A's, Duchscherer agree on one-year deal

Free agent Justin Duchscherer will be returning for a seventh season with the Athletics, officially agreeing on a one-year deal.

No details of the contract were released, but it was reported last week that it is worth $5.5 million if he reaches his incentives.

"I know the people, the coaching staff and the organization well. It creates a comfortable environment for me to come back to," said Duchscherer on why he returned to the Athletics. "All in all, I like playing in Oakland. I like the ballpark, I like the team, I like the people who work there. I'm just excited to get back out there."

Duchscherer, 32, missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing elbow surgery and treatment for clinical depression. He arrived at Spring Training recovering from 2008 hip surgery, but did not pitch in a Major League spring game before having arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow March 31.

During the offseason, the Athletics offered Duchscherer arbitration, but he didn't accept the offer because he hoped to move closer to his son, who lives in Philadelphia. Duchscherer went through a divorce and acknowledged he needed to take care of business off the field.

Duchscherer also credited the A's for not putting any pressure on him to go back on the field this past season. They gave him the understanding that life outside of baseball is just as important as his life inside the game.

"I wanted to see my opportunity possibly over on the East Coast with some teams before I make a final decision," Duchscherer said. "I know some people were like, 'He didn't want to come back.' And when I signed back, I surprised some people. But I always wanted to stay with the A's. I enjoyed my career there. I look forward to next year coming back.

"As far as last season, I went through personal stuff with my divorce and being away from my son -- not really being able to handle all the stress and pressure at one time. I needed some help. I spoke to the A's sports psychologist. I got the help I needed. I sorted out a lot of things that needed to be dealt with. I feel a lot better. I'm ready to go."

The right-hander made the move from the bullpen to the starting rotation in 2008 and put up dominant numbers. He finished with a 10-8 record and a 2.54 ERA over 22 starts, giving up just 107 hits and 34 walks over 141 2/3 innings, while striking out 95.

Duchscherer is currently working out in Phoenix and said his elbow is 100 percent. He is looking forward to helping the young pitchers on the staff.

"I have a good program going and I feel great. There's not a concern about that," Duchscherer said.

To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A's designated left-handed pitcher Jay Marshall for assignment.

Marshall was 5-3 with a 3.20 ERA and seven saves in 50 games at Triple-A Sacramento last year before he was selected by Oakland on Aug. 9. He had two losses and a 14.73 ERA in 10 relief appearances with the A's and is 1-4 with a 7.66 ERA in 61 career relief appearances over two seasons with Oakland.

D-backs secure infielder Johnson

PHOENIX -- Kelly Johnson is finally an Arizona Diamondback.

On Wednesday, the free agent inked a one-year deal with the D-backs that will pay him $2.35 million in 2010.

The D-backs had been involved in on-again, off-again trade discussions with the Braves about Johnson since Josh Byrnes became Arizona's GM in October 2005.

"They made it known to me that they had tried to acquire me a few different times, and they've always liked me," Johnson said.

Apparently, the feeling was mutual.

"It's just a place I've always liked," Johnson said of the Phoenix area. "As far as the city goes, it's one of the top for me. Just with the team, we've got guys all over the field that are young, athletic, tons of talent. It's one of the places that you come in and you did not want to face the guys that were on the mound."

While he said that more than 10 teams were interested in him, Johnson was drawn to the D-backs because of the opportunity to play second base as well as the club's potential to rebound from a poor 2009.

"I know last year was a down year and guys were hurt," Johnson said. "[Brandon] Webb was hurt, and that goes a long ways. The promise going up and going forward in 2010 is huge. I certainly want to get back on track myself. It was just a perfect fit for me."

Johnson hit .224 with eight homers and 29 RBIs in 106 games for the Braves last season and was not offered arbitration earlier this month, becoming a free agent.

Tendinitis in his right wrist bothered Johnson last year and forced him to the disabled list from July 3-23.

"The wrist thing definitely hampered me," Johnson said. "Looking back, I started developing some bad habits, mechanically doing some things that were keeping me from being the best I could be and being the guy I was a couple of years before that. I think I'm addressing them now in the offseason. I think I've got a good plan."

The D-backs are counting on Johnson being more like the player he was in 2007 and '08, when he had an OPS+ (on-base plus slugging adjusted for ballpark) of 116 and 109, with 100 being league average.

"We believe Kelly will return to form after a down 2009 season," Byrnes said. "He has a strong track record of hitting. He will help lengthen our lineup."

Advanced metrics like batting average on balls put in play indicate there's reason to believe Johnson is an excellent candidate for a rebound season after struggling last year.

"For sure, I look at it like a minor stumble and not anything that is deteriorating or going down," Johnson said of his 2009 season. "I'm very confident that I'm going to bounce back and be right where I want to be."

If Johnson gets the starting nod at second, which seems likely, the D-backs could shift Tony Abreu into a utility-infield role. That would make infielder Augie Ojeda expendable. The team learned during the Winter Meetings that there is interest in Ojeda, so moving him would probably not be a problem.

The D-backs could also elect to keep Ojeda initially and give Abreu more seasoning at the Triple-A level.

"I have a lot of confidence," Johnson said. "I know I had a tough year, but the player I see myself as and where I see myself as the best fit on a club is second base. I know I'm more of an offensive player, despite the year that I had, and I think I'm most valuable there. What I think I can bring to the Diamondbacks is offense, and I'm going to get better defensively."

The signing of Johnson appears to put the D-backs at the budget they set going into the offseason, with an expected payroll north of $75 million when all is said and done. The club could wind up with some wiggle room if it was able to trade Chris Snyder and the $4.75 million he is owed next season. The D-backs had agreed to trade Snyder to Toronto earlier this offseason in exchange for first baseman Lyle Overbay, but the Blue Jays backed out of the deal due to concerns about Snyder's surgically repaired back.

The D-backs will also continue to monitor the free-agent market to see if the price falls for a player who might interest them as Spring Training approaches. In that case, they may be willing to exceed their budget.

Mets hope Bay deal leads to more

NEW YORK -- By any and all indications, the Mets were moving at a Bengie Molina pace as they pursued power for their unplugged batting order. All around them, clubs -- the Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox, Braves and even the Nationals -- had fortified themselves for 2010. And the Mets had added merely understudy catchers, an untested reliever from Japan and a pitcher who spent most of the past two seasons where too many Mets spent their 2009 summer -- on the disabled list.

The patrons of Citi Field clamored for a reason to be encouraged. If not Moilina, they said, give us Barajas. Some beseeched the Mets to bring Yorvit Torrealba to Queens. And, of course, the pie-in-the-skiers and drive-time alarmists wanted Adrian Gonzalez, John Lackey, Orlando Hudson, Jason Marquis, Joel Pineiro, a trade for Roy Halladay and a promise to acquire Joe Mauer.

They'd demonstrate patience and wait a year for Mauer. But if the others weren't on the roster by New Year's Eve, it would be the Mets who had dropped the ball, and their 2010 would be the aftershock of the 2009 quake. Time was running out. The window was closing.

Turns out the window was a Bay Window, one with all sorts of sunshine streaming through it. It's a brighter day in Queens.

The Mets have said nothing thus far to indicate a deal has been struck with Jason Bay, the 31-year-old slugger from Canada. They want to be certain his shoulders -- they intend to burden both of them -- are strong, healthy and durable. But if their own embargo were not in place, the Mets would say this -- 2009, the year of the plague, is over. Happy 2010. Or at least happier.

Now, a player dressed in white -- or whatever off-white garments the Mets will wear in the new decade -- hitting a baseball into the seats of Citi Field promises to be a less isolated event. Now, the Mets have a better chance of putting some mileage in the center-field Apple and some crooked numbers on Citi's many boards.

The Phillies remain a superior team, and for what it's worth, so do the teams from the Boston Fens and the Bronx. But the Mets have taken their first meaningful step in what they hope will be a round tripper. If and when the results of the physical clear Bay for signing the four-year, $66 million contract that has been negotiated, the Mets will have reached first base.

Adding Molina would put them on second. Perhaps the improvement represented by Bay's acquisition will move the immovable catcher to bring his game from the West Coast. But as the Mets of 2009 repeatedly demonstrated, reaching scoring position doesn't get it done.

The addition of a starting pitcher would serve as a ground ball to second base and advance the 2010 Mets to third. Perhaps Pineiro will reduce his asking price and make it more commensurate with what he has accomplished in his career, allowing the Mets to add him, too.

And once they're on third ... well, there are lots of ways to advance 90 feet from that point. Finding a taker for Luis Castillo -- no simple task -- and signing Hudson are the moves the Mets have in mind.

And then wait for February to arrive and the refurbished Mets to arrive in Port St. Lucie. The work of GM Omar Minaya and his staff is far from done. The lower levels of the organization require refurbishing, too. But what the Mets have almost accomplished now not only will enhance the batting order, but it will also provide their other players and their public a mental health day.

Sidelined stars hope for healthy 2010

D-backs general manager Josh Byrnes counted on at least 200 innings from Brandon Webb in 2009 and wasn't going to be surprised if the staff ace reached the 225 mark.

Expectations were not met. The surprise was a bad one.

A bad shoulder limited Webb to four innings all season, and the D-backs finished 22 games under .500.

In Texas, the Rangers entered the 2009 season feeling confident about their chances in the American League West, in large part because of Josh Hamilton's offensive production the previous season. Hamilton's power combined with effective pitching, the club believed, could push the Rangers past the Angels and into the postseason.

Hamilton played in only 89 games because of various injuries in 2009. The Rangers finished in second place, six games behind the Angels in the division.

Ouch.

Count Webb and Hamilton among a large group of key players that had their 2009 seasons cut short because of injuries but will look to rebound in 2010. For these players and their teams, the focus is on the future, a healthy future.

"Josh is a big part of our offense," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He is a presence in the middle of the order and he takes the pressure off a lot of guys. We missed him. We need him back."

In 2008, Hamilton had a breakout year, hitting .304 with 32 home runs and 130 RBIs. A year later, he hit .268 with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs. His absence combined with inconsistent pitching proved to be too much for the Rangers to overcome down the stretch.

For the D-backs, a healthy Webb not only helps in the win column, he's also good for morale. Webb, the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2006, is 87-62 with 3.27 ERA for his career and is a team leader.

Led by Webb, the D-backs last qualified for the postseason in 2007.

"Losing Webby was big," Byrnes said. "But it's not just replacing what he does on the field, there's also a psychological impact of him going down. In this day and age, to go to playoffs after having a losing record, we have to believe we can do it. Losing Brandon hurt that belief to a degree."

Webb didn't pitch again after what turned out to be his season debut and finale on April 6. A tumultuous season in Phoenix followed. The team's struggles eventually led to a managerial change from Bob Melvin to A.J. Hinch, a last-place finish in the NL West, and one of the most difficult years in franchise history. In addition to Webb, the team was also without outfielder Conor Jackson for the season because of valley fever. Like Webb, Jackson is expected to be back in 2010.

Their return, combined with the additions of pitchers Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy to the starting rotation, will give the D-backs a new healthy look in 2010.

"Listen, losing is not fun. It's frustrating," Byrnes said. "We worked really hard with this younger group to set an example of winning and contending. That is our standard and we fell so far short. For the most part, Phoenix has had winning teams and folks were understandably upset. But I think it's time to learn from what happened in 2009 and not carry with us."

If any team can relate to the D-backs' plight in 2009, it's the Mets. Last season, the team was without Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Alex Cora, Oliver Perez, Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve for extended periods during the season because of injury, and the result was a less-than-stellar fourth-place finish in the NL East. All of the players, possibly including Delgado, a free agent, are expected to bounce back and help the club compete for a division title in 2010.

