Family roots keep Hairstons grounded

post by Chicago White Sox jerseys

The story is nearly eight years old now, yet no matter how many times Scott Hairston tells it, a warm smile washes over his face. It's like, if you can imagine this, he is telling the story for the very first time.

The story goes like this: Hairston, long before he pulled on a Padres jersey, was a Minor League player. It was 2002, he remembers that. He was in his second season of pro ball and he was still a second baseman in the D-backs organization.

"It was after BP [batting practice] when this older guy, a scout calls me over. He had to have been in his 70s," Hairston said. "He said I reminded him of a player he had played against once ... that player's name, he said, was Sam Hairston."

Cue the smile, every time.

Sam Hairston was Hairston's grandfather and the patriarch of a one of baseball's most prominent families, a family with roots that run in the game, dating all the way to Sam Hairston's days in the Negro Leagues.

"I told him he was my grandfather," Hairston said, his voice sounding full of pride. "He said, 'That doesn't surprise me. I didn't even have to look at the roster. I saw the way you swing the bat ... that's what reminded me of him.'

"I got a kick of out that. Just by him watching me take BP he said that I looked like my grandfather. That's amazing to me."

For obvious reasons, this story holds special meaning for Hairston, even more so these days as another branch of the baseball family tree has sprouted here in Peoria with the addition of free-agent utility man Jerry Hairston Jr., Scott's older brother.

The Hairston brothers are the sons of Jerry Hairston, a former outfielder who played 14 seasons in the Major Leagues. Jerry Hairston Jr., who won a World Series ring with the Yankees last fall, and his brother will be teammates for the first time this season.

The Hairstons consider themselves fortunate for this unique twist to their careers, lucky even. No longer will they be the equivalent of passing ships in the night with the chance to visit briefly -- if at all -- when their teams are playing each other in the regular season.

Instead, the Hairston brothers will be teammates, united by general manager Jed Hoyer who traded for one Hairston (Scott) and signed the other (Jerry Jr.) during a dizzying three-day stretch in January.

This union will also give the Hairston brothers a chance to continue what Jerry Hairston proudly describes as the "family business," one that began with Sam Hairston's desire to play baseball in the 1940s, even if it meant fibbing about his age.

"I think for us to follow in his footsteps ... we're very proud of that," Scott Hairston said. "... It's very interesting to me. I consider myself fortunate to having grown up in a family like ours. It has inspired me to work harder and pass it along to my sons.

"We don't take much for granted, that's for sure."

Sam Hairston certainly didn't.

Sam spent his formative years in Hooper City, Ala., which is located a long fly ball outside Birmingham. When he was 16, he lied about his age, saying he 18, to get a job and the opportunity to play baseball in the local industrial league.

The Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues eventually noticed him and signed him as a catcher in 1944.

Sam Hairston went on to win the Negro American League's Triple Crown in 1950, when he hit .424 with 17 home runs and 71 RBIs during a 70-game season. That got Hairston a chance at the Major Leagues. In 1951, he became the first African-American to play for the Chicago White Sox.

"He started a legacy," Jerry Hairston said. "I don't know if any family has as many years in the game. There have been a lot more families with a lot more success, the Boones and others, but coming from where we came from it's pretty unique."

Scott Hairston, who is starting his second tour with the Padres, is 29 and beginning his seventh Major League season. Jerry Hairston Jr. is 33 and the newest Padre. He signed a one-year deal to essentially be a super utility man. He's beginning his 13th Major League season.

The brothers Hairston grew up around the game, having watched their father play nearly his entire 14-year career with the Chicago White Sox. Aside from Sam Hairston, Jerry's brother, John, played three games for the Chicago Cubs in 1969.

Is it really any wonder Scott and Jerry Jr. found their way into baseball?

"It wasn't by accident," Scott said. "Being around the clubhouse growing up, being around guys like Carlton Fisk, Harold Baines, Ozzie Guillen, Ron Kittle ... all those guys that I grew up watching, made me want to be like them. And watching my dad play ... baseball was a no-brainer.

"This is something [playing baseball] that I always loved to do and I never shied away from it. I think what I'm doing now, is what I planned on doing as a kid."

It's probably no coincidence that the Hairston brothers have some characteristics of their father and grandfather, making the story that the old scout once told Scott much more plausible.

"That scout he hit it right on the head," Jerry Hairston said. "Scott has a lot of similarities as his grandfather. We have some films. I remember my dad loving that high fastball. The last year I saw him play, I was 7 years old and I can remember him at the plate and taking a hack at that high fastball.

"That's what Scott has. He can get on top of that high fastball and drive it. He's able to take that pitch that is sometimes not even a strike and hit it, sometimes even out of the ballpark."

Jerry Hairston, who is the hitting coach for the White Sox Class A team in Bristol, said Jerry Jr. has an entirely different kind of skill set.

"Jerry Jr. is a little more like me, has the same body," Jerry Hairston said. "He's a much better player than I ever was. I'm proud of the fact that they're better than me. Jerry Jr. is a different player than Scott. He's a more tenacious guy. He's always in position to make a play. He's a true over-the-top student of the game."

Now they'll be playing together with the Padres. In the interest of fairness, this won't be the first time these brothers have been teammates. They played for Mexico a year ago in the World Baseball Classic. Their mother, Esperanza, was born in Mexico.

Jerry and Esperanza live in Tucson, Ariz. Scott (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Jerry Jr. (Scottsdale, Ariz.) both live in the Phoenix area. The family will get together during the offseason, but such reunions in the season have always been difficult. Now, as Jerry Hairston points out, Esperanza will have an easier time planning trips to watch her sons play.

"When we were working in the past, we never really saw a lot of each other," Jerry Jr. said. "We would play against each other for three days or whatever. But now it's going to be fun to watch him as a teammate, watch him going about his business.

"It's going to be cool to see first-hand him getting those clutch hits and the team relying upon him."

Added Scott: "It's going to be nice being around him on an everyday basis ... doing what we both love to do."

There's no telling how long this brotherly union will last in San Diego. Jerry Jr. was signed to a one-year deal. Scott, who was dealt to Oakland last July only to be traded for this winter, figures to be in the Padres plans for a while.

Either way, the tradition rolls on. The family business has been, and continues to be, in very good hands.

