How many player press conferences have you seen in the past several years called to address a very bad mistake they made? How many major league players have made the rounds with a shocked reaction to a positive drug test? You’ve likely lost count of the minor league players who will be starting the season serving a 50-game suspension after testing positive for PED’s.

There was also a public apology in a press room by then-Phillies (now Astros) pitcher Brett Meyers for a physical altercation with his wife on a street. And, earlier this week, Rangers Josh Hamilton took no questions but gave plenty of answers in a press conference to explain a relapse in a bar.

These are not the days when a player can hide. They can’t get away with trying to get an edge with performance enhancers and if they’re caught, excuses are a waste of time. Should they screw up at all they will be called on to the carpet to explain themselves and be subjected to a social media firestorm.

On one hand, nothing is private even when it should be.  What is so painful can only be more painful with a white-hot spotlight fixed on your fall.

On the other hand, class is in.

That spotlight creates pressure that is unfair, but also helpful. Young players developing in the minors are seeing the exact consequences of developing a nasty habit or if they fail to respect their opportunity.  That spotlight encourages discipline.

Hamilton’s situation encourages something just as important, inspiration. Every step of his recovery process, rise from the ashes, and missteps along the way have been followed, covered, and his success cheered. For any young player struggling with the burden of addiction or tempted by too much partying, they can look into Hamilton’s eyes and see a way out. And, if they fail, they can believe in redemption if they try hard enough to come back.

Prospects are receiving increased exposure with social media, particularly Twitter. There are multiple sites dedicated to prospects and following their careers. Gone are the days when it was harder to connect with the top prospect in your favorite team’s organization. Fans are seeing them in the earliest stages of their professional growth, and even earlier, with college players also joining the ranks & sharing their draft day experience. It’s not a glimpse, but a jumbo screen look at the lives and careers of young players.

All of that attention might seem a bit much on a nineteen-year old kid, but this is the state of the game they’re entering. Many eyes are upon them. And if they’re paying attention to those tense press conferences, they’re learning that no player is protected by a baseball-approved cloak of mystery anymore.

That discipline could make them better players, but more importantly, better men.

Five Questions With…Yankees Austin Krum

Outfielder Austin Krum will enter his fifth year of professional baseball this season and is almost certain to start with the the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. In 2011 he split time between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A, finishing the year hitting .251, with 43 RBI and 59 walks.

Here’s what he had to say recently:

BD:  Have you had discussions with the Yankees about the new season?

I actually haven’t spoken with the Yankees about any plans or the upcoming season.  They usually stay pretty busy, as you can imagine, but I will absolutely be ready to go whenever they call for me to.

BD: Do you think you’ll start the season back at Trenton or with the SWB Yankees?

If there is one thing I have learned in my baseball life it is to never guess or hypothesize where or when I will be playing anywhere.  While Triple A would be nice to start, I am coming in this spring with zero expectations or assumptions from outside forces.  The only thing I am focusing on is what I expect from myself and my personal aspirations.

I have a very good routine for my off-season training and it is one of the things I pride myself upon.  The one thing, if anything, that I may have done differently this off-season is start hitting much sooner and taking many more reps.  I usually start my speed training and lifting around the same time every year but my hitting did start much sooner and I am taking many more reps than I ever have.  Hopefully it will pay off.

My horse going into the playoffs was the Denver Broncos. I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and the 303 (area code) will be in my blood for the rest of my life, so naturally, I was pulling for the Broncos.  Once they were eliminated I didn’t really have a favorite but I was rooting for the Giants.  I am glad Eli got a second ring.  And Victor Cruz quickly became one of my favorite players this year.

I change my walkout music every season for a fresh start.  I still haven’t selected one song, but I have a few in mind.

Texeira was honored along with Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, Mets ace R.A. Dickey, Mets infielder Daniel Murphy, Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin and collegiate and NBA star Dikembe Mutombo at the 32nd annual dinner benefiting AHRC, a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City.

Question: At what point does the off-season turn off and you start to get ready for the year?
Mark Teixeira: I do get antsy once February hits, so this is the last day I can relax.

Q: We understand that you work out at Bobby Valentine’s facility in Connecticut.  Has he changed the locks or anything?
MT: He didn’t change the locks, but it’s funny I had been hiting there for two years, I had bought a machine for the facility, so when I am around there I can use the pitching machine.  It’s been throwing great, and everything was fine, I was getting all my work in.  As soon as he gets the Red Sox job, I go in the next morning, the first ball out of the machine — right at my head.  I don’t know if it was a bad ball, I don’t know if the gears jammed, whatever happened we had to get a technician in there to fix it.

Q: Other than that, how has the offseason gone?
MT: It’s been great, you know, just recharging the batteries, and looking forward to a great season.  We basically have the same team back, got a couple of key additions on the pitching staff, which is going to be great, and so we’re excited.

Q: Were you surprised about the trade of Jesus Montero?
MT: Never surprised in baseball, this business, I’ve been traded twice, a lot of great players have been traded, and Montero might be really, really good.  He’s got a chance to be special.  But so does [Michael] Pineda, and I think that’s what we’re banking on. We’re banking on Pineda being a top tier starter and someone that can really be a force for a long time.

BBD: You only faced him in, I believe, three at bats, and you have a home run and, I think, a strikeout. From that small sample size, what do u remember
MT: Explosive fastball.  Really good slider.  He’s so big — any pitcher that is that big, that can throw that hard, his margin of error is going to be a lot bigger than everyone else’s.  He can not have his best stuff, but when you’re 6-7 and thrown 97, you’re going to get outs.

BBD: Curtis Granderson has said that Pineda didn’t seem intimidated by the Yankees lineup.  Do you see that in him?
MT: Yes, it’s mound presence and you see it with the best pitchers in baseball.  They have that presence on the mound. And as a young guy, to be able to go out there and have no fear and go after everybody — I think I hit a 3-1 fastball or 3-2 fastball.  I get a lot of sliders or changeups on 3-2.  He went right after me. I got lucky on that pitch, but it just shows his confidence that he’s going to go after people.

BBD: You tweeted that you lost 14 pounds in the offseason.  Why did you feel like you needed to?
MT: I didn’t feel like I needed to, but I’m always trying to get better.  I know that the older I get, the more important nutrition is, and any chance I get to make myself lighter, faster, more energy, its going to be better for my game.  It just kind of happened.  I started changing my diet a little bit, started drinking a lot of raw juice and it really helped.

BBD: C.C. Sabathia talked about eliminating Cap’n Crunch last year; did you do anything like that?
MT: I can’t say I eat a lot of Cap’n Crunch.  I’ve really eaten pretty well the last few years, but this year I think really fine-tuning. I’m always trying to find that little edge to help myself physically, mentally, energy-wise, and I think those little things can help me over a long season and hopefully a long career.

BBD: There has been talk of the Yankees picking up another bat in a trade with some of their surplus pitching.  What do you think of the Yankees lineup as it stands now?
MT: We basically have the lineup we had last year.  Rotating a DH wouldn’t be bad, but if you can pick up a guy who can come in and give some pop off the bench or be a DH every now and then, we’re  not going to say no to that because we can use all the help we can get.

BBD: One of the areas you said you would like to improve is getting on base. Do you and hitting coach Kevin Long have a plan in place for that?
MT: I do. One thing I really noticed is that my average with no men on base was really, really good, and with men on base it wasn’t.  When no one is on base, and they’re playing a big shift, I might lay down some bunts this year.  I’ve been so against it my entire career, but I may lay down a few bunts.  If I can beat the shift that way, that’s important.  And also, not trying to hook the ball so much left handed. So when you have a 1-2 pitch, instead of trying to drive the ball in the gap and drive in the runs, you know take that single to left.  It’s [harder] than it sounds, but one hit a week really adds up.

Thurman Munson plaque at Monument Park at old Yankee Stadium. Photo credit: The Guy With The Glasses

BBD: What does Thurman Munson and the Munson Award mean to you?
MT: A Yankee legend.  Someone who did the right things on and off the field, someone whose legacy has continued to grow, because of the great things he’s done in the community, with the foundation, his family and his wife Diana have done so many great things in the community, so the Munson name is very special to the Yankees.

BBD: How did you get started working with Harlem RBI?
MT: Harlem RBI is an organization I started working with two years ago.  I knew the great work they were doing with kids in Harlem, with education.  Education has always been very important to me, and so to be able to work with those kids, you know it serves over 1000 kids, was just a natural fit for me.