Several teams in the Central divisions are also set to receive boosts in 2010.

The reigning AL Central champion Twins missed Justin Morneau, who was out with the back injury for the final three weeks, and pitcher Kevin Slowey, who missed the entire second half following wrist surgery, but both players are expected back in 2010.

In Detroit, the Tigers are elated at the prospect of having pitchers Joel Zumaya, Jeremy Bonderman and Dontrelle Willis along with Carlos Guillen back on a full-time basis after injuries ruined their 2009 campaign. In Cleveland, center fielder Grady Sizemore, who had season-ending elbow and abdominal surgeries in September, will be back on the field, as will pitcher Jake Westbrook, who missed the entire 2009 season after Tommy John elbow surgery.

In Kansas City, the Royals were without shortstop Mike Aviles, who had Tommy John surgery, and right fielder Jose Guillen, who had ankle surgery in September, but both are expected to be key contributors in 2010.

In the NL Central, the Reds expect pitcher Edinson Volquez back in the rotation sometime in 2010 after Tommy John surgery in 2009. In Milwaukee, second baseman Rickie Weeks missed most of 2009 after wrist surgery but is expected back as the Brewers' second baseman and leadoff man in 2010.

Other key players expected to be back after injury in 2009 are Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena, Oakland's Eric Chavez, Baltimore's Adam Jones, Florida's Anibal Sanchez and Toronto starter Shaun Marcum.

"There are only so major injuries you can overcome and hopefully we used all of the bad outcomes last year," Byrnes said. "You want to go to Spring Training with a few things going as hoped or as planned."

Brach locked down TinCaps' season

If the Fort Wayne TinCaps, MLB.com's winner of the MiLBY for Minor League team of the year, were the Minors' version of the New York Yankees, then Brad Brach was their Mariano Rivera.

Fort Wayne's closer for all of the club's magical 2009 season was pretty much unhittable all year long, being a true stopper as the TinCaps won the Midwest League title. It's for that reason he's being honored with the MiLBY for Class A Reliever of the Year.

Brach easily led the Midwest League with 33 saves (and three more in the playoffs), but that's almost the least of his statistical accomplishments in 2009. The right-hander out of Monmouth University in New Jersey had a 1.27 ERA in 60 regular-season outings. He gave up just 36 hits and 11 walks while striking out 82 in 63 2/3 innings. That translates to a .164 batting average-against, a 0.74 WHIP and an 11.6 K/9 ratio.

"His numbers were pretty sick," said Mike Wickham, the Padres director of Minor League operations. "He was automatic. I think he blew one or two saves and we were even shocked at that. He was like Mariano Rivera, lights-out this season."

And he was pretty much that way all season. The right-hander didn't give up a run until May 6, in his 12th outing. He only allowed one baserunner in April. The Midwest League All-Star finished as well as he started, allowing just one run in 13 games in August and September -- his second-half ERA was 0.85.

"When I first got to Fort Wayne, I was kind of in a zone and ran with it from there," said Brach, a Freehold, N.J. native. "I felt good in Spring Training and wanted to keep going. I just followed through with my plan. I was pretty much locked in, so I kept going with it. I made the minor adjustments everyone has to make, but things were going well, so I didn't change anything major all year."

Brach pitched so well, in fact, it begs the question: Why was he in Fort Wayne all year and not bumped up to Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore in the Padres' system? One of the main reasons was room and opportunity. Yes, Brach earned a promotion with his performance, but the Padres had Bryan Oland racking up 28 saves in Lake Elsinore and Evan Scribner doing a nice job closing with Double-A San Antonio.

"The way he was anchoring the 'pen, the run they were on, we wanted to keep him there," Wickham said. "He probably would've gone to Elsinore and had the same kind of success."

Not that Brach is complaining. Fort Wayne went on to win a total of 101 games, including the playoffs, as well as the Midwest League title. Having that kind of success certainly helped Brach accept the fact he wouldn't have any upward mobility in 2009.

"Obviously, you want to move up for your career, but everyone wanted to finish what we started," Brach said. "I was kind of glad to stay there from beginning to end to see it the whole way through. It helped me not worry about not getting moved up.

"It was my first full season and it could be the best one I'll ever have. It was kind of a dream season."

He'll undoubtedly get the chance to show what he can do at higher levels in 2010 and some might say he's already exceeded expectations. After all, Monmouth University is not exactly a baseball powerhouse and he was a senior sign, taken in the 42nd round of the 2008 Draft. That type of player is not usually thought to be a fast-tracker heading in, so the fact he forced the organization to consider promoting him at all means he's ahead of the game.

"He was a pleasant surprise for a senior sign out of the 42nd round," Wickham said. "That's the kind of senior sign you're looking for. He competed well and threw strikes all year. We'll see how it goes from here."

Cales caps whirlwind year with MiLBY

Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, in the shadow of Comiskey Park, David Cales admits he was a White Sox fan growing up. When he was taken in the 24th round of the 2008 Draft by that other team in the Windy City, he quickly learned how to adjust.

It was in the Cubs system that he went 3-0 with a 0.78 ERA and 14 saves in 37 games for Daytona in the Florida State League, numbers that made him the choice for a MiLBY as the Class A Advanced Reliever of the Year.

"As I became older, I loved Chicago sports all together," Cales said. "It's an honor to play for the city of Chicago, even in the Minors. I couldn't be happier playing for the Cubs. I'm just a Chicago fan. It's an absolute privilege playing for a Chicago team."

In his first summer as a pro, Cales split time between the rookie-level Arizona League and short-season Northwest League, so he was a little surprised when he made the leap right up to Class A Advanced Daytona to start this season. He nearly fell over when he got nudged up to Double-A in May, even though that didn't go so well. But he earned his way back up there, and even got a one-appearance taste of Triple-A, late in the season.

"It was a shock to go up to Double-A," Cales admitted. "Then to give me another chance at the end of the year, I don't think I could've asked for anything better. I didn't believe much of it was happening because it was happening so fast."

The promotion was well earned, in both cases. The right-hander gave up just one earned run in April and was only scored upon four times in 37 games with Daytona. Over 46 innings, he allowed just 29 hits (.187 batting average against) and 11 walks while striking out 43 batters. His ERA was 0.00 in both June and August.

"The kid throws strikes and he throws from a different angle," said Oneri Fleita, the Cubs' vice president of player personnel. "He goes right after hitters. He's fearless and he's aggressive.

"He's got an unorthodox delivery. He was as reliable as anyone we had in the organization all year."

"My whole mentality was to go out there, throw strikes and see what happens," Cales said. "Don't force anything. Go right at hitters, try to be fearless. See if they can hit you, pretty much."

A simple enough philosophy, but how many young pitchers struggle with throwing strike one? Cales thinks that perhaps some of it comes from his previous life as a hitter. Throughout his college career, he was an infielder as well as a reliever. It wasn't until the Cubs drafted him that he felt he had a future on the mound. Needless to say, he's embraced the new role.

"I took it and ran with it. I love what I do," Cales said. "There was a time for hitting and that time has passed. This is a new beginning."

Cales remembers what caused him trouble as a hitter, and that was falling behind. Whenever he was in a pitcher's count, he was in trouble and he's maintained that perspective even though the tables have turned.

"If you throw a lot of strikes, you're putting the pressure on the hitter," Cales said. "You keep throwing strikes, they're going to have put the ball in play. I have to get it in my favor. I'll have better results if I'm in control of the situation."

One thing he may not have control over is when his family gets together. His mother has worked in ticket sales for the White Sox for nearly two decades, so there's been that team's merchandise everywhere over the years. Cales is happy to report, though, that he's seen some blue being worn in the past year.

"A lot of them did," Cales said of the switch. "I see the Cubs stuff on. That wouldn't have happened if I didn't get drafted by them. To see them wearing Cubs apparel, that's very nice that they're supporting me."

Lots of zeros made Smyth a hero

It's a challenge for every team's player development staff to familiarize itself with its draft class each year, handle the influx of players into camp, evaluate them and assign them to the appropriate affiliates -- all within a matter of days.

In the case of Paul Smyth, the Athletics' 35th-round pick in 2009 out of Kansas, that transition was made a little easier by the fact that player development director Keith Lieppman already had been following the right-hander's career.

That's because Lieppman, like Smyth, was a Jayhawk.

"He went to my alma mater, so I already had interest in him because you don't see a whole lot of kids come out of Kansas," said Lieppman, the 2009 winner of the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award, given annually by Minor League Baseball to someone with distinguished service in player development. "I was told he was a competitor who throws strikes, has a good sinker with tremendous deception, and an outstanding kid to have on the ballclub."

Nobody predicted, however, that Smyth, a senior signee who already had his diploma, would not allow a run in his professional debut, a span of 36 1/3 innings over 25 games between short-season Vancouver and Class A Kane County. He limited opponents to a .114 average and walked only four while striking out 44.

As a result of his 0.00 ERA over 29 1/3 innings at Vancouver -- where he walked four, struck out 37 and scattered 12 hits -- Smyth was a no-brainer when it came time to hand out the MiLBY for Best Short-Season Reliever.

With literally hundreds of player reports streaming in nightly from managers and coaches, Lieppman remembers how the dispatches from Vancouver manager Rick Magnante and pitching coach Craig Lefferts started coming together on this late-round sleeper.

"First, they started mentioning things like, 'He's solid, he likes to get the ball.' Then you start getting more embellishments about how he's unafraid in tough situations, how he pounds the lower half of the strike zone," Lieppman said. "Then they start saying how great he is off the field, how he's fluent in Spanish and helps with our Latino players, and he starts taking on this whole air, personality-wise."

At that point, Lieppman got to watch Smyth in action and saw even more reasons why the scoreless streak kept going.

"He gets swings and misses, he's getting flinches from right-handed hitters," said Lieppman, explaining why he felt comfortable moving Smyth up to a full-season club that needed a closer down the stretch. "We think we got a steal in the 35th round."

A northern California native who grew up rooting for Oakland, Smyth jokes that he thinks part of the reason he got the initial assignment to Vancouver -- the higher of the A's two short-season clubs -- was that he happened to have his paperwork in order.

"I went hoping I'd go to Vancouver but not sure how it would be decided," he said. "But a few people didn't get to go there because they didn't have their passport ready yet. I had my passport ready."

A reliever throughout his college career, Smyth knew he'd remain in the bullpen but wasn't sure what his role would be, especially since the Athletics have a policy under which they won't tweak a player's mechanics for the first month unless the player specifically requests it.

But success, obviously, came quickly, something Smyth attributes partly to the Athletics' coaching drills, which he took to immediately.

"I felt like I was doing things right and that the drills we'd been working on were paying off," he said. "I was developing comfort in my delivery and buying into everything they were teaching us."

Still, a streak like Smyth's is treated a little differently than, say, a pitcher who is throwing a no-hitter.

"I think pitchers throwing a no-hitter have it easy because no one talks for about three, four hours, whereas for me -- since it lasted for a couple of months -- people wanted to talk about it," he said. "I try not to look at stats, but this is a stats game. It definitely got brought up a lot. I tried to see how many jinxes I could get past. One time, our pitching coach introduced me to a whole group of school kids as 'The guy who hasn't given up a run yet this season,' and everyone was like, 'Well, that was nice while it lasted.'"

Not surprisingly, comparisons have been made between the side-arming Smyth and his scoreless streak and A's side-arming reliever Brad Ziegler, who set a record in 2008 when he opened his big league career with 39 shutout innings.

While neither is a prototypical over-the-top pitcher, Ziegler made the transformation from three-quarters to underhand; Smyth has been a side-armer for as long as he can remember. He also throws harder than Ziegler and probably has better "stuff" to work with.

