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

The Cincinnati Reds joined the National League in 1890. Steve waited until July 2010 when he joined up with “Blog Red Machine”.

“ I started my own blog called, The Sports Commentator on which I no longer post, where I ‘covered’ all sports, Engbloom said. “I wanted a vehicle to voice my opinion”.

Engbloom join up with John Heitz, Brian K. Hines and Tyler Grote to run the blog, whose name is a tribute to those great teams of the 70s with the credit going to FanSided.

Blog Red Machine features Hines’ weekly feature on Tuesdays where he dives into the past of the club.

“John and Tyler are both big on stats, Engloom said. “John even devised his own stat, called QRO (quality relief outing)”.

As explained on the site, a pitchers QRO is “the number of appearances where more outs are recorded than hits and walks and no earned runs are scored.”

Perhaps, the late Sparky Anderson might have enjoyed reading that feature with the likes of Rawly Eastwick, Will McEnaney, Pedro Borbon and Clay Carroll coming out of that Reds bullpen in those days.

Steve’s personal favorite postings include a rant on how the Reds have used Aroldis Chapman, entitled “Misuse Of A Missile”.

“If you would have asked me a year ago, my favorite posting would have been from Thanksgiving 2010, in which I gave personal thanks for the 2010 season.” said Engbloom, a Michigan native, whose early baseball memories are when his family made trips to Tiger Stadium.

“I had the pleasure of seeing my first game, with the Orioles in town, Boog Powell looked big even from the nosebleeds!”

As for his favorite Reds moment, it was while he was in attendance of the 1990 NLCS when the Reds defeated the Pirates to advance to the World Series.

“There is still one word that stands out from that game, ‘Quinones’”. Engloom said “My brother and I each asked that name to each other when Sweet Lou (Piniella) used Luis Quinones to pinch-hit for Paul O’Neill in the bottom of the seventh”.

Sure enough, it was (lefthander) Zane Smith on the mound, but to use Quinones?
All Luis did of course was drive in (what would be) the winning run”

As for the new season, Steve has tinkered with the idea of having one writer on the blog lean soley on prospects, but they are still as group unable to find that person.

“I feel that addition would bring Blog Red Machine to a different level”.

Over the weekend, an old fashioned Baseball trade was announced between the San Diego Padres and the Reds. It is old fashion in the sense that it has nothing to do about money. All five players are under team control at team favored salaries. This trade is all about the needs of both organizations. The Reds needed an ace. They got that with the addition of 24 year old Mat Latos. The Padres needed an infusion of offensive talent. They got that with the acquisitions of prospects Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal. Both are heralded offensive players who were blocked from everyday jobs in Cincinnati. The Padres also acquired relief prospect Brad Boxberger and starting pitcher Edinson Volquez, who was, just a few seasons ago, one of the brightest young pitchers in the game. The task for Padres General Manager Josh Byrnes is simple. He must infuse as much talent into the organization as possible. The budget isn’t big, the ballpark heavily favors pitchers, and the Padres are quite thin on offensive talent. A first baseman, Alonso’s power could play well, even in Petco. Grandal, one of the game’s better catching prospects, can be an above average Major League hitter. The Padres finished the 2011 season either 15th or 16th in the National League in every major offensive category. Part of it could be the ballpark, but most of it is the dearth of offensive talent. Volquez will get the benefit of Petco and Boxberger could be one of the game’s best relievers as soon as next year.

But, all of that is predicated on the notion that each player in that package works out. That rarely happens, even if everyone likes to cite the Rangers’ haul for Mark Teixeira. The Padres are in a position where they have to do that. They have to take the chance that most of the players work out. Their talent base, at this point, is thin. They received four high ceiling players for their best player in Latos. While trading a 24 year old ace is a difficult decision, the Padres had to take that chance. They had to get offensive help. They maximized an asset to get a great collection of talent. Latos is a tremendous talent, but the Padres had more pressing needs and can utilize their ballpark to help a lesser talented pitching staff.

The Reds are in the exact opposite position. They reside in the National League Central Division, a division loaded with teams with quite a few question marks. The division champion Brewers are facing life without Prince Fielder and possibly Ryan Braun for 50 games. The Cardinals won the World Series as the Wild Card, but they just lost the greatest player of this generation and possibly any generation. The rest of the division is rebuilding. The Reds are coming off of a disappointing 2011 season during which they entered as a favorite to win the division and even the pennant. But, they won just 79 games and finished 16 games behind the Brewers. Although their offense and defense were both one of the best in the league, their pitching staff suffered from lacking a top of the rotation starter. Bronson Arroyo, now 35 years old, suffered through a bizarre, poor season. Johnny Cueto pitched like a top of the rotation guy, but he made just 24 starts due to injury. Mike Leake isn’t a top of the rotation type pitcher, but can be useful at the back end of the rotation. While the Reds will toy with the idea of making Aroldis Chapman a starter, they clearly lacked someone to lead the staff in a winnable division.

Enter Mat Latos.

Latos is one of the most underrated young players in the sport. For the past two seasons, Latos has been a 7.2 WAR player. In human terms, it means that he has been one of the best pitchers in the game. Statistically, he holds the same company as Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Zack Greinke, Jon Lester, and Jered Weaver. In other words, he really is one of the few elite level pitchers in the sport. With Latos leading the staff, the Reds now have a top two who can compete with the Brewers duo of Greinke and Gallardo or the Cardinals’ one-two punch of Wainwright and Carpenter. Each subsequent pitcher in the Reds’ rotation slots more appropriately.

Over the past two seasons, Latos has posted a 23-24 record of the Padres. Most will stop at that and see a below .500 pitcher. But, looking beyond the win-loss record–as should always be the case–shows an elite pitcher. He’s made 31 starts in each of the past two seasons. He’s averaged 190 innings pitched, 159 hits allowed, 2.7 BB/9, 8.9 K/9, a 3.21 ERA, a 1.135 WHIP, and a 113 ERA+. Last season, his supposed regression year, he posted a FIP of 3.16, indicating that he pitched better than his 3.47 ERA. The high strikeout pitcher also has the other characteristics of a legitimate ace. He gets enough ground balls as his 1.03 career GB/FB ratio indicates. That is actually quite important as Latos isn’t simply a product of Petco Park. A flyball pitcher who succeeds at Petco would be alarming, but Latos isn’t that type of pitcher. Despite the lanky frame, he is a power pitcher. Averaging 93 MPH with his fastball and employing a four pitch arsenal, including a slider, curve, and change up, Latos induced swings and misses at an 13 percent rate last season on pitches thrown in the strike zone. By comparison, Cy Young and MVP Justin Verlander posted a 14.8 percent rate.

There will be worries about Latos’ ability to pitch in Cincinnati’s offensive environment, but, again, Latos’ talent is more than that. He isn’t the equivalent of a Colorado Rockies’ hitter moving to Petco. In 41 career starts outside of Petco, Latos has posted a 3.57 ERA in 244.1 innings. He’s allowed 203 hits, 22 homeruns, 79 walks, and has struck out 235 batters. Essentially, he is the same pitcher in and out of Petco. He is that talented.

The real kicker for the Reds is that Latos is just entering his age 24 season. He’s under Reds’ control until 2015. He still, in many ways, is a prospect. He’s just a prospect with two full Major League seasons on his resume. There is still some ceiling left for the right hander. Of course, there is the risk that all young pitchers carry. Injuries are a concern, given Latos’ DL stint at the beginning of the season, but that’s the case for any young pitcher. Latos has progressed with his innings each season and projects to top the 200 mark for the first time in his career. Reds’ General Manager Walt Jocketty did give up a quality package of prospects, but Alonso and Grandal were blocked by better talents. Volquez still has potential, but he seemed to wear out his welcome last year, earning a demotion to triple-A twice. And, you don’t let a relief prospect, no matter how talented, keep you from a 24 year with a successful resume who can be one of the handful of elite arms. Essentially, Jocketty gave up depth for a potentially elite arm.

The Reds are a better team with Mat Latos than they were going to be had they kept their prospects. Latos now leads their rotation and can match up with anyone in the league. They get a pitcher with secondary statistics that back up the theory that he will pitch well in Great American Ballpark. They get a cost effective ace to lead a team with a great offense and an elite defense. Jocketty has more work to do–a closer, some bullpen parts, and perhaps some offensive depth, but Mat Latos puts them in conversation as being the favorite in the division.

Jocketty will be criticized for trading some elite prospects, but he made the correct call for his club’s situation. The Reds can win now. And, he didn’t acquire a rental player or a veteran. He acquired an ace who hasn’t reached his prime yet. Prospects are great to have, but they can function in different ways. The Tampa Rays have a model of development. But, sometimes a prospect is more valuable in what he can bring back. The Reds’ prospects brought back a 24 year old ace. Health aside, Latos is a known quantity. Given the cost of acquiring elite pitching–look at the Indians’ deal for Ubaldo Jimenez–Latos’ price tag seems about right.