"We're very proud of that," Jerry Jr. said. "We know how hard my grandfather worked and the things that he had to fight through, the same kind of things that Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby had to fight through ... He had a tougher road than Scott and I did. We appreciate that."

Many bidders for Yanks' No. 5 battle

post by Cincinnati Reds jerseys

Phil and Joba, Joba and Phil.

And Chad and Sergio and Alfredo, apparently.

Though something unexpected would have to happen for Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes not to win the Yankees' vacant fifth starter's job, manager Joe Girardi continues to insist that Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves are all legitimate candidates for the gig.

Call it motivation. Call it healthy competition. Either way, the three combined for six shutout innings in the Yankees' 6-3 victory over the Pirates on Wednesday.

"There seems to be so much talk about Hughes and Chamberlain, and the other guys are kind of under the radar a little bit, which is not a bad place to be," Girardi said. "We're going to do what we think is best for our club."

That almost certainly sets up a starting gig for either Hughes or Chamberlain, a bullpen role for Aceves and a sizable dose of uncertainty for Mitre and Gaudin. But as long as the Yankees are playing Grapefruit League games, every one of those pitchers has a chance.

They are aiming to make Girardi's decision difficult. In two innings Wednesday, Gaudin allowed nothing more than an infield single. Sinkerballer Mitre relieved him and fired two perfect innings with four groundouts, then Aceves -- with some help from his outfield defense -- pitched two perfect innings of his own.

Considering that the regulars for both teams played only half the game, and that pitchers are always more advanced than hitters this time of year, the early-March statistics don't mean much. But as the spring progresses, Girardi will need to make decisions on all three of those pitchers.

"The competition is there, but I'm not focusing on beating other guys out right now," Gaudin said. "I'm focusing on getting outs quick, keeping the team in the game and working on what I need to work on for the season."

In the main competition, Chamberlain and Hughes are scheduled to pitch on Friday. Between now and then, Girardi will have some time to absorb the results of Wednesday's undercard.

The Yankees could potentially make room for two of the three pitchers in the bullpen, assuming none of them wins the fifth starter's job. Aceves and Gaudin would appear to have the early edge based on their production last season, but Girardi has given Mitre, a former player of his with the Marlins, every chance to succeed in the past. There's no reason to think he won't do so again.

Right now, regardless, one round of the competition is complete without anyone gaining or losing a discernible edge.

But the spring is long. And the competition is open.

"I think we talk about it enough that they know," Girardi said. "We told them coming in that it was an open competition. Their nature is competitive, and they're going to go out and do the best that they can because they want to be on this team. They want to be the fifth starter. I don't think I need to remind them."

Harang gets Opening Day nod for Reds

post by Chicago Cubs jerseys

Unlike the past few years, there was more discussion and more than a hint of doubt over who would be the Reds' Opening Day starter and ace of the rotation.

But in the end, it will be the same pitcher who had done it the previous four times -- Aaron Harang. The right-hander will face the Cardinals on April 5 at Great American Ball Park.

Although the choice to go with Harang is tried and true, it's not the conventional decision this time around. He is coming off of back-to-back six-win seasons, while Bronson Arroyo has won 15 games each of the past two years.

"I know it probably won't be a popular decision," manager Dusty Baker said on Wednesday. "But talking to both of them, Harang seems to pitch better against top pitchers. After Day 1, it doesn't matter anyway."

Harang's fifth straight Opening Day assignment would tie the club record for most consecutive first-game starts held by Pete Donohue (1923-27) and Mario Soto, who did it from 1982-86. Soto holds the overall club record of six Opening Day starts.

Opening Day is considered sacred to Reds fans because of the club's lengthy tradition. Cincinnati is the oldest professional franchise in baseball, and that status has given it the privilege of getting to open at home with a day game each season.

"I'm excited about it," Harang said. "You definitely have to have a different approach on Opening Day because of all the hoopla and stuff that's going around the game."

Baker and pitching coach Bryan Price informed Harang of their decision on Tuesday after meeting with both Harang and Arroyo. The group talked about it together, and Harang and Arroyo also talked privately about it.

"I said, 'If it's out there, I want the ball. I want to be your guy,'" Harang said he told Baker. "[Bronson and I] both talked about it before we even went in there. I wasn't over there trying to make him feel different.

"Do I think Bronson deserves to start Opening Day? Yeah, definitely for what he's shown the past couple of years."

A couple of weeks ago, when camp first opened, Baker did not know who he'd give the ball to for the opener. The decision ultimately came down to the fact that, as much as Harang wanted the assignment, Arroyo also wasn't all that interested in being the Reds' No. 1 starter.

"If I had my choice, I'd rather pitch two or three," Arroyo said. "Cincinnati is one of the few places that Opening Day is really like a holiday. For that reason, it's probably a little tough to concentrate on that day. There's so much stuff going on. I'd rather enjoy that day, soak in all the festivities and pitch the next day or day after that."

"Nobody is more honest than Bronson," Baker said. "You might not like his answers. His answers will be honest. I love that. I ask a question, I want an honest answer. That's the reason you communicate and talk to your players."

Baker also set the top four spots of Cincinnati's rotation. After Harang will be Johnny Cueto, followed by Arroyo, Homer Bailey and the still-unnamed fifth starter.

There was reason behind the decision to split up Harang and Arroyo in the order.

"So you don't tax your bullpen," Baker said. "Harang, you know will give you innings. Cueto is not as consistent. Arroyo is consistent. Homer, you don't know. The fifth starter, you don't know. You want to break up those guys, because what if you had Arroyo and Harang back-to-back and the next three guys aren't pitching well? You're going to kill your bullpen. When you get back to Harang, you'll have to stick with him longer because your bullpen is already spent."

Harang won 16 games in both 2006 and '07 and was among National League leaders in wins, innings, starts and strikeouts. But struggles and injuries set him way back the past two seasons. In 2008-09, he was a combined 12-31 with a 4.52 ERA.

Last season was particularly trying, as Harang finished 6-14 with a 4.21 ERA in 162 1/3 innings with 142 K's. His year ended in August because he had his appendix removed. In 13 starts from May 30-Aug. 3, Harang endured a nine-game losing streak.

Over three of his past four seasons with the Reds, Arroyo has won at least 14 games. He posted a 15-13 record with a 3.84 ERA in 33 starts in 2009.