"He's a fastball/slider guy who mainly relies on a two-seam sinking fastball but started showing the ability to pop a four-seam fastball at the letters to change the eye level for the hitter," Lieppman said. "But they both can exploit right-handed hitters and have deception in their deliveries."

Rodriguez rebounds, snags MiLBY

Not long ago, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had a guy in the back end of their bullpen who was pretty lights-out. His nickname could have been F-Rod, but instead most knew him as K-Rod.

Francisco Rodriguez, of course, has since gone on to the New York Mets. But could there be another F-Rod turned K-Rod on the way for the Angels? Fernando Rodriguez -- who goes by Fernie -- doesn't know if he can follow in the All-Star closer's footsteps one day. What he does know is that he's a MiLBY winner for Double-A Reliever of the Year.

"As a teammate here in Venezuela, he's somebody I really respect and try to learn from," Fernie said about K-Rod, both of whom are pitching for the Tiburones de La Guaira this winter. "All I can do is work to improve every year and be prepared for whatever the team has in mind."

What the team has in mind might depend on which Rodriguez shows up in 2010. The 2009 version rode a little bit of a roller coaster. The 18th rounder out of the 2003 Draft began the year in Triple-A Salt Lake City. After a strong April, he got a brief taste of the big leagues when there was a need in the bullpen.

When he returned to Triple-A, the wheels kind of fell off as he gave up 28 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings, forcing the organization to move him back down to Double-A Arkansas. Some may have sulked or complained. Rodriguez got to work and put up some eye-popping numbers.

"I knew I was there for a reason," Rodriguez said. "I never thought of it as a demotion but as an opportunity to learn. The coaches were a big part of not letting myself get down as they worked and encouraged me as well as my teammates."

Rodriguez went 3-1 with four saves in 26 appearances for Arkansas, posting a 1.28 ERA and minuscule .137 batting average against in 42 1/3 innings pitched. He struck out 52 for a nifty 11.06 K/9 ratio.

"That represents what he is since he's been in the organization, a consummate professional," Angels farm director Abe Flores said of Rodriguez's commitment even after getting sent down a level. "He does what's asked of him. He has leadership abilities. When presented with a challenge, he's going to meet it head on."

Like becoming a reliever for instance. Rodriguez had primarily been a starter throughout his career, then moved into the bullpen at the end of the 2008 season. When he had some immediate success (2.12 ERA over 11 games), that became his permanent role. Sometimes, a pitcher has trouble adjusting to that kind of transition, but Rodriguez has embraced it wholeheartedly.

"It's been awesome. Not only do I get a chance to wear my uniform every day, but I also have a chance to pitch more often," Rodriguez said. "I love it because of the adrenaline rush, the excitement and anticipation of coming in during a close game."

The one thing that has kept Rodriguez from consistent success over the years has been his command. When he struggled in Triple-A this past year, he walked 17 over those 25 2/3 innings. His walk rate wasn't great in Arkansas (22 BB in 42 1/3 innings), but he showed improvement, going from 11 walks in 17 2/3 innings in July to eight free passes in 20 2/3 frames in August.

"It was kind of a tale of two cities," Flores said, adding that Rodriguez also saw a considerable uptick in his velocity in the switch to the bullpen. "His command got more crisp at the end of the year compared with the beginning of the year."

"My velocity and approach changed the most, but honestly everything felt better when I moved to the bullpen," Rodriguez said. "Yes, command was the main thing I was working on, but with a few tips and ideas from my coaching staff, it was something we really tried to overcome and I feel we did."

Whether or not he can continue to do that could determine his future. The Angels were pleased with his results in Double-A, and the 25-year-old right-hander was throwing well in Venezuela this winter. Could that mean a spot in the big-league bullpen is in the offing, more than just the one appearance he made in 2009?

It's more like a wait-and-see," Flores said. "He has to first master the Triple-A level. He's a tremendous makeup guy, always dependable and responsible. Those aren't sexy adjectives, but they're important. He always shows up, a quiet, no-nonsense guy you can count on. He's the kind of guy you want to root for."

Inbox: Hope to keep J.J. in Miami?

Why do you still have hope that Josh Johnson will get signed to a long-term deal? I have been a season-ticket holder since 2004, and this is the same song and dance.
-- Tom J., Miami

For one, Johnson's agent, Matt Sosnick, told me in a recent conversation that he hopes to work toward that objective. Also, the Marlins remain hopeful of signing a long-term deal. So those are a couple of reasons why I still believe it can happen.

Now, negotiations will be what they are. Ultimately, the money and years may or may not match up. I also believe that if a multiyear contract isn't reached this offseason, that doesn't automatically mean 2010 will be J.J.'s final season with the Marlins. Many in my industry disagree with me, and that's their right. But I'm sticking to my position because I haven't heard anything convincing to sway me otherwise.

J.J. is eligible for free agency after the 2011 season, so there is a chance the club can sign him this year or next. There is plenty of time to work out a long-term contract. And like I noted, if a deal isn't reached, then there remains a strong possibility the club will keep J.J. for two years, and -- if he leaves via free agency -- potentially receive two first-round Draft picks as compensation.

Of course, the Marlins can explore trades at any time, but they can do that with any player, if a possible deal makes sense. Obviously, the club's track record of trading away top players speaks for itself. What's different now from 2004 is that there's franchise stability with a new ballpark opening in 2012. The payroll will eventually go up, but the team will continue to spend cautiously. Until the Marlins' revenue stream puts them on more solid financial footing, this is the reality.

If the Marlins are to lose Dan Uggla, how will they overcome losing 30-plus home runs in their lineup with the players they currently have on their roster?
-- Max A., Indianapolis

This is a question I'm asking myself, too. That is a big number to replace. The simple answer is that the players already on the roster can chip in a little bit more. It has worked in the past.

In 2008, the season after Miguel Cabrera was traded to the Tigers, many asked who would pick up the 30 homers and 100 RBIs that Cabrera annually collects. All the 2008 Marlins did was set a team record for most home runs in a season, connecting on 208. Jorge Cantu is a candidate to help pick up the slack. He belted 29 homers in 2008 but just 16 in '09, and he dealt with some nagging injuries that hurt his power numbers.

Hanley Ramirez is also capable of hitting more than the 24 homers he had in 2009. Chris Coghlan finished with nine homers, and perhaps he can be a candidate to hit about 15. Cameron Maybin has power potential, but to expect as many as 15 may be optimistic since we haven't seen him play regularly for extended periods in the big leagues. Prospects Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez each have the potential to reach 20, but they lack experience. So there are internal candidates; it's just a matter of them producing a bit more individually.

What ever happened to Wayne Rosenthal, the Marlins' pitching coach in 2003? Is he still coaching in the big leagues?
-- Sammy S., Homestead, Fla.

When Jack McKeon replaced Jeff Torborg as Marlins manager in May 2003, Rosenthal was promoted from the Marlins' Minor League staff, and he took over for Brad Arnsberg. Rosenthal was Florida's pitching coach from 2003-04, and since then he has been in the Marlins' system, working with their Minor Leaguers. Rosenthal is a highly respected Minor League pitching coordinator and is frequently at the team's complex in Jupiter, Fla. He travels to all of the Marlins' affiliates when necessary to observe and work with pitchers.

Now that the Giants have signed Mark DeRosa to play third base, do you think all of the speculation about Uggla going to the Giants for a pitcher and prospects is dead?
-- Marc O.

The DeRosa signing certainly seems to put to rest any speculation that the Giants are still interested in Uggla. Now, the Giants are still searching for a power bat, but Uggla doesn't appear to be a fit. I expect the Marlins to be very active in January, re-signing their arbitration-eligible players and exploring trades for Uggla and reliever Renyel Pinto.

There remains a chance Uggla can sign with the Marlins, but even if it reaches that point, look for the club to still explore trade options. The closer we get to the start of Spring Training, the more willing teams may be to make a deal. It will be interesting to see if the Marlins sign Uggla, bring him to Spring Training and look to complete a trade before Opening Day. Once teams are in Spring Training, there may be some injuries that re-open a market for Uggla.

I believe the Marlins are close to getting over the hump, but I don't think they have enough quality veteran players to beat the Phillies and Mets in their division. Every year since 2003, they have stayed young but really not shown that they can be a playoff team even though they have great young talent.
-- John D., Boca Raton, Fla.

I know what you're saying, even though in 2003, the Marlins certainly weren't regarded as a veteran team. Josh Beckett was 23 and in his second season, while Cabrera was 20, Dontrelle Willis was 21 and Juan Pierre was 25. Mike Lowell was 29, and Luis Castillo and Derrek Lee were both 27. Players like Lowell and Lee back then had pretty much the same service time as Cody Ross and Jorge Cantu do now. Johnson will be 26 when the season opens, and Ricky Nolasco will be 27 by Opening Day. In '03, Ivan Rodriguez was pretty much the big veteran, until Jeff Conine was acquired late in the season.

Another misconception is that 2003 was the last year the team had veterans. The core of the World Series team was kept through 2005. It was after '05, when the state funding push for the new ballpark collapsed, that all of those trades were made. So the 2004 and '05 Marlins actually had more overall experience than the championship squad.

I mention all of this because there is a lot of revisionist history with the Marlins. But your point is that you'd like to see them have more veterans to compete with the Phillies and Mets. Right now, even with the Mets reaching a deal with Jason Bay, I wouldn't put New York in Philadelphia's class. Catching the Phillies is going to be tough for anyone in the National League East. The Phillies are clearly the class of the division and a strong favorite to reach the World Series again in 2010.

Now, the Marlins expect to challenge for a playoff spot. I agree that this team right now doesn't look like it has enough. Knowing how this organization operates, it will certainly make moves when it has to. The way the front office thinks is that it will see what it has by Opening Day. If there is an area to address, the club will do so by then.

Runzler easy Reliever of the Year pick

When he arrived in Arizona in January to start working out at the San Francisco Giants complex as he rehabbed a stress fracture in his foot, left-hander Dan Runzler's main goal was to be able to take the mound at some point during Spring Training.

Safe to say he exceeded his goal by a fair amount.

Runzler, 24, cruised through four levels of the Minor Leagues this summer, combining to go 5-1 with an 0.76 ERA and 17 saves, striking out 83 batters in 59 innings while scattering 23 hits. He limited hitters to a .116 average, tops among all full-season Minor League relievers, while averaging 12.66 strikeouts per nine innings.

He finished his summer in San Francisco with a September callup by the Giants. There he posted a 1.04 ERA in 11 games, not allowing a run until his final outing and fanning 11 in 8 2/3 innings.

Small wonder that he is MLB.com's Minor League Reliever of the Year for 2009.

Even had Runzler been healthy to start Spring Training, it's unlikely anyone could have imagined the season in store for him.

A 2007 ninth-round Draft pick out of Cal-Riverside, Runzler had posted a 3.44 ERA in 15 games in the Arizona League that summer before moving up to Class A Augusta to open the '08 season. There he struggled with a 5.47 ERA in 20 games, walking 19 in 24 2/3 innings before being sent to join the short-season Salem-Keizer club for the Northwest League season.

After pitching part of the season on what was later diagnosed as a stress fracture on his landing foot, Runzler made sure he would get into pitching shape as early as possible to make up for lost time.

Once deemed ready, he was assigned back to the GreenJackets work group, where he became the primary project of first-year pitching coach Steve Kline, himself a veteran left-handed relief ace making his professional coaching debut.

"He taught me mechanics, but most of what he taught me was mental, about attacking hitters," said Runzler, who posted an 0.68 ERA in 19 games with the GreenJackets before his promotion to Class A Advanced San Jose. "It all started coming together."

