.
Burnett is a good guy who helped to loosen the tense atmosphere of the Yankees' clubhouse last year. Posada is one of the core four Yankees, an honest guy who cares and will soon have enough championship rings to fill one hand, and he wants to win. You watch them work together and there is nothing to suggest outwardly that this is a case of two guys who just can't stand each other.

But the reality that they don't work well together was eventually on display again Tuesday in the Yankees' exhibition. Burnett and Posada appeared to disagree frequently on pitch selection, and Burnett would step off the rubber frequently, and the game moved along with all the pace of a curling match. Posada was short in throwing the ball back to the mound a couple of times; he'd drop the ball. It all just looked really sloppy and slow, and in the end Burnett
lasted 2 1/3 innings and walked four and allowed two hits and a run.
Rival evaluators believe Posada's catching skills -- his ability to glove pitches cleanly and frame the ball -- have regressed. And some of the same evaluators think Burnett is not the best at putting on mental blinders to distractions, such as a catcher who is dropping pitches. But properly placing blame for this situation at the feet of Burnett or Posada, or both, is really irrelevant at this point. What matters is that it just doesn't seem to work.

Girardi is right in teaming Posada and Burnett in exhibition games, in having these two old pros try to get as comfortable as they can be with each other. But once the games start, Girardi should feel comfortable assigning Burnett's starts to
Francisco Cervelli, in the same way he uses Derek Jeter in the No. 1 spot in the lineup and Mark Teixeira in the No. 3 spot, in the way he aligns his outfield. He should do what gives his team the best chance of winning.CC Sabathia and Posada are functional together, and so are Andy Pettitte and Posada; in fact, Posada and Pettitte have worked together for about a decade's worth of games. But the Burnett-Posada tandem just doesn't fit.
Now, if Cervelli had a nagging injury that prevented him from starting on a given day, then Burnett and Posada could take the field together, as they have this spring, and could try to make the best of the situation. But short of that, a Burnett/Cervelli pairing seems to have a much better chance of operating effectively, and nobody on the Yankees -- not Girardi, not Posada, not Burnett -- should have to apologize or feel bad if that's the way the lineup reads.

Katie Sharp of ESPN Stats & Information dug out these numbers on Burnett from last year -- first, a month-to-month breakdown of Burnett's pitch selection:

[h4]Burnett's Pitch Selection[/h4]
Month-to-month pitch selection by A.J. Burnett:
[table][tr][th=""][/th][th=""]FB%[/th][th=""]CV/SL%[/th][th=""]Change%[/th][th=""]BAVG[/th][th=""]OPS[/th][/tr][tr][td]Apr.[/td][td]61[/td][td]37[/td][td]1[/td][td].257[/td][td].807[/td][/tr][tr][td]May[/td][td]69[/td][td]28[/td][td]3[/td][td].248[/td][td].759[/td][/tr][tr][td]June[/td][td]69[/td][td]28[/td][td]3[/td][td].209[/td][td].633[/td][/tr][tr][td]July[/td][td]70[/td][td]27[/td][td]3[/td][td].220[/td][td].634[/td][/tr][tr][td]Aug.[/td][td]64[/td][td]34[/td][td]2[/td][td].266[/td][td].767[/td][/tr][tr][td]Sept/Oct[/td][td]66[/td][td]30[/td][td]4[/td][td].269[/td][td].754[/td][/tr][tr][td]Total[/td][td]66[/td][td]31[/td][td]3[/td][td].247[/td][td].729[/td][/tr][/table]

And here are Burnett's BA, SLG and OPS allowed by month by pitch type (Sharp took out changeups because there were so few thrown). April and August were the months in which he threw the fewest fastballs and most breaking balls -- and the batting average allowed on those pitches in those months is very similar -- his fastball got crushed, while his curveballs/sliders were nearly unhittable, the count probably playing a major role.

[h4]Burnett, Month-to-month[/h4]
How Burnett's pitches were handled by hitters month-to-month:
[table][tr][th=""][/th][th=""]Pitch[/th][th=""]BAVG[/th][th=""]SLG[/th][th=""]OPS[/th][/tr][tr][td]Apr.[/td][td]FB[/td][td].366[/td][td].690[/td][td]1.137[/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][td]CV/SL[/td][td].073[/td][td].098[/td][td].234[/td][/tr][tr][td]May[/td][td]FB[/td][td].287[/td][td].494[/td][td].894[/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][td]CV/SL[/td][td].094[/td][td].125[/td][td].314[/td][/tr][tr][td]June[/td][td]FB[/td][td].240[/td][td].400[/td][td].760[/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][td]CV/SL[/td][td].121[/td][td].121[/td][td].293[/td][/tr][tr][td]July[/td][td]FB[/td][td].209[/td][td].337[/td][td].664[/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][td]CV/SL[/td][td].250[/td][td].278[/td][td].578[/td][/tr][tr][td]Aug.[/td][td]FB[/td][td].372[/td][td].603[/td][td]1.076[/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][td]CV/SL[/td][td].145[/td][td].210[/td][td].394[/td][/tr][tr][td]Sep/Oct[/td][td]FB[/td][td].271[/td][td].486[/td][td].852[/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][td]CV/SL[/td][td].262[/td][td].279[/td][td].564[/td][/tr][tr][td]Total[/td][td]All pitches[/td][td].247[/td][td].393[/td][td].729[/td][/tr][/table]

Here's the catcher breakdown. Molina called for marginally more breaking balls, and Burnett performed much better overall with him behind the plate.

[h4]Burnett's Catcher Breakdown[/h4]
It appears that in the absence of Molina, Burnett could be just fine with Cervelli:
[table][tr][th=""]Catcher[/th][th=""]FB%[/th][th=""]CV/SL%[/th][th=""]Change%[/th][th=""]BAVG[/th][th=""]OPS[/th][th=""]PA[/th][/tr][tr][td]J. Posada[/td][td]67[/td][td]30[/td][td]3[/td][td].270[/td][td].776[/td][td]435[/td][/tr][tr][td]J. Molina[/td][td]64[/td][td]33[/td][td]2[/td][td].221[/td][td].658[/td][td]288[/td][/tr][tr][td]F. Cervelli[/td][td]68[/td][td]29[/td][td]4[/td][td].204[/td][td].630[/td][td]56[/td][/tr][tr][td]Total[/td][td]66[/td][td]31[/td][td]2[/td][td].247[/td][td].722[/td][td]779[/td][/tr][/table]