The Winter Issue and Convention Guide is available for FREE download here:

http://gothambaseball.com/GB006_WINTER2011.pdf

Gotham Baseball covers the past, present and future of New York baseball, and in this latest issue, which features a pair of aces; New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia and New York Mets southpaw Johan Santana. Gary Armida profiles Sabathia’s return in “The Big Man is Back”, while Healey opines that for the Mets, “The Ace is The Whole”.

Also in the issue:

The Catcher Says Bye – Yankees catcher Jorge Posada is retiring. Armida takes a look at his great career.

The Magic is Back? – Joseph M. Lara tries to make some sense of the current Mets by looking at the past Mets.

Reading By The Hot Stove – Jerry Milani reviews some of his top choices for offseason reading.

The issue also includes a comprehensive guide to the three-day event, which will once again feature some of the world’s top baseball instructors in a range of settings, including new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, New York Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, pitching guru Rick Peterson and softball star Jennie Finch.

Baseball Digest’s online editor Mark Healey, who is the founder of Gotham Baseball, will also be in attendance, manning BD affiliate Gotham Baseball’s booth with GB Co-Publisher Joseph M. Lara.

The Winter Issue and Convention Guide is available for FREE download here:

http://gothambaseball.com/GB006_WINTER2011.pdf

For more info visit the official site for the event or call 860.674.1500

New York Yankees at Boston, not suprisingly, accounts for two of those, on April 22 and July 8, from Fenway Park.  The Yankees have one other Sunday Night appearance, April 15 vs. the Angels.  The two-time defending American League Champion Texas Rangers host Chicago in the April 8 SNB opener.

The World Series Champion Cardinals also have three appearances (May 20 and July 15, in addition to Opening Night April 4).

ESPN’s first seven Sunday Night games will feature at least one playoff team and several of MLB’s biggest stars will be on display, including the Angels’ Pujols; the Yankees’ Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano; Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury; Texas’ Josh Hamilton; Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria; Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard and Chase Utley; St. Louis’ Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman; Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp; Atlanta’s Chipper Jones and Brian McCann; Chicago’s Paul Konerko; and Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman.

This season will also mark the debut of analyst Terry Francona, who joins play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman and analyst Orel Hershiser in the Sunday Night Baseball booth. Sunday Night games are also available via ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and ESPN Mobile TV.

ESPN Radio’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team will again be play-by-play commentator Jon Sciambi and analyst Chris Singleton.  ESPN Radio, entering its 15th season of MLB coverage, will also broadcast a game of the week each Saturday during the regular season, the State Farm Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, and every Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series game.

The Sunday Night Baseball schedule as selected to date follows (all telecasts begin at 8 p.m. ET).  Game selections for the remainder of the season will be made three weeks (June and July 1, 22 and 29) or two weeks (August and September) in advance.

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball Schedule
Date     Teams (all telecasts at 8 p.m. ET)
April 8     Chicago White Sox at Texas
April 15     L.A. Angels at N.Y. Yankees
April 22     Yankees at Boston
April 29     Tampa Bay at Texas
May 6     Philadelphia at Washington
May 13     Angels at Texas
May 20     St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers
May 27     Washington at Atlanta
June 3-July 1     TBD
July 8     Yankees at Boston
July 15     St. Louis at Cincinnati
July 22-Sept 23     TBD

On second reaction, no, not really.

Not only do the Yankees have an impressive pool of catching prospects to pick from over the next several years, they never seemed to shy away from the possibility of trading Montero.  The Yankees reportedly considered letting Montero go on several occasions, but only for high quality starting pitching. The deal had to give the Yankees what they most desperately needed. Ultimately, they needed a proven starter far more than they needed the unproven right-handed power bat of Jesus Montero. His potential aside, the decision was made based on most pressing need. It was simple, really.

Along with Montero, pitching prospect Hector Noesi was also traded. Noesi pitched 30 innings for the Yankees last season, mostly working out of the bullpen. The Yankees received Michael Pineda, a star of the 2011 season for his dazzling rookie performance.   Also impressive was their acquisition of RHP Jose Campos. At nineteen he led the Northwest League with 85 strikeouts in 81 innings. In addition, they signed pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, a veteran who spent the last four years pitching for the Dodgers. He capped 2011 with a 3.45 ERA.

For the offensive-minded, trading a prospect of Montero’s caliber is a ridiculous risk. Why would you part with a bat that developed, who hasn’t even reached his potential?  Montero’s talent cannot be undercut in comparison to the other catchers in the Yankees system.  There’s no denying that the Yankees gave up quite the hitter and possibly only Gary Sanchez will come close to Montero’s power.

And then we’re back to pitching. If you’re pitching-minded in this squabble, then you’re looking at the Yankees starting rotation, firmly grasping exactly why the trade made sense in January, only months away from opening day. You don’t need to worry much about that bullpen. But questions about the Yankees rotation were far too difficult to answer without a big move.

We can dig deeper. And perhaps this doesn’t count for much right now, but there’s an issue worth exploring if the rumors are correct that Seattle plans on continuing to develop Montero as a catcher.

Buried beneath the discussions of Montero’s extraordinary talent, struggles at the plate, and reports on his development behind the dish at Triple-A Scranton, there was the matter of behavioral issues.

In 2010 Montero was benched for failing to run out a grounder. The general feeling was that it was an indication he might be getting too comfortable with his uber prospect status. While these moments pop up even with major league players, alarm bells sounded. The incident didn’t become an ongoing problem, at least not according to any published reports. Mentioning it might seem pointless. But this is a player who, for all his offensive talent, doesn’t figure to be at the position he was drafted. A lack of discipline would kill his chances at developing at the position, which most don’t believe he’ll play for his career.

Discipline might not be a huge issue, but if the Mariners continue the Montero catching experiment, that discipline is crucial.

During Montero’s exciting run with the Double-A Trenton Thunder, what he lacked, he really lacked, but what he excelled at, he mastered. The difficulty in considering his future was how to get past the defensive question. The answer, of course, was as a pure designated hitter for the future- an Edgar Martinez or David Ortiz for the next generation. For a generation of Yankees fans facing the impending retirement of Jorge Posada, the possibility of a new leader behind the plate seemed a nice passing of the torch. But that didn’t appear realistic. Yankees fans heard the votes of confidence from GM Brian Cashman and other front office people, but as much effort was being put into it, the reality became clearer. So, there was a puzzle. Where did he fit in? Where did more defensively skilled catching prospect Austin Romine fit in? What about Russell Martin? And in a couple of years, what’s the solution to Gary Sanchez?

The pieces were being shifted, but there was one missing. Giving up on Jesus Montero meant getting the piece that helped complete the overall team picture. The catching part of the picture suddenly makes more sense.

At the end of the 2012 baseball season, there will be plenty of opinion on whether the sacrifice benefitted the Yankees enough.  And there will be plenty of opinion on Montero’s impact and if he can develop into a good enough catcher.

Montero came with questions in the Yankees system.  He takes all the same ones to Seattle.

There’ll be no ‘Five Questions With…’ this week, but next week a Pirates prospect steps into the spotlight.

Similar reactions may have been heard on the left coast when Seattle Mariners fans found out their young stud pitcher Michael Pineda was headed east. The Yankees and Mariners have reportedly completed a four player exchange with their young studs as the centerpieces.

As first reported by the Seattle Times’ Larry Stone, the Yankees sent Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi to the Mariners for Pineda and pitcher Jose Campos. Noesi was one of the Yankees promising young starters on the rise, and showed some of his mettle as a reliever at the Major League level last season. Campos is a 19-yr old right-hander with potential (Evaluator John Sickels rated him as the #5 M’s prospect for 2012 and had this to say, “Grade B: We need to see him at higher levels and his secondary stuff needs refinement, but his upside is very high, he throws hard, and already throws strikes.”), but will not have an impact for quite some time.

Clearly this deal was about the Yankees need to boost their starting rotation and the Mariners need for a big bat. After being rebuffed in their attempt to acquire Felix Hernandez, the Yankees went after his young teammate (Pineda will be 23 next week).

Pineda’s rookie season of 2011 saw him finish 9-10, 3.74 with a 1.10 WHIP and 173 strikeouts in 171 innings.  The 6’7″, 260 pound native of the Dominican Republic limited AL hitters to a .211 batting average and gave up just 133 hits. He also held right-handed hitters to a .587 OPS with a torrid fastball and nasty slider. According to Fangraphs.com, Pineda averaged 94.7 mph on his fastball, the fourth best mark in the AL.