But when Kline, a 6-foot-1 225-pound southpaw who retired midway through the 2008 season, looked at the 6-foot-4 230-pound left-handed Runzler, he didn't see a young Steve Kline.

"I saw another freaking Billy Wagner," Kline said, comparing Runzler to one of the most effective southpaw closers in the last decade, Wagner's diminutive stature notwithstanding. "He had such a great arm. All he needed was some confidence and a little luck."

At first, Kline was surprised to get Runzler, thinking a guy with that stuff would likely have headed right to San Jose.

"He had such a great arm, what was the problem? So I watched him throw and felt he just needed a little luck go his way," Kline said. "He started pitching well, and the confidence and the swagger came and it kept carrying over. He's a quick learner and has a really deceptive delivery."

When Runzler moved up to San Jose in early June, he rejoined his 2008 Augusta manager Andy Skeels, who had been tracking his progress from afar.

"It was one of those player development things where you knew if he could just get it figured out a little, he could be devastating," Skeels said. "And after two or three outings here, we started realizing we might not have him here for very long."

Indeed, Runzler continued to dominate with an 0.84 ERA in 19 games at San Jose, an 0.96 ERA in seven games at Double-A Connecticut in his next move up and finally two scoreless games at Triple-A Fresno in the promotion after that.

Through it all, Runzler and Kline kept in touch on a regular basis via text messages and phone calls. Kline, meanwhile, continued to get feedback from scouts who would come through town after having seen Runzler elsewhere.

"They'd say, 'Hey, I saw your kid throw the other day,'" he said. "All these people kept praising him."

Finally, Runzler got the ultimate call, and certainly one he could never have imagined when he got to Arizona in January. While sitting in the bullpen in Las Vegas, his manager told him that he was going up to the big leagues the next day.

"I was shell-shocked," he said. "I had no idea that was coming."

Needless to say, he called Kline for advice and got plenty.

"When he called me to tell him he'd gotten called up, I just told him to make sure he latched onto all those guys in the bullpen," Kline said. "Listen, learn and keep his mouth shut. But I was so happy for him. And I got to see him pitch in the big leagues when they came through Arizona, which made my day."

Runzler made his Major League debut Sept. 4 in an eventual 3-2 win against Milwaukee. Facing left-handed hitting veteran Jody Gerut with a man on second and two outs in a game tied, 2-2, he struck Gerut out on three fastballs.

Often a player who has cruised through the Minors will hit a bump when he reaches the big leagues for the first time. In Runzler's case, he carried his success almost seamlessly through his debut, with the lone blemish coming Oct. 2, when he allowed a solo homer to Padres catcher Henry Blanco in his final outing of the year.

"The one thing Kline kept telling me was that the game doesn't change at every level, you don't have to throw any harder or make your pitches break more," Runzler said. "The hitters get better and while they still have holes, you just have to attack every hitter. Of course, I was nervous up there, but once I got on the mound it all just felt good."

Kline wasn't the only "proud papa" watching Runzler's success. Skeels and the rest of the Giants player development staff looked on with pride and pleasure as well, for many reasons.

"He's one of the all-time quality kids you'll ever meet," Skeels said. "And when you watch his stuff, with that kind of makeup and competitiveness, his success is one of the true successes for player development in any year."

But with all of the coaches and managers who contributed to Runzler's season, Skeels emphasizes that the credit all belongs to the pitcher himself.

"He worked so hard at taking what he was taught, and it takes a lot of faith and confidence to take that out into the game," Skeels said. "It says a lot about the player. It's one of the things we're looking for: aptitude."

Mets bear the Brunt of unassisted triple play

NEW YORK -- Those Major League treasure seekers, looking to unearth the game's rarities, knew they were onto something when play began at Citi Field on Aug. 23.

It started when Angel Pagan, manning the leadoff spot in the absence of the injured Jose Reyes, led off the bottom of the first inning with an inside-the-park home run. That does not happen often. But what really prompted head-scratching from the 39,038 in attendance -- and what solidified the game as perhaps the league's quirkiest of the season -- was what took place in the ninth.

On the verge of righting all their wrongs from the previous eight innings, the Mets, trailing by two runs, brought the potential winning run to the plate with no outs in the ninth. Daniel Murphy led off first base and Luis Castillo off second, before Jeff Francoeur smashed a line drive directly at Phillies second baseman Eric Bruntlett.

The rest is baseball history. Bruntlett snared the liner, stomped on second base to double off Castillo and then tagged Murphy, who was running on the play. Comeback over, just like that.

"The most unbelievable play I've ever been involved in," Francoeur said after the game. "And the sickest ... to end the way it did was a little disheartening."

It was the most unbelievable play Francoeur could remember for a reason. Only once before in Major League history, way back in 1927, had a game ended with an unassisted triple play. And only 14 other times had anyone recorded an unassisted triple play -- the feat remains rarer than a perfect game.

For it to take place eight innings after an inside-the-park home run was incredible. For it to take place smack in the middle of one of baseball's best rivalries was downright astonishing.

"It really is true," Bruntlett said that day. "When you think you've seen it all, you'll have something you've never seen before happen."

Compared to an unassisted triple play, what Pagan did wound up seeming ordinary. Driving Pedro Martinez's second pitch into the left-center-field gap, Pagan raced around second while Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino signaled that the ball was stuck between the ground and the base of the wall.

Umpires did not see it that way, however, and by the time Victorino retrieved the ball and heaved it to the infield, Pagan was already on his way home.

"Some of the stuff that happened today -- I'm just speechless," Victorino said. "I don't know what to say about today's game."

And to think, prior to the game, everyone was focused simply on Martinez's first start back in New York after signing with the Phillies. Martinez wound up being a non-factor, even more so than Pagan.

The day, instead, belonged to Bruntlett, a utility infielder who was in position to make history only because the Mets attempted a double steal with two men on base and no outs in the ninth. Had Castillo and Murphy stayed put, Bruntlett would not have been running toward the second-base bag, which wound have rendered him unable to snare Francoeur's liner. Most likely, the Mets would have had the bases loaded with no outs, rather than the game over with three of them.

Murphy, for his part, reached base only because Bruntlett couldn't glove his ball up the middle moments earlier.

But such is the fickle game of baseball, which Pagan, Victorino, Bruntlett and Francoeur came to know all too well.

"It was a crucial situation," Bruntlett said of the triple play. "It was huge, especially when I was part of the reason that we got into a bad spot there in the ninth. It feels extra special to have that happen there to finish off the game."

Let's review: What a year for Twins

The Twins had high hopes heading into the 2009 season, the club's final year at the Metrodome.

Minnesota was preparing to say goodbye to a building that had housed so many memories since it opened in 1982, including the franchise's only two World Series championships, and the goal was to send off the Dome with one final postseason appearance.

But for much of the season, it looked like perhaps those high hopes would fall short.

The Twins teetered around the .500 mark for the majority of the year, as injuries and some disappointing performances kept the club from achieving its preseason expectations. However, all of that changed over a three-week span in September, in a stretch of baseball that will be hard for Twins fans to forget.

Having trailed as many as seven games behind the Tigers in early September, Minnesota rallied over the final three weeks to win 17 of its final 21 games, including a thrilling one-game tiebreaker for the American League Central with Detroit to give the Twins their fifth division title in eight seasons, providing at least one more lasting playoff memory under the Dome's Teflon roof.

The postseason might not have gone as the Twins had hoped after they were swept by the Yankees in the AL Division Series, but there is no doubt that 2009 was a year that many will never forget. And with the opening of Target Field right around the corner and the Twins set to return many of the same players from last season, the excitement and hopes for the 2010 season will certainly be high once again.

January:

The 2009 calendar year opened with the Twins saying goodbye to longtime owner Carl Pohlad, who passed away on Jan. 5 at the age of 93. More than 1,000 people gathered at The Basilica of St. Mary to pay their final respects to the man who had been at the helm of the organization for the past 25 years.

Joe Mauer informed Team USA early in the month that he would not take part in the World Baseball Classic after undergoing surgery in late December to eliminate a kidney obstruction. Mauer had the surgery in an effort to try to eliminate the back pain he had been experiencing the entire offseason. Unfortunately for Mauer, the true cause of his back problems wouldn't be discovered until Spring Training.

February:

It took until early February for the Twins to make their first free-agent signing of the winter. The club tried to boost its bullpen by signing veteran right-hander Luis Ayala to a one-year contract in hopes that he would give it another quality setup option. It was a pairing that proved to be unsuccessful as the Twins designated Ayala for assignment in late June, and he was claimed by the Marlins.

Spring Training was already under way when the Twins made their biggest acquisition of the winter. The club filled a huge hole at third base, inking third baseman Joe Crede to a one-year, $2.5 million contract that was filled with incentives due to questions surrounding his health. Crede was coming off his second back surgery in two years, but the Twins hoped he would show the same form that earned him an All-Star bid following a stellar first half in 2008.

The Twins had expected to use Spring Training to determine whether pitcher Boof Bonser was going to compete for a starting job or shift to the bullpen. The club didn't get a chance to determine that as Bonser underwent surgery in late February to repair tears in the labrum and rotator cuff of his right shoulder. Bonser would not pitch for the Twins again. After missing all of the 2009 season while rehabbing his shoulder, Bonser was traded to the Red Sox in December for a player to be named (Minor League pitcher Chris Province).

March:

Team USA lost another Twins player from its roster shortly before the World Baseball Classic was set to begin. Closer Joe Nathan pulled out of the event due to soreness in the AC joint of his right shoulder. Fans' concern over Nathan's injury would be short-lived as the pitcher never suffered another setback and was back on the mound within a few days. Nathan went on to set a franchise record with 47 saves in 2009.

A bigger injury concern for the Twins throughout Spring Training was the health of Mauer. The catcher suffered a slight setback in his recovery in early March, and he was later diagnosed with inflammation in his right sacroiliac joint. Mauer went to see a specialist in Baltimore for a second opinion, and the injury would keep him from starting with the club on Opening Day

With Mauer out for the start of the season, Jose Morales earned the backup-catcher spot behind Mike Redmond. It was an emotional moment for the 26-year-old, who suffered a devastating ankle injury in his Major League debut back in 2007 after going 3-for-3 in that game against the White Sox. Morales' bat earned him multiple stints with the club in '09, even after Mauer returned, and he played well enough to put himself in line to be the club's backup catcher for 2010.

April:

Less than a month after receiving a four-year contract from the Twins, Scott Baker saw the opportunity for his first Opening Day start thwarted by injury. Baker was placed on the disabled list with right shoulder stiffness just days before the '09 season was set to kick off. Left-hander Francisco Liriano instead got the nod in the April 6 opener against the Mariners to kick off the club's final season at the Metrodome.

The Twins trailed the Angels, 9-4, when they entered the bottom of the eighth inning on April 17. But the stunning seven-run rally in that frame by Minnesota wasn't the most impressive part of its comeback victory. Instead, it was Jason Kubel hitting for the cycle -- one that concluded with him hitting a grand slam to put the club ahead, 11-9. Kubel was one of three players to hit for the cycle in the same week. He also was part of the first set of teammates to hit for the cycle in the same season since 2003, as Michael Cuddyer followed up the feat with a cycle of his own on May 22 vs. the Brewers.

May:

After the team went 11-11 in the first month without him, Mauer made his long-awaited return to the Twins on the first day of May and promptly hit a home run in his first at-bat. It would be the start of a memorable month for the catcher. He batted .414 while hitting 11 homers along with 32 RBIs. "Those are high school numbers," manager Ron Gardenhire commented afterward. The catcher topped his previous year's home run total (nine) in that first month, putting him on a torrid pace that his teammates nor opponents had seen before.

