Could Mike Lowell Become a Cardinal?

 

It all started by a scout with a scout making this comment.

“The Twins, Angels, and Cardinals [if they feel David Freese isn’t ready] could have a fit for him. The Giants, with Brian Sabean in the Yankee organization years ago when they signed him, could always use someone who can hit. The Mets could use him at first base. I’ve got to believe there’s a place for someone with Lowell’s righthanded power if Boston picks up the majority of the contract.’’ Then Rob Rains of the St.Louis Globe Democrat picked up the notion and ran with it in his article http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/feb/26/inside-baseball-lowell-would-be-great-plan-b-third/. I recall the Cardinals having interest in him during the winter of 2009. Lowell would make a great fit for the Cardinals if Freese isn't able to live up to his expectations. Lowell would also be a great back up for Pujols. Mike Lowell does expect to be traded before the beginning of the 2010 season. Mike was also quoted by saying “If I was on the trading block before, I can’t imagine all of a sudden I’m not now,” Lowell said. “I think my health is something I obviously something I need to show, not only the Red Sox but every other team. If that opens the door to something else, I’ll go wherever I go, or stay wherever I stay.”

Cards Sign Lopez

 

Felipe Lopez bounded into the St.Louis Cardinals clubhouse following his early morning physical Saturday prepared to work in the batting cage before the rest of the squad took to the fields. He’s just that happy to be back with the Cardinals.
Lopez signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Cardinals, returning him to the team he played for briefly in 2008. Lopez could earn $1.2 million in performance bonuses this season.
“This has been my first choice since I played here in ’08,” Lopez said. “It’s a great organization. I’m proud to be here. They treated me, like always, with open arms.
Lopez hit .385 with four home runs in 43 games after coming to St. Louis from Washington in 2008. Splitting time between Arizona and Milwaukee last year, he hit .310 with nine home runs.
St. Louis General Manager John Mozeliak wanted to give manager Tony La Russa more options in the lineup and infield.
“The idea of why we went down this path was to just give Tony more flexibility in his lineup,” Mozeliak said. “When you look at what Felipe is capable of doing, he really has the ability to play every position on the field other than pitcher and catcher, and he’s a switch hitter.”
Depending on the development of David Freese(notes) and Joe Mather(notes), Lopez could see significant time early at third base. He could also be part of the solution at shortstop if Brendan Ryan(notes) doesn’t recover as quickly as expected from offseason wrist surgery.
“We all thought we were a little thin,” St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. “We just got a little heftier as far as depth. If he (signed) with us he knew he could play multiple positions and he’s fine with that.”
Following a solid 2009, Lopez expected to be in some team’s camp much earlier than this. Upset by his status, Lopez changed his representation two weeks ago from Scott Boras to Beverly Hills Sports Council.
A first-round selection by Toronto in 1998, Lopez reached the majors with the Blue Jays in 2001 and was an All-Star for Cincinnati in 2005.
“I don’t know that he would have been (available) if we had waited through the weekend,” Mozeliak said. “We either had to do it now or relegate ourselves to, if we thought we needed that left-handed bat somewhere else, we would have had to pursue it in a trade.”
Mozeliak added that Lopez’s attitude during his two-month stretch with the club in 2008 factored in the decision to bring him back.
“I’m excited,” Lopez said. “It’s been tough just waiting around. I hate it. What matters is that I’m here. I’m in a good place with people I can learn a lot from.”

Source: AP

Spring Training Notes

The Giants full-squad are all in camp and besides Freddy Sanchez, it looks like everybody's at or near %100 and all should be available when the Giants kick off their Cactus League schedule next week.

Spring workouts have begun to intensify a bit with pitchers now throwing live batting practice instead of coaches, and there have been a couple of young guys who have put on some shows in BP. One of them has been one of the Giants' top-5 prospects, outfielder Thomas Neal. Neal has gone deep more than any other player in camp so far, and reportedly hit 5 jacks in one of his sessions of about 10-12 swings. Neal really generated a lot of interest last summer, after quietly putting together a nice 2008 season and AFL showing, and if he tears the cover off the ball this spring, he very well could be in the mix for a big league call-up at some point in 2010. His 2009 season reminded me a lot of Pablo Sandoval's 2008 campaign and we all saw how well Pablo fared when he got his call-up at the end of that season. I think Neal is right about where "The Panda" was at that point, and could be the next Giants farmhand to make his way into the starting lineup, quite possibly as early as the second half of 2010. Buster Posey has also impressed Bochy with his batting practice sessions, driving the ball to the gaps and flexing some power as well. A few other names Boch mentioned as far as youngsters who have really stuck out are outfielders Francisco Peguero and Roger Kieschnik.

One key area that Bruce Bochy and the coaching staff are prioritizing this spring are the basic fundamentals. On the very first day of full squad workouts, Bochy clarified that everyone will be doing some bunting and some situational hitting throughout the spring in order to cut down the failed attempts during the season. Last year, the Giants weren't the most fundamentally sound club out there and it cost them more than a few times. A lot of people overlook the small part of the game like the sacrifice bunt or moving a player over to third base with less than 2 outs. Although the Giants have added some more pop to their lineup with the additions of Aubrey Huff and Mark DeRosa, they don't have the quickest base runners throughout their lineup and they're going to have to play fundamentally sound baseball in order to help make up for that. Andrew Baggerly wrote an article the other day about this in the Merc, citing a few different times last year when the Giants failed to get down a sacrifice bunt, and if you can remember back to those games, you see just how crucial it can be to fail to get something as simple as a sacrifice bunt down.

Bochy also scheduled the Giants' only intrasquad game to take place on March 1st, two days prior to their Cactus League Opener. He didn't say who will pitch in the scrimmage, but I'd assume it'll be someone like Joe Martinez, Todd Wellemeyer, Kevin Pucetas or Henry Sosa (who I'd love to see get a look this spring by the way). Tim Linceucm will start the spring opener on Wednesday and will be followed by Madison Bumgarner. All eyes will likely be focused on the radar gun for these two guys as there were reports at the end of last season that both of their fastball velocities were down. I don't really think the drop in speed is anything to get too worked up about though, as Bumgarner's was more a mechanical issue, and Lincecum's drop was probably due a little bit to fatigue. This is why I think it would be wise for Tim to try and bulk up as much as he can without messing with his mechanics. It's going to be tougher for him at his size to continue throwing the ball upwards of 95 mph in October after throwing 220 innings than it would be for someone like Matt Cain or Madison Bumgarner. Even if he's at 92 mph though, Lincecum generates so much movement and is so tough to pick up for opposing hitters, that he's still just as tough to hit as he is when he's throwing 95-96. He should fill out though in the next couple of years as he gets into his later 20's though, and that's when this kid should become even better than he is now.

