The Dodgers cleared a spot on their 40-man roster for reliever Matt Guerrier on Tuesday when pitcher Brent Leach was designated for assignment, per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times. This comes a day after a report from NPB Tracker that Leach signed with the Yokohama BayStars of the Japanese Central League. This is presumably similar to the situation with Eric Stults, who was sold to the Hiroshima Carp for $400,000 at the end of spring training.

Leach is a 28-year old lefty who filled in for a few months in the 2009 Dodgers bullpen, putting up a 5.75 ERA in 38 games, mostly as a left-handed specialist. In 2010, Leach, who had pitched in relief for the better part of four years, converted back to a starter in Double A. He was 7-3 with a 4.57 ERA in 13 starts for Chattanooga in 2010.

Here is a look at the current Dodgers 40-man roster:

n/a<</span>!>JonathanBroxton n/a<</span>!>Scott ElbertJohn ElyMatt Guerrier n/a<</span>!>Blake Hawksworth28Jon Garland31 n/a<</span>!>Javy Guerra<</span>!>250.0002010teamcontrol230.0732010teamcontrol232.1052008teamcontrol294.114n/a<</span>!> n/a<</span>!> $8,000,000Ted Lilly n/a<</span>!>3310.105n/a<</span>!> $3,000,000Travis Schlichting0.1432009,20101teamcontrolRamon Troncoso2.0802008,20101teamcontrolLuis VazquezCatchers (4) Options Left35n/a<</span>!> 302009,20101teamcontrolDioner Navarro2005,20101$1,000,000Options Used8.138 $5,250,000378.020 $2,500,000240.0002010teamcontrol3311.000n/a<</span>!> 271.0162008,2009,2010none340.028none3274.012n/a<</span>!> n/a<</span>!>arb eligible260.028none3teamcontrol319.090n/a<</span>!> $5,000,00029n/a<</span>!> 7.057 $650,000Tony Gwynn Jr.282006,2007,2008none$675,0002620092teamcontrol264.049n/a<</span>!> $7,100,000262008,2009,2010noneteamcontrol2320102teamcontrolI included the options for the applicable players. Some players, like Broxton, Kemp, Ethier, and Billingsley, for instance, have options remaining but it hasbeen more thanthree years since their MLB debut. They would have to be exposed to waivers before being optioned, so in the extremely unlikely event they would be optioned, they would be claimed by severalteams anyway, so it's a moot point.Players with five years of service time have the right to refuse assignment to the minors, so in the event thatthe Dodgers would want to demote Dioner Navarro, he would have to approve the move.

Dodgers 40-Man Roster
Pitchers (20)
Player	2011 Age*	Service Time	Options Used	Options Left	2011 Salary
Ronald Belisario	28	1.133	2004,2005,2008	none	team control
Chad Billingsley	26	4.110	n/a<</span>!>	arb eligible
27	5.020	n/a<</span>!>	$7,000,000
250.100	2009,2010	1	team control
250.101	2010	2	team control
326.056	n/a<</span>!>	$1,500,000
1.1082007,2008,2009	none	team control
10.071n/a<</span>!>	$3,500,000
2			Kenley Jansen
2			Clayton Kershaw
yeah right			Hong-Chih Kuo
n/a<</span>!> arb eligible		Hiroki Kuroda<</span>!>	36	3.000	n/a<</span>!>
		35	10.102	n/a<</span>!>	$7,500,000
Jon Link	27	0.047	2009,2010	1	team control
Carlos Monasterios	25	1.000	none	3	team control
Vicente Padilla<</span>!>			n/a<</span>!>
26
28
250.000	none	3	team control
	Player		2011 Age*		Service Time
Options Used
2011 Salary		Rod Barajas	10.000	n/a<</span>!> $3,250,000	A.J. Ellis
1.062					Hector Gimenez
281.016	2004,2005,2006	none	team control
275.045					Infielders (9)
Player		2011 Age*		Service Time
Options Left
2011 Salary	Casey Blake	37	n/a<</span>!> n/a<</span>!>		Jamey Carroll
n/a<</span>!> n/a<</span>!>			Ivan DeJesus
2			Rafael Furcal
n/a<</span>!> $12,000,000		Chin-lung Hu
team control		John Lindsey
team control		James Loney
	Russ Mitchell
	Juan Uribe				n/a<</span>!>
Outfielders (7)			Player		2011 Age*
Service Time	Options Used		Options Left		2011 Salary
Andre Ethier
4.153	n/a<</span>!> $9,250,000	Jay Gibbons	34	n/a<</span>!> n/a<</span>!>
3.044					Jamie Hoffmann
0.025					Matt Kemp
		n/a<</span>!>			Xavier Paul
1.041					Trayvon Robinson
0.000					*age is as of June 30, 2011