Arroyo also isn't a fan of pitching day games and has a better record when working at night. However, his first start on April 8 vs. St. Louis will be a day game.

"I told Dusty I'd pitch anywhere he wants me to pitch," Arroyo said. "It doesn't matter -- one through five -- it's fine by me. You can put a label on whatever you want -- I will take the ball 34 times. It doesn't matter."

League switch could be boon to Melky

post by Colorado Rockies jerseys

When the Braves traded Javier Vazquez to the Yankees in December, they quickly learned that many of their fans were not too excited about the fact that Melky Cabrera was the only Major Leaguer included in the return package.

Initial displeasure surrounding the deal was slightly diminished when some of those same fans came to understand the potential of 19-year-old right-hander Arodys Vizcaino, who could prove to be the most influential portion of the return provided by the Yankees.

But while Cabrera certainly isn't the power-hitting slugger that fans were hoping to receive in exchange for Vazquez, Atlanta is excited about the value he could bring while serving as a versatile outfielder whose offensive potential may yet to have been realized.

"His power is going to come," said Braves utility man Eric Hinske, who played with Cabrera last year with the Yankees. "I think he hit 13 homers last year, but he's got 20-plus capabilities."

While playing with the World Series champion Yankees last year, Cabrera hit .274 with the 13 homers, racking up 10 stolen bases and sporting a .752 OPS. With a quick evaluation of the numbers, Braves manager Bobby Cox believes it's easy to understand why the versatile 25-year-old outfielder found himself overshadowed by the likes of of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira.

"When you hit .270 with 13 [homers] there, nobody talks about you," Cox said. "I like Melky. He's a solid outfielder, has a good arm, knows how to play the game and he's a great kid. He's a good leader, from what I've seen."

At first glance, it would be easy to look at the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Cabrera and mistake him for a catcher. But those who saw him patrol the Yankees' outfield the past four years certainly realize that he doesn't look anything like any of the Molina brothers once he starts racing toward fly balls.

"He was by far the best defensive outfielder we had," said Braves reliever Scott Proctor, who shared the Yankees clubhouse with Cabrera during the 2006 and '07 seasons. "When you're toeing the rubber, he's definitely a guy that you want to have behind you."

With Jason Heyward seemingly improving the odds that he'll begin the season as Atlanta's starting right fielder, it appears the switch-hitting Cabrera will likely begin the season sharing the left-field duties with Matt Diaz.

But with his versatility, the Braves envision Cabrera spending time at each of the outfield positions.

During the first two games of the Grapefruit League season, Cabrera has not had the opportunity to show whether he has the kind of power arm that Jeff Francoeur showed over the past couple of seasons in Atlanta.

But while batting leadoff and playing center field in Wednesday afternoon's 9-5 win over the Mets, Cabrera did display his speed while nearly beating out a first-inning grounder that was directed to the third-base side of the mound. Five innings later, he drew a walk to spark a four-run uprising.

"He's a guy that's going to put some good at-bats together," Proctor said. "He's going to hit to the situation and [be] a gap guy. He's just a good all-around hitter. It's going to be interesting to see how he fits in the National League. I think his talents are going to be better exposed in the National League than they were in the American League."

As a switch-hitter with strong defensive skills, Cabrera could certainly prove more valuable while being part of late-inning substitutions which are much more frequent in the NL. But at the same time, the Braves recognize that his background with the Yankees has given him a chance to be recognized as much more than simply a role player in Atlanta.

"He's just a gamer," Proctor said. "He just knows how to play the game the right way. He comes from a winning background, too, with the Yankees. So he knows how to play the game down the stretch. The pressure isn't going to get to him."

Timetable for Cards' Ryan up in the air

post by Boston Red Sox jerseys

A simple reading of the timetable for Brendan Ryan's rehabilitation timetable from right wrist surgery goes something like this: Ryan wants to hurry back as quickly as possible, while the Cardinals want him to be cautious. The simple reading is probably a bit too simple, but not much.

Ryan knows his own tendency to rush and to be, at times, overly enthusiastic. So he's trying to make sure he doesn't get ahead of himself.

"[I have to] make sure that I have a good understanding of what the big picture is, and remind myself of that not only daily, but hourly," he said.

Thus far, though, Ryan's rehab has gone very well. He didn't do any significant work on Wednesday, giving his wrist a chance to rest after two days of progress. But he expects to get right back to action Thursday. And within two weeks, he expects to be taking batting practice.

"Batting practice should be ... the Monday after next [March 15]," Ryan said, "and then playing, like, the 21st or 22nd -- assuming all goes well."

However well it goes, manager Tony La Russa wants to make sure Ryan doesn't risk his season in order to make an arbitrary deadline. As such, he's declined to answer whether he expects Ryan to play in any Grapefruit League games before the Cardinals break camp.

"I just think it's a bad question to answer," La Russa said. "If I say 'No,' he might push it to prove them wrong. If I say 'Yes,' and he's not ready, he's going to push it. The thing you want to do is just go day by day with him. If he has a setback, slow him down. If he's feeling good, speed it up a little bit."

So far, Ryan has had no setbacks. He even played second base and first base in the Cardinals' intrasquad game on Wednesday, though he didn't throw with his right hand. When he caught a ball, he flipped it with his glove hand.

He's still targeting Opening Day, even as he tries to make sure he doesn't get too far ahead of himself.

"It doesn't seem realistic to me," Ryan said of the possibility of missing the April 5 opener. "That one never seemed realistic to me. I never saw myself not ready for Opening Day, even to this last minute. I don't know. That's what I'm shooting for. That's my plan. But if there's any chance or risk, I'm not going to be stupid. Three games is not worth losing a season."

Wagner holds no hard feelings

post by Baltimore Orioles jerseys

When Reggie Jackson explained why he had brought his star to the Yankees in 1977, he acknowledged money had been a critical factor but also noted that George Steinbrenner had "hustled me like a broad at the bar." Steinbrenner, the former football coach, loved pursuit.

Bobby Cox seldom has become involved in the Braves' pursuit of free agents over the years. Atlanta figured it would need a closer for 2010 though, and after Billy Wagner retired the first three Braves batters he faced -- Chipper Jones and Brian McCann included -- in his first game back with the Mets in September, the Braves knew they wanted him.