Injury Notes: Travis Ishikawa, who was going to miss up to three months if he needed surgery, and at the time it looked like that was going to be the case, may avoid going under the knife after all. He just had an MRI and his torn ligaments are healing and he could be playing within the next 2 weeks.
-Mark DeRosa hasn't hit on the field yet, only in the cages, as he recovers from his wrist surgery, but he should be ready within the first week of the Cactus League.
-Nothing really new on the Freddy Sanchez front, though he's still coming along nicely doing some light activities.

Enough Already shows some love and thanks!

I am happy to say that I won my first contest on one of the many blogs I follow. Sports Card Info (http://sportscardinfo.wordpress.com/) was having a contest for a 2010 Press Pass Eclipse Nascar lot and I was shocked when I saw on his site this evening that I had won. It's kind of a big thing to me personally because I don't usually win contests. The only thing I've ever won in any kind of contest was an autographed Hank Aaron baseball from McDonalds back in 1993. On a personal side note the only other non contest thing I've ever won was my Finance's heart ;-). Love ya Kathy Ann! The kids are gonna love these cards!

Thanks Ross Chrisman for the contest and the awesome blog!

http://sportscardinfo.wordpress.com/

Julius Peppers..... No Soup for YOU.

ESPN is reporting that Carolina Panthers Defensive End Julius Peppers has been released. No telling where the 30 year old will end up but he may be a candidate for the Eagles or even New England. Only time will tell.

SPLIT	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	STF	STFY	FF	BK	INT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	PD
2009	42	36	6	10.5	3	6	5	1	2	13	6.5	13	1	5
Career	382	310	72	81.0	31	41	30	9	6	177	29.5	97	2	44

Slap Shot of the Week

2005-06 Upper Deck Ice Ryan Miller Fresh Ice Jersey card.

"Ravishing Relics"

2008 Topps League Leaders LaDainian Tomlinson Jersey card.

Slugger the Royals Mascot in Trouble?

 

The Kansas City Royals are being sued by a man over a hot dog incident in the stands last summer.John Coomer alleges he suffered a detached retina and the development of cataracts in his left eye after he was hit by a hot dog that was thrown into the stands by the Royals' mascot Slugger.The lawsuit said that during a break in the game on Sept. 8, 2009, Slugger climbed on top of the third-base dugout and shot hot dogs into the stands with an air gun. After using the air gun, Slugger then started throwing hot dogs to fans, and one hot dog hit Coomer in the face.The lawsuit alleges negligence and battery.Coomer has undergone two surgeries and is seeking $25,000 in damages.The Royals said they are aware of a report about a lawsuit, but they have no comment on pending legal matters.Royals spokesman Toby Cook said there has been several personnel changes, and there will be a different person playing Slugger this season. Cook said the change is not related to any particular incident.

Source: KMBC News

Giants Full-Squad Workouts Begin

The Giants had their first official full-squad workout scheduled for Tuesday, but weather conditions have kind of kept teams from getting into their full-planned practices.

The two new additions to the Giants lineup, Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff, both arrived a few days early and got some work in on Monday before the rains came in and cut the workouts short. Huff arrived in good shape, supposedly down 10-15 pounds from where he ended last season at and appears determined to bounce back from his sub-par 2009 season. The 1 year deal could be a blessing for the Giants as he's again in a contract year and will have huge incentive to produce. The Giants projected number 5 hitter and left fielder, Mark DeRosa, is still easing his way back from surgery on his left wrist, but has been able to take part in most baseball activities and expects to be on the field for the Giants' Cactus League opener March 3rd. DeRosa took live batting practice in the cages on Monday, and reported no ill effects from the wrist surgery. Unfortunately, the Giants have done most all their hitting in cages over the last couple of days, so it's kind of tough to tell how the sessions have actually gone, but it's so early anyway that I don't think anyone is concerned one way or another. The other Giants' position player recovering from surgery, Freddy Sanchez, took part in agility drill and did some running as he tries to get himself into baseball shape despite not being scheduled to take part in any Cactus League games at this point.

Besides making sure DeRosa and Sanchez get back to 100%, the Giants will also be hoping to see a few of their returning players bounce back in 2010, and a good spring will definitely put them on the right track. The two guys I'm thinking about are Edgar Renteria and Aaron Rowand. Renteria, especially, has to bounce back in a big way from 2009's disaster in which he hit a career-low .250 and sported a career-low OPS of .635. At least, the Giants would like to see that OPS rise into the .700's and the batting average up around .275 or higher, and I do think Renteria can still do that. It's no secret that he played most of last year at less than 100%, and apparently one doctor who checked him out after the season was surprised he was able to continue playing in the condition he was in. His bounce back will be key in the Giants success, both offensively and defensively, as will Rowand's.

Aaron Rowand is set to leadoff for the Giants and hold that spot indefinitely and they're hoping he'll have the same success in that spot that he did when he was first moved there last summer. Obviously, in a perfect world, the Giants would have a more ideal leadoff man, and did show a bit of interest in guys like Johnny Damon and Scott Podsednik to try and get a more seasoned leadoff man in here, but Rowand actually thrived there in 2009. The 32 year-old center fielder hit .294 with 6 homers, 25 RBI, 29 runs scored and carried an OPS over .800 in 50 games at the leadoff spot last season. If Rowand doesn't work out in the top spot this year, I'd like to see the Giants go with Freddy Sanchez there as soon as he gets back into the lineup. Although he doesn't walk a whole lot, Sanchez is a patient hitter, and makes consistent contact and when he's right, he'll hit for a high batting average, and all those things translate well at the top of the order. Darren Ford, a youngster who could be in the mix in center field down the line, is also in camp, and he could very well put himself in a favorable spot with a strong spring. After Rowand in center field, there's Andres Torres and that's about it as far as major league ready players go, so Ford is going to given ample opportunity to climb his way up the organizational depth chart.