Pineda dominated in pitcher-friendly Safeco Field (2.92 ERA in 12 starts) and was much better in the first half before tiring down the stretch. In fact, the Mariners limited his innings per start over the final two months of the season.

With the Yankees lacking pop from the right side, Montero got the call to the bigs in August and produced a .996 OPS in 69 plate appearances.  Among Montero’s 17 hits were four home runs and four doubles, and he drove in 17 runs.  Montero has good power to the opposite field and averaged 18 home runs in his first four full seasons in the minor leagues.  He was nearly dealt to the Mariners at the 2010 trade deadline for Cliff Lee, but Seattle opted to obtain Justin Smoak from Texas instead.

In Montero, the Mariners get a player with 30 home run potential, even if their ballpark is not suited to a hitter’s needs. There were mixed feelings within the Yankees organization as to whether or not the 6’4″ Montero could make it in the Major Leagues as a catcher and that certainly played into the decision to deal him. With 1st base occupied (Mark Teixeira) and the DH slot needed to give the Yankees aging stars (Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, etc.) a rest, there wasn’t much room for Montero to flourish. With Seattle, he’ll get that chance.

Brian Cashman told the Bergen Record’s Bob Klapisch that he believes he took a big gamble.  ”I gave up a ton (for Pineda). To me, Montero is Mike Piazza. He’s Miguel Cabrera.” He may have taken a risk, but this deal appears to be a “win-win”, with both teams profiting. It also puts the Yankees back on top as the favorite in the AL East.

Cashman wasn’t done dealing on Friday night though. A short time after the trade was reported, word came that the Yankees and free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda had agreed to a one year contract, pending a physical, worth $10-11MM. Kuroda was thought to be seeking a $13MM deal.

Kuroda, who turns 36 in February, came over from Japan in 2008 and was 41-46 in four seasons with the LA Dodgers, despite a 3.46 ERA. He’s coming off a 13-16 season with a career low 3.07 ERA and a 3.7 WAR, also tops in his four seasons.

With the two acquisitions, the landscape of the Yankees’ starting rotation changed drastically. Prior to Friday evening, the Yankees five man squad was made up of ace CC Sabathia, 2nd year man Ivan Nova, the erratic A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, and surprise 2011 stand out, Freddy Garcia. Hughes’ immediate future is now up in the air and he could be used as trade bait to bring back a bat. The Yankees would most certainly rather trade Burnett, but the $33MM owed to him is an albatross around Cashman’s neck.

The Yankees would be looking for a short term, low salaried player. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported tonight that Carlos Pena was among the bats that were piquing the Yankees interest.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

The first baseman has begun again in a new organization after being traded by the Red Sox to the Padres, when Hoyer and Epstein were still the Red Sox Assistant GM and GM. Rizzo’s time with the Padres was short-lived, but the Padres are doing plenty right in stocking up on young talent this off-season.

They are intertwined with the Padres and Red Sox in a chip-trading bonanza that has changed each organization in significant ways.

Padres
91 losses – that’s how the Padres ended their 2011 regular season. But they ended the year and began 2012 winning in off-season acquisitions & loading up on top young talent.  That doesn’t mean instant success, but does give them a big jump in the reconstruction of the club.

The Padres parted with RHP Mat Latos, giving the Reds the righty starter they needed, and the Padres acquired two prospects in a four-player package, infielder/outfielder Yonder Alonso and catcher Yasmani Grandal, ranked 3^rd and 4^th in the Reds system by Baseball America.

If projections are correct, Alonso, already an advanced hitter, despite some struggles developing more power should be in the Padres lineup in the next two to three years. He spent 2011 with Triple-A  Louisville hitting .296 with 56 RBI. The Reds called him up in July after he’d made his MLB debut in 2011, getting a September call. The Reds desire to get him to the big leagues and not be blocked by first baseman Joey Votto led to converting him to left field, but that wasn’t a great success. Alonso’s value is in his bat, but the Padres could turn to him to take over first base heading into the future.

Grandal a 23-year old catcher with high upside spent 2011 at three levels, finishing the season with Triple-A Louisville hitting .305 overall.  Grandal dealt with injuries in 2011, including a concussion, both during the regular season and in Arizona Fall League, where he was shut down with an injury to his left middle finger. He’s a shoo-in to start the season at Triple-A and needs to put together consistent solid results.

With Austin Hedges also in the system, the Padres best catching prospect, this gives San Diego a couple of excellent options behind the dish. At nineteen Hedges needs a lot more developing and Grandal provides the club with a more seasoned young catcher to bring up if needed. Cory Spangenberg is ahead of him, but having this much catching in the system is a nice problem to have.

Cubs
While the Padres made various flashy moves, the acquisition of first baseman Anthony Rizzo singular power can’t be overstated.

Rizzo blazed his way through Triple-A pitching in 2011, hitting .331 in 356 at bats and collecting 101 RBI along the way.

The Padres AGAIN acquired a top prospect, with the Cubs giving up a lot AGAIN in singular form – pitching prospect Andrew Cashner couldn’t have been easy to deal. Cashner had shoulder issues last season, but he’s not on the high risk side.  The twenty-five year old has a 4.29 ERA in 60 appearances. If he goes to the bullpen, he adds a bit more depth to an area in need of improvement. Along with Cashner they also traded minor league outfielder Kyung-Min Na.

Rizzo could be a difference maker for a team that seems determined to build a farm system that will produce major league success.

Red Sox
The Red Sox have taken their hits. Looking at what they’ve lost over the past two seasons – Rizzo, as well as pitcher Casey Kelly to (a pattern here) the Padres – you could say that hurt them deeply in the future talent department. But that’s not the case.  In 2010, when the Red Sox gave up Kelly and Rizzo, as well as Reymond Fuentes and Eric Patterson, they got first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, one of the best in the game. They also signed Carl Crawford. Those two moves upgraded their lineup. At the end of 2011, when they fell to pieces in historical fashion, they looked like hard-luck losers in a game of failure.

But they have some excellent talent in the pipeline.  Pitching wise, Anthony Ranaudo is their top righty in the wings. He passed a big part of the test in his professional debut in 2011, pitching 127 innings between two levels (Low and High A), completing the season with a 3.97 ERA and 117 strikeouts. He needs a full season at High-A Salem, or possibly split-time between there and Double-A. But he’s going in the direction the Red Sox need.

Third baseman Will Middlebrooks is the Sox best prospect and proved himself between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A in 2011. The Red Sox will surely start him in Triple-A Pawtucket, where he can get more at-bats, with the majority of them coming at Portland, with 356. In terms of major league readiness he’s close.

Their current rotation- a work in progress- has the ability to succeed with the benefit of good health, a bounce-back performance from Jon Lester, as well as a successful transition of Daniel Bard to starter, to right the ship. Their lineup is a force.

The three teams have made each other interesting now and a few years down the line, when all this acquiring and sacrificing will show who really won the trading game.

Five Questions With Yankees Brad Meyers
The Yankees picked up pitcher Brad Meyers in the Rule 5 Draft, nabbing him from the Nationals. In four years with Washington, the 26-year old pitched at every level, ending 2011 with Triple-A Syracuse going 6-5 in 92 innings, and a 3.48 ERA. The righty agreed to the ‘To The Farm’ five…

Jessica Quiroli: You pitched a lot at the Double-A level the last couple of years, but saw some time in Triple-A last season. What was the biggest difference in facing Double-A and Triple-A hitters?

Brad Meyers:  The biggest difference is that triple A hitters make adjustments pitch to pitch rather than at bat to at bat.  They recognize pitching patterns a lot quicker and will exploit them.  Triple A hitters play more off the weaknesses of a pitcher as opposed to double A hitters who will wait a couple of at bats to get the pitch they are looking for.  Also, triple A was the first time that I had to throw balls intentionally instead of strikes.  I never thought I could throw too many strikes, but there is definitely a balance between walking people and giving up more hits.

 Quiroli:  Is there a pitch you still struggle with that you are continuously trying to improve?

Meyers:  My slider can be inconsistent at times.  I would like to add some depth to it without dropping off too much velocity.

Quiroli:  What did you improve most in 2011?

Meyers: Last year was the biggest jump for me from double A to triple A.  I learned a lot about the type of pitcher that I am, what hitters are trying to do against you in certain counts/situations, and really did a better job at controlling the running game.

Quiroli: Switching gears. Do you have a horse in the football playoffs?

Meyers: I’m not a big football guy, but I do enjoy Sunday fun-day every couple weeks.  I got into a playoff pool and…

Quiroli: A team you’re rooting for to be in the Super Bowl?