The Twins were swept in a four-game series at the new Yankee Stadium in mid-May, but the final outcome was a tad misleading. The club suffered walk-off losses in each of the first three games, and it didn't drop a single game in the series by more than two runs. The Twins couldn't wait to leave New York following the series, but it was the start of a troubling trend that Minnesota would have with the Yankees in '09.

There were some unusual injuries that the Twins had to battle through in 2009, but perhaps the strangest were the dizzy spells -- thanks to inner-ear infections -- that plagued Denard Span and Justin Morneau. Span was the first to be sidelined by the ailment, spending 15 days on the disabled list in June due to vestibular neuritis. Morneau later missed six games in late August due to an inner-ear infection of his own.

June:

The Twins felt they got a steal in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft when they selected right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson as their first-round pick. Gibson had been projected as a top 10 pick prior to suffering the forearm fracture that allowed him to fall to the Twins at the No. 22 spot. Minnesota then beat the Aug. 18 deadline to sign Gibson to a contract. It was the start of a strong summer of signing prospects for the organization. Minnesota signed one of the top European prospects in German outfielder Max Kepler, and it also signed highly touted Dominican prospect Miguel Angel Sano to a $3.15 million bonus.

Twins fans have often been credited with traveling strongly on the road, but never before was Twins Territory as well represented as it was at Wrigley Field during an Interleague series in mid-June. In the club's first Interleague series at the famous ballpark in eight years, Twins fans got an early glimpse of what outdoor baseball would be like in Target Field, and they made good use of it. Chants for Mauer could be heard throughout the three-game series as the catcher continued his torrid hitting. The Twins took two out of three from the Cubs, lifting them to an overall 12-6 record in Interleague Play in 2009

July:

The Twins' rotation was dealt a severe blow when Kevin Slowey was placed on the disabled list on July 4 with a strained right wrist. He had to undergo surgery later in the month to remove bone chips from his wrist, forcing the 10-game winner to miss the entire second half of the season. But it was just the start of the injury woes for the rotation. Glen Perkins and Liriano found themselves out of the rotation by mid-August due to Perkins' shoulder issues and a tired arm for Liriano.

For the second consecutive year, the same trio of Twins -- Mauer, Morneau and Nathan -- was once again selected to the All-Star Game. The three Twins earned a trip to St. Louis for the annual Midsummer Classic. Mauer was invited to take part in the Home Run Derby for the first time, but he couldn't make it out of the first round after falling in a tiebreaker.

As the Trade Deadline approached, the trio of All-Stars campaigned for the club to make a move to help put the Twins in a better position to make a run at the postseason. General manager Bill Smith heeded the call by trading for veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the A's. The deal came after Gardenhire had publicly expressed his interest in the shortstop.

August:

With the Twins' rotation in disarray due to injuries and ineffectiveness, Smith helped to boost the group by acquiring veteran pitcher Carl Pavano in a waiver trade with the Indians. Pavano went on to go 5-4 with a 4.64 ERA in 12 regular-season starts for Minnesota. In addition to providing a strong presence on the mound, Pavano proved to be a strong asset to the young starters in the rotation, and he also became a mentor for Morales, as the catcher continued to learn about calling games.

Smith continued to add some critical pieces for the Twins' late-season push by acquiring relievers Jon Rauch and Ron Mahay in late August. Smith traded right-hander Kevin Mulvey, one of the prospects from the Johan Santana trade, to the D-backs in exchange for Rauch, and Mahay was signed after he was released by the Royals. The club had been searching for bullpen help prior to the Trade Deadline, and finally, it was able to bring in some extra arms to carry the load down the stretch.

September:

The Twins trailed the Tigers by seven games on Sept. 6, and it looked like it would be an uphill battle to get back in the race. But Minnesota held on to the notion that it still had seven head-to-head matchups with Detroit over its final 16 contests. And each of those contests would prove to be critical down the stretch.

Minnesota's playoff chances appeared to be dealt a severe blow when the club lost Morneau to a lower back injury on Sept. 15. Morneau was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his L5 vertebra, ending his season. The Twins were 5 1/2 games back of the Tigers when Morneau went down with the injury, and many pundits labeled it as the end of Minnesota's postseason chances. Instead, it marked the start of the club's remarkable run to end the regular season -- winning 17 of its final 21 games.

With Morneau out, the Twins had to turn to other players to help carry the load, and that's exactly what Cuddyer did while taking over at first base. Cuddyer had one of the best months of his career, batting .325 with eight homers and 24 RBIs in the final 21 games of the regular season.

October:

The Twins organization had planned a big sendoff for the Metrodome during the final weekend of the regular season, but the team had other ideas. By sweeping the Royals in what was supposed to be its final three games at the Metrodome, Minnesota finished tied atop the division with the Tigers at 86 wins. So for the second straight season, the AL Central title came down to a one-game tiebreaker. This time, the Twins were hosting, ensuring that the Metrodome would indeed host at least one more game.

It took 12 innings and numerous lead changes before the Twins finally managed to stave off the Tigers thanks to Alexi Casilla's walk-off single. The one-game tiebreaker was considered one of the best regular-season games in not only Twins history but in all of baseball. There were plenty of chances for both teams, but it was the Twins who found a way to outlast the Tigers and earn a postseason trip to New York to face the Yankees. It was a quick and disappointing playoff experience for the Twins, as they were swept in three games by the eventual World Series champions. Minnesota finished the year going 0-10 against the Yankees.

Although the Twins' impressive run came to an end earlier than the club had wanted, it allowed Morneau and Nathan to have a little longer recovery time following cleanup surgeries after the season was over. Morneau had a bone chip removed from his right wrist while Nathan saw noted surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, to have bone chips removed from his right elbow.

November:

Just two days after the World Series ended, the Twins got the Hot Stove season off to a quick start by completing a trade with the Brewers for shortstop J.J. Hardy in exchange for outfielder Carlos Gomez. Hardy will fill the club's hole in the middle of the infield while also alleviating the logjam in Minnesota's outfield.

The traditional month for awards season belonged to Mauer, as the Twins catcher reaped the rewards from his dominant 2009 season. Mauer took home his second straight Gold Glove Award and his third Silver Slugger honor, but it was his first AL MVP Award that truly capped off a special year. With the MVP honor in hand, all the talk surrounding Mauer turned to whether the Twins would be able to sign him to a contract extension this winter, as the catcher is entering the final season of his four-year contract. It's a topic that's likely to dominate the start of 2010 as well.

December:

The Winter Meetings in Indianapolis were relatively quiet as usual for the Twins, although the team was able to fill one key need on Day 1 when Pavano accepted its arbitration offer. Pavano's return ensures that the Twins will have at least one veteran pitcher in their starting rotation.

Tough finish can't mar Cards' great '09

ST. LOUIS -- A disappointing end can't overshadow a terrific summer.

For the first time in three years, the Cardinals played playoff baseball, and they did so after being forecast to finish as an also-ran. A strong start, despite injuries, put St. Louis in position to make some moves before the non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Once those moves were made, a contending team turned into a freight train. The Redbirds roared through August, turning a close race into a runaway. They stumbled a bit in September but still popped champagne with more than a week to spare, and made it to their seventh postseason this decade.

That it ended in three games shouldn't change what happened in the previous six months.

January
The omens were mixed as the new year began. In mid-January, the Cardinals learned that Troy Glaus would require right shoulder surgery that would sideline him for several weeks. As it turned out, the operation cost Glaus nearly the entire season and led to a lengthy scramble at third base until the Cards traded for Mark DeRosa in June.

There was also good injury news, though. Chris Carpenter began throwing in January, initiating a throwing program that led to a normal Spring Training and a superb season. The club knew its fortunes rested largely on Carpenter's health -- 28 excellent starts later, St. Louis was playing in the playoffs.

As the offseason rolled on, the Cardinals confirmed what was already becoming quite obvious: that their 2009 closer would come from in-house, rather than a free-agent signing or trade. At the time, though, it appeared that Jason Motte or Chris Perez would win the job.

February
It was a fairly quiet Spring Training for the Cardinals, though not entirely uneventful. The big news for much of camp was Skip Schumaker's transition from the outfield to second base. Schumaker put in long hours before and after workouts, concentrating on getting his defense up to snuff.

While the World Baseball Classic ravaged some teams' rosters, only one Cardinal headed off for the international competition. Yadier Molina represented the Puerto Rican team. Meanwhile, Joel Pineiro was irked when Puerto Rico chose not to use him as a starter, so he stayed back rather than pitching in relief. Albert Pujols passed on the competition.

March
The closer competition dominated much of the news coming out of Spring Training, and for much of March it wasn't a very big competition. Motte consistently impressed, and before the Cardinals broke camp, Perez had been sent down.

The Cardinals made a move during spring, adding left-handed reliever Dennys Reyes on a two-year contract. Reyes shored up an area that had been a bit short of depth.

Third base, which appeared to be a position of great depth for the Redbirds, instead saw one headache after another. Glaus' recovery showed its first signs of progressing slowly. David Freese was slowed by injury, though he managed to get back to camp in time to make the Opening Day roster. Joe Mather struggled and didn't go north with the big club.

April
Opening Day was a frustrating day for the home fans, as Adam Wainwright turned in a solid 5 1/3 innings but the Cards' bullpen couldn't hold the lead. Motte's first day as the primary closer was, it turned out, his last. Motte allowed four runs and took the blown save and loss.

A day later, though, things started to brighten, as Colby Rasmus got his first big league hit in the team's first win. The good feelings continued when Carpenter's 2009 debut was a raging success, and even the bullpen didn't stay chaotic for long. Ryan Franklin began to emerge as the closer, and fared well when he got opportunities.

However, in mid-month, one of the club's greatest fears was realized. Carpenter went on the disabled list due to a ribcage injury, and he ended up missing five weeks. Ultimately, those lost starts likely cost him the Cy Young Award.

May
After a 16-win April, things got a little tougher for the Cardinals in May. Already dealing without Carpenter, injuries began to mount in the season's second month.

Rick Ankiel suffered several injuries in a frightening crash into the outfield wall at Busch Stadium, one that sent him to the DL. Ryan Ludwick followed him on the injured list when he strained a hamstring. And Khalil Greene went to the DL as he attempted to conquer an anxiety disorder.

On the pitching side, what would eventually turn into a bizarre and frustrating year for Kyle Lohse started turning sour in May. Lohse dealt with a series of physical issues, the biggest of which was a forearm strain.

However, Carpenter made his return in grand form, giving a huge boost to the rotation, and even with all the trials the Redbirds managed a respectable 13-14 month. At season's end, surviving May turned out to be as critical as any winning streak.

June
As buildup for the All-Star Game steamed forward, the Cardinals endured their worst month in June. Yet even as they scuffled, so did the rest of the division -- and a 12-17 record saw them only lose one game on first place.

Lohse was placed on the DL on June 5 as his forearm injury lingered, just one part of a difficult pitching month for St. Louis. The Cardinals allowed just under five runs per game for the entire month, an ugly average.

Off the field, the Cardinals garnered a great deal of acclaim for their first-round Draft pick, Texas high school right-hander Shelby Miller.

Manager Tony La Russa picked up his 2,500th win in Kansas City, becoming just the third skipper in history to reach that milestone.

At the end of the month, a slumping team got a shot in the arm with the acquisition of DeRosa. The Cardinals sent Perez and a player to be named later (Jess Todd) to acquire DeRosa to fill their third-base hole.

July
The season really began to turn when the calendar flipped to July. After losing six of their final seven June games, the Cardinals won three straight and seven of nine to open July. Pujols was named the player of the month for June, and on July 2, the Cardinals signed Dominican teen Wagner Mateo -- though that deal was later called off due to concern over Mateo's vision.