College Top 25 Rankings: 2/22

College baseball opened with a flourish around the country this past weekend. Before my rankings, check out Baseball America, Rivals, and College Baseball Today.

1. Virginia (2)

It wasn't pretty, but the talented Cavaliers took two of three at East Carolina to take over the #1 ranking. LHP Danny Hultzen was solid on Friday night (6 IP, 2 ER), while 3B Steven Proscia and 2B Keith Werman had nice series.

2. LSU (4)

The defending champs swept Centenary this weekend on the strength of two close games and a 25-8 rout. Sophomore righty Joey Bourgeois (6 shutout innings with 7 punchouts on Sunday) might have been the most encouraging development, as the Tigers are looking for quality arms to help Anthony Ranaudo and Matty Ott.

3. Texas (1)

The Longhorns stumbled to a series loss against New Mexico, thereby relinquishing their #1 position. Taylor Jungmann showed his ace potential with a 7-inning, 2-run, 8-strikeout performance on Friday. I don't know what Chance Ruffin is doing in the bullpen, though. The righthander was the dependable staff ace the last two years and has a chance to be one of the best pitchers in the country. Maybe his bullpen struggles will make Augie Garrido think about putting him back in the rotation. Texas is still one of the best teams in the nation, but they've already shown they're not unbeatable.

4. Georgia Tech (5)

Tech didn't really prove anything by sweeping Missouri State, but certain individual performances make me like their club even more. Along with Deck McGuire's typical masterpiece (7 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K) and Tony Plagman's customary ball-bashing exploits, the Yellow Jackets received encouraging contributions from sophomore lefty Jed Bradley (6 IP, 0 R, 12 K) and junior OF Chase Burnette (8-for-11, 2 HR). Shortstop Derek Dietrich, however, did not draw favorable reviews.

5. Florida State (7)

In typical FSU fashion, the Seminoles scored double-digits in each game of a three-game sweep. Stephen Cardullo, Tyler Holt, Jayce Boyd, Sherman Johnson, and others led the potent offensive attack. Lefties Sean Gilmartin and John Gast had solid starts on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Look for more crooked numbers when FSU hosts Hofstra this weekend.

6. UC Irvine (8)

Daniel Bibona dazzled on Friday (7 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K). and helped the Anteaters sweep Loyola Marymount. UC Irvine's offense, led by good contact hitters like Ryan Fisher, Casey Stevenson, and Francis Larson, came through with 33 runs in three games.

7. Arizona State (9)

The Sun Devils tore apart their cold-weather opponent (Northern Illinois) as expected, showing in the process the variety of offensive contributors they have. Zach Wilson, Matt Newman, Riccio Torrez, Kole Calhoun, Drew Maggi, and Zack McPhee will all play major roles this season. I'm not sure whether to be concerned or not over ace lefty Josh Spence's arm soreness, which knocked him out of action on Friday. ASU has another easy task this week, with Towson coming to town for a three games.

8. Cal State Fullerton (3)

I like the Titans' team, but they didn't play well this weekend, dropping games to Oregon and Pepperdine. Fullerton mustered a combined three runs in its two losses and didn't quite clamp down on the pitching end either. The best performances came from RHP Tyler Pill (7 IP, 0 ER on Sunday) and OF Gary Brown (6-for-14 with 4 stolen bases). Freshman RHP Dylan Floro also got his career started on the right foot. The Titans have their work cut out for them with TCU coming to town this weekend.

9. Florida (10)

The Gators looked very impressive in a weekend of South Florida. Young hurlers Brian Johnson, Tommy Toledo, and Anthony DeSclafani threw well, and frosh backstops Austin Maddox and Michael Zunino flashed their potential. Florida looks very dangerous.

10. Rice (6)

Rice was the highest-ranked team to be swept, going down to host Stanford in three consecutive games. Superstar 3B Anthony Rendon and freshman Michael Ratteree played fine, but the Owls' pitching was the culprit. It will be interesting to see how Wayne Graham sorts out his staff behind solid lefty Taylor Wall.

11. Coastal Carolina (11)

The Chanticleers won the first two games of their tournament but lost to Kentucky on Sunday. RHP Anthony Meo (2.2 IP, 5 R, 2 ER) and 3B Scott Woodward (1-for-12) will look to bounce back this week.

12. Louisville (13)

I was very impressed by Louisville this past weekend. The Cardinals (particularly Andrew Clark, Ryan Wright, Stewart Ijames, and Adam Duvall) mashed like expected, and they got some nice pitching contributions as well. Thomas Royse, Bob Revesz, Neil Holland, and Matt Lea look solid, though Tony Zych (0 IP, 7 R) will have to bounce back this week.

13. Clemson (14)

Clemson impressed in three wins this weekend, albeit against inferior opponents. The usual suspects carried the Tigers, with Kyle Parker and Mike Freeman having good series at the dish and lefty Casey Harman tossing 5 scoreless innings on Friday. OF Will Lamb is a big breakout candidate; the sophomore went 4-for-4 with a home run and added 2.1 scoreless innings on the mound. (Baseball America named him the top prospect in the Coastal Plains League last summer.)

14. East Carolina (12)

ECU lost a series at home, but there's not much to be concerned about. The Pirates faced then-#2 Virginia, won on Saturday, and generally had solid individual performances. Hurlers Kevin Brandt, Seth Maness, and Mike Wright showed well (though Brad Mincey, who surrendered 6 runs on Sunday, needs a bounce-back). The Pirate bats are alive and well, as evidenced by the bashing from Dustin Harrington (5-for-13 with 1 HR) and John Wooten (3-for-8 with 2 bombs).

15. TCU (15)

The Horned Frogs swept Sam Houston State this weekend to hold steady at #15. Starting pitchers Steven Maxwell and Matt Purke were solid, but I was most impressed by freshman OF Josh Elander, who kicked his TCU career off by going 8-for-10.

16. San Diego (16)

In taking three of four from Indiana, San Diego's bats were very impressive. James Meador, Bryan Haar, Chris Engell, and Kevin Muno contributed to a combined 39-run outburst. USD's talented pitching staff is characteristically its hallmark, but the offense could make them an elite overall team.