The Padres got what they needed. They get the infusion of potential talent. That’s where they are in the development cycle. The Reds get exactly what they need. They get a pitcher to lead the staff with an extremely team-friendly contract. That’s where they are in the development cycle. They have a young team that can compete for the next several years, even longer. Now they have an ace to lead them during that time.

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.

Needless to say, the 2011 season was a bitter disappointment for the Reds and their fans. Coming off a magical run at the 2010 National League Central title, there was much hope and anticipation for a repeat. The town was downright giddy for 2011 to commence. No repeat despite a quick start. The magic had waned.

Key Free Agents Leaving The Team
Francisco Cordero, Ramon Hernandez, Dontrelle Willis. Hernandez just signed with the Colorado Rockies (2 years, $6.5 million), The Reds did not pick up Cordero’s option. Willis, while seemingly reviving his baseball career, was a little more effective with the bat, but did pitch some valuable innings in the last couple months of the season.

Key Areas Needing Improving
In a blanket statement, pitching. All phases could use a bit of improvement. No Cordero means a new closer either via trade or in-house. With Aroldis Chapman moving to the starting rotation, the bullpen needs a power arm, preferably from the left side. Another arm out there wouldn’t hurt either. The pen was not exactly a string suit for theam last season. GM Walt Jocketty has stated he wants to upgrade the starting rotation by adding a #2 starter.

There are a few voicing that left field needs an everyday player there. Considering the numerous faces manager Dusty Baker ran out there last season, I’m somewhat inclined to agree.

Pieces That Are In Place
There are a few. Johnny Cueto had a breakout season, albeit shortened, and threatened to claim the NL ERA title (for what that’s really worth, but it’s a notch). Mike Leake continued to progress as a starter as well leading the team in wins and strikeouts.

The right side of the infield seems in tact with Joey Votto manning first and Brandon Phillips flashing his glove at second. Votto is locked for at least two more years and BP recently stated he wants to be a Red for the rest of his career. We’ll see if that happens. The left side isn’t too bad either with Zack Cozart poised to be at shortstop for a while.

The outfield has youth and potential in Drew Stubbs patrolling center and Jay Bruce out in right.

Trade Pieces Within The Organization
Of course the name out there is that of Yonder Alonso. He has dropped 18 pounds in a effort to play left field should he remain a Red or another team decides to give him a shot him there. It would most likely be at first base where he’s blocked positionally. His bat is a huge asset regardless of position, but that may be the rub. As the Reds have found out, it’s not that easy finding him one.

The one name I’ve not heard mentioned too much is Yasmani Grandal. With Devin Mesoraco and Ryan Hanigan projected to be the tandem behind home plate, Grandal could also be a piece that Jocketty may use. He’s ready for Triple-A already after showing that he can hit pitching outside of the Cal League.

There’s also rarely a day that goes by and you don’t hear a rumor about Votto.

Young Player To Watch in 2012: Brad Boxberger
This could be a bit of a stretch only because the 43rd overall pick n the 2009 June draft only has two seasons of minor league ball under his belt. But he has taken great strides in those two years in pitching at three levels (A+-AA-AAA). He also performed well during the Arizona Fall League with 11 of his first 17 outs coming by way of the strikeout.

He was given an invite to spring training and one local beat writer has already suggested that Boxberger be the closer right out of the gate for 2012. Not sure I can foresee that, but if the pen struggles, I would not be shocked to see him promoted before September call ups. Just need to harness the control a bit (28 BB in 62 IP for a 4.1 BB/9).

Steve Engbloom
Blog Red Machine
@blogredmachine

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 opening game of the 2011 season promised the continuation of the Cincinnati Reds 2010 knack for coming from behind to win games during its drive to win the National League Central title.  Ramon Hernandez hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Reds its first lead of the game in dramatic win over the eventual division champions, the Milwaukee Brewers.  The  Reds went on to sweep the Brewers and won its first five games but by the end of April Cincinnati was reeling.  They did not fully recover, losing a major league high 33 one-run games.  The magic of 2010 escaped them or the law of averages caught up to Cincinnati and the Reds slipped under .500  (79-83) for its 10^th losing season in 11 years.

Rotation C
Edinson Volquez was named the opening day starter.  The Reds hoped that his first full year back from elbow surgery would be as successful as his 17 win season in 2008.  The first two batters he faced in the season Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez, homered.  Volquez struggled so much he was sent to Louisville to get his command back.  Ace starter and iron man, Bronson Arroyo, was ill during spring training.  He was eventually diagnosed with mononucleosis.  The slightly built righthander took the ball every fifth day as usual but had his string of season with 15 or more wins broken.at three in a row.   He finished just one inning short of 200, missing that mark for the first time in six seasons.

Mike Leake had a solid sophomore season leading the team with 12 wins and 118 strikeouts.  Johnny Cueto tied Leake with 18 quality starts but missed the first month of the season along with Homer Bailey.  Cueto showed number one starter stuff and Bailey showed signs of being a top starter worthy of a number one draft pick, that he was in 2004.  Travis Wood, who pitched very effectively in Cincinnati the second half of 2010 took a step back and also spent time in Louisville, like Volquez to find his command. Dontrelle Willis was in the rotation the second half of the season and pitched much better than his 1-6 record indicated.

Reds starters, a pleasant surprise in 2010,  took a step back  They were 13^th in the National League with a 4.47 ERA. At times during the season they led the league in both walks and home runs a lethal combination.

Bullpen C
Closer Francisco Cordero was outstanding.  He moved into 12^th on baseball’s all-time saves list with 327 by converting 37 of 43 save opportunities.  Nick Masset had an awful April but was very effective from May through August.  He crafted a 1.37 ERA in 34 appearances in his set up role from May to July 18^th.  Cuban lefthanded set up man, Aroldis Chapman was effective early but lost his control in three appearances in May.  He had to go to Louisville to get straightened out and was very good down the stretch.  Second year man, Logan Ondrusek and Jose Arredondo, who cameback from elbow surgery after missing 2010, had solid seasons until they ran out of gas late in the season.

The bullpen was overworked and it showed in spots.  The Reds were in so many one-run games 62 that their margin for error was slim.  The pressure took its toll.

BD Report Cards brought to you by Seamheads

Catcher B
Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan shared the catching duties.  Both were very good on the defensive end.  Hernandez started 77 games.  Hanigan started 73.  Rookie and 2007 first round pick Devin Mesoraco started 12 games in September.

Hernandez led the National League with a .998 fielding percentage.  Hernandez threw out 37 percent of baserunners attempting to steal.  Hanigan threw out 35 percent.

Hernandez hit a solid .282 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI.  Hanigan slipped from .300 in 2010 to .267. Hanigan finished strong, hitting .377 in his last 15 starts.  Hanigan established career highs in home runs with six and hits with 71.

Infield B
The rightside of the Reds infield was a black hole where base hits went to die.  Brandon Phillips won both the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger Awards.  Joey Votto, the reigning MVP,  won the Gold Glove and had an offensive year, very close to the one that earned him the MVP.  Phillips hit an even .300 but his true offensive value was his ability to hit where the Reds needed him on any given day.  Phillips started the season batting second.  When cleanup hitter Scott Rolen was on the shelf, Phillips protected Votto in the order batting fourth.  Later in the season, Phillips hit leadoff and the Reds offense was more effective..Phillips hit 18 home runs and drove in 82 runs.  Votto hit .309 with 29 home runs and 103 RBI.  He led the league with 110 walks.

The shortstop position was shared by Paul Janish and Edgar Renteria.  Janish played Gold Glove caliber defense but struggled mightily at the plate.  Renteria, once a top flight shortstop, was lacking the good range of his youth.  Janish hit a light .214 with no home runs in 90 games.  Renteria used a second half surge to finish with a .255 average with five home runs.  Renteria became the first Reds shortstop to homer on July 3.  The Reds got very little offense from the shortstop position.  To remedy the situation the Reds called up Zack Cozart, who started his major league career strong by hitting .324 with two home runs and showing good defensive skills but he dislocated his elbow after nine games.

Scott Rolen’s shoulder problems diminished his effectiveness.  He was unable to generate much power to protect Votto in the batting order.   He played effectively in the field but his shoulder needed season ending surgery and the Reds hot corner suffered.  Promising prospect, Jaun Francisco, also had an injury plagued season but when healthy, Francisco showed good promise defensively and wowed observers with his raw power.  He appeared to overcome impatience at the plate.  He was known as a free swinger but his pitch selection was surprisingly good down the stretch.  Miguel Cairo, Todd Frazier, Chris Valaika and Janish also filled in at third in Rolen’s absence.