Meyers: I have the Saints beating the Pats in the super bowl.  Tough to go against Rodgers, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen from the Saints offense all year.

With this week’s acquisition of Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres, Jocketty was able to add a top of the rotation starter in exchange for a package built around prospects Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal and disappointing starter Edinson Volquez.

Latos, who went 9-14 with a 3.47 ERA for the Padres last season, is a shining example of a pitcher whose won-loss record reflects little on how well he pitched a year ago. According to Dave Camewron at Fangraphs.com, not only did Latos have an impressive 2011, but for the last two seasons “has been one of the better pitchers in baseball.”

There aren’t that many pitchers in the sport who can miss bats with the frequency that Latos has established while also pounding the strike zone with regularity. Guys who can live in the zone and still avoid contact are generally the best pitchers in the game. This is the one skillset you want in a pitcher more than any other.

According to the Associated Press, the talent given up to acquire Latos was significant:

Alonso, the seventh overall pick in 2008, didn’t have a place to play with Joey Votto a mainstay at first base. The Reds moved him to left field briefly last season, but he struggled defensively. The 24-year-old Alonso batted .330 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 47 games. Byrnes said he’ll be a leading contender for the starting job.

Volquez was coming off a disappointing season, going 5-7 with a 5.71 ERA. The Reds got him from Texas in the trade for Josh Hamilton in December 2007. Volquez went 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 2008, when both he and Hamilton made the All-Star teams. Volquez needed reconstructive elbow surgery the following year and has never gotten back into form.

Grandal, the 12th overall pick in 2010, batted .305 with 14 homers and 68 RBIs at Class A, Double-A and Triple-A last season, making a quick rise through the farm system. He was slotted behind catcher Devin Mesoraco, a first-round pick in 2007 who made it to the majors last season and played in 18 games.

Jocketty said Reds were willing to trade Alonso and Grandal because they were stuck behind other players at their positions.

The Reds also gave up right-handed reliever Brad Boxberger, who went 2-4 with 11 saves and a 2.03 ERA last season at Double-A and Triple-A. Jocketty said Boxberger was the final piece in finishing the deal.

“It was very tough giving him up,” Jocketty said. “We feel he was really starting to come into his own in the second half of the year. I don’t think we would have been able to make the deal if he wasn’t part of it.”

On paper, this appears to be a deal that will assist both teams. The Reds traded what Fangraph’s Cameron classified as “redundant prospects” a reclamation project and a RP with some upside for one of the most valuable commodities in all of baseball.

Padres GM Josh Byrnes has taken a huge gamble in trading away a top of the the rotation starter who is just 24 years old, but as San Diego appears to be in yet another rebuilding phase, spreading around depth makes more sense at the moment.

“It was a tough trade to make,” Byrnes told Dan Hayes of the North County Times, “but if you put it (with the trades of Adrian Gonzalez and Mike Adams) we have a huge chunk of talent we have put in the system the last couple of years, and ultimately I think that’s our best path to success.”

The Reds still need a closer, and how they acquire one will bear watching.

***

Not really sure what the Milwaukee Brewers are up to these days.

On one hand, there’s no way I’m giving $200 million bucks to Prince Fielder, especially when I have several holes to fill. On the other, giving $36 million to 33-year old Aramis Ramirez?

Ramirez is a very good offensive player, batting .306 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs in 149 games for the Cubs last season. and is of the top five third baseman in the game. But’s 33, and might be an even worse defensive third baseman than Casey McGehee. The Brewers are also talking about making him their cleanup hitter, and with the possibility of Ryan Braun missing the first 50 games of the season to start 2012, makes this signing a very “all in” type of move. For a team that’s going to lose it’s marquee player, it seems a strange way to go.

***

Jennie Finch is best known for being one of the legends of women’s softball, and is also a tiress advocate for worthy charities like The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  She recently sent all of us here at BD a holiday greeting.

Happy Holidays to you and yours as well, Jenny. For more info on Finch, her charity work and more, please visit JennieFinch.com

***

The Miami Marlins have an MVP-caliber shortstop in Hanley Ramirez. They liked him so much at short that they went out gave $106 million to Jose Reyes. The question I have is this; did the Marlins speak to Ramirez before going after Reyes? If they didn’t, that’s pretty foolish. If they did, then Ramirez is being pretty selfish.

As for Reyes?

“As soon as I have the opportunity, I’m going to talk to (Ramirez), because we are very good friends,” Reyes said. “We’re both here for one reason — to win the World Series. It doesn’t matter where I’m going to play or where he’s going to play.” – AP

Reyes is ok with playing third base? Or second? As for the former, Alex Rodriguez, a superior talent in every way to Derek Jeter, moved to third rather than displace the incumbent Jeter in 2004. As for the latter, moving to second to accommodate Kaz Matsui didn’t exactly work out too well for Reyes. Some people are saying that Reyes should call Hanley and “work things out.”

Greg Stoda, who covers the Marlins for the Palm Beach Post, says that it “absolutely should be up to Reyes, a Marlins free-agent newcomer displacing Ramirez at shortstop, to make the initial contact.”

It’d be a gesture of goodwill, if nothing else. The club certainly shouldn’t have to back-channel things.
It’s understandable if Ramirez, who’ll switch to third base, doesn’t want to make the first move even though it would demonstrate a heretofore lacking leadership quality should he simply reach out to Reyes and welcome him to the team.

Reyes, however, by now should have made the effort to speak to Ramirez, which he hadn’t done as of Friday morning.

I couldn’t disagree more. As the “team leader”, Ramirez should be calling Reyes to welcome him to the team, and quelling any media speculation that he isn’t happy with the acquisition of Reyes, who is a far superior defensive player. His silence is deafening, and another churlish example of how selfish Ramirez has been his entire career.

As for Reyes, c’mon Jose. You haven’t had the “opportunity” to call your “very good friend” for a week or more? You’re not doing yourself any favors with those kinds of quotes.

For information and reservations call 914.668.9580 or log onto www.bgcmvny.com.

Singleton is in his 10th season as a New York Yankees analyst for the YES Network alongside Michael Kay, and also handles play-by-play duties for the network.

“We are delighted to honor Ken Singleton at our 100th Anniversary Gala,” said Boys & Girls Club President Danny Sawh, and Executive Director Lowes Moore in a joint statement. “His outstanding career on the baseball diamond and in the broadcast booth have distinguished him as a true champion. The Boys & Girls Club of Mt. Vernon has been a bulwark against delinquency and a recreational outlet for youngsters for a century, and we hope today’s youngsters will follow in his giant footsteps.”

Raised in Mount Vernon, Singleton played both baseball and basketball in high school, and also played baseball in the Bronx Federation League at Macombs Dam Park, across the street from Yankee Stadium. After receiving a basketball scholarship to Hofstra University and playing baseball as well for one year, Singleton was drafted by the Mets in 1967.

Denzel Washington

In April 1972, he was traded to the Expos and, in 1974, was traded to the Orioles. His .438 on base percentage (in 1977), 118 walks (in 1975) and 35 switch-hit home runs (in 1979) are all still Orioles single season records.

Singleton is one of only six players in Major League Baseball history to hit 35 or more switch-hit homers in a season. During his career, Singleton was named to the American League All- Star Team in 1977, ’79 and ’81. He was named Most Valuable Oriole in 1975, ’77 and ’79.

Singleton received the Roberto Clemente Award from Major League Baseball — the highest off-the-field honor in baseball — in 1982. The award recognizes the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.

He retired after the 1984 season as a three-time All-Star with a 1983 World Championship ring.

Before joining YES, Singleton divided his time calling play-by-play and providing commentary on Yankees telecasts on the MSG Network. In 1998, he was part of MSG’s production team that won four New York Emmys for its Yankees coverage.

Singleton joined the MSG Network in 1997 from The Sports Network (TSN), where he served as analyst for the Montreal Expos from 1985 to 1996. From 1991-96, he also called play-by-play and served as analyst for CIQC Radio, the Expos’ flagship radio network. In 1996 and 1997, he was named by FOX Sports as a lead analyst for Saturday afternoon baseball broadcasts. In 1997 and 1998, he worked as an analyst for Major League Baseball International.

I was the first player drug-tested in baseball, and I am the one who asked for it.” – Babe Dahlgren

The recent news that 2011 MVP Ryan Braun is appealing a failed “banned substance” test wasn’t expected, but after hundreds of failed tests for recreatiional or performance-enhancing drugs for baseball players, even the fact that a reigning MVP not thought to be the strerotypical behemnoth wasn’t all that’s shocking.

