Interview with Jay Bruce

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of talking to Reds prospect Jay Bruce. Bruce is currently playing in Triple-A and doing well. With new management up in Cincinnati, he will probably be up patrolling the outfield very soon. I have been trying to get an interview with Jay Bruce since last June, but thanks to the help of Megan Dimond of the Louisville Bats, we were finally able to get it done. I want to thank her, along with Jay Bruce for doing this for me, I really appreciate it.

ELI: Being in such a deep draft, what did it mean to you to go so high? Were you thinking about it all as it got closer?

JAY: It means a lot. The guys in our draft are starting to reach their potential. We are all getting pretty close to the big leagues, so it just shows how deep our draft was.

ELI: Playing baseball in a state where some of the best baseball players have come from, did you play with or against anyone that is in the MLB now?

JAY: Yeah, Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox grew up about ten minutes from me in Nederland. But in Beaumont, Chip Ambres went to my high school. So did Ben Broussard, but he is a lot older than me.

ELI: You played 37 games after you were drafted, what was that like going from high school to Low-A. Was there an adjustment period for you?

JAY: I think the biggest adjustment was living on my own. Back home, my mom did everything. Now, I had to be responsible and accountable -- I was a professional now.

ELI: You had a really good 2006, was there anything you worked on over the off season that you think helped with your improvement?

JAY: No, not really. I did the same thing, got strong. I did a lot of lifting, because I knew I needed to be physically prepared to endure a long season.

ELI: Playing in high school, you play about two and half months. Was it hard to make the adjustment?

JAY: It was tough at first, but I needed to get in a routine. You know what it takes to get yourself ready, and that was what I did.

ELI: You played at three different levels in 2007, did you have any trouble getting comfortable or finding a groove?

JAY: No, I knew guys at all three levels from Spring Training, so in terms of fitting in, I was fine. I was living in hotels and apartments, but other than that, I was fine.

ELI: What was the futures game like for you? Can you take me through the at-bat where you hit your triple?

JAY: It was awesome, a great experience. I was facing Carlos Carrasco, a great pitcher with the Phillies. I have always seen him well though, I think I have two homeruns off him. Everyone though is trying to showcase their stuff so when I got in a good count, I swung at a good pitch and took it out to deep center.

ELI: Do you follow baseball during the off season? Who is the top hitter to break the big leagues this season?

JAY: Yes I do. The top hitter, well Justin Upton is off to a good start, he has made good adjustments. My boy Joey Votto has been overlooked, but he will hurt you if you forget about him. Evan Longoria of the Rays too. I am going to go with Joey though, he will turn some heads if he hasn't already.

ELI: Since you follow baseball so closely, what do you think is wrong with Barry Zito?

JAY: Oh man, who knows? Everyone has down years, I guess. He's struggling though.

ELI: I have heard you talk about how important the agent is, what does he do for you that the average fan does not know?

JAY: He is just there for me. We have a relationship that goes beyond being my agent, he is my friend. He keeps up with my family. He's awesome. He takes pride in getting you the best deals, but wants you to go out there and prove yourself.

ELI: What was Spring Training like in big league camp? Was there anyone that offered you good advice?

JAY: Spring Training was great. I got advice from everyone, the old guys and the young guys.

ELI: If you could rob someone of a homerun, from the past or present, who would it be?

JAY: Ooh, that is a tough one. Um....Probably [Ken] Griffey.

ELI: He is the king of robbing homeruns.

JAY: Yeah definitely. He would be it.

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Castro Likely Heading To San Diego

Ex-Red infielder has two offers on the table: one guaranteed deal from the Padres and one non-guaranteed deal from the Dodgers. You would think the obvious choice would be the Padres, but Castro is a former Dodger and is reportedly being told that he would only go to Triple-A for a couple days before his call up. The Dodgers are very deep in the middle infield so Castro going to San Diego makes more sense. Not only that, but the Padres are definitely in a better position for the playoffs. The Diamondbacks look like the likely choice for the division, unless some team wins twenty of their final twenty-one games, but the Padres look like they could compete for the wild card. Castro is a career .230 hitter with 33 HR, so he will probably be a non-issue for the Padres or Dodgers chances this season.

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Interview with Frank Wren

Last week, I had the pleasure to interview Braves GM Frank Wren. Wren, who got his career started in Montreal, was a key part in the Marlins front office to get them their first World Series. He has been working in Atlanta for nearly eight years, and is now the GM of the best teams in baseball. I want to thank him for doing this interview for me, I really appreciate it.

ELI: When did you get started in baseball and what would you say was your area of expertise?

FRANK: I started out in the fall of 1985, so my first season was 1986. I had been in player development, but it wasn't new to me. Scouting reports, watching players, making evaluations -- I had been familiar.

ELI: So, who was the first guy you signed?

FRANK: The first guy I signed was named Gene Harris, a pitcher.

ELI: Would you say people learn quick when working in a Front Office?

FRANK: Yeah, but it depends on the role. If you are going to be evaluating players, you have to have knowledge of the game -- how to play the game at the high levels. You need to have the eye for talent. But, this is a slow process. You do not become a star over night like you can playing baseball. You have to build up a library, and go from there.

ELI: What were your main reasons for leaving the Expos with Dave Dombrowski and joining the new expansion team, the Marlins?

FRANK: I would say there were three reasons. One, my relationship with Dave [Dombrowski]. I had been working with him for three or four years. Two, I was living in South Florida. I was thirty miles north of the stadium, so it was easy family wise. Third, it was an expansion team, and I thought it would be cool to be a part of that. I had an option to go to the Rockies as well, but I chose to join the Marlins.

ELI: Looking back at the 1997 Marlins, were they more deep in pitching or hitting?

FRANK: That was an outstanding team, probably one of the best teams of the last twenty years. But the team wasn't together long enough. Some of the players on that team are good players today. The pitching was just unbelievable.

ELI: Having seen Edgar Renteria with the 1997 Marlins, how has he grown as a player after watching him with the Braves?

FRANK: I have known him from the beginning. Me and Dave [Dombrowski] signed him when he was sixteen years old out of Colombia. He was just a rookie with the '97 Marlins -- now he is a seasoned vet who knows how to be a leader on the field.

ELI: Was it hard to trade him to the Tigers last offseason?

FRANK: No. It was easier to make that phone call because I knew him for so long and knew that he was going to be with Dave [Dombrowski] and his former manger Jim Leyland with the Marlins.

ELI: Who was the best player you got in return from the fire sale of the 1998 Marlins?

FRANK: Probably Derek Lee, he has tremendous amounts of talent.

ELI: Joining the Braves in 2000, was it hard to figure out their philosophy and where they wanted to take the team?

FRANK: It was somewhat similar. It probably takes a year though to understand what's going on. You have to figure out their off season rhythm, how they like to operate -- it probably took a full season.

ELI: What was it like to be able to work with John Schuerholz after not really having someone to work with in Baltimore?

FRANK: No question, there was a leadership void in Baltimore. That was definitely difficult. It was clear to me that John [Schuerholz] thought that was important. Baseball in Atlanta is baseball the way it should be, from top to bottom.

ELI: Who makes the decision on who gets called up and who doesn't?

FRANK: It is a combined effort. The front office guys might have a stronger opinion if we have heard from scouts about a guy. But if there was a guy in Spring Training that Bobby [Cox] was around and liked, we will let him make the call.

ELI: What was it like to see John Smoltz get his 3,000 strikeout, having known him for long?

FRANK: Being in the same division [Marlins], I have been able to watch him his whole career. It is great for John, obviously a special moment. It was a fun night, for everyone.

ELI: What advice would you give to an aspiring Front Office executive?

FRANK: You have to have love for the game, and the work ethic that separates you. Right now, there are so many great universities that have courses involved in Sports Business, so this career is drawing lots of interest. This is a great profession, but exclusive. You have to industrious, not aggressive.

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Griffey Drawing Interest In Chicago?

According to the Daily Herald, the Cubs and White Sox are interested in Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey is hitting .248 with 4 HR this season, and is reportedly tired of losing. He is making nine million dollars this season, so any trade would force the Reds to pick up a portion of his salary. Griffey can easily hit 30 homeruns this season, assuming he can stay healthy, and would definitely help both teams. With the Cubs, a trade would probably force them to move Fukudome to center and keep Griffey in right. Fukudome doesn't seem to have much of a problem running down the ball in the outfield, so that works. The only problem then is what to do with Reed Johnson and Felix Pie? As for the White Sox, there outfield is pretty deep so it might take some mixing and matching in the DH and two corner outfield spots for that to work. Either way, it is looking more and more obvious that Griffey will be traded.

One possibility is sending him to the Red Sox and dumping J.D. Drew elsewhere. However, with only one year left on his contract and no one in the minor league system to take his place, that idea seems unlikely. The Mariners recently designated Brad Wilkerson for assignment and could possibly make a trade to bring Griffey back for to end his career there.

Griffey is a career .289 hitter with 597 homeruns.

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Interview with Jim Bowden

For over the past couple of months, I have been trying to set up an interview with Nationals GM Jim Bowden. His career in the Front Office is really interesting, and I wanted to know about it first hand. I put in a call to him last week, but because of phone problems, we were not able to get it done. However, working with several Nationals executives, we were able to get it done through email. I want to thank Jim Bowden and everyone in the Nationals Front Office who helped me get this done, I really appreciate it.

ELI: When you entered baseball in 1984, did you set any goals for yourself?

JIM: When I first began working in baseball, I had aspirations of winning a World Series, being the youngest GM in baseball history and winning Executive of the Year. I was fortunate to accomplish all three: 1990 [World Series], 1992 [GM] and 1999 [Executive of the Year]. I think it's very important for anyone who is entering their career, whether it be in baseball or another field, to set the bar high and work hard to surpass even their most-ambitious expectations. My goal now is to be the GM when the Nationals win their first World Championship.

ELI: What did it mean to you to be asked to be the GM of the Reds?

JIM: I was named General Manager of the Reds in 1992, at the age of 31. I was obviously honored and very excited about the opportunity. I was very fortunate during my early years in baseball to have a great group of mentors.

ELI: When in scouting, you must be able to compare players potential to a past player. What is something you look for in a pitcher before you really get serious about signing, drafting, or trading for him?

JIM: There are a lot of factors we look at, when scouting a pitcher: delivery, arm action, command in and out of the strike zone, quality of pitches, makeup, character and intelligence. We have some of the best talent evaluators in the game, led by Mike Rizzo, Bob Boone and Dana
Brown. I have a lot of confidence in our scouting department, and it has done a great job recently in beginning the process of stocking our farm system.

ELI: How much time goes in to an arbitration case or a free agent contract on your end?

JIM: We put a lot of time in to every personnel and signing decision we make. We examine all the numbers and every possible angle. Our baseball ops team here with that Nationals does a great job of making sure we are always prepared. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week is not an exaggeration.

ELI: Looking at your trade history, you are a very active GM. Do you think that is how you build a team with a smaller payroll compared to teams like the Yankees or Red Sox?

JIM: I think one of the great nuances of this game is that each GM can build their organization whichever way they see best within their respective financial parameters. Teams have different resources and philosophies, and they have the opportunity to find their 'winning
formula.' The best way is to scout, sign and develop your own players, either through the draft or international signings. Trades are the next-best method to improve, while free agent signings should be a last resort. All three are needed to succeed.

ELI: Having known Ken Griffey Jr. for such a long time, can you describe how you are feeling now that he is closing in on 600 homeruns?

JIM: I'm happy for Ken, he's a special person and a tremendous talent. My trade for him will always be a highlight of my trading career.

ELI: You made a couple key trades this past off season acquiring Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes, to start. How have they jelled with the team and in a new environment?

JIM: Both Lastings and Elijah are getting acclimated to our club. We look forward to watching their opportunities to develop into successful Major League players.

ELI: The new stadium looks great. What are the players and fans saying about it?

JIM: We are getting rave reviews.

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Botts Wants Out

The Texas Rangers designated Jason Botts for assignment after his fourth unsuccessful stint in the majors. Botts, who was hitting .158 with 2 HR in 38 at-bats, will likely clear waivers. He has great power, but has never been given the opportunity to play everyday. He reminds me a lot of Ben Broussard, currently the Rangers first baseman, who has great power as well. With the Rangers organization in a rebuilding mode, it makes sense that a struggling player would want out: "I think I've been here for a pretty long time and I deserve a fresh start somewhere else," Botts said. "I think there's plenty of examples of people leaving the Texas Rangers and going on to really great things. There could be something huge in my future."

The Rangers will shop him around, but will not release him, according to Rangers GM Jon Daniels.

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Smoltz Back As Closer?

John Smoltz landed on the DL and said that he would be willing to go back to the bullpen when he returns. That is a smart move by a smart pitcher, who is saving his arm from falling off in the rotation to helping his team from the bullpen. Smoltz is an experienced closer, having logged 154 saves in four seasons. Manny Acosta is doing a pretty good right now for the Braves, but would probably be moved to a set up role if Smoltz was serious about being a closer again. His velocity is still good, and he still has good movement on his pitches. The only problem with the move is who will be the fifth starter? Jo-Jo Reyes? Reyes has been fairly inconsistent in the majors but has a 1.16 ERA in Triple-A right now. Maybe giving him the opportunity to pitch every five days will improve his numbers.

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Rockies Interested In Morris?

The Rockies are reportedly talking internally about signing pitcher Matt Morris, who got off to an 0-4 start with the Pirates. He has a 9.67 ERA, and from what is sounded like, he was not ready to walk away the way he did. The Rockies and Cardinals have expressed interest before, but it really does not make sense for either team to add him right now. The Pirates, however, are interested in bringing him back in a Front Office role: "Whether it's coaching or whether it's [in the] front office, he would be outstanding," Russell said. "At some point in his life, I think Matt Morris would be an outstanding general manager. He has that knowledge. He has that passion. I see him being able to help in a lot of areas and to be an influence in baseball." Morris was always a smart pitcher, and would probably be very good as a minor league roving instructor. Right now, though, he is spending time with his family.

UPDATE: MORRIS HAS OPTED TO RETIRE.

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Greene to Cubs?

The Cubs have reportedly been scouting Khalil Greene of the Padres, according to the San Diego Union Tribune. Greene is hitting .222 with 0 HR in the first 26 games, so if the Cubs were to pull off a trade, they probably would not have to give up much. The Padres have interest in Felix Pie, but no way the Cubs are giving up on him after spending last six years developing him. The Padres continue to search for an outfielder to replace Jim Edmonds, but are having trouble. Making a trade for Reggie Willits seems like a good move, but the Angels are not ready to give up on him. They could go after Ryan Freel of the Reds. He is hitting .292 with 0 HR and is very versatile and above average defensively. The Padres are currently nine games out of first, not so great considering we are still in April, but acquiring a solid outfielder could really help the top of the lineup.

Kenny Lofton was brought up last week by Jake Peavy, and that seems like the best move at this point.

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Is Uggla Next To Go?

The Marlins refuse to raise their payroll, and with several players becoming arbitration eligible, another minor fire sale could be coming. Dan Uggla looks like the person most likely to be traded, mostly because the Marlins have two prospects that will be ready in 2009 or 2010. Prospect Chris Coghlan and Robert Andino both have a lot of upside and could see time in the MLB in September if the Marlins fall in the standings. Uggla can hit for power, but if he cannot bring his average up, he probably won't bring back much meaning the Marlins might be able to retain him.

As for possible options, the Rockies seem like a perfect fit. Although they have Jayson Nix, he certainly didn't show the Rockies much. The Rockies could ship blocked prospect Ian Stewart along with two or three more and bring in someone who could possibly hit thirty-five to forty homeruns. He would be perfect for their offense. The Dodgers seem like a good fit, but they seem more set on giving their prospects a shot.

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Hatteberg Wants Out?

Reds backup first baseman Scott Hatteberg told reporters recently that he would welcome a trade, saying it is difficult to be a a pinch hitter: "It's difficult," he said. "I've never been a very good pinch-hitter. I'm trying to figure it out. I'm trying." Back on March 1st, I brought up the idea of the Mets trading for Hatteberg to platoon with the then injured Carlos Delgado. Although Delgado had two homeruns last night, he is still hitting .205. Hatteberg is a .273 hitting and has averaged 10-13 homeruns over the past several seasons. Getting time as a regular starter, he could probably help out the Mets or another team in need of help. The Pirates need some help with LaRoche hitting under .200. Reds GM Walt Jocketty said there isn't much interest right now, but he would be open to discussing a trade.

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Rating MLB Stadiums

Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote an interesting piece this morning about the thirty-best stadiums to watch a baseball game in. What do you think:

1. Fenway Park, Boston Red Sox

2. SAFECO, Seattle Mariners

3. Yankee Stadium, New York Yankees

4. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City Royals

5. PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pirates

6. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Dodgers

7. AT&T Park, San Francisco Giants

8. Camden Yards, Baltimore Orioles

9. Progressive Field, Cleveland Indians

10. PETCO Park, San Diego Padres

11. Nationals Park, Washington Nationals

12. Coors Field, Colorado Rockies

13. Comerica Park, Detroit Tigers

14. U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago White Sox

15. Angel Stadium, Los Angeles Angels

16. Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs

17. Minute Maid Park, Houston Astros

18. Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati Reds

19. Busch Stadium, St. Louis Cardinals

20. Chase Field, Arizona Diamondbacks

21. Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia Phillies

22. Turner Field, Atlanta Braves

23. Rangers Ball Park in Arlington, Texas Rangers

24. Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays

25. Miller Park, Milwaukee Brewers

26. Dolphin Stadium, Florida Marlins

27. Shea Stadium, New York Mets

28. McAfee Stadium, Oakland Athletics

29. Metrodome, Minnesota Twins

30. Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay Rays

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Diamondbacks To Call Up Scherzer

Diamondbacks top prospect Max Scherzer is no longer in Triple-A. According to Nick Piecoro, the Diamondbacks have optioned Yusmeiro Petit and called up the hard throwing Max Scherzer. He had a 1.17 ERA in four starts, striking out 38 and walking three in 23 innings. Scherzer appears casted as a closer for the Diamondbacks, but if Micah Owings cannot pitch Friday, they will use him. The bullpen hasn't been taxed much, but why not get him a couple of innings while the team is hitting well.