Burnett
labored Tuesday, writes Andy McCullough.
• The news about Ryan Westmoreland:
successful surgery, and so far, so good.[h3]The Nationals' nightmare is over[/h3]
They broke through with a couple of wins, built on
scoreless innings from John Lannan and Craig Stammen, as Adam Kilgore writes.[h3]From the scouts[/h3]
1. The velocity of Baltimore closer
Mike Gonzalez has been down noticeably this spring, according to evaluators: in the range of 85-86 mph. "He touched 87 once on my gun," said an evaluator, "but that was as high as it got." Power pitchers like Gonzalez build velocity throughout spring training, but it's unusual that a pitcher who throws in the mid-90s would be at that current range at this time in camp.
2. Tim Lincecum's velocity is down as well, but the perception within the scouts' section is that he wasn't as bad as his line looked Tuesday. He is aiming to
get better for Opening Day, writes Henry Schulman.
3. Jason Heyward's plate discipline continues to draw raves; he's drawn nine walks so far this spring. His OBP so far:
a sturdy .625.[h3]The battle for jobs[/h3]
1.
Joba Chamberlain has to start raising his performance immediately, as in today, as George King writes. Phil Hughes threw four scoreless innings Tuesday.
2.
Matt Guerrier, one of the candidates to replace Joe Nathan, has a closer's fire, writes Patrick Reusse.
3. A top Phillies prospect showed why the
team kept him, as David Murphy writes.
4.
Buster Posey got a start at first base, as Dan Brown writes.
5. The Marlins' Jorge Jimenez is making his
case for third base, writes Joe Capozzi. Within the same story, there is word that the chances of a Mike Lowell deal are remote.
6. A bunch of lefties are vying for
a job with the Royals.
7. The Rangers'
C.J. Wilson is making a serious bid for a starting spot, writes Evan Grant.
8. Sergio Santos, the converted infielder I wrote about here Saturday, still appears to be in line to
win a bullpen spot.
9.
Kiko Calero is vying for the job of set-up man, writes Anthony McCarron.
10. Jeremy Hellickson was
farmed out by the Rays. But he will be back sometime this summer.
11.
Andy LaRoche knows he could be supplanted at third base, writes Dejan Kovacevic.[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. This is the type of news that just makes you sick:
Chris Capuano, who has worked so hard to fight his way back to the big leagues, has an inflamed elbow.
2.
Nolan Reimold has been limping through camp, writes Jeff Zrebiec.
3. Concern about
Shaun Marcum, post-surgery, is lessening.
4. Ben Crenshaw
feels the pain of Jose Reyes.
5.
Scott Proctor is back.
6. Derrick Turnbow's comeback attempt is over,
for now.
7. The Dodgers'
Cory Wade is going to have surgery.[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1.
John Smoltz took a job in TV, but hasn't officially retired. Talked to some club executives Tuesday evening who were interested in Smoltz during the offseason, and they are reading this development as meaning that Smoltz won't pitch again. We'll see.
2. The case against a former scout has
been dismissed, writes Peter Abraham.
3. The Cardinals have entered into
trade talks with the Reds over Rule 5 draftee Ben Jukich, as mentioned at the end of this story. Wonder if that'll be a distraction for Jukich.
4. The D-backs took a look at a
16-year-old prospect.
5. Mike Scioscia says the Angels' lineup
will be fluid, writes Dan Woike.
6.
Brad Lidge is focusing on holding runners.[h3]Tuesday's games[/h3]
1.
Justin Verlander played a game of cat and mouse, Jim Leyland thought, and paid for it.
2.
Andy Sonnanstine -- who will probably be the most accomplished starting pitcher on the trade market over the next few weeks -- had a really good day, writes Joe Smith.
3.
Jake Westbrook had a strong outing, and Manny Acta was happy about it, writes Paul Hoynes.
4.
Carlos Silva got great news, then went out and pitched well.
5.
Kevin Millwood pitched OK in an intrasquad game, as Peter Schmuck writes, easing the concerns of the Baltimore organization. Have heard this from several people about Millwood: He just flat-out struggles in spring training.
6.
Jair Jurrjens ground through his start, writes David O'Brien.
7.
Roy Oswalt had a good day.
8.
Aaron Cook was hit hard, writes Troy Renck.
9.
Jered Weaver is working on a two-seam fastball.[h3]Working the count[/h3]Nick Johnson will hit No. 2 in the Yankees' lineup, which is not surprising considering how he works counts. Johnson took the first pitch 91.3 percent of the time last year (or you could say he swung at only 8.7 percent of first pitches). That is the fourth-highest first-pitch take percentage (or fourth-lowest first-pitch swing percentage) in the majors last season. Here are his peers:Jamey Carroll 94.4
Dustin Pedroia 93.0
Joe Mauer 92.9
Nick Johnson: 91.3
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• Youth and talent is
a tough sell for the Padres, writes Tim Sullivan. I read this and it transports me back to 1994, when the Padres had some good young players -- and the frustrated San Diego fans just didn't want to hear about potential, and wouldn't pay to see it.
•
More is less for David Purcey, writes Mike Rutsey.
•
David Wright has to prove he's over last year's beaning, writes Kevin Kernan.
• The Tigers of 2003 are
good role models for the 2010 Blue Jays, writes Richard Griffin.
•
Jake Peavy is sure he'll be as successful in the AL as he was in the NL, writes Mark Gonzales.
•
Wilkin Castillo is an interesting guy in the Reds' camp, writes John Fay.
• The Marlins want their pitchers to
pound the strike zone, writes Manny Navarro.
•
Gerald Laird keeps connecting at the plate, writes Shawn Windsor.
• Michael Ynoa has made a
good first impression with the Athletics, writes John Shea.
•
Hiroki Kuroda is hoping for a full and healthy season.
•
Alfonso Soriano hasn't given the Cubs much return, writes Dave Sheinin.
• The
Seattle Mariners, who probably have generated the best TV ads in the sport, have a few more coming out.
• Rudy Jaramillo
beat cancer.
• A Brewers infielder and his sister
are rising stars, writes Larry Stone.
• Willie Davis was
remembered.
•
Chuck Knoblauch pleaded guilty.
• Vanderbilt should be helped in the NCAA tournament by the fact that the Commodores will be playing teams that aren't
familiar with them, writes David Climer.
And today will be better than yesterday.
Click to expand...
[/h3]

 
Don't worry about drop in Lincecum's velocity

http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28705">http://sports.espn.go.com...s/fantasy?playerId=28705')">Tim Lincecum's average fastball speed dropped about 2 mph last year, according to Baseball Info Solutions. That loss of velocity clearly affected the right-hander, as he was unable to keep striking out more than 10 batters per inning and repeat in winning the National League Cy Young Award.

Actually, check that, neither of those things happened. Perhaps lighting up the radar gun isn't quite as important as it's made out to be.

For whatever reason (and you'll hear lots of theories ranging from his small stature, his mechanics, or fatigue thanks to workload), Lincecum averaged about 92 mph last season as opposed to the 94 mph of his first two seasons in the league. Some might suggest that this diminished velocity is perhaps a warning sign that Lincecum might not be the rock-solid two-time Cy Young Award winner worthy of a premium investment.

Those suggestions got a little bit louder after Lincecum came off his second straight poor spring start (one that had come with eight days' rest due to rain), and his second straight outing in which he had to be pulled in the middle of an inning. Lots of pitchers have trouble with command in their early-spring starts, and this is the second spring training in a row that Lincecum has gotten off to a slow start with his command. I was not at his second start, but the report I heard from another scout that was there was a lot of 90-91 mph on the gun, touching 92 occasionally. Again, early in camp, a little diminished velocity is not usually a big concern, but given the drop last year as well, is there more here we need to be worried about, especially if it stays in the 90-91 range?

fantasy_a_lincecum01_200.jpg

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Tim Lincecum is taking a little time to get some of the kinks out of his game in spring training.