Cairo was invaluable off the bench covering for Rolen and spelling Phillips and Votto.  He started 48 games at third, eight at second and five at first.  He hit a respectable .265, hit a career-high eight home runs and drove in 33 runs with numerous clutch hits.

Outfield D
Defensively, the group would earn a high B but offensively the outfield hurt the team.

Jay Bruce in right and Drew Stubbs in center were outstanding in the field. Stubbs range is well above average.  Bruce kept runners from taking extra bases and he cut off a lot of balls that would have gone to the corner for extra bases. Bruce had 10 assists, sixth in the league. The leftfield position was adequate with Jonny Gomes and Chris Heisey.  Gomes worked hard on defense and lost weight in the offseason to improve on defense.  Heisey can also play center and right with the above average effectiveness.

Bruce was the offensive leader, hitting .256 and establishing career highs in nearly every offensive category.  He ranked eight in the league with 33 home runs and tied for eighth with 97 RBI.  He was walked intentionally 14 times, sixth most in the NL.  Bruce also struck out 158 times which is high enough but pales when compared to Stubbs team record and major league leading 205 times.  He stole 40 bases and scored an impressive 92 runs.  He was the hardest to double up with just two in 604 plate appearances, however, his inability to put the ball in play was partly responsible for that.   Gomes hot start at the plate in 2010 helped the Reds offense lead the league but he got off to a bad start, hitting .211 with 74 strikeouts in 77 games before he was traded to Washington.  Heisey was an offensive threat when matched up by manager, Dusty Baker against power pitchers.  He hit just .254 but clubbed 18 home runs in just 54 games with 50 RBI.  A strained oblique cost Heisey the month of August.  His 78 strikeouts is also high when considering he had just 279 at bats.  Heisey was the Reds best pinch hitter.

Fred Lewis was signed to add balance as a lefthanded hitter and potential leadoff hitter.  It didn’t work.  Lewis was effective as a pinch hitter but hit just .230 overall with three home runs.  He was placed on waivers in September.  Yonder Alonso showed promise at the plate but was without a position.  His natural position is first base but the Reds have a Gold Glover there.  Leftfield was his best option to crack the lineup but he struggled.  He was also tried at thirdbase.  The Reds first pick in 2008 hit .330 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 88 at bats.  He started just 16 games.

Top Offensive Player
Brandon Phillips in a close decision over Joey Votto.  Votto’s average was down but he was again among the leaders in on-base-percentage and slugging.  Votto was ninth in the majors and sixth in the NL with a .954 OPS.  Yet Phillips was more valuable because of his ability to hit where he was needed. Phillips was able to put up excellent numbers while changing roles.  It is a toss up.

Top Pitcher
Johnny Cueto emerged as the staff ace.  He missed the first month of the season with tightness in his right biceps, costing him a shot at the ERA title.  He finished with a 2.31 ERA just 0.02 behind Cy Young winner, Clayton Kershaw, but was six inning short of qualifying.  He won nine games and turned in 18 quality starts in 24 attempts.

Gary Schatz
Full Of Schatz
@Colgar53

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.

The Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander was the most dominant pitcher in the game en route to 24 wins. Jose Bautista didn’t match his 54 home runs of a year ago, but had another 40+ home run season. Lance Berkman looked like his career was done in 2010, but he hit 30 home runs this season and is an NL MVP candidate. Jacoby Ellsbury was the king of the AL DL a year ago, but this season was a candidate for both the comeback player of the year and AL MVP awards.

Curtis Granderson had a bust out season, topping 40 home runs for the first time in his career. Teammate Derek Jeter picked up his 3,000th hit, while another, Mariano Rivera, broke the all-time record for career saves. Across town, Jose Reyes won his first batting title in what might be his last year as a Met.  Albert Pujols had an “off” year and still hit 35 dingers and Matt Kemp met and exceeded all expectations.  With all of that in mind, the finalists for the individual awards in each league should look something like this…

AL MVP – Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano (NY), Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS), Jose Bautista (TOR), Justin Verlander (DET)

AL Cy Young – Justin Verlander (Det)

AL Rookie of the Year – Jeremy Hellickson (TB), Ivan Nova (NY), Eric Hosmer (KC), Mark Trumbo (LA), J.P. Arencibia (TOR)

AL Manager of the Year – Manny Acta (CLE), Jim Leyland (DET), Ron Washington (TEX), Joe Girardi (NY)

AL Comeback Player of the Year – Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS), Melky Cabrera (KC)

NL MVP – Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder (MIL), Matt Kemp (LA), Lance Berkman (STL), Justin Upton (AZ)

NL Cy Young – Ian Kennedy (AZ), Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee (PHI), Clayton Kershaw (LA)

NL Manager of the Year – Kirk Gibson (AZ), Ron Roenicke (MIL), Clint Hurdle (PIT), Charlie Manuel (PHI)

NL Rookie of the Year – Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel (ATL), Danny Espinosa (WAS), Javy Guerra (LA)

NL Comeback Player of the Year – Carlos Beltran (NY,SF), Lance Berkman (STL)

But baseball isn’t about the individual, it’s about the teams.

Early on the Indians, Royals, and Pirates played beyond expectation. In fact the Indians held first place in the AL Central for 85 days. The three teams would eventually fade, but the Arizona Diamondbacks did just the opposite. They were six games under .500 in mid-May, but played at a torrid pace the rest of the season to win the division title. Meanwhile Boston and Atlanta entered the final month of the season as virtual locks to make the post-season only to be eliminated on the final night of the season.

The LA Dodgers and the Mets had ownership and money issues, the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds were huge disappointments, and the Baltimore Orioles, despite much promise, finished last in the AL East for the fourth straight year. In the end the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, Phillies, Brewers, and Diamondbacks captured their divisions while the Rays and Cardinals entered the playoffs as wild card entries.

What’s that? How did the Baseball Digest team do at predicting the post-season teams? Let’s take a look.

Well it appears, ahem, one person knew what they were talking about with the AL East. Yes, that would be me. Michael Maher, likewise, was the only one of our bunch who had the insight to pick the Tigers in the AL Central. He was also the only one to pick the Rays to win the AL wild card. Four out of seven dentist, er writers, chose the Rangers correctly in the AL West, while none of us had the Diamondbacks sniffing a title in the NL West.

Bill Ivie stuck his neck out picking the Braves to win the NL East, while everyone else selected the Phillies. Needless to say, his neck hurts. Bill’s beloved Cardinals didn’t win the NL Central as he had selected, but he was brought joy on the night of Game 162 when they made the post-season. Meanwhile Simon Sharkey-Gottlieb, Kirk Verner, and Matt Wilson all correctly chose the Brewers for the Central crown, but just like the NL West, no one got the NL wild card correct either. So the finally tally of correct predictions..drum roll please…four writers with 3 right each. Meanwhile Josh Landsburg, Mark Healey, and Bill Ivie…um, better luck next year. (In fairness, Bill did get 2 playoff teams correct, just in the wrong spots)

Michael Maher 3
Drew Sarver 3
Simon Sharkey-Gottlieb 3
Matt Wilson 3
Shai Kushner 2
Kirk Verner 2
Josh Landsburg 1
Mark Healey 1
Bill Ivie 0

Please check back after the league championship series for updated standings, and be sure to bookmark Baseball Digest to view all of our post-season coverage.

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.

Talent is outstanding, and worth paying a great amount of money for, if one can stay on the field.

It doesn’t matter if your starting rotation consisted of a fantasy list including Sandy Koufax, Cy Young, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux in their prime. If those same names spend more time on your DL as opposed to your manager’s lineup cards throughout the year, all you will ultimately get out of them is increased jersey sales revenue. You certainly won’t see anything from them where it really matters.

Concessions? Yes. Box scores? No.

This season many teams have been bit by the injury bug, serving as an insurmountable force in the win-loss column. For example, on paper, the Chicago Cubs should have been a contender in the National League Central for 2011. Despite off the field problems in Flushing, New York, the Mets had a roster that could have competed for the wild card longer than they already have. With an elimination ‘E’ already posted for in the Cubs’ row of the MLB standings and one looming for the Mets (3 games until the Mets reach elimination for 2011), a large reason why they have had the season they’ve had is injuries. The Cubs lost a significant amount of their starting rotation to long term injuries this season and the Mets lost over half their starting lineup to nagging, recurring visits to the DL.

The Chicago Cubs are an aging team and injuries were bound to become a great issue for them at some point. 2007 and 2008 saw the Cubs capture NL Central division titles. 2008 may have been their last true chance to win it all any time soon as the team is getting older and the injuries continue to pile up. The Mets nearly reached the World Series in 2006, had giant collapses in 2007 and 2008 and injuries have haunted them since.

The Cubs are making an effort to test younger talent and hopefully nip this trend in the off-season. The potential spoiling injury bug is one plot line Mets fans are all too familiar with.