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Pirates Release Morris

The Pirates announced today that they will release pitcher Matt Morris. Morris, who is set to earn eleven million this year, was off to an 0-4 start with a 9.67 ERA, but couldn't find a way to win: "He's had a great career. He wanted to help us win, and it just wasn't happening." It is unclear whether or not he will retire, but we will know more within the next couple of weeks. Morris is 121-92 with a 3.98 ERA in 307 games with the Cardinals, Giants, and Pirates.

During Spring Training, there was some speculation that the Mets were interested. I doubt they are now, but a team like the Marlins could maybe jump in. He is just thirty-four, so teams could use his services if needed. Other teams that could jump are the Rangers, who look lost on the field, according to scouts. He probably won't be snatched up as fast as Thomas was, but likely within the next month.

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Rockies Designate Nix, Giles Back?

The Rockies designated Jayson Nix for assignment yesterday calling up traveled pitcher Jose Capellan; however, it is possible that they will bring back Marcus Giles if Clint Barmes continues to struggle. Barmes is 2-19 in his last six games, so the Rockies might move him back to a reduced role where he was thriving. Nix was hitting .111 with 0 HR in seventeen games this season, but will likely return to Triple-A to find his swing. The Rockies would have been smart to start him in Triple-A so he could find his swing and get his confidence up and then call him up. That worked with Ryan Braun and Evan Longoria, so far. Rockies pitching had a good year this year and if Aaron Cook can step into a big role and balance out Morales and Jimenez, they will be in good shape.

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Fantasy Update!

If you are interested in hearing a Fantasy Update on the newest addition to MLB Rumors, MLB Today, it is up and ready for you.

Eli

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Interview with Michael Bowden

This afternoon, I had the pleasure to talk with Red Sox pitching prospect Michael Bowden. Bowden is currently in Double-A, but is very advanced for his age. It looks like the Red Sox are taking him level by level, but his stuff will definitely get him to the majors soon. His attitude is a 'live and die for baseball,' something that should allow him to the succeed at the highest level. I want to thank him for doing this interview for me and I also want to thank the Portland Sea Dogs, I really appreciate it.

ELI: So what was the draft experience like for you?

MICHAEL: It was unforgettable. I was meeting with professional teams everyday, it was great. On draft day, I had friends and family over for a little draft-graduation party, because it was close to graduation.

ELI: Did you think the Red Sox were going to draft you?

MICHAEL: Yeah, they showed a lot of interest. They ran me through some exams, I had a pretty good feeling. One of my friends got me a Red Sox painting with my name on it, so we were pretty confident that they were going to take me.

ELI: After being drafted, you signed and went to Florida to start playing. Was there any adjustment period that took place?

MICHAEL: I think it was three weeks after I drafted that I signed, and then I reported to the Gulf Coast League. It was the middle of the summer, twelve o'clock games, one-hundred percent humidity, it was rough. We were put up in a hotel, I had no car. I was like, 'this is going to be hard.'

ELI: I see you grew up in Illinois, were you a Cubs fan?

MICHAEL: Yeah, Cubs fan.

ELI: Did you have a favorite player?

MICHAEL: Nah. I just like watching.

ELI: In 2006, you reported to Greenville and put together a solid season. What did that do for your confidence?

MICHAEL: It did a lot. It was the first time pitching in front of 5,000 people, this was my job now. I'd say it did a lot.

ELI: You really do not go over scouting reports too much in high school. What do you look for when reviewing or watching them?

MICHAEL: We mainly discuss weaknesses.

ELI: At the low levels and high school, pitchers do not have much of an approach. How did that change in Double-A?

MICHAEL: I always felt I was pretty smart about it in high school. I would get ahead with my fastball, then put them away with some sort of off speed pitch. I think you get better with more experience.

ELI: Your name came up in the Santana talks, did that bother you at all?

MICHAEL: No, there is nothing you can do about. The only thing I really heard about it was when one of my friends sent me a text message saying 'So I hear your pitching for the Twins.'

ELI: Does it flatter you at all being mentioned in a trade for a player like that?

MICHAEL: Yeah definitely.

ELI: Is there anything you hope to improve on from last season?

MICHAEL: Yeah. When I got to Double-A, I was not trusting myself. So, I would like to have more trust in my stuff this season and I do this season so far.

ELI: What was Spring Training like in big league camp?

MICHAEL: It was an awesome experience.

ELI: Did you get a chance to talk with any of the veterans?

MICHAEL: I talked with Josh Beckett and Kyle Snyder a lot. Both guys have a lot of experience up in the MLB.

ELI: What is the biggest difference between Double-A and Single-A?

MICHAEL: Up here, you have to have an approach. The batters will be much more disciplined, you can't be free swinging or throwing fastball-fastball every time.

ELI: Who was the toughest guy you faced in Spring Training?

MICHAEL: Toughest guy? I don't know, I was just going out there and throwing. I just listened to my catcher, I don't look to see who the batter is.

ELI: What was the Red Sox clubhouse like? Terry Francona?

MICHAEL: It was very laid back. [Terry] Francona was very personable-he didn't make you feel weird around him.

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Chamberlain In Bullpen, For Good?

It looks as if Joba Chamberlain will be in the bullpen for the foreseeable future. Although several Front Office executives would prefer to see Joba Chamberlain in the rotation, with Brian Bruney out for the season they will keep Chamberlain as a late inning reliever. According to Buster Olney, the Yankees were looking at in-house candidates to replace Chamberlain as a late inning reliever so they could move him into the rotation. I think it is a great idea for the Yankees, but Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy are notoriously slow starters. The Yankees have several late inning relievers, and if they are determined to move Chamberlain, I would give Jon Abaladejo a shot. He is 6-5, he has got a hard fastball, and he is off to a good start. Other than that, they could alternate between LaTroy Hawkins, Edwar Ramirez, and Kyle Farnsworth.

It's too bad that Bruney had to go down. He was off to another good start, but he is 26, so he has time to come back and help the Yankees in the future.

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Pirates Mentality Need To Change

The Pirates organization is determined to winning in 2008, but the Pirates are 9-14, and just do not have what it takes to beat out the Cardinals, Brewers, Cubs, or even Astros right now. The Reds are off to a poor start, but they will likely turn it around next month. The Pirates have several players they could trade for boatloads of prospects. Let's start with Xavier Nady, who is currently hitting .344 with 4 HR. He has drawn interest from the Mets, Padres, and Indians, but the Indians are reportedly showing the most interest right now. The Indians are struggling, and with the Tigers heating up, they need an improvement who can help them get in a rhythm. They nearly traded for Jason Bay last off season, but that deal fell through.

However, Bay continues to draw interest from the Padres. Their outfield is hitting .227 and adding Bay would give them a solid left fielder who would provide protection for Adrian Jackson in the lineup. Bay is on the outs with Pirates executives, but is hitting .269 with 5 HR. The Padres outfield is aging, so there is no need to worry that an outfield prospect would be blocked. Bay has struggled at PETCO, but hits very well at all the other NL West stadiums. He is an investment the Padres should seriously consider taking.

The Pirates need the prospects if they want to seriously contend in the division. The Reds, Cubs, and Brewers all have young players ready to step into big roles while the Astros have the hitting, but don't have any pitchers. The Cardinals, although they do not look great on paper, always seem to find a way to compete.

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Padres Peavy Likes Lofton

Padres ave Jake Peavy made his pitch for outfielder Kenny Lofton yesterday calling him the spark the team needs. Peavy is 3-0 this season with a 2.00 ERA, but I do not think he is at a point in his career where he can say, "I want this guy," and it will happen. There are not too many guys out there that can do that, not even managers. However, it is possible that the Padres will actually go after Lofton for their outfield. The three outfielders are hitting a combined .227 and adding Lofton, a contact hitter, to play left and center would really spark the offense.

It is possible the Padres would dump Jim Edmonds if he doesn't find his swing. He is patrolling a big outfield and with the Diamondbacks playing well, adding someone at the top of the order who can play defense would really help their chances of making the playoffs. There are no replacements in Triple-A with their two top prospects struggling, so Lofton seems likes the answer, at least till the trade deadline.

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Minor League Report

If you are interested in hearing a minor league report on the the newest addition to MLB Rumors, MLB Today, it is up and ready for you. Take a look around the site, I plan to be very active on it.

Eli

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A's Sweeney To Twins?

According to a well placed source, one of the teams in on the Frank Thomas sweepstakes was the Twins. Thomas instead decided to sign with the A's, making Jack Cust and Mike Sweeney expendable. But because Cust can also play positions on the field, it would make sense that they would dump Sweeney to make room for someone else on the roster. In 18 games this season, Sweeney is hitting .322 with 1 HR and 7 RBI, so it looks like he has the potential to still hit for a respectable average. The Twins will likely demote Carlos Gomez and could use an extra bat on the bench who can also play three to five days a week. With Frank Thomas in Oakland, it would make sense for the A's to release or trade Sweeney. I have talked with several A's executives and both seem to have a grasp of what is going on. In the end, they will make the right decision.

A couple of the teams in on Thomas, the Twins and Rangers, could go after Mike Piazza, who is still working out looking for a job. He probably isn't the best option, but playing in their stadiums would allow him to put up good numbers. Other than that, Barry Bonds is still available.

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Astros Oswalt To Be Traded?

It is becoming more and more clear that the Astros will likely unload Roy Oswalt at the trade deadline. Oswalt, who has a no-trade clause, said the only three teams he would go to are the Braves, Cardinals and Red Sox. Oswalt, who is 2-3 this season with a 6.00 ERA, is on the decline if you take a close look at his stats. However, pitching for a winning team would probably help his numbers, as could a change of scenery. I doubt the Astros would trade within the division to the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Braves and Red Sox are solid options. Both teams have solid prospects that they could give up with little damage being done to the team.

In a trade with the Red Sox, which seems more likely, someone like Justin Masterson would have to be a key part of the deal. Beyond him, maybe they could pry Michael Bowden, along with a couple other low level prospects, but Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz are definitely out of the question.

For what it is worth, Oswalt said he wouldn't be opposed to waiving his no trade clause.

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Mariners to Extend Johjima

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Mariners and Kenji Johjima have agreed to a three year extension. This is an interesting move by the Mariners who have Jeff Clement in Triple-A ready to take over. Not only that, but Johjima will be 32 in June, and is starting to show signs that he is slowing down. Despite starting the year batting .200, he is a career .283 hitter who hits his share of homeruns. Jeff Clement, one of the prizes of the 2005 draft, has incredible power will likely take over at first base or DH.

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Interview with Nick Green

A couple of weeks ago, I placed a call to the Salt Lake Bees about possibly interviewing Nick Green and Nick Adenhart. After being sent to a couple different people, we were finally able to get it done. Both Green and Adenhart are off to good starts this season, and I, like many Angels fans, look forward to seeing them in the MLB. The interview had to be cut down because of time, but they seem like good guys nonetheless. I want to thank them for doing this for me and I also want to thank Hannah Lee of the Salt Lake Bees for getting this done, I really appreciate it.

ELI: You were first drafted by the Astros, what were your main reasons for not signing?

NICK: Going from high school to college without being drafted, I was told I could go further if I waited. Also, our junior college team did great the year before I went there and I wanted to see if we could take the championship.

ELI: You were in big league camp this spring, what was that like?

NICK: It was a fun experience. It was great to see how the MLB guys performed on and off the field.

ELI: Were there any pitchers offering good advice that you took away from camp?

NICK: I learned that it's important not to give the hitters too much credit; as a pitcher, you've got to trust your stuff.

ELI: Who was the toughest hitter you faced all Spring?

NICK: Probably Troy Tulowitzki, he is a good hitter.

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Interview with Nick Adenhart

A couple of weeks ago, I placed a call to the Salt Lake Bees about possibly interviewing Nick Green and Nick Adenhart. After being sent to a couple different people, we were finally able to get it done. Both Green and Adenhart are off to good starts this season, and I, like many Angels fans, look forward to seeing them in the MLB. The interview had to be cut down because of time, but they seem like good guys nonetheless. I want to thank them for doing this for me and I also want to thank Hannah Lee of the Salt Lake Bees for getting this done, I really appreciate it.

ELI: Your senior year in high school you suffered an injury to your elbow. Did you consider stop playing baseball after that?

NICK: No. I love baseball and I never considered stop playing.

ELI: You were in Spring Training with the Angels this season, was there any pitcher in particular that helped you out a lot?

NICK: No one in particular. It was a great experience and I learned a lot from everyone there.

ELI: If you could be another athlete for a day, who would it be, and under what circumstance?

NICK: That's a tough one. I don't know that I'd be anyone else, but if there was another sport I'd play it would be basketball.

ELI: Best feeling you've ever had since your baseball career starter and under what circumstance? Being called up? Good game?

NICK: Being invited to major league camp was the best feeling, that was very exciting.

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Check out MLB Today!

I am very excited to announce the MLB Rumors is expanding! We are adding a new site, MLB Today, which will have video updates for you readers. If you are interested in hosting your own show, send me an email at eli.mlbtoday@gmail.com.

Let me know what you think!

Eli

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Brewers, Braun Closing In On Deal?

According to sources close to Nez Balelo, Ryan Braun's agent, Balelo is in Milwaukee working on a deal for his client. This is a good sign for Brewers fans because Balelo was in Milwaukee two weeks ago talking about a deal, so this is a good indication that a deal could be close. Braun is hitting .247 with 3 HR, but the Brewers are not worried just yet. Braun has repeatedly told reporters that he is trying to find his comfort zone, and it is obvious that he is starting to heat up having hit .529 over the last four games. Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki broke the bank on a rookie contract, but I expect Braun to bring in a deal closer to forty million dollars buying out at least one year of free agency.

You hate to fill out a depth chart with the idea that a top prospect will come up and shine, but it is likely that Ryan Braun will move back to third in a couple years to make room for Matt LaPorta. The Brewers are very high on Corey Hart and have options in center, so moving Braun back to third and keeping LaPorta in his natural position seems likely. Nevertheless, getting a deal done now should help in negotiations with Prince Fielder.

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Interview with Travis Snider

This afternoon, I had the opportunity to talk with Blue Jays top prospect Travis Snider. Snider, who is currently at Double-A, was taken fourteenth overall in the 2006 MLB draft. Since then, he has climbed the ranks of the Blue Jays minor league system and could see time at the MLB level this season. I was overwhelmed by his willingness to answer all my questions thoroughly, and I wish him all the best. I want to thank him, along with Mike Murphy of the Fisher Cats for setting this interview up for me, I really appreciate it.

ELI: You played for the Seattle Stars. What was that like playing at the national level at such an early age?

TRAVIS: First of all, it was a great experience. It was a very competitive league, I got to play with my best friends, and play for a winning team most of my childhood. To be able to compete against the best in the nation, it showed us where we stood. It definitely helped my game. Playing in front of large crowds is not overwhelming, learning how to play for something instead of just playing to play-all those things were important in molding me into a good player.

ELI: You played football in high school as well. What were your main reasons for choosing baseball?

TRAVIS: Injury. I broke my leg during a scrimmage and that caused me to miss my whole sophomore season and my whole season with the Stars. I loved football, but baseball is my number one sport. I was talking to colleges, professional teams-I had to make a decision. There was a lot of risk involved to, but I had to give up the dream of being a two sport athlete.

ELI: When did you realize you had to turn the page and take your game to the next level?

TRAVIS: I had a great showing in spring league and a solid high school season and started to realize that this was becoming more than something fun. It has always been a dream of mine, but it finally started to come a reality.

ELI: What was the draft experience like for you, being taken in the first round in 2006?

TRAVIS: The experience was great. It was like having twenty-six interviews with twenty-six different companies. I was talking with college recruiters, professional scouts, everyone. But they did not just want to know about what kind of player I was, they wanted to know what kind of person I was. Being taken fourteenth overall was exciting for me and my teammates. We finished the season undefeated, won the State Championship. Even though 'the Circus was in town,' I wasn't distracted, it was a great experience. I was very fortunate. It was a positive note to end my amateur career on.

ELI: You signed quickly and did fairly well down in the minors. What did that mean to you to get down there and see success?

TRAVIS: Well, I wasn't playing baseball for about a month between high school and professional ball, so there was an adjustment period. I was not comfortable, I was striking out a lot, but it started to turn around. I was playing in Pulaski, Virgina, which is a pretty desolate town, so that was an experience in itself, but I had great teammate and coaches who helped me a long the way. My hard work got me comfortable up there and got me to the place I wanted to be by seasons end.

ELI: What was Spring Training like at the big league camp this past March?

TRAVIS: It was the ultimate experience. I went in with the right attitude, I knew that I didn't have much of a chance of making the team. I tried to take in as much as possible. Guys like Vernon Wells, Frank Thomas, Alex Rios are actually really approachable guys once you earn their respect. I came in and tried not to get labeled as the stereotypical cocky first rounder who thinks he is better than everyone. I kept my mouth shut, ears open. It was the ultimate, ultimate experience and I will remember it for the rest of my life.

ELI: Getting to the higher levels when teams rely heavily on game tape to gather there scouting report, what do you look for when watching it?

TRAVIS: When looking at opposing pitchers, you see if they are a sinker-slider pitcher or a power-power pitcher. You find what their go to pitch is, how they pitch lefty batters, how they pitch righty batters, in what counts do they go to their fastball. One thing you have to adjust to at Double-A is when you are at the lower levels some guys will rear back and just throw their fastball in almost every count-they don't do that here.

ELI: Have you set any goals for yourself for this season?

TRAVIS: It is hard to say, I am just twenty years old down in Double-A. I just want to put together a good year, see positive results.

ELI: Going back to March, how did your college bracket do?

TRAVIS: [Laughs] Not so good. It was bust. I relied heavily on Clemson. I wasn't taking it too seriously, but I watched ESPN a couple times before my bracket was due so I had some idea. It is really a crap shoot though. The best team never wins. It was all number one seeds in the final four, I lost it by trying to find the right upset.