This game can be split into two parts: Innings 1-7 and Innings 8-9.

If you had only watched the first seven innings of the game you would have seen the same Rays who had played the month of June. The pitching wasn't good, and the offense was non-existent.

After a strong start in his last outing, Wade Davis got lit up like a Christmas tree this afternoon. The rookie right hander lasted only 4.1IP while giving up 8 hits, 4 runs, 3 home runs and 3 doubles. Six extra base hits in less than five innings of work is normally not conducive to success. He was throwing strikes - all of his pitches registered over a 55% strike rate - which is good, but that may have been part of his problem as well. Davis got only one swinging strike out of his 73 pitches. The Twins batters were jumping all over Davis' fastball, which he probably relied on too heavily. Only 16 of the 73 pitches were of the non fastball variety. This poor outing surely gives more credence to the Jeremy Hellickson movement. A movement I'm sadly starting to get on board with.

I'm willing to give the Rays offense a little break through the first seven innings only because they were facing one of the best pitchers in the game in Francisco Liriano. With all the talk about Cliff Lee's fantastic season Liriano's name sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. His record is just 6-6, which is another reason he isn't getting enough national attention. But he has a FIP of 2.19 and an xFIP of 3.00 while his batting average on balls in play is a staggering .355. That's amazing. The Rays got a look at just how amazing he was tonight. Liriano's final line is beautiful: 7IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 10k with 13 swinging strikes. He was more untouchable than MC Hammer in 1990. Like David Price the night before it's a shame, for his sake at least, that he couldn't pick up the win.

Liriano didn't pick up the win because of Alex Burnett, Jose Mijares, and Matt Guerrier. The three relievers combined for 1IP, 6H, 7ER, 1BB, 0K, and 1 grand slam. That 8th inning was amazing. So amazing that I really don't know how to describe it. Here's the play by play:

A. Burnett relieved F. Liriano

- J. Bartlett doubled to right

- S. Rodriguez singled to shortstop, J. Bartlett to third

- J. Mijares relieved A. Burnett

- C. Crawford ground rule double to left, J. Bartlett scored, S. Rodriguez to third

- M. Guerrier relieved J. Mijares

- E. Longoria singled to shallow left, S. Rodriguez scored, C. Crawford to third

- W. Aybar doubled to deep right center, C. Crawford scored, E. Longoria to third

- J. Jaso hit for K. Shoppach

- J. Jaso grounded out to first

- B.J. Upton walked

- B. Zobrist fouled out to first

- M. Joyce hit for G. Kapler

- M. Joyce homered to deep center, E. Longoria, W. Aybar and B.J. Upton scored

- J. Bartlett grounded out to third

Matt Joyce can have my children. Bartlett's lead off double was assisted by the comedic stylings of Michael Cuddyer's RF glove work. Other than that, the Rays simply smacked the ball all over the field. Rafael Soriano relieved Grant Balfour in the 9th inning to record his 20th save of the season. The victory keeps the Rays within two games of the Yankees, and one game of Boston. Other than the extra inning game in Boston that took two days to complete, this was the most satisfying win of the season for me.

Other game notes:

-Congrats to Jim Thome for passing Harmon Killebrew for 10th on the all time home run list with 574.