I attended Opening Day at Citi Field a couple years ago and the loudest boos were for the athletic trainers in the announcing of the organization members. Not even Luis Castillo received boos at the decibel that the team’s trainers walked out to. Certainly the way key injuries have been handled regarding key star players recently (Reyes and recently traded, Carlos Beltran, especially) has not pleased the Mets faithful. It also may have been a release of frustration after years of watching their promised stars of the future go down with injuries for decades.

Jason Isringhausen, who turns 39 today, is a perfect example. Isringhausen was drafted by the Mets in 1991 and before he even put on a New York Mets uniform, the media hype surround him completely. After Dwight Gooden energized New York City with his performance on the Shea Stadium mound for years, Mets fans were hungry for someone to follow in Dr. K’s dominant footsteps. The New York media responded by putting Isringhausen and fellow minor league pitchers Bill Pulshipher and Paul Wilson in the spotlight as the next great Mets talent on the mound. The trio was labled ‘Generation K’ and the shoes to fill became even larger as fan expectations grew.

Unfortunately for Isringhausen, Wilson and Pulsipher, injuries would prevent them from growing into the three-headed beast fans hoped they would become. Before you knew it, the 1993 and 1994 seasons had come and gone and it wasn’t until 1995 when all three pitchers were healthy enough to start for the Mets. While Isringhausen posted a 9-2 record in his rookie campaign over 14 starts, he would hit a major health speed bump battling injuries such as tuberculosis, a wrist injury and three serious injuries on his pitching arm.

The September 1996 issue of Baseball Digest highlights the disappointing Mets trio in this feature on MLB pitching corps falling short of promise.

Isringhausen wouldn’t see action for the Mets again until 1999. Time in between appearances became longer as did his walk to the mound. It was no longer the distance from the dugout to center stage. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, here are your 1999 New York Mets’ was no longer the back drop to his introduction. His trip to the mound would be a jog in from the outfield wall from here on out for the Mets as he was moved to the bullpen to start the 1999 season. 1999 provided a dramatic playoff run for the Mets, full of story book moments. Isringhausen would experience none of them however, as he would be shipped to the Oakland Athletics at the trading deadline that July.

It was with Oakland that Isringhausen embraced his new closer role and made a name for himself among the elite of the game. His late-game impact was felt immediately as he reached his first All-Star game (2000) and Oakland made the playoffs in 2000 and 2001. This gave him much-needed playoff experience for when he would reach the post-season the four out of the next five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Isringhausen had his best years with the Cardinals, sharing the thrill of capturing division titles in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006, making it to the World Series in 2004 and 2006. The Red Sox spoiled his first trip in 2004 with their miracle sweep of the last four games of the ALCS and the World Series. It was a bittersweet ending to a season where Isringhausen led closers with 47 saves. In 2006, he looked to follow up a strong 2005 where he finished second among closers in ERA at 2.14 and made the All-Star team. Isringhausen was successful in his bid, helping lead the Cardinals to the post-season despite having one of his poorest statistical outings that year. Isringhausen was out with a hip injury throughout the team’s efforts that fall and rookie Adam Wainwright had to take over his duties as the team’s closer.

Since that championship season in 2006, Isringhausen has spent time with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cincinnati Reds.

This year, he found his way back full circle to his original MLB home, the New York Mets. The 2011 Mets have been desperate for some ‘good-news headlines’ and Isringhausen has been a bright spot in a season full of dark times for the ballclub. On August 15, 2011, he saved a 5-4 decision against the Padres, earning his 300th save and a place in MLB history along 22 other pitchers to notch 300 saves in their careers.

Two All-Star appearances, a World Series ring, big-city-rotation-star hype and a place in the MLB history books among the great closers in the game. His road has been a long one, collecting nearly 800 strike outs along the way. Unlike Pulsipher and Wilson who couldn’t live up to their share of the ‘Generation K’ hype, Isringhausen took his time and found a way to make an impact on the game after all. In his fifteenth year of major league service, it will be interesting to see if his career ends full circle in Flushing, NY, or if a new chapter is in the wings waiting to begin.

Also Born Today:

Darren Bragg turns 42 today. The MLB journeyman and Waterbury, Connecticut native played for nine different teams over his ten years as a major league player (Mariners, Red Sox, Cardinals, Rockies, Mets, Yankees, Braves, Padres, Reds). A .255 lifetime hitter, Bragg found himself coaching players in his post-MLB career. In 2007, he was the hitting coach for the Dayton Dragons, the A-ball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Bragg currently runs a company called ‘The Hit Club’ where he dispenses his major league level knowledge of the art of hitting to high school baseball players.

Joe Rudi turns 65 today. A left fielder from Modesto, California, Rudi played fifteen years in the league, spending most of his time with the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics. Rudi helped lead the A’s to a championship three-peat from 1972-1974 and had a career best 181 hits in 1972.

Ryan Maloney is a staff writer for BaseballDigest.com, author of the popular Chicago Cubs blog titled ’Prose and Ivy, and a contributing writer to MLB.com.

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No dwelling on it. Answer with whichever choice comes to mind naturally after hearing the question.

Which Fab Five was more impressive: Chris Webber, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard and Ray Jackson…or…Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner and Christy Mathewson?

(I’ll wait for you to stop laughing and then we can carry on with the rest of the piece).

The latter group in the poll represents the very first group of major league baseball players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. In 1936, the five men were the first to receive the game’s greatest honor and set the bar for all to follow.  The last name on the list, Mathewson, was born on this day in 1880.

From Factoryville, Pennsylvania, Mathewson grew up playing multiple sports, earning recognition for his skills in baseball and football while attending Bucknell University. Factoryville celebrates Christy Mathewson Day every year on the Saturday closest to his birthday. Bucknell University’s football stadium is named Christy Mathewson Memorial. However, it was his performance on the baseball field that truly cemented his legacy.

Mathewson spent a few years playing minor league ball, including simultaneously during some of his time at Bucknell. In 1900, Mathewson caught the eye of the New York Giants when he posted a 20-2 record pitching for the Norfolk team in the Virginia-North Carolina League. Nowadays, a pitcher that would go on to win a World Series, rank third in the majors in career wins, eighth all time in wins and post seasons with 20 or more victories ten times and 30 or more wins, four times, would cost you a pretty penny. Even based solely on projections and potential. In 1900, Mathewson’s contract only cost the Giants $1,500.

Their relationship would go on to last a very happy sixteen years, however it didn’t start very smoothly. After acquiring Mathewson, he would kick off his time with the squad with a rather unimpressive, not-so-Hall-worthy start of an 0-3 record. The Giants were furious and returned him to the Norfolk team. As his destiny would have it however, Mathewson would still go on to spend those sixteen seasons in a Giants uniform after the Cincinnati Reds picked him up from Norfolk and went on to trade him to New York after all.

In the final act of his career, he made an appearance for a season on the Reds’ roster. His golden years were made up of his time with New York. Over his seventeen seasons in the majors, Mathewson posted an overall win-loss record of 373-188. His career ERA is among the best of all-time and just think about how impressed we all are when watching a pitcher go the distance. When it happens in 2011, a rare feat at that with bullpen pitching strategies and pitch count becoming a larger part of the game with every day that passes, people applaud the effort and begin thinking of ways to keep the pitcher’s locker free of kryptonite. In the early 1900′s? Achieving the feat once would hardly even get a mention in the overall summary of the day’s events. The bar was being set high at an alarming pace as pitchers in this era, known as the ‘dead ball era’ were iron men. Mathewson, for example, threw 79 total complete games in his career.  Roy Halladay, to put it in perspective, is the active leader with 64 complete games thrown. Highlighting the stat helps to put how impressive Halladay is as a pitcher more than Mathewson.   However, the bar is set with players  like Mathewson. Halladay is only impressive because we know the precedent that has been set before him. Mathewson was one of the players who laid the foundation for all others to be compared to. Halladay is the rare example of someone coming any where near what Mathewson accomplished in the game. However, that is only one category.

There is a reason Mathewson was one of the first five to be inducted into Cooperstown. There is a lot more to the story than ‘total complete games’.

Mathewson struck out 2,502 batters in his career (2,502 at least that is, as strike outs weren’t even tracked in the NL until 1910), which was three times the amount of batters he walked In the 1905 World Series, while pitching for the New York Giants against the Philadelphia Athletics, Mathewson was masterful. In games one and three, he pitched the Giants to victory with dual four hit shutouts. In game five, his performance took a couple of steps back. He threw a six hit shutout. That day, on two days rest, he completed what ESPN called the greatest playoff performance of all-time and brought the championship to Giants fans everywhere.