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Twins Won't Send Gomez Down

Carlos Gomez is struggling at the MLB level, batting .230 with 0 HR, 5 RBI, and 9 SB. He is frustrated with how he is playing leading to reckless swings and more strikeouts: "We have to get back to contact. It's not a bad thing for a young fella to take a breather. This is a good time. The other young man needs to get in there." Gomez was a key part of the deal for Johan Santana because Gomez was the only one that was major league ready. He doesn't seem major league ready though, and sending him down to Triple-A to find his swing and get his confidence up would do him well.

They have Denard Span who could play in his place, or they could make a move for Kenny Lofton, who could fill the void till the trade deadline before they pull off a trade. The Twins are not going to be much of contenders in the AL Central for the next couple of years, but in order to become one again, they should preserve whatever young players they have. That would mean sending Gomez down so he can return a successful player like the scouts believe he can be.

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Giants Won't Skip Zito

The Giants have failed to add depth via minor trades and the draft and it is starting to catch up to them. Barry Zito is 0-5 with a 5.61 ERA with only 10 strikeouts this season, and many are saying they should move him to the bullpen. Zito was never on a team with solid run support, so he always racked up in decisions leading to high loss totals. However, now that he is in San Francisco where offensive support is worse than ever, he is struggling to get wins. The six straight years of two hundred innings or more is starting to catch up to him too, and you would think they would consider moving him to the bullpen for a couple tune up stints. "No," pitching coach Dave Righetti said, "because who the hell is going to pitch? We're not that deep in starting pitching. Noah Lowry is hurting now and we're not that deep in Triple-A. We need (Zito) to pitch."

The Giants should consider adding free agent pitcher David Wells. He had a pretty good season last year and adding him would allow the Giants to send one of their struggling pitchers to the pen. GM Brian Sabean appears lost in the Front Office, and a change up there appears imminent.

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A's Add Davis, Drop Saarloos

The Oakland A's claimed outfielder Rajai Davis off waivers today from the San Francisco Giants. In order to make room for Davis, the A's designated Kirk Saarloos for assignment. This is a great pick up on the A's part, who add a speedy outfielder who has the potential to hit for a modest average: "He plays left, center and right," A's manager Bob Geren said. "He's a good runner. Having a speed guy is something that's a nice addition." The A's have several outfield prospects though, so if Davis proves to not have much impact, they could trade him for a low level prospect.

Saarloos, had a rough year last season but was pretty good in previous years. Geren would like to keep him in the system if needed, and I think that is a smart choice. Saarloos will go out and give you a solid inning, it is when he gets stretched into two or three that he struggles. I think the A's will be able to hold on to him without much problems.

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Interview with Peter Kozma

This afternoon, I had the opportunity to talk with Cardinals prospect Peter Kozma. Kozma was taken 19th overall in the 2007 draft, and it surprised almost everyone, including Kozma. However, everyone who scouted Kozma said there was something about him that makes him a first rounder: "The one thing that stuck out in my mind about Pete is you look in his eyes and you see a kid that you really feel is going to play in the big leagues," said Steve Gossett, who scouted Kozma. "He's got a look that you don't see in many guys." Kozma was pretty soft spoken, but there was no doubt he knows how to play the game right. I want to thank him again for doing this interview for me, I really appreciate it. I also want to thank Ben Chiswick, the Director of Media Relations for Quad City River Bandits for setting this interview up for me, I really appreciate it.

ELI: When did you realize you had the opportunity to play major league baseball?

PETER: I have been playing baseball since I was a kid. In high school though, I was motivated to turn the page and take my game to the next level.

ELI: What did you try to work on most in high school?

PETER: In high school, coaches stress fundamentals. I just went out there and made the easy plays-went back to the basics.

ELI: What was the draft experience like for you?

PETER: Interesting. I wasn't talking to too many teams so I was not sure what to expect.

ELI: You talked to the Cardinals, I assume.

PETER: No, not even them. I was really surprised to hear they took me.

ELI: What was your first year like at the professional level?

PETER: There was a lot to take in. I just went out, tried to make every play. You just have to concentrate, go out and make every play you can.

ELI: Most of the guys down there are new to the game. Who would you say is the leader in the clubhouse?

PETER: Probably are hitting coach, Joe Kruzel. He talks us up a lot. He is always the first one at the field.

ELI: Would do you do to shake off a bad game?

PETER: You just gotta' say, 'tomorrow is another day.' You just have to go out and play baseball, you cant hang on to a bad game, you just have to move on.

ELI: What advice would you give to young baseball players hoping to make it to the major leagues?

PETER: Work hard. [Pause] Work hard. A lot of kids stop working in high school, I would say working hard is the most important thing.

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Teams Smart To Walk Pujols

Albert Pujols is the best hitter in the National League, if not all of baseball. Pujols has had at least thirty-two homeruns in each of the past seven seasons and has never hit below .314. For awhile, he had solid protection in the lineup, which kept his walk totals pretty low for a power hitter. But now, teams are starting to realize that he does not have any protection and walking him will likely not come back to haunt them. He has already walked twenty-times this season and admitted yesterday that he is so frustrated that he struck out to avoid a walk: "I felt I didn't want to walk, and I took myself out of the strike zone to swing at that pitch," Pujols said. "The 3-0 pitch was a little low. But I tried to push too much. I should've taken my walk. It's something you learn. You press. It's the way the game goes."

Not all his walks are intentional though. Most pitchers are trying to 'kiss' the corner to limit the damage he can do. Now Orioles pitcher Rocky Cherry told me about his experience facing Pujols when he was with the Cubs: "I felt like there was no weakness to exploit. So I just hoped to throw a good pitch that he would hit at somebody." If you go back to my post, Two Reasons Not To Draft Pujols, you can see that I already talked about this. Pujols is currently on pace for 154 walks, and if the Cardinals do not find a big hitter to put behind him, it looks like he will reach that easily.

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Report: A's Sign Thomas

According to sources and confirmed by Yahoo! Sports, the A's are set to sign Frank Thomas. Thomas, who has 516 home runs, was released by the Blue Jays three days ago after being benched. Thomas believed that the Blue Jays were trying to save money, and that is why they released him. Thomas would have made 10 million dollars if he made 304 plate appearances, so benching him would have prevented that. Thomas, like several other A's, are known for being slow starters. Bringing him in and giving him the spot he hit 39 homeruns in should help the A's as they continue to play well. This signing may show that there was some interest in Barry Bonds, but probably not anymore. This signing might also lead to Jack Cust being traded, maybe to San Francisco.

UPDATE: Thomas is deciding between the A's and a mystery team.

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Corners Switch: Cabrera, Guillen Swap

Tigers manager Jim Leyland decided to move Carlos Guillen to third base and send Miguel Cabrera to first base. This is a surprising move because the Tigers initial intention when they went out to get Edgar Renteria was to move Guillen to first to take some stress of his knees. Cabrera has no experience at first base besides the seven games this season, while Guillen's experience at third is minimal. Both Guillen and Cabrera are heating up, but you would hate to lose Guillen because of knee problems. Yes, you have Brandon Inge, but you traded two solid prospects to basically protect Guillen's knees after locking him up four more years.

Still, moving Cabrera to first might cause a jump in power numbers. When Nomar Garciaparra played first, he hit twenty homeruns. That was a jump in numbers for him, especially after hitting just seven playing a combined third and first. Leyland was unclear whether or not he thought that Cabrera could no longer play third, but he did say both players were okay with the move: “We think we’re making a move that makes our ballclub better at this time,” Leyland said. “When you see things as a staff and as a manager and as a general manager and you see things that believe are the right thing to make your club better, you make the move.

Cabrera is locked up till 2015 while Guillen is locked up till 2011. The Tigers don't really have a first baseman that will come up soon that would force Cabrera to move back, so this move might be a permanent one.

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Reds Fire Krivsky

The Reds announced today that they are firing Wayne Kirvsky and are naming Walt Jocketty as their new General Manager. I would say most saw this deal coming after the Reds decided to hire Jocketty this past offseason.

Krivsky did not do a terrible job, though. He has built this team around a solid offense, but has failed to land pitchers that would make a significant impact. In a couple years, it is very possible that many will be saying Krivsky built this team to success.

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News and Notes: A's Interested In Thomas

Just two seasons ago, Frank Thomas was the most popular guy in Oakland. He hit .270 with 39 HR and 114 RBI, finishing fourth in the MVP voting before bolting for the Blue Jays. However, now that he is available again, the Athletics are considering bringing him back. Jack Cust is looking more and more like a one hit wonder, so bringing in Thomas to probably platoon with Mike Sweeney makes a lot of sense. Thomas represents a greater homerun threat that either Cust or Sweeney, and will have a bigger presence in the young clubhouse. The one problem I see with this signing is you are potentially blocking Carlos Gonzalez, the A's top prospect, from coming up and getting some at bats. However, if Gonzalez continues to hit well, they will find him some at-bats. If the A's do sign Thomas, they will have to pay him the prorated minimum salary.

Cubs called about Santana: Sorry Cubs fans, but the Cubs did call about Johan Santana but were not called back. It appears that Santana would have been open to it to, making the Cubs the team to beat in the NL. The way they are playing right now though may make people say the Cubs are actually the team to beat.

Hank Steinbrenner, Shhh!: Hank Steinbrenner opened him mouth again and GM Brian Cashman quietly shut him down. He is probably a good business man, but he needs to keep out of the baseball decisions.

Pirates sticking by Morris, for now: The Pirates are sticking by Matt Morris, but if one team is looking for a veteran pitcher for the end of the season, they will probably trade him. The Mets seem like an obvious choice, especially if Martinez stays out and Perez continues to struggle.

Is Ned Colletti On His Way Out?: Andruw Jones has turned out to be a bust, and it is possible they could cut their losses and release or trade him next off season. They will likely trade Juan Pierre before Jones, but it looking more and more clear that Pierre is the more valuable outfielder.

Gagne Out As Closer?: One scout told me that Brewers executives are pushing for Gagne to be moved to a lesser role in the bullpen. This move would likely give the spot to Salomon Torres or David Riske.

A's and Rays Like Gross: The A's and Rays are interested in outfield Gabe Gross now that he appears to be the odd man out in Milwaukee. He will be for sure when Mike Cameron comes back, but the Brewers are already looking to trade him to make room.

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Mulder Hoping To Return By June

Cardinals pitcher Mark Mulder is set to return to St. Louis for a couple of days and then make somewhere between five and ten minor league starts before the Cardinals consider pulling him off the disabled list: "He's got a long way to go," La Russa said. Mulder, who has gone 6-10 with a 9.71 ERA over the past two seasons, but has had two successful outings in the minors this season. The Cardinals are off to a good start this season and if the can hold on until Mulder, Carpenter, and Clement return, they should be in good shape come August or September. Mulder's cutter and changeup are working really well for him this season, and was throwing the ball consistently in the high 80s. The Cardinals on paper look like an easy team to cross off, but a healthy Mulder behind Adam Wainwright is a scary thought.

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From the Papers: Bonds and Thomas

• The San Francisco Chronicle is speculating that the Athletics would add either Bonds or Thomas (or both!), to continue their run to the playoffs. Despite Frank Thomas walking out the A's last season, David Frost said their will probably be a discussion about him. Both would put even more people in the crowd.
• The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Rangers have little interest in bringing in Frank Thomas. The Rangers were interested in Thomas before 2007, but they are not showing any interest now.
• The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that the Mariners will take a look at Thomas now that he is available. You know they have some interest in Bonds, but now that Thomas is available, it makes sense to bring him in because he is less of a distraction.
• The Arlington Heights Daily Herald suggests that the Rays, A's, and Twins will all be in on the Thomas hunt. With Floyd out for the Rays, they make a lot of sense.

We'll probably find a new team for Thomas before the end of the month, if not a week into May. Otherwise, they might give him a game or two to find his swing in Triple-A.

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Did The Cubs Throw The 1918 World Series?

A newly found affidavit from the 1920 Grand Jury hearings has claims that the Cubs may have thrown the 1918 World Series against the Red Sox. White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte told 1920 Cook Country Grand Jury that the Cubs influenced the Sox. The idea came up on a train ride from New York, when they said the previous years Series was fixed, according to players. Well it is not certain that gamblers fixed the Series, Charles Comiskey's right hand man, Harry Grabiner, supposedly indicated in his lost diaries that the 1918 series was fixed. Taking a look at the box scores, they definitely support the claim:

"The Cubs were picked off three times, including twice in the decisive Game 6. That game was lost, 2-1, on a 2-run error by Cubs right fielder Max Flack. Game 4 had been tied, 2-2, in the eighth inning, when Cubs pitcher Shufflin' Phil Douglas gave up a single, followed by a passed ball, followed by an errant throw on a bunt attempt that allowed the winning run to score."

This is some pretty serious information, and I wonder if anything will be made of it. Maybe it is karma from the 1918 series that the Cubs haven't won since 1908. It is too bad though that the Cubs are hitting the century mark instead of the 90-year mark. Either way, it is still a long time.

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Will The Rangers Fire Washington?

Although the Rangers gave Ron Washington an extension through 2009 in August, Washington has been told that if the team doesn't turn it around, he could be gone. Ron Washington has been a failure as a manager, but I wouldn't say it is all his fault. The Rangers have been so focused on building their minor league system for the future, that they have failed to sign valuable pitching. Their lineup does not really have a power bat in it, so it is easy to pitch around guys like Josh Hamilton or Hank Blalock. Rangers fans are growing tired and are looking for someone to blame- that blame will probably come down on Ron Washington within the next month or so- assuming they cannot turn it around. As for possible replacements, I doubt they would want to take Rudy Jaramilo out of the hitting coach spot, but he is a possibility.

The Rangers are currently banking on their low-level guys to come up and perform within the next three or four years. It is rare that five or six prospects come up together and all perform in starting roles; however, the Rangers believe that is what will happen: "It's been very flattering, some of the recognition we've received from Baseball America, and Baseball Prospectus and some of the other experts in the industry. The most reassuring thing and the thing that confirms our own feeling is that other clubs are asking for our young players, and other scouts are talking to our scouts and opposing managers and coaches are talking to our guys on the field, saying: 'I like this guy, I like that guy.' That's when you know, these guys are real."

One problem with taking the patient approach is that at some point you will get impatient and start rushing these guys to the big leagues. The Angels are a team that is adding players to win now while adding minor league depth. The Athletics too, recently restocked their minor league system and will probably continue by means of the draft and other trades. But, the Rangers remain quiet and firm on their prospect development idea: "We're going to try to stay focused on our little niche here in Texas and try to keep plugging in as many of our quality young players, once they show they're ready," the general manager said. The Rangers have seen this work before, and I think they have a good idea, but they might want to add a short term bat to compete somewhat in the division.

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Report: Blue Jays Release Thomas

According to ESPNews, the Blue Jays are set to released DH Frank Thomas. This comes just days after being bench for hitting .167 with 3 HR. This is very surprising because historically, Thomas is not very good in April or May, but starts to heat up in June. He hit .277 with 26 homeruns last season, but coming into June 1st was hitting .221 with 8 HR. From that point on he hit .301 with 18 HR, so he can definitely still hit, he is just off to a slow start.

The Tigers and Mariners are the two best destinations. The Mariners really need a right handed power hitter to complement hot hitting lefty Raul Ibanez. Gary Sheffield of the Tigers could be out for an extended amount of time, so Thomas is an option there. Don't be surprised if a team like the Yankees comes in and makes a play. Jason Giambi is not playing well right now and he could platoon with Johnny Damon at first. This would give Hideki Matsui, who is off to a good start, more at-bats. Maybe it is a stretch, but if Thomas is going to put up similar numbers, he could be the X-factor that gives them the division.

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Interview with Josh Byrnes

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to conduct my second interview with Arizona Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes. I talked with him before the start of Spring Training and he was happy to do another interview. The Diamondbacks are off to a hot start this season, lead mostly by rookie outfielder Justin Upton and pitcher Brandon Webb, but they are getting solid support from just about everyone on the team right now. I want to thank Mr. Byrnes for donating his time to me with this interview, especially around draft time, I really appreciate it.

ELI: When did you realize you wanted to get into baseball?

JOSH: I always liked baseball, but I didn't know what it entailed. Probably around high school though.

ELI: When you got into baseball in 1994, what would you say was your area of expertise?

JOSH: Probably a willingness to work hard. I knew I had a lot to learn, and was lucky to be in a open organization. I had a lot of meaningful stuff passed on to me: market analysis, arbitration, multi-year contracts, interacting with players, etc.

ELI: Staying in the year 1994, did you have an ultimate goal when you started working for the Indians?

JOSH: I had aspirations to be a GM, but I was not sure what it entailed. Guys in the Indians organization like Dan O'Dowd were very inclusive though, and I learned a lot from him.

ELI: What is the Front Office environment like? Do people learn fast, or are GMs typically the guys that naturally understand the game?

JOSH: Yeah, but there is usually a group of people in on each discussion. Each decision is framed by some level of debate.

ELI: You told me in our last interview that you were going to focus on pitching in the off season, do you feel any personal satisfaction knowing you accomplished that goal in acquiring Dan Haren?

JOSH: I think it is more organizational satisfaction. We had a good 2007, thanks mostly to pitching. Thinking about our division, we needed to add another pitcher to compete in 2008-and he was our number one goal.

ELI: Jarrod Parker is off to a good start this season, where do you envision him fitting in with the Diamondbacks?

JOSH: We view him as a starter, and will continue to develop him as one. He is a great kid though, great athlete, and has a sound delivery with good secondary pitches. Right now, the biggest thing is trying to get him used to the work load.

ELI: Numbers wise, Justin Upton struggled last season. What did you see from him last season that show that his fast start this season isn't just a fluke?

JOSH: He has tremendous talent. He came up last year at nineteen years old, just tremendous. He's got good tools too, we wouldn't have been so aggressive with Justin if he didn't.

ELI: This team has a little bit of everything. Is there anything you would like to improve over the course of this season or for next season?