17. Arkansas (17)

Arkansas took two of three from Ball State (a solid opponent), but the Razorbacks didn't look overly impressive. Sophomore 2B Bo Bigham injured his shoulder and will likely miss a month or more.

18. North Carolina (18)

In eking out a sweep of George Washington, the Tar Heels displayed why they are a solid team but likely won't be able to match the top-notch play of the last four years. UNC received excellent starts from righties Patrick Johnson (7 IP, 1 R, 7 K) and Colin Bates (7 IP, 3 R), and hit the ball just adequately.

19. UCLA (19)

Just like it was drawn up, the Bruins got stellar starts last weekend from twin aces Gerrit Cole (6 IP, 2 ER, 9 K) and Trevor Bauer (8 IP, 3 ER, 13 K). Fellow underclassmen Steve Rodriguez and Beau Amaral paced the offense. I'm still waiting for Rob Rasmussen to live up to his potential and round out the rotation. UCLA has a tough week coming up, with Long Beach State, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, and USC on the schedule.

20. Miami (20)

Miami swept Rutgers behind strong offense and a nice return from Tommy John surgery from Eric Erickson (5.2 IP, 1 R, 6 K). The Hurricanes were led at the dish by Chris Pelaez, Harold Martinez, David Villasuso, and Yasmani Grandal, four players who will be crucial this season.

21. Ole Miss (21)

Completely opposite of what was expected, Rebels ace Drew Pomeranz struggled while Aaron Barrett and Trent Rothlin had strong starts to round out the weekend. Mike Bianco has to love the performances from the latter two, as they are vital to Mississippi's chances this year. The Rebels have a solid offense and should be able to pick up four wins this week.

22. Oregon State (22)

OSU won three of four versus Hawaii. Carter Bell, who is replacing Joey Wong at shortstop, went 7-for-13 on the week. Power-armed enigmas Tanner Robles and Greg Peavey pitched decently, and underclassmen such as Matt Boyd, Sam Gaviglio, and Tony Bryant were even better. The Beavers have an interesting matchup against Tennessee this week.

23. Southern Miss (24)

The Golden Eagles managed to take two of three from Northwestern State. RHP Todd McInnis was brilliant on Friday (6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K) as usual. Joey Archer had a great weekend (8-for-13), as did stud shortstop B.A. Vollmuth.

24. Vanderbilt (24)

The Commodores took care of business as expected this weekend, overmatching Niagara by a combined score of 46-5 over three games. Sonny Gray was outstanding on Friday night (8 IP, 0 R, 7 K) and Saturday man Taylor Hill pitched well also (6.2 IP, 0 R, 9 K). Among the many offensive stars, Jason Esposito and Aaron Westlake stand out. Vandy will face stiffer competition in the Dodgertown Classic in California this weekend.

25. Stanford (NR)

The Trees hop in the rankings after taking a broom to Rice, previously the #6 team. Stanford might have had the most impressive weekend of any team in the country. The young rotation of Jordan Pries, Scott Snodgress, and Brett Mooneyham flashed its potential, as did the talented freshman in the lineup (Kenny Diekroeger, Stephen Piscotty, Jake Stewart). The Cardinal have a huge test coming up this weekend, with a trip to #3 Texas on the docket.

Out

Georgia (23)

Next Tier

South Carolina

Ohio State

Kansas

Oklahoma

Kentucky

LaDainian Tomlinson has been released

This afternoon the San Diego Chargers organization has severed it's ties with Running Back LaDainian Tomlinson. According to John Clayton at ESPN is was a mutual separation between LaDainian and the Chargers Organization. We all knew it was going to happen at some point. He was compiling less and less yards and was spending more time healing his injuries on the bench.

The question is will LaDainian go the Shaun Alexander route or will he find another team that is willing to take a chance on a 30 year old running back?







LaDainian Tomlinson career numbers

SPLIT	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	REC	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	FUM	LST
2009	223	730	3.3	36	12	20	154	7.7	36	0	2	2
Career	2880	12490	4.3	85	138	530	3955	7.5	74	15	27	12

Manny's Last Year As Dodger?

 

Manny Ramirez has never been one to bite his tongue, and today was no exception. Ramirez told reporters that he expects this season with the L.A. Dodgers to be his last.

"I won't be here next year, so I just want to enjoy myself," said the 37-year-old Ramirez, speaking to reporters in the Dodgers clubhouse, according to ESPN.

Ramirez, who turns 38 in May, went on to say he doesn't even know if he'll play baseball for any team in 2011.

"I don't know. I just know I'm not going to be here. When the season is over, I will see where I'm at."

He added, "I'm just speculating, but I'm not 23 anymore."

On paper, Ramirez logged a pretty good season last year, batting .290 with 19 home runs and 63 RBI's. But he was suspended for 50 games for violating the league's drug policy. In July, he resumed playing, and performed pretty well for a couple months. But he fell into a slump in September, and from that point to the end of the season he batted a disappointing .218.

Some commentators have also questioned whether the Dodgers -- which are currently smarting from financial issues -- can afford Ramirez, who will be paid $20 million this upcoming season. This season will be the second of a two-year, $45 million contract.

Torre Signs Fourth Year with Dodgers

 

Joe Torre said Saturday he has committed himself to a fourth year with the team, ending speculation about whether or not he will return in 2011. Torre’s current contract runs through the upcoming season, but talks are underway to extend his deal one more year. After 2011, the 69-year-old with four World Series titles as a manager said he would call it quits.
“Right now we’re just talking about the one year and what the number’s going to be,” Torre said, referring to what he will be paid in 2011.
When Torre originally signed with the Dodgers before the 2008 season there was a two-year offer on the table. But not wanting to be a lame duck manager after just one season in Los Angeles, he requested a third year.
Torre still intended on retiring after those first two seasons with the Dodgers.
“As it turns out, I’m still enjoying it,” he said. “But I’ve never been this age before. At some point you’re going to dread going to spring training and that day hasn’t come and I’m happy about that. It means I have the energy and feel good. Everything is good with me.”
Heading into his 29th season as a major-league manager, Torre has a career record of 2,246-1,915. His teams have reached the postseason 14 consecutive seasons, tying Atlanta’s Bobby Cox for the major-league record.
“When I first came over here I was just curious myself how I would like it,” Torre said. “I never anticipated after being in New York my first eight or nine years that I would go somewhere else and start over again. It’s been a great decision on my part to continue doing this because it’s been fun.”
General manager Ned Colletti has said there is no rush to finalizing Torre’s extension.
“I don’t have a deadline on it; that’s not a priority for me,” Torre said. “The priority now is spring training and putting the club together.”