The Cards sent three players to the All-Star Game, two of them first-timers. Pujols was joined by Yadier Molina and Franklin, and he also put on a show before falling short in the Home Run Derby.

DeRosa went on the disabled list with a wrist injury, though he returned after the break, and Lohse was activated though still not completely right.

The big news came late in the month, though. In the span of two days, the Cardinals remade their offense with trades for Matt Holliday and Julio Lugo. The revamped offense unloaded on the Phillies in its first game together, and began a torrid stretch that put the division race away.

August
After the front office put the pieces in place in June and July, the team on the field steamrolled in August. St. Louis roared to a 20-6 record on the month, allowing barely three runs per game. Holliday was spectacular in his first full month as a Cardinal, the pitching locked into place, and everything came together. On the morning of Aug. 1, the Cardinals led the NL Central by one-half game. On the morning of Sept. 1, the margin was 10 games.

Still the tinkering wasn't done. John Smoltz came on board as insurance for the rotation and the bullpen, and turned in a series of fine starts.

Everything simply went smoothly as the Cards won one series after another, going the entire month without losing consecutive games.

September
The final full month of the regular season saw a bit of the summer euphoria fade. Franklin had some rough games, the offense fell quiet, and worry started to build as to how well the Redbirds would fare in October.

Even so, September also brought some tremendous high points -- none higher than the Sept. 26 clincher in Denver. Wainwright pitched a brilliant game, Jason LaRue starred after coming off the bench and the Cardinals won one of their most dramatic and hardest-fought games of the year.

Also in September, Carpenter pitched a spectacular one-hitter against the Brewers in Milwaukee, Pujols hit a game-winning extra-inning homer in Pittsburgh, and the Cardinals agreed to contract extensions with Franklin and lefty reliever Trever Miller.

October
As quickly as the Cardinals stormed into control of the NL Central, they were eliminated from the postseason even faster. A three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers seemed to be over before it even started. The Cards didn't hit much and were also done in by some shaky bullpen work and Holliday's infamous misplay in the outfield at Dodger Stadium in Game 2.

While the Cards missed the World Series, they were represented during the Fall Classic. Pujols won the Roberto Clemente Award, one of baseball's most prestigious honors, which was announced at the World Series.

At the end of the month, the club announced that La Russa would be back for a 15th season as manager, and that Mark McGwire would serve as his hitting coach.

November
When the postseason ends, awards season begins, and it was a busy one for the Cardinals.

Pujols received his third National League Most Valuable Player award and second in a row, as well as the Hank Aaron Award and his fifth Silver Slugger. Wainwright and Yadier Molina picked up Gold Gloves, while La Russa and Rasmus received consideration for Manager of the Year and Rookie of the Year, respectively. There was one big disappointment, though, when Wainwright and Carpenter both finished behind Tim Lincecum in Cy Young voting.

The month ended with the team's first offseason transaction, as backup catcher LaRue agreed to return for a third season.

December
Work toward building the 2010 team started really moving along in December. The Cardinals offered arbitration to three of their free agents -- Holliday, DeRosa and Pineiro -- while declining to offer to their only other rated free agent, Glaus.

The club made two moves at baseball's annual Winter Meetings. The bigger one was signing free-agent right-hander Brad Penny to a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $7.5 million. Additionally, they selected Ben Jukich in the Rule 5 Draft.

In mid-December, Freese was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.

Red Sox unfulfilled in up-and-down season

Eventful as always, the Red Sox made their share of news in 2009 and produced yet another 95-win season.

While one of general manager Theo Epstein's annual goals is to field a postseason-caliber club each year, the Red Sox again were just that. It was their sixth journey into October in Epstein's seven years as GM. But this time, the Red Sox fell far short of their ultimate goal, getting swept out of the Division Series by the Angels.

There were standout performances on the field from the likes of Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Jason Bay, Jonathan Papelbon and in-season pickup Victor Martinez.

By the close of the calendar year, there was much excitement following the signing of John Lackey. The Red Sox again established themselves as a team that held the attention of New England for a full 12 months.

Here is a look back at 2009.

January: Bogged down in Mark Teixeira sweepstakes -- that ultimately proved unsuccessful -- for much of the previous month, the Red Sox spent the first month of 2009 adding new players. The acquisition of future Hall of Famer John Smoltz -- one year at $5.5 million -- created much excitement, even though the player and the club agreed that the right-hander wouldn't take the mound in a game until roughly June 1. Epstein took another shot on a once successful pitcher coming off an injury-plagued season when he snagged Brad Penny off the free-agent market with a one-year deal. Penny wasn't the only ex-Dodger to come to Boston. Reliever Takashi Saito, a former star closer, was another free-agent acquisition who fell in to the low-risk, high-reward category.

And in a somewhat heartwarming story, the club unveiled outfielder Rocco Baldelli -- the pride of Rhode Island -- at the annual Boston Baseball Writers Dinner. Because of an ailment that causes excessive muscle fatigue, Boston signed Baldelli to be a part-time player and, they hoped, a force against left-handed pitching. While Epstein's main focus was the 2009 team, he looked ahead and secured Youkilis with a four-year, $41.25 million deal.

The Sox avoided arbitration with star closer Papelbon, agreeing on a one-year, $6.25 million pact. And Boston finally had a resolution to stalled contract talks with captain Jason Varitek, bringing the catcher back with a one-year, $5 million deal that included dual options for 2010.

But perhaps the best story of the month regarded one of the team's former stars, as Jim Rice was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his 15th and final try on the BBWAA ballot.

February: A couple of weeks before camp even started, one player already had an injury. OF-1B Mark Kotsay underwent back surgery, and the club set a May 1 time-table for his return. In one of the feel-good days of every New England winter, the equipment truck left Fenway on the 6th, with Johnny Pesky, the team's most enthusiastic ambassador, turning on the ignition in ceremonious fashion.

Once Spring Training opened, the big storyline was a potential shortstop battle between veteran Julio Lugo and young Jed Lowrie. Some alarms were sounded when right fielder J.D. Drew left camp to get an injection for his troublesome back. But it turned out to be nothing more than a precaution.

March: The month started with several of the team's key players departing for the World Baseball Classic, including David Ortiz, Bay, Youkilis and Pedroia. Because of travel logistics, Daisuke Matsuzaka had already been in Japan, and wasn't expected to report to Fort Myers until after the Classic.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox took it slow with Penny, pushing back his first Grapefruit League start so he could fully re-strengthen his shoulder. In an outing that proved to be a glimpse of what would become a significant storyline during the season, prospect Daniel Bard lit up the radar gun in Boston's exhibition game against Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic entry. Bard blew a 99-mph fastball by Pudge Rodriguez and hit 100 mph against Mike Aviles.

There was reason for optimism on the injury front when third baseman Mike Lowell, coming off right hip surgery, made his exhibition appearance on March 10.

Thanks to the elimination of Canada and the Dominican Republic in the Classic, the Sox got Ortiz and Bay back on March 12. The next day, word started spreading around that Lester, an anchor of the rotation, had signed a five-year contract which included an option for 2014. Lugo essentially had to relinquish his shortstop battle with Lowrie when an MRI revealed that he needed right knee surgery. Pedroia and Youkilis returned from the World Baseball Classic early with what proved, in both cases, to be minor injuries that didn't linger. Catcher Josh Bard's second stint with the Red Sox was even more short-lived than his first, as he was released on March 18. George Kottaras won the role as Tim Wakefield's personal catcher.

The Red Sox broke out their bats in dominant fashion in the March 23 exhibition against the Tigers, walloping four consecutive homers against Brandon Lyon, bringing back memories of the April 22, 2007, game against the Yankees. Lowell, Bay, Chris Carter and Ivan Ochoa were the ones who took Lyon over the wall, thrilling the City of Palms Park crowd. Matsuzaka led Japan to the World Baseball Classic again, being named Most Valuable Player, just as he was in 2006. Dice-K made his first appearance in Boston's camp on March 27. Despite a lights-out camp, Clay Buchholz was informed that he would start the year in Triple-A. However, he would be heard from again.

April: The Red Sox concluded Spring Training by traveling to New York and helping the Mets unveil Citi Field with two exhibition games. For the first time since 2002, there was a season-opener at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox faced off against the Rays, the team that eliminated them in Game 7 of the 2008 American League Championship Series. Thanks to rain, the game was played one day late. For the Red Sox, the wait was well worth it, with Josh Beckett leading the charge in a 5-3 victory and Pedroia belting the first pitch he saw in 2009 for a home run over the Green Monster. The highlight of the pregame ceremonies occurred when Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, who would die later in the year because of brain cancer, threw out the first pitch.

One of the best games of the month was on April 11, when Bay clubbed two clutch homers en route to a 5-4 thriller at Anaheim. There was more drama the next day when Bobby Abreu called time and Beckett still went through with the pitch and buzzed the outfielder. Both benches emptied, but no punches were thrown. Beckett got suspended for six games. Suddenly, the Red Sox went from a shortstop battle to attrition. Lowrie had recurring problems with his left wrist and needed surgery. The job was in the hands of journeyman Nick Green, a non-roster invitee to camp.

It was clear that the World Baseball Classic was not a good thing for Matsuzaka, who was pulled after the first inning of his second start with shoulder fatigue. He would go on the DL. While that April 14 game required a big effort from the Boston bullpen in a 12-inning loss, Wakefield got his team off the mat the next day. The knuckleballer had a no-hitter for 7 1/3 innings and wound up going the distance, helping the struggling Sox improve their record to 3-6.

On April 19, Beckett received word that his suspension was reduced to five games. The first Red Sox-Yankees encounter of the season did not disappoint, with Bay clubbing a two-run, game-tying homer against Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth. Kevin Youkilis belted a walk-off blast in the 11th. The next day, the Red Sox quickly erased a 6-0 deficit against A.J. Burnett, thanks to a grand slam from Varitek. They went on to a 16-11 win. But the most memorable moment of the weekend came in the sweep-capping Sunday night finale. That is when Jacoby Ellsbury stole home against Andy Pettitte. Lugo returned to action on April 27, sharing time with Green at short. The Sox concluded the month 14-8, tied with the Blue Jays for first place in the American League East.

May: The Red Sox's first visit to the new Yankee Stadium was short and memorable, as they swept their rivals in a two-game set. The Red Sox made history on May 7 vs. the Indians, scoring 12 runs in the sixth inning before making an out in a 13-3 win. The baseball world got some sad news on May 8, with the death of Dominic DiMaggio. The brother of the legendary Joe DiMaggio, Dom was a stellar center fielder who played his entire career with the Red Sox. He was 92.

The future became the present on May 10 when Bard, the righty with electric stuff, was recalled from the Minors. He would stay in the bullpen for the rest of the season. Boston lost the key bat of Youkilis for a short stint, as the first baseman went on the DL on May 12. One of the most memorable losses of the season came two days later in Anaheim, when Ortiz went 0-for-7 and tied a franchise record by leaving 12 men on base in a 5-4 loss in 12 innings. After the game, a despondent Ortiz, still without a homer on the season, declined comment, saying only, "Sorry, guys, I don't feel like talking right now. Just put down 'Papi stinks.'

Things were getting so bad for Ortiz that manager Terry Francona gave him the entire weekend series at Seattle off. A day after Ortiz returned to the lineup, he celebrated with his first home run of the season on May 20 vs. the Blue Jays. However, he would go homerless for the rest of the month. Matsuzaka returned to the mound on May 22, pitching against the great John Santana. The Mets rolled to a 5-3 win. Ortiz was moved to the No. 6 spot in the lineup on May 27, marking the first time since 2004 Francona had batted him anywhere but third or fourth. Francona was so worked up while being ejected from a May 28 win over the Blue Jays that he had to be treated for high blood pressure immediately after the game. The manager admitted he thought he was going to collapse on the field. He did not miss any games.