JOSH: You hate to worry, but you have to. It has to be pitching. Any attempt we have to bolster are pitching, we'll take a look.

ELI: The draft pool is as deep as last years, have you started meeting with your staff about players you will look at?

JOSH: Yeah, our guys are working hard. We are having more daily discussions. It is a pretty deep draft, I'm looking forward to seeing who we take.

ELI: Is there a Diamondbacks academy in the Dominican Republic? If so, what types of things do you try to develop and instill in those players?

JOSH: It is organization philosophy just to get the guys used to professional ball environment-teaching them the rigors of the game.

ELI: What advice would you give to an aspiring front office executive?

JOSH: There is no substitute to fun, passion, and hardwork. With the Internet era, theories are discussed. But it is a learning process, you work hard.

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Johnson Could Be Hot Commodity

New Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson has turned many heads at Wrigley Field and is starting to build a fan base. He is hitting .375 with 7 RBI and an OBP of .422 in thirteen games this season. He is taking a lot of time away from Felix Pie, who is struggling to make solid contact at the plate. Pie is currently working with Piniella and other coaches to shorten his swing, hoping that is the change that would send him to stardom. Pie was a career .300 hitter with 51 homeruns in 546 career minor league games, but has experience in the playoffs at each level. One problem scouts believe is slowing his development is that he had a natural power hitter swing when they signed him and tried to convert him to an on base guy because of his speed. If Pie can develop a short, consistent swing and start making solid contact with the ball, the Cubs might give him the regular job in center and shop Reed Johnson to a different contender around the deadline.

Johnson is very versatile though, and could easily slot in at left field if Alfonso Soriano is still out. I see Johnson as a Kenny Lofton like player if he can stay hot-someone who will be traded at the deadline for more than he is worth. However, he makes for a great fourth outfielder if Pie and Soriano continue to struggle.

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Furcal Hopes To Remain A Dodger

Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is a free agent after this season, hopes the Dodgers are interested in signing him long term. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said: "We want him to be a Dodger, so at some point in time, we'll sit down and sort it out." But, Chin-Lung Hu appears ready to take over at shortstop everyday and prospect Ivan DeJesus Jr. will be up soon as well. The Dodgers have made some costly signings recently, and you would think they would take a chance on their young players instead. However, Furcal was not at full strength last season as he is this season and it is showing. He is hitting .407 with 2 HR and 7 RBI in 15 games this season, but he has made four errors.

Bottom line, he is an All-Star shortstop with playoff experience. The Dodgers need to keep his experience with the team. They could always trade him if Hu really does become that top shortstop he has been projected to be.

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Rays Longoria Signs Extension

The Rays and rookie third baseman Evan Longoria have agreed to a six year contract worth 17.5 million dollars. Tamp Bay holds options that take the deal through 2016, netting him a possible 44 million dollars. Longoria, 22, is hitting .300 with 1 HR in six games this season.

Although he is still young and unproven, this deal allows the Rays to pay him a set price, and hold onto him for two years into free agency. This is obviously a good deal if he can stay healthy, but even if he struggles and doesn't live up to the All-Star hype, they still are not paying him that much. A solid deal for both sides.

With Cliff Floyd on the DL, the Rays claimed first baseman Dan Johnson off waivers from the Athletics.

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MLB Prospect Report

-- BATTERS --
TEAM		CLASS		PLAYER, POS		AB		R		H		BI		AVG
ARI		AAA		Bonifacio, Emiliano SS		4		0		1		0		.263
ATL		HiA		Hernandez, Gorkys DH		5		0		2		2		.327
ATL		LoA		Johnson, Cody LF		3		0		0		0		.220
ATL		LoA		Heyward, Jason RF		4		1		1		0		.269
BOS		HiA		Still, Jon C		2		1		2		3		.353
BOS		AAA		Moss, Brandon 1B		5		1		2		0		.306
CHC		LoA		Burke, Kyler RF		4		0		0		0		.237
CHC		LoA		Donaldson, Josh C		4		0		0		0		.176
CHC		AA		Colvin, Tyler DH		4		1		2		2		.235
CIN		LoA		Waring, Brandon DH		5		3		3		5		.373
CIN		LoA		Frazier, Todd SS		4		2		1		0		.333
CIN		AAA		Bruce, Jay RF		3		2		3		2		.333
CLE		HiA		Goedert, Jared2B		4		1		2		1		.359
CLE		AA		Hodges, Wes 3B		4		1		1		1		.360
COL		LoA		Rike, Brian RF		3		2		1		1		.302
COL		AAA		Herrera, Jonathan 2B		4		0		2		0		.326
CWS		LoA		Martinez, Jose RF		4		0		2		2		.180
DET		HiA		Iorg, Cale SS		3		3		2		1		.333
FLA		AA		Maybin, Cameron CF		4		1		2		0		.317
HOU		LoA		DeLome, Collin C		4		1		1		2		.216
KC		LoA		Moustakas, Mike SS		3		3		1		0		.194
LAA		AAA		Rodriguez, Sean 2B		3		1		2		1		.366
LAD		AA		De Jesus, Ivan SS		2		1		1		0		.349
MIL		AA		Escobar, Alcides SS		4		2		2		1		.204
MIN		AAA		Pridie, Jason CF		4		0		2		3		.255
NYM		AA		Martinez, Fernando CF		5		0		0		0		.214
NYM		AA		Evans, Nick 1B		5		2		3		2		.420
NYY		LoA		Romine, Austin C		5		0		2		0		.303
NYY		LoA		Montero, Jesus DH		4		0		2		1		.364
NYY		AA		Tabata, Jose RF		5		1		2		3		.250
NYY		AA		Jackson, Austin CF		4		2		2		0		.308
NYY		AAA		Miranda, Juan 1B		4		1		2		2		.224
OAK		LoA		Brown, Corey CF		5		4		3		2		.296
PHI		AA		Golson, Greg CF		5		1		2		1		.346
PIT		AA		Corley, Brad DH		5		1		2		0		.269
PIT		AAA		McCutchen, Andrew CF		5		1		1		1		.240
SD		AAA		Headley, Chase LF		4		0		1		0		.245
SEA		AA		Saunders, Mike CF		5		0		2		0		.289
SF		LoA		Villalona, Angel 1B		3		0		0		0		.231
SF		LoA		Noonan, Nick 2B		5		1		3		1		.339
SF		LoA		Culberson, Charlie SS		4		0		1		0		.057
SF		AAA		Schierholtz, Nate RF		4		1		3		2		.345
STL		AAA		Freese, David 3B		4		2		2		3		.280
STL		AAA		Rasmus, Colby CF		4		1		0		0		.179
TB		AAA		Brignac, Reid SS		4		0		2		0		.229
TEX		HiA		Tracy, Chad LF		2		0		2		1		.245
TOR		LoA		Jackson, Justin SS		5		1		4		0		.311
TOR		LoA		Ahrens, Kevin 3B		5		0		0		0		.261
TOR		AAA		Diaz, Robinzon C		4		1		1		1		.387
-- PITCHERS --
TEAM		CLASS		PITCHER		IP		H		R		ER		BB		K		ERA
BAL		LoA		Britton, Zach		5.1		6		1		1		1		2		2.35
BAL		HiA		Erbe, Brandon		5.1		9		7		6		1		5		3.78
BAL		AAA		Liz, Radhames		5.0		8		6		5		1		5		7.98
BOS		LoA		Hagadone, Nick		2.1		1		0		0		2		3		0.00
BOS		AA		Bowden, Michael		4.2		4		2		2		4		4		3.29
CHC		AA		Veal, Donald		5.2		8		1		1		0		3		4.50
CIN		AAA		Maloney, Matt		5.1		6		3		3		1		6		6.75
CLE		AA		Huff, David		5.0		3		0		0		2		8		4.61
CWS		AAA		Broadway, Lance		8.0		6		4		1		3		3		0.82
FLA		AA		Thompson, Aaron		5.1		9		2		2		3		1		2.35
KC		AAA		Davies, Kyle		5.0		5		6		0		2		3		1.38
LAA		LoA		Walden, Jordan		5.2		5		6		1		1		2		1.02
LAD		AAA		Meloan, Jon		6.0		1		0		0		4		4		1.69
MIN		HiA		Guerra, Deolis		5.0		4		0		0		1		4		0.60
MIN		AA		Swarzak, Anthony		6.0		3		0		0		0		10		0.56
MIN		AAA		Perkins, Glen		4.1		8		4		3		3		5		5.14
OAK		HiA		Cahill, Trevor		6.0		2		0		0		1		9		0.50
OAK		AAA		Meyer, Dan		6.0		0		0		0		2		4		5.00
SD		AAA		Ramos, Cesar		5.2		3		0		0		1		7		4.50
SEA		AAA		Thomas, Justin		5.0		6		5		5		4		4		9.00
SF		HiA		Alderson, Tim		6.0		4		1		1		1		4		1.69
TB		AA		Houser, James		5.0		2		0		0		0		4		0.60
TB		AAA		Mason, Chris		5.2		4		4		2		2		7		4.11
TEX		LoA		Feliz, Neftali		5.0		4		2		2		2		7		5.11
WAS		AAA		Balester, Collin		4.0		3		0		0		3		5		1.88

Courtesy of Baseball America

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Tejada Corrects Age On Roster

Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada told the Astros that he is actually thirty-three, not thirty-one like the team roster says. Tejada said he was actually nineteen when he told the Athletics, who were scouting him, that he was seventeen: "I was a poor kid," Tejada said before the Astros finished a three-game series against the Phillies on Thursday. "I wanted to sign a professional contract, and that was the only way to do it. I didn't want or mean to do anything wrong. At the time, I was two years older than they thought." I don't think this will have much effect on the team, but it is a good thing the team did not sign him to a long term deal thinking they had a good three or four years left in him. Tejada though, feels like he is twenty-five again: "It's something that happened the first time I signed my contract," Tejada said. "I had no intention of doing anything wrong. And now I feel like I'm 25 years old, maybe younger. I feel my legs are stronger than I used to be feeling. I feel great. I have a lot of energy."

So far this season, Tejada is hitting .328 with 3 HR and 11 RBI.

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Mailbag: The Draft

This mailbag is all about the Draft, with a little bit on Kenny Lofton. Thanks everyone for participating.

Q: Last year, you interviewed David Price before the draft. Do you have any plans for any of the guys in the draft this year?

Derrick L., San Diego, California

ELI: David Price was a great interview. I have started my offense on lining up as many interviews I can, and have made contact with several teams and players. Hopefully, I can get a couple first rounders on the site before the draft.

Q: Who do you see going number one in the draft this year?

Kevin M., Syracuse, New York

ELI: The Rays have the first pick again, but I do not see them picking someone from Vanderbilt again. Pedro Alvarez is a great player, but he recently injured his wrist. I think they will take another pitcher, and will probably go with Brian Matusz from San Diego or Aaron Crow from Missouri. If I had to take a pick, I would probably go with Aaron Crow.

Q: Tell me a little bit about Tim Beckham? Is he the real deal?

Gerald J., Atlanta, Georgia

ELI: He is probably the top high schooler in the draft, but probably won't go number one. He has the potential to be a five tool shortstop, but he is not as spectacular as the Upton's were when they were taken out of high school.

Q: Will Kenny Lofton be signed, and where do you think he will go?

Aaron H., Geneva, Illinois

ELI: I thought Kenny Lofton would have been signed by now, but he is struggling to find a home. Several teams have reached out for him, but he has declined. I think he is waiting for a playoff bound team to make a move.

If you are interested in participating in the MLB Rumors mailbag, email me at mlbrumors@gmail.com.

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Cubs Place Soriano On DL

The Cubs have placed left fielder Alfonso Soriano on the DL with a right calf strain. He injured his calf doing his trademark hop to catch a fly ball. Soriano is hitting .113 with 2 HR, but started to heat up in previous games. The Cubs are paying this guy to hit for a high average, with homeruns, and stolen bases. Doing that hop after each catch is just dumb, and someone should have told him to stop. Many thought the Cubs were going to call up Matt Murton in his place; however, they called up utility man Eric Patterson. Patterson is struggling in Triple-A, but one reason that might have lead to his call up over Murton's is because they are playing his brother Corey Patterson. That probably is not the key reason, but it really does not make sense to call up Patterson over Murton. Murton should be starting on a MLB team right now, considering he hits in the .280-.290 range with 15-20 homeruns.

Patterson gives the Cubs a lead off man with speed, but he has not proven he can hit for a respectable average. I question some of Lou Piniella's decisions as a manager, especially with Felix Pie, but we'll see how this plays out for them.

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Piazza to Reds?

The Reds are reportedly showing interest in free agent catcher Mike Piazza. Piazza would give them the catcher they need with solid power from the right side. Although some within the Reds organization were surprised by the report, Dusty Baker reportedly told friends that, "I'm confident Piazza will sign with the Reds. Tommy Lasorda wants him to play for me." Piazza can still hit, but he is a question mark behind the plate. He would probably need a stint in Triple-A if he does sign, but he could be a major threat coming off the bench in the MLB. The Yankees are also believed to be interested, but that will probably fade when their catchers get healthy.

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Is Bowker The Answer?

Giants fans have been very critical of some of the Giants moves, mostly because Barry Zito is 0-3 and Aaron Rowand is hitting .270 with no homeruns. However, prospect John Bowker is off to a hot start, and the Giants are making plans to get him more playing time. In Bowker's first ten at-bats in the big leagues, he has seven RBIs and two homers among his six hits. The Giants have been getting him some work at first base, meaning that the struggling Dan Ortmeier could be moved.

Bowker is 6'2'', 190 pounds with a short, powerful swing. He is not the next Barry Bonds, but he is definitely showing potential to be an enforcer in the Giants lineup. However, he does hold the homerun record down in Double-A.

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Weaver Joins Brewers

According to SI.com, the Brewers and Jeff Weaver have agreed to a minor league deal. However, if he is not called up by June 1st, he can declare for free agency. Weaver pitched for the Mariners in 2007, going 7-13 with a 6.20 ERA. The Brewers have had interest in Weaver for awhile, and this signing, assuming he can make a successful comeback, could lead to a Dave Bush trade. He has been the subject of several trade over the past couple of weeks and if struggles tonight, they could ship him off to make room for Weaver. Weaves is 93-114 with a 4.72 ERA in nine major league seasons. His best year came in 2005 when he won 14 games for the Dodgers.

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Tigers Will Breakout Eventually, But...

The Tigers intense, but quiet manager finally lost his cool last night, ripping his team apart behind close doors. This was after they were shutout by the White Sox, who hit two grand slams off them in the same game. No one would be saying anything right now if we were in May and the Tigers had twenty-five wins. People would be calling it a rough patch. However, we are just twelve games into the season and the Tigers have just won two games. Their bullpen is worse than everyone expected, and their two biggest additions are vastly under producing.

The Tigers have already been shut out more than they were last season, and are averaging two less runs than last season. Not only that, but their pitching is giving up an average 6.5 runs a game, leading the league by a point and a half. An interesting fact from John Donovan: "Since their 0-7 start the Tigers (2-10) actually have lost a half-game in the standings. If they are to win 92 games they have to go 90-60 the rest of the way. That's a .600 clip. By the way, it has taken an average of 97 wins over the last three seasons to win the vastly improved AL Central." Are you changing your projections yet?

One possibility is that the Tigers hitters are feeling the pressure of being the team that breaks the hitting records, and are swinging at the wrong pitches. Another possibility is that the seven starters 32 years or older are starting to wear down and the others, Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson, cannot pick it up. MagglioOrdonez, who is a career .311 hitter, is hitting just .234 while he is nearly two full points under his career OPS average. Placido Polanco, who hit .341 last season, is hitting just .154 while his career OBP is down a little over a point. His OPS is also down three points from his career average as well.

What can the Tigers do? One option would be to allow time for Gary Sheffield to heal and sign Barry Bonds. He might be willing to take a low base salary contract, and he could turn out to actually help the Tigers. Although Dave Dombrowski said he would not sign him, he might consider if the losing continues. I am really surprised the Tigers did not snatch up either Bryan Corey or Kyle Snyder, but I am even more surprised they have not made a move for their bullpen. Last season, Lou Piniella went off on an umpire to move the attention away from his players and onto him. The team went 63-46 from that point and won the division by two games. Maybe Jim Leyland should do something to take the attention off his players for a couple games, I'm sure an experienced manager like him could handle the heat.

The main point here is that the Tigers are not out of it, but they have a long way to go if they want to win the division this season. As of right now, it looks like the Indians and White Sox will be battling it out for the division, not like the Tigers and the Indians like everyone thought.

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Braves Looking For A Pitcher

With Tom Glavine possibly heading to the DL for the first time in his career and the fifth starter spot open, the Braves are short on pitching. Tim Hudson and John Smoltz have stepped up, but that really is not a surprise. Jair Jurrjens is off to a good start for a fourth starter, but he cannot make a significant impact on the rotation to justify giving the spot to Jeff Bennett or Jo-Jo Reyes.

If they are looking on the market for a pitcher, there are several potential number five starters. Horacio Ramirez, Jeff Weaver, David Wells, to name a few. However, they have not been the most effective pitchers and they are probably better off sacrificing a low level prospect for someone like Dave Bush, who was recently pushed into the bullpen. Bush would make for a solid number five starter and would not cost much for them to bring him in. Other options include Robinson Tejada, Vicente Padilla, Matt Belisle, or maybe Matt Morris, but it looks like he might be traded to New York or Detroit by the trade deadline.