1905 proved to be one of Mathewson’s greatest seasons and that is saying a lot. Almost every season delivered reason to brush up his resume or at least the information on the back of his baseball card. He won the pitching triple crown in 1905 and 1908, was a five time ERA champion, five time strike out champion, threw two no-hitters and did all of this while never pitching on Sunday. A devout Christian, Mathewson had no problem doing his part as one of the greatest pitchers of all time Monday-Saturday. Sunday, however, was God’s day and he refused to pitch.

Baseball fans have continued to respect Mathewson’s performance in the 1905 World Series long after the fact, as shown in this excerpt from the February 1993 issue of Baseball Digest.

When his playing days were over, he enlisted in the armed services in the same newly formed Chemical Service as Ty Cobb. Accidentally gassed while serving, Mathewson developed tuberculosis, the disease that would eventually take his life at the young age of 45.

Mathewson played his last game in 1916, ironically enough in a Cincinnati Reds uniform. The Giants honor him among their retired numbers with his name and old NY logo hanging at AT&T. Cooperstown proudly displays his plaque, naming him the greatest of all the great pitchers in the 20th century’s first quarter. His stats and accomplishments are preserved in baseballs record books forever. Fans can read them over and relive the feats he provided fans in the past. Players can look them up and know what ‘greatness’ means and try their best to live up to the precedent he set.

Good luck, modern-day ballplayers. You’re going to need it. As for the other ‘Fab Five’? Black socks, baggy shorts and not one NCAA championship? They never stood a chance.

Also Born Today:

Matt Clement turns 37 today. Born in McCandless, PA, Clement pitched for the Padres, Cubs, Marlins and Red Sox. He made an All-Star appearance for Boston in 2005. For the Cubs in 2002 and 2003, he finished among the top 10 in the National League in the strike outs per nine innings pitched category.

Bob Buhl was born on this day in 1928 and passed away in 2001. From Saginaw, MI, Buhl pitched in the major leagues for the Braves, Cubs and Phillies. 1957 was his best season finishing fifth in complete games, second in winning percentage, and fourth in ERA.

Ryan Maloney is a staff writer for BaseballDigest.com, author of the popular Chicago Cubs blog titled ’Prose and Ivy, and a contributing writer to MLB.com/Entertainment.

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If we were to truly honor Deion Sanders, the right way, this article would include a link at the bottom of the page leading to its continuation at NFL.com.

If we were to truly honor Deion Sanders, the right way, this article would include not only a link to a previous Baseball Digest print edition mention of Sanders’ career, it would include a video making it stand out among the rest, done in Flash.

If we were to truly honor Deion Sanders, the right way, this article would no longer refer to Deion Sanders as ‘Sanders’, but ‘Deion’. ‘Neon Deion’ would be even better. However, like Sanders at the end of his induction speech this past weekend into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, applying a bandana to his bronze likeness, we’re going to simply make do.

As one of the greatest two-sport athletes of all-time, Sanders excelled in both football and baseball. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Sanders attended Florida State University, where he made a name for himself on the basepaths, the gridiron, and in track and field competitions. One story has it that Sanders once played game one of a doubleheader, left to compete in a leg of a 4×100 relay only to return to start in the second game of the doubleheader.

Sanders wasted no time getting a jump on a collegiate career that would result in records being set and his football jersey number being retired. In his freshman year, Sanders started on the football team in the secondary, played outfield leading his team to rank fifth in the nation and took advantage of his base-swiping speed to help lead his track and field squad to a conference title.  While the Seminoles had no reason the keep their receipt when it came to Sanders, it was Deion who would do all the returning. As a two-time All-American cornerback, Sanders intercepted 14 passes over his career including three in bowl games and broke the longest interception return for a TD by one yard when he managed to grab a pass on defense and return it the entire length of the field in 1988.

Considering how much Sanders accomplished in his collegiate career, it is no wonder both professional baseball and football teams alike were interested in signing him. I’m guessing if there were a National Track and Field League with the same impact across the nation as MLB or the NFL, where kids hang posters of track and field stars in their room the way they do their favorite baseball and football stars, an NTFL team would have looked to draft Sanders as well.

The New York Yankees selected Sanders in the 30th round of the 1988 draft and he signed with the team in June of that year. I give credit to the Kansas City Royals for having the foresight to draft Sanders years ahead of the Yankees. The Royals drafted Sanders while he was still playing for Fort Myers High School however, Sanders decided not to sign with a professional team at that time. The NFL also came calling for Sanders’ services as the Atlanta Falcons selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft.

To play two professional sports in a lifetime is an incredible feat. To play two professional sports within a same season is incredible. To play two professional sports within the same season at the level Sanders was able to is other-worldly. Bo Jackson is probably the only other athlete who could relate to what it took for Sanders to continue a professional football and baseball career at the same time. Sanders definitely knew what Bo knew, and vice versa.

In his young professional career, like at Florida State, Sanders got out of the box quickly in both sports. He returned his first career punt return for a touchdown. With the Yankees, in 1989, Sanders hit a home run in pinstripes and later that week scored a touchdown wearing Falcon black. He remains to this day, the only player to ever do so. Another honor bestowed to Sanders ,and only Sanders, is that he is the only professional athlete to ever play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.

Not a fan of arrogant professional athletes? Then you probably aren’t a fan of Sanders. Actually, according to this recent Hall of Fame speech, it’s not that you aren’t a fan of Sanders, you aren’t a fan of Prime Time. Prime Time is a character, a persona, that Sanders came up with at Florida State. He knew he would need to stand out amongst the other great athletes of his time and Prime Time was his way of putting his numbers up against the stats of other great players, and then giving himself the advantage when it came to being remembered and earning an unbelievable living for himself as a professional athlete. Once, as a Yankee, Sanders came up to bat, dug in, and drew a money sign with his bat before taking his stance. Future Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk, catching that game, took offense to the gesture and let Sanders have it after Sanders didn’t run out a pop up to the infield. Arrogance was something that Prime Time delivered to make Deion Sanders even more entertaining. High stepping touchdowns became a cultural phenomenon, and started with  Sanders. I don’t recall ever seeing him high step in a run on the baseball diamond which is probably a good thing. I highly doubt Carlton Fisk would have appreciated that either.

The June 2004 edition of Baseball Digest featured an article displaying how Curt Schilling felt about Sanders’ antics on the baseball diamond. You can read what he had to say here.

It was while playing with the Atlanta Braves that Sanders’ juggling act really stepped up a notch. Clearly, the longer the baseball season lasts, the more it interferes with the football schedule. The Yankees weren’t exactly making the playoffs in the late ’80s, however, once Sanders started wearing a jersey with Atlanta across the chest, this calendar juggling became more of an issue because the Braves were in the post-season and in the early ’90s, on quite a regular basis.

In 1991, Sanders contributed to the Braves’ run to the National League West division title. However, because of a clause in his contract with the Falcons, he had to report to his football job the very next day and went on to miss the postseason. This prompted a reworking of his deal with the Falcons. He would now be able to report to the Falcons for training camp in August after playing baseball April-August, however, if the team were to make the playoffs, he could now rejoin the Braves for the postseason.

That renegotiation came with some impeccable timing. The Braves did in fact make the playoffs in 1992 and even earned their way into the 1992 World Series. If it weren’t for Dave Winfield’s heroics in game 6, the Braves may have found a way to win that Series and Sanders would have been a great reason why. Sanders played in four games in the 1992 World Series and batted .533 with 4 runs, 8 hits, 2 doubles and 1 RBI. All of that was accomplished while playing with a broken foot.

One knock on Sanders, in which he called out his critics during his Hall of Fame speech, was that people believed he didn’t like to tackle. That he avoided contact. While Sanders had his own answer for his football critics, the baseball folks that followed his career would be slow to say the same thing. On the baseball diamond, Sanders enjoyed contact. He amassed 558 hits in his career and led the NL in triples in 1992 with 14. Sanders is a career .263 hitter, with 39 HRs and 186 stolen bases, having played with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants.

Showcasing your athletic skills on two grand stages provided to you in the way that MLB and the NFL do, the media is bound to take notice. College Football News named Sanders #8 in its list of 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time. ESPN named Sanders #74 in its list of the 100 Great Athletes of the Century, released in 1999. While Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend, you won’t see a Deion Sanders plaque in Cooperstown. His numbers simply don’t warrant that type of honor. However, there is no doubt that Sanders had an impact on the game of baseball. Attend a Braves game at Turner Field. Do you hear that annoying chant all around you? That’s the tomahawk chop and Sanders is credited for bringing it to Atlanta upon his arrival.

This article will not continue in a link leading to NFL.com and while that would be appropriate given the subject of the piece, it’s simply not going to happen. Canton is a more appropriate place for Sanders to be enshrined as opposed to Cooperstown. The fact that he left his mark on two professional sports while in his ‘prime’ is impressive enough to warrant a feature story here.

