Sunday, January 31, 2010

Rockies agree to one-year deal with Mora

DENVER -- The Rockies agreed a one-year, $1.275 million deal with infielder Melvin Mora on Sunday, pending the results of a physical, Major League sources told MLB.com.

Signing Mora, a two-time All-Star who turns 38 on Tuesday, means the Rockies have the right-handed-hitting utility player they've been seeking this winter. They've also signed left-handed-hitting Jason Giambi.

Mora, a career .278 hitter who hit .260 with eight home runs and 48 RBIs for the Orioles last season, appeared in 124 games at third in 2009, giving the team an experienced third baseman to step in, should Ian Stewart be injured or need to be spelled against left-handed pitching. Mora, who has also seen time at shortstop, can also spell Troy Tulowitzki, has extensive experience in center field, and has worked at second base.

Signings of recent weeks have given the Rockies the potential for an experienced bench, as well as plenty of competition for reserve jobs during Spring Training. Catcher Paul Lo Duca and outfielder Jay Payton will be in camp under Minor League contracts. The Rockies are also grooming second-base prospect Eric Young Jr. to play third base and the corner outfield positions.

The Rockies had also pursued Orlando Cabrera. However, Cabrera, wanting to play shortstop, reached an agreement with the Reds on Saturday night.

The Rangers and Mariners also pursued Mora, according to media reports.

Liriano's winter work has Twins excited

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins have made additions over the winter to boost their starting lineup, but the pitcher who could perhaps have the biggest impact on their rotation is one that's already familiar to Twins fans -- Francisco Liriano.

Liriano is coming off his worst season with the Twins, having gone 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA in 2009, but the left-hander has bounced back this winter while pitching for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter Leagues. He helped the club earn a postseason berth and then went 3-1 with a 0.49 ERA in seven playoff starts, while recording 47 strikeouts and five walks in 37 innings.

It's the type of performance that has the Twins cautiously optimistic of what Liriano could bring to the club in 2010.

"He could be our ace in the hole," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said this weekend during the club's annual fan festival, TwinsFest. "We said a few years ago that this guy is potentially a No. 1 [starter]. Everybody is always looking for No. 1 guys. I don't want to put pressure on him and say he's a No. 1 guy. But he's had No. 1 stuff and he's had No. 1 success before. You never know what's going to happen but it could be very entertaining."

The Twins have four starters already penciled into their rotation for 2010 -- Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Carl Pavano and Kevin Slowey. Liriano is expected to compete for the fifth and final spot in that rotation but it's likely to be a heated battle with Brian Duensing and Glen Perkins also in the mix.

Still, there seems to be no better time for Liriano to be in such a competition, based on how he is now feeling.

"I've got my confidence back," Liriano said. "This winter is the best I've felt."

Liriano finished off his tremendous run in winter ball as the winning pitcher for Leones del Escogido in the Domincan Winter League championship game on Thursday night. He pitched five scoreless innings, striking out 10 while allowing one hit, to defeat Gigantes del Cibao -- the club of his current Twins teammate, Alexi Casilla.

"He killed me," Casilla said with a laugh when asked about Liriano's winter performance in the Dominican. "He kill everyone."

The reports out of winter ball were that Liriano's velocity had gone up, with his fastball topping out at 95-96 mph on the radar gun and his slider in the high 80s. While Liriano's radar readings in the Dominican have at times been skewed, the pitcher said he's noticed a significant difference in the way he's throwing.

"I'm throwing a little harder now and I've got better control," Liriano said. "I'm locating my fastball better. My slider is way better too. The first year coming back from my surgery, my arm didn't hurt at all but I didn't have the power in it. Now I feel stronger than before."

During TwinsFest this weekend, Liriano's performance in winter ball was a common topic of conversation. The impressive numbers from the left-hander have not only caught the attention of the Twins front office and coaching staff, but also his teammates.

"For him it seems a lot goes back to confidence," said first baseman Justin Morneau. "Last year I don't think he felt like he could repeat his delivery like he wanted to and he didn't have the control he wanted to. If he gets that and gets his confidence going, he might be that true No. 1 that every team needs. If he can get close to where he was, it will be fun to watch."

The question surrounding Liriano has always been whether or not he can regain the form that he had during his breakout rookie season in 2006. That was when he was the talk of baseball, posting a 12-3 and a 2.16 ERA before his year was cut short by an elbow injury, which eventually required Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

Heading into the '09 season, the Twins were optimistic that Liriano was on track to being at least an effective starter. The pitcher had gone 6-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 11 starts over the final two months of the 2008 season. But instead they watched him regress in '09, his first full season in the Majors following surgery, and his problems seemed as much mental as anything.

That's why this recent performance in winter ball has everyone excited, including Liriano.

"[It was like], this is me," Liriano said of the way he was throwing. "That's the way I know how to pitch. Not worry about anything or any hitter. Just go out there and try to throw first pitch strikes and locate my fastball. I feel like I did in '06, I have my confidence back. My arm feels great. Physically and mentally I'm ready to go.

Liriano also was displaying a trimmer physique at TwinsFest. He said that he's lost some weight since the end of last season by placing more of a focus on his physical conditioning -- including running more often. The Twins have taken notice of the changes and are pleased by what they've seen.

"I think Francisco realizes this is a big year for him," Twins general manager Bill Smith said. "And this is a big year for him."

Liriano will head to Spring Training in the mix for a starting job, but he'll also be an option for the bullpen if he doesn't earn the fifth spot in the rotation. His preference of course is to be a starter and so for now Liriano is focused on proving to the Twins that last season's struggles were just a fluke.

"I am going to go out there and show them I'm ready," Liriano said. "And hopefully [that means] I can be in the starting rotation."

Health, safety committee already in place

In the wake of the recent flap regarding outside-of-the-club knee surgery conducted on Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran, one reporter sought the answer to this question:

Many agents ask why Major League Baseball and the Players Association cannot agree upon an independent board of doctors that can be consulted for independent opinions.

But a reading of the Basic Agreement shows that a matter of an independent committee could not be considered an issue. There's already a Safety and Health Advisory Committee made up of an equal number of members appointed by MLB and the Players Association. Article XIII-A(1) of the current Basic Agreement signed on Dec. 26, 2006, clearly defines the goal of this committee:

"To deal with emergency safety and health problems as they arise, and attempt to find solutions, and engage in review of planning for maintenance of safe and healthful working conditions for Players."

There are also ample codicils and supporting letters documenting a player's right to receive second medical opinions by doctors on a list pre-cleared by the clubs and this committee (the Players Association, obviously, representing the players), and even third opinions by doctors not on that list selected by the individual player and approved by the club.

The reason this procedure exists is to head off club physicians, who may have the best interest of the club in mind, rather than the long-term welfare of the player. In many cases, a club physician's job simply may be perceived as trying to patch up a player so that he can quickly get back on the field.

In Attachment 35, included in the Basic Agreement, Don Fehr, the former executive director of the Players Association, writes in a letter format:

"While the Club has the right to designate the doctors and hospital when a Player is undergoing surgery for an employment related injury, the Clubs understand the importance of a Player being comfortable with the physician performing any such surgery. As a result, the Office of the Commissioner will continue to advise Clubs they should take a Player's reasonable preference into account when designating doctors to perform surgery.

"As part of this commitment, the Office of the Commissioner will advise the Clubs that in no event should they force a Player to have surgery performed by the Club physician, but should instead in any case in which a player has objected to the surgery being performed by the Club physician, designate another physician to perform the surgery."

The Basic Agreement is a public document available via MLB.com on the Players Association Web site. A link for the Basic Agreement is on the left side near the top of the home page, the first listing under an easily readable title: MLBPA Player Resources.

As far as Beltran is concerned, the Mets may have an argument that has nothing to do with the committee: a player's right to second and third medical opinions or the right for a player to have surgery performed by an outside surgeon.

Mets physicians were aware of Beltran's right knee problems, but club officials may not have been given the right to approve the procedure by an outside physician. The right of that selection and permission is the crux of the issue and is stipulated in the Basic Agreement under Article XIII-D, Second Medical Opinions.

Fehr wrote in his accompanying letter: "A Club has the right ... to designate the doctors and hospitals furnishing medical care and hospital services to a Player for injuries sustained in the course and within the scope of his employment. ... The Parties have had a disagreement regarding Club and Player rights when a second medical opinion doctor and a Club physician disagree on the appropriate course of treatment. Without attempting to resolve this disagreement, the Parties will continue to avoid disputes ... urging their constituents to agree on a qualified third party expert ... who would resolve the dispute."

Mets assistant general manager John Ricco said earlier this month that Beltran had permission to seek a second opinion from Dr. John Steadman, a knee specialist in Colorado, who also examined Beltran's right knee last summer when he missed most of the season because of injuries. Steadman recommended surgery to remove cartilage fragments and shaving bone spurs that caused continued inflammation.

"We told the agent for the player that we wanted to have the ability to discuss the diagnosis and possibly have a third opinion because of the nature of this injury," Ricco said during a conference call. "We wanted to have the opportunity to digest the information, the diagnosis, and unfortunately we were never afforded the opportunity to do that."

The statement seems to support the proposition that Dr. David Altchek, a respected orthopedic surgeon and the Mets' medical director, didn't agree with Steadman that Beltran needed surgery. Thus, a third-party opinion should have been sought.