"They came after me like they were hunting," Wagner enjoyed saying. He preferred that analogy -- more appropriate for him. And he liked being the prey.

Steinbrenner wined and dined Reggie. The Waldorf, the Plaza. The Braves were wined and dined by Wagner. Who was pursuing whom? Down-home hospitality. Cox, general manager Frank Wren and pitching coach Roger McDowell flew from Atlanta to Virginia to be entertained by the reliever they hoped would entertain thoughts of pitching the ninth innings in Braves victories.

"I went to pick 'em up at the airport, right off the farm in my pickup, poop and mud all over it," Wagner said. "'This is who I am.'"

"And that's exactly what and who we wanted," Cox said Wednesday. "After we saw Billy throw against us in New York that night, we sent some scouts to follow him [after Wagner had been traded to the Red Sox]. We were serious about him right away. I don't know that I've ever gone to see a player before. Maybe I did. I don't recall. But if it meant we were gonna get Billy, then yeah, I'll go for a visit. Ya know, I'm a farm guy, too, like him."

The Mets had neither room nor role for Wagner. But the Braves, who often lacked a certified closer during their runs of division championships, had both as well as a need. So they brought in a 38-year-old left-handed pitcher who missed most of last season and the final two months of the 2008 season. They didn't consider signing him a risk. This was all about reward.

"He'll change the game for us," Cox said.

Wagner was at the park Wednesday when the Mets and Braves played each other for the second straight day. His locker had a No. 13 over it, western boots and hat in it. And tattered jeans as well. It's who he is. And he still has a gunslinger way about him, shooting from the hip.

He identified his brief tour with the Red Sox -- 15 games, 13 2/3 innings -- as "the best experience of my life." It followed a long -- though shorter than expected -- rehab from the elbow surgery he underwent in late summer 2008. And it refueled him. Four hundred saves -- he has 385 -- seemed closer. And John Franco's 424 saves, the most by a left-handed pitcher, didn't seem quite so distant. Thirty-nine saves in a season that ends when he's 39?

But Wagner figures the time he missed with the Mets will allow him to pitch later in life. He has no plan to retire if and when he passes Franco. But those saves will help the Mets, and some of them may work against them.

"I loved my time in New York," Wagner said. "It was everything it was supposed to be. They treated me well. Respectful. They told me if I came back and pitched well, they'd try to trade [rather than exercise the club option on his contract and not save $7 million]. They were helping themselves, but they were helping me, too. I have no problems with the New York Mets. That doesn't mean I wouldn't like saving 'bout 15 games against them."

Not that his time with the Braves won't have its challenges. Cox demands that his players wear slacks, no jeans, even for Spring Training games. It's who he's not.

Shields, Garza excited to get '10 started

post 2009 All Star jerseys

The Rays rolled out a pair of aces Wednesday afternoon, using James Shields and Matt Garza against the Orioles.

Tampa Bay's Nos. 1 and 2 starters got in their work, then retreated to the clubhouse, both eagerly anticipating the beginning of the 2010 campaign.

Shields started and pitched one inning, walking one and striking out another. Garza allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one in two innings.

Not only is Shields the probable No. 1 starter, but he's also an innings eater and a perennial 200-plus-inning guy. Seeing him for just one frame is an anomaly, to say the least. But stints like Wednesday's must be performed in order to build up the endurance to tackle six-plus innings once the season begins.

Aside from the work that must be done this spring, Shields smiled when talking about being back on the bump, pumping fastballs.

"Yeah, it's exciting," Shields said. "It's exciting, and I think the first time out, I held my own for my one inning. It's great to be out here, have that baseball atmosphere experience -- just walking to the bullpen and hearing the crowd yelling my name."

Shields said he got anxious before the outing, but he doesn't get the same kind of adrenaline during a Grapefruit League game as he does during the regular season.

"I got a little bit of adrenaline today," Shields said. "Once the season starts, those are the games that count, and the volume turns up a little bit."

Most would say Garza has the best stuff on the staff and that the sky is the limit for the right-hander. Garza seemed to experience a similar vibe to what Shields felt being back on the field again.

"[I] had that nervousness kick in, and that's when you know you're alive," Garza said.

Garza confessed to feeling some nerves before his outing, noting, "It's good."

"Once those things are gone, you may as well pack up and go home," Garza said. "I was real nervous today; [it] felt good."

Garza threw all fastballs and a changeup while resisting the urge to throw a slider in a situation that called for him to throw the pitch.

"There was a situation where I could have thrown a slider, but we face the Orioles 18 times this year," Garza said. "No reason to show them anything right now. These numbers don't count, as long as I get my work in and I feel good about it."

Neither Shields nor Garza wants to look in the rearview mirror. Shields said he was pleased with the effort of last year's team, noting that the 11-game losing streak at the beginning of September was the "one thing we were disappointed in." Meanwhile, Garza pointed out that 2009 is over and the Rays are now in '10.

Both are now mature Major League pitchers who know what it's like to prepare for and take part in a 162-game season.

"I'm just going to keep on doing what I've been doing," Shields said. "{And I'm gong to] try to be an inning eater. My main goal every year is to stay healthy."

Garza feels that being another year older and having another year of experience under his belt will benefit him greatly.

"Last year, I thought I had a pretty good season, but it's not what I hoped for," Garza said. "And this year, [I want to] just try and improve on what I did bad -- maybe cut down on my walks and make these guys beat me and not beat myself. And that's going to let me go deeper into the games, which means more innings, which takes a lot of pressure off the bullpen. If we can get into that seventh, eighth and ninth every time out, they're going to be happy about it."

Maholm's quick work a strong start

post by Atlanta Braves jerseys

Starter Paul Maholm seemed plenty pleased with his one-inning appearance against the Yankees in Wednesday's 6-3 loss, an outing that officially began his final month of preparation before the 2010 season.

Maholm retired the side -- a formidable trio of Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira -- in an 11-pitch first inning that marked the left-hander's first outing in Grapefruit League play. He induced three ground-ball outs and threw all but two of his pitches for strikes.

"It was a good day," Maholm said afterward. "When the first guy I face is Jeter and he's fouling balls off, you kind of get in the mode of being competitive and going after him and setting up pitches. My sinker was down, and the few sliders I threw were good."

Because it is still so early in spring, the Pirates planned to limit Maholm to one inning of work regardless of the result. He's scheduled to double that workload in his next outing and then continue progressing deeper into games from there.