Source AP


                                            Dodger News

                                         
Eric Gagne is pretty sure this is his last shot at a major league comeback. He’s glad to be getting it with the Los Angeles Dodgers. “I always wanted to come back. It was a matter of the timing,” Gagne said Saturday at spring training. “If I’m healthy and can throw the way I can throw, it shouldn’t be a problem to make the team.”
The 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner rejoined the Dodgers when he agreed to a minor league contract Friday. He was given an invite to big league camp and will make $500,000 if he’s added to the 40-man roster. Another $500,000 is available in performance bonuses.
The reliever was the toast of Los Angeles when he converted a record 84 consecutive save chances, including all 55 during the 2003 season. He won the NL Cy Young Award that year and his lively entrances from the bullpen were a spectacle that managed to keep typically early-departing Dodgers fans in their seats.
On his first day back inside the Dodgers’ clubhouse Saturday, Gagne pulled on a fresh, blue cap and tugged at the bill. He said it was perfect.
He could have been referring to more than just the fit. The right-hander has pitched for three big league teams (Rangers, Red Sox and Brewers) since leaving the Dodgers after the 2006 season. But it was in Los Angeles where he became a star closer, and he said the Dodgers never left his heart.
“I had my best memories here,” Gagne said. “I wish I never left. I wish I stayed here. I never wanted to leave. I don’t know if you know about it, but in the minor leagues, they breed you to be a Dodger. That’s what I am.”
General manager Ned Colletti didn’t have to take much of a risk on Gagne with a minor league deal. And if it works out, the pitcher will be back in the Dodgers family.
“He was the face of this franchise for a while,” Colletti said. “We know how he competes and how strong that part of his game will always be. If he can transfer that into his stuff, who knows? We’re curious to see if he can reinvent himself.”
Gagne departed after elbow and back operations limited him to a combined 15 1-3 innings over the 2005 and 2006 seasons. In 2007, he was named in the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
“There are a lot of regrets,” Gagne said, without confirming details in the report. “You have to accept it and just go on. You have to keep going and enjoy baseball. Get people out and get back to basics.”
The Mitchell Report said Gagne received human growth hormone in 2004. He apologized to Milwaukee teammates for “a distraction that shouldn’t be taking place” but didn’t directly address the allegation.
“I’ve said it 150 times—it’s always going to be on my resume for the rest of my life. People will second-guess everything I do, and if I have a good year they’ll all second-guess that,” he said Saturday. “That’s normal. I’m not expecting anything else. But for me, it’s over. I have to go on. I can talk about it every day, but it doesn’t matter. I still have to go out and pitch and perform.”
Looking much thinner than he was at his peak of 242 pounds during his Dodgers days, Gagne first said he’s probably seven pounds lighter. Later he amended that to 10-12 pounds lighter.
Gagne was released by the Brewers last spring and spent the year in his native Canada, rehabbing a slight tear in his shoulder while pitching in the independent Can-Am League.
Now, he figures this is his last chance to win a major league job.
“Health-wise, yeah,” Gagne said. “I’ve given it about a year and a half of just working hard and taking care of my body. If it doesn’t work out, I can’t take three years off and do it again. It gets to a point where you can’t keep rehabbing every year.”

Source: AP

Mitchell Page New Hitting Coach for Quad Cities

 

The Cardinals also hired Mitchell Page, formerly their hitting coach, as hitting instructor at Class-A Quad Cities. Roger LaFrancois was hired as hitting coach at rookie league Johnson City.

Page was the Cardinals hitting coach from 2001-04 and had been in the Washington Nationals organization the past two seasons.

Topps Platinum Blaster Box = LOADED

Today I visited the Altoona Target store with my son and daughter in tow. We walked by the card isle and it was Christmas time all over again for these two children of mine. They gazed upon the cards and then I must've heard "Dad can I have this" a million times. I had to whip out a flurry's of "NO's" by the boatload. However after receiving the dreaded, "4 brown eyes stare" from them and then I glanced at a box of cards in my daughter's hand I gave in and said, "yes" to them picking up a blaster box of Topps Platinum. Well for once saying, "yes" paid off and I mean it PAID OFF by the boatloads.

You get 8 packs total per blaster box and one rookie card per pack. Well this must've been one heck of a hot box because what you see here is exactly what we pulled from this box. There is supposed to be one rookie per pack and we pulled 4 James Davis cards, 2 Matthew Stafford cards, and 2 Heyward-Bey cards. Talk about collation issues...where do I begin?

Rangers Looking at Jose Molina

 

Yadier Molina's brother Jose was offered a minor league contract by the Texas Rangers. The funny thing is that the Rangers have three catchers on the 40 man roster already. The starting Catcher job is up for grabs between  Saltamacchia, Teagarden and Toby Hall. Jarrod seems to be the frontrunner but he may still have shoulder problems. This is why the team want to bring Molina on board. This is a wait and see deal. Personally I would love to see Molina signed with the Rangers. His personality would fit well with the starting five pitchers.

Spring Training Begins

Pitchers and Catchers have officially started their workouts, and the rest of the full-squad's arrival is just a few days away as the first full-squad workout is scheduled for February 23rd.

Unfortunately, there is already in an injury report going as one of the positional players who arrived early, Travis Ishikawa, will be sidelined for up to 3 months with multiple fractures in his foot. Ishikawa was set to back-up Aubrey Huff at first base and provide the Giants with a stellar defensive glove late in close ballgames, but it looks like he'll be unavailable until early June. Ishi's injury could open the door for Jon Bowker or even someone like Brett Pill to make the team for depth at first base. The team did get better news regarding injured second basemen Freddy Sanchez, as he appears to be a little ahead of schedule on his rehab from shoulder surgery in December. Sanchez's rehab was originally diagnosed to keep him out through the beginning of the regular season, but he's now targeting the tail end of spring as a return date and could be ready to start the year with the team after all. With most of the Giants roster set, the key to this spring will be keeping everyone healthy, so I wouldn't push it with Sanchez until he's absolutely ready. I don't want to see this thing nag him all year, and if he has to miss a couple weeks to start the season to be sure he's %100 in order to avoid missing time in the middle of the season, then so be it. They have Juan Uribe and Mark DeRosa who can easily fill in at second without the Giants missing much, at least offensively.

