Braun, Fielder dish on MLB's best

MILWAUKEE -- Without question, Brewers sluggers Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are part of the new wave of superstars staking their claim to the future of Major League Baseball. But they know they're far from the only two, and one player above all others has caught the eye of both.

"Hanley," Fielder said, referring to Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, "does stupid stuff."

That's a compliment, for those who weren't sure.

Ramirez just turned 26, but he's already played four full seasons in the big leagues, won a Rookie of the Year Award and two Silver Slugger honors, made a pair of All-Star teams and three times ranked in the top 11 in National League MVP balloting.

Here are some more stupid stats: Ramirez had scored more than 100 runs in all four of his full seasons, led all of baseball by scoring 125 times in 2008 and batted .342 in 2009, tops in the NL.

"He's just an unbelievable athlete and every time I watch him I feel like he has a chance to do something special," said Braun, who batted .320 last season to finish seventh in the league. "He might just do something I've never seen before in baseball."

Said Fielder of Ramirez: "He has some 'swag' to him. He has talent. He just is a good show. I'd pay money to see him."

Fielder also named Evan Longoria of the Rays and Ryan Howard of the Phillies. Asked for his favorites after Ramirez, Braun picked a pitcher, Giants' righty and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.

"He's totally unorthodox in everything he does," Braun said. "He's undersized, but he's unbelievably good. That's cool."

And, of course, Braun and Fielder both named each other. Both were 25 years old at the end of a 2009 season in which they combined for 255 RBIs, most of any tandem in the game.

Behind Ramirez, Braun is Fielder's favorite player in baseball.

"Brauny might be my No. 2," Fielder said. "I see him every day, so I might be spoiled. There are so many great players in this game, and that's why I think the competition [around the league] is getting so much better.

"There's so many young players who are really good. Guys may have only five or six years, but they're 10-year veterans as far as talent."

They're starting to show up on the league leaderboards. In the NL, for example, five of the top seven spots in the batting title chase belonged to players 26 or younger (Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval of the Giants, Joey Votto of the Reds, Chris Coghlan of the Marlins and Braun). Seven of the top 10 in on-base, plus slugging percentage (OPS) were 27 or younger (Fielder, Votto, Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres, Ramirez, Sandoval, Braun and Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies).

Fielder belongs in any conversation of the game's great young players, and that's why Braun had to include him when asked to rattle off his favorites.

"He's as fun to watch as any player in the game," Braun said.

Braun and Fielder are Milwaukee's 3-4 hitters, and where they rank among the game's great tandems is a matter for debate. Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday of the Cardinals, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira of the Yankees, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard of the Phillies and Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau of the Twins would certainly find their way into that discussion.

But if we are talking about great young tandems, Braun and Fielder have a nice case. Braun turned 26 in November and Fielder won't join him until next May. All of the other tandems above have at least one 30 year old except for Morneau (28) and Mauer (26).

Fielder talked about his favorite peers as part of a wide-ranging conversation on Sunday at "Brewers On Deck," the team's annual fan convention at Milwaukee's downtown Midwest Airlines Center. Much of the talk, of course, centered around the question of whether the Brewers will be able to keep their young stars together beyond 2011, when Fielder is due to enter free agency.

He said he intends to listen to offers but was more interested in talking about the Brewers' on-the-field prospects. After winning the NL Wild Card in 2008, the team slumped to 80 wins in 2009 and missed the postseason.

"I feel good," Fielder said. "I don't want to do the whole, 'Trying to make the playoffs,' thing. I mean, you want to go there, obviously. But my thing is just to get better. Worry about our division first. When you're team is crisp and taking care of business, all that other stuff falls into place."

Money holding up Hudson to Nationals

WASHINGTON -- Free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson wants to play for the Nationals, but he is shopping for a more lucrative deal, according to a baseball source.

Since becoming a free agent, Hudson has asked for $9 million, but the Nationals are not willing to give him that kind of money.

This past season, Hudson, 32, made a base salary of $3.38 million, but with incentives, he received close to $7 million as a member of the Dodgers.

According to a published report, the Nationals have offered Hudson $3 million, with incentives that could bring the value of the contract to $4 million.

According to the source, Hudson understood why it took until Feb. 22 to sign with the Dodgers last year. He was coming off a wrist injury and people in baseball were not sure if he was healthy. Hudson is 100 percent now and doesn't want to take a pay cut, because he feels he had a good season in 2009, hitting .283 with nine home runs and 62 RBIs for Los Angeles.

Hudson did not return several phone messages.

If they don't sign Hudson, the Nationals will turn their attention to Adam Kennedy, who had a nice comeback season in 2009, hitting .289 with 11 home runs and 63 RBIs with the Athletics. The previous two years, Kennedy played in a combined 202 games, mostly due to injuries.

Kennedy, 34, is best known for his years with the Angels. In 2002, he was the American League Championship Series MVP after hitting three home runs against the Twins in Game 5.

Kennedy said via phone that he hasn't heard from the Nationals in about a week. There hasn't been any serious talks with his representative.

"They basically let us know that they are kind of waiting on Orlando," Kennedy said. "They didn't put a timetable on it."

Gammons: Stories abound as spring nears

They're still human, which is why one year doesn't necessarily apply to the next and why Chase Utley may go to the Hall of Fame while his Little League teammate Sean Burroughs blew away. Players get hurt and they bleed, which is why these are 15 of the human storylines of the spring.

1. We saw the Jose Reyes sprint videos on Monday and got excited watching him, as we will when Carlos Beltran begins his workouts; the Mets with a right David Wright, Reyes, Jason Bay and Beltran are a far, far different team than the one that suffered through 2009. The health of Brandon Webb, Jeff Francis and Chad Billingsley will seriously impact what could be a fascinating NL West race. How close to his former self is Ben Sheets? Was Francisco Liriano's winter a mirage? Is Jay Bruce all the way back? Is Geovany Soto really in the condition to be what he was in 2008? Scot Shields? Is Cole Hamels' arm back from the transition he made in 2009 after pitching the Phillies into the World Series? Where is Brad Lidge? And so on.

2. Tony La Russa said he and Mark McGwire are fully prepared for what they know will be the raptors circling around the Cardinals' batting coach. "Mark's answered questions, he's admitted what he did, and we think we've prepared not to have any distractions to his doing his job," said La Russa. "Believe me, we're given this a lot of thought. Teaching hitting is Mark's passion, and I don't think he'll let anything deter him from doing his job and doing it really well."

3. Are the reports coming out of the Rangers' workouts correct about Josh Hamilton's health and condition? He was never right last season, but awed everyone in the organization last week as if he were back in time to the 2008 Home Run Derby in Yankee Stadium. The .304/32 HR/130 RBI/.901 OPS line Hamilton had that year makes the Rangers a different team than last year's .268/10/54/.741 Hamilton.

4. Can the Mariners' Dustin Ackley play second base? The second pick in last year's First-Year Player Draft can be one of the game's best young pure hitters, he can fly, and he has been working in Arizona at second base. "I played mostly shortstop in high school," said Ackley, who moved to first base because of an elbow issue that is now in the past. "I have a lot to learn, especially turning the double play and positioning, but I am excited. I think I can do it." Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said, "I haven't seen him yet, but our infield instructors are very encouraged. Look, he hasn't played a professional game yet, but he's a tremendous talent and kid. The North Carolina coaches believed second base is his position, and if he can play there, he can be a team-changing player."

5. Speaking of last year's Draft, Stephen Strasburg's spring with the Nationals will get a ton of attention as the prelude to the dance. And an hour away at Disney, the spring of Jason Heyward will be a major focus of the Braves' camp. Bobby Cox has never been afraid of giving young, talented players a chance to go north.

6. Are the Rays' B.J. Upton, David Price and Wade Davis in takeoff mode?

7. If their positional players are healthy -- or in Beltran's case, close to a May 1 return -- the story of the Mets' spring will be whether Oliver Perez did get his conditioning turned around, whether Mike Pelfrey has matured and whether John Maine is healthy. The Mets didn't have the money to play the starting-pitcher market, so the career paths of three pitchers from whom they need 90-100 starts are significant.

8. Is Jake Peavy the Cy Young Jake Peavy for the White Sox?

9. As usual, the Marlins lurk. If the Logan Morrison-Gaby Sanchez battle at first base produces a major winner, they are a different team, and they hope this is the year that Andrew Miller, Chris Volstad and Anibal Sanchez find consistency.

10. How good is the Rangers' Neftali Feliz? Great?

11. Can Jake Westbrook give the Indians 200 innings? If he can, and Carlos Santana is ready in June and Grady Sizemore is completely healthy, an Indians run at the 85 wins necessary to contend in the AL Central is possible. They may not ever see Travis Hafner close to what he was.

12. How will the Yankees decide to use Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes? Yes, they will begin the spring thinking about starting, but realistically there is only one job remaining, with one moving back to join David Robertson in front of Mariano Rivera.

13. Will Daisuke Matsuzaka show up to Red Sox camp in the shape he promised? Boston's ongoing sidebar will be the health and landing spot of Mike Lowell, but for all he's done, he deserves all the respect he can get. Cleveland makes a lot of sense, if the Red Sox can pay $10 million of his salary.

14. Speaking of Lowell, will the year removed from hip surgery make the 2010 season easier for him, Utley and Alex Rodriguez?

15. How will Mike Scioscia mold a different Angels team? Is Brandon Wood ready to play third? Joel Pineiro for John Lackey? Hideki Matsui for Vladimir Guerrero?

One of the best things about Spring Training is that there is a storyline a day. We all hope Koby Clemens takes his .341 average, 45 doubles, 22 homers and 1.035 OPS closer to the Majors, or we get a chance to see Casey Kelly pitch. It sure beats wind-chill factors.

Bauman: Potential Mauer deal is a win-win

This could be a big one for the little guys.

If, in fact, Joe Mauer signs a long-term contract extension with the Minnesota Twins, this will be a good thing not only for the Twins, but for baseball, the sport.

During the recent kickoff of TwinsFest, manager Ron Gardenhire said on the topic of Mauer's extension: "I think everybody knows what needs to get done here. From our owners to our general manager to our fan base, we all know what everybody wants. It is right out there for us, and I think they'll make it happen."