Let me be clear: I'm not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I'm trying to tell you that even if he never averages 94 mph again, Lincecum is still a special pitcher. In the midst of struggling with locating his fastball in his second spring start, Lincecum actually threw some impressive pitches. And they were sliders.

When Lincecum first came to the big leagues, he was a three-pitch hurler with a fastball, curve and changeup. His change ranks among the best in the game, and his curve is a plus pitch as well. He started tinkering with a slider a bit more last year, but he didn't throw it all that much, maybe mixing in four or five a game just to give hitters a different look. That report from the second scout indicated the slider is very much improved over last year. It will be a good offering if he chooses to incorporate it more, giving him three plus secondary pitches, breaking in different directions. So even if Lincecum becomes a pitcher with a low-90s fastball, if he can command it with three good secondary pitches, he'll be among the elite starting pitchers in the game.

Lincecum is scheduled to start again on Tuesday. Even if he gets lit up again, I won't be concerned. Lincecum has been a pitcher who's about more than just velocity, and a little dip in the gun won't change that fact much.

• Speaking of sliders, I saw a pitcher on Monday who's trying to completely revamp his, the http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=laa">http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=laa')">Los Angeles Angels' http:///sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=5917">http://sports.espn.go.com...rs/fantasy?playerId=5917')">Scott Kazmir. His slider was a knockout pitch when he first came into the league in 2004, a nasty mid-80s offering that allowed him to rack up strikeout rates better than 10 batters per nine innings, but he's lost it in the past couple of years and hasn't been quite the same pitcher. The velocity on the slider would dip into the high-70s at times during the past couple of seasons, leaving him without a plus secondary pitch. In fact, it became almost an afterthought in 2008, as he instead relied mostly on a fastball/changeup mix.

fantasy_a_kazmir01_200.jpg

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Can Scott Kazmir do enough to emerge as the Angels' ace?

This is actually the second straight spring we're hearing talk about a revamped breaking ball, as after 2008 he spent the offseason trying to find his former slider again. He worked it back into his repertoire as his primary secondary pitch in 2009, but it just wasn't the same.

Kazmir is now working with a new cutter/slider hybrid that was 80-84 mph on Monday in his first start of the spring after he missed time with a hamstring injury. He was 89-91 mph with his fastball, hitting 92 a few times. That's a good sign for his first start in camp, as part of his problems last year that led to a 7.11 ERA in the first half and an eventual trade to the Angels were quad and forearm issues that often dipped his fastball into the high 80s. A healthy Kazmir posted a 3.27 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in the second half last season as his velocity returned to the 91-93 mph range, although his strikeout rate still remained in the seven batters per nine range.

His new breaking ball was pretty mediocre, and both it and his changeup were inconsistent in his 2 1/3 innings in which he allowed 2 runs, 5 hits and 2 walks with 1 strikeout. He was flying open in his delivery and couldn't get it corrected, but again, it was his first outing of the spring. I didn't think much of his new breaking ball, especially compared to the Kazmir of old.

Kazmir's second-half performance last year was encouraging and showed what he could do just on the strength of his fastball at times. To build confidence in 2010, though, he must rebound for a full season and post something closer to his old strikeout rates. To do that, he needs to get his breaking ball back.

Kazmir's average draft position in ESPN.com leagues right now is at pick No. 179, which puts him among the top 50 pitchers. I don't have a problem with that number, but it really depends on how far he slides in your particular league. I'm intrigued by him this year, but only at a value price.

 
[h1]
[h1]Blue Jays enter life without Roy Halladay[/h1][h3]Toronto turns attention from departed ace to developing the prospects it got in return[/h3]
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- It's never easy, for any team, the year after it says au revoir to The Best Pitcher in Baseball.

You could ask the 2009, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4553CC Sabathia-less Indians. You could ask the 2005, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=2131Randy Johnson-less Diamondbacks. You could ask the 1998, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=2717Pedro Martinez-free Expos -- if you could find them.

Or you could wander into Dunedin Stadium this spring and ask the 2010 Blue Jays.

There is going to be life for this team after http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3973Roy Halladay. There is going to be a baseball season. These guys have no choice about that.

They'll find an Opening Day starter. They'll find someone to call their No. 1. They have no choice about that, either.

"We've turned the page," said their new GM, Alex Anthopoulos. "We have to."

But in fact, they don't only have to turn that page. They have to lead the league in page-turning -- because Halladay was more than just their best player, more than just their most popular player, more even than merely the best pitcher in their sport.

He was a franchise-changer. He was a man capable of masking nearly every other flaw in their grand design. He gave them a shot to contend just by showing up. And you could easily look that up -- except we already did it for you.

Over the past eight seasons, Roy Halladay's team was 60 games over .500 (149-89) when he started -- and 71 games under .500 (493-564) when anyone else started. Scary.

Want to look at this another way? OK, when Halladay started between 2002-09, the Blue Jays had a .626 winning percentage. When anyone else got the ball, they had a .466 winning percentage. If you forgot your calculators, that comes to a 160-point Halladay Effect.

That's more than double the Sabathia Effect (64 points) over the same period. And it's 26 points higher than the only other ace impact that was even in the same solar system, the Johan Santana Effect (134 points).

So how are the http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=torToronto Blue Jays supposed to replace that?

"The honest answer is, you can't," said Anthopoulos.

And how right he is. So you can look at where the Blue Jays stand now, in the year 1 A.D. (After Doc), in a couple of different ways.

One of those ways, we're afraid, is to look back -- at the opportunity they squandered, employing the best pitcher alive for all those years and never making it to the postseason. Not even once. The trouble is, when they take that not-so-scenic look back, it's not a pleasant view.

"We weren't ready," longtime center fielder http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4166Vernon Wells said. "That's about the best way to put it. We weren't a consistent enough ballclub to win in this division and win at this level. ... So I can look at things realistically and say, 'We weren't good enough.'"

But by admitting that, it also brings them to the second, more constructive way to gaze at where the Blue Jays find themselves at the moment. They know now that it isn't enough to have one great pitcher at the top of your rotation, surrounded by just enough talent to straddle Mount .500. It takes more. If you're stuck in the AL East alongside those behemoths in Boston and New York, it takes a lot more.

"We know how difficult life is in this division," said Anthopoulos, who replaced the ESPN-bound J.P. Ricciardi in October. "To win in the AL East, we need to have above-average, high-ceiling players at as many positions as we can. And that's what we're trying to build."

In a perfect world, they wouldn't have started that construction project by trading the Best Pitcher in Baseball, of course. But what exactly was their alternative, anyway?

They couldn't brainwash Halladay into thinking they were going to win if he stuck around. They couldn't pay him enough to not care if he ever won. And they couldn't kidnap him. So in December, they did what they had to do.