Scott Boras, Beltran's agent, said they had permission from the Mets for Beltran to undergo the surgery. The center fielder is not expected to resume baseball activities until 12 weeks after the Jan. 13 procedure, meaning he will miss at least the first month of Spring Training.

"I have done nothing but follow the directions of my doctors," Beltran said in a statement following Ricco's comments. "Any accusations that I ignored or defied the team's wishes are simply false. No one from the team raised any issue until after I was already in surgery. I do not know what else I could have done."

Since the Safety and Health Advisory Committee was created to make non-binding recommendations to preclude such problems, the resolution of any post-surgery dispute would be for the Mets to file a grievance under the normal process spelled out by the Basic Agreement. They have yet to do so.

What would be at stake is "reasonable medical expenses," including travel costs incurred by Beltran to have the surgery, plus any followup appointments that are stipulated to be paid by the team, and perhaps pay for the three months after what might be concluded as surgery unauthorized by the Mets.

Globally, a possible grievance and the incident would seem to have little ripple effect on the way clubs or players handle injuries and procedures as long as they follow the process detailed in the current Basic Agreement, which will expire on Dec. 19, 2011. Negotiations between the Players Union and MLB are set to begin next year and it wouldn't be surprising if further safeguards are placed in an already intricate medical system that exists between MLB and the Players Association.

Because of the possibility of a grievance, Michael Weiner, the new executive director of the Union, declined when asked to speak about any general medical issues, including expanding the scope of the already existing Safety and Health Advisory Committee.

Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president of labor relations and human resources, didn't return a phone call.

With preparations for collective bargaining already in full swing, current general managers for the 30 clubs have been asked not to publicly discuss any of the pending issues, including medical. For the first time, the GMs have now been included in the pre-collective bargaining process, having attended the last Owners' Meetings in the Phoenix area. Commissioner Bud Selig said they will be invited as well to the May meeting in New York.

But at least one former GM said he likes the system the way it is.

"We never had any of those medical issues when I was with the Padres," said Kevin Towers, who was San Diego's GM for 14 years from 1995-2009. "We had a great relationship with the doctors at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla. The players trusted them and you can't replace the history that the players have with those doctors from the time they're in the Minor League system on up to the Majors.

"To me, that's really important. These doctors, who are associated with the ballclub, know these players better than anyone. As long as the players remain comfortable with them and feel that they're working in their best interest, that's the best result for everyone."

Because of that trust, Tony Gwynn, a Hall of Famer who spent his entire 20-year career with the Padres, and who had numerous surgeries on his knee, feet and neck, never sought an outside opinion.

"I was very happy with the medical team," said Gwynn, whose career ended in 2001. "I had doctors there I could trust, who I built relationships with and knew how I operated. I wanted to play. I'd do everything I could so I could play. I loved our doctors with the Padres. I always thought they had my best interest in mind as well as the interest of the club."

A's appear to have deal with Gross

OAKLAND -- A team source confirmed to MLB.com on Sunday that the A's have agreed to a one-year deal with free agent Gabe Gross.

The club has not announced the deal, but the outfielder's contract, according to the source, is worth $750,000 with plate-appearance incentives that can bring it to $1 million.

Gross hit .227 with six home runs and 36 RBIs in 282 at-bats while starting in 67 games in right field last year for Tampa Bay. He is a career .239 hitter with a .337 on-base percentage and .399 slugging percentage.

The 30-year-old Gross, who will enter his sixth big league season with his fourth team, presumably represents the A's top option for a fourth outfielder and gives Oakland a left-handed option off the bench. He has experience at all three outfield positions.

The signing of Gross gives the A's a 41-man roster, meaning another transaction will have to be made when the deal is officially announced by the club to make room for the newest outfielder.

Prince focuses on playing, not contract

MILWAUKEE -- Prince Fielder isn't sweating his contract situation, unlike so many of the fans who asked for his autograph at Brewers On Deck on Sunday.

Fielder is two seasons shy of free agency, and the Brewers are already engaging his agent, Scott Boras, in some casual conversations about a long-term extension. Trouble is, there is little or no precedent for a Boras client of Fielder's star caliber accepting such a deal over the riches available on the open market, and many Milwaukee fans are already counting down the days to Fielder's inevitable departure.

Not so fast, he said.

"In the end, it's my decision," Fielder said. "But as my agent, he's going to make sure that I have the most information possible about what's going to benefit me and my family. That's what it's about first. My family has to be happy, and then I go from there.

"There's no urgency right now as far as that."

Asked whether he was worried about the fact that fellow star first basemen Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard and Adrian Gonzalez are all lined up to reach free agency at the same time as Fielder, he responded with a smile, "I'm younger than all of them, and I'm pretty good."

Fielder said he won't set a deadline for talks, though he said he "could tell [Boras], 'Beat it,'" at some point if he doesn't want to talk business any more. If the negotiations don't progress, Fielder would earn his $10.5 million in 2010 and be eligible for salary arbitration one more time this winter. If he has a season like the one he enjoyed in '09, when Fielder belted 46 homers and tied for the Major League lead with 141 RBIs, it could be a record-breaking case.

The Brewers took a chance on Fielder in 2002, when they made him the seventh overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft and were skewered by some Draft analysts who were already expressing concern about Fielder's weight. Instead, Fielder charged through Milwaukee's Minor League system and took over first base at Miller Park for good in '06. He set a franchise record 50 home runs in '07, teamed with left fielder Ryan Braun to lead the Brewers to their first postseason appearance in a generation in '08, then set club marks for RBIs and walks in '09.

That history matters, according to Fielder.

"I came up here and I love it here," he said. "My thing is I want to stay here as long as possible. For now, I'm here for two more years anyway. All that other stuff, hopefully, will work out."

His middle-of-the order partner is certainly rooting for a deal. But Braun, who is under club control through 2015, is also a realist.

"He's close enough to free agency that it really doesn't make a lot of sense for him to sign a deal at this point," Braun said. "You have to be [realistic]."

Fielder moved into a new house this winter in Windermere, Fla., the upscale hamlet near Orlando made infamous in recent months because it's also the home of Tiger Woods. With all of the commotion, Fielder has mostly stayed in, playing with young sons Jaden and Haven and staying in shape. Fielder's new home is outfitted with a pool, a gym -- "A little miniature Ballys," he said -- and an indoor batting cage. He's working to maintain his playing weight from last season, "or maybe to get a little better."

"I have to work out or I'd be huge," Fielder said. "That's not an option for me. ... I don't want to turn into an obese person, because I can."

He likes the Brewers' offseason moves so far, and Sunday's On Deck event gave Fielder a chance to catch up with newcomers like Randy Wolf, LaTroy Hawkins and Gregg Zaun. His contract could be a major issue swirling around the Brewers as they gather at Maryvale Baseball Park for Spring Training, but Fielder is much more interested to focus on baseball.

"I'm just looking forward to having a better year as far as the team," he said. "Whatever happens after that is cool. As long as we improve, I'm happy."

By the end of the day, the Brewers had drawn 10,638 fans to the all-day event, something of an achievement considering that 237 fewer passed through the turnstiles last year, when the team was coming off a postseason appearance. Proceeds from autographs went to Brewers Charities.

All but three Brewers attended -- Craig Counsell already had a commitment for Sunday before he re-signed with the team, Todd Coffey was stuck in North Carolina by a snowstorm and Carlos Gomez has the flu. The event featured autograph and photo sessions with players and coaches, memorabilia sales, interactive games and a large corner stage that was busy all day. Fans joined the media pool for question and answer sessions with Melvin, assistant general manager Gord Ash, manager Ken Macha, pitching coach Rick Peterson, lefty Doug Davis and alumni Robin Yount, Jim Gantner, Gorman Thomas, Jeff Cirillo and Greg Vaughn.

Not surprisingly given the Brewers' struggles in 2009, pitching was a hot topic among fans. Macha didn't mince words.

"It will all come down to the pitching," Macha said.

Before he met them in person Sunday, Peterson had already reached out to many of the team's pitchers via telephone. Those conversations were mostly about building relationships, Peterson said, though he's also spent time breaking down video and data and jotting down ideas about improvements.

The nuts and bolts discussions will begin in Arizona.

"I want them to understand first that I'm an asset for them," Peterson said. "Right now, I'm doing my homework."

So far, he likes what he sees.

"I think this could be a really special year," Peterson said. "You think about winning 80 games last year and having the worst starting pitching in baseball. If we can make some incremental differences ... I think that we can go into Spring Training with the hope of playing in October."

To the thousands of fans who packed into On Deck, that hope was running strong.

Dodgers close with ex-Cub Johnson

The Dodgers are close to reaching an agreement with free-agent outfielder Reed Johnson on a one-year contract, Major League sources confirmed to MLB.com.

Johnson, who batted .255 with four home runs and 22 RBIs with the Cubs last season, would bring depth and versatility as the club's fourth outfielder as he can play all three positions.

The 33-year-old was limited to just 65 games last year because of a fractured left foot.

The seven-year veteran is a career .282 hitter with 52 home runs and 306 RBIs in 784 games with the Blue Jays and Cubs. His best season came in 2006 with Toronto when he batted .319 with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs to go along with a .390 on-base percentage.

Noble: Jarvis was part of Shea's fabric

The older ballparks had unmistakable aromas, mixtures of stale beer, cigar smoke and cement. The ramps of Yankee Stadium, pre-1974 renovations, had more cigar than the Polo Grounds or Ebbets Field. To me, the Dodgers' home had a unique scent that suggested wood was burning. The Polo Grounds just smelled. But that odious odor was part of the distinction.