Tim Lincecum, fresh off his newly signed 2-year, $23 million deal had his first workout of the spring on Thursday, even getting up onto a mound and getting off a couple of big curve balls, a pitch he has yet to really employ in his first couple of seasons. Something we tend to forget with Lincecum after he's won consecutive Cy Young Awards, is that he's still a very young pitcher and still has plenty to learn at this level and adding another off-speed pitch to his repertoire is a prime example of that. Bruce Bochy made mention of Lincecum's workout, as he was impressed with the breaking balls the 25 year-old was dealing. Bochy and Dave Righetti also hinted that Madison Bumgarner may not join Lincecum in the Giants rotation to start the regular season. The Giants are only going to need to use a fifth starter in three ballgames in April, and it won't be until early May that they'll actually need to consistently have a fifth starter. Because of the lack of opportunity, they could start Bumgarner down in Fresno in order for him to get 4-5 starts and get into a rhythm in April rather than throw about once every 10 days in the Big Leagues. The Giants have Todd Wellemeyer in camp, and could decide to use him as the fifth starter/long releiver in April while MadBum get's some final seasoning in Fresno, and I don't think that would be a horrible idea.

Buster Posey Watch: Bruce Bochy also got into Buster Posey's potential role with the Giants on Thursday, saying the 22 year-old catcher would take grounders only at first base when he's not catching this spring. I'm still expecting Buster to start the year in Fresno where he can play everyday, but with Ishikawa out until around mid-season, he could earn himself some extra at-bats and playing time, at least in the spring, by becoming familiar with first base. I think we're going to see Posey in San Francisco before Ishikawa returns and if Huff gets hurt or struggles, Posey could get some significant time there, so I definitely see the logic in having him learn the position.

Ravishing Relics: Chris "2,006 yds" Johnson

2008 SPX Rookie Winning Materials

Cool "Oldie"

1979 Topps Dale Alston #54

Career Statistics:

G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
189	332	79	7	4	3	48	35	28	44	.238	.297	.310	71

Chicken Scratch

Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth is a Left Winger who currently plays for the L.A. Kings. Smyth was selected in the 94'draft by the Edmonton Oilers where he played 12 seasons. He then played for NY Islanders and the Colorado Avalanche before playing with the LA Kings. He is also known as "Captain Canada" due to his participation in the Olympics/World Championships.

Ryan's autograph looks like the result of getting slapped upside the head by Todd Bertuzzi's hockey stick. The only legible letter in this autograph is apparently the "R". You can also identify his jersey number "94" as well. As for the last name signature portion...I have no clue. Over the years he's had the same consistent signature so there's really no chance of him making it any more legible apparently. I'd say this signature was slapped off the goal post.

Images of Spring Training

 

 

                                                                        Ruben Gotay
                                                                                
                                                                                
Photos by Jeff Robinson
   

McGwire's First Day of Spring Training

 

This morning was the first start of Spring Training for the Cardinals, and of course there was a brief McGwire media frenzy. 

Saying that his admission was a “big, big release,” he chatted amiably and spoke casually about the steroid issue for 17 minutes, devoid of the emotion that marked a January news media blitz. In those interviews, McGwire admitted that he was a longtime steroid user during a 16 year career that peaked in 1998 with 70 home runs, breaking Roger Maris record of 61 set in 1961. Soon after McGwire went to work. Some of the other players that have come early are Rueben Gotay, Colby Rasmus and Joey "Bombs" Mather. I am just giddy with excitement.

Successfully Quiet Offseason Winds Down

With pitchers and catchers set to report to Scottsdale on Wednesday, followed by their first workout on Thursday, Spring Training is officially upon us. Finally, in our next post, we'll actually have some on-field happenings to discuss!

It was a relatively quiet offseason for baseball this winter, as the free agent market wasn't stocked with big name talent, but there was a big bat (Jason Bay) and a few aces (Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee) who will be in new places in 2010. It seemed like this years' market was flooded with players who either were injured or had sub-par years in 2009. With the market as shallow as it was, the Giants didn't get involved with any of the bigger names on the market, and wisely stuck to the second-tiere of free agents this winter to help upgrade their offense. They didn't trade for an Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder, or get involved in the Matt Holliday or Jason Bay contract talks, but they did bring in a couple of bats in Aubrey Huff and Mark DeRosa, who should definitely help their offense and won't hurt their budget. They also returned a few guys who were very key to last years success in Bengie Molina and Juan Uribe. With the addition of Huff and DeRosa, it will enable the Giants to move Molina down in the order, where his lack of speed is easier to place. Huff is coming off a down year and DeRosa is coming off of a rough 2nd half of last year, so they will have their doubters and definitely have something to prove in 2010. All that being said, I expect both to be positive additions to the team this year, especially at the salary they're being paid.

Other than Huff and DeRosa, there weren't many changes made by the Giants this winter. They recently added right-handers Guillermo Mota, Byung-Hyun Kim and Todd Wellemeyer on minor league deals and I'm expecting at least one of those guys to break north with the big club to start the season. Wellemeyer will provide insurance in case 20 year-old Madison Bumgarner isn't quite ready for the full-time fifth starters spot. Mota should take Bobby Howry's role from last season and provide an overall young bullpen with a veteran presence. Kim can do a little bit of both and I'd expect him to start off in Fresno's rotation or as their closer. The Giants could still be in search for another reliever or two, to add depth if nothing else, during the spring. There are still some arms that are desperately seeking employment as spring training begins, including relievers Chan Ho Park, Kiko Calero and Joe Beimel as well as starter Jarrod Washburn. Also, there is one position player out there who I'd like to see the Giants take a shot on, and that guy is Rocco Baldelli. He could give the outfield some depth and provide a right-handed option to spell Nate Schierholtz in rightfield. He's a guy who could really make sense for this team and still has time to pan out if he can stay on the field. He did finish up last season healthy, and did homer 7 times with 22 RBI in just 150 at-bats with Boston... Jermaine Dye (bay area native) as a fourth outfielder/first basemen wouldn't be the worst addition either.