In Sanders’ Hall of Fame speech, he made it very clear that he did all of it for his mama. All the hard work, all the antics, all the dedication and desire. He had a lot to thank her for and he made it clear that she was his motivation behind his success. Obviously there is one more thing he has because of her, that helped make all things possible. One more thing to thank her for, Deion. Look at today’s date. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

Also Born Today:

Jayson Heyward turns 22 today. Heyward, a current stand out and right fielder for the Atlanta Braves, was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey. With stars like Chipper Jones aging and soon to wrap up his time with the team, it will be on youngsters like Heyward to carry the load and continue the success the team has seen in recent years forward. Heyward hit a home run in the first at-bat in each of his first two years in the majors and is a career .277 hitter.

Troy Percival turns 42 today. Percival played in the majors from 1995-2009, splitting time between the Angels, Tigers, Cardinals and Rays. He is one of only six Angels pitchers to strike out 100 batters in a season with starting a single game. Percival, a four-time All-Star selection, has a career ERA of 3.17 and won the World Series with the Angels in 2002.

Ryan Maloney is a Staff Writer for BaseballDigest.com, author of the popular Chicago Cubs blog, Prose and Ivy and contributing writer to MLB.com/Entertainment.

Follow Ryan on Twitter.

Check out Ryan’s Top 100 MLBlog: Prose and Ivy

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Done Deals

Boston – Kansas City: The Red Sox have added to their depth by picking up Mike Aviles from the Royals for infielder Yamaico Navarro and pitcher Kendal Vez. In Aviles, the Red Sox get a player who can play 2B, SS, and 3B, all positions that have seen players banged up this season. He also swings a decent stick. Aviles fell victim to the youth movement in KC and was sent to the minors at one point this season. He could face a demotion again when Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie returns from the DL.

Texas – Baltimore: The Rangers spoke with a number of teams about relievers and were hoping to land the Padres’ Heath Bell.  But the asking price was too high for the pitchers that Texas most coveted. So instead, the Rangers went a cheaper route by sending corner infielder Chris Davis and pitcher Tommy Hunter to the Orioles for Koji Uehara.

It’s a low risk move for both teams. Uehera is good, but not outstanding. He’s a strikeout pitcher despite not having overpowering stuff, but also can’t be used on back-to-back days due to his tendency to get banged up. Davis has been a productive hitter in the minor leagues, but hasn’t been able to put it together in “The Show”. He strikes out way too much and can’t hit left-handed pitching. Unless the Orioles deal Derrek Lee, Davis will probably only see occassional playing time at DH and 1B.

Hunter is a #4 starter at best. He pitches to contact and isn’t going to blow anyone away.  The Rangers’ number one pick in 2007, Hunter got off to an 8-o, 2.31 start last season, but went 5-4, 5.07 in his final 14 starts plus one relief appearance. Hunter is also an injury risk and missed a good chunk of this season with a groin injury.

Detroit – Seattle: The Tigers wanted to shore up their starting rotation for the stretch run and feel they did so by picking up Doug Fister from the Mariners. Fister can’t be judged by the 3-12 record he amassed with a bad Mariners club. In 21 starts, Fister allowed less than a hit an inning and walked just two hitters per nine innings while he struck out 5.5 batters. He also allowed just four home runs and had a 2.8 WAR with the Mariners.

Reliever David Pauley accompanied Fister to give the Tigers some depth in their bullpen. In return, Seattle received pitcher Charlie Furbush, outfielder Casper Wells, third baseman Francisco Martinez and a player to be named later.

Furbush is a 25-yr old left-handed strikeout pitcher that was used as both a starter and reliever by the Tigers. No word yet if he’ll replace Fister in the rotation or Pauley in the pen. Wells is a fourth outfielder that can play all three outfield spots, but doesn’t hit much.  Martinez is a highly touted third baseman, but only the second best hot corner man in the Tigers organization. The 20-yr old Venezuelan is still developing his power, but had pretty good splits (.282/.319/.405) for Single-A Erie.

Arizona – Washington: The Diamondbacks added to their rotation by sending infielder Zach Walter, a former 9th round draft pick, to the Nationals for veteran starter Jason Marquis. The soon-to-be 33-yr old joins his sixth organization after 1+ seasons in the Nation’s capital. Marquis was 8-5, 3.95 in 20 starts this season and averaged six innings each time out. With a WHIP over 1.4 and 0.8 WAR, Marquis is a shaky back-end-of-the-rotation starter. He missed most of last season with elbow surgery.

Rumors

Ubaldo Jimenez: The Rockies have reportedly lowered their demands since they have yet to make a deal.  The Red Sox, Reds, and Indians are said to be negotiating the most, while the Yankees are still in play.

Hiroku Kuroda: The Dodgers right-hander really doesn’t want to leave LA, but has reportedly told the cash-strapped team that he’d be willing to accept a trade to the Rangers, Red Sox, or Yankees.

Josh Willingham and Ryan Ludwick: The A’s and Padres outfielders are still being talked about and are expected to be moved at some point this weekend. Right now it appears A’s GM Billy Beane is asking too much for Willingham.

Heath Bell: Unless the Padres lower their demands, the team’s closer won’t be going anywhere.

Denard Span: The Nationals have been working for days to try to land the Twins’ outfielder. A rumor spread earlier this afternoon that the Twins were trying to get the Yankees involved in a possible three-team deal.

Rafael Furcal: The shell-of-himself shortstop is close to being sent from the Dodgers to the Cardinals.

Update 7:20 PM

Hiroki Kuroda has refused to waive his no-trade clause and will remain an LA Dodger. The ramifications of Kuroda off the market is that the Rockies can now boost their asking price back up for Ubaldo Jimenez.

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.

Born in 1977 in British Columbia, Dempster has been a force on every team he has played for since entering the league in 1998. His first major league start was with the Marlins on May 23, 1998. With a win-loss record of nearly .500, Dempster has been relied on as both a starter and a closer giving him a unique perspective that not many pitchers in the game have experienced.

Dempster pitched for the Marlins after being traded from the team that drafted him, the Texas Rangers. He spent a brief time with the Cincinnati Reds from 2002-2003, when he under went Tommy John surgery. His impressive recovery allowed him to compete once again and become an extremely valuable pitcher to his next team, the Chicago Cubs.

Any time you have a pitcher that has the ability to start, relieve or close you know you have a very valuable commodity in that athlete.  At the start of the 2005 season, Dempster took over the reigns from LaTroy Hawkins as the Cubs’ closer. He finished with a league best save percentage by saving 33 out of 35 opportunities. He also became the first Cubs pitcher to ever start a game and save at least 30 games in a season.

Baseball Digest highlighted Dempster’s return from the closer role, back to the starting rotation in Chicago in their Oct-Nov 2008 issue. You can read the article by clicking here.

While the 2011 season has seen Dempster struggle to a league high ERA of over 9.00, he remains a key part of the Cubs’ plans for this season. Without Dempster performing at his very best, the Cubs will struggle to compete considering the young back end of their rotation is on the DL with Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells fighting to be back in the rotation as soon as possible. Cubs fans respect Dempster’s ability and are pulling for him to sort his season out to help their team contend this season.

Off the field, Dempster is known for his sense of humor, including a killer Harry Caray impression. His family is extremely important to Dempster as well. In June of 2009, Dempster made it known publicly that his daughter Riley, had DiGeorge Syndrome or (VCFS), 22q11 deletion syndrome and Shprintzen syndrome. The illness can affect one’s swallowing, breathing and speech. He and his wife, Jenny, started the Dempster Family Foundation in an effort to raise awareness and reach out to families who also are dealing with the disease. You can find out more about the foundation and donate to the cause at http://www.dempsterfamilyfoundation.com/ as well as hear more about the foundation’s efforts on their Twitter page.

Dempster is simply the kind of player that is easy to root for, whether you are a Cubs fan or not. He was named one of 99 “Good Guys” in professional sports by The Sporting News and received the Tip O’Neill Award in 2000. His baseball resume includes All-Star appearances in 2000 and 2008 and he currently ranks #151 on MLB’s all-time saves list. LaTroy Hawkins is tied with him with 87 saves. Unless Dempster leaves the rotation and heads back to the closer role (which is unlikely considering the job is firmly held by team closer Carlos Marmol), odds are he and Hawkins, his predecessor, will remain tied going forward.

The NHL lost out on a great person and athlete when Dempster saw his path in life lead to a career as a professional baseball player. He did play in the NHL All-Star Celebrity Challenge in 2002, however, that is close as hockey is ever going to get to claiming Dempster as it’s own. Luckily for baseball fans, Dempster remains in the game, giving it his all every five days as the Cubs’ ace and hopefully, for Cubs fans, his season takes a turn for the positive real soon.

Also Born Today:

Davey Lopes turns 65 today. Spending time playing for the Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, A’s and Brewers, Lopes was a four-time all-star and finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting in 1973. He won the gold glove at second base in 1978 and played in four World Series.