That kind of confidence is unusual in a case such as this. The history of free agency at the highest level of spending is a history of the migration of the best, most expensive players, who leave small-market teams and even medium-market teams and go to the wealthiest teams.

And Joe Mauer is not merely among the best players. In 2009, his best offensive season, he led the American League in hitting, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. All of this came after he missed the first month of the season with a lower-back inflammation. And he was a Gold Glove catcher.

That combination of hitting prowess and mastery of one of the most difficult defensive positions makes him, at this moment, perhaps the best player in the AL. This is a subjective call, but Mauer's performance has brought it steadily closer to objective reality.

And he will turn 27 in April. He could become even better, if that is humanly possible. In 2010, Mauer will be in the final year of a four-year, $33 million contract. So he would obviously be going to the Yankees, as the successor to Jorge Posada. Or, perhaps he would go to the Red Sox. Jason Varitek is being nudged aside and Victor Martinez could move to first base. Or he could go to the Mets, who need a top-shelf catcher, among other commodities.

But one way or another, Mauer typically would be headed off to a bigger market, a franchise with deeper pockets. This would be business as usual.

But in this case, there might be an upset victory for the little guys on the horizon. Mauer is not merely playing in his baseball home. He is a St. Paul, Minn., native. He got batting tips in his formative years from another St. Paul fellow, Paul Molitor. The comfort level cannot get much higher.

The Twins' ability to pay will never resemble that of the Yankees, but their financial prospects will improve starting this season with the move into their new ballpark, Target Field. The Metrodome offered a big home-field advantage against visiting clubs who had perennial difficulty becoming acclimated to the idiosyncrasies of the place. But it was not an economic advantage. If you persevere through the long Minnesota winter, when summer does appear, you might not want to spend your recreational hours under a giant roof.

The other argument that is always used against small-market franchises in these cases is that if you play for the Yankees, each and every year you will have a chance to win everything. And it is true that 13 of the past 14 seasons the Yankees have reached the postseason. But playing for the Twins does not mean that you are frozen out of the playoffs.

The Twins have won the AL Central five times in the past eight years. This is a remarkable record for a small-market franchise, but then, this is a remarkable franchise. The Twins have done the things that are absolutely necessary for a team in their circumstances, focusing on scouting and player development. They have been both astute and diligent. They have been a model franchise.

That won't change when they take their home games outdoors. The Twins should continue to be a highly competitive team. Winning a World Series with this franchise is not a pipe dream. It is simply a matter of taking one of those postseason opportunities and advancing with it.

The Twins have seen the other side of this coin, witnessing one of the game's best pitchers, Johan Santana, and their center fielder and spiritual core of the team, Torii Hunter, depart for bigger offers. But keeping Joe Mauer, a once-in-a-generation player, would be a tremendous step forward for the Twins.

It would also be an encouraging example for other franchises in similar financial circumstances. It would mean that the franchise player does not have to leave for a larger franchise. It would mean that competitive balance can be a reality, rather than rhetoric.

It would be in that sense, good for baseball in general, although it might not be specifically good for the usual suspects, the deep-pocket franchises that hoped to add a player of Mauer's unique stature.

As Ron Gardenhire put it:

"I think the right thing is going to happen. I think we all know the ramifications if something weren't to happen and it were to go the other way. That wouldn't be a good thing for anybody, except for maybe some clubs out east."

Heyward enjoys trip down memory lane

ATLANTA -- Three years ago, Jason Heyward would have been one of those Henry County High School seniors who gathered on Tuesday to see him return to his old gymnasium to provide them some words of encouragement.

Now with Tim Hudson, David Ross, Glenn Hubbard and other members of his Braves family sitting behind him, the 20-year-old phenom returned to his old stomping grounds and somewhat bashfully accepted the fact that he found yet another environment where he was the center of attention.

"It doesn't seem like it's all happened that quick, but then again, it does," Heyward said. "I'm enjoying it, and time flies when you're having fun."

The Braves Caravan's schedule on Tuesday began with this stop at McDonough, Ga., where Heyward talked to students about the importance of setting goals. In addition, he took time to say hello to his favorite teacher, Tammie Ruston, and his former baseball coach, Jason Shadden.

There was no need for Heyward to spend much time catching up with Ruston and Shadden. Since graduating, he has made a point to stay in touch with them and a few other members of the high school's faculty.

Heyward's bond with Ruston was strengthened after her son, Andrew Wilmot, died in an October 2006 car accident. Just two years earlier, Wilmot had served as the catcher for a state championship baseball team that featured a sophomore that has evolved into the giant the baseball world knows as Jason Heyward.

"You see him at least once a week around here and he'll text me on the holidays," Shadden said. "Any time I text, he's always quick to come back to me and keep me in the loop. You can tell by the way he treats people and respects his parents that he's a great guy."

Along with staying close to his roots, Heyward has provided every indication that he's remained the same grounded kid that his parents -- both Dartmouth graduates -- raised.

When asked about the fact that just last week he had learned MLB.com was the latest media outlet to tab him as the game's top prospect, Heyward once again showed appreciation and quickly turned the attention toward his goal to fulfill the opportunity he's been given to exit Spring Training as Atlanta's starting right fielder.

"Everybody knows that's something special on the way to getting where you want to go," Heyward said in reference to the top prospect honor.

So when Spring Training begins in two weeks, will Heyward show some of the same nerves that were understandably present during the early portion of his short address to the students Tuesday?

"It's baseball, I'm going to have fun," Heyward said. "All I have to do is put my pants on, my cleats on, my jersey on and just go out there and have fun, and everything else will take care of itself."

An assistant coach during Heyward's first two high school seasons, Shadden has many great memories of watching the game's top prospect blossom into a potential superstar.

When asked about specific memories, Shadden remembered a two-strike walk-off grand slam against a county rival. In addition, he reminisced about the time the 6-foot-4, 220-pound outfielder used a broken wooden bat during batting practice and still drilled a baseball over the fence.

But more than anything, Shadden remembers Heyward displaying the same infectious work ethic that he was attempting to relay to the students once again during this return to his alma mater.

"He did everything above and beyond," Shadden said. "If I asked him to do long toss, he did longer toss. If I asked them run a certain number of poles, he ran more. He just pushed himself and if he didn't run more, he ran them harder. You never had to worry about him doing less than what was asked of him."

Solomon tells kids to follow passions

ROSENBERG, Texas -- More than 35 years have come and gone since Jimmie Lee Solomon walked the halls of Lamar Consolidated High School outside Houston, where he was an all-district running back and dreamed of playing in the NFL.

On Tuesday, Solomon was back at his alma mater speaking to students on the school's Career Day.

Signed by the Houston Oilers as a free-agent wide receiver out of Dartmouth College, Solomon's NFL career was rather brief. "I was cut after two weeks," he said. A couple other rookies that year lasted a little longer, namely Earl Campbell and quarterback Gifford Nielsen.

Solomon enrolled at Harvard Law School, and after 10 years at a Washington law firm, where he worked his way up to partner, he left to become director of Minor League operations for Major League Baseball. Commissioner Bud Selig later promoted Solomon to senior vice president of baseball operations and then promoted him again in 2005 to his present role as executive vice president of baseball operations.

"I hated every second," Solomon said of his career in law. "I decided to get back into sports."

Solomon, now 53, had considered working with the NFL before meeting then-Commissioner Fay Vincent at a party in 1991. Within two weeks, he was beginning his career in baseball, leading to his key message for the students: Being prepared when the right opportunity comes along to lead to success.

It is a lesson that Solomon has put into practice in his 19 years with Major League Baseball. With the full support of Selig over the past 12 years, Solomon spearheaded the creation of the All-Star Futures Game in 1999, the opening of the Urban Youth Academy in Los Angeles in 2006, and the launching of the annual Civil Rights Game in '07, among many other initiatives.

It was an emotional homecoming for Solomon, Lamar Consolidated Class of 1974. His four brothers and sisters still live in the area, and his mother is in a nearby nursing home, but he had not been in the school since visiting a few times while in college.

"It's been a long time," Solomon said during a break between speaking to groups of 25 students in the auditorium. "It hit me a little bit. It's the same building, the same chairs. I'll bet you I have cousins in the school."

All his teachers are gone, but he related well to today's teenagers, his warm personality and perpetual smile making the students eager to ask questions. On Tuesday, he asked the students what they wanted out of their future professions, and he seemed pleased when they told him they wanted a career they could enjoy or one in which they could help others.

Solomon, whose playing career in baseball amounted to four games in Little League, had another important lesson to impart: You never know which way life will take you.

"There is no right or wrong path" in a career, he told them. "You'll change in five years. Be passionate about what you do."

Solomon certainly has been that. He is now the highest ranking African-American in baseball, and one of the most influential men in the game.

In his former job as MLB's senior vice president of baseball operations -- a role in which he was charged with overseeing Major League, Minor League and International Baseball Operations, as well as the Major League Scouting Bureau and the Arizona Fall League -- it was only natural that his first major initiative was the Futures Game, now an All-Star Weekend staple.

"I went to the All-Star weeks," Solomon said. "I saw the celebrity games, the old-timers games, the Home Run Derby. I said, 'Something's missing. We've got the old-timers; we've got the present. How about the future? We've got some guys playing great baseball at the Minor League level. Why not bring up our top prospects and showcase them?'"

Solomon fondly remembered Alfonso Soriano, after hitting two homers over the Green Monster, being named MVP of that first Futures Game at Fenway Park.

Be passionate. Be prepared when opportunity arrives.

After moving into his current role as executive vice president of baseball operations in 2005, he created, in 2007, the annual Civil Rights Game, which will be played May 15 this year in Cincinnati. He is extremely proud of the role baseball played in integration, beginning with Jackie Robinson in 1947.

"Baseball [integrated] before the armed forces did, before Brown vs. Board of Education," he said. "The grand experiment was baseball. We needed to take credit where we were in the whole forefront of the civil rights movement.