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MLB Prospect Report

-- BATTERS --
TEAM		CLASS		PLAYER, POS		AB		R		H		BI		AVG
SF		LoA		Villalona, Angel 1B		4		1		2		5		.310
ATL		LoA		Heyward, Jason RF		5		0		1		0		.293
CHC		AA		Colvin, Tyler CF		6		1		3		0		.231
CIN		LoA		Waring, Brandon 3B		4		0		2		0		.472
COL		AA		Young Jr., Eric 2B		2		3		1		2		.350
FLA		AA		Coghlan, Chris 2B		5		2		2		1		.342
HOU		AA		Iorg, Eli CF		3		0		1		0		.289
LAA		AAA		Rodriguez, Sean 2B		4		2		2		1		.343
LAA		AA		Statia, Hainley SS		3		0		1		0		.176
LAA		LoA		Moore, Jeremy LF		4		2		4		1		.250
LAD		AA		May, Lucas C		6		2		4		1		.310
MIL		AA		Escobar, Alcides SS		4		0		2		0		.158
MIN		LoA		Parmelee, Chris 1B		3		2		2		3		.345
PHI		AA		Golson, Greg CF		5		2		2		1		.350
PIT		AAA		Walker, Neil 3B		4		1		1		1		.211
SD		AAA		Antonelli, Matt 2B		5		1		1		2		.219
SD		HiA		Hunter, Cedric CF		5		1		2		0		.383
SEA		AAA		Clement, Jeff DH		2		1		1		1		.364
SEA		AAA		LaHair, Bryan 1B		3		2		2		3		.300
SEA		AA		Moore, Adam C		4		2		2		1		.296
SF		AAA		Schierholtz, Nate RF		4		2		3		4		.286
SF		HiA		D'Alessio, Andy DH		5		1		2		2		.267
STL		AAA		Rasmus, Colby CF		4		1		0		0		.200
STL		AA		Martinez, Jose 2B		5		0		2		2		.220
TB		AAA		Perez, Fernando CF		3		0		1		2		.273
TEX		AA		Ramirez, Max DH		5		1		2		0		.242
TEX		LoA		Beltre, Engel CF		4		2		1		1		.241
TEX		LoA		Gac, Ian 1B		4		2		2		3		.393
TOR		HiA		Arencibia, J.P. C		4		1		1		3		.257
TOR		HiA		Snider, Travis DH		5		2		3		0		.293
WAS		AA		Maxwell, Justin RF		3		1		1		1		.241
WAS		HiA		Marrero, Chris 1B		4		2		2		0		.278
-- PITCHERS --
TEAM		CLASS		PITCHER		IP		H		R		ER		BB		K		ERA
ARI		LoA		Collmenter, Josh		5.0		2		1		1		1		4		10.38
ARI		HiA		Enright, Barry		5.0		5		3		3		0		5		9.75
ATL		AAA		Reyes, Jo-Jo		4.0		3		0		0		1		8		0.00
ATL		AA		Medlen, Kris		2.2		2		1		1		0		3		1.23
BAL		AAA		Penn, Hayden		7.0		3		1		1		1		2		5.82
BOS		AA		Richardson, Dustin		6		1		1		1		3		4		1.64
COL		AAA		Capellan, Jose		6.0		1		1		1		2		2		3.27
COL		AAA		Reynolds, Greg		5.1		11		7		5		0		1		8.79
COL		AA		Strop, Pedro		1		0		0		0		1		1		3.60
COL		AA		Weathers, Casey		1		0		0		0		1		0		0.00
DET		HiA		Porcello, Rick		4.0		4		2		1		2		5		0.64
FLA		AA		Sinkbeil, Brett		6		6		2		2		1		2		3.27
KC		AA		Johnson, Blake		6		5		0		0		0		5		5.23
LAA		AAA		Green, Nick		7.0		12		3		3		1		6		3.71
LAA		HiA		O'Sullivan, Sean		5.0		0		1		0		2		4		2.81
NYY		AAA		Igawa, Kei		5.2		5		2		2		3		4		1.72
NYY		HiA		Melancon, Mark		2.0		1		0		0		0		0		8.10
NYY		LoA		Betances, Dellin		5.0		6		2		2		2		7		3.52
OAK		AAA		Braden, Dallas		6.0		4		1		1		2		5		0.73
OAK		AA		Simmons, James		3		5		1		1		1		3		1.50
OAK		HiA		De Los Santos, Fautino		5.0		7		2		2		3		7		3.94
OAK		LoA		Keough, Shane		1.0		0		0		0		2		0		0.00
PHI		AAA		Happ, J.A.		5.0		1		2		2		5		9		5.27
PHI		AA		Carrasco, Carlos		6		5		2		2		2		7		2.45
PHI		HiA		Savery, Joe W (1-1)		8.0		5		0		0		1		4		0.90
PIT		AAA		Bullington		7.0		6		1		1		0		4		3.71
PIT		HiA		Moskos, Daniel		5.0		5		2		2		1		4		3.60
TEX		AAA		Hurley, Eric		4.2		10		6		4		2		6		7.07
TOR		AAA		Purcey, David		7.0		4		2		2		2		7		1.89
TOR		HiA		Cecil, Brett		3.0		3		2		2		0		2		3.86
WAS		HiA		Zimmermann, Jordan		5.2		1		2		1		2		6		0.93

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Would The Rockies Pursue Harden?

The Rockies goal this past offseason was to lock up their young players, and then land a big name starter. They failed to land a big name starter and are reportedly still looking to accomplish that goal. The Athletics love minor league depth and could turn to the Rockies in July to see if they are interested in parting with a few of their prospects for Joe Blanton or Rich Harden. If Jayson Nix continues to struggle though, they could go after Mark Ellis, who is set to be a free agent. Although he is getting older, he would probably do very well in Colorado. Harden has been hit with injuries, but no one is denying that he could be the best pitcher in the game if he was healthy: "I mean, he could be that guy who, honestly, could pitch 200 innings and give up 100 hits. It's that kind of silly stat that you could see out of this guy," Mark Mulder said. Harden is 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA this season, but is currently on the DL. If he can come off the DL before mid-May and pitch strong till the All-Star break, his trade value should still be high. Other teams that are known to be interested in the twenty-six year old include the Yankees, Cubs, and Indians, among others.

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Fantasy: Stock Rising or Falling

The second addition of Stock Rising or Falling:

Nate McLouth, Pirates
- McLouth really broke out versus the Cubs last week and it has been all up hill from there. He was being snatched up in fantasy leagues that missed, and his teammates recently voted him most likely to breakout this season.

Mike Jacobs, Marlins
- Jacobs has struggled thus far in his Marlins career, but is finally showing signs of power. He has got five homeruns so far, and he would really help the Marlins if he can stay hot.

Gavin Floyd, White Sox
- Had a one hitter going into the eighth inning, but was still able to get the win. Gavin Floyd is available in most leagues, and if he continues to pitch well and the White Sox remain hot, he should easily get double-digit wins.

Honorable Mention: Evan Longoria, Rays

Rich Harden, Athletics
- After everyone thought he was going to be okay, he lands on the DL. No one is sure when he will be back, but I would expect the A's to take their time with him.

Rich Hill, Cubs
- After failing to find the strike zone in two starts, Lou Piniella moved him to the bullpen.


Roy Oswalt, Astros
- His fastball has slowed down, but he refuses to adjust. It could be a long year for Oswalt.

Honorable Mention: Felix Pie, Cubs and Andruw Jones, Dodgers.

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Workers Find Buried Red Sox Jersey

After a report last week came out that a worker laid a Red Sox jersey in the concrete under the Yankees clubhouse. Two workers approached the construction manager with what they thought was the location of the jersey, and were exactly right. The jersey was removed and felt like a dirty rag, but the "Red" on the front of the jersey could easily be seen. Hal Steinbrenner, one of the new Bosses, couldn't help but comment on the situation: "I hope his co-workers kick the [expletive] out of him," Yankees co-chairperson Hal Steinbrenner said of the man who planted the jersey.

Danger averted.

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Roberts to Rockies?

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Rockies may approach the Orioles about Brian Roberts if Jayson Nix continues to struggle offensively. Nix, who is hitting .143 with 0 HR and 1 RBI, is a top prospect in the Rockies organization. He is a career .256 hitter with 78 homeruns in seven minor league seasons, but many scouts believe his average will come up playing in Colorado. Matt Holliday was a .275 hitter in the minors and is now a .319 career hitter, so it is possible. Many believe the Orioles will go through with their fire sale in July, trading Brian Roberts, Ramon Hernandez, and possibly Melvin Mora. The Cubs remain interested in trading for Brian Roberts, as do the Indians. However, the Indians may not want to move Jhonny Peralta to third if he continues to swing a hot bat in June or July.

The Rockies have much to offer the Orioles in a trade. They could easily pry Ian Stewart from the Rockies, as well as two or three other prospects. Chris Nelson is a shortstop down in Double-A who hit 19 homeruns last season. Brandon Hynick won sixteen games last season and has a solid changeup. Hector Gomez is also a shortstop, but he is still in Single-A and no one is sure if he can play second base just yet. The Rockies are known to build their team from the ground up, so I doubt they would make a trade. My money is on the Cubs, who remain willing to part with several pitchers, maybe even Rich Hill now that he is off to a slow start.

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Astros Oswalt In For Change

Since making his major league debut in 2001, Oswalt has compiled a 112-56 record, making him the winningest pitcher of the 21st century. Not only that, but he has pitched on three All Star teams, and has pitched in the World Series. At one point, there was not another pitcher you would want on Fantasy team than him. Oswalt is known as a power pitcher, with a devastating curveball and pretty nasty changeup. However, Oswalt's first three outings along with looking at his previous stats show that he is starting to slow down. Oswalt has barely touched 90 mph on the radar gun with his fastball and has failed to find his release point with his curveball. This has caused increased hits and less strikeouts. Gennaro Filice of SI.com breaks down his stats since 2001 basically since his career has begun:

Roy's Recession

Year K/9 AVG SLG 2001 9.15 .235 .361 2002 8.03 .247 .369 2003 7.63 .246 .375 2004 7.82 .260 .385 2005 6.85 .262 .389 2006 6.77 .263 .403 2007 6.54 .265 .389 2008* 6.75 .400 .720

*Through Oswalt's first two starts of the season

Slowly but surely, his K/9 has gone down and the average and slugging percentage of batters has gone up. Oswalt won fourteen games last year, but did not fair in several decisions because of his bullpen. He could probably put up fourteen wins again this season, but expect a higher ERA and more losses. This is probably the last year for Oswalt as the dominating pitcher he has been, unless this season and over the next off season he can learn to become a finesse pitcher.

Just because he cannot overpower his opponent, doesn't mean he cannot be a successful pitcher. Several pitchers have made a successful transition from power pitcher to finesse, and there is no reason that Oswalt should not be able to as well. Because the Astros rotation heavily relies on Oswalt, it is very important that they help him move away from power and move towards finesse. If he continues to try and overpower hitters and rack up pitch counts and innings, it could lead to nagging arm problems.

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News and Notes: MLB Improves Drug Agreement

Baseball players and owners agreed to a new deal calling for more frequent test of players over the next three seasons. The terms of the deal also give amnesty to all the players implicated in the Mitchell Report, so Jose Guillen's suspension has been eliminated. "We are gratified that commissioner Selig chose to accept Sen. Mitchell's recommendation that no further punishment of players is warranted," union head Donald Fehr said. "In many instances the naming of players was punishment enough; in others it may have been unfair." The deal has several other perks, but here are the major parts of it:

- Annual tests will rise by 600 to 3,600, an average of three per player.

- As many as 375 offseason tests can be conducted over the next three years, up from the current limit of 60 per offseason.

- Testing will include the top 200 prospects for each year's annual draft.

- The IPA will issue an annual report detailing what substances resulted in positive tests, the number of tests given and therapeutic use exemptions by category of ailment.

- Additional substances were added to the banned list, among them: insulin-like growth factor, gonadotropins, aromatase inhibitors, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and clomid and other antiestrogens.

- An automatic stay for an initial suspension will be expanded to players disciplined for conduct unrelated to a positive test.

I look forward to this years draft now that they will test the draftees, I wonder if it will change anything. Otherwise, we will have to wait and see to learn the effects of the deal.

Rich Hill to bullpen: The Cubs will likely move Rich Hill to the bullpen to work on his control problems and move Jon Lieber into the rotation. However, it is possible they keep Lieber where he is because he is doing well and move Sean Marshall into the bullpen.

Snyder drawing interest: Kyle Snyder is drawing trade interest from the Rays, Tigers, and Phillies. He will likely be traded by the end of next week. Mike Timlin is set to come off the DL and the Red Sox will likely trade Bryan Corey as well. Maybe one of those teams will be interested as well.

Clement coming up?: Mariners prospect Jeff Clement could be called up soon if Kenji Johjima continues to struggle.

Sosa considering retirement: Sammy Sosa is holding out for a job, but if none comes, then he will retire. Japan was interested, but I doubt Sosa would go over there.

Nats prospect goes down: Nationals prospect Kory Castro suffered a broken hamate bone and will likely miss two months.

Samardzija tops Kershaw: Cubs prospect Jeff Samardzija topped Dodgers prospect Clayton Kershaw in his best performance in his professional career. Former number one pick Ryan Harvey collected three hits off Kershaw, a sign that maybe he is coming around.

Poreda has promising start: Poreda pitched five solid innings in Single-A before the game was called. Poreda skipped Low-A, so to see a good start come in your pro debut is promising.

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Indians Sign Carmona

The Indians and Fausto Carmona have agreed to a four year deal worth 15 million dollars. The deal, which includes three options that cover two years of free agency, could land him a total of 47.25 million dollars. "This contract secures one of the Cleveland Indians' best talents and toughest competitors for the long term," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "It is a great reward for Fausto's hard work and performance, and continues to demonstrate ownership's commitment to sustaining a championship team by retaining our most talented players." This past season, Carmona went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA in his first full season as a starter. After two starts this season, he is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA.

I think this signing shows that the Indians are planning for life without Sabathia, but it could also be meant to show that the Indians are serious about winning and will try to pull Sabathia back. Several players on the Indians have been locked up long term, so I'm sure the Indians would love to lock up Sabathia as well. However, Sabathia is looking for a deal similar, if not better than Johan Santana's. We'll see if the Indians have it in their budget to sign him.

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Dempster, Duke Masterful In Showdown

Tonight's Cubs versus Pirates game was very exciting if you favor pitching over hitting. Two struggling pitchers in recent years were masterful, both throwing seven innings of one hit ball. Let's start with Zack Duke, who struck out seven and walked one. The run support wasn't there for him until they pulled him, but he was moving his stuff all over the plate- really fooling some hitters. Duke is definitely the pitcher they hope can follow up behind Tom Gorzelanny, but the Pirates should consider saving his arm before he cannot pitch anymore. For the second game in a row, he threw over 115 pitches, a sign that their pitching coach is not paying attention to his pitch count. Duke would be a solid pick up in your Fantasy League if you lose a pitcher, but I would watch him in his next start to make sure his arm doesn't start to wear off.

Who would have thought that the struggling closer would be off to such a great start? Dempster was an above average starter, but closing always seemed to be a challenge. In retrospect, maybe it was just about how comfortable he was. Dempster was 'Maddux-esque' once again and it is possible we could see him return to 2000 or 2001 form when he put up 15 wins. That would be huge for the Cubs considering it looks like Ted Lilly will struggle this year, something many think is because of his performance in the Diamondbacks playoff game last season. Dempster is going undrafted in most drafts, mostly because he is still considered a reliever, but he would be a solid pick up in an NL-only league. However, I would take someone like Carlos Silva before Dempster in a normal league.

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Should The Rangers Fire Daniels?

Since Jon Daniels took over in 2005, he has traded away the teams three top prospects in as many years. He first traded 6'11 pitcher Chris Young, Adrian Gonzalez, and Termel Sledge to the Padres for Aki Otsuka and Adam Eaton. Young and Gonzalez are key parts of the Padres playoff chances now while Otsuka and Eaton are no longer with the Rangers. He signed Kevin Millwood to a long deal after he went just 9-11 with a 2.86 ERA with the Indians. Since then (excluding 2008), he is 26-26 with a 4.84 ERA. His K/9 went down in the years leading to the Rangers contract as the H/9 went up, a sign that the signing was not worth it.

That offseason, he also traded top prospect John Danks, Jacob Rasner, and Nick Massett to the White Sox for Brandon McCarthy and a prospect. Danks is in for a breakout year for the White Sox while Brandon McCarthy is on the 60-day DL. His inflated stats could explain the arm problems, but trading three solid prospects for an unproven pitcher does not. In 2007, he traded Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay to the Braves for top prospects Jarrod Saltalamachhia and Elvis Andrus, among others. This somewhat justifies his ability to make a trade, but one this past offseason does not.

This past offseason, in an attempt to rebuild the outfield, he traded Edison Volquez for Josh Hamilton. Hamilton is off to a good start, but no where close to the same start Volquez is having. Volquez is shining in the bottom end of that rotation and will likely follow behind Johnny Cueto for the next several years to come. While this team could be riding high on the top of the division, or at least competing for it, they have traded away nearly every prospect they have, and are behind the Athletics in terms of development.

Daniels is young, and he has time to learn, but I think it is time to go with someone more experienced so they can build this team back to greatness. A possible option is Paul DePodesta, who is currently working with Kevin Towers and the Padres. Towers is a master-crafter of trades, and understands stats very well, in my opinion. DePodesta is also a former GM, and built the Dodgers to what they are now. Moving Daniels into a reduced role could open the spot for him later or with another team in the future.

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Comeback Kid!

Not two years ago, once Royals top prospect Zack Grienke was out of baseball for psychological issues. I know it sounds childish, but he was suffering from a social anxiety disorder and was having trouble working with others. At the time, it was very sad for everyone who knew the young pitcher. Grienke was being compared to Greg Maddux, among others, but couldn't put it all together. However, he found his groove as a reliever this past season and developed the confidence to move back into the rotation. Grienke dominated the Yankees tonight going eight strong innings, improving his record to 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 5 strikeouts.

Is Grienke back? I would say so. Hitters are hitting just .211 off him, and he is using his slider and curveball effectively. He is painting the corners well also, but his fastball lacks the movement that other solid pitchers have. His fastball has not had much movement on it, but if he can hide it a little better, the best will definitely be ahead of him.