Though manager John Russell has not tabbed an Opening Day starter, Maholm's selection as the team's first Grapefruit League starter could be a harbinger for Russell's eventual decision. Maholm has looked sharp since camp opened, and he once again arrived at Spring Training in peak physical condition.

"He has the ability to do what he needs to do to get ready," Russell said. "For the most part, he knows how to prepare and that's where he is in his career. We tell all of our pitchers not to worry so much about the ERA and results, as opposed to pitching down in the zone and pitching ahead."

Maholm specified efficiency when asked what he plans to target through March. His goal remains to get through each inning with 10 or fewer pitches.

The left-hander also insists that he is back at 100 percent after dealing with some soreness in his surgically repaired left knee last year. Pitching coach Joe Kerrigan noted earlier this spring that the Pirates made a mistake in letting Maholm pitch through injuries and even an illness last summer. However, Maholm is not getting into this debate.

Stubborn as Kerrigan had predicted, Maholm still doesn't cite injuries as a reason for the dip in his performance last year. And he maintains that he handled the physical demands of the game last year the same way he will moving forward.

"Last year is done," Maholm said. "It's been made a way bigger issue than it should have been. I'm going to pitch every fifth day. There are not a lot of guys that go out there at 100 percent for 30 something starts. It's part of it. I'll do it again. Everything is good to go."

Bell determined to add changeup to mix

post by Anaheim Angels jerseys

According to Fangraphs, Padres closer Heath Bell used his changeup all of 1 percent of the time in 2009.

Bell, who almost exclusively relies on his fastball and curveball, said on Wednesday the 1 percent figure might actually be a bit generous.

"I threw it four times," Bell said. "It was where I wanted it to go, but it was four times."

Bell certainly didn't suffer much from not having a true third pitch to use. He led the National League in saves (42) on his way to making his first All-Star Game appearance.

Bell said he will throw at least one changeup during Thursday's charity game against the Seattle Mariners at the Peoria Sports Complex. Bell is scheduled to work one inning. He'll do so again on Sunday.

He said the changeup was a pitch he wanted to work on last spring, but his involvement with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic prevented that. Instead, Bell used his fastball-curveball combination during the season.

This spring, Bell said he's been more determined to work on the pitch and actually use it more in games.

"I want to be able to throw it more than four times. I think I need a third pitch, especially when I'm facing a team for the second or third day in a row, or when I face them a lot," Bell said.

The biggest question for Bell this season isn't how often he'll use the changeup but when. Pitching is all about setting up hitters for the next pitch. Attempting to figure out when to mix in the changeup isn't as easy as just throwing it.

"I think the changeup will be there for me," Bell said. "I feel like I can throw it in and out. I've talked to [manager Bud Black] Buddy and [pitching coach Darren Balsley] about it. Now we've just got to figure out when to use it."

Cubs reach deal with Cuban prospect

Post by Anaheim Angels jerseys

The Cubs have reached an agreement with Cuban right-handed pitching prospect Juan Yasser Serrano. However, the deal is not expected to be finalized for another month.

The team has not confirmed the report.

Serrano, who defected from Cuba in April 2009, still needs to undergo a physical before he can join the Cubs. There also is additional paperwork that must be completed before the deal is finalized, a baseball source said Wednesday.

There was a report that Serrano threw a two-inning simulated game for the Cubs, striking out four and giving up one run on an infield hit, but a baseball source denied that took place.

Rangers look to fill infield void

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Cardinals infielder Julio Lugo may be the most interesting name that arises as the Rangers assess their utility infield situation.

He is somebody they have talked about internally.

Lugo was the Cardinals utility infielder in the final two-plus months of last season after being acquired from the Red Sox. But he is expected to lose significant playing time after the Cardinals signed free agent infielder Felipe Lopez last week.

The Rangers are concerned about their utility infield situation after Khalil Greene did not report to camp because of social anxiety disorder. The Rangers voided his contract last week and are proceeding with the idea that Greene will not be in camp at all.

That has created two spots of concern on the bench: utility infielder and a right-handed-hitting corner infielder. The Rangers hoped that Greene could be an option in both areas. Now they are re-assessing the situation and early confidence that the roles could be filled from within may be eroding. The Rangers are looking around the league to see what's available among infielders and the Cardinals may likely make Lugo available at some point this spring.

"Our goal is to see if we can find the right combination of guys to give [manager Ron Washington] the most options and flexibility," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Monday. "We've still got a half-dozen guys internally we're looking at and our scouts are in town. That will be a focus as we see if there is an upgrade out there. It might be the guys in camp who are deserving of the job."

The Cardinals actually acquired Lugo last year to fill a need when Greene first experienced social anxiety order last summer while playing for them. He is being paid $9 million this season but the Red Sox are already picking up most of that as a condition to last year's trade.

Lugo is a 10-year veteran who was the Red Sox starting shortstop on their 2007 World Series championship team. Most of his career has been as a shortstop. He is 34 and there is some concern about diminished range but the Rangers are just looking for someone who can hold down the position and give Elvis Andrus a day off.

"We just need somebody who can make some defensive plays," Washington said.

The Rangers' leading candidates from within are Joaquin Arias, Ray Olmedo and Esteban German. Arias has the defensive skills for shortstop but there are questions about his throwing ability after going through three years of shoulder problems. Washington has been monitoring his throwing closely.

"I really thought the way he was throwing the ball the other day was sufficient," Washington said. "He's just got to maintain his arm strength and continue to improve. He's healthy. I don't think his arm is a problem. It is what it is. I've seen him throw from all the angles. We'll play it out and see where it goes,"

Other names could emerge from the outside. The Rangers talked to the Diamondbacks about Augie Ojeda last winter and those discussions could be renewed. The Dodgers have extra infielders and the Pirates may be willing to talk about Ramon Vazquez, who played for the Rangers in 2007-08.

But the Rangers also need a right-handed corner infielder who can spell Chris Davis at first base against left-handed pitchers. Matt Brown, who is in camp on a Minor League contract, has some impressive numbers against left-handed pitchers in the Minors and had a home run off Kasey Kiker in Monday's intrasquad game.