"The Commissioner has created diversity, on the field and in the board room. We have vice presidents who are Latino and female. We had an uptick last year [in the number of black players in the Majors]. We went from 8.5 percent to 10.2 percent."

Major League Baseball became concerned in recent years about the shrinking number of African-Americans in the Majors. Solomon spearheaded a change.

MLB opened an academy last year to introduce kids to the game in Compton, Calif. Another camp will open in April in Houston. The third one will be in Miami, with others in the works for Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Cleveland.

"Commissioner Selig wanted us to focus on bringing back baseball to urban America," Solomon said. "The problem is you don't have equipment, green space, people who know how to teach it. People say African-Americans are dropping out of baseball because of basketball and football. Quick riches are readily available, because you don't have to worry about the Minor Leagues.

"Success in baseball is based less on athleticism than the other two sports. Baseball is a collection of skills, learned early in life and usually taught by a male member of the family. If you look at African-American families in urban America, that male member is not there."

The camps will hopefully develop coaches and scouts, groundskeepers and trainers as well as players.

Be passionate. Be prepared when opportunity arrives.

Just about everything in the game falls under Solomon's umbrella, from the Minors to umpires to on-field discipline.

"I get far too much credit, and criticism," Solomon said. "I don't do all the work. I've got great VPs that do the work."

He believes in baseball, and he believes in Selig.

"There's a lot of life lessons learned in baseball," Solomon said.

He taught a few of them Tuesday: Be passionate. Be prepared when opportunity arrives.

Amaro reiterates reasons for trading Lee

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. hears the rumblings from Phillies fans, and he understands there are serious questions about whether the back-to-back National League champions could have gone into the 2010 season with a starting rotation that included Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee.

But while Amaro -- like any other GM -- would love that type of talent in the game's most important position, he pointed toward a desire to compete for World Series titles down the road as the reason Lee, who was traded in December for right-handers Phillippe Aumont and J.C. Ramirez and outfielder Tyson Gilliesis, is now in Seattle.

"I was talking to some people the other day," Amaro told reporters during the annual Philadelphia Sports Writers Association banquet on Monday night, "and I said, 'I'm not a dummy. I know what Cliff Lee means to our rotation in addition to Halladay and Hamels. It's a no-brainer.'

"Our goal is to be a contender every year -- not just to be a competitor, but to be a contender every year. That's really my job. As an executive of the club, it's my job to do what I can to try to maintain that level of talent on the club and that hope from the fans."

In a complex December trade, the Phillies gave up Lee and a slate of prospects for Halladay, who they signed to a three-year, $60 million extension. They were then able to lock down righty Joe Blanton to a three-year, $24 million deal.

Lee, meanwhile, is a free agent after the 2010 season, and he'll demand top dollar in the open market. But since the Phils are nearing a club-record payroll of $140 million this season and have more than $130 million already committed to 15 players for '11, Lee seemingly would've had just one more year in Philly.

And Amaro preferred more stability thereafter.

"We cannot be the New York Yankees," Amaro told the Philadelphia-based sports writers. "We have to have people that we can bring to the big leagues from our system. The guys who are our core players are guys from our system.

"Yes, I'd like to have a championship, but not at the cost of having our organization not be good for 10 years. Absolutely not. That's not the goal. The goal is to be a contender every year. And once you get to the World Series or get to the playoffs, it's really a matter of who's playing the best baseball, who's hottest, who has the karma."

In a banquet in Cherry Hill, N.J., that manager Charlie Manuel also attended, the Phillies were honored as the team of the year for the third straight time by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association.

During the ceremony, Amaro said he expects a bounce-back year from Hamels after he "didn't quite prepare himself the right way" heading into the '09 season, added that he feels this year's squad is better than last year's -- specifying that "our rotation is better," the club has more experience, a better bench and "more All-Star players" -- and defended that relatively unpopular decision to move Lee to Seattle.

"It's going to be difficult to look fans in the face and say two years from now, 'You know, why we don't have any players to supplant some of the guys we have now is because I went for it with Cliff Lee and now we have no players to fall back on,'" Amaro said, according to The Philadelphia Daily News.

Manuel agreed, and he pointed to the Braves' run of 14 consecutive division titles, which was a reality because of the core players they had locked up.

"You have to do what we did this winter," Manuel said. "You have to turn some guys over every year."

Caribbean spotlight on Mets' Martinez

MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela -- Mets outfield prospect Fernando Martinez admits that he thought about the possibility of playing in the same outfield as Jason Bay this season.

Now, he's thinking again.

"When [Carlos] Beltran had surgery, I thought I had a chance, and maybe they would give me a chance at center," Martinez said. "But they get [Gary] Matthews Jr., and now I'm not sure where I am. I just can't give up."

Martinez's 2010 campaign could be the most important of his young career. He has the athleticism and optimistic outlook that comes with most 21-year-olds, but he also has the statistics of a young player. In 29 games for the Mets last season, Martinez hit .176 with one home run and eight RBIs. He has shined in the Minor Leagues at times but has also been plagued with injuries during the past four seasons.

The left-handed hitter was named to the All-Star Futures Game in 2007 and '08. In 2006, he was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospect Team.

"I know I'm a big league player, and I can perform at a high level," Martinez said. "It's in my hands, so I have to keep working hard and maybe earn a spot. Maybe I make it to the big leagues with the Mets or maybe another team, but I know I can do it. I just have to keep working and waiting for my opportunity."

Martinez has his work cut out for him. He is blocked in left field by Bay for the next four years, and Beltran is signed through 2011. Jeff Francoeur is the Mets' right fielder. Angel Pagan and Matthews will compete for the center-field job.

Martinez's next move? He appears on track to start the season at Triple-A Buffalo for another year of seasoning.

"He's been doing well after he struggled early in the year," said Dominican Republic manager Ken Oberkfell, who also serves as Martinez's manager in Buffalo. "He had some nagging injuries, but he's in better shape. He really had a great Dominican championship. He's been swinging the bat well, and he's ready for Spring Training."

Martinez has some reason to be optimistic. In the playoffs, he hit .387 with two home runs to lead Escogido to the Dominican Winter League title. However, he hit just .191 in regular-season play.

In the first game of the Caribbean Series on Tuesday, Martinez went 0-for-3 in Escogido's 2-1 win against Puerto Rico's Indios de Mayaguez. In Tuesday's nightcap, Mexico's Naranjeros de Hermosillo defeated Venezuela's Leones del Caracas, 7-2. The Dominican Republic squad squares off against Mexico in Wednesday's matinee and takes on Venezuela on Thursday.

"I like this team," Oberkfell said. "They are loose and going to have some fun. I told them to go out and play the game. Whatever happens is going to happen, but I like our team."

Perennial favorites in the tournament, the Dominican Republic team lacks any real star power in 2010, in part because the Licey and Aguilas teams that are usually loaded with big leaguers did not qualify for the Caribbean Series. Instead, this Dominican team is made up of players like Martinez, Ramon Santiago (Detroit), Alexander Valdez (Oakland), Brayan Pena (Kansas City), Juan Francisco (Cincinnati), Freddy Guzman (Philadelphia), Joel Carreno (Toronto) and Wilkins Castillo (Cincinnati). Francisco Liriano (Minnesota) and Francisco Cordero (Cincinnati) each pitched for Escogido during the winter but declined to participate in the Caribbean Series.

Liriano will be missed. He went 3-1 with a 0.49 ERA in seven playoff starts and recorded 47 strikeouts and five walks in 37 innings.

"It's huge when you take the No. 1 starter out of your rotation," said Escogido pitching coach Doug Linton, a coach for the Rockies' Triple-A Colorado Springs team. "Liriano is not only a great pitcher but a quality individual, and you miss that. He helped get us here."

It's been quite a wait.

Escogido's Dominican League Winter League championship is the team's first in 17 years. Moreover, a Dominican team has won the Caribbean Series title 17 times since 1970 and 11 times since 1990. In the 2009 Caribbean Series, the Dominican team from Licey finished 2-4.

"I don't think there's any pressure on us," Oberkfell said. "This is going to be fun. We want to win, but I just want them to enjoy the moment. Pressure is what you make of it. Once the game starts, it will all take care of itself. If we get good pitching and defense, we'll be fine."

Roundup: Marlins make offer to Branyan?

Here are some of the rumors and musings from Tuesday's Hot Stove action.

Marlins make offer to Branyan?
ESPN.com reported that the Marlins have offered free-agent slugger Russell Branyan a one-year contract "with a low base and lots of incentives." But later in the day, two sources told the Miami Herald that the Marlins have not made Branyan an offer but are interested in the first baseman.

If the ESPN report is true, those incentives probably hinge on games played, considering the Marlins were looking at a Spring Training competition of Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison for the starting job at first base. Branyan would be a welcomed lefty power hitter on a Marlins lineup that leans heavily towards the right side in the middle of the order -- with Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, Dan Uggla and Cody Ross.

With the Mariners in 2009, Branyan set career highs in home runs (31) and RBIs (76). His lifetime batting average (.234) and on-base percentage (.331) are low, but Branyan would give the Marlins flexibility because of his ability to also play left field and third base. Branyan could also be the lefty hitter off the bench the Marlins still need, though ESPN.com wrote that he's "still looking for an opportunity that would offer him more assurance of playing time and more guaranteed money." But that hasn't really been there for Branyan, even though his '09 home-run total leads remaining free agents.

Dodgers add Amezaga, Weaver
The Dodgers agreed to terms on a Minor League deal with Alfredo Amezaga according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, and also added Jeff Weaver by signing him to a Minor League deal worth $800,000.

Amezaga is expected to compete for a role as the club's utlityman in Spring Training, as he has played seven positions during his Major League career and is a .251 hitter. Meanwhile, Weaver, who was a surprise last season with the Dodgers when he posted a 3.65 ERA in 28 appearances, is expected to compete for a role as a long reliever.