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Mets Closing In On Vargas

According to the New York Post, the Mets and Claudio Vargas are in the final stages of a contract that could be completed as soon as tonight. This is a great move for the Mets, who recently lost Orlando Hernandez. Not only that, but Mike Pelfrey isn't living up to his potential, so adding a veteran like Vargas should sure up this rotation. Vargas' release last season surprised many, considering he has gone 23-16 over the past two seasons. His ERA is what makes him a number five starter, but the fact that he can eat up innings makes him valuable. He will likely head to Triple-A for a couple starts before they call him up.

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MLB Prospect Report

TEAM PLAYER                          AB  R  H BI   AVG
ATL AAA Jones, Brandon LF  .........  4  1  1  0  .316

BAL HiA Wieters, Matt C  ...........  3  0  2  2  .455

BOS AAA Lowrie, Jed SS  ............  3  2  1  0  .176
BOS HiA Anderson, Lars 1B  .........  4  1  1  1  .233

CIN AAA Bruce, Jay CF  .............  4  0  1  1  .217
CIN HiA Francisco, Juan 3B  ........  4  1  2  1  .385
CIN LoA Frazier, Todd SS  ..........  4  3  2  3  .412
CIN LoA Waring, Brandon 3B  ........  3  1  1  2  .409

CLE AA  Hodges, Wes 3B  ............  4  1  2  1  .381
CLE AA  Whitney, Matt 1B  ..........  4  1  2  1  .364
CLE HiA Drennen, John CF  ..........  5  3  2  0  .400
CLE HiA Mills, Beau 1B  ............  4  2  3  3  .750
CLE HiA Rivero, Carlos SS  .........  5  0  2  2  .400

COL AAA Koshansky, Joe 1B  .........  4  1  2  2  .304
COL AAA Stewart, Ian 3B  ...........  5  1  2  1  .308
COL AA  Fowler, Dexter CF  .........  4  0  1  0  .321
COL LoA Rike, Brian RF  ............  4  2  2  1  .364

CWS AAA Fields, Josh 3B  ...........  3  0  1  2  .167

DET AAA Joyce, Matt RF  ............  3  1  1  3  .304
DET HiA Iorg, Cale SS  .............  5  0  3  0  .217
DET HiA Sizemore, Scott 2B  ........  4  0  2  0  .526
DET HiA Skelton, James C  ..........  5  0  2  1  .417

HOU LoA Sapp, Max C  ...............  5  1  3  3  .250

LAA AAA Rodriguez, Sean 2B  ........  4  3  2  3  .400
LAA AAA Wood, Brandon SS  ..........  3  1  1  1  .192

LAD LoA Lambo, Andrew LF  ..........  3  0  3  3  .417

NYM AA  Martinez, Fernando CF  .....  5  0  0  0  .136

NYY AA  Jackson, Austin CF  ........  5  1  2  0  .190
NYY AA  Tabata, Jose RF  ...........  4  0  2  1  .190

OAK AAA Gonzalez, Carlos CF  .......  4  1  1  1  .250
OAK HiA Mitchell, Jermaine CF  .....  3  1  2  0  .333

PIT AAA McCutchen, Andrew CF  ......  5  1  1  0  .208
PIT AAA Pearce, Steve RF  ..........  4  0  2  2  .240

SD  AAA Headley, Chase LF  .........  4  0  2  1  .263
SD  AA  Blanks, Kyle 1B  ...........  4  0  3  2  .263
SD  HiA Canham, Mitch C  ...........  3  2  2  0  .450

SEA AAA LaHair, Bryan 1B  ..........  4  1  2  3  .333

STL AAA Rasmus, Colby CF  ..........  4  1  1  0  .308

TB  AAA Brignac, Reid DH  ..........  4  2  2  0  .261

TEX HiA Whittleman, Johnny 3B  .....  5  2  4  0  .467

TOR AAA Lind, Adam LF-RF  ..........  3  0  1  1  .400
TOR LoA Rodriguez, Manuel 1B  ......  4  2  2  4  .591

WAS LoA Burgess, Michael RF  .......  3  2  1  1  .250

----  Pitchers ----
TEAM PITCHER                        IP  H  R ER BB  K   ERA
ARI AAA Johnson, Randy  .........  6.0  3  3  3  1  7  7.20
ARI HiA Enright, Barry  .........  2.0  7  7  7  3  1 12.86

ATL AAA Reyes, Jo-Jo  ...........  5.0  1  0  0  2  6  0.00
ATL LoA Locke, Jeff    ..........  3.1  9 10  8  2    11.74

BOS AA  Masterson, Justin  ......  5.0  2  0  0  0  7  0.00B

CIN AAA Bailey, Homer  ..........  5.2  4  0  0  1  7  0.71
CIN AA  Thompson, Daryl  ........  6.0  2  0  0  1  8  0.00

COL AAA Reynolds, Greg  .........  5.0  4  2  2  1  3  9.00
COL LoA Chacin, Jhoulys  ........  8.0  3  0  0  1  9  0.00

CWS AAA Haeger, Charlie  ........  7.0  9  7  7  2  6  5.79

DET HiA Porcello, Rick  .........  5.0  4  4  0  0  4  0.00

KC  AA  Rosa, Carlos  ...........  6.0  3  0  0  0  1  1.80

LAA HiA O'Sullivan, Sean  .......  6.0  4  2  2  0  7  4.09

LAD LoA Miller, Justin    .......  5.0  5  1  0  2  3  0.90
MIN AAA Liriano, Francisco  .....  4.0  5  3  3  3  3  6.75

NYM AA  Niese, Jon  .............  6.0  2  1  1  1  5  0.82
NYM LoA Antonini, Mike  .........  2.2  7  4  3  3  1  3.12

NYY AAA Igawa, Kei  .............  4.0  6  1  1  1  6  0.90
NYY LoA Betances, Dellin  .......  5.1  2  2  2  6  8  3.48

OAK HiA Carignan, Andrew  .......  1.0  2  0  0  1  2  0.00
OAK HiA De Los Santos, Fautino  .  5.0  5  4  3  2  7  4.09

PHI AA  Carpenter, Drew  ........  4.2  8  8  5  4  4  6.52
PHI HiA Savery, Joe  ............  7.0  7  2  2  2  2  1.50

PIT HiA Moskos, Daniel   ........  5.0  6  5  2  0  1  3.60

SEA AAA Feierabend, Ryan  .......  6.0  3  0  0  2  6  0.00

STL AA  Walters, PJ  ............  5.0  6  3  3  1  9  4.50

TB  AAA Niemann, Jeff  ..........  6.0  4  4  3  3  4  3.27
TB  LoA Cobb, Alex    ...........  6.0  3  1  1  1  4  1.54

TEX AAA Hurley, Eric   ..........  4.1  7  4  4  2  4  6.75

TOR AAA Purcey, David  ..........  6.0  6  3  2  2  7  1.50
TOR HiA Cecil, Brett   ..........  1.2  1  0  0  1  2  0.00
TOR LoA Magnuson, Trystan  ......  3.2  1  0  0  1  1  3.38

WAS HiA Zimmermann, Jordan  .....  4.0  2  0  0  3  6  0.00
WAS LoA Pena, Hassan    .........  5.0  4  0  0  1  1  0.00

Courtesy of Baseball America

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Miller to Padres?

The Padres are worried that Colt Morton needs regular playing time down in Triple-A, and are looking for other options to back up Josh Bard. Padres GM Kevin Towers has always been a fan of defensive catchers, and Damian Miller is the best in the business when it comes to fielding. "I've always liked him," Towers said. Barrett could be out for up to two months, so if Barrett isn't back within two weeks, they might sign Miller and send Morton down. Miller is a career .262 hitter with 87 HR and a career fielding percentage of .995. His ability to direct young pitchers is impressive, and it amazes me that he was not signed. Towers values his young players, so I think he won't waste any time signing Miller.

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Are The Orioles For Real?

The Orioles currently have the best record in baseball and the team is starting to realize that it does not always take talent to win. The bullpen they went out to build in the 2006 off season is finally living up to its expectation, with an ERA of 0.74. The corner infielders, despite their age, have held up thus far and the team has only made two errors. Their leadoff hitter, Brian Roberts, is hitting .333 and their power hitters, Kevin Millar and Luke Scott, are both driving in runs. I talked with Orioles pitcher Rocky Cherry, who said he was surprised by how many hard throwing pitchers they had in Spring Training and said that they will surprise everyone this season.

Maybe he is right, but it is still early. Their closer, George Sherrill, has never been a full time closer. Their ace, Jeremy Guthrie, has just seven wins while the rest of the pitching staff combined has 62 (excluding Steve Trachsel, who has 142). The Yankees and Red Sox have the experience to make a run, and I am sure they will come out of their funks. However, they are both getting older, so maybe it is the Orioles turn. But the Blue Jays are young and they finally realize they can beat out the two. Again it is early, but this could be a surprise year in the AL East.

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Johnson Pitches Better, Retruning Soon

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson pitched well in his second rehab outing, striking out seven in six innings. The Diamondbacks plan to bring him back to face the Giants, which is a smart move considering the Giants would put up a good fight against some Triple-A teams right now. Just kidding, but the Giants offense is weak right now and the if the Diamondbacks can build a solid lead for Johnson, it should allow him to get comfortable. If Johnson can come back strong and give the Diamondbacks five to six innings each start, they will be in great shape for the playoffs. Dan Haren and Brandon Webb are solid at the one and two spot, and Micah Owings is both hitting and pitching to help his team. The Diamondbacks are still my team for the division, and they could easily make it to the World Series this year with their young guys more experienced and hungry for the World Series.

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Ankiel Drawing Comparisons To Ruth

Rick Ankiel's timeline as he moved away from a pitcher and turned into a hitter is nothing but impressive. There are countless number of players who have made the switch, but none are seeing the success Ankiel is having since Babe Ruth. Ankiel, who was once considered the top pitching prospect in the Cardinals organization, 'forgot' how to throw strikes and was converted to an outfielder. He was always a good hitter, and the decision to move him rather than cut him was a great decision. As he worked his way back to the bigs from 2005-2007, he hit .260 with 53 homeruns between Single-A and Triple-A. You could not deny his power, but a .285 average to finish last season was surprising.

Coming into this season, I expected him to put a season similar to Adam Dunn, but with less power. A low average around .240 or .250 with 30-35 homeruns. However, he is hitting .296 to start the season with 3 HR, and should be hitting behind Albert Pujols in the lineup. If Ankiel were to start hitting behind Pujols, it would make that lineup a lot more threatening because Ankiel is still hard to figure out, despite playing in 53 games as an everyday player. Players get off to hot starts, so I am hesitant to change my projection, but it wouldn't be ridiculous to say that he will hit somewhere between .270-280 with 30-40 homeruns. In ESPN drafts, he is being taken around the 160th pick. However, in one of my leagues he was a free agent, and of course, I picked him up. His power and RBI numbers will help any owner, so if he is available, I would pick him up.

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Fifty Thousand Going A Long Way

When the Royals drafted Joakim Soria from the Padres for fifty thousand dollars, who would have thought he would have turned into the closer that he is. Soria went 2-3 with a 2.48 ERA and 17 SV in 62 games, and is off to a good start this season with four saves. He has drawn comparisons to Mariano Rivera and it is not hard to see why. His stuff is nasty, and he is very deceptive for such a basic wind-up. He has the ability to paint the corners consistently with his hard fastball and can throw his fast breaking curveball on either side of the plate. He held opponents last season to a .187 AVG and lead the league in strikeouts per nine innings among relievers. Not only that, but he allowed just three homeruns in 69 innings last season. He has learned a lot from this past season, and his numbers are showing it. I'm sure the Royals will work towards locking him up, maybe even breaking Troy Tulowitzki's contract for a player under two years service time.

Several GM's I have talked to value the Rule V draft, mostly because you spend practically nothing for someone that could value your team: "More often than not, you could get a guy like George Bell. It is definitely worth the risk," Athletics GM Billy Beane said. Soria could be the next Johan Santana, but for relievers. Other notable Rule 5 picks include: Dan Uggla, who was taken from the Diamondbacks, Shane Victorino, who was taken from the Padres, and Josh Hamilton, who was taken from the Rays.

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BREAKING NEWS: MLB Suspends Schafer

Major League Baseball has suspended Braves top prospect Jordon Schafer for violating the leagues drug prevention program. We are extremely disappointed that Jordan has violated the commissioner's performance enhancing drug policy,'' Atlanta general manager Frank Wren said in a statement issued in Colorado, where the Braves were facing the Rockies. "We are supportive of the program and will continue to educate all of our players.'' Schafer, 21, was likely to reach the Braves MLB team this season, but that is likely in doubt this season, and possibly next season if he cannot find his form. However, I emailed Jim Callis of Baseball America about his, but he thinks it will have little affect on the Braves: " [I] don't think it will affect him much. If he continues to produce, it won't be a big deal by the time he gets there." This explains Schafer's big leap in numbers from last year, to some extent. Baseball has known about him since he was thirteen, but he has been a disappointment up until last season. The Braves must be happy they got Josh Anderson and Mark Kotsay-it is likely they will keep both next season after hearing this news.

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Igawa Pitches Well, Return Coming?

Last off season, the Yankees signed Kei Igawa to counter the Yankees signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka. They paid the Hanshin Tigers 26 million dollars and then paid Igawa four million annually until 2011. I didn't understand the move at the time, mostly because they had several young pitchers in their system, and there will still other pitchers on the market that they could have easily signed. Last season, Igawa went 2-3 with a 6.25 ERA in 14 games before he was sent down. In the minors, he went 6-5 with a 2.85 ERA in thirteen games. He has the potential to be a successful pitcher, but that it will take time to figure out what it will take. He had a pretty good spring, and he pitched six scoreless innings for the Yankees Triple-A team yesterday, with a fastball around 91 mph and an improved changeup and slider. If Ian Kennedy continues to struggle, they could send him to Triple-A and call up Igawa.

I believe they rushed Kennedy as it is, so to give him time to get his confidence up and work on his mechanics might help him and the Yankees in the long run. I think they would like to see Igawa in one more start before they call him up, but they might call him up sooner because they are paying him four million dollars, so they might as well get there money's worth.

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Headlines At A Glance

Red Sox acquire Hull: The Red Sox acquired pitcher Eric Hull from the Dodgers in exchange for Christian Lara. Hull, 28, was 4-3 with a 2.74 ERA at Triple-A Las Vegas last season. Lara, 22, batted .238 with nine home runs and 53 RBI in 99 games.

Barrett out for season?: Padres catcher Michael Barrett felt a pop in his elbow and might be out for the rest of the season. He might only be out for a month, but if he tore anything, it will require reconstructive surgery.

Tigers drop to 0-7: The Tigers remained win less today and are now 0-7. How important are bullpens, you ask?

More coming soon!

I'm off to do an interview, you'll find out who it is soon enough!

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Interview with Tony Jackson

Yesterday evening, I had the opportunity to talk with Dodgers beat writer for the Los Angeles Daily News Tony Jackson. Jackson has been in the business for awhile, covering the Rockies and Reds before starting to cover the Dodgers four years ago. I was curious to know what he thought of the Dodgers chances this season and beyond, because many have been saying different things. I want to thank Mr. Jackson for donating his time to the site, I really appreciate it.

ELI: When did you first get into journalism?

TONY: I first started writing for my high school newspaper. I had an idea of what I wanted to do and I went from there.

ELI: Did you have a favorite team growing up?

TONY: Well, I grew up in Arkansas, but I was a Dodgers fan. There were a lot of good teams, the Giants, the Yankees, but the Dodgers topped them all, they were like the Cadillac of all teams. They have class.

ELI: What did you do before your job now?

TONY: I was with the Rockies, on a two man beat. I traveled a little with the team, but that was not my only job. I covered preps, college sports, women's sports. I covered two Super Bowls there too for the Broncos as well.

ELI: How much contact would you say you have with the players?

TONY: Quite a bit. The clubhouse opens three and half hours before game time, so we are around them a lot. We travel with them too, so you catch them in lobby or in the elevator. I try not to stay at the same hotel as the team, but every once and while I wind up with them. These days, there is a big age gap between reporters and the players, especially with a big market club. When I was in Cincinnati, it was a better fit because the players were easier to talk with.

ELI: What is the clubhouse like this year?

TONY: It is different. Comfortable, but different. There are young guys, but they have all come up together, so they are pretty comfortable. I guess there is a cockiness that surrounds them because of it.

ELI: Aside from Clayton Kershaw and Blake DeWitt, who are the prospects that the average fan does not know about that should be with the Dodgers soon?

TONY: Ivan DeJesus Jr. is a solid prospect, but he will likely be traded unless a spot opens up. He is really talented, but how well will he hit is the question. Another guy is Preston Mattingly, down in Low-A. People are really high on him.

ELI: Several organizations stack their minor league teams differently. Some have their top prospects in Triple-A, while some have them in Double-A. How do the Dodgers do it?

TONY: The prospects definitely lie in Double-A, especially this year. You will typically find that Triple-A clubhouses are very bitter. They are filled with struggling MLB players that think they should be in the MLB-

ELI: "AAAA" guys, right?

TONY: Exactly. As far as I know, the Dodgers have no intention of ever sending Clayton Kershaw to Triple-A.

ELI: Chad Billingsly has really turned it around over the past couple years, what have you seen directly from him?

TONY: He has learned to throw strikes, and stop walking batters. Early on, he was trying to paint the corners too much, sending him deep into counts. He also learned to finally trust his stuff.

ELI: Where do you see the Dodgers lining up this year in the division?

TONY: They have been considered the favorite by some, but it seems they find a way to play bad. They have too many bad stretches that come back to hurt them. I am cautiously optimistic about them this year.

ELI: How has Juan Pierre been doing after being pushed to a reduced role?

TONY: You know, he hasn't had much to say. He has stayed quiet, to his credit. He's probably not happy.

ELI: Who are the more talkative guys in the clubhouse?

TONY: As for guys who play, probably Russell Martin. He has emerged as the spokesman for the rookies, so he is a guy that is you can usually get a decent quote from. Mark Sweeney is a good guy, but he doesn't play too much. James Loney usually gives a nice long quote, but it usually doesn't have much substance to it.