Yankee Stadium had the wonderful sound of Bob Sheppard's voice -- "Num-ber fawty-too, Tom Sturd-i-vant." The Polo Grounds sounded hollow. Ebbets Field sounded as if the treble had been turned up and the bass turned down. More distinctions.

Shea Stadium was in its infancy the first time I climbed its ramps. No cigar smell or eau d'Rheingold. Its distinctions were its roundness (noticed most by trips to and from LaGuardia), the rattle of those blue and orange corrugated metal things attached to exterior of the park and the dreadful din of the departing jets.

And Jane Jarvis.

To me, she was to Shea what Sheppard was to the Ball Orchard in the Bronx. Lindsey, Kiner and Murph were the voices of the Mets, Bill Gallo's Basement Bertha was the team's mascot for so many years. And Jane's organ was the Sound of Shea. A most delightful distinction to be sure.

Yankee Stadium had Eddie Layton playing for decades, and I enjoyed press room dinners with him and Sheppard as often as possible. Ebbets Field had Gladys Gooding. And the Polo Grounds had -- I don't recall. But Shea had Jane playing. She was better than the jets.

Delightful was the word I always used to describe her play until I read her obituary Saturday. Sprightly is the more appropriate word -- sprightly renditions. I think she would have preferred that phrasing. Her obits were must-reads for me after Bob Mandt, her friend and Shea's Stadium unofficial biographer, called Saturday to tell me of her passing. Jane had died Monday at age 94.

To me, Jane's was the most enjoyable live music in town. From 1964 -- she played Shea before the Beatles did -- through '79, she made every day Ladies Day.

Truth be told, she was a guilty pleasure for someone who had collected 45s and kept his father's car radio tuned to WINS and WMGM in the 50's. But I've always been a sucker for organ music. So I put my Presley and Platters preferences in my pocket when I entered Shea -- as a baseball fan and later as a baseball writer -- and listened for Jane's energetic arrangements. I knew I was at the ballpark when she played.

Under the guise of working on a Mets-related story, I saw her perform her jazz in the Village in '86. Or was it '87? Whatever, I do recall enjoying the experience, and I never diminished it by trying to write about it. She was a very sophisticated musician, I came to find out. But I always thought she played with smirk and an occasional wink. And that's what I appreciated most. Implicit in her playing was one message: "Enjoy yourself."

Jane always seemed to enjoy herself. I sensed she routinely made the best of trying circumstances. She played "Jingle Bells" and "White Christmas" at Shea on the night of July 13, 1977, when the temperature and humidity were in the high 90s and the city was blacked out. Lenny Randle was batting in the sixth. I wrote it was ear conditioning. She probably was smirking.

Invariably, Jane would respond to the question "How are you?" with "Too wonderful for words." So this salute to her is inadequate. She too was too wonderful for mere words. I'd like to hear her play again.

Nats players would welcome Hudson

WASHINGTON -- Several players on the Nationals -- pitcher Jason Marquis, catcher Ivan Rodriguez and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman -- reiterated Sunday how much they want free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson on the team.

They all feel that Hudson will be a difference-maker on offense and in the field. In fact, Zimmerman went so far to say that acquiring Hudson would be icing on the cake. Zimmerman believes that he and Adam Dunn would drive in a lot of runs if Hudson, coupled with outfielder Nyjer Morgan, were at the top of the lineup.

"Obviously, he would be great defensively. You can put him in the lineup anywhere," Zimmerman said. "He is a great person and a great teammate -- a great team guy. I think he would help some of the younger guys and help all of us come together. He wins. He comes from places where he wins -- he knows. It's not a secret that we want him here."

Rodriguez never played with Hudson, but Rodriguez believes good things will happen if Hudson joins the Nationals.

"He [would] help us a lot," Rodriguez said. "He [would] help [manager] Jim Riggleman, too. Having Orlando [would] be great. He is a very popular guy. He is a switch-hitter. He would help us.

Marquis likes the energy that Hudson brings on and off the field.

"He just brings lot of energy to the clubhouse and to the game. There is no lack of effort," Marquis said.

With all this praise that Hudson is getting, what is preventing the Nationals from signing him? Money. Rumors have circulated that said Hudson is willing to bring his price down from the $9 million that he is asking for, but general manager Mike Rizzo said that was news to him. In fact, Rizzo and Hudson's representatives haven't talked in the past couple of days.

"There isn't anything different going on," Rizzo said.

PirateFest a rousing success

PITTSBURGH -- Boosted by a large Sunday crowd, the Pirates wrapped up PirateFest with the third-best attendance mark since the event was moved to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in 2004.

A total of 15,398 fans attended the three-day baseball carnival, representing an increase of 271 fans from last year's event. That total was raised largely because Sunday's session drew 1,200 more fans than the final day did a year ago.

"It was a great weekend at PirateFest as the excitement for the 2010 season that we saw during the Caravan filled the convention center all weekend," Pirates president Frank Coonelly told MLB.com on Sunday. "Today's crowd was especially impressive. Pirate fans once again showed why we are an extremely fortunate organization."

The event was highlighted by three question-and-answer sessions, the announcement of a statue to be built in honor of Bill Mazeroski, autograph sessions and a concert by pitcher Charlie Morton on Saturday evening. A total of 14 current Pirates players and seven former Bucs came to Pittsburgh to participate. Owner Bob Nutting, Coonelly and general manager Neal Huntington also spent much of the weekend mingling with fans.

"The Caravan and PirateFest are critical components of our outreach to the fans who have supported us so well," Coonelly said. "Loyal Pirate fans have endured far too much heartache but now see that we are moving in the right direction. We heard from our fans all week during the Caravan and all weekend at PirateFest that they believe in these players and believe that they will be the group that returns the Pirates to winning baseball. Likewise, our fans got the opportunity to get to know our young players and to see their enthusiasm for the upcoming season."

The end of PirateFest ushers in the final days before the team migrates south for the start of Spring Training in Bradenton, Fla. Pitchers and catchers are required to report by Feb. 17, with their first workout scheduled for the following day. Manager John Russell will then run the club's first full-squad workout on Feb. 23.

Mariners FanFest a hit at Safeco Field

SEATTLE -- The warm and fuzzy feelings that came out of Safeco Field at the end of last season returned in a big way during FanFest weekend.

Nearly four months after the Mariners ended the season with a victory over the Rangers and a victory lap around the field to thank the fans with waves and handshakes -- and then departing with Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki being carried off the field on the shoulders of teammates -- more than 16,000 fans returned to the "House Griffey Built" to begin getting ready for more fun and games.

The good vibes were evident again on Saturday and Sunday as more fans turned out each day than the two days combined a year ago.

"There is a buzz back in town," Hall of Fame announcer Dave Niehaus said. "Last year, driving here for the first session, I didn't know what I was going to say. We had just lost 101 ballgames, and I didn't know the general manager or the manager. This is a 180 [degree turnaround]."

It was the best turnout in the past six years of the 12-year-old event.

"We talked to some of the fans during our autograph session and they were thanking us for what we did last year as a team, how much it meant to them and how it brought a spark into getting into the Mariners," reliever Mark Lowe said. "That was good to hear. You don't expect something like that to come out of a fan's mouth."

FanFest last year totaled 8,571 for the two days. There were 8,812 in attendance on Saturday and another 8,600 on Sunday as fans of all ages began getting in the mood for the 2010 season.

Howard Lincoln, the Mariners' CEO, stood on the top step of the first-base dugout on Sunday morning with a grin on his face.

"It's very encouraging to see record crowds come out like this," Lincoln said. "All in all, we should be very happy and very thankful, particularly to the fans. We are in the middle of a recession and it impacts everyone."

The Mariners drew 2,196,461 in 81 home dates last season despite coming off a 101-loss campaign.

It's OK to wear Mariners gear again, and the mood definitely was upbeat as fans are anxious to watch the improved team challenge for what could be its first serious playoff pursuit since 2003, when Seattle led the American League West for most of the season but was eliminated from playoff contention the final week of the regular season.

The 24-win turnaround to 85 wins last season rekindled the fans' interest in the team.

"What I really like is to see so many families with young kids." Lincoln said. "It is really delightful. It's what this sport is all about."

One such family was Chad, Shauna and 18-month-old Langston Little, and the press box was among their many stops during a tour of Safeco Field.

"We took our son to one game last season and it was so much fun that we wanted to bring him back," Shauna said. "We thought it would be fun just to have pictures of him on the field running the bases."

He probably won't remember, but the first game he attended turned out to be a Mariners victory in 14 innings over the White Sox.

"We stayed to the end," Chad said.

As many Mariners fans, the Little family has big hopes for the team in 2010.

"I think the team will do great, but I'm optimistic every year anyway," Shauna said. "I am a fan no matter what, win or lose. It is fun to come."

Langston (who was not named after the former Mariners star pitcher) has not yet gotten into the root, root, root for the home team mode, but his parents are ready for him to become a fan.

"We're waiting for him to say 'Go Griffey!'" Shauna said.

Lines were long at FanFest as the spectators waited to trek through the Mariners clubhouse, run around the bases, throw a pitch or two or hit a baseball.

And a FanFest wouldn't be complete without "The Old Bats."

They are four ladies just a tad over middle-age who spend part of February and all of March at Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz.

On any given day, they are the first people to show up for the workouts.

And they are a hoot.