Let’s face it, we live in an era where its hard to imagine people choosing integrity over the millions that can be made with the popping og a pill or the injecting of a needle. Ryan Braun may indeed be innocent, and if he is, he will have the power, resources and platform to defend himself.

Some other players never got that opportunity.

There was another player who once took a drug test, the first one in known baseball history. It was paid for by then-MLB Commisioner Judge Kenesaw Moutian Landis, and it came back clean. For some reason, Landis and several of the commisioners that followed him, refused to make the results public, or provide ther player with some level of justice.

Instead, Babe Dahlgren, once considered the best fielding first baseman in baseball, was sentenced to a life as a baseball vagabond,  and even after his playing days, plagued with the inaction of a baseball industry that turned it back on him a long time ago.

The whole story is chronicled in the book, Rumor In Town: A Grandson’s Promise to Right a Wrong, written by Dahlgren’s grandson, Matt Dahlgren.

Sadly, two of the most respected figures in baseball history played a large role in Dahglren’s misery, and it is perhaps that reality which is responsible for the lack of coverage and discussion of these events.

From Gotham Baseball’s Spring 2011 Issue, “Going Nine: The Other Babe”

“The guy can do everything, and I have a hunch that he invents plays as he goes along. If an old-timer were to swear to me on a stack of testaments that there was every a greater defensive first baseman than Ellsworth ‘Babe’ Dahlgren of the Yankees I wouldn’t believe him.” John Lardner, The New Yorker, June 13, 1940

According to Matt Dahlgren, Babe was also the victim of a vicious rumor, that he was a marijuana smoker. Mike Lynch of Seamheads.com summarized it best, stating that the rumor was “started by a Hall Of Fame manager, perpetuated by a Hall of Fame executive, and buried by a Hall Of Fame Commissioner.”

Dahlgren started his career in the Boston Red Sox system and was poised to become the team’s first baseman until the Bosox got Philadelphia A’s slugger Jimmie Foxx. Babe hoped for a trade and got one, to the Yankees, where Lou Gehrig was entrenched. Determined to prove that he belonged, Dahlgren took his game to the Yankees’ top farm team in Newark in 1937, where he hit. 340 for the Bears, one of the greatest minor league champions in baseball history.

He would make the Yankees in 1938 as a utilityman, but played in just 27 games, mostly as a pinch-hitter. In 1939, he would make the most of an opportunity he desperately wanted, he just hated the way it happened.

Replacing Gehrig, Dahlgren hit a home run, a double off the top of the fence and two drives that were caught against the fence in a 22-2 rout over Detroit. “I especially admired Gehrig because he was a first baseman like me,” Dahlgren told Newsday’s Joe Gergen in 1988. “I never dreamed one day I’d be in New York to take the man’s place.”

He would hit only .235 that year for the Yanks, but he would hit 15 home runs and drive in 89 runs batting seventh or eighth in a powerful lineup. In the World Series that year, Dahlgren would hit his only World Series home run, helping the Yankees sweep the Reds. The future looked bright for the 27-year old Dahlgren. Then he went home to San Francisco, and his life would never be the same.

Local legend Lefty O’Doul hated the fact the Joe McCarthy, and not he was the manager of the New York Yankees, telling anyone who would listen that “Ol’ Marse Joe” was a bush-button manager and that anyone could manage the Yankees. An Associated Press photographer took a picture of Dahlgren receiving batting tips from O’Doul at a off-season (the reality was that they barely talked that day). Combine the cracks that O’Doul made that day, “The Yankees have to send me their players to learn how to it.” a thin-skinned heavy drinker in McCarthy, and a now-veteran first baseman who was well-liked by his teammates and the local press, and you had the makings of a very bad situation.

Dahlgren had another solid year in 1940, hitting .263 / 12/ 73, and played a brilliant first base, but when the Yankees did not win the pennant. McCarthy seemed to blame Dahlgren, citing a key error down the stretch that cost the Yankees a ball game.

He was sent to the Boston Braves in 1941, and was dealt midway in the season to the Cubs, where he really played well, hitting .263 / 23/ 89 for the season. While he was having the best year of his career to date, McCarthy was telling the New York sportswriters – who all liked Dahlgren, thought he was a superb first baseman, and were watching Johnny Sturm hit just .235 with no power and nowhere near the glove – that Dahlgren’s arms were too short to play first base.

Really.

The longer the season wore on, the longer it looked like McCarthy had had a personal beef with Dahlgren, and the writers pressed McCarthy on the trade. Now, remember, it was the 1941 season, and Joe DiMaggio was setting his magical streak and Ted Williams was hitting .406 for the Red Sox. Dahlgren was happy in Chicago, playing well and finally getting the accolades he deserved.

Then, almost instantly, Dahlgren would spent the rest of his career, from 1942, getting traded from Chicago to St. Louis to Brooklyn (where Branch Rickey would accuse him of smoking marijuana, the first time Dahlgren would hear of the rumor) to Philadelphia (where he became an All-Star) to Pittsburgh (where he would drive in 101 runs and hit .289 in 1944) and finally back to St. Louis, where he would finally be discarded.

In the midst of the incredulous rumor, Dahlgren informed then-Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis of the rumor, and the Judge, according to the book, paid all the expenses for what would prove to be a “clean” drug test for Dahlgren. But Landis and every subsequent Commissioner – up until his death in 1996 – failed to address Babe’s cause.

Dahlgren also died not going who had started the rumor. He had always assumed that it was Rickey, because of the way the situation had played out. It wasn’t until his grandson Matt, who wanted to write the manuscript that would become “Rumor in Town” (Babe’s original manuscript, as well as a letter from Landis proving the rumor existed, were lost in a fire at Babe’s home in 1980), that the origin of the rumor surfaced.

Dahlgren was doing research for his book when someone suggested the aforementioned Marty Appel, arguably the preeminent Yankees historian, for stories about his father.

Appel told him about a conversation he had with New York Times sportswriter John Drebinger in 1973, recalling McCarthy talking to a small group of baseball insiders at the end of the 1940 season. McCarthy, Appel remembered Drebinger telling him, noted that the Yankees would have won the pennant in 1940 had it not been for an error that Dahlgren made in a late-season game against Cleveland. “Dahlgren doesn’t screw up that play if he wasn’t a marijuana smoker.”

Tired of being made a fool for suggesting that the obviously proportionally-limbed Dahlgren’s arms were more than long enough, McCarthy decided to spread a rumor so incredible, so scandalous that few would ever repeat it. But the ones that did cost a good man his career.

“Rumor in Town” might be a promise by a grandson to his grandfather to right a terrible wrong, but one would hope that it also motivate Major League Baseball to right a terrible injustice. To date, the case is one that MLB doesn’t feel needs to be reopened.. And that is a big a tragedy as was the rumor that cost Babe Dahlgren his career.

Drew Cumberland – The future is full of possibilities for Cumberland and the Padres needn’t have worried about losing the infielder.

There wasn’t much doubt he’d remain with the team that drafted him in . After a forced early retirement due to a condition that caused concussion symptoms, such as migraines and blurred vision, Cumberland hadn’t played in 2011. He received clearance to continue his career, but the Padres, understandably, left him exposed. There was no reason to assume he’d return.

His minor league career had so far proven him to be a solid defense man and hitter, despite a history of injuries. The Padres will continue to develop the 22-year old, but with a new aspect involved. The question is whether or not he can be an everyday major league player in the future with a condition that could cause a number of issues.

Pat Venditte - A reliever who can pitch lefty or righty, Venditte is a valuable asset in a number of situations. But his Yankees possibilities might not be endless. Rule 5 eligibility was perhaps the best thing for him, but he went unselected. The Yankees aren’t hurting for bullpen arms, but he could be an extra option late in the season. Venditte, who is 26, has proven himself to be tireless and teachable, no matter what happens.

But after two years at Double-A Trenton, an opportunity to face more advanced hitters would be a valuable one.

Brad Meyers – The Yankees selected the RHP from the Nationals, the team that drafted him in 2007. Meyers has consistently achieved, logging an impressive number of innings every season since his debut. He pitched at three levels – -Harrisburg, Auburn, and Syracuse- finishing at Triple-A Syracuse with a 2.43 ERA in nine starts. In an interesting move, the Yankees decided to convert Meyers from a starter to a reliever, deepening their organizational pitching. Meyers has an opportunity to continue the excellent results he posted in 2011. By giving him spot starts and using him in long relief, he learns more about the kind of pitcher he is and whether he’s comfortable in a relief role.