ELI: Who is the X-factor for the Dodgers this season?

TONY: Rafael Furcal, he's the guy. He is now healthy, he is going to get on base, run, and allow other guys to drive him in.

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Would The Padres Trade Hoffman?

Padres closer Trevor Hoffman, 40, is off to a slow start this season and is already 0-2 with a 12.27 ERA. Yes he has two saves, but all his stats are higher than normal: BB/9, H/9, K/9. It could be a sign that he is starting to fade, or it could be that he just has not gotten over the blown save from last season against the Rockies. Hoffman is a leader among the pitchers and has been a Padre since 1993. I think the Padres would really have to consider if they want to trade him, but it probably makes it easier for the Padres seeing that Heath Bell is picking up right where he left out. In four games this season, he has not given up a run and has only walked one batter. I think the Padres will have trouble trading him if he continues to struggle, or lands himself on the DL, but I am sure there would be interest from a team looking for a solid late inning reliever for a season or two. The Tigers and Nationals stand out as favorites, mostly because both bullpens are depleted and they need a late inning reliever. The Nationals have a deeper system, but the Padres have a better chance to trade him there because he has a full no trade clause. It is hard to say now where he could go because we are only in the second week of the season, but we could see him traded if his stats turn around in June or early July.

Looking towards 2009, many expect Hoffman to retire after this season, so to trade for him if you are not in the playoff run or in desperate need of a closer, would not make sense. Looking at the situation now, it is likely he will remain a Padre.

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Diamondbacks Acquire Coutlangus

The Diamondbacks acquired pitcher Jon Coutlangus from the Reds in exchange for outfielder Daniel Perales. Coutlangus, who went 4-2 last season with a 4.39 ERA in 64 games, should help the Diamondbacks if he can develop better command over his pitches. He should make for a solid lefty in the Diamondbacks pen this season, mostly because he held lefties to a .231 batting average. For now though, he will likely be in Triple-A. As for the outfielder the Diamondbacks gave up, he hit .282 with 16 HR and an OBP of .338, but he doesn't project to be a major league outfielder. Perales is pretty solid defensively, and he could break out as a forth outfielder in the bigs somewhere. He is coming from USC, and a lot of scouts look at that differently because USC players are typically much smarter players. I would probably compare him to Reed Johnson, mostly because of his versatility and speed, but he is likely to remain a forth outfielder if he makes it to the MLB.

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Will The Angels Trade Rodriguez?

Angels closer Fransisco Rodriguez has openly said that he will likely test the free agent waters, meaning he will likely be shopped around at the trade deadline. However, will teams interested in the closer trade their prospects away if they know he is likely to test the market? Rodriguez is battling a sore ankle right now, and if it requires DL time, you would think the Angels would try and lock him up, at least to a two or three year extension: "He tweaked it a couple of days ago, and we're going to look at it closely," Scioscia said. "But it is a little sore." In seven seasons as an Angel, Rodriguez is 21-14 with a 2.35 ERA and 149 saves.

I think one problem he has, which will require tweaking, is his delivery. He steps so hard towards home that his ankle is sore, and I think one adjustment would be a switch to a "LaTroy Hawkins" like delivery. Hawkins has a similar delivery, but he does not bring his leg as high, or step as hard towards home. However, he keeps his mitt in the middle of his chest, something Rodriguez does well, and they both have solid downward movement on their pitches. I doubt he will go to Hawkins' style, but we could see his wind up slow down some so he can avoid bothering his ankle even more.

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Uehara Coming To Majors

Yomiuri Giants right-hander Koji Uehara announced Monday that he will opt for free agency next season and come play in the United States. ''I haven't seized the dream of playing in the major leagues. That is my ambition,'' Uehara told a press conference. ''I don't have that much time left and I want to achieve that goal before I see out my career,'' added the 33-year-old. Uehara, who nearly signed with the Angels in 1998 out of college, is 106-58 with a 2.97 ERA in nine seasons. Uehara has a splitter, cut fastball, a solid slider, fastball, and a nasty forkball. All his pitches have come down some as he gets older, but he would probably be effective for a team for at least a year or so. Uehara is still drawing interest from the Angels, but also has interest from the Dodgers and Red Sox. We are a long way from finding out where he will go, but I am sure he will be the next Japanese player to come over from Japan.

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Diamondabcks, Young Close To Extension

The Diamondbacks and Chris Young are closing in on what is believed to be a six year contract worth close to thirty-million dollars. I think it will be similar to Troy Tulowitzki's deal, but probably closer to twenty-two or three million dollars. A six year deal would lock up Young through his first year of free agency, and it would allow the Diamondbacks to focus on some of their other young players. Last season, Young hit .237 with 32 HR and had 27 SB, and if off to another poor start average wise this season. I do not see Young reaching the .280 or .290 mark in his career, but he could eventually get around .260 or .270.

I think the Diamondbacks are determined to keep this team together. I have not talked to Josh Byrnes since before Spring Training, but the Diamondbacks have several solid young players that they plan to lock up in hopes of holding the top of the division for the next several years to come.

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Nomo Eying Comeback

Pitcher Hideo Nomo, who last pitched in the majors in 2005, has joined the Royals bullpen as a reliever. Nomo is 123-109 with a 4.21 ERA in 11 major league seasons, and is hoping he can have success in a reduced role with the Royals. Aside from being healthy, I think the main reason the Royals have him on the team is because of new reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta, who is also from Japan. Nomo has been a very successful pitcher in his career, including an impressive 161-98 with a 3.17 ERA in ten minor league seasons. Not to mention his impressive stats in Japan, Nomo should help their young pitchers as they hopefully can make a run for the playoffs. As of right now, the Royals do have a chance to make the playoffs. The Tigers bullpen continues to give up runs, and veteran pitchers for the Royals were solid in their first outings. I am not going to say they will win the division, but they could surprise a lot of people and compete for third place, which would be a big jump from third worse in the league in 2007.

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Peavy's Outing No So Special?

Some attentive fans caught a pine tar looking substance on Jake Peavy's pitching hand during yesterday's game. It is similar to what many of you saw during the 2006 playoffs on Kenny Rogers' hand, but no one can make it out just yet. I don't see ESPN or any of the other stations making a big deal out of this, but it probably would not hurt his reputation anyways. The photo was towards the end of the game, so it was probably a mixture or risen, dirt, and pine tar from the bat. I doubt it was intentional, but he will probably need to close the door on the rumor. MLB cameras have caught a lot of players doing things like this. Manny Corpas of the Rockies was caught dumping Gatorade on his jersey before he went into a game, which would allow his hand to be sticky. Several players have been considered cheaters over the past 100 years or so, but beyond a select few, MLB has not taken any serious action.

After checking the San Diego newspapers one more time, I came across this piece on Peavy. He seems defensive, but I understand why. After a dominating performance, he is already being asked to defend himself about possibly cheating: "I'm not out there cheating. That's the bottom line." Peavy, who is known for not being afraid to throw or threaten hitters, told the Dodgers he is fine with them looking at the balls he throws: "I hope that they're worried about my hand more than they're worried about (my pitches). I honestly hope that's a cause of concern. Anytime Joe wants to have anybody check me, I welcome that." I wouldn't surprise me if Peavy sent the Dodgers a message by putting one in the back of one of their hitters Friday, starting yet another two team feud this season.

UPDATE: Jake Peavy denies that it was pine tar on his hand.

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What A Bargain?

The Cardinals needed a pitcher all offseason and finally went out and signed Kyle Lohse to a reduced price midway through Spring Training. Tony La Russa really fired up Kyle Lohse and Lohse might be in for a breakout year. "Tony's talked to us about not taking a night off or day off, and I think that's what we've done," Lohse said. "Even in spring training, from what I saw, guys were out there playing the game the right way. We've won some tight games at home, and that's what it takes." He is in a contract year, again, and may want to prove himself so he can get that big contract that he was hoping for in the offseason. He has pitched a total of 12 innings this season with an ERA of 0.00, and a K/BB of 5/4. Rick Ankiel is turning out to be better than expected and this team could easily sneak up on the Brewers or Cubs in the later months, especially if Chris Carpenter can come back healthy. The bullpen has been solid for them, and hitting has stayed strong, making this another good team in the NL Central.

Lohse has been going undrafted in most drafts I have been in, but if he puts together another solid outing, I'm sure a couple owners will pick him up. Good run production is all Lohse needs because he is familiar with the league and wants to prove that he can be successful. I wouldn't say pick him up if he gets another win, but watch his totals and see if they are significant enough to help out your team.

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Giants Looking For Help At First

GM Brian Sabean has confirmed that the Giants are looking for a first baseman. They have had internal discussions about Nick Johnson, but will have trouble prying him from the Nationals now that he is off to a good start. The San Fransisco Chronicle says they have scouted Braves first baseman Scott Thorman, but nothing has been made of it. They do not have much interest in Dan Johnson of the Athletics, but they are looking for a lefty with some power. The Giants do not have much to offer, so they are probably going to have to take a chance on someone and hope they turn out. The Cubs' Micah Hoffpauir is being blocked by Daryle Ward, but he showed he could hit for average and power in Spring Training. However, he is twenty-eight, so you might only get a year or so from this rookie who has yet to make his major league debut.

In order to start rebuilding, the Giants need to dump their aging players, draft expensive players who will make it to the bigs fast, and make smart signings. The fact that their scouts did not see Barry Zito's K/9, K/BB, and strikeouts come down, shows that they need to clean house. The same goes with Aaron Rowand, who had a career year last year. No way is he going to hit that well in San Fransisco for the next five years. He is a reckless outfielder who averages 15-17 homeruns. I doubt they will be given the go ahead, but I think it is worth a shot to try and sign Mark Teixeira in the off season. The Giants probably do not have it their payroll to sign another big contract, though. This kind of deal I suspect will get done soon, because the Giants are off to a 1-4 start, and fans don't care to watch the Giants anymore.

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Cubs Looking For Reliever?

Late inning reliever Bob Howry is off to a bad start, struggling in all three game he appeared in. His ERA currently stands at 16.87, and though he hasn't walked anyone, he has given up a lot of hits. I said before and I'll say it again, relievers need time to get going. They do not get much work in Spring and need to find their groove. However, Howry, 34, has pitched in a total of 162 games over the past two seasons, and it is possible that his arm is starting to feel the effects. If the Cubs can get their pitcher to the sixth or seventh inning, going with a Wuertz, Marmol, Wood tandem would close the door, in my opinion. But, they can't pitch everyday. Using Howry and the others in situations early might get him going, but for now, they just need to keep getting him work. There are not many relievers available right now, so the Cubs will probably keep working him till he finds his groove. A typical Cubs move, however, would be if he is still struggling after a couple of weeks, they would put him on the DL and call up one of their young relievers. Howry is in the final year of his contract, so a trade towards the end of the season could happen. The Cubs have been impressed by Howry's performance in the past two years though, so it is likely he will stay with the team beyond 2008.

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Mets Not Happy With Sosa?

In yesterday's game, Willie Randolph seemed content with the job Jorge Sosa was doing. However, after he gave up the grand slam to Kelly Johnson, it doesn't look so good for Sosa. I believe it takes some time for relievers to get going to start the season, so I wouldn't completely turn on Sosa just yet. He had a great year for the Mets last season, going 9-8 with a 4.47 ERA in 42 games, 14 of them starts. The Mets were shopping Sosa earlier this season and found some interest. One local New York radio station suggested the A's a possible destination, but I talked to an A's executive who said that they are not interested right now. The Tigers would be a good fit though. The Mets would really like to get Marcus Thames in the deal, and I think the Tigers should make the move, mostly because their bullpen really needs his help. He looks like another July trade deadline guy, but something could come up in May or June. As for other teams that may be interested, the Pirates, Mariners, and possible the Twins.

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Rich Harden Proving Himself Ready

Rich Harden's fast start has excited many organizations who may look to trade for him at the deadline. In two starts this season, he is 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA and 15 K. However, he has walked seven, and you would like to see that come down as the season goes on. If he can stay healthy till the trade deadline, he could likely land the A's a nice package of prospects. The Yankees, who have been scouting the Athletics for over a month, are a possible destination. However, the A's would likely ask for Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain, something the Yankees are not interested in doing. If the A's were to ask for three or four low level prospects, or maybe a lesser prospect like Ian Kennedy, they could get it done. I think the Phillies are another possible option, but their minor league system might not be enough for the Athletics. The Cubs, who really need a solid number two starter, have the prospects that could land him, and seem willing to make a trade. Several of their prospects are major league ready, and would do well playing regularly for the Athletics. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti is on the wire after some questionable moves, and he is likely to be in on the talks as well. They have several prospects, and could turn a trade without feeling too much damage. A deal, if any, will go do at the deadline, without a doubt. It is too early to make a trade because his value is not high enough, and he also has not proven to be fully healthy. If a team with a poor bullpen were to trade for him, it would have a negative effect because Harden has failed to pitch over six innings, leaving the team in question for the later innings. If he can build up his arm to get to six or seven innings, the A's will be in a solid trading position come July.

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Will Snyder Be Traded?

Although the Red Sox did not confirm it to the media, Kyle Snyder told the Boston Globe he was designated for assignment to make room for Josh Beckett. Snyder, 30, is out of options and cannot be sent to Triple-A. He struggled in in two games for the Red Sox this season, but had a solid 2007 season for them. He is not much of a late inning reliever, but his experience in the league could find him a job quick. The Tigers are desperate for bullpen help and could add him, but they are looking for a late inning reliever, along with someone with a history of being slightly more effective. The Pirates, who are shopping Matt Morris, might be looking to add a pitcher. Rule V pick Evan Meek will likely be pushed into a reduced role while Gorzelanny and Maholm are being held back on pitch counts because of minor arm problems. However, I doubt the Pirates make a move because they are not desperate for help like other teams. Snyder will be pushed through waivers, so we will know more then about who is interested, but he is likely to stay with the Red Sox.

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Marlins Acquire Helms

The Phillies cut a deal for Wes Helms sending him and cash to the Marlins for a player to be named later. The Phillies recently designated him for assignment, and had to trade him by Wednesday or release him. "He's a scrapper, a great clubhouse guy," Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla said. "Wes is a veteran who can do a lot of positive things for a team. He can bring a lot to a young team like this." Helms did great for the Marlins in 2006, but struggled in 2007. He will likely platoon with Jorge Cantu at third.

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Willis Makes Debut, But Tigers Fall

Many were expecting the Tigers to start the season 5-0, but they continue to fall and are now 0-5. Dontrelle Willis got the start today and had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning, but quickly fell apart from there. A White Sox comeback was imminent after Willis kept giving them opportunities to come back and score. He finished the day with seven walks, while striking out zero. I think you can look at this start and see that Dontrelle Willis will struggle this season. Yes, the offense will be there to help him, but constant control problems are killing him. Not only that, but the bullpen failed to keep the team in the game giving up two runs.

What is wrong with the Tigers? The bullpen. The bullpen is the most important part of your team and it is so underrated. The Tigers had a great off season and will move away from this slump, but Dave Dombrowski's failure to land a solid reliever hurts this team's playoff chances. The bullpen has taken on three of the teams five losses, with an 4.82 ERA (does not include today's game). Moving away from the bullpen, the Tigers do not have a lineup filled with guys that will get on base, run, and score. When Granderson comes back this will change some, but this is a lineup compiled of power hitters. Palcido Polanco is off to a poor start, and I expect him to slow down some after setting a career high in games played last season. The Indians have a better rotation, bullpen, and lineup, and will likely take the division.

Moving away from first, many, including me, had underestimated the White Sox. John Danks and Gavin Floyd have put together two strong outings, and will make for solid 4 and 5 starters. They improved their bullpen, and are better by the additions of Nick Swisher, Carlos Quentin, and Orlando Cabrera. It should be an interesting race in the AL Central.

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Peavy Throws Two Hit Gem

For the first time since 2006, Jake Peavy threw a complete game two hitter. Peavy was allowed to throw 116 pitches, so he will likely be limited in his next start, but you have to love this from your ace if you are a Padres fan. To come back strong again and pick up your second win, while limiting a the Dodgers to just two hits and one, controversial run is great. The Padres have Jake Peavy locked up till 2012, with a 22 million dollar club option for 2013, so if the Padres can build on the impressive rotation they already have, I think they can push it to the next level.

The Padres minor league system is very underrated, with players like Matt Antonelli and Chase Headley going unnoticed. These guys are going to splash on the scene next season in left and at second base and will make this team alot better. Not only that, but they have a couple solid young pitchers, who will probably see time in September to work with some of the other pitchers, specifically Greg Maddux. They have money to spend, and could go out and sign someone like Ben Sheets or A.J. Burnett, if he decides to opt out. The Padres are still connected to Jason Bay of the Pirates, and could easily land him at the trade deadline. Kevin Kouzmanoff is coming into form, and is in for a breakout year. This team always finds a way to be good, and I expect them to compete for the division for the next several years.

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Phillies Designate 'Traveled' Lahey

The last five months for pitcher Tim Lahey have been a roller coaster ride. Lahey, who was selected in the Rule V draft from the Twins by the Rays, was then traded to the Cubs. The Cubs were hoping the converted catcher, who has a solid sinker, could make the team as a middle relief pitcher, but he was not able to cut it. "That's part of it," Lahey said. "The longer you're in the game, the more you get used to [uncertainty and constant travel]. Whether you're in the Minor Leagues or the big leagues. One of the only differences I can see, is you're on planes instead of buses. Either way, you're checking in and out of hotels." Many scouts and executives were impressed by Lahey in Spring Training, so he will probably be in the big leagues for the Twins or another team in no time. "He needs more seasoning," one scout said.

The most likely scenario would send Lahey back to the Twins system, but I would not be surprised if his journey continues elsewhere. The Royals are known for giving young relievers a shot, and could use him sparingly throughout the 2008 season. They did successfully with Andrew Sisco, but he soon fell off the radar in the following years. The Mariners lost JJ Putz and could add the big reliever. However, the Mariners have better in-house options that could take the spot. Lahey is not ready to take over in the late innings, so I doubt the Tigers would make a move. I don't see to many teams holding a spot for a reliever like Lahey, so I think the Twins will likely get him back.