They made the best deal they could make, with the only team their ace was willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to: the Phillies.

The consensus around the sport is that the Blue Jays did amazingly well in that trade, considering they only had one team in the auction house. They got a 22-year-old starting pitcher with big upside in Kyle Drabek. They got a 23-year-old, potential middle-of-the-order hit machine (via Oakland) in Brett Wallace. And they got a 21-year-old catcher who projects to be a starting catcher in the big leagues in Travis d'Arnaud.

[h4]The Halladay Effect[/h4]
How teams fared when the top seven winners in baseball from 2002-09 started and didn't start:
[table][tr][th=""]Pitcher[/th][th=""]When he started[/th][th=""]Anybody else[/th][th=""]Differential[/th][/tr][tr][td]Roy Halladay[/td][td]149-89, .626[/td][td]493-564, .466[/td][td]+.160[/td][/tr][tr][td]Johan Santana[/td][td]149-82, .645[/td][td]544-520, .511[/td][td]+.134[/td][/tr][tr][td]Roy Oswalt[/td][td]151-96, .611[/td][td]516-532, .492[/td][td]+.119[/td][/tr][tr][td]CC Sabathia[/td][td]145-110, .569[/td][td]525-515, .505[/td][td]+.064[/td][/tr][tr][td]Mark Buehrle[/td][td]151-115, .568[/td][td]528-503, .512[/td][td]+.056[/td][/tr][tr][td]Derek Lowe[/td][td]154-113, .577[/td][td]563-486, .537[/td][td]+.040[/td][/tr][tr][td]Andy Pettitte[/td][td]140-97, .591[/td][td]753-542, .581[/td][td]+.010[/td][/tr][/table]

That's "three future regulars," said one AL executive -- an excellent take for a team that was "in a box, with Halladay having so much control over the trade."

But now imagine having to walk in the spikes of the three young players in that trade. When you've just been traded for Roy Halladay, don't you have to think you will spend the rest of your Blue Jays career walking in his shadow?

"It's funny," said Wallace. "When I first got here, I heard the grounds-crew guys saying, 'Hey, that's one of the guys who got traded for Doc.' So I know that's there. But I just try to have fun with it. Some guys might take it as pressure. But you hold yourself to a certain standard anyway. To me, to get traded for Doc is a compliment. I mean, what a great player."

Then again, Wallace is getting used to these kinds of "compliments." Five months before he got traded for Halladay, he also got dealt from the Cardinals to the A's for http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5940Matt Holliday. So "the last six months," he said, "have been pretty crazy."

There are still questions about what position Wallace will wind up at, although for now the Blue Jays have him targeted as their first baseman of the future. But a year-plus into his professional career, he has already ascended to Triple-A. And he arrived in this camp with a .303 career average, .384 on-base percentage and .475 slugging percentage. So if this team can find someplace to stash his glove, he "can be a run-producing, middle-of-the-order threat," said one rival executive.

He also should be the first member of the Traded For Roy Halladay Trio to arrive in Toronto, an arrival that should come, by the way, about 12 seconds after the Blue Jays find a taker for http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4598Lyle Overbay. But the real heat figures to beam down on the guy who figures to hit town next.

And that's Drabek, who has the misfortune to be the only pitcher on this end of the deal. So if anyone seems destined to serve a life sentence full of comparisons to Halladay, Drabek is the man.

He was the "untouchable" the Phillies wouldn't give up for Halladay in July 2009. And then, five months later, it was the Phillies' decision to zap him off that untouchable list that finally made this trade doable. So north of the border, people already know precisely who Drabek is, before he's ever thrown a pitch in Triple-A. And they know precisely who they'd like him to be some day:

The next Roy Halladay, of course.

Nevertheless, Drabek has done a great job this spring of swatting away all questions that suggest he was the most indispensable, irreplaceable or superhuman centerpiece of this trade.

"I don't really think I was the main reason," he said. "Everyone had a part in it. If they couldn't have gotten all of those guys, it wouldn't have gone down."

But even if the three of them have to share this awesome responsibility, Drabek understands that "replacing" Halladay is not an assignment for the wimps of this Earth.

"Me, Travis and Brett -- we're going to have that for the rest of our lives," he said. "We were traded for the best pitcher at this time."

It's a heavy burden to lug around, all right. But Drabek says he's ready for the challenge of putting the living legend he was traded for out of his mind.

"For me, it's not that hard," he said. "I feel real comfortable being out on the field. And I think that kind of helps me forget things off the field and just focus in on what I need to do that day."

With a fastball that touches 95 miles per hour, a drop-off-the-CN-Tower curveball and a cool, confident mound aura, Drabek generated major buzz last summer, on the way to a 12-3, 150-strikeout-in-158-inning season that carried him all the way to Double-A and the Futures Game.

Some teams, the Blue Jays obviously included, view him as a top-of-the-rotation talent. Others see a 5-foot-10 power pitcher with delivery issues who might max out as a No. 3 starter. What no one sees is the next Roy Halladay. But Anthopoulos detects no danger signs that Drabek will pressure himself to try to be that guy anyway.

"He's the son of a Cy Young Award winner," the GM said of Kyle and his dad, Doug, who won the award in 1990 with the Pirates. "I'm sure he's had expectations to deal with his whole life. And he's tackled those expectations so many times ... I don't see it being difficult for him at all."

Well, look at it this way: It can't be as difficult as trying to build a team that can catch the Red Sox and Yankees, anyhow.

The building of that team won't all be up to Drabek, Wallace and d'Arnaud, fortunately. That's Anthopoulos' job. And one thing you can say for this team and its new 32-year-old general manager: At least the Blue Jays have a blueprint.

They already have building-block young players in place: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6190Aaron Hill, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28579Adam Lind and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=29189Travis Snider, if he finally figures it out. And they have talented young pitchers already in the big leagues: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30025Ricky Romero, Marc Rzepczynski and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28734Brandon Morrow.

They also have the two big-time power arms they got from Cincinnati for http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3507Scott Rolen -- Zach Stewart and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=29268Josh Roenicke -- closing in on the major leagues. And they have http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6427Shaun Marcum and http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5919Dustin McGowan coming back from injuries to add to that pitching depth.

And they're so committed to improving their drafts, signings and trades, they did something unheard of this winter: They actually more than doubled their pro and amateur scouting staffs, giving them the largest scouting department in the entire sport.

So while this team may be an excellent bet to finish last this season, at least it will be a last-place team with a foundation and a plan. And you sure don't see that across the continent.

"We need to get to that point -- and it can't be short-lived -- where we're a contending team," Anthopoulos said, "but not a team that just contends. A team that can get to the World Series and win it, and then sustain it year-in and year-out. And we can't sustain it without a strong minor league department and a strong scouting department."

So for now, those scouting and development minds will go out and do their thing. And for now, Kyle Drabek, Brett Wallace and Travis d'Arnaud will begin their quest to make Toronto forget Roy Halladay under minor league cover. And for now, the pitchers Halladay left behind will do their best to match his work ethic, if not his winning percentage.