"I met these ladies last year," manager Don Wakamatsu told a group of fans during the popular "Dugout Dialogue." "They asked me, 'What time do you get to the ballpark?' I told them I got there early, so they were not going to beat me here."

Not so fast, skipper.

"Sometimes, I would literally get there at 5 o'clock in the morning and they had been there for almost an hour," he said. "On top of that, they kept score and put it right in front of my parking spot."

The story brought laughter.

It was that kind of weekend at Safeco Field.

Reds agree to contract with Cabrera

CINCINNATI -- A Major League source told MLB.com late Saturday that the Reds agreed to terms with free-agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera on a one-year, $3 million contract.

The deal includes a $3 million option for 2011 that carries a $1 million buyout. The Reds have not confirmed the deal, and it was not yet known if it was a player or club option on the contract.

Cincinnati's offer comes with the chance for Cabrera to play shortstop, the position he's played for most of his career. Both the Rockies and Cabrera's other suitor, the Nationals, only had opportunities at second base.

The Reds had a superb defensive player in Paul Janish at shortstop after dealing Alex Gonzalez in August, but they have spent the winter seeking a stronger offensive option.

About to enter his 14th big league season, the 35-year-old Cabrera batted .284 with nine home runs, 77 RBIs and a .313 on-base percentage in 160 games combined last season with the A's and Twins. He helped Minnesota reach the postseason after his midsummer trade from Oakland.

Lifetime, Cabrera is a .275 hitter with 114 home runs, 761 RBIs and a .322 OBP.

Giants avoid arbitration with Wilson

SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants closer Brian Wilson benefited from the spoils of salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4,437,500 deal Saturday.

It represented an astronomical pay increase by any measure for Wilson, who earned a base salary of $480,000 last year. His wage increased by nearly ten-fold.

The sides settled at the midpoint of their respective proposals, a common method of avoiding a hearing. Wilson filed for $4,875,000 while the Giants countered with a $4 million offer.

Wilson, 27, compiled a 5-6 record with a 2.74 ERA -- 1.88 lower than in 2008, when he made the National League All-Star team -- and 38 saves. He has 79 saves in the past two seasons and is 11-13 with a 3.73 ERA and 86 saves in his four-year big league career.

The Giants' accord with Wilson brought them a modicum of cost control. They have committed approximately $78 million to 13 players. San Francisco's payroll limit is currently hovering in the low-$90 million range. The Giants still must settle the franchise's biggest arbitration case in history -- that of right-hander Tim Lincecum. The two-time Cy Young Award winner filed for $13 million; the Giants have offered $8 million.

Field set for Caribbean Series

The start of the 2010 Caribbean Series is only two days away and the lions of Latin American baseball are already gearing up for their annual showdown.

The fans are ready and the field is set.

On Saturday, Mexico's Naranjeros de Hermosillo joined Winter League championship teams from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico in the round-robin tournament after edging Mazatlan, 1-0, in Game 7 of the league championship series.

Juan Delgadillo pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings to outduel Padres right-hander Walter Silva. The game's only run scored in the first inning on a Vinny Castilla sacrifice fly after Chris Roberson tripled to lead off the game.

The six-day Caribbean Series begins Tuesday on the Venezuelan island of Margarita.

It's already been quite a week for Caribbean baseball.

In Venezuela on Friday, Leones del Caracas cruised past Navegantes del Magallanes, 7-2, in Game 7 of the country's winter league championship to claim the league title and earn a berth in the round-robin tournament that begins Tuesday on Margarita Island in the country.

Earlier Friday evening in Puerto Rico, Red Sox Minor Leaguer Angel Sanchez went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI to pace Indios de Mayaguez past the Criollos de Caguas, 8-6, in 11 innings to claim their first championship since 2005 and a chance at the Caribbean Series title.

On Thursday in the Dominican Republic, Minnesota pitcher Francisco Liriano struck out 10 batters over five scoreless innings to lead Leones del Escogido to a 5-3 win over Gigantes del Cibao for the Dominican League title in the deciding ninth game of the series to become the first team to qualify for this year's tournament.

This year's Caribbean Series starts with the Puerto Rico team squaring off against the Dominican Republic in a matinee followed by the opening ceremony and matchup between Venezuela and Mexico on Tuesday night.

Venezuela and the Dominican Republic will meet on Feb. 4, in the third game of the round-robin for each team, and it's going to be a catfight. Venezuela, the reigning Caribbean Series champion, rolled through the 2009 tournament in Mexicali, Mexico, with a 5-1 record. Last year's team from the Dominican Republic finished in the bottom half of the standings along with Puerto Rico with a 2-4 record. Mexico finished the tourney at 3-3.

But here's why the Dominican club is feeling confident: a team from the island has won the Caribbean Series title 17 times, the most among teams currently competing in the tournament, since 1970 and 11 times since 1990.

Here's why Caracas should feel just as optimistic: the Leones never trailed in Friday's Game 7, scoring four runs in the first inning and tacking on three runs in the final two frames for a comfortable lead and victory. Not even Giants star Pablo Sandoval, who made a special trip to Venezuela to play for Magallanes, proved to be enough. Sandoval finished 1-for-4 with a single.

Puerto Rico should be rested. Mayaguez led Friday's game 5-3 after seven innings but Caguas, behind back-to-back home runs by Cesar Nicolas and Aaron Bates tied the game at 5 in the eighth inning. The teams exchanged runs in the 10th but Jesus Feliciano and Randy Ruiz each scored in the 11th to end the best-of-seven series after only five games.

Comeback clause adds extra motivation

If Major League Baseball wanted to give its Comeback Player of the Year Award a less generic name, the Purple Heart Award would be a good place to start.

After all, the leading nominees are players who went missing after being hurt in action, then returned to have an impact. (In a more serious vein, we could do a lot worse than Tommy John Award, since he furnished the groundbreaking medical recovery and patients of the elbow surgery bearing his name are annual contenders.)

This is the award no one wants to win. Rather, the award for which no one wants to be eligible. Because to be celebrated for your comeback, you first had to have gone away. It is the one baseball honor built on frustration, humility, and often, pain.

So the platform for earning 2010 National and American League honors is crowded with these involuntary candidates. Next month's Spring Training camps will teem with numerous players seeking to return, many to their previous lofty statures.

For about a dozen of them, it will pay to produce the most eye-catching comeback -- literally. A contract incentive clause for being chosen Comeback Player of the Year may be the ultimate redundancy -- after all, there can be no greater incentive than earning back one's on-field status and, yes, that follow-up contract.

Still, when negotiating contracts for special-case players, agents will ask teams to include the clause. And teams never refuse: This is a check they would love to have to make out.

NL Comeback Player of the Year candidates
Player2009 club2009 stats2010 club
Gustavo ChacinDid not playDid not playAstros
Jim EdmondsDid not playDid not playBrewers
Kelvim EscobarAngels0-1, 3.60Mets
Mike FontenotCubs.236-9-43Cubs
Jay GibbonsDid not playDid not playDodgers
Troy GlausCardinals.172-0-2Braves
Eddie GuardadoRangers1-2, 4.46Nationals
Kelly JohnsonBraves.224-8-29D-backs
Paul Lo DucaDid not playDid not playRockies
Scott ProctorMarlinsDid not playBraves
Josh TowersYankees5 1/3 IPDodgers
Chad TracyD-backs.237-8-39Cubs
Billy WagnerNYM/BOS17 GsBraves
Brandon WebbD-backs4 IPD-backs
Rickie WeeksBrewers.272-9-24Brewers

"If we have to pay up on it, it will be well worth it," said Oakland assistant general manager David Forst, whose team has a trifecta in the 2010 Comeback Derby.

Of the 11 players known to have the Comeback incentive clause, the A's have three: right-handers Ben Sheets, Joey Devine and Justin Duchscherer.

All are returning from years lost to elbow surgeries.

"They all fit the profile of players who might be eligible for that award," Forst said. "We have a standard incentives package, but a bonus for Comeback Player of the Year isn't one of the included clauses.

"It's always suggested by the agent, and we're open to it. It's good for everyone. We have an excellent feeling about these clauses, and certainly hope it happens."

In various permutations, Comeback Player of the Year is one of the oldest awards in baseball's trophy case, bestowed along league lines two years before the Cy Young followed suit.

The Comeback once was strictly performance-based. Pirates right-hander Vernon Law, for instance, was the first NL recipient in 1965 for rebounding from a 12-13 season to go 17-9 -- even though he'd actually made more starts the prior season.

Gradually, as sports medicine evolved, so did this recognition of resilience, to affirmation of a rehab job well done.

Reflecting that trend, five of the 11 Comeback clauses affect players coming off idle seasons: the Oakland threesome, plus Atlanta infielder Troy Glaus and Mets right-hander Kelvim Escobar.

Recent winners after being essentially inactive the prior season have included Chris Carpenter (2009), Fernando Tatis (2008), Gil Meche (2003), Matt Morris (2001) and Bret Saberhagen (1998).

You'll note that four of the five cited examples are pitchers (Tatis being the exception), for reasons that could be obvious: They are the highest-maintenance players, and their triumphs over physical knockouts are the most conspicuous.

Among the six pitchers with the incentive clause is Escobar, who is coming off two lost seasons. He was shelved at the beginning of 2008 by shoulder pain, which eventually led in July to surgery on his torn labrum, and he resurfaced only briefly in '09 for one June start.