Chuck Hinton turns 77 today. Hinton was an All-Star in 1964 and finished fourth in the American League in batting in 1962. In 11 seasons he compiled a .264 career batting average, 113 HR, and finished in the top 5 in steals for the American League from 1961-1964.

Ryan Maloney is a Staff Writer for BaseballDigest.com, the author of popular Chicago Cubs blog Prose and Ivy and contributing writer to MLB.com/Entertainment.

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At Ivie League Productions, we look to capitalize on the success of that website to produce others similar to it.  We also lo

ok to continue to provide top quality internet radio programming on a nightly basis.  Currently, you can find shows five nights a week from Ivie League Productions, ranging in topics from all over baseball.  The Sunday night show that was launched over a month ago is hosted by David Mitchell and Mark Donahue and supports the very site we announce to you today.

Today, it is my pleasure to bring you a team of writers dedicated to covering the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians.  The writers here will be impartial observers of the team and will aim to keep the pulse on what you, the fans, are feeling.  They have been tasked to bring the best coverage of the teams that they can and I have no doubt they will succeed.

I have said many times that the people that write for me on the various websites I represent are my favorite writers from around the world.  This site is no different and I invite you all to add this site to your bookmarks, your Google Readers, or any other way you would like to read the content.  The various voices will aim to entertain and inform you in as unique a way as possible while discussing the game we all love.

So welcome, to Battle Of Ohio Baseball, we all hope you enjoy.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of Ivie League Productions.
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Castro has been projected to be a slick fielding shortstop with a strong arm that will make good contact at the plate.  He has struggled a bit defensively at times, but should be able to excel once he comes into his own.  Through the minors and his 135 games in the majors thus far, he has displayed a nice eye only striking out around 15% of the time.  The other thing working for Castro is his 20-30 SB potential.  It’s Castro’s play that has allowed the club to deal a strong shortstop prospect named Hak-Ju Lee to the Rays (with others) for Matt Garza.

Starlin is off to a hot start through the seasons first 11 games.  He shares the Major League lead for hits at 18 with fellow teammate Marlon Byrd.  Manager Mike Quade has already seen enough to hand the lead off spot over to him.  Perhaps the only knock on Castro is his lack of power.  His 6-0/190 frame does not bode well for huge spurts of power growth but for now, Castro knows his game is to hit the ball on the ground, or on a line, and set the table for the rest of the lineup.

Some project Starlin Castro to be a player similar to Edgar Renteria.  Both entered the majors at about the same age.  They have similar build, similar fielding abilities, similar speed and similar plate discipline.  If the Cubs shortstop does develop some double digit home run power, then that might be the match.  If the power really develops, his ceiling might be more like Derek Jeter (as noted by Jim Callis from Baseball America). If Castro instead keeps racking up doubles (Michael Barr from Fan Graphs points out that he had more doubles last season than Derek Jeter and Hanley Ramirez, while playing in only 125 games), then another comparison could be drawn to the former Blue Jay, Tony Fernandez, a four-time gold glove and five-time All-Star shortstop.

Whether he develops more power, more speed or better defense remains to be seen.  At a position that has declined in talent as its stars have aged, the Cubs have to feel good about what they have at the top of their line-up and in the middle of their infield.  It’s fair to speculate on some All-Star appearances, and perhaps a few gold gloves.  Cubs’ fans are hoping he will be one that will help lead the franchise to a title for the first time in over 100 years.  Whatever the future holds, we are all privileged to watch a talented young shortstop develop into the next Starlin Castro.

Matt Wilson covers the NL Central for BaseballDigest.com.  You can follow Matt on Twitter @matwil24

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Chris Narveson out of the second round in 2000.  He appeared in 5 games for the Redbirds in 2006 and was a small part of the World Series championship team.  The Brewers signed him to a minor league contract in the winter of 2007.  Narveson finally made it with the big club to stay in 2010.  In 2010, Chris had a 4.99 ERA in 37 games for the Brewers.  He garnered 13 wins while striking out 7.4 per nine.

In his first start this season against the Braves, he struck out five and walked three getting a quality start surrendering no runs in 6 innings.  His second start went even better.  Saturday, against the Cubs, Narveson struck out nine in 7 innings and once again was not scored upon.  In his next start, Narveson will face the Pittsburgh Pirates and he looks to make them the next opponent he will carve up.

Perhaps a team that needs their starting pitching to step up even more is the St. Louis Cardinals.  No news was more devastating to the Redbirds than finding out Adam Wainwright would miss the season with Tommy John surgery.  A lot of Cardinal Nation felt the season was over before it began.  However, the Cardinals strength still lies in their starting rotation.  Now, it just needs each man to step up a spot and carry the load.

Jaime Garcia was drafted in the 22^nd round of the 2005 MLB draft.  He was drafted due to the influence of a scout who originally had drafted him with the Orioles the year before. Garcia never signed with the O’s and landed in Cardinal red.

At the end of 2008, Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the larger portion of the 2009 season.  Last season, he broke camp in the Cardinals rotation and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting with a 2.70 ERA and 13 wins.  Coming in to the season, he was expected to be the number three in the rotation.  After Wainwright went down he has to pitch like a number two.  So far, he’s pitched like an ace.

In his opening start, Garcia struck out nine in a complete game shutout of the Padres.  He followed that up against San Francisco by striking out nine in 6 innings, only allowing one run, and was in line for a win before things came unraveled for the Cardinals in the ninth.  His next start comes against the Dodgers at Dodger stadium.  Being a pitcher’s park, Jaime stands a good chance to stymie another opponent.

Matt Wilson covers the NL Central for BaseballDigest.com.  You can follow Matt on Twitter @matwil24

Aroldis Chapman, 23: The Cuban defector with the triple digit fastball is the most highly anticipated pitcher that baseball has seen in some time. Chapman started in one-third of his 39 minor league appearances (where he struck out 11.8 batters per nine innings) before the Cincinnati Reds recalled him last season, but he’ll strictly be a reliever for now. His 15 appearances in the Majors last season included 19 strikeouts in 13.1 IP. His pitching coach Bryan Price sums it up best:

“You don’t run across guys like this. His potential is off-the-charts in regards of what he physically can be able to do. The essential part of this equation is what he does mentally and emotionally. The way you evaluate all pitchers with great stuff is, where does their mental side of the game allow them to go? Randy Johnson was a wild, hard-throwing left-hander years ago, and he figured it out, and his temperament and mentality allowed him to be a dominant pitcher for a long time. But you have a laundry list of hard-throwing pitchers who struggled with command or haven’t taken the game seriously enough or didn’t have the competitiveness to be great. I don’t think Aroldis lacks any of those.

“He’s athletic, he’s bright, he’s aggressive and he doesn’t back to anybody. The sky is the limit. But time will tell. To say what he can do is unfair to all the guys who have done it and accomplished it. Let’s not reward someone for something they haven’t accomplished yet. But we have to honor the unbelievable talent level the kid has. It’s undeniable.”

Kyle Drabek, 23: The Toronto rookie made the jump from Double-A to the Majors this season and threw five no-hit innings in hist first Major League start against Minnesota. The son of former big league pitcher Doug Drabek, Kyle was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to last season. Drabek is said to be one of the most fit mentally and physically among the current crop of kids and it takes a make up like that to make the jump in levels that he did. Drabek already had a fine reportoire of pitches, but he unveiled a nasty cutter in his start against the Twins. A one time emotional pitcher, Drabek has learned to control his game. His manager John Farrell had this to say about him after a spring training start. “What he showed in his last outing was very good emotional control. He didn’t show the tendency to over throw, he didn’t try to strike everybody out, he still maintained the same approach and I think that speaks volumes to what’s going on inside him. When you combine that harnessing of emotions with the physical abilities, we’ll be very pleased to have go to the mound every five days.”

Jhoulys Chacin, 23: The Colorado Rockies right-hander isn’t a rookie, he made 21 starts last year as part of 28 appearances, but he enters his second season at just 23 years of age. He had a 9-11 record last season despite a 3.28 ERA, a .224 opponents batting average, and 138 strikeouts in 137.1 innings pitched. The native of Venezuela was the 2008 Minor League Pitcher of the Year and put up excellent stats throughout his minor league career. His success has come from a low 90-mph sinker and a deceptive changeup. “From a scouting perspective, Chacin throws five pitches for strikes, including a low 90’s sinking fastball that has powered his GB/FB numbers.  The challenge for Chacin is that while he has generated swings and misses at lower levels, his stuff is not overpowering and if his command departs, it could get ugly in a hurry.”