But while all that unfolds, the shadow of The Best Pitcher in Baseball will be lurking over this season, and, undoubtedly, beyond. And the Toronto Blue Jays realize that wherever this is leading, they can't ever make people forget Roy Halladay.

"I think we understand that this is just the nature of the beast in sports," Anthopoulos said. "We're certainly not the first club that has gone through this. We won't be the last. So we'll reflect and look back on everything Roy Halladay did for this organization. But we still have to move on."
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[/h1]  

Some stuff I was reading earlier, thought it was pretty interesting.
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[h1]http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/03/nationals-interested-in-jermaine-dye.html[/h1]
[h1]Nationals Interested In Jermaine Dye[/h1]
By Tim Dierkes [March 17 at 12:58pm CST]

The Nationals strangely released Elijah Dukes for baseball reasons earlier today, opening up their right field job.  According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, they have interest in free agent Jermaine Dye as a potential replacement.  The Nats are also mulling platoons involving Justin Maxwell, Willie Harris, and Mike Morse.

Dukes is an injury-prone 25-year-old with a .262/.364/.446 CHONE projection; it's still unclear why the Nationals are giving up on him now.  As recently as February 20th,GM Mike Rizzo spoke of hope for "the re-emergence of a productiveDukes."  Regardless, it's good news for Dye, who's still out of a jobafter turning down $3MM and $2MM offers during the winter.


Link
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Why in God's name would the Nationals want Jermaine Dye...

They gonna play him, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham on the field together at the same time? Worst defensive team in history.
 
Eddie Guardado Likely Done
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- We just got out of the Rangers' clubhouse and here's what we gathered:

* Eddie Guardadowas walking around the clubhouse saying hello to a bunch of formerteammates, coaches and front office personnel. But it doesn't appearhe's back to compete for a bullpen spot in 2010 with the Rangers oranyone else. Guardado has a home in Chandler, Ariz.

"I think I'm done, man, I think I'm done," Guardado said. "I'm fine with it. I had a great run, no doubt."
Link

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100320/OPINION03/3200414/1129/
Lynn Henning of the Detroit News thinks that the Tigers will release Dontrelle Willis in the near future.
Link
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http://[h3]
[h3]Olney: Move the Rays[/h3]
10:08AM ET

[h5]Tampa Bay Rays [/h5]


While stadium issues and fan support continue to be an issue in Tampa, as the team tries to hold onto the idea that they can keep, long term, at least the core of a roster many consider among the top few in the whole league, others are saying that maybe a move within Tampa isn't so much the issue, but a move within MLB as a whole.

In his blog today, Buster Olney writes, "Selig has the power to affect change on behalf of the Rays, too, through realignment. He needs to get Tampa Bay out of the AL East, to give the Rays a consistent opportunity for success. This, in time, will give them a chance to build their brand and make their case for a new ballpark.

There are many considerations that could come into play here. A quick thought is to drop add the Washington Nationals to the AL East and send Tampa to the NL -- it happened most recently when Milwaukee jumped from the AL to the NL Central. But the bottom line is many think realignment could do more for at least one team than a new stadium.
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[/h3]

For something like this to happen, how much time would it realisticly take?  Sounds like a sweet deal for the Rays...not so much for Washington
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.

KLJ's boy not doing so hot.


http://[h3]
[h3]McLouth's job in jeopardy?[/h3]
6:15AM ET

[h5]Nate McLouth | Braves [/h5]


Spring training statistics don't count, which is a good thing for Nate McLouth.

The Braves' center fielder is well below the Mendoza Line. McLouth went 0-for-4 in Saturday's game against Toronto and has one hit and 14 strikeouts in 35 at-bats (.029). In order to work on his swing, and maybe gain some confidence, McLouth skipped the Grapefruit League and took part in a minor league game on Sunday afternoon.

David O'Brien of the Atlanta JC reports that Braves manager Bobby Cox has given no indication that McLouth's leadoff or center-field jobs could be in jeopardy. The Braves do have an option in Melky Cabrera, who was acquired in the deal for Javier Vazquez.
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[/h3]
 
i've never really liked mclouth.. 
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im not a fan of him at the lead off spot at all.. 

Jason Heyward is MONSTER 
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 he's gonna provide a much needed spark to the braves offense.. 
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Pitching in the NL east this year.. 
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Why don't Escobar or even Melky bat lead off, wouldn't that make more sense?




Bud Selig met this weekend with A's owners and GM Billy Beane, as the team waits for word from a panel that is investigating where the best place would be for a move, this after plans to land the team in Fremont fell apart.

So where to now? Well, the A's want to head to San Jose, but because of territorial rights held by the Giants, that could be a legal headache. When Selig was asked if the panel is strictly considering Oakland or San Jose, the Commish told reports, "They're looking at everything, but they have not delivered a report, so I'll wait until they do that." He says the team needs a new park, and "They cannot compete in the venue they are in."

Our own Buster Olney chimed in this morning on the topic:




Buster Olney
A lot like what MLB faced in DC

"The situation really mirrors what MLB faced in the Baltimore/Washington area. Orioles owner Peter Angelos, a plaintiff lawyer who knows his way around court rooms, had to be given a sweetheart deal in order to facilitate the move of the franchise into Washington. This is what Selig needs to make happen, as soon as possible. The Athletics' franchise, owned by Selig's old friend Lew Wolff, is withering, held up through baseball's version of franchise welfare."
 
Here's the article about moving the A's to San Jose and moving the Rays to the NL East:


[h3]
[h3]Rays and A's in need of rescue  http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5017557[/h3]
March, 22, 2010
Mar 22

8:12

AM ET

Less than a decade ago, Major League Baseball threatened to fold the Minnesota Twins, indicating there were doubts about whether the franchise was viable. Since then, the Twins have evolved from a small-market little engine that could into a growing, middle-class powerhouse, taking a journey similar to that of the San Francisco Giants.





mlb_g_polhad_200.jpg

Getty ImagesJim Pohlad and the Twins are now spending, and other franchises are looking to see how the Twins got to this stage.



The Twins' payroll will be more than $90 million this year in the team's first season at Target Field. And next year, in the first season of Joe Mauer's eight-year, $184 million contract, we may see the unthinkable: Under owner Jim Pohlad, the club's payroll could climb to more than $100 million, sharing the same silverware as teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and the Seattle Mariners.

The Twins are one of baseball's great success stories, and their contract with Mauer may well turn out to be the best story of the calendar year. Mauer might've walked away from the promise of another $60 million to $70 million in free agency to re-sign with his hometown team, and the Twins extended themselves to the point where they now have sizable risk.

But there was some irony in the fact that Mauer's deal was announced on the same weekend that MLB commissioner Bud Selig met with executives of the Oakland Athletics, a team that is drifting like a piece of some outdated rocket junk floating in orbit.

Selig's next challenge will be to find a way to give the Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays the help they need. And it's hard to see how he can do this without sticking out sharpened elbows and forcing change.