If you are a Twins fan, you had to like what you saw from Lahey. To see him pitch well against major leaguers shows that he has a bright future ahead of him.

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Buchholz Start Sends Red Sox To .500

Red Sox phenom Clay Buchholz surrendered four runs in five innings while striking out seven in his season debut. Errors were made in the field that make Buchholz's line look a lot worse, though the two walks he issued did come back to haunt him. One positive showing from his debut was that he struck out seven, so he still has the stuff to get guys out. However, arm troubles from the previous season still worry me, and it is refreshing to see that the Red Sox are not going to push him to rake in innings.

For awhile, I was not sold on the idea of having Buchholz in the rotation. I was not impressed by his Spring Training outings, but after reviewing his stats, I can't find a reason not to have him in the MLB. In three minor league seasons playing at each level, his K/9 was 11.23 while his BB/9 was 2.43. He rarely gave up a homerun, and kept his ERA down despite playing behind poor defenses up and down the minor league system. I have yet to see the highlights of the Red Sox game, but I expect Buchholz to do well for the Red Sox this season. If you are an avid fantasy league owner like me, I would watch Buchholz in his next start versus the Yankees, because he is scheduled to face the Yankees in the start following that as well.

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Is Corey Patterson Ready To Breakout?

Reds outfielder Corey Patterson is off to a decent start, showing signs of power and patience. Many credit Dusty Baker for handing him the starting job, but I also think it is because he is familiar with the National League. He has hit two homeruns in the past three days and has driven in three, giving the Reds two wins out of three. I wouldn't say it is only him, but he is definitely a key part of the offense. The Reds have several young players that could take them into the playoffs, but probably not this year. Edwin Encarnacion, Joey Votto, and Jay Bruce, along with pitchers Homer Bailey, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto make this team a threat for the future.

Will Patterson hit .300 with 20 HR like many thought he would when the Cubs drafted him? Probably not, but putting up a .270 batting average with 15 homeruns and 30-40 SB is likely, and would help this team a lot. Patterson could take over in right field for the Reds if Ken Griffey Jr. cannot continue to play in the outfield in 2009, or is traded back to the Mariners like some expect. However, Patterson could be like Kenny Lofton in 2007 and be traded at the deadline to a playoff contender. But, let's not jump the gun, we are only in the first week of the season. He will likely finish the season with the Reds platooning with Jay Bruce and Ken Griffey Jr.

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Where Will Helms Go?

Recent reports have surfaced today suggesting that both the Dodgers and Giants are waning in their interest of Wes Helms. Helms, who was recently released by the Phillies, would probably help the Giants, but the Dodgers have other in-house options. Helms signed a two year contract in 2006 worth 5.45 million, but really did not live up to it in 2007. Because of it, the Phillies went out and signed Pedro Feliz, leaving Greg Dobbs and Helms out of a job. GM Pat Gillick tried trading Helms to several different teams, but could not find a trade to work.

The Marlins seem like a perfect fit, but the money might push them away. If the Phillies would pick up a portion of the salary, he could help out at third base for the 2008 season. I think it is time that they increase their payroll a little bit. They are going to have to either sign Hanley Ramirez or trade him, so an increase is imminent. Jack Hannahan is off to a good start, so I doubt the A's would make a move on Helms. The Giants might be saying they are not interested to avoid a trade, and then they would come in and sign him when he is a free agent. However, you would think they would make a trade so the Phillies would pick up some of the contract.

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Fantasy: Stock Rising or Falling

The latest feature to MLB Rumors is here, and will be brought to you throughout the season to help you with your fantasy teams.

Howie Kendrick, Angels
- Kendrick was either drafted late or undrafted in several drafts that I participated in and I think owners are starting to realize that he is the real deal. He did very well in a limited role last year but he is off to a great start.
Jon Danks, White Sox
- Coming into Spring Training, I thought the White Sox were making a mistake naming him to the rotation. However, he pitched very well in Spring Training and had an excellent season debut. He could have a 'Dustin McGowan' like year in 2008.
Hiroki Kuroda, Dodgers
- Many thought Kuroda would bust to some extent like Igawa did last year for the Yankees. However, he had a great spring and dominated the Padres last night. He is someone to watch for this week.

Honorable Mention: Bill Hall, Brewers and Joe Crede, White Sox.


Eric Chavez, Athletics
The Athletics decided to not play Chavez until he was completely healthy, but he faced another setback and will likely be out even longer.

Barry Zito, Giants
Zito struggled in his season debut and saw less velocity on his fastball. Lack of run support and a poor bullpen will hurt the pitcher who already seems to be on the decline.

Juan Pierre, Dodgers
- He is not the best fantasy guy if you do not have stolen bases, but he is not playing as much as he would be. I have talked to some scouts that think it might throw him off some, bringing down his stats.

Honorable Mention: Jose Canseco.

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Quintero Likely On The Move

Astros catcher Humberto Quintero was designated for assignment, giving the Astros till Wednesday to trade, release, or assign him to the minors. Quintero is a career .233 hitter with 3 HR, but is above average defensively. I doubt the Red Sox would add him because he is about equal, if not worse to Doug Mirabelli, who is also available. However, the Reds were looking for a catcher and could add him for his defense. Quintero seems suited for the minors until an injury opens a spot for him, so we could see the Astros hold on to him as insurance.

In yesterday's game versus the Cubs, Chris Sampson did a very good job against the Cubs through six and two-thirds of an inning. He threw 49 of 71 pitches for strikes, which is also impressive. To me, this is a great outing from a number five starter. To be able to get him to the seventh inning with a lead, goes along way for your club. If he can stay consistent like this, he could really help this team in the later months of the season.

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Headlines At A Glance

• Jayson Stark believes that Bonds will be signed once one of the fourteen AL DH's goes down with an injury. Gary Sheffield could be out longer than expected, so the Tigers could sign him. Joel Sherman of the NY Post thinks the Blue Jays would be nice fit. Signing him would be a way to show the fans they that are really serious about winning. They are in a good position as it is.

• Stark went on to say that Ryan Howard is looking for more money that the Phillies originally thought. The Phillies will likely pay him, but it could lead to a trade. They have Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, but Howard really does anchor that offense.

• Claudio Vargas and Robinson Tejeda are not drawing too much interest from the Mets, but David Wells is. One NL executive said the Mets would like to have a veteran like Wells in their rotation. Wells pitched decent for the Dodgers and Padres last season, but the Mets are probably better off going after someone like Jon Lieber.

• The Red Sox are looking for another catcher, according to ESPN.com writer Buster Olney. There are not too many catchers out there that could handle the knuckle ball, so it would make sense to bring Mirabelli back. One possibility is Henry Blanco, but the Cubs really like what he is doing with Soto. It is obvious that Jason Varitek is slowing down, and maybe going after someone like Bryan Anderson of the Cardinals would work. Anderson is blocked by Molina and probably won't get a chance to start there.
  

• The Washington Post believes the Tigers will watch Jon Rauch very closely. However, with Chad Cordero battling injuries, the Nationals might hold on to him. Yes, it is possible they would like to add a prospect or so, but the Nationals are not in that situation anymore. They have put together are pretty solid team, with up and coming stars John Lannan, Elijah Dukes, and Lastings Milledge coming into form.
  

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Fantasy: Should You Sign Cueto?

Making his big league debut, Johnny Cueto, 22, shined striking out ten and giving up one hit through seven innings. "Boy, that is some debut there," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "The way he threw the ball today has no age to it." Cueto, who is just 5'10, was throwing the ball very hard with a lot of solid movement. "I was very confident," Cueto said through interpreter and mentor Mario Soto. "I was thinking of throwing seven shutout innings. That's what I had in mind." He threw 92 total pitches, 68 for strikes. Yes, he was able to work around one of the best lineups in the league, but the fact that he had no walks is the most impressive. New Red Francisco Cordero, who has taken him under his wing, said that they expected it from Cueto: "Cueto was so good today that people didn't notice it," Cordero said. "Not even myself. I just wanted to get my job done so he could get the win. When you pitch like that, you deserve to get a win, especially in a big league debut with that weather."

So, should you go grab Cueto in your Fantasy League? I have, for what it is worth. Many say Dusty Baker will overuse Cueto like he did with Prior and Wood, but that is false. Cueto has been controlled since they signed him, something the Cubs did not do with Prior and Wood. He will be working with veteran pitchers and will feel no pressure to be the leader of the rotation. He is in a perfect situation in Cincinnati, similar to the one Johan Santana was in when he was called up with the Twins. We may very well be in for a breakout year from Johnny Cueto.

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Dodgers Should Let Bowa Go

Despite bringing in Joe Torre, the Dodgers are off to a pretty rock start. The owner is not making ridiculous claims like George Steinbrenner would be in New York, but their third base coach, Larry Bowa, has been drawing a lot of negative attention. First, he called the new rule about wearing helmets on the field ridiculous; now he is saying the new rule keeping him inside the base coach lines is "ludicrous." He was ejected last night for going off on respected umpire Ed Montague for hitting the tip of his helmet on his head, and shoving Joe Torre into him. You like to see coaches defend players, but you don't like to see coaches arguing for something they could easily adjust to. I think Bowa is just finding things to argue about, and I think he should be quiet. All third base coaches just do their job quietly, and respectfully. Joe Torre should not have to be his babysitter, and if it is a problem, then they should let him go and find a new coach. I think they could find a new coach to do the job, probably better than Bowa. Yes, Bowa is a respected coach who knows a lot about the game, but there are other available coaches that would love to work under Torre. If there is another outburst within the next month or so, I think they should let him go.

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Crawford Wants Rays Extension, But...

According to the St. Petersburg Times, Rays outfielder Carl Crawford is open to discussing a contract extension with the team. "Most definitely, I would like to stay here with the Rays. This is the only organization I know. I don't know nothing different. It would be nice," Crawford said. "I'd hate to leave right when the getting is good. You've been around for all the bad stuff, you want to be around for the good part, too. And it looks like the good part is coming ahead." However, it is unclear whether or not they have discussed it. Crawford is an All-Star, and is a lifetime .296 hitter with 62 HR and an OBP of .331. He gets on base a ton and rarely strikes out more than 90 times. However, I think they should watch his stats closely this season before they put a contract together, but I am sure he will ask for a deal similar to Aaron Rowand or Torii Hunter.

Personally, I think the Rays should trade Crawford. The team is just starting to get good, and should be competing in a couple seasons. They have several solid pitchers, most of them coming up within the next year or so, and hitters that could really take them into the playoffs. Imagine if they traded Crawford for four or five more top prospects. They would further restock and give them more depth for the future. The Phillies seem like a good fit. They have the prospects and seem willing to make a trade to put them over the top. Another team, the Rangers, nearly traded for Johan Santana this past off season. If they put together a lesser deal for Crawford, they might jump into contention in the AL West. The Rays could easily build a team around Crawford, but I think they would be better off trading him for youth to help them in the future.

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Pedro Out, Harden In?

According to the SF Chronicle, the Mets are interested in Athletics starting pitcher Rich Harden. Harden has pitched well this year (including Spring Training), and would likely benefit even more with an NL team. I think this is a case of Omar Minaya being desperate and trying to get his team into the World Series. It is obvious that the Johan addition will not put them over the top, or even into the playoffs. I think Harden would definitely help, but at what price. They already dumped several highly rated prospects to the Twins, and I doubt they would part with any more for him. The A's would probably ask for Fernando Martinez, but probably would not be able to get him. However, if the Mets pile together a group of solid low level prospects, maybe one soon to be ready, the A's might take it. I think the A's have a better chance to get something from the Cardinals or Yankees though. If I had to guess when this would happen, I would say around the deadline, with a lot more teams interested.

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Mariners Putz Out Till June?

The Mariners placed JJ Putz on the DL because of costochondritis, which is inflammation on cartilage attached to the ribs. You know the Mariners have a good team doctor when he can pinpoint an injury like that. This is a rare injury, and it could require surgery if it does not show signs of improvement. He will probably be on the DL for most of the month, if not two months. One doctor I talked to said one must avoid physical activities and deep breathing, among other things. He went on to say that it could take 4-8 weeks for the inflammation to come down. Am I ready to change my AL West Predictions just yet? No, but this could effect them down the road. I assume Mark Lowe will get the job as closer, but he could share the role with O'Flaherty or Green. Putz went 6-1 last season with a 1.38 ERA and 40 saves, so he will definitely be missed by the much improved Mariners this season. We'll see, this could be very minor and he might miss just the 15 days given to him. But, it is possible he could miss a major portion of the season.

Stay tuned.

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News and Notes: Blue Jays Shutdown Hill Talks

This past Monday, the Blue Jays and 2B Aaron Hill agreed to shut down contract talks till the end of the season. "It was a learning process for both of us," Hill said. I talked with a Blue Jays executive who said talks remained positive the whole time, it was mainly just to get a feel for where they were at. Last season, Hill hit .291 with 17 HR in a 160 games. However, he struck out 102 times while walking just 41 times. You would like to see the strikeouts come down some, and I think it will now that he has more experience. As for terms of a deal, I suspect he will get a deal similar to Mark DeRosa or Orlando Hudson, probably better. The Blue Jays want to lock him up for awhile, and will probably give him a four year deal worth about 20-23 million dollars. That seems fair, considering he really has not established himself just yet. They will probably get this done towards the end of next years off season. GM J.P. Ricciardi has struggled recently in contract talks with free agents, and has a busy off season ahead of him to put him in contention with the Yankees and Red Sox. Still, this deal will get done.

Tigers after Cordero?: According to the Washington Post, the Tigers may have interest in closer Chad Cordero. However, Cordero is likely heading to the DL, making this deal unlikely.

Jose Canseco is lying up a storm: Jose Canseco continues to hype up his latest book with more allegations against Alex Rodriguez. He was right the first time, but I doubt he is right the second time. He just keeps coming up with new stuff.

Phils Helms designated for assignment: The Phillies decided to keep Tim Lahey on their roster, and designated Wes Helms for assignment. This makes room for Rudy Seanez. However, Lahey isn't off the hook yet. He might lose his spot when Lidge comes back. I suspect the Dodgers will pick up Helms as soon as he is available.

Crisp likely heading to Chicago?: According to the Boston Globe, both Chicago teams are showing interest in Crisp. However, I have heard that the Cubs are no longer interested after landing Reed Johnson. The White Sox could use him, but have nothing to really offer.

Alou comes clean about Bartman: Moises Alou came clean yesterday when he told reporters that he would not have caught the ball that change Cubs history forever.

Bye, bye Pedro: Pedro Martinez is likely heading to the DL, again.

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Don't Judge Your Bullpen Too Quickly

Opening Day in the United States came with several very exciting games. Mostly because bullpen's faltered, but fun nonetheless. My team lost because of the bullpen, but I can't be too upset. The bullpen is going to be rusty to start the season. Let's take a look at the Indians bullpen, who struggled in yesterday's game against the White Sox. The Indians bullpen pitched in 69.1 innings in spring training, averaging about 10 innings each. That is not nearly enough innings against live hitters to get into a groove. Not only that, but hitters will exploit that and swing at the first pitches, something that usually doesn't happen in Spring Training. Furthermore, pitchers are getting used to the much colder temperatures, after living and working out under the humid Arizona or Florida sun. The Cubs' new closer Kerry Wood struggled in his season debut, giving up three runs, but nothing was said about his poor performance. I think the Cubs should go with Carlos Marmol as their closer, but Piniella, like many Cubs fans, believe that Wood can make a successful comeback as a solid closer. He was probably nervous yesterday, but I saw little movement on his pitches, basically just a hard fastball that kept getting tagged. Of course, I think he will calm down, but I would not be surprised if Carlos Marmol is the closer by seasons end.

Despite bullpens being rusty, I am hearing that the Tigers did not like what they saw yesterday are are looking to make a trade. Buster Olney had interesting stats on his blog today showing the Tigers K/9 ratio's among relief pitchers:

Aquilino Lopez, 7.41
Bobby Seay, 7.25
Yorman Bazardo, 6.04
Denny Bautista, 5.99
Jason Grilli, 5.49
Zach Minor, 5.71

Wow. Red Sox closer Jon Papelbon has a K/9 last season of 12.96. Octavio Dotel had a 11.35 K/9. Yes, these numbers do fluctuate, but it is obvious that the Tigers need to add a solid reliever. You would hate to see them trade another prospect, but that might have to happen if they want a solid reliever. I doubt Steve Kline would do the trick, whose K/9 is 6.50. Both the Red Sox and Yankees have solid relievers, maybe they could snag Edwar Ramirez of the Yankees. Another possibility would be Kevin Cameron, who was sent down by the Padres after going 2-0 in 48 games with a 2.79 ERA last season.

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Giles Backs Out Of Dodgers Deal

According to the LA Times, Marcus Giles was heading to Triple-A Las Vegas for the Dodgers to play games at third base before his call up but changed his mind. The Dodgers plan was to play him at third for a week or so, then call him up to play while their regular third baseman are down. Giles, though, had a change of heart and is now considering retirement. This probably makes the Dodgers very frustrated who called off discussions with both Scott Spezio and Alex Cintron to sign Giles. Now, they must go back to square one. I think Chin-Lung Hu would be a good option, if they go to in-house options. Maybe they would try to reacquire Wilson Betemit, who they traded to the Yankees last season. Other than that, they will likely play Blake DeWitt.

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Braves Like Pirates Duffy

The Braves would like to add a center field counterpart and are scouting several center fielders. I said early in the off season that they should sign Corey Patterson, but they passed on that idea. This news is very premature considering that Duffy won't even be playing until the end of the month, but if he can come back, I'm sure they will not hesitate to trade for him. The Pirates have a solid center field prospect in Andrew McCutchen, along with Nate Mclouth for the time being. In 193 games, Duffy is a career .269 hitter with 6 HR. The fact that the Braves considered giving the job to top prospect Jordon Schafer makes me think this is a short term replacement.

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