After a poor start to his season, Lester signaled that he was on the verge of a rebound by dominating the Blue Jays on May 30, striking out 12 over six innings. By the end of the month, the Sox were 29-22, a half-game behind the Yankees.

June: Matsuzaka finally had a good result in an increasingly frustrating season, picking up his first win on June 2 at Detroit. It would be his last until September. Ortiz hit home run No. 2 on the season on June 6 against the Rangers, and finally settled into a power groove. That same night, Lester took a perfect game into the seventh inning. He wound up with a two-hit, 11-strikeout gem. The Red Sox continued to dominate the Yankees, sweeping them at Fenway to make it eight in a row. It was the first time the Sox took the first eight of a season-series against New York since 1912.

The Red Sox played in front of a record 500th consecutive sellout at Fenway on June 17, riding Penny's 100th career win. Matsuzaka was booed off the mound in a June 19 loss to the Braves and was placed back on the disabled list by the time the weekend was out. Derek Lowe, a hero from the 2004 Red Sox, pitched at Fenway for the first time in five years, but in a losing cause. Green made Father's Day a game to remember, clubbing a walk-off homer around Pesky's Pole.

Smoltz made his debut for the Sox on June 25 at Washington, but was pounded. Unfortunately, it became a recurring theme. Ortiz reached the 1,000-RBI milestone with a homer that same night.

Lowell had more problems with his hip by late in the month, and was placed on the disabled list until after the All-Star break. On June 27, Wakefield tied Roger Clemens for most starts in Sox history, earning a 1-0 victory at Atlanta. The Red Sox were 47-30 at the end of June, leading the division by 2 1/2 games.

July: The month began with Papelbon surpassing Bob Stanley for first place on the team's all-time save list. Remarkably, it took Papelbon less than four seasons to break the record. The next day was an off-day, and Bay spent it by being sworn in as a U.S. citizen. Six Red Sox players were selected to the All-Star team, with Wakefield the most notable among them. It was the first All-Star berth for the venerable right-hander.

It was an emotional July 6 at Fenway, when former icon Nomar Garciaparra returned to the park for the first time since he was traded in July 2004. Garciaparra, playing for the Oakland Athletics, received a thunderous ovation. Smoltz, meanwhile, made his Fenway debut and was unimpressive on a night the Sox were shut down by lefty Brett Anderson. Ortiz pounded career homer No. 300 in an 8-6 loss to the Royals. Beckett closed out the first half with a complete-game gem, notching career win No. 100 against Kansas City. When his wife Kelli went into premature labor, Pedroia relinquished his spot on the All-Star team. The Sox went into the break leading the division by three games. No Red Sox player had a more memorable experience than Papelbon, who earned the win in a game he set up Rivera, a man he has long idolized.

After the break, the Red Sox parted ways with the underachieving Lugo, designating him for assignment and eventually trading him to the Cardinals. Meanwhile, Buchholz earned his trip out of the Minor Leagues, kicking off the second half with a win over Toronto. Lowell and Lowrie returned from the disabled list. The Red Sox announced there would be no more contract talks with Bay until after the season, perhaps the first sign of where things were headed. The bats went ice-cold after Buchholz's win, losing the next five games. But help was on the way, when Epstein announced a trade with the Pirates for Adam LaRoche.

With Wakefield's back in duress, Buchholz returned to the rotation for good. Rice, meanwhile, was enshrined in Cooperstown along with Rickey Henderson on July 26.

There was a stunner on July 30, when the New York Times reported that Ortiz and former Sox star Manny Ramirez were among 104 players who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during baseball's survey testing in 2003. Ortiz confirmed the positive result, but vowed that he had never taken steroids. Big Papi kept the distraction out of his mind enough that day to clock a game-winning homer in a matinee against the Oakland Athletics.

Epstein went back to the trade market on July 31, acquiring the elite bat of Victor Martinez from the Indians. Suddenly, LaRoche, a Red Sox for all of a week, was expendable, and he was traded to the Braves for Casey Kotchman. By month's end, the Sox trailed the Yankees by 1 1/2 games.

August: In his second game with the Sox, Martinez announced his presence with authority, going 5-for-6 in a romp over the Orioles. After landing a sweep in Baltimore, things went downhill fast for the Sox. They were swept in two games at Tampa Bay, and then in four straight in New York by the Yankees. The series in New York started with Smoltz getting belted around, and then designated for assignment the next day. Ortiz had a packed press conference in New York that weekend to discuss his inclusion on the list of 104. He said that he was careless about taking supplements in '03, but still wasn't sure what triggered the positive test.

The Sox turned things around when they got home. They got the first Major League win from Junichi Tazawa, a right-hander from Japan. Lowell aided Tazawa's cause by ripping a grand slam off the bench on a night Youkilis was ejected when he charged the mound after being plunked by Detroit righty Rick Porcello. Youkilis was suspended for five games. Beloved NESN commentator Jerry Remy, out for most of the season as he recovered from lung cancer, revealed that his return to the booth had been delayed by depression.

Epstein acquired an old friend on Aug. 14, acquiring shortstop Alex Gonzalez from the Reds. At last, Boston had some stability at short. One of the best wins of the season came on Aug. 15 at Texas, when Martinez tied it up with a clutch two-run single in the ninth. The ever-busy Epstein acquired still more help for the stretch run, landing Billy Wagner from the Mets. Wagner, an elite closer, turned into Papelbon's setup man. Big Papi turned back the clock on Aug. 26, ripping two homers, including a walk-off blast that sank the White Sox. And Ellsbury stole his 55th base, surpassing Tommy Harper for the single-season club record. The last game of August was a feel-good game for Boston, as Paul Byrd came out of semi-retirement to defeat the Blue Jays. Boston finished the month 6 1/2 games behind the Yankees, but with a four-game cushion in the Wild Card standings.

September: In a statement series, the Sox took two out of three at Tropicana Field against the Rays, ending their futility at a place they had struggled at in recent years. On Sept. 15, Matsuzaka showed how productive his three-month rehab had been, pitching brilliantly in a win over the Angels. The next night, the Sox came back three times against the Angels, riding a bloop single by Gonzalez to a walk-off win.

The Sox lost to the Jays on Sept. 29, but were able to celebrate a Wild Card berth about three hours later when the Rangers lost at Anaheim. Most of Boston's players came back to the clubhouse and had the usual champagne ritual, despite the unusual circumstances of having to wait around. Once again, the Red Sox would be playing the Angels in the Division Series.

October: Boston's run of October dominance against the Angels came to an end. This time, the Red Sox had no answers for the team they had eliminated in 2004, 2007 and 2008. Lackey -- remember that name -- stymied the Sox in Game 1, outdueling Lester. One bad inning was enough to beat Beckett in Game 2, as Boston couldn't come up with any answers for Jered Weaver. When the series returned to Boston, it seemed the Red Sox were still capable of some of those comeback heroics that had marked previous postseason runs. Papelbon had a 6-4 lead with two outs and two strikes in the ninth and Lester was set to pitch Game 4 on three days' rest. But there would not be a Game 4, as Papelbon suffered the first postseason meltdown of his career. Vladimir Guerrero produced the game-winning hit, an RBI single to center.

Long-time Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills got some great news when the Astros hired him as their manager. Jed Hoyer, Epstein's assistant, had the same type of fortune when the Padres named him their general manager. But pitching coach John Farrell told the Indians he was staying in Boston rather than pursuing a chance to be their manager. Wakefield underwent back surgery on Oct. 21, and the prognosis was optimistic.

November: Epstein's first move of the winter was a modest one, as he got outfielder Jeremy Hermida in a trade with the Marlins. A first-round Draft pick, Hermida struggled mightily in 2009.

Instead of picking up Wakefield's option, the Red Sox restructured his contract and signed him to a two-year deal. Boston declined its option on Gonzalez. The Red Sox declined their $5 million player option on Varitek, but the captain exercised his $3 million option. Though it seemed like just a cursory chat at the time, it was reported on Nov. 13 that the Red Sox met with Lackey's agent, Steve Hilliard.

Boston filled the vacancy left by Mills by shifting third-base coach DeMarlo Hale to bench coach, moving Tim Bogar from the first-base box to third, and promoting Triple-A manager Ron Johnson to first-base coach.

December:The Sox found their new shortstop, signing Type A free agent Marco Scutaro to a two-year deal that included an option for a third year. At the Winter Meetings, the Red Sox didn't make any major moves, but announced that top prospect Casey Kelly would focus exclusively on being a pitcher. Meanwhile, the club worked out a tentative deal to send Lowell and cash to the Rangers for catching prospect Max Ramirez. But that was voided when it was revealed Lowell needed right thumb surgery.

The Sox made a big splash on Dec. 16, unveiling Lackey and outfielder Mike Cameron at Fenway press conferences. Both were signed off the free-agent market. Lackey signed for five years at $82.5 million while Cameron agreed to a two-year, $15.5 million pact. Both moves signified that Bay had likely played his last game for Boston.

Halos rise out of tragedy to success in '09

It was a season of tragedy and triumph for the Angels. The high achievements of 2009 came in the wake of the shock and mourning of a disbelieving, unspeakable loss.

The season was not yet a week old when Nick Adenhart, a 22-year-old pitcher of immense promise, was killed in an auto wreck caused by an alleged drunk driver along with two companions, Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson. There was one survivor, and Jon Wilhite would provide inspiration with his miraculous recovery, tossing out the ceremonial first pitch before games in Oakland and Anaheim.

It took them two full months to find their bearings, but once they did, the Angels went to work with an offense unmatched in franchise history in support of a pitching staff that was patched together until the final month, when the arrival of lefty Scott Kazmir in a deal with Tampa Bay created what manager Mike Scioscia would call his "best and deepest rotation in my 10 years here."

Early-season injuries to starters John Lackey and Ervin Santana -- neither would debut until mid-May -- and injuries to setup men Scot Shields and Jose Arredondo places a severe strain on the entire pitching staff. Reinforcements arrived regularly to plug holes, with journeyman Matt Palmer especially vital with his work, both as a starter and reliever, over the course of the season.

After a drubbing by the Rays in Florida on June 11 left them at 29-29 and 4 ½ games off the pace, Scioscia took the club to task, promising changes if the club didn't turn it around.

Responding to a rare display of raw emotion from their leader, the Angels took heart -- and took flight. A month later, they were in first place in the American League West to stay, en route to a third consecutive division title and fifth in six years.

The season's high point would arrive in Boston when the Angels completed a three-game ALDS sweep of the Red Sox with a four-run rally with two out in the ninth inning of Game 3 at Fenway Park.

Disappointment was lurking at Yankee Stadium, where the Angels would fall in Game 6 to the eventual World Series champion Yankees in the AL Championship Series.

Given how the season had begun, falling two wins shy of a World Series with 97 regular-season victories and five in the postseason represented a remarkable accomplishment by the Angels and Scioscia, who was rewarded with his second AL Manager of the Year award.

Slugging first baseman Kendry Morales finished fifth in the AL MVP voting, with third baseman Chone Figgins and right fielder Bobby Abreu also drawing MVP support. Despite missing a month with a groin injury that would lead to postseason surgery for a sports hernia, center fielder Torii Hunter won his ninth consecutive Gold Glove and first Silver Slugger Award.

A month-by-month rundown of the season's main developments:

January

The city of Anaheim dropped its legal challenge to the Angels' name when the City Council voted unanimously to discontinue efforts to restore the Anaheim Angels. The city had argued that team owner Arte Moreno violated the city-owned stadium lease agreement when he changed the name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2005. A California appeals court ruled against the city late in 2008, and an Orange County Superior court jury sided with the team in 2006.