The Athletics want to relocate to a new ballpark in San Jose, Calif., because their current situation is untenable. Oakland's current ballpark is a mess, and with the Giants thriving in a beautiful ballpark less than a dozen miles away, the Athletics have virtually no hope for growth in their current location. Imagine trying to house a franchise in a broken-down park a few miles from the Yankees and Yankee Stadium -- that is essentially the problem that the Athletics face.

For the Athletics, though, hope is not far away in San Jose, a city located about 50 miles from San Francisco. The Giants, however, hold the territorial rights to San Jose, and high-ranking executives in the sport believe that if push came to shove, Giants owner Bill Neukom would throw down some serious legal challenges if Major League Baseball tried to strong-arm a move of the Athletics into San Jose.

"He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who is going to mess around," said one highly ranked team executive. "He would try to protect his investment."

The situation mirrors what MLB faced in the Baltimore/Washington area. Orioles owner Peter Angelos, a plaintiff lawyer who knows his way around courtrooms, had to be given a sweetheart deal to facilitate the move of the Nationals franchise into D.C.

Selig needs to do something similar for Oakland as soon as possible. The Athletics franchise, owned by Selig's old friend Lew Wolff, is withering, held up through baseball's version of franchise welfare. A committee is studying the matter, but really, nothing in the binder that Selig will receive could change the reality that is so stark: If the Athletics stay in place, the franchise will rot. If it moves, it has a chance for life.

The same can be said for the Rays, a team that is, on paper, no worse than fourth-best in baseball. The team's leadership has done everything right, from its baseball personnel decisions to its effort to sell the team in the community. The team has stars to build on into the future, with Evan Longoria serving as the headliner; the Rays already have their Joe Mauer locked up in a long-term contract.

But the Rays must contend with the Yankees and the Red Sox in the AL East, which means that as good as they look in spring training, they will have to navigate the long season without any margin for error. Pat Burrell was a disaster in his first year with the club, and because his salary accounted for more than 10 percent of the Rays' payroll, his performance just killed them. The Yankees and the Red Sox are essentially competing with Tampa Bay under different rules, because they can afford those kinds of mistakes or any significant injuries.

Selig has the power to effect change on behalf of the Rays, too, through realignment. He needs to get Tampa Bay out of the AL East to give the Rays a consistent opportunity for success. This, in time, would give them a chance to build their brand and make their case for a new ballpark.

Change can happen. Franchises can grow and strengthen; the Twins have showed this. For the Athletics and Rays, however, the commissioner must lead the way, and sooner rather than later.

---



[h4]Can Mauer maintain?[/h4]
Highest batting average through the first six seasons for players whose primary position is catcher (2,000-plus plate appearances).
[table][tr][th=""][/th][th=""]BA thru 6[/th][th=""]Career[/th][/tr][tr][td]Mike Piazza[/td][td].334[/td][td].308[/td][/tr][tr][td]Spud Davis[/td][td].330[/td][td].308[/td][/tr][tr][td]Joe Mauer[/td][td].327[/td][td]?[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bill Dickey[/td][td].322[/td][td].313[/td][/tr][tr][td]Mickey Cochrane[/td][td].322[/td][td].320[/td][/tr][tr][td]Ernie Lombardi[/td][td].311[/td][td].306[/td][/tr][tr][td]Chief Meyers[/td][td].311[/td][td].291[/td][/tr][tr][td]Jason Kendall[/td][td].304[/td][td].290[/td][/tr][tr][td]Manny Sanguillen[/td][td].303[/td][td].296[/td][/tr][tr][td]Victor Martinez[/td][td].301[/td][td].299[/td][/tr][tr][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td].299[/td][td].285[/td][/tr][/table]



Mauer's signing means that Twins fans can relax, writes Joe Christensen. The no-trade clause is a key part of this deal, writes Sid Hartman.

Twins GM Bill Smith had a dab of sweat on his upper lip, writes Patrick Reusse. The Twins turned the corner with this signing, writes Tom Powers.

From Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information:

Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com's Play Index, we can tell you that Mauer is one of 72 players whose primary position is catcher to record at least 2,000 plate appearances within his first six seasons.

Mauer's .327 batting average ranks third-best among those 72 players. But what can we expect from Mauer over the course of his career? This chart (to the right) might help in that regard.

For more on Mauer from ESPN Stats & Info, check out The Max Info blog.


[h3]Joe Nathan[/h3]


Joe Nathan has decided to have season-ending surgery, writes Kelsie Smith.

There are not a lot of late-inning options on the market, writes John Shea. The Twins wanted this injury resolved because they did not want Nathan's 2011 season to be jeopardized by lingering uncertainty about his elbow.

The Twins might ask Francisco Liriano if he'd be willing to close, writes Christensen.


[h3]The battle for jobs[/h3]


1. The Mariners will play Chone Figgins at second base and Jose Lopez at third, writes Geoff Baker. Figgins is hitting No. 2 in Seattle's lineup, behind Ichiro, and Casey Kotchman appears to be the No. 3 hitter.

2. The competition for the Jays' rotation has been impacted by injuries, Richard Griffin writes. Shaun Marcum will try to fill Roy Halladay's shoes, writes Jeff Blair.

3. Here is how the Indians' camp battles are developing, courtesy of Paul Hoynes.

4. After internal discussions, the Cardinals are thinking about putting Adam Ottavino in the bullpen.

5. The Reds' roster is far from set, John Fay writes.

6. Eddie Bonine is in line for a starting spot, writes John Lowe.

7. A couple of No. 5 starter candidates will work Monday.

8. The No. 5 spot in the Yankees' rotation is still up for grabs, writes George King.

9. It sounds like a done deal that talented pitcher Jenrry Mejia will open the season with the Mets. And manager Jerry Manuel thinks he could learn from his inevitable struggles, writes Mark Hale.


[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]


1. The Mariners have not reached out to Jarrod Washburn since Cliff Lee got hurt, writes Mike Salk. Washburn turned down an offer of $5 million in the winter to pitch for the Brewers, according to Milwaukee sources.

2. Conor Jackson could hit leadoff for the D-backs.

3. The Dodgers cut Eric Gagne.

4. The Braves made some roster cuts, David O'Brien writes.

5. Jamie Moyer made his case for a spot in the Phillies' rotation. This is all part of Moyer's eternal quest, writes Phil Sheridan. Moyer is making this a tough decision for Philadelphia, writes Paul Hagen.

6. David Ortiz will deal with his contract down the road, John Tomase writes. That's smart because if he has a good year, the Red Sox probably will bring him back. If he doesn't, it will be the end of the road for Ortiz in Boston.


[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]


1. Dustin McGowan has been shut down but is not discouraged by this development, writes Mike Rutsey.

2. Michael Wuertz got back out on the mound, Susan Slusser writes.

3. The Angels' lineup is dinged up.

4. Jon Garland is not worried about his shoulder.

5. The Astros are dealing with some injury issues; three position players went down this past weekend, Zachary Levine writes.