-Matt Joyce's pinch hit grand slam was the Rays's first such grand slam since August of last season when Gregg Zaun took Brandon League deep. It was also Joyce's first home run in more than a year.

-Joyce is never wiping that smile off of his face.

On Wednesday, the Giants inked reliever Jeremy Affeldt to a two-year, $9.5 million extension, according to USA Today baseball writer Bob Nightengale .

On paper, it makes sense.

Affeldt, the Giants' left-handed setup man was effective for the Giants in 2009. He posted a 1.74 ERA and finished the 2009 season atop of the Major Leagues in holds (along with Minnesota Twins reliever Matt Guerrier) with 33.

Thus, if you look at it from most Giants fans' perspectives, Brian Sabean made a good deal, right?

Well, yes and no.

Is Affeldt a valuable commodity in the bullpen?

Absolutely.

Veteran relievers should not be taken lightly especially considering that this bullpen, for the most part, is pretty green when it comes to Major League experience. Affeldt provides a mentor figurehead to the bullpen, much like Randy Johnson was a mentor to the young starting rotation last season.

That being said, the fact of the matter is this: two-years, $9.5 million. Is Affeldt worth that?

Did his 2009 season merit those dollar amounts?

In my opinion, no. (His WAR (Wins Above Replacement) values agree with me too .)

I'll give a few reasons why Affeldt shouldn't have been inked for a two-year extension.


1.) His numbers in 2009 weren't that good.

Certainly Affeldt was lauded by Giants fans and media members alike, but in many ways, Affeldt's 2009 may have actually been worse than his 2008 in Cincinnati.

Case in point:

In 2009, Affeldt's strikeout rate dropped from 9.19 in 2008 to 7.94 in 2009. In all likelihood, Affeldt's 2008 (and even 2009 to an extent) K/9 numbers may have been an aberration.

He had never posted a K/9 rate higher than 7.76 in his Major League career prior to 2008 (and that 7.76 strikeout rate was in 2002, his rookie year). So, while it was a drop, his K/9 rate isn't too alarming (though it's not comforting).

What should make Giants fans worry the most were his struggles with control in 2009.

Yes, Affeldt did struggle with control in 2009. His walk rate increased dramatically (from 2.87 to 4.48) and his K/BB ratio also declined (from a solid 3.20 to a below-league average 1.77).

Affeldt also had a first-strike percentage of 54.8 percent, which is almost four points below the league average, and his lowest percentage since 2006 (when he split duty between Kansas City and Colorado).

And, while Affeldt did make 74 appearances in 2009, he only pitched 62.1 innings, a sign that he gets pulled early way too often. Now that could mean a variety of things. Either manager Bruce Bochy isn't patient enough with him (which is partially true) or Affeldt isn't getting the job done in his appearances.

Most likely it's a combination of both factors, but if you had to ask me which one factors more, I might be inclined to say the latter.

2.) Affeldt was tremendously fortunate in 2009.

Like I said, most Giants fans will point to two stats to merit Affeldt's extension: ERA and WHIP. Yes, he had a sub-two ERA. Yes, he had a WHIP of 1.17.

However, I will counter with three stats: FIP, BABIP, LOB percentage.

Affeldt's FIP (fielding independent pitching on an ERA scale) was 3.59, his BABIP (batting average of balls put in play) was .244 and his LOB (left-on-base) percentage was 86.4 percent. The league averages in those respective categories are 4.32, .303 and 71.9 percent.

So what does that say?

Affeldt got extremely lucky in 2009.

You cannot sustain a BABIP that low for consistent seasons. You cannot sustain a LOB percentage that high for two seasons. Eventually, your luck is going to run out and the law of averages is going to present itself, which is most likely going to be the case in 2010.

Another stat that most likely was an aberration? His 3.52 GB/FB ratio (compounded by a 65 percent ground ball rate). Affeldt has only posted a GB/FB ratio higher than 2 once (in 2005 with the Kansas City Royals). Granted, he has shown a progression to being a more ground ball-inducing pitcher (his GB/FB ratio increased from 1.50 in 2006 to 1.97 in 2008), but I find it highly unlikely that he'll have a GB/FB ratio that high again in 2010.