AL Comeback Player of the Year candidates
Player2009 club2009 stats2010 club
Garrett AtkinsRockies.226-9-48Orioles
Milton BradleyCubs.257-12-40Mariners
Joey DevineA'sDid not playA's
Justin DuchschererA'sDid not playA's
Khalil GreeneCardinals.200-8-24Rangers
Ken Griffey Jr.Mariners.214-19-57Mariners
Bill HallMIL/SEA.201-8-36Red Sox
J.J. PutzMets1-4, 5.22White Sox
Ben SheetsDid not playDid not playA's
Jake WestbrookIndiansDid not playIndians

A perfect candidate for a little Comeback of the Year carrot.

"I just think that incentive is a prudent thing to put in there, to cover all the bases," said Peter Greenberg, Escobar's agent. "We try to get it into the contracts of any of our clients coming back from injury -- established players who've had good careers before being injured."

That's an important distinction voters for the award -- full disclosure: MLB.com team reporters currently do the honors -- should bear in mind. It rewards regaining production, not health. So bona fide candidates need a track record.

Again, Escobar is the perfect candidate. The season before breaking down, the righty was 18-7 with a 3.40 ERA for the Angels.

"Typically," Greenberg said, "these players sign lower contracts with incentives. The idea of the incentive for Comeback Player always comes from the player's side -- and I don't think I've ever been turned down for it.

"I'll ask on behalf of players who have a realistic chance to compete for it. It gives them something to perhaps be proud of, and to get a little bonus for."

Far more players than those with a contract incentive for it are set up for Comeback of the Year campaigns. Competing for the award is a product of opportunity and environment.

For instance, Bill Hall, after a tailspin of several years, might have a great shot at replacing Jason Bay as the left fielder in Fenway Park, where he could recapture his 35-homer season in 2006 for Milwaukee.

And Garrett Atkins, lost in the managerial shuffle in Colorado last season, has a chance in Baltimore to regain the hot-corner spotlight and the clutch bat that had seen him average 110 RBIs in 2006-08.

So it goes for dozens who next month will embark on the comeback trail. For those holding contracts with incentives, it could be a gold-paved road.

Healthy Morneau excited to carry torch

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins first baseman Justin Morneau admits that he's been privileged to take part in many memorable life experiences since arriving in the Major Leagues a little over six years ago.

The diehard hockey fan was able to hoist the Stanley Cup after the Anaheim Ducks won it in 2007, he attended a game of the Stanley Cup Finals in three of the last four years and he's made the "Let's Play Hockey" call a few times for the Minnesota Wild, among other things.

But one of the most memorable experiences for Morneau may be right around the corner. The Canadian learned last week that he will carry the Olympic torch through the streets of Vancouver, which is not far from his hometown of New Westminster, British Columbia, on the day before the Opening Ceremonies.

"It will be right near the top," Morneau said when asked where this will rank among his list of experiences. "That's pretty cool. It's something that's once in a lifetime. Maybe I'll stick around to watch Canada beat Norway [in hockey] and then get ready for Spring Training."

Running with the torch is something that Morneau couldn't have done just a few months ago due to the back injury that caused his 2009 season to come to an early end in mid-September.

But the injury is no longer a concern for Morneau, who was in the Twin Cities this weekend for the club's annual TwinsFest. A CT scan of Morneau's back on Friday showed that the stress fracture in his L5 vertebra had completely healed, allowing team doctors to give Morneau clearance to start swinging a bat again.

The first baseman plans to ease into hitting again. He'll take dry swings off a tee next week to see how his back reacts. Morneau's plan is then to start hitting some baseballs the following week before he heads off to Vancouver.

Morneau has typically started swinging earlier in the offseason but the back injury, which the first baseman said was likely caused by overuse, has taught him that perhaps less is more when it comes to prepping for the season.

"I'm going to show up to Spring Training later," Morneau said. "Just finally let myself relax and realize that Spring Training doesn't matter. It's just about getting ready for the season. It doesn't matter how many hits you get in Spring Training."

Morneau is planning to take fewer swings each day during the spring. Still the player who has been known for being one of the first players to arrive every day at the club's training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., and one of the last to leave admits that the change won't exactly come easy.

"It's one of those things where you eventually have to back off a bit," he said. "At the same time, I wouldn't be where I am if I didn't work as hard as I do. It's that fine line of doing too much and not doing enough."

One person that Morneau will likely turn to for advice on that topic is his new teammate, Jim Thome. Morneau said he received a phone call from Thome last fall when he went down with the back injury. It turns out that Thome, who at the time was playing for the Dodgers, had the exact same injury earlier in his career.

"He wanted to see how I was doing, let me know that he had the same thing and ask me if I needed any help, if I needed him to set me up with the doctor that he saw," Morneau said. "That's the kind of guy he is. That was before he was on our team. He's a special, special individual."

Morneau, 28, plans to learn as much as he can from Thome, who is known for having an extensive workout and training regimen that begins nearly six hours before game time.

"As much as he can stand me, I'll be right there beside him," Morneau said. "He has a program that he does with a lot of core work and a lot of back strengthening stuff. It takes him awhile to get ready but I'm not afraid of hard work. He's playing until he's 40. I think everybody in here hopes they'll be able to do that. I'm too young not to want to be able to play as long as I can. If I can learn something from him, then that will be a plus."

While Morneau is already doing more core work and back strengthening exercises this winter to prevent a similar injury from occurring again, he'll also have the advantage of no longer having to play 81 games of the season on turf now that the club has moved outdoors to Target Field. Morneau doesn't believe the Metrodome turf caused his injury, but he said that playing on it consistently did take a toll on his body overall.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire also plans to be a little more cautious with how he uses Morneau and catcher Joe Mauer in 2010, both at Spring Training and in the regular season. The two players have each battled back injuries over the past year and while their desire is always to be in the lineup, Gardenhire said that the players might listen to him more when he suggests that a day off is needed.

"I've learned a little bit from it," Gardenhire said of Morneau's back injury. "I think he has too. We'll have to take care of ourselves a little better."

Morneau said that the best thing for him might to be to take the occasional day off in April, May or June, even if it won't always be an easy thing to do.

"It's hard because that's when you feel good and those are the days when you feel like you don't need a day off," Morneau said. "But when you take days off early, hopefully it will help you late."

One thing is for certain, Morneau doesn't ever want to go through the experience he had last year when he was forced to sit on the bench and watch over the final three weeks as his teammates rallied to catch Detroit and defeat them in Game 163 for the American League Central title.

"Not being able to run out there with the guys when they were doing so well is one of the hardest things I'll ever do," Morneau said. "It made me realize how much I enjoy playing the game."

Gammons: Races look great on paper

In New York, Yankees fans called talk shows and claimed they were canceling season-ticket plans in protest of the exile of Johnny Damon, after Damon's market price sank like a ranch home in Fort Myers, Fla. Then the media jumped in, criticizing Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, some for spending too much, some for not spending enough on Damon and some for spending too much and too little at the same time.

In Boston, corners of the media, dismissing the concepts of baserunning and defense, have been near hysteria comparing the Red Sox 2010 offense to that of the Padres and Royals because of the club's decision not to re-sign Jason Bay.

In Los Angeles, the signings of such second-tier names as Vicente Padilla have fans wondering whether the highest paid offseason additions may be the McCourts' lawyers.

Seven months from now, we will have seen the sagacity of the work of Cashman and Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, Cubs GM Jim Hendry and the Mets' Jeff Wilpon. Clubs that feel they must spend to win the winter back pages and ticket-package wars have usually faded by Labor Day, but rather than looking at the upcoming season through the prism of who added or preserved the most glamorous commodities -- Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Matt Holliday, Bay, John Lackey, Javier Vazquez -- there are those who use a methodology for their analyses.

PECOTA projections
American League
For entertainment purposes only, this is the way PECOTA sees the 2010 season in the American League.
ClubProjected record
AL EAST
Red Sox93-69
Yankees93-69
Rays92-70
Orioles78-84
Blue Jays73-93
AL CENTRAL
Twins83-79
White Sox80-82
Tigers78-84
Indians77-85
Royals74-88
AL WEST
Athletics85-77
Rangers84-78
Mariners81-81
Angels77-85

Some turn to Baseball Prospectus and Clay Davenport's PECOTA, which breaks down why the Tampa Bay Rays project to be one of the best teams in baseball -- they had the best record in the game in the program's first run and in the latest update fell just a game out of the AL East title.

Many teams use similar projection methods. One has the Red Sox as a 110-win team. Another, in the American League, rates the Red Sox, Rays and Yankees as the three best in the game. Another, in the National League, has the four best as the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Phillies.

PECOTA has the Athletics, Rangers, Mariners and Angels in that order in the American League West, but two teams' projections have it as Angels, A's, Rangers and Mariners. PECOTA has Florida finishing last, two games behind the Mets, while there's one club whose computer has Florida winning more games than any National League team but the Phillies and Cardinals. PECOTA has only the Phillies, Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers, D-backs, Rockies and Ginats winning more than 82 games in the NL.

We all know these projections and predictions are subject to human variation. If Brandon Webb, Jeff Francis and Chad Billingsley are all healthy enough to throw 200 innings, the NL West will be a fascinating race, just as the Giants are a six-week hamstring pull to Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain away from being a 72-win team. If Francisco Liriano is as good as he looked this winter, aren't the Twins a potential 88- or 90-win team in a division where PECOTA predicts they will be the only above-.500 team? Of course, no computer can measure what will happen as the Twins go outside after having the biggest home-field advantage of any team in the past five seasons, going 242-154 in the Metrodome and 191-208 on the road. We don't know about the financial effect on two good, well-run teams in St. Petersburg and Oakland if they both are led to believe that they are permanently homeless, which is essentially the case in each city.