6. Ozzie Guillen will be patient with Mark Teahen, writes Joe Cowley.

7. Matt Holliday is expected back in the Cardinals' lineup Monday.

8. Bobby Seay suffered a major setback with his shoulder, writes Tom Gage.

9. Injuries come with the job, Dioner Navarro tells Marc Topkin.

10. Brian Roberts swung a bat from both sides of the plate without a problem.

10. Daisuke Matsuzaka took baby steps.


[h3]Sunday's games[/h3]


1. The Rockies continue to run like crazy on the bases: Three more times, they stole bases.

2. Tim Lincecum threw a little harder and debunked a myth about a dollar bill, writes Henry Schulman.

3. Josh Johnson was solid. He feels he needs more work, writes Joe Capozzi.

4. Travis Hafner had another big day.

5. Wade Davis had an ugly start, at a time when the Rays are trying to figure out what to do with Andy Sonnanstine.


[h3]Other stuff[/h3]


• Heard this from a talent evaluator about the Nationals' Drew Storen: "Pretty impressive. Great sinking fastball. His fastball, to me, is a lot like [Josh] Johnson's fastball -- he doesn't throw as hard, but the action on it is the same. I could see he and [Stephen] Strasburg being around together for a long time."

• Johnny Damon is wearing his 2004 Red Sox championship ring for the first time.

• Aroldis Chapman has been picking up some English, John Fay writes.

• For once, Ryan Braun is healthy in spring training, writes Tom Haudricourt.

• Woody Paige guesses that the Rockies will win 99 games.

• The Cubs' clubhouse is very different this year with Marlon Byrd and Carlos Silva, writes Dave van Dyck.

• Willie Harris still hopes to play regularly, writes Adam Kilgore.

• The Rockies' Jason Hammel is working with confidence this year, writes Jim Armstrong.

• Ian Kennedy has an approach similar to that of Greg Maddux, writes Nick Piecoro.

• Madison Bumgarner felt he regained some velocity.

• The Angels are not thinking about what other teams in the AL West have done, writes Bill Plunkett.

• The Royals' pipeline of talent is showing some depth, writes Bob Dutton.

• The Padres are brimming with brotherly advice.

• Keeping Ron Washington as manager promotes the Rangers' image as a drug-infested team, writes Tim Cowlishaw. Questions remain about whether the Rangers are ready for the season, writes Anthony Andro.

• Matt Lindstrom hits triple digits. Nice story.

• The Marlins hope Cameron Maybin has staying power this year.

• Casey Kotchman's dad is legendary in the Angels organization, writes Larry Stone.

• Ozzie Guillen wants to turn the page.

• Dodgers minor league hitting coach Lenny Harris underwent a quadruple bypass.

• Vin Scully is embarrassed by all the fuss over his recent fall.

And today will be better than yesterday.
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[/h3]

 
He pitched against Kansas City in September of last season...

Statline: 5 IP, 3 ER

What is he trying to hide from KC again?
 
Originally Posted by ERASCISM


D-Train looking good this spring.
nerd.gif
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???

Detroit Tigers Columnist --
I believe today that Willis will be released and Bonine will make the team as a long reliever.

Willis has shown control during his Grapefruit League stints. But he no longer has the fastball, or the repertoire, that's fundamental to beating big-league teams. He can get the ball over the plate. But he isn't fooling any hitters.

There is no indication from the Tigers that any such move is likely. But it appears from how the pitchers have performed during the past three weeks that Willis is not throwing with enough zip or command to be a serious factor in Leyland's 2010 rotation. In his three-inning stint Thursday against Houston, Willis' fastball never once exceeded 89 mph.
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Today is looking like make or break for Dontrelle.


[h3]
[h3]Three teams up, and three down  http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5026495[/h3]
March, 25, 2010
Mar 25

7:45

AM ET

A.J. Hinch wants some pitchers to jump up and claim spots on the D-backs' pitching staff. His desire for improvement reflects what scouts in Arizona are saying about the D-Backs' pitching staff. "They've got some big holes right now," said one evaluator.

Nothing is won or lost officially in spring training, and teams are fully capable of playing terribly in March and then starting strongly in April. But if you were to consider what teams have wanted to accomplish in their respective camps -- because spring training is all about finding solutions -- the D-Backs' probably have had one of the worst spring trainings in baseball so far.

So here we go with three up and three down:
[h3]Three Up[/h3]
mlb_a_heyward_200.jpg