Gregg close to signing with Jays?
FoxSports.com is reporting that free-agent reliever Kevin Gregg is closing in on an agreement with the Blue Jays, who would give the 31-year-old right-hander his best shot at closing this season. The Padres, Marlins and Rockies had all popped up in rumors for Gregg recently, but he wasn't projected to be anything more than a setup man for any of those clubs -- and perhaps even less in San Diego. Gregg's agent, Dan Horwits, told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that the Blue Jays are one of three clubs Gregg is deciding between, with the Rockies also believed to be a strong suitor. Toronto currently has a wide-open ninth-inning spot, and it would come down to two less-seasoned closers -- Scott Downs or Jason Frasor -- if it doesn't sign somebody.

Tigers confident about reaching deal with ace
The Tigers are "increasingly optimistic" they can sign Justin Verlander to a long-term deal modeled after Felix Hernandez's five-year, $78 million extension with the Mariners, an unnamed Major League source told FoxSports.com. Yahoo! Sports reported on Friday that Detroit started negotiations with Verlander on a long-term deal, but added that the 26-year-old right-hander seeks a sixth year guaranteed. But FoxSports.com believes that "it's also possible" the sides could agree on a five-year deal with a guarantee of more than Hernandez's $78 million total value. Verlander, 65-43 with a 3.92 ERA in his five-year career, is currently set to go to an arbitration hearing after he submitted a figure of $9.5 million and his club countered with $6.9 million. But that may not be necessary.

Mariners have a shot at O-Dog?
The Mariners can't swing another big-name acquisition in this busy offseason, can they? Perhaps not, but FoxSports.com reported that the Mariners remain "a long-shot candidate" to sign free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson. Seattle currently has Jose Lopez as its second baseman, so a Hudson acquisition would require Lopez to be moved to either first base -- where new arrival Casey Kotchman is slated to be the starter -- or another team. The Nationals still look like the leading candidate for the two-time Gold Glover's services, but MLB.com's Bill Ladson hears money is holding up a potential deal.

Benson drawing interest
Free-agent pitcher Kris Benson has only appeared in eight Major League games since the 2006 season, but he has his share of potential suitors. According to a FoxSports.com report, the 35-year-old right-hander is being monitored by the D-backs, Cubs, Reds and Nationals, with the Dodgers being a more remote possibility. Benson's agent, Gregg Clifton, told the Web site he's encouraged by the fact his client -- haunted by arm injuries the past three years -- has been throwing his fastball, curveball, slider and changeup in bullpen sessions. Benson, 69-74 with a 4.41 ERA in eight seasons in the big leagues, made a combined 20 appearances with the Rangers' Major and Minor League clubs in 2009 because of elbow problems.

Slew of free agents head to camp
As part of a renegade idea to give players who wish to extend their professional baseball careers a chance to showcase their skills in front of a full slate of big league clubs in one sitting, former big league outfielder Rob Ducey has put together a three-day Professional Free Agent Showcase in St. Petersburg, Fla., that runs Tuesday-Thursday. The 20-player roster for the inaugural PFAS includes Tim Raines Jr., Tim Battle, Pete LaForest and Nick Bierbrodt.

Harper watch begins at JUCO tournament

On the surface, the Fourth Annual Coyote Border Battle in Henderson, Nev., last weekend seemed like the typical season-opening tournament on the Junior College circuit.

But this was no ordinary tournament. Not when Bryce Harper, dubbed as the "Chosen One" on a Sports Illustrated cover not long ago, was making his highly anticipated college debut for the College of Southern Nevada.

The 17-year-old Harper graduated high school two years early and enrolled at CSN so he could be eligible for the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. Since then -- actually, probably before then -- he's been thought of as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick and, with coverage like the cover story in SI, one of the greatest prospects ever to hit the scene.

Harper, of course, is not an overnight sensation. He's been turning heads since he started hitting the showcase circuit at age 14. Last weekend, many thought, would be just Step 1 in the catcher's top-prospect coronation.

The numbers for the weekend weren't thrilling: 3-for-15 (including an 0-for-8 doubleheader on Saturday). He did drive in his first runs and hit his first home run on Sunday, and he more or less handled the spotlight fairly well.

"I thought he handled it fine," said Southern Nevada coach Tim Chambers. "It was opening night, and I wasn't overly concerned. Everybody gets jitters and overly hyped, particularly this opening night. I don't know if any JUCO in the country gets 2,000 people. It was packed. It was exciting.

"He handled Friday much better than Saturday. You could tell he was a little nervous. Saturday, he didn't have a lot of success; that can be attributed to a mechanical thing we've been working on. It was not a great weekend, I'm sure not what he expected, but it was what I expected."

Obviously, there's more to evaluating amateur talent than just the stats in a JC opening weekend. Talking to a couple of the 100 or so scouts reportedly in attendance provides a little more detail, and some mixed opinions, of how Harper looked as his team went 4-0.

Offensively, there was a lot to like. He's got a good approach at the plate, especially for his age, and seems to see the ball well. He's got plus raw power and even though he's still not physically mature, he's got serious pop to the opposite field.

There is a little divergence over just how good an all-around hitter he'll be. One scout had no doubt that he'll hit plenty, while another felt that Harper will hit plenty of balls out of the park, but will swing and miss enough to keep the batting average down. It's a mechanical flaw in his swing, where he gets out on his front foot way too early and his bat drags through the zone.

Chambers says it's because Harper has been sitting on his back side too much and is forced to seemingly jump at the ball in order to reach it. Whatever the case, Harper is still able to crush balls on the outer half of the plate but was having difficulty with pitches coming inside.

The opinions are even more varied when it comes to his defense. No one questions his arm, which grades out as a plus regardless of where he's playing. There have been concerns over his ability to stay behind the plate and they weren't necessarily answered over the weekend. Harper played three positions over the weekend -- catcher, third and center field -- leading some to wonder why he wasn't behind the plate more.

"I'm a big believer in loyalty," Chambers explained. "We start eight sophomores. I felt I owed the sophomore the start behind the plate on Friday. The guy at third had been struggling, so I could justify it.

"We play 24 doubleheaders on the year. You can't catch doubleheaders. He'll split time behind the plate, catch and play the outfield primarily all year long. He'll play some third. He may even pitch some innings. We'll move him around to show his athleticism."

One scout felt with certainty that Harper would not be able to catch as a professional, but liked him at third just fine. Another scout felt that while there were some issues with his work behind the plate, particularly a very long throwing motion that negates some of his arm strength, Harper has more than enough to stay there.

"I think he's going to be a good catcher," the scout said. "He's a little rough from a technique standpoint. But from a tools standpoint, he's got a good chance to be above-average. His problems catching are correctable."

This is also just the beginning for Harper and the hordes of scouts who will be watching his every move from now until the First-Year Player Draft on June 7. CSN will head to Phoenix for one game against GateWay Community College on Wednesday then will come back home for a doubleheader against Yavapai College.

For now, Chambers and Harper's teammates are trying to make it easy for the phenom. He's not talking to the media or to scouts, and Chambers said his sophomore-laden squad has not minded picking up the slack when it comes to interviews. Eventually, Chambers will become a little less protective once it seems like Harper has acclimated to dealing with the rigors of college baseball and classes.

"It's been overwhelming for me," Chambers said of the interview requests, "so that gives me more confidence I made the right decision."

Chambers saw how the attention wore on Harper over the summer, how there were constant demands on his time and attention and that Harper came back exhausted. So he made the decision then to try and protect Harper for as long as he could, even if it meant ruffling some feathers along the way. But for a player who's every move is being examined -- video of his first home run at CSN is already on YouTube -- it wasn't a difficult call for him to make.

"He handles it well, keeps it in better than most," Chambers said. "It's fortunate with the ballclub that we have. We're super-talented on the mound. It's a good year to have it happen. We're going to win games, and he doesn't have to be the superhero everyone thinks he is."

Critics will point out that much of that superhero image is self-imposed, that the reason why everyone wants a piece of Harper is largely because of the decision he made, along with his advisors at the Boras Coroporation, to skip high school early and be a pioneer, of sorts.

"There's no question, when you're trying to do something no one's done before, it's going to get hyped," Chambers agreed. "For me, it got to be too much for him. I said, 'Let's get him back on the ground, let him go to school, and let him do what he's best at, and that's playing baseball.' "

He'll be evaluated fully for that, as well as how he handles the pressure and attention all spring. There's no doubt this is a different animal, one that has some scouts wondering just how to figure it out.

"I can tell you right now, it will not be a simple evaluation," said another scout. "I don't think any of us have ever scouted a 17-year-old against 20-year-olds using a wood bat. We know the kid is good,and I can project with the best of them, but this isn't going to be the slam-dunk the media portrays it to be."

Those other scouts in attendance mentioned above agree. While it's way too early to know for sure where he should -- much less where he will -- go on Draft day, putting the No. 1 crown on his head would be way too premature.

"He's playing up at age 17, there's a lot of pressure on him, a lot of people are watching him play," one scout said. "But I can definitely tell you he's not the best player in the country. He's by no means a slam-dunk type of a talent."

Torre plans rest for Manny, Blake

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Tuesday he will try to give veterans Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake more days off in 2010 to ration their strength throughout the season.

"We're going to definitely look at that, the daytime stuff, and Blake also," Torre said at Tuesday's dedication of the ninth Dodgers Dream Field at the Boys and Girls Club of Los Angeles.

"Early on, [Rafael] Furcal should be OK, but we'll pay attention to that, and it looks like we have the bench to do that. With Reed Johnson, we can also rest Andre Ethier and not have to relocate Matt Kemp."

Ramirez complained toward the end of last season that playing the outfield wore down his legs. He seriously considered opting out of his contract to return to the American League for a designated-hitter role, but instead exercised a $20 million option to remain a Dodger when it was clear no other club would come close to that salary.

Torre played diplomat and sidestepped questions about the two big uncertainties heading into Spring Training: his fifth starter and starting second baseman. He wouldn't name a front-runner or eliminate any candidate, but did provide a few hints.

For the fifth starter, he said he would be "tempted" to use Scott Elbert out of the bullpen, that James McDonald could start or relieve, that Eric Stults has shown "flashes of something very special." Other candidates include Charlie Haeger, Josh Lindblom, Rule 5 Draft pick Carlos Monasterios and reclamation project Russ Ortiz.