No one knows whether Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes can remain healthy, whether Cole Hamels can get back to being a master after a year of recovery from his 2008 innings. No one knows whether B.J. Upton, David Price and Wade Davis are going to jump to elite status, or if all of a sudden in the second half Dustin Ackley looks like a young, lightning-fast Chase Utley as the Mariners' second baseman. No one knows what happens if Jason Heyward is an impact rookie star in Atlanta, or what impact Buster Posey may have in San Francisco, Brian Matusz in Baltimore, Michael Taylor in Oakland, Justin Smoak in Texas, and, yes, even Stephen Strasburg in Washington.

PECOTA projections
National League
For entertainment purposes only, this is the way PECOTA sees the 2010 season in the National League.
ClubProjected record
NL EAST
Atlanta85-77
Phillies85-77
Nationals81-81
Mets78-84
Marlins76-86
NL CENTRAL
Cardinals86-76
Reds81-81
Cubs77-85
Brewers77-85
Astros74-88
Pirates68-94
NL WEST
Dodgers86-76
D-backs85-77
Rockies83-79
Giants82-80
Padres76-86

But after the Yankees' deserved run led to more than three months of sighs about the sport's economic caste system, it is fun to start playing what-ifs in preparation for the sounds of pitchers and catchers reporting. It's testament to the management of the Rays that they are even in these discussions as one of the three best teams in the business, just as it is a testament to the reconstruction of the Athletics that they're in such speculation when their payroll is half that of the Angels.

We talk about the hopeless feeling, but the fact remains that if any team in the AL Central can have enough to win 85 games, it can be in the race with 10 days to go in the season. If one were a Dodgers fan and had to read more about divorce than being in on Lackey, it might be hard to take. But having the Dodgers limited to a payroll in the $90 million range -- yes, right around where the Twins live -- means there's the possibility of a very robust race with the Dodgers, Rockies and D-backs, and maybe even the Giants with the right development of Madison Bumgarner, Jonathan Sanchez and Posey.

You can spit your dip and curse the new-age sabermetrics, but they are a real part of sports (ask the brilliant people who run the San Antonio Spurs). They have dramatically affected the Hall of Fame voting process. They righted the Cy Young Award balloting to give Lincecum and Zack Greinke chances they might not have had a decade ago.

They're also fun. Going through the PECOTA team pages, one can see that Alex Rodriguez (47.4), Evan Longoria (44.4), Dustin Pedroia (41.3), Mark Teixeira (41.0) and Ben Zobrist (37.8) are rated as the best players in the AL East in projected VORP (value over replacement player), a statistic Indians manager Manny Acta will lay on you occasionally, or that Lackey and CC Sabathia, at 43.1, are projected as having the best VORPs of any of that division's pitchers. I find it fascinating that PECOTA rates Andre Ethier, Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Kemp as the three top players in the NL West, and, knowing that, I can't accept Ryan Rowland-Smith being a better pitcher than Brett Anderson. See me in September on that one.

That statistical analysis studied, there are the human issues every team is confronting. Part II of the look ahead to Spring Training will be the 20 most important human story lines, including Ackley's conversion to second base, Matt Bush's push for redemption in Tampa Bay and Tony La Russa's preparation for what onslaughts may confront Mark McGwire and the Cardinals.

Yankees' roster suits Girardi just fine

NEW YORK -- The roster that Joe Girardi is considering right now should be, in all likelihood, the group that he takes to Spring Training in two weeks to begin the Yankees' defense of the World Series title.

It is a changed group from the one that piled on the Yankee Stadium infield in Game 6 of the Fall Classic, to be sure. The Yankees have said goodbye to a number of major pieces from the championship club, most recently closing the door on Johnny Damon's possible return.

Among those new to the clubhouse mix will be outfielder Curtis Granderson, designated hitter Nick Johnson and starter Javier Vazquez, and while all three are accomplished Major Leaguers, they will have some large pinstriped shadows to step into.

"I like what we've done, but I'm going to miss the players that we had," Girardi said. "Whenever you win as a group, you're going to miss not only what they did on the field, but their personalities.

"I'm going to miss Melky [Cabrera]. We're all going to miss Melky and [Hideki] Matsui and Johnny and [Phil] Coke. We're going to miss them, but we've gotten younger, we've added rotation depth, and our young relievers have another year of experience. Are we better? I don't know, but I like our club again."

Girardi spoke on Saturday at the Greentree Country Club in New Rochelle, N.Y., where he appeared with former teammate Bernie Williams at a charity function to benefit the Hillside Food Outreach.

And while general manager Brian Cashman said this week that the door closed a long time ago on bringing Damon back into the fold, Girardi said he spoke to the outfielder several times over the winter and had remained hopeful that Damon might find his way back.

It still could happen, at some point. Damon floated the idea this week that perhaps the Yankees could re-acquire him before the July 31 Trade Deadline, if for some reason the Bombers were in need of another outfield bat to make that playoff push.

Imagine if the Red Sox and the Yankees needed the same player at the same time, and it just happened to be Damon?

"You never say never," Girardi said. "The possibilities in baseball are endless. I don't think anyone is quite sure from our standpoint where Johnny is going to end up. But Johnny was a great Yankee, we loved having him, and we're going to miss him."

In the meantime, Girardi is enthusiastic about the team he is bringing to camp. He views the outfield mix of Granderson, Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and Randy Winn as a versatile group, one that could create some competition in the spring -- especially between Gardner and Winn.

"The thing is, everyone's going to play," Girardi said. "That's the bottom line. I believe that sometimes guys need days off. We had the situation last year where everybody thought we had too many outfielders and [Xavier] Nady got hurt [in April]. I don't think we can have too much depth. Having four guys gives us good depth, and that's important, because you never know what's going to happen."

The outfield could present the Yankees with their most interesting decisions to make. Not only will they have to decide whether to play Gardner or Winn -- and how much -- but it remains possible that the Yankees could move Granderson to left field, freeing one of the two to play center field.

"Curtis is the type of player that would do anything that you ask of him," Girardi said. "I've talked to our outfielders. We're going to see what happens in Spring Training. We're not necessarily going to nail down one position and tell a guy, 'This is where you're going to be.' We might have to make some adjustments with the players that we have. All of our outfielders are versatile, and I really believe that."

Though the Yankees had said they were seeking a right-handed hitting outfielder to complement Gardner, Girardi had positive things to say about Winn, a switch-hitter who fared poorly last season against left-handed pitching. Winn rates as a plus defender and should help the Yankees on the bases and at the plate, Girardi said.

"I think he can be a good player for us," Girardi said. "I know people have talked about Randy Winn replacing Johnny Damon, and that wasn't why we signed Randy Winn. We signed Randy Winn so we'd have depth to make sure we have depth and make sure that we have competition. If someone gets hurt, we have enough people to fill the spot. Randy Winn has been an everyday player for a long time. We're comfortable with him in that spot."

Of course, Damon won't be easily forgotten after four years in New York, including going out on top with one of the great all-time World Series baserunning plays, that crucial double steal in Game 4 at Philadelphia.

While Girardi sounds prepared to attack his outfield mix without the veteran in consideration, the manager understands the mentality of a fan base that doesn't seem all that ready to move on from a championship roster just yet.

"The one thing that's so great about Yankees fans is their loyalty," Girardi said. "I remember coming in and trying to replace Mike Stanley. It's not easy. When fans love you here and you leave, someone's going to hear about it."

Negro Leagues Museum captivates visitors

KANSAS CITY -- When you go through the old-time turnstiles at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, you encounter the statue of Buck O'Neil, leaning and gazing through a chicken wire fence and onto the playing field.

"Field of Legends" it's called and it's filled by statues of the Negro Leagues' greatest stars -- Ray Dandridge, Buck Leonard, Leon Day, Pop Lloyd, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and others. It's a captivating sight.

That's what struck Angels closer Brian Fuentes on Saturday when he arrived for the 10th annual Legacy Awards.

"I wanted to go right out on the field and check all that out, it's pretty neat," Fuentes said. "But it wasn't that easy."

No, the chicken wire keeps out visitors, who are gently nudged through the Museum's hallway of history which details the rich heritage of African-Americans, as well as Latinos, in baseball and culture. The Negro Leagues were formed in Kansas City in 1920.

Then, at the end of the walk through, lies access to field and the legendary players.

"You go through the process of learning the history and you've got to earn that right to go out there and walk amongst the great players," Fuentes said. "And, really, it's for the best. If you'd just walk out and see the great statues, you wouldn't get the full appreciation of what these guys are all about."

Red Sox outfielder Mike Cameron, honored for his baseball and community leadership, was making his third visit to the Museum and he could appreciate how Fuentes felt.

"The first time I came here, the first thing I wanted to do is come out on the field," Cameron said. "But you have to understand the history of what these players represent and what they went through. When you walk through here and you see their suitcases and the beds they had to sleep in and the sacrifices they made just for the opportunity to stand 60 feet 6 inches away and chase a little ball around and get dirty. These were people that genuinely cherished the game, day-in and day-out."

Cameron and Fuentes joined other award winners at the Museum in a warm-up session prior to Saturday night's Legacy Awards event which drew about 800 to the Kansas City Convention Center.