Does that mean Affeldt is going to be a bad pitcher in 2010? No, but he isn't going to be the borderline All-Star people made him out to be in 2009 again. He just won't get that many breaks two seasons in a row.

3.) The Giants have enough good options in the bullpen as it is.

I'm not saying Affeldt should be released tomorrow. However, I don't see why Sabean couldn't have just let Affeldt finish out the year, let him continue to mentor guys, and let the torch be passed to guys like Sergio Romo and Dan Runzler in 2011. Romo proved he could pitch as a late innings reliever in 2009.

Runzler has showed this Spring that he is ready for the Major League level. And, I'm not even counting wild-card options such as Guillermo Mota, Alex Hinshaw, Waldis Joaquin, Kevin Pucetas, and Henry Sosa, pitchers who could have a surprise impact in the bullpen in 2010 ala Justin Miller or Brandon Medders in 2009.

It's a tough reality, but it has to be known: Affeldt is not needed in this Giants bullpen like he was when the Giants signed him to a two-year deal after the 2008 season .

At the most, Affeldt is needed for one more year, but instead, the Giants have him for two, maybe three more seasons. Granted, could Affeldt bring in some trade value should the Giants fall out of playoff contention this season?

Maybe.

His contract isn't bad and teams always need arms.

However, if his numbers fall back to earth (which they most likely will), I wonder how much return the Giants could get on the left-handed setup man.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune  is reporting Twins’ closer Joe Nathan will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

While this season-ending outcome has been speculated for the last few weeks, the official announcement came after Nathan played catch with Twins’ pitching coach Rick Anderson Sunday morning.

This news raises the obvious question: Who will replace Nathan as Minnesota&rsquo;s closer in 2010?

While it will be difficult to replace Nathan’s 246 saves and 2.04 ERA since 2004, the Twins do have a handful of in-house candidates.

Francisco Liriano was rumored to be a possibility for the Twins’ ninth inning duties, though manager Ron Gardenhire cleared the air on Saturday, saying Liriano will be used as a starter .

Matt Guerrier, Jose Mijares, and Pat Neshek have all proven to be capable relievers in the past, though the trio have a combined four career saves.

Jon Rauch has the most experience as a closer, as the 31-year-old only has 26 career saves. His 1.72 ERA over 15 2/3 innings with the Twins last year is likely to help his cause as well.

While Gardenhire has yet to make a decision, all signs point to Rauch being Minnesota&rsquo;s closer on Opening Day.

Rauch has compiled 70-plus innings in four consecutive seasons, and his enormous 6'11", 291 pound frame should prove capable of handling the role. Expect the former White Sox farmhand to post an ERA in the 3.50 range and collect 30-plus saves for a Minnesota team that’s expected to contend for a second consecutive A.L. Central crown.

2010 Player Projections from Fantasy Baseball Insiders:

• Geovany Soto
• Matt Wieters
• Shin-Soo Choo
• B.J. Upton

Joe Nathan has opted to undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2010 season and leaving his future as an elite closer in question.  While the rest of the fantasy world goes sorting through the middling relievers who could fill the role in the early weeks of the season like Jon Rauch, Matt Guerrier, and Jose Mijares, you may be better served to look at the long-term solution. 

Anthony Slama, a 26-year-old righty who was the Twins 39th round selection back in 2006, has proven over the past two years that he has the stuff to be a successful closer in the minor leagues.  He’s saved 54 games while compiling a minor league career 1.87 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 13.3 K/9.  If those numbers don’t leap off the page at you I’m not sure what will.

Granted, he has his negatives:

Last season he posted a BB/9 of 4.4 between Double and Triple-A.  That’s certainly an issue, though with his ability to strikeout batters it could easily be overcome.  Of course, in 2008 at Single-A his BB/9 was just 3.0, so there is certainly hope that he can correct the problem.