Zach Britton, 23: The Baltimore Orioles top pitching prospect was expected to make an impact on the O’s rotation this season, just not this early. With another young stud, Brian Matusz, out with a strained oblique, Britton made his Major League debut on Sunday. He picked up the win over Tampa Bay after he threw six innings of 3-hit ball and allowed one earned run. Though he walked three, Britton also struck out six to make his first time out a success. Baseball America’s Jim Callis had Britton rated as the top left-hander in the minor leagues and felt (just as the O’s would) Britton would be best served by starting the season at Triple-A. But then Matusz’s injury came up and the O’s figured why go with anyone else.  ESPN’s Tim Kurkian recently spoke to Buck Showalter about his star of the future. “He (Showalter) likes him (Britton) a lot and not just his stuff. He likes his demeanor on the mound, which is half the battle for a young pitcher. All sorts of young pitchers have great stuff, more than don’t. But it’s the way you command it and the way you use it and react out there. He just looks a little beyond his years.”

Michael Pineda, 22: The Seattle Mariners right-hander struck out 396 batters in 404.1 minor league innings en route to be named the top pitching prospect in the organization. He had a good chance to make the club out of spring training and sealed the deal with an outstanding spring. His manager, Eric Wedge, had this to say after a late March performance by Pineda. “He (Pineda) was outstanding. You’ve seen him be very consistent all spring, but today I think he took it to another level. You look at the way he used his fastball and his secondary stuff was right there for him all day long and he pitched with it. He just really did a great job of commanding the ballgame.” Pineda’s fastball was clocked as high as 98 mph in 2010, which is pretty remarkable consider an elbow injury put a damper on his 2009 season. According to John Sickels, Pineda’s change up still needs work, but he has an effective slider and his command and control is a big plus.  Pineda made his season debut Tuesday night and took the loss despite a quality start.

Jeremy Hellickson, 24 (Apr 8th): The Tampa Bay Rays #5 starter showed what he could do in a short stint with the team last season. The Iowa native went 4-0, 3.47 in 10 appearances (including four starts) with 33 strikeouts and just eight walks in 36.1 innings pitched. Add to that a 12-3, 2.45 season in Triple-A with a 9:2 strikeout to walk ratio and you can see why the organization is excited. The favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year, Hellickson has a low to mid-90′s fastball, a plus curve and a plus changeup. His manager Joe Maddon is definitely a fan. “In spite of how he appears to be, there’s got to be some kind of nervousness going on inside. And I think having done what he did last year is definitely an aid to him mentally. I have a lot of faith in him. We all do.” Hellickson should more than make up for the loss of Matt Garza.

There you have it, just a handful of the pitchers that can have a major impact for their teams this season. Before the year is out Jake McGee (TB), Jordan Walden (LAA), Jenrry Mejia (NYM), Shelby Miller (St. L) and others may join them as the young guns take over.

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.

Even though this team has been successful at run scoring, they been average at best at plate discipline.  In 2010, the Reds with their 1218 strikeouts were seventh most in all of baseball and their 545 walks were sixteenth.  This year, a patient approach is becoming more prevalent.  The team has walked 18 times through four games.

Four games is a small sample size, however the patient approach is evident in the players.  Fourth outfielder, Chris Heisey, had a nice performance Tuesday.  Heisey walked with the bases loaded in the first and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the second.  His counterpart in the attack, Jonny Gomes, also walked forcing in a run in the second and had two walks in the game.  Gomes, who has seven walks on the young season, walked just 39 times in 2010.  Gomes also walked three times against Shawn Marcum of Milwaukee, who usually puts on an exhibition of control.

Gomes and manager Dusty Baker both believe that much of their hot start can be attributed to good spring trainings.  Dusty said, “I haven’t seen this many guys swinging this well early.  It goes back to spring training and how they worked in the cage with (hitting coach) Brook Jacoby and amongst themselves.”

Not only are the Reds off to a good start.  They also have roster issues to deal with due to their depth.  After a good start from Mike Leake, he may find himself without a rotation spot once Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey return from injuries.  The Reds have a talented and crowded pitching staff.  Even their backup offensive players like Chris Heisey and Ryan Hanigan are playing big when called upon.  Hanigan hit two home runs in their victory over Milwaukee on Sunday.

With so many things going the right way and being so hot right out of the gate, it looks as though the Reds are poised to exceed their 2010 finish.  With the depth, the biggest challenge Dusty Baker may face all year is getting everyone enough playing time.

The Brewers got off to a blazing start becoming the first team in 42 years to open a season with back-to-back homers when Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez went yard against Edinson Volquez.  The last time it happened, the Reds’ Pete Rose was a part of it.  The Brewers held onto a 6-3 lead heading into the ninth but were overtaken by a sac-fly by Jonny Gomes and a three-run parting shot by Cincy catcher Ramon Hernandez, who went 4-5 in the game.  According to Elias, Hernandez became the first major league player to hit an Opening Day walk off home run with his team trailing by more than one run in the ninth inning.  It was also the first time in 25 years the first batter and last batter in a game hit a home run on Opening Day.  Volquez was shaky for the Reds surrendering 3 home runs while Yovani Gallardo was solid going 6 innings and only allowing two earned runs.  John Axford showed more of his spring rust and blew the save allowing four runs, all earned.

Game two was a chance for the Brewers to see their new pitcher, Shawn Marcum.  Marcum proved to be uncharacteristically wild walking 5 batters.  This time, it was Scott Rolen who began the scoring and removed the need for a Reds comeback smacking a two-run blast of his own in the first inning.  The bigger story for the Reds was lefty starter Travis Wood.  Wood stepped into the two slot for the Reds and was masterful throwing 66 of his 83 pitches for strikes, fanning 7 and only allowing one run on four hits through seven innings.  The Reds won 4-2 and got off to a 2-0 start defending their Central crown.

On Sunday, the Reds were set up for a sweep in a game that pitted two veteran pitchers against each other.  Bronson Arroyo was recuperating from mononucleosis and Randy Wolf was looking to get his team off the snide.  Weeks led off the game with another homer but the Reds’ offense responded in the second with a Jonny Gomes homer and a Paul Janish RBI single.  This game would belong to the Reds and their other catcher, Ryan Hanigan, who hit two home runs and drove in four.  The Brewers lost 12-3 facing a barrage of 19 hits from the Reds, matching their game high hit total from a season ago.  With the win over the Brewers, the Reds improved to 9-1 in home games against Milwaukee since 2010.

While the two teams still have 13 games against one another this season, it was clearly the Reds who made a statement early.  They are the division champs and if anyone wants it, including the Milwaukee Brewers, then they are going to have to fight to take it.

The Chicago Cubs will open their season at home against Pittsburgh on Friday, April 1^st.  Starting for the Cubs will be Ryan Dempster.  This will be the first time for him to hit the bump to open a season in nine years.  His last opening day start came for the Florida Marlins in 2002.  He threw 7 1/3 innings while striking out seven and surrendering three runs resulting in 7-6 loss to the Montreal Expos.  The previous year, he opened for “The Fish” and went 5 innings giving up 3 runs to the Phillies losing 6-5.  Although he has pitched well in Opening Day starts, this year he looks to garner his first win.

For the Pirates, Kevin Correia will be taking the hill.  Correia signed a two-year $8 million deal as a free agent.  He will get the nod over Paul Maholm, who will start the home opener next week against Colorado.  Maholm is the longest tenured Pirate pitcher but manager Clint Hurdle decided to go with Correia.  This will be Correia’s first opening day start and the Pirates fourth different pitcher for game one in four years.

Two other Central Division rivals will square off to open the year in Cincinnati.  The Reds set out to defend their divisional crown against the Milwaukee Brewers.  The Reds will send out Edinson Volquez as their ace for 2011.  Volquez, coming off a shortened 2010, as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, will start in his first opener.  He got a late start to spring training due to work visa issues and has looked rusty.  He will be tested early going against a potent Brewer lineup.

Leading the Brewers would have been newcomer Zach Greinke.  Instead, he’ll begin the season on the DL due to a fractured rib.  Now, Yovani Gallardo will lead “The Crew” for the second year in a row.  Last year, he was on the losing end of a 5-3 game to Colorado.  Gallardo has had a great spring with a 1.96 ERA with 23 Ks in 18 innings.

Brett Myers transitioned well back to a starter in his first year with the Astros.  Now, he’s got a tough draw facing off against Cy Young winner Roy Halladay and the Phillies, the team he opened for from 2007-2009.  After those previous Opening Day bids, Myers is still seeking his first win.

For the 5^th time, Chris Carpenter will open the season for the St. Louis Cardinals.  Carpenter is 3-2 in six Opening Day starts.  The Redbirds face off against the Padres on Thursday.  The Padres will send Tim Stauffer to the mound; he will get the start, as Mat Latos will begin the season on the DL with shoulder bursitis.

Matt Wilson covers the NL Central for Baseball Digest.  You can follow him on Twitter @matwil24