Torre also sounded intrigued by the Dodgers' interest in Chien-Ming Wang, currently rehabbing from shoulder surgery but once his Yankees ace. The Dodgers saw Wang throw on flat ground last week but believe he's three months or more away from pitching in a game.

"He was my leading pitcher two years in a row. You can't ignore the fact he's a special young man," said Torre. "With what he's coming back from, he has to be evaluated."

As for second base, Ronnie Belliard is assumed to be the incumbent, having started throughout the playoffs and just re-signed. Torre, though, was careful not to rule out Blake DeWitt or Jamey Carroll. Belliard, DeWitt or Carroll would be likely fill-ins for Blake at third if they are not starting.

"The kid [DeWitt] had a rough year," Torre said, referring to DeWitt's six callups. "We'll give him a fair shot over there. Carroll, I don't know a great deal about, but [hitting coach Don] Mattingly and our scouts like him a lot. Belliard, you certainly know how much I trusted him at the end."

Torre reiterated general manager Ned Colletti's comments that the signing of Johnson was important because of his versatility to play all three outfield positions and indicated that the Dodgers could carry four outfielders and eight infielders, making Jason Repko's chances of making the team slim.

"Right now, we'll go into Spring Training with an excess of infielders," he said.

Torre said he spoke by phone with Ramirez last week.

"He seems anxious to get started," Torre said. "Last year, missing 50 games [to a drug suspension], his biggest problem was having trouble recovering from coming back in cold. It's not easy to do, especially on a first-place team, taking somebody out of the lineup like Juan Pierre. He felt a lot of pressure and fought himself a lot."

Torre said his representatives have had two conversations with the Dodgers about extending his contract, but nothing has been resolved. Colletti said earlier Torre might manage through 2011 (his current contract expires after this season), then move into a front-office advisory role.

Dodgers reach deal with Weaver

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers and free-agent pitcher Jeff Weaver reached agreement Tuesday night on an $800,000 Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League camp, the club announced.

Weaver was a pleasant surprise with the Dodgers as a swingman last season, going 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 28 appearances, including seven starts. The 33-year-old also struck out 64 batters in 79 innings while walking 33.

He also signed a Minor League contract with the club last February, but didn't make the team out of Spring Training. Weaver, though, joined the Major League squad on April 30, when his contract was purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque.

After joining the Dodgers, Weaver showed versatility, posting a 3.13 ERA in 31 2/3 innings as a starter and a 3.99 ERA in 47 1/3 innings as a reliever.

The nearby Simi Valley native also played with the Dodgers in 2004 and '05 with a combined record of 27-24 and a 4.11 ERA in 444 innings pitched.

The 10-year veteran has a career record of 99-118 and a 4.67 ERA in 312 big league appearances with the Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers, Angels, Cardinals and Mariners.

Blue Jays nearing deal with Gregg

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays are preparing to conduct a Spring Training competition for the closer's role, and the club is on the verge of adding a third arm to the mix. Toronto is in talks with free-agent reliever Kevin Gregg about joining the bullpen as another late-inning option.

On Tuesday, MLB.com confirmed that the Blue Jays have shown legitimate interest in Gregg, and a report on FOXSports.com indicated that the sides were nearing a deal. Gregg's agent, Dan Horwits, said early Tuesday morning that the pitcher's list of suitors had been narrowed to three teams.

Jon Heyman of SI.com reported Tuesday evening that the Blue Jays had tabled an offer of $2.75 million and had included two options that could potentially make the contract worth $12 million. An announcement could could come as early as Wednesday, Major League sources told MLB.com.

The Rockies were believed to be the Blue Jays' biggest competition for Gregg. The Marlins and Padres had also been linked to Gregg, but it now appears that the teams are unlikely finalists to land the closer. It is the opportunity to fill the closer's role that has Toronto in the best position to add the righty.

With the Blue Jays, Gregg would have a chance to come into camp with a shot at grabbing the ninth-inning job. As things currently stand, right-hander Jason Frasor and left-hander Scott Downs are the Blue Jays' leading candidates for closing duties after splitting the role for much of last season.

"That's one of the factors that he's considering in terms of where he'll sign," Horwits said on Tuesday morning. "The ability to close in Toronto, or to at least have the ability to be in a competition to close, however it might work itself out, that would be of interest to Kevin."

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos declined comment, sticking to his policy of not responding to reports or speculation about potential moves. During a question-and-answer session with season-ticket holders on Thursday in Toronto, though, Jays manager Cito Gaston hinted that the team might try to add a new closing candidate to the competition.

"We have a couple of guys that can close -- Downs, Frasor," Gaston said. "But we're going to kind of throw that up in the air. And who knows? We might even be lucky enough to bring somebody else in that can help out, too."

Toronto's ninth-inning role was thrown into a state of flux last season after B.J. Ryan battled injuries and command issues, leading to his release in July. The Blue Jays signed Ryan to a five-year contract worth $47 million prior to the 2006 season and the club is still on the hook for $10 million this year for the former closer.

Downs initially took over as the Jays' closer last year, but Frasor filled in when the left-hander was sidelined with a left foot injury twice during the season. When Ryan was in the fold, Downs thrived out of the bullpen as the Jays' primary setup man. Frasor moved in and out of various roles last season, but pieced together a career year with a 2.50 ERA over 61 games.

Behind Downs and Frasor -- both eligible for free agency after the 2010 campaign -- the Blue Jays do not have a pitcher clearly tabbed as a future closing candidate. Gaston indicated that it is important for Toronto to have someone else who can shift into the ninth-inning role for games in which the closer is not available.

"To bring Frasor out there three nights in a row just doesn't make any sense," Gaston said on Thursday. "You need someone else to step in and maybe save that game -- maybe Downs or maybe someone else that Alex decides to bring in as far as helping out the bullpen."

The Blue Jays have money to spend and Gregg's asking price will likely be much lower than the $4.2 million he made last year with the Cubs.

Gregg qualified as a Type A free agent this winter, but Chicago did not offer him arbitration, meaning a new club would not have to forfeit Draft picks in order to sign him. There is also the possibility Gregg could be worth compensatory Draft picks again in the future -- something that is appealing to a Toronto club that is focusing on a long-term plan.

Over the past three seasons, the 31-year-old Gregg has posted a 3.86 ERA with 84 saves in stints with the Marlins and Cubs. The right-hander has also blown 20 saves over that time period -- seven with Chicago a year ago -- and he allowed 13 home runs last season, which was tied for the most yielded by a Major League reliever.

Gregg did finish with 23 saves and 71 strikeouts over 68 2/3 innings with the Cubs in 2009, but he lost the closer's job to Carlos Marmol in August and was shut down toward the end of September due to a crack in the cartilage in his left rib cage. In the season's final two months, Gregg allowed 18 earned runs over 20 1/3 innings, giving him a bloated 7.97 ERA over that time period.

Given that recent history, Gregg would not be promised the closer's role with the Jays -- only the opportunity to compete against Downs and Frasor for the job.

"It's going to be between those two and anybody else that Alex brings into camp," Gaston said.

Aumont aware of need to succeed in Philly

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillippe Aumont understands the situation.

He is one of three players the Phillies acquired from Seattle for Cliff Lee, the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner who went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five postseason starts last year, and replaces Kyle Drabek, who the Phils traded to the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay, as the organization's top pitching prospect.

Fans wanted Philadelphia to keep Lee -- they still lament the loss -- so they could have had Halladay, Lee and Cole Hamels in the same rotation in 2010. The Phillies have said they would not have acquired Halladay if they did not trade Lee.

It was one or the other.

Regardless, for the trade to be considered a success, right-handers Aumont and J.C. Ramirez and outfielder Tyson Gillies eventually must produce at the big league level.

Really produce, too.

"There's always expectations," Aumont said last week. "You give up somebody that big, a Cy Young winner ... I kind of prepare myself for that. I'm working hard every single day to be as good as I can be. I know that's what the Phillies want. And I want to prove to them that this wasn't a mistake."

Aumont, who already is in Clearwater, Fla., preparing for Spring Training, has the talent to make that happen. He is imposing at 6-foot-7. His fastball reaches the upper 90s.

MLB.com recently ranked him the 47th-best prospect in baseball.

A first-round pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, Aumont worked as a starter in '08, but the Mariners moved him into the bullpen in '09 because they thought he could reach the big leagues more quickly as a reliever.

But the Phillies are returning him to the rotation in 2010 because they think he has a future as a starter.

"I don't have a preference," Aumont said. "Coming out of the bullpen last year, it fit my attitude in being aggressive. I learned a lot. I think going back to the rotation is going to be fine. I've tasted both. I have some experience now. Every fifth day, this is my day, this is what I have to do.

"Every single start is going to be a little bit easier for me than in 2008. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going to be able to work on my pitches. I'm going to throw a lot of innings. The more I get, the more I'm happy, because when I'm on the mound, I'm in heaven. In my mind, I'm floating. This is the place that I want to be."

He is expected to open the season at Double-A Reading.

Aumont's own success will determine how quickly he reaches the Majors.

"One day, I want to wear that Phillies cap and play in Citizens Bank Park," he said. "I want to be part of this."

The Phillies are counting on it. They traded Lee to get Aumont, Gillies and Ramirez. They expect big things from them in the future.

Aumont expects big things from them, too.

Hairston deal clears Padres' arbitration slate

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.45 million Tuesday with outfielder Scott Hairston.

Hairston, obtained last month from the A's in the deal that sent Kevin Kouzmanoff to Oakland, was the last of four arbitration-eligible players to agree to deals for 2010.

Earlier this offseason, pitchers Kevin Correia, Heath Bell and Mike Adams avoided arbitration by reaching deals for 2010 with the team.

Hairston was seeking $2.9 million while the Padres initially countered at $2.1 million.

Hairston, 29, spent the majority of the last three seasons with the Padres before being traded to the A's on July 5 for right-handed pitchers Ryan Webb, Craig Italiano and Sean Gallagher.

In 56 games with the Padres last season, Hairston hit .299 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs.