Should he be offered back, no telling whether the Nationals would convert him back.

Jordan Danks – Danks was left exposed, but remains with the White Sox, his exclusion from the 40-man a bit surprising to begin with.  The twenty-five year old is a highly touted outfielder, but more than that, in his second stint with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights he improved in several areas. His total RBI (65) was up from 2011, as were walks (57), but he tends to strike out a lot and he only hit 14 home runs, a very slight improvement from the previous season.

He’s got the potential to develop a bit more power and could certainly be a late-inning replacement

Diana Munson, Thurman’s widow, will attend her 32nd straight benefit, having been involved since its inception, raising nearly $10 million to assist children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Thurman Munson Awards are presented for success on the fields of play and philanthropic works off the field

The AHRC New York City Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City.  AHRC New York City is one of the largest organizations of its kind, serving 11,000 children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.

photo courtesy Yogi Berra Museum

The  list of notable athletes to previously receive the Munson Award reads like a sports “Who’s Who,” and includes: Yankees – Yogi Berra, Don Mattingly, Mariano Rivera, Willie Randolph, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Robbie Cano, Bernie Williams, Bobby Murcer, Joe Torre, Joe Girardi and Nick Swisher; Mets – Tom Seaver, John Franco, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Ron Darling, David Wright, Carlos Beltran,  Keith Hernandez, Rusty Staub and Gary Carter;  Basketball – Willis Reed, Oscar Robertson, Dave DeBusschere,  Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, “Dr. J”  Julius Erving, Sen. Bill Bradley, Mark Jackson, Charles Oakley, Allan Houston and John Starks.

The Legend Award has been presented periodically and its previous recipients have included: Ralph Branca and Bobby Thomson (2001) in celebration of the 50th anniversary of “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”; former Mets ace relief pitcher and native New Yorker John Franco (2004) in recognition of his community service in his hometown; and former Yankee and Thurman teammate Lou Piniella (2010) upon the 30th Anniversary of the Munson Dinner.

But as the cleanup effort continues and attention moves away, the things that bound the community — like youth baseball — may take years to be reborn.

“Pitch In For Baseball” has for years been helping to fix that.  The charity’s efforts, with the support of heavy hitters like MLB, Little League Baseball, the IBAF, USA Baseball and others, have helped thousands of kids get back on the field or, in many cases, experience the game for the first time.

“In these situations, kids tend to feel no one cares about them,” said David Rhode, PIFB Executive Director.  “We have the opportunity to say there are people who care about what has happened, and who are ready to help.”

PIFB is the central organization for collecting and redistributing new and “gently used” youth baseball and softball equipment to needy communities both in the United States and around the world. The goal is to spread the game by providing kids with the proper equipment to learn and pay the game.

The recently-completed Japan effort, supported by the Major League Baseball Players Trust, included a delivery of equipment, including bats, baseballs, gloves, catcher’s gear, batting tees, helmets and equipment bags, and a visit by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher and Ishinomaki native Takashi Saito.

Takashi Saito meets the Kazuma team

“I am honored to represent my fellow Major Leaguers in presenting the equipment to the youth of Ishinomaki,” Saito said in a statement.  “I am truly grateful for the support the players have pledged to my native land, and on behalf of all players I can say we look forward to doing more in the future to help recovery efforts and to ensure that people around the world don’t forget that so much more needs to be done before life returns to normal.”

Closer to home, the PIFB team was able to move even more quickly in Joplin.  Former major leaguer Dan Smith, who pitched for for organizations in a 12-year pro career, including stints with the Red Sox and Expos, and lives in Joplin, contacted PIBF for help.  Rhode’s team worked with the Joplin Little League and within two weeks, the shipment was on its way.

A former major leaguer making an even bigger impact with PIFB is Roy Smalley III, who serves as president.  The All-Star member of the Twins and later the Yankees has utilized his substantial connections in the game as well as those of his father Roy Smalley Jr., who died in October and was also a former big leaguer, to the charity’s great benefit.

“Adding Roy Smalley III to ‘Pitch In,’ it’s like night and day,” said Rhode.  “He adds an incredible stamp of credibility.  Probably, a lot of athletes lend their name to something and don’t have much involvement.  I’m on the phone with him constantly; he is as passionate as can be about what we are doing, and has been a huge part of our success the past two years.  He connects us to the baseball industry in ways we couldn’t without him.”

While the distribution side and the success stories in outfitting kids across the world with equipment get most of the attention, the biggest surprise for Rhode has been on the collection part of the equation.

“The people who collect the equipment are the backbone of what we are trying to accomplish,” he added.  “There has been a tremendous impact that young kids have had, which we hoped for but it has exceeded anything we could have dreamed.  From Eagle Scout projects to Mitzvahs to community service, they are doing awesome work every day.  If we don’t have equipment in the warehouse, there’s nothing for us to talk about and do.”

Some of that equipment ended up in Iraq, dubbed “Operation Homerun: Baseball in Bagdad,” which presented an additional challenge.  It’s not as simple as filling out a FedEx form and shipping it off.  But it did show PIFB’s creativity in finding new ways to move the equipment — in this case via the military.

“We don’t always have the opportunity to go through normal channels,” explained Rhode.  “Sometimes it’s embassies, local post offices, transportation ‘off the grid,’ to ensure it gets there.”

People interested in helping with equipment or monetary donations, as well as those who want to alert PIFB to a need in their area, can contact the organization through its Website or Facebook page.

Our featured bloggers that provided us with the in depth Report Card series that has just concluded are back to give everyone an in depth look at what the off season holds for the major league teams they cover.  A look at what each team needs, what each team has already gained and lost, and some of the youth in each team’s system will be examined in these articles.  You can find all of the author’s information at the bottom of the article.

For the New York Yankees, winning the World Series is the only palatable result. As such, their off season has become almost as anticipated as the season itself. The difference now seems to be that Brian Cashman has much more control than he did in the past and wild and wholesale changes don’t happen as much as they did in the early part of the second millennium. Cashman is more apt to hold on to his prospects than Yankee teams in the past and free agent hoards will be limited to one or two major purchases. In this piece, we’ll try to look at the overall picture of the Yankees’ off season considering who they already have on the roster, arbitration eligible players, free agents and if any impact is expected from their farm system. We’ll start with the free agents.

2011 Yankees now free agents: Bartolo Colon, Freddie Garcia, Eric Chavez, Jorge Posada, Andruw Jones and Luis Ayala. Former Number One pick, Andrew Brackman was left off the 40-man roster and was granted free agency. Damaso Marte will likely be non-tendered and thus become a free agent as well.

Of those free agents, the Yankees might maintain an interest in resigning Chavez, Jones, Ayala and perhaps Freddie Garcia. Jorge Posada has already announced that his days as a Yankee are over and his only decision remains on whether to retire or play one more season elsewhere. Bartolo Colon saved the Yankees in the first half of 2011 but faded in the second half and probably will not be in the Yankees’ plans. Andruw Jones was effective against left-handed pitching which is helpful with lefty-swinging regulars like Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner as every day outfielders. Eric Chavez faded badly in the second half but is a capable backup for Alex Rodriguez at third and Mark Teixeira at first. Luis Ayala had a terrific year in the bullpen for the Yankees and with Joba Chamberlain due to miss the first third of the 2012 season with Tommy John surgery, Ayala should get an offer to return.

Freddie Garcia’s status will depend on what off seasons moves the Yankees make for pitching. They appear to be players in the C.J. Wilson/Mark Buehrle sweepstakes and if they land one of those free agents, the need for Garcia will be mitigated.

Arbitration eligible players in 2012 include: Russell Martin, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, Brett Gardner and David Robertston. This writer expects that all of these players will remain with the Yankees in 2012. The Yankees were very pleased with Russell Martin behind the plate in 2011. It would be highly surprising if he wasn’t their starting catcher in 2012. Expect the Yankees to offer him a two or three year contract in the coming weeks.

Players under Yankee control in pre-arbitration situations: Ivan Nova, Cory Wade, Francisco Cervelli, Eduardo Nunez, Gustavo Molina, Colin Curtis and Kei Igawa. Nova, of course, will be a featured member of the Yankees’ rotation. Nunez had a brutal 2011 and could be trade bait for the Yankees. But they do need a backup infielder and Nunez is the best of the lot in their system. Molina and Curtis are minor league filler types who are doubtful to have any major league impact. Francisco Cervelli is an interesting case. He’s been the backup catcher the last two seasons. Two years ago he was brutal on offense and decent on defense. Last year, he was better offensively but brutal on defense. It would be highly surprising if Cervelli maintained his role heading into 2011 with the young options the Yankees have. We’ll get to those in a minute. Kei Igawa, of course, is the Japanese import that bombed in the majors and though he remains in the system with a major league contract, he is forever buried in the minors.