When Jon Garland signed with Arizona as a free agent, the fifth spot in the rotation was thrown open with Dustin Moseley, Shane Loux and Adenhart among those competing for the role. As it turned out, all three would be in the rotation when the season opened with Lackey and Santana both experiencing arm ailments that would sideline them for about six weeks.

February

In honor of Preston Gomez, who passed away on Jan. 13 after spending his final 28 years in the Angels organization, it was announced that Scioscia, the coaching staff and the players would wear black "PRESTON" patches on their sleeves for all home and road games. Gomez, 85, died following complications from injuries sustained last March when he was struck by a truck while walking to his car at a service station. He was on his way home to Southern California from the Angels' Spring Training site.

Santana, 26, agreed on to a four-year contract extension through 2012. The club holds an option for a fifth year.

The early reports on starter Kelvim Escobar, coming back from labrum surgery, and outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., rebounding from knee surgery, were extremely optimistic. Escobar was hoping to reclaim a spot in the rotation by midseason, but his return would last only one start, in Detroit in early June, before he was forced to shut it down for the season. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero (knee surgery) and catcher Mike Napoli (shoulder surgery) also expressed confidence that they'd be ready to go by the start of the season, gradually working into game condition.

March

Two important additions -- Abreu and closer Brian Fuentes -- began settling into their new environment. Abreu's popularity in the clubhouse quickly spread, and he would become a huge presence for younger teammates as the season evolved. Fuentes wrestled with some early aches and pains that forced him to withdraw from Team USA's World Baseball Classic roster.

Santana began experiencing elbow pain that would result in a collateral ligament sprain. An All-Star in '08 for the first time, Santana would not make his first start until May 14.

With the season a week away, Lackey was found to have a strain and inflammation in his right forearm, but it was unrelated to a right triceps strain, which cost him the first six weeks of the '08 season. Lackey was administered a cortisone shot and given anti-inflammatory medication. He would not make his '09 debut until May 16.

Adenhart's final Cactus League start had him positioned to open the season in the rotation. With superior command and stuff, the gifted right-hander issued just four walks in 18 spring innings, going 6 2/3 innings and yielding two runs in his final outing against the Cubs. He did not give up a home run all spring.

April

With Lackey and Santana on the DL, Joe Saunders -- a 2008 AL All-Star -- earned the Opening Day start and responded with 6 2/3 shutout innings in a 3-0 win over the Athletics at Angel Stadium.

Hours after pitching six scoreless innings against the A's in his fourth Major League start, Adenhart was killed in a hit-and-run crash that occurred at about 12:30 a.m. PT on April 9 in nearby Fullerton, Calif.

"After making phone calls to a lot of players and coaches, disbelief was prevalent," general manager Tony Reagins said. "We are all in shock."

Hunter, the clubhouse leader, spoke for teammates when he said, "He was so excited to show the organization and the fans that he belongs in the Major Leagues. And then now, it's all over." The game scheduled against the A's that night was postponed.

Remembering Adenhart with a pregame ceremony and unveiling No. 34 uniform patches they would wear in his honor, the Angels returned to the field on Friday, April 10, with a stirring 6-3 triumph over the Red Sox in front of Adenhart's parents. Slowed during the spring by shoulder and back issues, Jered Weaver gave up one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings, setting in motion what would be a superb season dedicated to his good friend, Adenhart.

The opening homestand ended with a brouhaha involving the Red Sox, whose starter, Josh Beckett, threw a ball in the direction of Abreu's head after time was called. Both dugouts and bullpens emptied, but Beckett was allowed to remain in the game, which eventually was claimed by the Angels. Beckett was later suspended for six games, reduced to five, while Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher drew a one-game suspension.

Vladiimir Guerrero, discovering he'd torn a chest muscle making a throw in an exhibition game at Dodger Stadium, was placed on the disabled list on April 18. Reduced to DH duty, Guerrero would play only 100 games.

The Angels were 9-12 and 3 ½ games out of first in the AL West when a turbulent and troubling month finally ended with a loss in New York to the Yankees.

May

Unheralded Matt Palmer, filling a void in the rotation, outdueled CC Sabathia at Yankee Stadium, helping Weaver and Saunders solidify the rotation.

Saunders delivered his first big league shutout on May 9, outdueling Royals ace Zack Greinke, 1-0, while holding Kansas City to five hits and one walk at Angel Stadium.

Lackey was tossed out of his season debut in Texas after throwing two pitches that forced leadoff man Ian Kinsler to duck. Lackey would start two days later and pick up a win in Seattle. The next day, Palmer -- en route to a 6-0 start, best-ever by a 30-year-old Major League rookie -- outdueled another ace, the Mariners' Felix Hernandez.

June

After a 4-5 trip through Toronto, Detroit and Tampa Bay left the club at .500 and Scioscia in a lather, the Angels turned on the juice and launched a seven-game winning streak in Interleague Play. Included in the run were Weaver's first career complete-game shutout against the Padres at home and Sean O'Sulllivan's triumph in his Major League debut in San Francisco.

On June 13 at Angel Stadium, Hunter hit three home runs in a game for the first time in his caeer in a 9-1 drubbing of the Padres. It hadn't been done by an Angels player since Garret Anderson in 2003.

On June 20, again at Angel Stadium, Weaver and older brother, Jeff, of the Dodgers faced off, becoming the eighth pair of brothers to duel in a Major League game. Jeff and the Dodgers prevailed, 6-4, ending the seven-game Angels winning streak.

With Figgins (hitting .333 for the second straight month) and Abreu triggering the offense and Morales beginning to flex his muscles, the Angels hit high gear with another winning streak, spanning six games, seizing the division lead for the first time with a win at Arizona on June 27. With Fuentes gaining the MLB lead in saves, they finished the month with a 1 ½-game lead over the tenacious Rangers, who would remain in the hunt almost all the way.

July

A three-game sweep of the Yankees at home right before the All-Star break had the Angels in first place for keeps. Fuentes and Figgins would be selected to represent the Angels in the All-Star Game. Hunter was chosen but an ailment in his right groin area prevented him from playing.

With shortstop Erick Aybar, Abreu, Juan Rivera and Morales leading the charge along with the consistent Figgins, the Angels' offense was a destructive force throughout the month. It was so formidable, not even the losses of Hunter and Guerrero (right calf strain) -- both placed on the DL on July 10 -- could slow the machinery.

Aybar, electric defensively, erupted with a .414 month. Batting .380 and driving in 28 runs in 26 games, Abreu was named AL Player of the Month. He would reach 100 RBIs (103) for the seventh consecutive season, joining Albert Pujols as the only other player to do that. Morales would start rolling, hitting .320 for the month with seven homers and 20 RBIs. Rivera, finally healthy and playing regularly, hit .350 for the month en route to a career year.

With a 19-7 month, the Angels scored 185 runs and batted .316 as a team. Lackey found his form with a 5-1 month and 2.70 ERA in six starts, while young right-handers Kevin Jepsen and Jason Bulger helped steer Fuentes toward an MLB-high 48 saves with quality set-up work.

August

Morales opened the month with a bang, hitting a pair of three-run homers with a career-high six RBIs in a 13-4 rout of the Twins at home on Aug. 2. Hitting .385 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs, Morales would give the club back-to-back players of the month, claiming the award for a rousing August.

Uncharacteristically quiet most of the season because of his various ailments, Guerrero came alive with a big month. He went deep twice at home on Aug. 20 against the Rays, reaching 400 for his remarkable career. He became one of six players in history with at least 400 homers and a .320 or higher career average, joining Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. The big bopper also homered twice in Baltimore on Aug. 17 and twice on Aug. 31 in Seattle.

Morales enjoyed a 5-for-5 game with two homers and six RBIs at home on Aug. 28 against the A's, while Lackey notched his 100th career win on Aug. 30 against the A's at home. Only Chuck Finley, Nolan Ryan, Frank Tanana and Mike Witt had reached 100 wins in an Angels uniform before Lackey joined the club.

The month ended on a high note as well for Saunders. Hampered all year by shoulder issues, the lefty finally shut it down for 19 days and came back with a flourish, Beating the Tigers and Mariners to close August, Saunders would go on to claim his final seven decisions in eight outings. A 17-12 month left the Angels leading the West by six games heading down the stretch.

,b>September

Howard Kendrick, demoted to Triple-A Salt Lake during an early-season slump, came on like gangbusters in the second half and finished with a bang, batting .339 in the final month. Aybar (.337) and steady Maicer Izturis (.307) continued their strong play offensively as well as defensively in the middle infield.

Acquired on Aug. 28 from the Rays for three prospects -- Sean Rodriguez, Alex Torres and Matt Sweeney -- Kazmir was dazzling in his Angels debut on Sept. 2 in Seattle. Loading the bases with none out in the first, the lefty proceeded to strike out the side. With the offense finally slowing down, Kazmir was only 2-2 in his six starts for the Angels but put together a superb 1.73 ERA. He went at least six innings in five of his starts, showing flashes of brilliance.

On Sept. 28, the Angels clinched their third consecutive division title with an 11-0 dismissal of the second-place Rangers at home behind Santana's fourth career shutout. An emotional postgame celebration featured the entire team heading out to touch the Adenhart visual memorial on the center field wall, which had been unveiled the day after his death.

October

Winning seven of their final eight games, the Angels won the division by a deceiving 10 games. Texas had pushed them all season before faltering at the finish.

Riding that momentum into the ALDS against perennial nemesis Boston, the Angels responded to the challenge. Lackey and Weaver were brilliant in shutting down the Red Sox in the first two games at home, and the final touches were provided at Fenway Park in Game 3 when the club rallied dramatically with four ninth-inning runs, all with two out, against Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon. Abreu's RBI double and Guerrero's game-deciding single were the decisive blows.

The Yankees had earned home-field advantage for the ALCS, and it proved to be the difference. The Bronx Bombers won all three at home, including a pivotal Game 2 in 12 innings. The Angels showed their mettle by returning home to take two of three after dropping the first two, but the Yankees were on a mission, and they prevailed in Game 6 at home. Catcher Jeff Mathis was the Angels' surprise hitting star of the series with five doubles, including a walk-off two-bagger that decided Game 3 in the 11th inning. Mathis also ignited a decisive three-run seventh inning in Game 5 with a single.

November

The Angels signed outfielder Abreu to a two-year deal with a club option for 2012. Abreu, 35, batted .293 with 103 RBIs and 30 steals in his first season with the Angels. General manager Tony Reagins was rewarded by club owner Arte Moreno with a long-term contract extension. Six Angels veterans -- Figgins, Guerrero, Lackey, Darren Oliver, Robb Quinlan and Kelvim Escobar - filed for free agency.

Dennis Kuhl, who has served as club president since 2003, has been promoted to chairman, with John Carpino elevated to the president post.

Scioscia was named AL Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He also won the award in 2002.

Hunter underwent successful surgery at Baylor University Hospital to repair a sports hernia on his right side and is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Longtime television voices Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler were dismissed.

December

Figgins was signed by the Mariners, while Lackey agreed to a free-agent deal with the Red Sox. This leaves Scot Shields, coming off knee surgery, as the only player left from the 2002 World Series championship team.

The Angels reached an agreement with designated hitter Hideki Matsui, slugging star of the postseason for the Yankees, on a one-year, $6.5 million deal.

Reliever Jose Arredondo will have Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery on his right elbow in January and will miss the entire 2010 season. He was not offered a contract for 2010, along with pitcher Dustin Moseley and third baseman Matt Brown.

Oliver, a stalwart in the Angels' bullpen for three years, signed a free-agent deal with the Rangers.