He hit .303 with a .495 slugging percentage against left-handers at Triple-A Salt Lake City last year and .325 with a .608 slugging percentage against them in 2008. He can play both first and third base. He was at third base in the intrasquad game and started a 5-4-3 double play on a Vladimir Guerrero grounder in the first.

"Ideally I'd love to see myself as a guy off the bench," Brown said. "I will do everything they want for me to make the team."

The Rangers are also looking at Max Ramirez for that spot. He is a catcher who is working out at first base. He was a sensation for the Rangers in 2008 when he hit .347 with 19 home runs and 57 RBIs in 337 Minor League at-bats.

But he hit just .230 with five home runs and 45 RBIs in 81 games and 337 at-bats last year while dealing with a pair of wrist injuries. He was much better in Winter Ball in Venezuela, hitting .252 with 13 home runs and 36 RBI in 59 games and 210 at-bat.

There is still a matter of learning how to play first base.

What the Rangers need is a right-handed-hitting infielder who can play first and third base. That's why they pushed hard to trade Ramirez to the Red Sox for infielder Mike Lowell. That trade fell apart when Lowell needed thumb surgery. It could be revived later this spring if he proves healthy.

Lugo and Lowell were the left side of the Red Sox infield when they won the World Series in 2007. Three years later, they might fit nicely together on the Rangers bench.

Veteran arms offer A's sensible options

PHOENIX -- It is reasonable to assume red lights and uh-oh flares went up among A's fans late Sunday when the club announced the signings of a pair of veteran right-handers.

That might have been a natural reaction among followers of a team that entered Spring Training with a trio of pitchers seeking to resume careers following a season lost to injury.

Are Ben Sheets or Justin Duchscherer or Joey Devine giving off warning signs? Is that why Oakland general manager Billy Beane had to reach out to Jason Jennings and to Brett Tomko?

(a) Insurance, or merely (b) ingenuity?

Relax, and go with (b).

Sheets is coming along ideally, remaining on the accelerated path back from elbow surgery, penciled in to start Oakland's Cactus League home opener, Friday against the Brewers.

And it is no secret that Duchscherer and Devine are both on slower tracks, very long shots to be able to assume their roles in the rotation and bullpen, respectively, at the start of the season. Under those uncertain circumstances, adding two experienced arms only made sense.

Even with everyone in perfect health and on an unobstructed path to the season, pitching isn't like ice cream. You can't have too much of it.

Complicating Duchscherer's fight back from an elbow surgery and depression, he was sidelined by acute lower-back pains that necessitated a nerve ablation procedure, performed last Tuesday.

The doctor's immediate recommendation was that the pitcher not step back on a mound for two weeks. Even if able to resume throwing then, Duchscherer would be three weeks behind everyone else.

Devine, also making his way back from elbow surgery, is "throwing at 85 percent," according to A's manager Bob Geren, who said, "It's 50-50 he'll be ready to go at the start of the season, or shortly after."

Thus it seemed only prudent to secure a couple of guys who have been high-end pitchers, when they have been healthy.

"We didn't necessarily sign Jennings due to the situations with Duke and Devine," Geren said Monday, as the rain clouds withdrew from the Valley and only sunshine flooded the fields. "I thought he pitched very well last season, and he's a good pitcher who was available.

"And Tomko is our Bedard," Geren added, referring to the Mariners' re-signing of lefty Erik Bedard, who isn't expected to return to the mound until June off shoulder surgery last August.

Tomko's impressive late-season stint in Oakland was derailed by an irritated nerve after six starts, of which the 36-year-old had won four with a 2.95 ERA.

"He pitched well for us last year, and I talked to him on-and-off during the winter. He was on our radar all along," Geren said.

While Tomko reported to Oakland's Minor League complex and will continue to work his way back there -- a late-May return is considered the earliest -- Jennings quickly checked into the big league camp and had his first bullpen session Monday.

Jennings, 31 and eight years removed from being the National League's Rookie of the Year, chose the A's offer over several other teams which made him offers -- but not because of any overt concerns about Duchscherer or Devine, whose absences obviously would create his opening.

"They do know I can step in for a couple of starts if someone goes down," Jennings said. "And after pitching out of the bullpen for the first time last year, I can do that, too. I'm pretty much open to both."

Before going 2-14 as a starter in 2007-08 with the Astros and the Rangers -- who converted him into a crack long reliever last season -- Jennings had an admirable six-season run in the pitching Death Valley of Colorado. Rockies pitchers aren't famous for hauling in awards, but Jennings ran away with 2002 rookie honors and still ranks as that franchise's second all-time top winner with 58.

"They didn't quite say whether they're looking at me to start or stay in relief," Jennings said of the A's, "but I have an opportunity to do both. I feel healthy, like I'll be able to pitch the way I know how.

"I think I offer the type of experience any team can use."

His most important offer, however, is that of security. Ordinarily, the bullpen isn't playing musical chairs; all the seats are taken by Andrew Bailey, Brad Ziegler, Michael Wuertz, Craig Breslow, Brad Kilby, Jerry Blevins -- and Devine.

Having Jennings in camp, and Tomko in the wings, at the very least affords Geren and pitching coach Curt Young to bring Devine and Duchscherer along slowly, smartly, not rashly.

The first of two intrasquad games is Tuesday. Cactus League play begins Thursday. Although as a fresh camp arrival who has not yet been formally scheduled for an outings, Jennings will make several appearances before either Devine or Duchscherer surface. So it will be an interesting progression to monitor.

Role change for Hermida not an issue

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- You can call this a spring of change for Jeremy Hermida, and it has nothing to do with a new scruffy beard or an elaborate tattoo that now rests on his left shoulder.

For the first time in his Major League career, Hermida will be playing somewhere other then South Florida. After being considered a hotshot prospect and eventually becoming an everyday player for four consecutive seasons, he'll now be a reserve for the first time.

So, will these changes help Hermida become the premier outfielder he was once projected to be?

"I don't think it will hurt," Hermida said before Monday's workout. "It's definitely refreshing to come here, I can tell you that. Whether I need a fresh start or not, it's tough to say. But I'm just happy to be here. The excitement of this camp and just the way people go about things is something that I'm really excited to be a part of, and I'm excited to play a full season."

The Red Sox acquired Hermida -- a former first-round Draft pick who hasn't yet fully lived up to the hype -- in exchange for a couple of pitching prospects in November. At the time, general manager Theo Epstein called it a low-risk, high-reward deal.