The Yankees are set in the infield and the outfield. The only wildcard is Cuban defector, Yeonis Cespedes. Cespedes has been scouted by the Yankees and seems to be an incredible talent that will soon lead to a bidding war for his services. It is possible for the Yankees to be a suitor for Cespedes and then would be in a situation where they could trade Nick Swisher. But if that doesn’t happen, expect to see a lot of the likes of Jeter, Rodriguez, Cano, Teixeira, Granderson, Gardner and Swisher.

The bullpen also appears pretty well set. Rivera might be pitching his last season and has remained brilliant. David Robertson has become a star. Rafael Soriano has an opt-out clause, but the odds of that happening are astronomical. Boone Logan is reliable and Cory Wade was  quite the steal and was terrific. Joba Chamberlain won’t be available to start the year and it’s doubtful the Yankees have any realistic expectation for a contribution from him this season. Another left-handed arm would be useful to support Logan.

The starting rotation can go one of three ways for the Yankees. Behind C.C. Sabathia (who avoided his opt-out situation with an extension), Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett, the Yankees could either sign one of the big fish on the market or go with youngsters like Adam Warren, David Phelps, Hector Noesi or long shots like Shaeffer Hall and D.J. Mitchell. Last spring, the excitement built for Dillin Betances, Manny Banuelos and Andrew Brackman (the new Killer B’s). Brackman is now gone and Betances and Banuelos could not throw strikes often enough to show they are close to being ready. The third option is to go to the second-level free agents like Freddie Garcia, Erik Bedard, Chris Capuano and others. This observer really believes they need a second lefty in the rotation.

If you happen to be a position player in the Yankees’ minor league system, good luck to you. There are no openings to be had. The aforementioned pitchers have at least a shot. The only other openings for the Yankees appear to be as a backup infielder, backup catcher and DH. Jesus Montero, the Yankees top prospect could handle two of those positions. He’s already shown he can hit big league pitching. The question remains if the Yankees see him as a catcher (which doesn’t appear to be the case). Montero could be a top Designated Hitter in the American League if the Yankees choose to go that way. They could then use Austin Romine as the backup catcher and Jesus Montero as the emergency third catcher.

The ideal situation for the Yankees would be to save a roster spot with Montero catching twice a week and the DH the other five days. But again, they lack faith in Montero as a catcher, so the question won’t be answered until Spring Training.

It sounds kind of boring, but the only real intrigue for the Yankees this off season is what they do about the starting rotation, if they can unload A.J. Burnett and if they are players in the Cespedes sweepstakes. Yeah, life is tough at the top.

William J. Tasker has written as the Flagrant Fan on his own site since 2003. A proud member of Yardbarker and the Baseball Bloggers Alliance, Tasker’s work has been featured often on Foxsports.com/MLB in that site’s Best of Yardbarker category. Tasker can be found daily on Twitter @FlagrantFan and irregularly on his FlagrantFan Facebook page. Tasker currently serves as the president of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance General Chapter.

These report cards were written by twenty nine talented individuals across the internet that keep a close eye on the team they cover.  It was the first of our “Featured Blogger” series.  The second part, an Off-Season Outlook, will be brought to you the remainder of this week.  The same writers will return in the Spring to provide a 2012 Season Preview about the teams.

This year’s Featured Bloggers are listed below along with their website and the link to their Report Card:

American League East
Baltimore Orioles - Austin Gisriel, Seamheads
Boston Red Sox – Michael Lynch, Seamheads
New York Yankees – William Tasker, The Flagrant Fan
Tampa Bay Rays – Yossi Feins, The Rays Rant
Toronto Blue Jays – Peter DeMarco, Some Thoughts On Baseball

American League Central
Chicago White Sox – Terry Keshner, Planet Back
Cleveland Indians – David Henderson, Tribe Cards
Detroit Tigers – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Kansas City Royals – Todd Fertig, I-70 Baseball
Minnesota Twins – Von Hendry, Seamheads

American League West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – Bryan Grosnick, Roto Hardball
Oakland As – Jason Leary, Junk Ball
Seattle Mariners – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Texas Rangers – Dan Edmonson, Chicken Fried Baseball

National League East
Atlanta Braves – Andrew Martin, Baseball Historian
Florida Marlins – Eddie Gilley, Eddie Gilley Blogspot
New York Mets – AC Wayne, Mets Public Record
Philadelphia Phillies – Matthew Buesing, Fire And Ice Sports
Washington Nationals – Aaron Somers , District On Deck

National League Central
Chicago Cubs – Robert Harris, Blue Batting Helmet
Cincinnati Reds – Gary Schatz, Full Of Schatz
Houston Astros – Michael Barr, Fan Graphs
Milwaukee Brewers – Paul Heinz, Paul Heinz.com
Pittsburgh Pirates – Ryan Sendek, Analysis Around The Horn
St. Louis Cardinals – Daniel Shoptaw , C70 At The Bat

National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks – Patrick Lagreid, Baseball On My Brain
Colorado Rockies – Michelle Hoag, Rockies Woman
Los Angeles Dodgers – Paul F Sullivan, Sully Baseball
San Diego Padres – Michael Metzger, Padres Trail
San Francisco Giants – Julian Levine, Giants Nirvana

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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BaseballDigest.com aims to keep up that tradition.  This season, we bring you a Report Card on each team in Major League Baseball from writers that cover that team directly.  At the bottom of each write up, you will find the writer’s name, website, and any other pertinent information.  

The New York Yankees finished with the best record in the American League last season and it’s hard to imagine giving them a report card with less than straight A’s. But expectations in New York are not to just reach the playoffs each year, but to win the whole shebang from year to year. Anything less is a huge disappointment. Since a title every season is impossible, let’s be realistic and take this team apart and see how they really fared for 2011.

Starting Pitching – B-
Remember the panic in Yankee land last year over the failure to sign Cliff Lee combined with the retirement of Andy Pettitte? The Yankees were seen to be entering 2011 with huge question marks in their rotation. But somehow it all worked. C.C. Sabathia faded at the end of the season, but had another dominant year. Ivan Nova opened a lot of eyes, particularly after a brief minor league banishment and arguments can be made that he was their best pitcher down the stretch.

A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes were huge disappointments. The former has become the most hated Yankee in quite a while. Hughes entered the season with a mysterious loss of velocity and only mildly recovered late in the season. Fingers in the dike were provided by the unlikely duo of Freddie Garcia and Bartolo Colon. Garcia’s solid pitching lasted all season while Colon faded in the second half.

Overall, the Yankees finished third in the AL in runs allowed but below average in quality starts and pitches thrown per start. They finished only average as a rotation in average game score and just slightly above average in no decisions.

Relief Pitcing – A
The bullpen was one of the real strengths of the 2011 Yankees. Mariano Rivera continues to defy time and had another great season. David Robertson became the eighth inning guy and no one in the game was better. Robertson allows a lot of base runners, but never gave up runs. And his Houdini acts getting out of bases loaded jams became legendary.  Cory Wade was basically stolen from the Tampa Bay Rays in a waiver pick up and became a valuable bullpen option and Luis Ayala had a surprisingly effective season. The Yankees counted on Joba Chamberlain who ended up needing Tommy John surgery, but they didn’t miss him at all. Rafael Soriano, a last minute pickup by those over Brian Cashman’s head proved disappointing.

Soriano aside, the bullpen was fantastic. They were second in the American League in save percentage, first in inherited runners scoring and led the AL in holds.  And the bullpen accomplished all that by entering games with the highest leverage index in the American League.

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Catching – C+
Russell Martin took over in 2011 from Jorge Posada as Posada had become an extreme defensive liability behind the plate. Martin finished in the middle of the pack of major league catchers as far as Fangraphs evaluation goes, but he was rated fourth in fielding among all major league catchers and was the second best catcher on the base paths.  As for his offense, he started hot, went completely cold and then finished okay. He hit into way too many double plays, but that seems to be a catcher staple.

Francisco Cervelli had a better offensive year as the Yankee back up but his defense regressed completely. The Yankees are stacked for catching talent in the minors and it’s hard to imagine Cervelli filling this role for long.