The Museum is in its 20th year and this launched a year-long celebration in an effort to strengthen its standing as an important tourist attraction and cultural institution.

"I find this museum to be incredibly moving because of not only its place in baseball but its place in history," said ESPN's Claire Smith, honored as baseball writer of the year.

"I would not have become a writer if it were not for Jackie Robinson and I wouldn't have been a Jackie Robinson fan if it were not for my mother. My father was a Willie Mays fan so there's a little tension in the house. I came to love this game because of the sacrifices and the commitment that this Museum honors. I thank these generations for what they did for the country. It's just a marvelous, marvelous history that should never be forgotten."

Robinson, a Negro Leagues graduate who broke the Major Leagues' color barrier in 1947, was on almost everyone's mind.

"If Jackie wouldn't have done what he did, I wouldn't be able to be here on this podium. We've got to take that into perspective every time we step on the field," said the Astros' Michael Bourn, who won the Cool Papa Bell Award as the National League's top basestealer.

Wendy Lewis, MLB's senior vice president of diversity and strategic alliances, represented Commissioner Bud Selig to accept the Buck O'Neil Award for outstanding support of the Museum.

"We all owe so much to the people who are honored here and this legacy should continue," Lewis said. "Don't ever come to KC and not visit it again -- you will learn something different and very profound each time."

Not only does MLB support the NLBM but each year its clubs play games wearing replicas of Negro Leagues uniforms. That's an annual highlight for Cameron, who draws on the knowledge gained at the Museum.

"I try to create the whole experience for myself when we do play those games," he said.

Jack Zduriencik, the Mariners' general manager who was honored as the American League executive of the year, has become a big fan of the Museum. There was great joy in the Negro Leagues -- the fun is evident in some of the film clips that are shown -- but the struggles of the players and the barriers they encountered are a huge part of the story.

"There are times when you have to hold back your tears," Zduriencik said. "It's pretty special."

2009 Legacy Award winners
Oscar Charleston Award to AL, NL MVPs: Joe Mauer, Twins, and Albert Pujols, Cardinals
Bullet Rogan Award to AL, NL Pitchers of the Year: Zack Greinke, Royals; Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
Josh Gibson Award to AL, NL HR leaders: Carlos Pena, Rays, and Mark Teixeira, Yanks (tie); Pujols
Cool Papa Bell Award to AL, NL stolen-base leaders: Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox; Michael Bourn, Astros
Buck Leonard Award to AL, NL batting champs: Mauer, Twins; Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
Rube Foster Award to AL, NL Executives of Year: Jack Zduriencik, Mariners; Dan O'Dowd, Rockies
C.I. Taylor Award to AL, NL Managers of Year: Mike Scioscia, Angels; Jim Tracy, Rockies
Larry Doby Award to AL, NL Rookies of the Year: Elvis Andrus, Rangers; Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
Hilton Smith Award to AL, NL Relievers of Year: Brian Fuentes, Angels; Heath Bell, Padres
Pop Lloyd Award in recognition of baseball/community leadership: Mike Cameron, Red Sox
Sam Lacy Award to baseball writer of year: Claire Smith, ESPN
Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award for career excellence in the face of adversity: Joe Morgan, ESPN baseball analyst
Buck O'Neil Award for outstanding support of the NLBM: Commissioner Bud Selig

Edmonds excited for shot to earn job

MILWAUKEE -- Jim Edmonds is a four-time All-Star and an eight-time Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder, so he doesn't have a lot of experience competing for a job in Spring Training. He understands that he'll have to do precisely that beginning next month.

"They didn't make me any promises," said Edmonds, who inked a Minor League contract with the Brewers on Friday that included an invitation to big league camp. "But I'll get to go in there with a chance to show them I can still play."

Edmonds, 39, has not seen big league pitching since the 2008 postseason, when he capped a solid second half with the Cubs. But he was among the veterans searching in vain for a job amid a poor economy last winter, and when he didn't find any offers to his liking, Edmonds opted to take a year off.

Now the Brewers are hoping that Edmonds mounts a comeback similar to Gabe Kapler's two years ago. Kapler, who like Edmonds is represented by agent Paul Cohen, returned from a year off and was an extremely productive extra outfielder for Milwaukee in 2008, batting .301 in 96 games.

Edmonds has not seen a live Major League pitch since Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Oct. 8, 2008. Might that be an issue as he launches his comeback?

"I don't think so," Edmonds said. "I've been hurt before and missed time, and I never had a problem coming back. I've been hitting the last week a lot more than I normally do, and it's going really well. I'm pretty excited that I was able to pick it up again. I was in St. Louis this week hitting with Albert and that was a lot of fun."

That would be Albert Pujols, one of the greatest hitters on the planet. That reunion, Edmonds said, reinforced his desire to get back into baseball.

He made it clear in recent weeks that his intention was to return, and his first choice was to do so in St. Louis, where Edmonds played from 2000-07 and won a World Series ring. Cardinals general manager Jon Mozeliak told Edmonds on Wednesday that he didn't see a fit, so the outfielder looked elsewhere and found a new home in Milwaukee on Thursday afternoon.

He reportedly will earn an $825,000 base salary if he makes the Brewers' roster, with an opportunity to earn as much as $2.5 million with incentives. If Edmonds isn't added to the 40-man roster by March 25, he can opt for free agency.

That "out" date is 12 days before the Brewers' season opener.

"You know what? I don't know how that is going to go," Edmonds said. "I've played 15 years, and I've probably had a guaranteed job in 13 of them."

In those 15 seasons, plus a September callup with the Angels in 1993, Edmonds is a .284 hitter with a .377 on-base percentage, 382 home runs and 1,176 RBIs. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, looking for left-handed bench bats to complement a right-handed-heavy starting lineup, first contacted Cohen about Edmonds during the 2009 World Series, but for months, Edmonds didn't see a good match.

That changed this past week.

"It has been a little bit of an adjustment change on my part," the veteran said. "I was away from the game last year, but I was never really retired, and I had to decide whether I wanted to go into a situation to prove myself. I've been fortunate in my life to have made a good amount of money and played for a long time, but I've worked really hard in the past couple of months and have been doing a lot of hitting and it has come back to me quick."

His next task is to win a job. The Brewers' projected outfield starters, from left to right, are Ryan Braun, newcomer Carlos Gomez and Corey Hart, while Jody Gerut is penciled in as the primary backup. Edmonds is among four non-roster outfielders invited to camp, along with Trent Oeltjen, Logan Schafer and Adam Stern. Schafer will almost certainly begin the season in the Minors, as will the other outfielder on the 40-man roster, Lorenzo Cain.

Edmonds is by far the most experienced of the group. Stern has 37 Major League plate appearances over three seasons with the Red Sox and Orioles. Oeltjen logged 73 plate appearances last August and September with the D-backs. Edmonds has 7,708 career plate appearances for the Angels, Cardinals, Padres and Cubs.

Get MLB.TV and watch live on new iPad

MLB.com made its 2010 MLB.TV subscriptions available on Wednesday, featuring state-of-the-art delivery of live, out-of-market Major League Baseball games as part of an unprecedented full season of access to the product over a variety of devices. That includes customers enabled to buy through applications on the iPhone, iPod Touch and the brand-new iPad.

Here is what you need to know about MLB.TV, which returns for its eighth season and continues to raise the bar for streaming live events and searchable video on demand.

What are some of the best features of MLB.TV for 2010?

Portability is front and center, as fans will enjoy convenient MLB.TV options optimized for numerous screens, from home and office computers to laptops and large monitors. Additional distribution to various Apple products, including the company's latest innovation, essentially means that MLB.TV has something for everybody, everywhere there's an Internet or mobile connection.

The full schedule of 2,430 regular season games is included, and most of those are delivered in HD quality (where available). MLB.com's proprietary speed detection allows high-speed users to receive crisp, best-in-class streaming video on any size monitor.

Fans also will get real-time highlights and stats; on-demand access to full-game archives so one can watch any pitch from the whole season; MLB.com Condensed Games featuring every payoff pitch; access to MLB.com Gameday Audio and a new, full-screen presentation of the popular pitch-by-pitch app; Clickable Linescores that let you go straight to any half-inning of a game; and a Fantasy Player Tracker consisting of ballplayers customized by subscribers and integrated with league rosters.

MLB.TV Premium subscribers get all that, and they also can enjoy the following features: Choice of home or away broadcast feeds, so favorite announcers are always a simple click away; DVR for pausing, rewinding and jumping back to live action; and a multi-game view (Quad Mode, Picture in Picture and Split Screen).

Now that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has just introduced the iPad, how will it help baseball fans?

Amid great fanfare, Jobs announced the "iPad" and unveiled a lightweight tablet that he said is "way better than a laptop, way better than a smartphone." MLB.com was represented on stage at the event, demonstrating how baseball fans can watch live baseball with that device.

Chad Evans, director of mobile product development for MLB Advanced Media, gave the demo for MLB.com before Jobs returned to the stage.

"We were incredibly excited to build something for the iPad, and we realized we couldn't just take our existing iPhone app and make it bigger," Evans said. "We really needed to create a whole new experience to take advantage of the big, gorgeous interactive screen on the device."

He went through several screen displays showing how the content will look, including users' ability to touch players for details, bells and whistles, and to access data pertinent to game situations.