At the time of the trade, he ranked among Padres leaders in hits (tied for fourth), doubles (second), home runs (third), RBIs (fifth) and runs scored (third) despite missing most of June while on the disabled list with a strained left biceps.

Hairston, who will likely see most of his playing time in center field with some time in right field, will start against left-handed pitchers.

Hairston was obtained from the A's with outfielder Aaron Cunningham on Jan. 16 for Kouzmanoff and Minor League infielder Eric Sogard.

Giants give Mota Spring Training invite

SAN FRANCISCO -- Seeking bullpen depth, the Giants signed right-hander Guillermo Mota to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invitation to Major League Spring Training camp.

The Giants appear to have a decent complement of relievers, including closer Brian Wilson, setup stalwart Jeremy Affeldt, right-handers Sergio Romo and Brandon Medders and left-hander Dan Runzler. But Romo's and Runzler's relative inexperience prompted the Giants to search for an experienced reliever. Mota, who owns a 36-39 record, a 3.89 ERA and eight saves in 609 relief appearances spanning 11 seasons, fits that description.

Mota, 36, has played for Montreal, Florida, Cleveland, Milwaukee, the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"He has pitched in some tough divisions," said Giants vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans, referring to Mota's stints with National League East clubs. "And he has pitched in our division and is familiar with our division."

In Mota's second tour of duty with the Dodgers in 2009, he finished 3-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 61 appearances. He struggled in five games against the Giants, going 0-2 with a 14.54 ERA. That included an Aug. 12 encounter in San Francisco, where Juan Uribe delivered a 10th-inning walk-off homer.

Unlike Mota, pitchers Byung-Hyun Kim and Horacio Ramirez, Major League veterans signed to Minor League contracts Monday, will not be in big league camp. That doesn't mean the Giants will ignore them, though. Pointing out that the Giants frequently summon Minor Leaguers to pitch in Cactus League exhibitions, Evans said, "I would expect at some point we'd see them in big league games."

Evans declined to comment on the status of contract talks between the Giants and right-hander Tim Lincecum, who has filed for salary arbitration. Lincecum wants $13 million; San Francisco has countered with $8 million.

"Conversations are ongoing" was all Evans would allow.

Dodgers add Amezaga with Minors deal

At the Winter Meetings, the Dodgers expressed interest in utility standout Alfredo Amezaga, who missed a majority of last year after undergoing microfracture surgery to his left knee.

On Tuesday, the Dodgers apparantly were convinced Amezaga was worth signing.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Amezaga has agreed to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Dodgers Spring Training. Amezaga's agent, Mike Nicotera, confirmed the agreement.

The 31-year-old has been with the Marlins since 2006. A switch-hitter, Amezaga has a career batting average of .251 with a .311 on-base percentage. A knee injury limited him to 27 games last year, and over the summer he underwent microfracture surgery after experiencing a bone bruise.

Because Amezaga is recovering from the knee surgery, the Marlins felt it was too risky to tender him a contract in December. A natural middle infielder who is an above-average center fielder, Amezaga made $1.3 million this past year.

If Amezaga makes the Dodgers, he will earn $650,000, and he can make up to $800,000 if he reaches incentives.

In recent weeks, Amezaga worked out for several teams in South Florida.

Now that he is not returning to the Marlins, Emilio Bonifacio is a candidate to fill his utility role.

Dr. Richard Steadman performed the microfracture surgery in Vail, Colo., in early July. Amezaga was cleared to begin running in January.

Amezaga played for Mexico in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic. However, in 2009, he injured his right knee early in the Classic and returned to Marlins Spring Training.

Dodgers ink right-hander Ortiz

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers signed right-handed free-agent pitcher Ramon Ortiz to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League camp.

Ortiz, 36, last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2007, splitting time between the Twins and Rockies. He pitched in Japan in '08 and for the Giants' Triple-A affiliate in Fresno last year, going 5-6 with a 3.05 ERA.

He is 84-80 in nine big league seasons and was the winning pitcher for the Angels in Game 3 of the 2002 World Series against the Giants.

McClung gets Minors deal with Marlins

MIAMI -- Seth McClung broke into the big leagues with Tampa Bay in 2003.

Now, after spending three seasons with Milwaukee, McClung is returning to the state of Florida. This time, he will be joining the Marlins.

McClung has reached agreement on a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. If he makes the squad, he will earn $600,000, and he has the chance to collect another $50,000 in incentives.

McClung's deal is similar to that of another former Brewers reliever. Last Friday, the Marlins signed Derrick Turnbow to a Minor League deal with the same contract figures.

McClung, who will turn 29 on Sunday, appeared in 41 games for Milwaukee last year and posted an ERA of 4.94.

From 2003-06, McClung pitched for Tampa Bay.

The Marlins have repeatedly stated that they are looking to beef up their bullpen with proven arms.

Jose Veras, who pitched for the Yankees and Indians last year, also will get a look on a Minor League contract. The Miami Herald reports Florida also has signed right-hander Scott Strickland to a Minor League contract. Strickland last pitched in the big leagues in 2005.

Teahen eager to help new team to title

CHICAGO -- By the time Mark Teahen's run comes to an end on the South Side of Chicago, the left-handed hitting third baseman hopes the most famous part of his White Sox stint isn't his talking dog.

Make that Tweeting dog.

ESPY Teahen has an extremely popular Twitter account with 3,229 followers as of Tuesday afternoon, featuring Tweets done from the dog's point of view, but getting a little help from Teahen. That total increased once Teahen was traded from Kansas City for Chris Getz and Josh Fields just two days after the conclusion of the 2009 World Series.

If Teahen blends in nicely as part of the White Sox attack, ESPY's words of wisdom might gain even greater support among the White Sox fans.

"It's scary what can happen when you relax and don't have the pressure as the face of the franchise," said White Sox reliever J.J. Putz, who had faced Teahen three times previously in their respective careers before becoming teammates in 2010.

"He's not a fun guy to face," Putz said. "Teahen is a grinder. He's a baseball player, a gamer, that's what he is. He's also a very versatile guy."

That Teahen versatility probably won't come into play too frequently as part of the White Sox. During his five-year-career, Teahen has played 363 games at third base and 261 games in right field, while also seeing time in center field, left field and at first and second base.

When the White Sox locked up Teahen via a three-year, $14 million deal during the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis, avoiding arbitration, the team did so with the idea of establishing their third baseman in the present and the future. Teahen's job will be to man the hot corner, a spot where he committed 20 errors in 2005, 14 in 2006 and 11 over 107 games in 2009.

Knowing he will be the everyday starter at third will help Teahen's consistency with the glove. It's one of the many changes figuring to aid Teahen's overall game, starting with his move back to being just one of the guys and not the guy.

"I had a good year in my second season and was voted Player of the Year for the Royals," said Teahen, who hit .290 with 18 home runs and 69 RBIs in that 2006 campaign with Kansas City. "From then on, I was treated almost like a veteran guy, and I just finished up my fifth year in the Majors.

"Being traded here, it's interesting because I get to go back to being one of the young guys, where I was asked to be one of the older guys before my time in Kansas City. I'm excited to do my part here, and I'm excited in knowing that doing my part is enough to help the team win."

The unsung part of Teahen's skill set just might be his work with the bat. Teahen has never driven in 70 runs and never hit 20 home runs, making some White Sox fans wonder why the team would give up their most successful 2009 basestealer in Getz for the 28-year-old.

But with less pressure upon his shoulders and a home ballpark conducive to his opposite-field power stroke, Teahen might just thrive at U.S. Cellular Field. It doesn't hurt having Carlos Quentin, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez, Gordon Beckham, Alex Rios and A.J. Pierzynski around him, and Juan Pierre igniting the offense.

"That was a good move, because I think we are catching Teahen on the upswing," Konerko said. "I think Teahen, he's coming into his prime."

"I've had good success here," said Teahen of his eight career home runs and 11 doubles at U.S. Cellular, the highest totals for him at a visiting ballpark. "I drive the ball the other way, but U.S. Cellular allows you to drive the ball the other way and still have the ability to hit it out of the park. I'm going to stay with my approach and try to enjoy it."

Of course, playing for a White Sox team that figures to be in strong American League Central title contention after August 1, unlike his past employers, also should buoy Teahen's efforts. And to find out about Teahen's thoughts in regard to Chicago and the White Sox, fans need to look no further than the most eloquent dog since Snoopy or Brian Griffin from The Family Guy.

During this past offseason, ESPY has addressed topics from Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner's retirement to the new Chicago home found by the Teahens. He also was very active with Tweets during SoxFest.

One recent Tweet, in particular, should earn Teahen great respect in Chicago, if he doesn't have it already. The Tweet dealt with the Pro Bowl.

"How come the Pro Bowl doesn't decide who gets home-field advantage for the Super Bowl?.... Probably because no All-Star game should," ESPY's Tweet read.

Another follower quickly asked ESPY since when did he worry about home-field advantage for the World Series. Here's the response from Teahen, or Teahen's dog.

"Since about three months ago."

"There were times we started off so well in Kansas City and then it would go south or we would hit a bad stretch and we couldn't find a way out of it," Teahen said. "I loved my time in Kansas City, and they gave me an opportunity earlier than other places.

"I'm also ready for the next step. The atmosphere is different. It's nice to come to events like (SoxFest) and people are already talking about the World Series, where in KC, they were talking about trying to compete. It's nice to be in an atmosphere where expectations are a lot higher."

Munson Awards honor athletes' charity

NEW YORK -- When the first gala was held in Thurman Munson's honor in 1980, the widow of the fallen Yankees captain believed that the outpouring of support might last a few more years, hoping that some good could be done in the community as a result.

As Diana Munson attended her 30th consecutive awards event on Tuesday, held at the Grand Hyatt hotel in New York, she was elated to still be in a position to benefit the AHRC-New York City Foundation, which assists children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

"For 30 years, I've been saying that I'm sure the dinner is going to phase out," Munson said. "The fact that it keeps going on and gets stronger is a true testament to the people of New York and the memory of Thurman. To know that New York never forgets is overwhelming for my family."