The Infield – A-
There is a lot of money invested in this infield and they earned it this past season. After a slow start, Derek Jeter finished strong in the second half. Robinson Cano has become one of the most feared hitters in baseball and Mark Teixeira, despite a falling batting average, still drives in a lot of runs and hits a lot of homers all while playing spectacular ball around the first base bag.

Alex Rodriguez had health problems all season, but when he was in there, played excellent defense and even with all his time missed, was one of the most valuable third basemen in baseball. The time he missed exposed Yankee problems on the bench. Eduardo Nunez and Eric Chavez started hot at the plate but faded terribly after that. Chavez was decent with the glove but Nunez was dreadful. Between the back ups and the lack of range shown by Jeter and Cano up the middle, a perfect A can’t be delivered here.

The Outfield – A
What’s not to like about the Yankee outfield? Nick Swisher is underrated in his offensive contributions and has become a good right fielder. Brett Gardner led all of baseball in defensive runs saved and stole over forty bases. He only needs to get on base more consistently to become one of the best outfielders in the league. And what can you say about Curtis Granderson? The guy had a MVP –type season and carried the team early and often. His defensive numbers were probably hurt a bit by how far Gardner ranges in left and seems, at least to the faulty naked eyes to be solid in center.

Andruw Jones is a shadow of his former self, but still turned around some fastballs and plays capable defense in the corners as a backup.

Designated Hitter – C-
The DH was reserved for Jorge Posada to cover the last year of his contract. He had a woeful start and never did hit left-handed pitchers well. But he finished strong down the stretch. The Yankees like to use the DH as a rest stop for their older players and did so with mixed results. This position in the lineup certainly wasn’t one of the Yankees’ strengths.

Team MVP
The team MVP has to go to Curtis Granderson. He blew the league away in runs scored despite a so-so batting average. His production via homers and other extra base hits added up to 7.0 fWAR and places him just above Robinson Cano for MVP honors. But Cano is really what makes this offense go, so it’s hard to separate the two.

Best Pitcher
C.C. Sabathia has few equals in baseball never mind on his own team. Ivan Nova would garner second place votes and Rivera and Robertson tie for third.

William J. Tasker has written as the Flagrant Fan on his own site since 2003. A proud member of Yardbarker and the Baseball Bloggers Alliance, Tasker’s work has been featured often on Foxsports.com/MLB in that site’s Best of Yardbarker category. Tasker can be found daily on Twitter @FlagrantFan and irregularly on his FlagrantFan Facebook page. Tasker currently serves as the president of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance General Chapter.

Arizona Fall League play concluded on Thursday, ending what was a high quality showcase of talent.

Hardest to ignore was nineteen-year old Bryce Harper. Putting the capper on his first pro season, the Nationals top prospect came out swinging a hot bat for most of the schedule. He finished hitting .333 with six home runs in 93 at-bats.

The Nationals plans are still up in the air, but a stint at Triple-A, which he’s yet to experience, would give him more time to improve  defensive weaknesses. Harper’s acclimation to Double-A last season was impressive for several reasons. While he displayed the power that was expected of him, he showed an ability to bounce back from frustrating moments and consistently proved he could handle the burn of the national spotlight on him.

His participation in the Arizona Fall League gave him extra at-bats, allowing him to further prove his readiness to the Nationals brass. All eyes will be on him to have a strong spring, but the Nationals don’t appear to be hasty in putting their star prospect in a major league uniform before they feel he’s absolutely ready. Whether the Nationals are motivated to delay Harper’s arbitration clock remains to be seen. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him get some time in Triple-A, considering how protective the team has been of the teenager. A player that young, and with that much pressure on him, requires a tremendous amount of patience.

Here are a few thoughts on Harper, and other Nationals standouts in the AFL, by Nationals blogger David Huzzard:

On Harper:

“The expectations are so high it is hard to be impressed with a double, RBI single, and a walk, but Harper looks like he has filled out his frame.”

“His defense still needs work as he took a bad route on a fly ball that went just over his outstretched glove for a double, and had communication issues with his centerfielder in a different game. He continues to show great range and has the athletic ability to play outfield but needs to hone his instincts.”

“All the reports on [Matt] Purke were that he had lost velocity on the fastball, but when I saw him he sat around 94-95 and touched 97 once. He had trouble controlling his breaking pitch and was constantly missing low. He did have a good 15 MPH differential between the fastball and change, and he looked composed and confident on the mound and retired all three batters he faced despite control issues.”

On Derek Norris: He continues to show great plate discipline and power and has improved defensively. He did have a defensive miscue in the game I saw him in when he threw a ball into centerfield trying to throw out a base stealer. Other than that he called a good game and had no issue blocking balls in the dirt.

You can follow David at @Evolution33 and read his work by clicking here.

TOP PLAYERS IN AFL: Rangers prospect Mike Olt (Surprise Saguaros) led the the league in RBI (43) and home runs (14). Miguel De Los Santos led in wins (5, the only pitcher to do so) and strikeouts (40).

RULE 5 DEADLINE
The deadline has come and gone for teams to protect their players by adding them to the 40-man roster. One notable Yankees name now eligible to be Rule 5 drafted is switch pitcher Pat Venditte. Venditte pitched 90 innings for Double-A Trenton in 2011 and finished the season with a 3.40 ERA. But he’s up against a lot at this point, and that includes his age. At 26 the reliever has never played above Double-A, after being drafted by the Yankees in 2008.

While his velocity is better on his right side (88-90), his fastball velocity is not a strength and that likely hurt his chances of getting a chance to contribute at the big league level. Still, his curveball is effective on both sides. Teams are always looking for guys to bring up from the farm to add arms to the bullpen late in the season, so his value is there. A break from the Yankees is likely best;  a solid minor league career could increase his chances of getting selected by another team.

“I’m trying to work on some things with my swing, make hard contact, and let what happen, happen,” he said over the weekend.

His first full season at the Double-A level proved successful, and although the numbers  slightly dipped from 2010, he’s produced at every level. He finished 2011 hitting .277, with 58 RBI, and 59 walks. He also hit 38 doubles, a few more than in 2010, between Trenton and Class-A Tampa.

Currently playing for the Phoenix Desert Dogs, Joseph is batting .221 with 10 RBI, and 5 walks in 77 at-bats.

While he’s trying to do some extra work at the plate, the second baseman is also putting in maximum effort to improve at his position.

“Really focusing on defense mainly here. Defense has been the key with me. I will always have to work on that.”

That’s an area the Thunder failed at as a team, setting a franchise-worst record with 158 errors committed. The Thunder were contenders for a playoff spot going into the last few games, but fell short, due in part to poor defense. They also lost some of their best players, including team MVP Ray Kruml, and top Yankees pitching prospects, Dellin Betances and Manuel Banuelos. For his part, Joseph was a mid-season Eastern League All-Star and after getting healthy following wrist surgery in 2010, he feels he stepped up in key areas.

“I think I ran the bases a lot better this year then I did in the years past. Not stealing bases but just knowing the situation ahead of time and being able to react to balls in the gap, tag when I needed to and really try and put pressure on outfielders.”

There are plenty of questions regarding his future with the Yankees. Despite efforts to restructure his contract, Robinson Cano, possibly the best American League hitter in 2010, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But Joseph has the utmost respect for what the Yankees decisions regarding his career.

“I let them tell me what Ineed to work on. I have faith knowing they know whats best for me as a player. All I want to do is play to my best ability everyday and I feel like they know that and have faith in me that I will play hard.”

Once fall league concludes, he already knows what his game plan is.

“This offseason i am going to devote time to getting stronger, improve defense, and also work a lot of agility/speed stuff to improve on reaction.”

Epstein fired manager Mike Quade on Wednesday after just a little over one season in Chicago. The Sun-Times has the story.

Dodgers fans are ecstatic that the McCourts are selling. The LA Times has the full story.

A ball signed by Ruth and other members of the 1928 World Series champions, wire-to-wire winners who validated what essentially the same squad had accomplished the year before, is one of the highlights among the 400+ pieces available.  Slices of bricks from the Monument Park “retired numbers”  of Ruth and Gehrig, authentic bats and ball signed by DiMaggio and Mantle and game-used items by Jeter and Rivera in their record-setting games are also among the more interesting pieces.

There is even a full, game-used uniform of David Price, the Tampa Bay Rays hurler who surrendered Jeter’s 3,000th hit, for bidders looking for a less glamorous piece of history, but valuable in its own right.