Low risk, because Hermida will make $3.345 million this season and, after the eventual acquisition of Mike Cameron, looks to be the fourth outfielder to start the season.

High reward, because the 26-year-old lefty-hitting corner outfielder has all the tools to be a perennial All-Star in this league -- he just hasn't been able to cash that in yet.

"We're hoping that he'll be a huge asset to our team," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "On one hand, if he's playing a lot, something else went wrong somewhere. But we'd like him to play enough, because we like what he can do -- swings at strikes, works the count, got some power. Sometimes that clicks in at a different age. We'd like to be that team."

The Marlins weren't.

They made Hermida the No. 11 pick in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, and three years later, he was already in the big leagues. Hermida then showed some promise in '07, when a strong second half allowed him to finish the season with a .296 batting average, 18 homers and 63 RBIs in 123 games.

But over the past couple of years, Hermida's hit just .253 with a .335 on-base percentage, a .400 slugging percentage and 15 home runs per season.

"I think just a change of scenery is sometimes a good thing, and I think that's going to help him," said journeyman right-hander Joe Nelson, who played with Hermida in Miami in 2008 and was signed to a Minor League contract this offseason. "There's no preconceived notions. There's not the No. 1 prospect like he was coming up. Now, he's just an established outfielder in the big leagues.

"I think Herm is going to do just fine."

Hermida wants to show the world he can be a very productive player in the big leagues. But a sufficient number of at-bats are required to send that kind of message.

Still, though, Hermida continually talks about how happy he is to be a member of the Red Sox. And he's not concerned about being labeled as a reserve player for the rest of his career.

"I think being a reserve player in Boston is a little bit different than being a reserve player on any other team," Hermida said. "You look at the 25 guys that are going in that dugout, and you have some names in there.

"I don't think anybody strives to not be an everyday player. I think that's everyone's goal. ... As far as I'm concerned, you're definitely working to prepare yourself like that. If that's not the case, then you're ready when you're called upon."

Hermida, who has an above-average arm and has the type of gap-to-gap power that may be tailor-made for Fenway Park, finished last season with a .259 batting average and 13 home runs in 129 games. After some adjustments, he finally started to get going in August -- a month when he batted .312 -- but a rib injury limited him to just three games the rest of the way.

In the offseason, Hermida said he got "a lot of work done" on those ribs -- though it wasn't surgery, just "maintenance stuff to make sure it didn't happen again" -- and added that he's "felt fine ever since."

"It's funny how that happens. You can't get the injury when you're in a slump?" Hermida said. "I was definitely feeling good. You never know what happens, but everything happens for a reason, and I'm here now and happy to be here."

Hermida asserted that he won't be "shell-shocked" when he starts playing games at Fenway, but it's hard to discount the fact he'll be going from a team that consistently ranks among the lowest in the Major Leagues in average attendance to a club that's had 550 consecutive home sellouts.

Even though it's only Spring Training, Hermida is already digging the energy.

"I think it's awesome," Hermida said. "I love it. To walk out there and see the people that care about the organization and this team and the passion that they have, it's phenomenal. It really is, to be able to go out there and have that in Spring Training. It really makes it fun to come to the park every day. It's exciting, and it's just a pleasure to be a part of."

As for how big a part of that he'll actually be? Who knows what will play out during the course of a long season.

But Francona said Hermida is at least handling everything the right way so far.

"He's done a great job early on of accepting and being open to what we're talking about and things like that -- a real good attitude," Francona said. "Because he knows going in that it's going to be a challenge right away. But he's been really good about handling that."

Jackson at top for Tigers in spring games

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Austin Jackson's game has been picked apart, critiqued piece-by-piece and second-guessed for nearly three months since he became a Tiger. Starting Tuesday, the Tigers and their fans can actually judge him by the way he plays.

Of all the Tigers looking forward to Spring Training games -- and honestly, after more than a week of working out on the back fields, all of them are looking forward to it -- Jackson might have the best reason. He has a chance to reinforce some believers, make some new ones and change some minds among those who have prejudged him.

More important to him, he has a chance to put into practice some of what he has already learned in camp.

"You want to get in and start the games," Jackson said, "let them know early that I'm here to help the team however I can. You can practice so much, but until you get out there in game speed, it's totally different. I'm really eager, I think everybody is at this point, to get out there and start the season."

Jackson will be the first Tigers batter to step to the plate this spring when he leads off against Florida Southern College in the bottom of the first inning of their exhibition game Tuesday at 1:05 p.m. ET. He gets the first crack at the leadoff spot that opened up when Detroit traded Curtis Granderson to the Yankees in December.

Jackson came to Detroit in that trade. The Yankees' former center fielder of the future has a good opportunity to become the Tigers' center fielder of the present. Team officials believe he can play center in spacious Comerica Park, and they believe he has a chance to hit.

Starting Tuesday, Jackson can turn potential into reality. In the process, he can hammer home the point that he isn't just the guy staked with the challenge of replacing Granderson. He's his own player, with a chance to be a pretty good one at that.

Manager Jim Leyland isn't promising the leadoff spot to him, or even the starting center-field job, but he makes no secret that he wants Jackson to win it. If he isn't a prototypical leadoff hitter at this stage in his career, he's pretty close, close enough that longtime Major League leadoff man Johnny Damon will be hitting behind Jackson in the second spot in the order.

"I think it would be advantageous for us," Leyland said, "if he can handle that spot."

Jackson has no Major League at-bats to indicate whether he can. He spent a full season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year, but batted second or third for most of the year. So Spring Training is going to play a big part in his evaluation, and the Tigers' decisions off that.

Jackson has spent much of the last two weeks working out on his own with a program designed to help him with his quickness. The program is designed to get him a better first step in the outfield when he breaks on fly balls. He also has been working with hitting coach Lloyd McClendon on his mechanics at the plate.

The main focus, Jackson said, has been on how he sets up at the plate, getting him in a better position to hit.

"I have a tendency to kind of lean over sometimes," Jackson said. "Once I go to swing, my bat angle is kind of at an angle. When I stand tall, my bat is more flat [swinging] through the zone. It's just things like that, [McClendon] kind of reminding me of the basics sometimes. I tend to get away from that sometimes, and start worrying about something else. And really, it's something at the start that's kind of messed up. I'll be worried about my hand path, but if I'm already set up wrong, my path is going to be off every time."