So, overall, I can't really complain about the Giants game plan for this offseason. They also capped things off positively, inking Tim Lincecum to a 2 year-deal that allows them to avoid arbitration for the next 2 years with their ace. They didn't spend money that will handicap them in the future, and they managed to get some players in who should help them out if they play up to their career standards. They may not pan out, but if they don't, it won't be an Edgar Renteria/Dave Roberts/Aaron Rowand-type, multi-year mistake. I would have liked to see them bring in Xavier Nady and Adam LaRoche instead of DeRosa and Huff, but LaRoche wouldn't sign here, and Nady's elbow must not be at %100 cause he's a rock solid hitter, and he generated very little interest in a think free agent market... Are DeRosa and Huff enough to get the Giants into the playoffs? Probably not, but they will help, and if guys like Renteria, Rowand and Freddy Sanchez can rebound from last year, things will definitely be looking up for the Giants in 2010!

*Check out The Giants Baseball Blog at HotStove.Com in a discussion about Tim Lincecum here! The Giants Baseball Blog is a regular contributor to Hotstove.com and HotStove TV!

ICHIRO "I'm bringing SEXY BACK"

It's time for another addition of "What were they thinking?". This time we have another TOPPS card that has left us a little puzzled after looking at it and then random thoughts begin to fill the mind:

1. Ichiro was listening to Justin Timberlake in his IPOD before the game and felt like bringing "SEXY BACK" to the plate.

2. Ichiro just finished watching "To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" before playing the game.

3. "I'm gonna bitch slap that silly white thing!"

4. "I'm ICHIRO......BIOTCH!"

5. "Does this bat make me look fat?"

Preseason College Top 25 Rankings

I will do a weekly college poll (actually just rankings, not a poll) this year. Check it out on Mondays along with others like Baseball America and Rivals. I have sedulously pored over the teams, and here are my initial rankings.

1. Texas

Coach: Augie Garrido

2009 Finish: CWS runner-up

The Longhorns have an embarrassment of riches on the mound. The weekend rotation of Taylor Jungmann, Cole Green, and Brandon Workman has the potential to be special. Chance Ruffin has experience pitching on Fridays, and he will switch to a multi-inning, moment-of-truth reliever. (I would have opted to keep Ruffin in the Friday slot, as he is one of the best in the business.) The 'Horns have a deep staff, and their defense, led by shortstop Brandon Loy, should be excellent as well. Texas isn't as strong offensively, but players such as Cameron Rupp, Kevin Keyes, Connor Rowe, and Russell Moldenhauer will get the job done.

2. Virginia

Coach: Brian O'Connor

2009 Finish: CWS

Virginia has an immensely talented, balanced club. Jarrett Parker, Phil Gosselin, Tyler Cannon, Steven Proscia, and Dan Grovatt are offensive studs. Danny Hultzen leads a shutdown rotation, and the Cavaliers have above-average athleticism and defense to boot.

3. Cal State Fullerton

Coach: Dave Serrano

2009 Finish: CWS

The Titans return their entire weekend rotation, which was outstanding last season. Shortstop Christian Colon is a superstar who will lead the Titans.

4. LSU

Coach: Paul Mainieri

2009 Finish: CWS title

Anthony Ranaudo and Matty Ott are arguably the top starter and reliever, respectively, in the game. The Tigers lost a lot from last year's championship team, but they kept cogs such as Blake Dean, Micah Gibbs, and Mikie Mahtook.

5. Georgia Tech

Coach: Danny Hall

2009 Finish: Regionals

Georgia Tech always looks better on paper than in reality. The Yellow Jackets have high-upside pitchers in Deck McGuire, Brandon Cumpton, Mark Pope, and Kevin Jacob. Their lineup, led by Matt Skole, Tony Plagman, and Derek Dietrich, has some of the most thump in the nation.

6. Rice

Coach: Wayne Graham

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

Similar to last season, the Owls have a terrific offense and a mix-and-match formula on the mound. Anthony Rendon, Rick Hague, Diego Seastrunk, Michael Fuda, and Chad Mozingo star in a fearsome lineup.

7. Florida State

Coach: Mike Martin

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

FSU's rotation is not dominating, but won't need to be because its offense is so productive. Tyler Holt is one of the top sparkplugs in the country, and Stuart Tapley, Mike McGee, and Stephen Cardullo mash behind him. The Seminoles' pitching may be undersold as well, as Sean Gilmartin, Brian Busch, and McGee are good competitors.

8. UC Irvine

Coach: Mike Gillespie

2009 Finish: Regionals

Irvine has to be elated, as they retained senior pitchers Daniel Bibona, Christian Bergman, and Eric Pettis. The Anteaters have an excellent run prevention unit. They lack power, but can skill it up on offense. Brian Hernandez, Francis Larson, Casey Stevenson, Cory Olson, D.J. Crumlich, Jeff Cusick, and Ronnie Shaeffer form an above-average, contact-oriented offense.

9. Arizona State

Coach: Tim Esmay

2009 Finish: CWS

ASU lost an incredible amount of talent (from ace Mike Leake to bash brothers Jason Kipnis and Carlos Ramirez to head coach Pat Murphy), but I still think the Sun Devils could be in for a return engagement to Omaha. Josh Spence is among the top hurlers in the country, and Mitchell Lambson, Seth Blair, and Jordan Swagerty will give him enough backup. ASU has a wealth of talented position players: Matt Newman, Kole Calhoun, Zach Wilson, Johnny Ruettiger, Drew Maggi, Riccio Torrez, Xorge Carrillo, Deven Marrero, Andy Workman, and Zack McPhee.

10. Florida

Coach: Kevin O'Sullivan

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

The Gators have gotten their mojo back under Kevin O'Sullivan. They hosted a Super Regional last season and have brought in top-notch recruiting classes of late. Florida has several excellent underclassman arms, and first baseman Preston Tucker could be one of the top hitters in the country.