The theme of Tuesday's dinner was to honor champions, past and present, and Joba Chamberlain was among those receiving awards bearing Munson's name. The Yankees right-hander was selected in recognition of his various philanthropic efforts, in the New York community and at home in Nebraska.

"It's a very humbling experience to know that my name is going to be with Thurman Munson for a long time," Chamberlain said. "As a fan of baseball, you knew who Thurman was.

"But when you actually put the uniform on, you truly understand what he stood for -- the passion that he had for the game and for his family. It goes a long way, and it's one of those names that is forever going to be embedded in the game of baseball for the right reasons."

Chamberlain's charitable endeavors include participation with the New York Police Athletic League, the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Camp Acorn for children with disabilities in New Jersey, New Yorkers for Children and the Madonna Rehabilitation Center in Lincoln, Neb.

In addition, Chamberlain will once again fly an underprivileged family from his home state of Nebraska to Walt Disney World in Florida this month.

"Every one I do is near and dear to my heart," Chamberlain said. "I don't do it because it makes me look better. I do it because I truly care. I wouldn't be where I am without the help of other people. That's the greatest thing about this game, is that you give back.

"I don't care how much money you make or how many championships you win, it's the lives that you can affect in a positive way and being able to have that opportunity."

Also receiving Thurman Munson Awards were Knicks point guard Chris Duhon, Cubs manager Lou Piniella, former big league outfielder Darryl Strawberry and two-time Yonkers Raceway champion harness driver Jason Bartlett.

A former teammate of Munson's on the 1977 and 1978 World Series championship clubs, Piniella naturally spoke highly of the catcher, calling him "a wonderful, wonderful young man, husband and family guy. A great player, leader and true friend."

Piniella was honored with the Legend Award for his long and meritorious service to baseball, making him a second-time recipient at a Munson event. He still keeps the first award in his office.

"It brings a smile to my face every time I look at it," Piniella said.

Pressed for a favorite memory of Munson, Piniella recalled a game that exhibited the catcher's tough demeanor, which has become the basis for his legend. After a close play at home plate ended an inning, Munson returned to the dugout bleeding and was about to be removed from the game.

As Piniella recalled, Munson looked at the trainer and growled, "Bring the doc down here and sew me up." They did, and a few stitches later, Munson remained in the game.

"I think that says it all," Piniella said.

Strawberry was honored for his work with the Darryl Strawberry Foundation, which fights to improve the quality of life for individuals affected by autism. Strawberry and his wife, Tracy, do not have children with autism, but they have witnessed first-hand the struggles of families that do, and were moved to action.

"I'm truly honored and truly blessed to be here tonight accepting this award," Strawberry said. "I didn't know Thurman personally, but I know he played for the Yankees, and I know his history. It means a great deal to me."

A native of Mamou, La., Duhon has been focused on helping Louisiana recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, as well as looking to improve the education and recreation benefits of children.

Bartlett, the first harness racer to be honored with a Thurman Munson Award, has been involved in numerous charitable endeavors through Yonkers Raceway, including donating race winnings to Toys for Tots as part of a challenge with another racer.

Established after Munson's untimely passing in a 1979 plane crash, the Munson benefit has raised nearly $10 million since its inception to assist children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, and has only taken on more importance in the three decades that have passed.

"For something to go on this long, it tells you how much Thurman was respected," Piniella said.

Halos ready for lefty-heavy AL West

The American League West is brimming with potential left-handed starters. As many as nine -- three each in Seattle and Oakland -- could surface in the 20 rotation spots available in the division.

The Angels plan to have Joe Saunders and Scott Kazmir bringing left-handed heat among their big five, with premium prospect Trevor Reckling looming on the horizon.

The Mariners conceivably could deal nothing but lefties behind Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee heading a group that includes Ryan Rowland-Smith, Luke French, Jason Vargas and Garrett Olson.

The Athletics can choose from Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden, Gio Gonzalez and Josh Outman, and, while the Rangers are primarily right-handed in the rotation, they have two viable options -- Derek Holland and Matt Harrison -- from the left side.

The Angels' response to a steady diet of lefties would go something like this: "Bring 'em on. Please."

All these southpaws could play right into the wheelhouses of the three-time reigning AL West champs. They battered southpaws in 2009, going 36-17 (.679 winning percentage), and there's no reason to believe that brand of noise won't continue.

The exits of leadoff man extraordinaire Chone Figgins and venerable cleanup man Vladimir Guerrero have fans concerned, but manager Mike Scioscia appears to have quality hitters and athletes stepping into their roles.

Hideki Matsui, the new designated hitter, punished lefties last season in Yankees pinstripes as did no other left-handed hitter in the American League. His .976 OPS (on-base plus slugging) was higher even than league MVP Joe Mauer, who checked in at .910 for the Twins.

Among all AL hitters with at least 125 at-bats, Matsui was ninth in OPS against lefties. Two of those ahead of him are new teammates -- Juan Rivera (second, 1.030) and Torii Hunter (.978, eighth).

Matsui also was eighth in runs created against lefties, according to the widely respected publication, "The Bill James Handbook," with 8.4. Hunter was second with 11.0, behind only Derek Jeter (11.4). Rivera was right behind Matsui at 8.0, giving the Angels three of the league's nine most productive hitters against southpaws.

Matsui had 13 homers and 46 RBIs in just 131 at-bats against southpaws, compared to 15 homers, 44 RBIs in 325 at-bats against right-handers.

Switch-hitter Erick Aybar, expected to assume most of the leadoff assignments, batted .325 with a .356 on-base percentage against lefties, while hitting .305 with a .351 OBP against righties.

Brandon Wood, hoping to provide right-hander thunder at third base in his first opportunity to claim an everyday job, had only 23 at-bats against lefties in '09. He hit .217 with a .348 slugging mark -- compared to .167 and .222 against righties. Wood's plate appearances have been so sporadic and infrequent that it's virtually impossible to get a true read of his talents.

Switch-hitter Maicer Izturis, the all-purpose athlete who figures to spell three infielders, killed lefties in '09, batting .380 and slugging .500 in 50 at-bats. He batted .288 and slugged .424 against righties. His OBP was .475 against lefties, .341 against righties.

Figgins batted only .246 with a .328 OBP against lefties, while Guerrero came in at .250 with .410 slugging and .276 on-base marks. Both hitters were far more productive against right-handers.

The Angels can line up a virtual Murderers' Row against southpaws behind Aybar, Izturis and Bobby Abreu. Check out some of these 2009 stat lines (average, on-base, slugging) against lefties:

Hunter: .336, .400, .578
Rivera: .333, .385, .645
Matsui: .282, .358, .618
Mike Napoli: .330, .417, .606
Kendry Morales: .296, .319, .481
Howard Kendrick: .313, .331, .500

Morales, it should be pointed out, struggled early in the season against lefties but finished with a flourish. The switch-hitting first baseman hammered them down the stretch as mercilessly as any hitter in the league while batting .330 overall after the All-Star break.

Abreu (.267, .348, .386) did not hit lefties as hard as righties, but his multiple skills and discipline make him a fit in the No. 2 hole while he remains a power threat hitting third against righties. He pounded them to the tune of .305, .408, .457.

"Our lineup is definitely one that has some versatility," Scioscia said. "There are a lot of ways we can go with it, and I think we can get very deep with it.

"Our offense really carried us for a long time last year. We hope it doesn't have to do that with better pitching from a healthier staff this year."

Finishing second to the Yankees in offensive productivity, the Angels produced a club-record 883 runs in 2009. If the opposition cooperates with enough lefties, it could be in jeopardy.

Cubs bullpen starts with closer Marmol

CHICAGO -- For the first time in three years, Carlos Marmol won't have to compete for anything but a parking space at Fitch Park in Mesa. He's one of the few pitchers set for the Cubs' bullpen.

Marmol was annointed the Cubs' closer last season, taking over for Kevin Gregg, who was delegated to setup duties after serving up a walk-off three-run homer to San Diego's Kyle Blanks on Aug. 17, his sixth blown save of the year.

Marmol responded by finishing a perfect 11-for-11 in save situations. In 2008, the young right-hander competed with Kerry Wood and Bob Howry for the closer's job, which Wood claimed. In '09, Marmol battled Gregg in spring camp. Now, it's Marmol's job.

"I think the right decision was made last year, starting out with Gregg and giving Marmol more time to develop," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "We put Marmol in there and he responded, [11-for-11]. This year, he's our closer. No closer controversy, no closer decisions."

Piniella and staff will have lots of decisions to make about the rest of the bullpen. The only experienced arm returning is lefty John Grabow, who signed a two-year, $7.5 million deal in November. The Cubs have been searching for a veteran right-handed pitcher to help set up Marmol but if they can't find someone before pitchers and catchers report in Mesa, Ariz., on Feb. 18, they'll sift through the in-house candidates. They're young. It's too early to say where Sean Marshall, Tom Gorzelanny and Jeff Samardzija will be slotted. All three could start, all three could be in the 'pen.

Who are the arms to watch this spring?

• Jeff Gray: The right-hander was acquired from Oakland along with outfielder Matthew Spencer and pitcher Eduardo Morlan for Jake Fox and Aaron Miles. Gray appeared in 24 games for the Athletics, all but three after Aug. 6, and posted a 3.76 ERA over 26 1/3 innings. Right-handers batted .259 against him. His fastball has been clocked at 97 mph and Piniella said he's received good reports.

• Angel Guzman: If he can stay healthy, Guzman may be the one best suited to handle the setup duties. The right-hander held hitters to a .192 average in 55 games last season, and struck out 47 over 61 innings. Guzman, whose career has been slowed because of elbow and shoulder injuries, had to be shutdown at the end of the year because of inflammation in his right side.

• Michael Parisi: In December 2008, the Cubs acquired Rule 5 Draft pick David Patton, who had not pitched above the Class A level. This past December, the Cubs picked Parisi in the Rule 5 Draft. He's pitched in a ballpark with an upper deck, appearing in 12 games for the Cardinals in '08. Patton most likely will start the 2010 season in the Minor Leagues unless he wows Piniella and staff this spring.