Jackson has had several days of live batting practice to try out the tweaks, and his latest sessions have been encouraging. Still, live BP doesn't test it nearly the same as actual pitching.

Seeing Florida Southern College pitchers is the start. Though it's an exhibition, the Mocs have been known to give the Tigers a competitive game on several occasions. They're ranked atop the NCAA Division II polls with a 13-1 record entering Monday.

Tuesday's lineup follows Jackson with Johnny Damon, Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera in the cleanup spot, then Carlos Guillen, according to Leyland. Either Don Kelly or Kory Casto will start at third base and bat sixth, followed by Scott Sizemore, Gerald Laird and Adam Everett. Many of Detroit's veteran hitters are expected to bat only once or twice before the reserves enter.

Left-hander Phil Coke is scheduled to start for the Tigers and pitch two innings, followed by two innings each from Eddie Bonine and Enrique Gonzalez. Joel Zumaya, Fu-Te Ni and Cody Satterwhite are all scheduled to pitch an inning.

Once Jackson steps to the plate Wednesday against Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero in Dunedin, Fla., at 1:05 p.m. ET, the Major League portion of the Tigers' Spring Training schedule will be under way. And Jackson's learning process will take another step.

It won't just be about making adjustments at the plate. It'll be about adjusting to the leadoff role and understanding what it entails.

In Jackson's case, it entails a balancing act unlike any he has encountered.

"You have to be patient," Jackson said, "but at the same time you have to be aggressive too. You're not up there to necessarily just draw a walk, but you have to patient up there. In the past, I've jumped on a lot of first pitches because I didn't want to let a cookie get away. But at the same time, hitting No. 1, you have to be able to relay messages back to your teammates, let them know the movement, the velocity, things like that."

Philly has become the place to play

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Jayson Werth remembers the questions he heard when he arrived in Philadelphia in December 2006:

Why would you sign with the Phillies?

Aren't you scared of the fans?

Why, man? Why?

"It was Philly this and Philly that," Werth said. "It was more about the city than the team. But here we are four years later, and Philly is the No. 1 place to play. Everybody wants to come here because of the atmosphere, the crowds, the fans, the sellouts. That's not the way it was a short time ago."

A short time ago, players happily pressed the ejection button to leave Philadelphia. But it seems every few weeks, there is a comment from a former Phillies player who seems genuinely saddened or upset to be in a different uniform.

The latest is right-hander Chan Ho Park, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Yankees. The Phils offered Park a one-year contract worth slightly more than $3 million, plus a club option for 2011. Park initially balked, but by the time he came around, Philadelphia had signed Danys Baez and Jose Contreras to take his place.

Park said at a news conference Sunday that Philadelphia was his No. 1 choice.

Park followed Cliff Lee, who by all accounts was stunned to be traded to Seattle. Brett Myers wanted to remain in Philadelphia, but Phils general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. wanted to move on. Pat Burrell has missed the Phillies since he signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Rays. Aaron Rowand signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Giants, but he has not been in the postseason since he left the Phils in 2007.

On the flip side, Roy Halladay left millions on the table to join the Phillies. The right-hander signed a three-year, $60 million extension to leave Toronto, but he would have received much more had he reached the open market.

"I was on the other side of it," Jimmy Rollins said. "I was always playing on this team and guys were like, 'What would it be like to play for the Braves or the Mets?' You'd sit there and watch them and they were smiling and bouncing around, because they knew they were going to the playoffs.

"And you're here, like, 'Do people even care about the Phillies? Are we the laughingstock?' And that's kind of how you felt, because you had basically no foundation to stand on. No foundation of winning. No precedence of this is a good organization to go to, because they're going to do what it takes to win. It just wasn't there."

That has changed.

The Phillies won the National League East in 2007, the World Series in '08 and the NL championship in '09.

They are NL favorites again in 2010.

Of course, what player wouldn't want to be on a winning team? But Rollins and Werth said it is runs deeper than just wins and losses.

"It started with a good group of guys before the winning," Rollins said. "It started with a belief. It doesn't happen overnight. It's been building. But the word is out, and that's a good thing. I always said, 'What would it be like to have a player say I want to go here? Why can't we have that in Philadelphia?' Well, good guys, a belief in winning and then showing it on the field, it's happened."

"Atmosphere in the workplace," Werth said. "You could pick a company, it wouldn't be as much fun or as rewarding as coming to play for the Phillies."

Players then have a fine line to walk. Do they stay for potentially less money to remain in an organization they like? Or do they take the better (and maybe fairer) offer to play elsewhere?

The Phillies made Lee an offer believed to be slightly less than the three-year, $60 million they offered Halladay. Amaro has said that he received strong indications from Lee's representative that Lee would be difficult to sign to an extension, which prompted him to move forward on Halladay and trade Lee to Seattle.

Lee has said they made a counteroffer the day he was traded, but at that point, the Phils had a deal with Halladay in place (or close to it).

"You don't want to leave this situation," Chad Durbin said. "It's kind of an incubator to get better. I think a lot of guys feed off that, especially guys that have been around a little while. They know that if they go to a team that's rebuilding they might get paid, but they're not going to win. This situation is unique. It's a core group that gets along really well and they all want to continue to win. What you hear is not lip service. Definitely not. You hear lip service a lot, but you don't want to leave this place."

Players like Durbin and Werth will be free agents after the season, and they might have tough decisions to make. The Phillies already have at least $130.35 million committed in 2011 to Halladay ($20 million), Ryan Howard ($20 million), Chase Utley ($15 million), Brad Lidge ($11.5 million), Raul Ibanez ($11.5 million), Cole Hamels ($9.5 million), Rollins ($8.5 million), Joe Blanton ($8.5 million), Shane Victorino ($7.5 million), Placido Polanco ($5.25 million), Ryan Madson ($4.5 million), Carlos Ruiz ($2.75 million), Baez ($2.75 million), Ross Gload ($1.6 million) and Brian Schneider ($1.5 million).

It seems a certainty that if Werth has another good season, at least one team would be in better position to offer him more money than the Phils.

"That's a long way away," Werth said. "I haven't really thought about that. But I will tell you that playing for other teams, being in other places, seeing how other places do it, right here is the best place."