11. Coastal Carolina

Coach: Gary Gilmore

2009 Finish: Regionals

Let's hear it for the mid-majors! Coastal always puts out a competitive ballclub, but this year they have a legitimate shot to be the top team in the Carolinas and make it to Omaha. The Chanticleers have a great 1-2 punch of lefty Cody Wheeler and righty Anthony Meo, as well as several other interesting arms. Their offense features speedsters (Rico Noel, Scott Woodward) and hitters with pop (Daniel Bowman, Adam Rice, Jose Iglesias).

12. East Carolina

Coach: Billy Godwin

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

I rate the Pirates this highly because I believe in their pitching. Seth Maness, Kevin Brandt, Brad Mincey, and Seth Simmons aren't overpowering, but they'll keep their team in the game. ECU has its typical thunder in the lineup, with Kyle Roller, Devin Harris, Trent Whitehead, and Dustin Harrington.

13. Louisville

Coach: Dan McDonnell

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

The Cardinals, who have reached Super Regionals 2 of the last 3 seasons, boast a strong offensive attack. Phil Wunderlich, Andrew Clark, Adam Duvall, Stewart Ijames, Ryan Wright, and Josh Richmond could make a lethal lineup. Louisville's ability to prevent runs is more of an unknown, but Tony Zych, Thomas Royse, Dean Kiekhefer, and others have potential.

14. Clemson

Coach: Jack Leggett

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

Clemson retains most of last year's lineup, and could take the step forward to an excellent offensive team. Jeff Schaus, Kyle Parker, Brad Miller, Chris Epps, Jason Stolz, and Richie Shaffer are all picks to click. The Tigers don't have a true ace, but they have a deep pitching staff.

15. TCU

Coach: Jim Schlossnagle

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

The Horned Frogs have ample high-upside arms, particularly Matt Purke, Kyle Winkler, and Steven Maxwell, though they lack a proven #1. I think their pitching will be well above-average if they all come together. TCU's offense isn't as exciting, but Bryan Holaday, Jason Coats, Matt Curry, Taylor Featherston, and Josh Elander are ones to watch.

16. San Diego

Coach: Rich Hill

2009 Finish: did not make Regionals

As usual, the Toreros have terrific arms and a modest offense. A.J. Griffin, Kyle Blair, and Sammy Solis have the potential to form one of the best weekend rotations in the country. James Meador leads an offense with below-average power but solid contact ability. They still haven't won a Regional, but the Toreros once again have the potential to do so.

17. Arkansas

Coach: Dave Van Horn

2009 Finish: CWS

Andy Wilkins and Zack Cox will provide the thump in the Razorbacks' lineup. Brett Eibner, Travis Sample, and Jarrod McKinney have potential, but need to unlock it. Arkansas's pitching, defense, and speed are adequate.

18. North Carolina

Coach: Mike Fox

2009 Finish: CWS

The Tar Heels lost a huge amount of talent to the draft last year and will be hard-pressed to make it to the College World Series for the 5th straight season. UNC has many intriguing players, though, from infielder Levi Michael to pitchers Matt Harvey and Patrick Johnson.

19. UCLA

Coach: John Savage

2009 Finish: did not make Regionals

UCLA's weekend rotation is comprised of two filthy righthanders (Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer) and a curveball specialist (Rob Rasmussen). The Bruins have depth after those three, as well as a solid defense, and should excel in the run prevention department. Their offense is puny and they need to shake the underachiever tag.

20. Miami

Coach: Jim Morris

2009 Finish: Regionals

Lefties Chris Hernandez and Eric Erickson should form a nice 1-2 punch for the Hurricanes, who also have a strong defense. Yasmani Grandal, Harold Martinez, and Scott Lawson are their top hitters, and I don't anticipate them being much more than average on offense.

21. Ole Miss

Coach: Mike Bianco

2009 Finish: Super Regionals

Ole Miss has the personnel to be slightly above-average in all phases of the game. Drew Pomeranz is a true #1, and Aaron Barrett and Trent Rothlin round out the weekend rotation. The Rebels are led at the plate by Matt Smith, Miles Hamblin, and Matt Snyder. All three can hit for average and power. Mississippi should boast a strong defense.

22. Oregon State

Coach: Pat Casey

2009 Finish: Regionals

The Beavers have a mediocre offense and absolutely no power. Jared Norris, Stefen Romero, and Adalberto Santos are the main threats. Their pitching staff has the potential to be stellar, however, and it's spearheaded by Sam Gaviglio, Tyler Waldron, Kevin Rhoderick, Greg Peavey, Tanner Robles, James Nygren, and Kraig Sitton.

23. Georgia

Coach: David Perno

2009 Finish: Regionals

The Bulldogs lost a lot of talent, but I still like their squad. Position player-wise, they are more deep than top-heavy, with Colby May, Johnathan Taylor, Chase Davidson, Peter Verdin, and Zach Cone. Georgia has unproven but electric arms, led by Justin Grimm, Michael Palazzone, Jeff Walters, and Alex McRee.

24. Southern Miss

Coach: Scott Berry

2009 Finish: CWS

A consistently competitive program, Southern Miss got hot and made it to the College World Series in '09, and it has a solid team this year too. The Golden Eagles have a variety of offensive contributors (Joey Archer, Taylor Walker, Kameron Brunty), but B.A. Vollmuth is the X-factor. The sophomore could blossom into a star this year. With an otherwise unspectacular arms corps, the Golden Eagles will rely heavily on ace Todd McInnis.

25. Vanderbilt

Coach: Tim Corbin

2009 Finish: Regionals

Kendall Rogers of Rivals offered five keys for Vanderbilt to finally get to Omaha, and I agree with the assessment. Aside from Steven Liddle and Jonathan White, the Commodores return most of their bats and should have a potent offensive unit. Position players such as Aaron Westlake, Jason Esposito, Andrew Giobbi, Curt Casali, Riley Reynolds, Brian Harris, and Joe Loftus are ready to carry the offense. Vandy's pitching staff has depth, with quality options such as Taylor Hill, Russell Brewer, Drew Hayes, Chase Reid, and Navery Moore. The Commodores will incorporate talented freshmen such as Sam Selman, Anthony Gomez, Regan Flaherty, Connor Harrell, and Mike Yastrzemski into the fold this year. If sophomore starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Jack Armstrong pitch like the studs atop the rotation like many believe they can be, Vanderbilt will be formidable.

Just Missing

Ohio State

South Carolina

Kansas

Stanford

Cal Poly