Getty ImagesHeyward's bat is one thing. His willingness to not swing it is equally impressive.
[*]Atlanta Braveshttp://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5026495: Jason Heyward has lived up to the hype so far, accumulating a .521 on-base percentage, and Tim Hudson has looked strong in his 20 innings, at a time when he needs to step into Javier Vazquez's spot in the rotation. And just about everybody the Braves would love to have rake in spring training has been doing so, including Troy Glaus (.375), Chipper Jones (.385) and Brian McCann (a 1.034 slugging percentage).
Something not so good: Kenshin Kawakami hasn't had good results at all, allowing 19 hits and three homers in 13.2 innings. [*]Detroit Tigershttp://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5026495: Austin Jackson has come into camp and done exactly what the Tigers needed him to do in winning the center field job decisively -- he has a .444 OBP this spring, and evaluators say that he appears to have developed much better pitch recognition. The Tigers love the presence that Johnny Damon has had in their camp, and Rick Porcello appears poised to ascend to the next tier of pitchers.
Something not so good: Many of the guys who will make up the corps of middle relievers, from Joel Zumaya to Ryan Perry, have not fared so well in this camp. [*]Chicago Cubshttp://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5026495: Ted Lilly seems to be on track to return to the rotation early in the season, Ryan Theriot grabbed the shortstop job by its jugular with an excellent showing in spring, and Alfonso Soriano says he feels like he's all the way back from the knee problem that bothered him a year ago. Carlos Zambrano continues to look like a different guy.
Something not so good: It's still unclear how much the Cubs are going to get from Aramis Ramirez at the outset of the season, because at the moment, he is not physically capable of playing third base. [h3]Three Down[/h3][*]Arizona Diamondbackshttp://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5026495: They had hoped that Brandon Webb could bounce back this spring and help to form part of a formidable 1-2-3 at the front of their rotation. But Webb isn't pitching, and Arizona really doesn't know when he'll take the mound -- and the guys who theoretically need to step up and fill that hole have not thrown well. (Justin Upton sprained his ankle on Wednesday, but for now, this injury is not considered serious).
Something good: Adam LaRoche, who has had slow starts in the past, is putting up some production this spring, hitting .333. [*]Texas Rangershttp://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5026495: The news broke that Ron Washington failed a drug test last season, the team's uncertain catching situation has not cleared up, and Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler have been hampered by injuries that have limited them to 44 at-bats.
Something good: Chris Davis is generating good results this spring, posting a .389 on-base percentage. [*]Baltimore Orioleshttp://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=5026495: Brian Roberts, the catalyst of the Baltimore offense, has been hampered by back trouble all spring, as he prepares to begin the first season of his new four-year deal. And while Kevin Millwood's history is that he looks awful in spring training, it probably can't be a lot of fun for the staff to see the guy who needs to anchor them get pummeled, to the tune of a 12.96 ERA. Jeremy Guthrie has gotten pounded, as well. As the Orioles look to April and early May, they will face arguably the toughest schedule in the AL.
Something good: Cla Meredith has had a good spring, allowing one earned run in seven innings.
• Bumped into
Nomar Garciaparra at ESPN and he chatted about what a great teammate, and what a good catcher, Kurt Suzuki is. You could make a case that right now, Suzuki is the second-best all-around catcher in the American League, behind Joe Mauer. Victor Martinez is obviously a better hitter, as is Jorge Posada, but Suzuki is strong defensively and will give you 50 to 60 extra-base hits.
• Even though the Mets
don't know when Jose Reyes is going to rejoin their lineup, Omar Minaya said on Wednesday that his impact was immediate. "He just brings so much energy to the rest of the guys, said Minaya.[h3]Strasburg[/h3]
The right-hander won't be in the minors for long: He
struck out nine in 4.1 innings of a camp game.[h3]A prospect quits[/h3]
Danny Duffy, regarded as one of the Royals' better prospects, informed the team that he is
leaving baseball, as Bob Dutton writes.[h3]The McCourts[/h3]
Jamie McCourt's lawyer says, in effect, that if Frank McCourt won't sell the team, then he'll have to learn how to
run it in concert with her.
This all makes you wonder if Major League Baseball might step in at some point and nudge the Dodgers' ownership -- however that is defined -- toward a resolution.
[h3]The battle for jobs[/h3]
1. The Rays picked
Wade Davis to be their No. 5 starter, writes Marc Topkin.
2.
Buster Posey continues to have a strong spring training, as mentioned within this Andrew Baggarly notebook. If evaluators with other teams had a vote in the Giants' decision (and they don't, of course), they'd argue that San Francisco would be best served by keeping Posey in the majors, and using him as the backup to Bengie Molina while giving him at-bats at first base and maybe even other positions. "He can help them with his bat right now," said one evaluator, "and you'd give him enough time catching to keep his development going."
3.
Jeremy Bonderman and Dontrelle Willis will be tested today.
4. After internal conversations, the Cardinals have picked a left-hander to be
their No. 5 starter.
5.
Mike Stanton was sent down, as expected. But like Strasburg, he will be back.
6.
C.J. Wilson is going to be part of the Rangers' rotation, but now they have a hole in their bullpen, writes Evan Grant. Within this piece, Evan writes about some signs of progress in former O's closer Chris Ray.
7. As colleague Tim Kurkjian learned on Wednesday,
Jim Edmonds was told that he has made the Brewers' roster, and he returned home to get some stuff.
8. It looks like
Tyler Colvin is going to make the Cubs' roster, writes Paul Sullivan.
9.
Mark Kotsay might hit third for the White Sox, writes Mark Gonzales.
10. The Yankees
need rules for Phil Hughes, writes Joel Sherman.[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Astros are changing the way
they target players, writes Richard Justice.
2. The Athletics added some
bullpen depth, writes Susan Slusser.
3.
Jeremy Affeldt agreed to a contract extension with the Giants.
4. Major League Baseball might rearrange the schedule for the games that the Phillies (with
Roy Halladay) will play in Toronto this summer, writes Bob Elliott.
5.
Adrian Gonzalez is not a goner, yet, writes Nick Canepa.
6. Jeff Moorad's group made
a payment this week, in its purchase of the Padres.
7. Major League Baseball apparently
agreed with something that Mike Scioscia said last fall, as Bill Plunkett writes.
8. The Rangers' sale may well
not be completed before Opening Day, writes Jeff Wilson.[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1.
Michael Bourn is close to getting back on the field.
2.
Russell Martin is making progress and could be back by Opening Day.
3. Looks like
Yadier Molina could miss the start of the regular season, writes Derrick Goold -- but Albert Pujols returned.
4.
Alex Gordon will not be ready for the start of the season.
5. Brian Roberts could play
this weekend.
6. There is
zero chance that Cliff Lee will be ready for the start of the season.
7. An arthroscopic procedure will give
Angel Guzman a chance to come back from shoulder problems.
8.
Bobby Jenks says he's good to go.[h3]Wednesday's games[/h3]
1.
Hideki Matsui smashed his boss's windshield, and it was a good day, writes Kevin Baxter.
2.
Brian Matusz was OK, but not great, against the Cardinals. Mentioned here before: Rival evaluators love what they are seeing in the lefty this spring.
3. The Braves continue to just kill the ball this spring -- and this time, it was Brian McCann who
did the hammering.
4.
Paul Maholm gave up three homers.
5.
Josh Beckett was The Man on Wednesday.
6.
Brandon McCarthy got blasted.
7.
Kevin Slowey has had a great spring.[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
•
Milton Bradley figures he fills the role of 'bad guy', as he tells Gregg Bell.
• The Rockies no longer toil
below the radar, writes Troy Renck.
• The union says it will support realignment if the change will help
keep the Rays more competitive. When you hear the word "realignment", you really are talking about three teams: The Rays, the Yankees and the Red Sox.
• Some Mariners pitchers are trying to
make an impression.
• Brian Schneider's knowledge of the NL East
will help the Phillies.
•
Sean Marshall is the face of the Cubs' pitching staff, writes Gordon Wittenmyer.
•
Joe Beimel threw batting practice.
• Ben Revere is
opening eyes, writes La Velle Neal.
• Jacob Turner
excites the Tigers' coaching staff, writes John Lowe.
•
J.R. Towles wants to be The Man behind the plate for the Astros, writes Bernardo Fallas.
• A Giants homegrown prospect is
on his way home, writes Henry Schulman.
• Jason Heyward is taking the
same approach.
•
Jacoby Ellsbury is not on a power trip, writes Peter Abraham.
• The Reds' Daniel Herrera figures he'll be
a good complement to Aroldis Chapman, writes John Fay.
•
Brandon Moss is having a terrible spring, as Dejan Kovacevic writes.
•
Shin-Soo Choo again looks poised for a strong season, writes Paul Hoynes.
•
Sad news about Dwight Gooden.
•
Anibal Sanchez looks like he has bounced back.
• For
J.J. Hardy, it's more important to use his bat than his brain, writes Tom Powers.
• Rick Peterson could have a big impact
on the Brewers, says Orel Hershiser.
• The Jays want
Alex Gonzalez for his glove, writes Dave Perkins.
• Tigers
fans will appreciate Scott Sizemore, writes Lynn Henning.
• A-Rod isn't talking about his meeting
with the Feds.
• It should be noted that Mark McGwire's return has created no ripples since the first couple of days of camp. The only way this becomes a story now, as mentioned here before, is if the Cardinals' offense sputters; if that happens, McGwire's ability as a coach will be questioned, probably unfairly.

Fyi: No blog on Friday.

The NCAA tournament is dead to me since Vanderbilt was knocked out. Dead to me, I tell you.

And today will be better than yesterday.
Click to expand...
[/h3]
 
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