"With all this great screen space, we can now let you watch video highlights while all this is going on so you can replay the game's best moments," said Evans, who spent the previous two weeks along with Tracy Pesin, director of mobile engineering at MLBAM, sequestered inside Apple's lab to build the demo that previewed what fans will see soon. "The first thing you notice is baseball is amazing on this screen, and now we've enhanced it."

When Jobs took the stage again following that demo, he told a worldwide crowd: "Isn't that awesome? These guys only had two weeks. So we've seen some really great apps."

How much does an MLB.TV subscription cost?

Yearly subscriptions are now available at $99.95 for MLB.TV and $119.95 for MLB.TV Premium. That will give you immediate access to relive every moment from every Major League game played in the 2009 season, including the Yankees' World Series clincher.

Will this work for Spring Training?

As part of the subscription, you will be able to watch or listen to more than 150 live games from Florida and Arizona as teams prepare for the 2010 regular season. The exhibition schedule starts with Braves-Mets on March 2 in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

What can we expect from MLB.com At Bat in 2010?

The MLB.com At Bat app was synched up with MLB.TV during the 2009 season so that fans could watch all live out-of-market games over their iPhone and iPod Touch devices. That changed everything. It was the overall No. 2-selling app in iTunes for 2009. Rave reviews included Best Multimedia App by Macworld and "2009 Most Valuable App" by Sports Illustrated, and CNET called it "another step in proving MLB.com's technical superiority."

Your favorite app will be back and enhanced for its second full season, available soon in the iTunes stores for use on devices including the iPhone and iPod Touch. Subscribe to MLB.TV, order the MLB.com At Bat app once it becomes available, and once again you will be able to watch live out-of-market games.

What will the media player itself look like?

The 2010 MLB.TV media player will deliver a fleet of enhancements in a convenient, cutting-edge Adobe Flash format, offering an unparalleled live viewing experience for every out-of-market regular season game.

GM stands behind payroll at PirateFest

PITTSBURGH -- With the Pirates' roster all but set for 2010, so too are projections for the club's Opening Day payroll. And general manager Neal Huntington is ready to defend it.

After a season-ending payroll of $48 million in 2009, the Pirates are looking at opening this upcoming season with that number in the vicinity of $36 million. And since the club has addressed all of its offseason needs, it's unlikely that payroll figure will fluctuate much from that projection between now and April 5.

To put that into some recent perspective, the Pirates have not ended a season with a payroll of less than $43 million since 2005, when it sat at $30 million at year's end. Do keep in mind that Opening Day payroll and the end-of-the-season number can turn out to be vastly different depending on the degree of mid-season moves and number of incentive-reached bonuses handed out.

Still, the reality of resting in the cellar of the payroll list to start the year doesn't sit particularly well with some in a fan base that is craving for Pittsburgh's first winning baseball season since 1992. Critics are quick to note that five of the last six World Series titles were captured by clubs that ranked in the Top 10 in season-ending payroll figures. The exception was the 2005 White Sox, whose $73 million payroll was the 13th highest in baseball that year.

However, at the same time, some of those skeptics rushed downtown to attend the organization's annual PirateFest, where Huntington addressed those financial concerns.

"A lot has been made of our payroll heading into 2010," Huntington said. "The best way to describe our payroll is that it's a result, not a goal. Our payroll is a result of trading veteran players on the downside of their prime, but who are making a lot of money, and as a result, making room for the young players that we have acquired or drafted."

In other words, it's only natural that a club being built around youth is going to be inherently less expensive than one constructed heavily through free agency. The Pirates added five free agents to their big league roster for a total addition of $7.875 in base salaries. The acquisition of Akinori Iwamura, who will make a club-high $4.85 million, through a trade also contributed to a decent chunk of that payroll figure.

These additions were made largely to complement the pieces already in place, and Huntington was given a green light to spend more than he did if he had deemed it beneficial. The intent, however, was to continue to construct this team around players that may be on the low end of the pay scale now, but ones that will be more costly in the years to come.

"While we've gone out to try to bring some maturity and to bring some experience [with free agents], at the same time, we need to let these young players who are here get the at-bats, get the innings to become the next wave that carries us," Huntington said.

Payroll wasn't the only item that management was discussing this weekend, as Huntington, president Frank Coonelly and manager John Russell fielded a total of two hours of questions in two days from fans at PirateFest.

Saturday's report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Pittsburgh Penguins owners Rob Burkle and Mario Lemieux are interested in buying the Pirates was the most popular topic on Saturday, and Coonelly addressed speculation immediately.

"The Pirates are not for sale," Coonelly said. "[Owner] Bob Nutting is committed to this organization. The team is not for sale. It's not going to be for sale. Bob is determined to bring a championship back to Pittsburgh and see this process through."

Coonelly was also asked to speak to the organization's spending of its revenue-sharing dollars. It's been a topic of particular interest since the Commissioner's Office and the Major League Baseball Players Association expressed concern with how the Marlins were using their revenue-sharing monies. Coonelly adamantly refuted speculation that the Pirates could be under similar scrutiny.

"Our payroll last year was well in excess of what we received in revenue-sharing profits," he said. "In addition to that, our Major League payroll is only a small portion of what we spend. We spend far in excessive of what we receive in revenue-sharing every year."

Other questions weren't so pointed, and the organization's Minor League system and Draft plans were the topics of a number of the inquiries. During the discourse, Huntington noted that Bryce Harper, who some have projected to be the gem of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, is not a given to be selected by the Pirates if he's available when the club uses its No. 2 overall pick.

"We like Bryce Harper, but I can't tell you Bryce Harper is right now in our Top 10," Huntington said. "He's getting a lot of hype and publicity. We will scout Bryce Harper. We will put him on the board. And if he's the right player, we'll take him. We're not just going to pick a player because publications like him. We'll select the player that we think is best when we pick."

The management group also continued to tout the group of players prepared to make up the 2010 club and explained behind-closed-door decisions made this offseason in determining what free agents to pursue.

"We talked about [adding] Jon Garland, Vicente Padilla, Braden Looper," Huntington said. "But when we talked about what they would bring and what we had internally, we felt like it was a better investment to give those innings to the winner of the Kevin Hart-Daniel McCutchen battle in Spring Training to let them develop. It's always a balance between the present and the future. We felt it was a better use of our innings to let these guys develop.

Rowland-Smith excited for fresh start in '10

SEATTLE -- One of the first things Mariners left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith plans to do when he reports to Spring Training next month is introduce himself to Cliff Lee and begin a teacher-student relationship.

"I am really looking forward to meeting him, being around him, and seeing what his work habits are," Rowland-Smith said. "I have always enjoyed watching him pitch and I can learn a lot from him. I can't wait to pick his brain. I hope he doesn't mind."

Rowland-Smith, the leading candidate to join Lee and ace right-hander Felix Hernandez at the top of the Mariners' five-man starting rotation this season, looked and sounded ready to go on Saturday afternoon during FanFest at Safeco Field.

"You look forward to the start of Spring Training every year," he said, "but even more so this year because there was such a positive environment last season."

Rowland-Smith contributed five wins to the Mariners' 85-win season, spending most of the first half of the campaign on the outside looking in. He broke camp in the rotation, but suffered left triceps tendinitis in his first start of the regular season and was either on the disabled list or on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma until July 24.

The Australian native pitched well enough down the stretch, especially at home where he had a 2.70 ERA and put him in position to warrant strong consideration for a spot in the rotation this season.

"I think Rowland-Smith made huge strides last year," pitching coach Rick Adair said of the lefty who compiled a 5-4 record and 3.74 ERA in 15 starts, giving him a record of 11-7 and solid 3.62 ERA after 88 Major League appearances and 27 starts.

The Hernandez-Lee tandem gives Seattle one of the best one-two pitching punches in the Major Leagues this season, but more is needed if the Mariners are going to play well into October.

"It's nice to have the two guys at the top of the rotation that are proven winners," general manager Jack Zduriencik said, "but if we're going to be good, what falls in after that is the responsibility of every other guy."

Rowland-Smith is one of those guys.

"It's going to be a big year for him," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "He's a big, strong kid and a tremendous competitor, but sometimes you have to go backwards to go forward and I think he did that last year. I think it was necessary for him to go back and find himself."

Rowland-Smith, 27, admitted on Saturday that he became frustrated last summer when he wasn't promoted earlier.

"I was frustrated," he said. "Anyone in my situation would. It was tough dealing with an injury for the first time, missing a big chunk of the season and then proving that I can pitch at the Major League level on the field.

"It's easy to look back now and say it a lot more positive than negative. I learned from it."

If he needs a refresher course in perseverance, Lee certainly could help.

"He's a guy who has gone through a couple of bumps in his career too, so he understands what that is like," Rowland-Smith said. "It will be good to be around somebody who understands the negative part of the game, as well as the positive side."

Lee won at least 14 games during his first three big league seasons with the Indians, including an 18-5 record in 2005. But less than two years later, with a 4-9 record, he was sent back to the Minor Leagues.

His next big league start was the following season and the lefty proceeded to win 19 of his first 21 outings, posted a 22-3 record overall and won the American League Cy Young Award among many other honors.

Rowland-Smith can't even imagine something like that happening to him, but . . .

"I am taking a different approach this season," he said. "I am not going to worry about where I'm going to wind up, or how many games I'm going to win or how many innings I'm going to pitch.

"I will take it one outing at a time, whether it's in April, July or September, and try to get deep into every game I pitch. That's my goal. If I can do that, the numbers will take care of themselves."