• Justin Berg: One pitcher who left a good impression in 2009 was Berg, 25, who appeared in 11 games. The right-hander gave up one earned run in 12 innings. He was 6-2 with a 2.43 ERA in 27 games at Triple-A Iowa, including 16 starts. He gave up two home runs over 55 2/3 innings in the Minors.

• John Gaub: Acquired from the Cleveland Indians on New Year's Eve 2008 along with Jeff Stevens and Chris Archer for Mark DeRosa, Gaub is another pitcher Piniella wants to see more of this spring. The lefty began last season at Double-A Tennessee and compiled a 2.83 ERA in 26 games, then posted an even more impressive 1.72 ERA in 26 games at Iowa. Gaub's numbers in the Arizona Fall League weren't as impressive as he gave up 10 earned runs over 9 2/3 innings in 10 games. He did strike out 15. For the season, Gaub totaled 69 2/3 innings and fanned 95. In 2008, he struck out 100 for Class A Lake County.

• Andrew Cashner: The No. 1 Draft pick in 2008, Cashner is another pitcher who could get a good look this spring. The right-hander began the '09 season at Class A Daytona, compiling a 1.50 ERA in 12 games. Cashner didn't pitch past the fifth inning in his 12 starts. He was promoted to Tennessee in July, and went 3-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 12 games there. His longest outing was his last on Sept. 5 when he threw seven scoreless innings, giving up two hits. The Cubs kept a close eye on Cashner's pitch counts, which is why his outings were so short. He threw 91 over five innings on July 29. At that rate, he won't get very deep in games. He's expected to open in the Minors this year.

• Esmailin Caridad: The hard-throwing right-hander was a starter at Iowa, compiling a 4.17 ERA in 25 games. He shined when called up to the big league team and used in relief, striking out 17 over 19 1/3 innings. Caridad has traveled a long way to get to Wrigley Field. He actually began his pro career in 2007 with a Japanese team.

"Pitching-wise, there will be some young kids in our bullpen," Piniella said.

Those youngsters will be turning to Grabow for advice.

"You have to think of it as a family down in the bullpen," Grabow said. "You'll have some guys who are inexperienced and some guys who have experience under their belt. We all have to stick together and we have each other's backs."

Excitement mounting for Target Field

MINNEAPOLIS -- A thick layer of white snow covered the outfield grass, and a little cloud of air appeared with every breath he exhaled, but the essence of the moment didn't escape Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer.

As he took his seat atop the home dugout bench in the midst of a darkened night, lit only by the glowing stadium lights and the giant scoreboard in left-center field that displayed video of him swinging a bat, Cuddyer took a look around at the place that he and his teammates will soon call home, and a smile crept over his face.

"Now this is a ballpark," Cuddyer proclaimed.

Target Field is the ballpark that's been long awaited by the Twins and their fans. And with the arrival of Groundhog Day, meaning spring is just around the corner, the excitement of the inaugural season at Target Field and the return of outdoor baseball to Minnesota is growing.

Perhaps it was fitting that Cuddyer and many of the other Twins players got their first real look at the nearly finished ballpark on a chilly night this weekend during the club's annual TwinsFest. After all, weather has been an issue surrounding the Twins' return to outdoor baseball since it was revealed four years ago that a new park would be built -- without a roof.

For the past 28 years, the Twins and their fans have seen baseball under the dingy Teflon roof of the Metrodome. It protected the club from the cold that often plagues the Upper Midwest in early spring while also providing an air-conditioned escape in the summer, always guaranteeing a comfortable 68-70 degrees at game time.

But in 2010, the Twins' 50th season in Minnesota, the team will return to its outdoor roots. Target Field was built without a roof, and the structure does not allow a roof to be added in the future.

And while there have been many questions surrounding the decision to go without a retractable roof, the Twins and their fans appear ready to deal with whatever comes with that -- including rain delays and postponements, but also those beautiful star-filled summer nights.

"We've accepted that reality, and I think most fans have, as well," Twins president Dave St. Peter said. "On Winter Caravan this year, the amount of questions about the roof was amazingly few. In the past, it had been a dominant part of discussion. We clearly will acknowledge that on days when it's less than perfect, it would have been great to have a roof.

"At the same time, I think we all believe that we ended up with a much more character-filled ballpark, perhaps a ballpark with better sight lines. And it certainly has much more charm than some of the retractable-roof facilities you find in baseball."

The Twins have prepped the facility, which will seat around 39,800, for the weather, providing fans with areas of shelter from the cold, as well as the summer heat. The park's canopy is the largest in the Major Leagues and will provide some protection from the cold as well as the hot sun on summer days. Radiant heaters have been installed on the main concourse level, stretching from one foul pole to the other, and there are enclosed concession stands with standing room built on the upper deck of the ballpark.

The ballpark's field, which has nearly the same dimensions as the Metrodome, has also been equipped to deal with the weather. An intricate drainage system has been installed underneath the playing surface, as well as a heating system that allows for the ground's temperature to be controlled and the grass to be protected over the winter.

And while there have been many skeptics questioning how the club will fare without a roof to protect it from the harsh Minnesota elements, the Twins point to other teams as an example that it can be done.

"Outdoor baseball has worked pretty well in northern climates for more than 100 years," St. Peter said. "The same things they deal with at Wrigley Field, Fenway Park or Comerica Park, we're going to deal with here. I have high hopes that our fans will react positively. It's just an education process because an entire generation has not experienced the Twins playing outdoors."

In addition to experiencing baseball on real grass with wind that can play havoc on fly balls, fans will have many other new things to help give them a true ballpark experience when the Twins play their opener at Target Field on April 12 against the Red Sox. The food options have greatly expanded and include local staples like a steak sandwich from the famous Murray's Steakhouse. There are themed restaurants that incorporate Twins' history, including Hrbek's, named after Twins legend Kent Hrbek, where all of the Twins logos dating back to 1961 can be seen on the tin ceiling.

The ballpark's signature element, however, may be the celebration sign in center field that features the original Twins logo from 1961. The logo has two characters dressed in old-time uniforms -- one from Minneapolis and one from St. Paul -- and whenever a Twins player hits a home run, the sign will light up, making it look like Minnie and Paul, as they're called, are shaking hands across the Mississippi River.

In fact, the club's storied history has been integrated throughout the park that was designed by the well-known architecture firm Populous, formerly HOK Sport. Each gate will be marked with a number that's been retired -- like Tony Oliva's No. 6 or Kirby Puckett's No. 34. There are atriums on the club level dedicated to Puckett and Rod Carew, as well as an entire 573 bar in honor of Harmon Killebrew's career home run total.

Those little touches are something that the Twins were never able to incorporate at the Metrodome due to the fact that they shared the facility with other teams.

"I think it will give fans a real strong sense of place and pride in being a Twins fan," St. Peter said. "I think that's really in some ways been missing from the Metrodome, because it had always been the Twins' home, and then after the season the banners were ripped down. There was really nothing that was a lasting tribute."

The players seem to be just as excited about the move to Target Field. During Cuddyer's tour the ballpark on Friday night, he got the chance to see the much larger clubhouse that includes upgraded training facilities as well as a weight room. There are also batting cages behind the dugout and a running track for pinch-runners to get warmed up before they come into the game. All were things that the Twins had experienced as visitors in other ballparks, but that were lacking in their old home at the Metrodome.

"You definitely feel like a kid in a candy store," Cuddyer said as he sat in the chair in front of his new, spacious locker. "You're in awe. And I guarantee you, I'll be in awe probably the whole season next year. Just coming in and saying this is your home, it's unbelievable."

Mays sits down with Costas in Studio 42

When Willie Mays made his trademark over-the-shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, the question for the New York Giants' center fielder wasn't if he would haul in Vic Wertz's shot at the Polo Grounds, but what he was going to do after he made the play that is now simply known as "The Catch."

"I never was worried about catching the ball, I was worried about getting the ball back into the infield," Mays told MLB Network's Bob Costas recently. "And I'm saying to myself, 'I gotta get this ball back in the infield or Larry [Doby] is going to score.' But as the ball was coming down, I knew I had the ball, but it was just a matter of getting it back into the infield."

In a wide-ranging interview that will air on MLB Network's Studio 42 next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET and PT, Mays and Costas delved into a wide range of topics -- from his team-oriented approach to the game, to Jackie Robinson's influence on his life, to his godson, Barry Bonds, who's been widely accused of using performance-enhancing substances throughout his stellar career.

"I think he's going to be in the Hall of Fame, and I don't think he did anything other that what other guys were doing," Mays said. "I don't even really know that, but I don't like to get involved in things that I don't know about -- controversial stuff -- and that's why a lot of times I don't even go on shows, because they're going to ask me the same kind of questions. As far as what he was using, I don't really know. I really didn't ask him about his problems because it wasn't my duty. He never asked me about anything, so why should I get involved in what he was doing? So I really don't know. I don't get involved unless he calls. I don't know what he does. If he did something, I'd be right there. I don't care what it is, I'm never going to leave someone that I like very much, and I think if he picks up the phone and calls me, I would be right there."

Mays has an autobiography coming out next week, titled "Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend." Mays said most of the money collected from sales will go toward his Say Hey Foundation and called it "a book for the people."

"It's probably four or five hundred different things that people tell you that I did for them, and I didn't know anything about it," Mays told Costas. "So that's the type of book I wanted, not just me talking about me, because I have, like, four or five books already out. And how much can you talk about baseball when you're doing things?"

Mays, considered by some to be the greatest baseball player of all-time, finished his Hall of Fame career with a World Series ring in '54, a Rookie of the Year award in '51, two Most Valuable Player Awards, 20 All-Star Game appearances, 12 Gold Gloves, 660 home runs and a .302 batting average.

But all along, Mays described himself as a "team player."

"I liked for the team to win," he told Costas. "I would go in the clubhouse, sit in my locker and just laugh and have a good time. The guy would bring me a sandwich over and I would see the guys smiling. That was more fun to me than hitting four home runs and going in the clubhouse and everybody's mad because we lost the game.

"I would have rather been known as a complete player, a team player, not showing up anybody on the field or off the field. Just, you know, a nice guy."