He also gives up a decent amount of flyballs, at 44.8 percent overall in ‘09.  More specifically it was at 48.3 percent in 66 Double-A innings (and 30.6 percent in 15.2 Triple-A innings, though that’s a small sample size).  While he’s allowed just five home runs in his minor league career (all during his Double-A stint last season), it could become a bigger issue in the Major Leagues.

Still, even with those issues, the good certainly outweighs the bad.  The strikeout rate is just an overly impressive number that you have to take notice of.  He’s done it at every level as well, so you can’t just claim that it has been coming against lower level opponents:

• 2008 - Single-A - 71.0 innings - 13.9
• 2009 - Double-A - 65.1 innings - 12.8
• 2009 - Triple-A - 15.2 innings - 10.9

The only word that comes to mind is impressive.  He clearly has the stuff to generate swings and misses.  He’s proven that he can successfully save games in the past and if he can get his control back in order could simply be unstoppable at the back-end of the bullpen.

He may not open the year as the Twins closer.  They likely will give the veterans the first opportunity to replace Nathan.  Sooner or later, I’d look for him to get a chance, making him worth stashing in all formats.

What are your thoughts on Slama?  Could he get some saves in Minnesota?  Would you be willing to stash him?

If you would like to see a&nbsp;free preview of the Rotoprofessor 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide (available for just $5) now including a Top 50 Prospects for 2010 List, click here .

For more looks at prospects, you can check out the following articles:

• J.P. Arencibia<</span>!>
• Jake Arrieta<</span>!>
• Phillippe Aumont
• Josh Bell
• Jason Castro
• Starlin Castro
• Allen Craig
• Aaron Crow
• Kyle Drabek
• Todd Frazier
• Christian Friedrich
• Jeremy Hellickson
• Daniel Hudson
• Jay Jackson
• Desmond Jennings
• Martin Perez
• Gaby Sanchez
• Carlos Santana<</span>!>
• Michael Saunders
• Brett Wallace
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Sunday's game of catch in Fort Myers, Fla., didn't go well, and Twins closer Joe Nathan will miss the entire 2010 season. He'll have Tommy John ligament transplant surgery in the next few weeks.

"It didn't go like we hoped," Nathan said to the AP. "We knew it was a long shot, but I think this will clear my head. There definitely was no gray area. It was definitely on the dark side. We know now that we're going to need to go in and have some surgery done and get this thing taken care of."

He'll make more than $11 million this season and $12.5 million in 2011, if the Twins exercise a club option. That might be interesting for a club such as Minnesota. That's a lot of money for a rehabbing closer.

If you're getting ready for your fantasy draft, keep in mind it has been a bad week for other closers as well. The Indians lost Kerry Wood for at least a couple of months, and Bobby Jenks of the White Sox is dinged up (but should be ready for the opener). The Rockies got good news about Huston Street, who might miss the opener but has no structural damage in his sore shoulder.

For fantasy purposes, here are the names to remember: Matt Guerrier (Twins), Franklin Morales (Rockies) and Chris Perez (Indians). Those are the likely replacements. If Jenks isn't ready, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is likely to go by committee between Scott Linebrink, Octavio Dotel and Matt Thornton.

Fantasy baseball: Top 40 relievers.

Bad week for closers: Joe Nathan out for season originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Sunday, March 21st, 2010 at 14:42:25.

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It’s official, the Minnesota Twins will be without All-Star closer Joe Nathan for the 2010 campaign.

 

Nathan elected to undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery today after feeling continued pain and discomfort following a bullpen session with pitching coach Rick Anderson.

 

"Didn’t go like we hoped," Nathan said. "We knew it was a long shot, but what this did do is clear my head.”

 

Nathan was originally diagnosed with a “significant tear” of his ulnar collateral ligament two weeks ago after he abruptly left an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox after just 20 pitches.  

 

At the time he decided to rest the injury and then test it one more time before deciding whether or not to undergo the procedure.

 

It is believed that Nathan will undergo the surgery as soon as possible in an attempt to rejoin the club by Opening Day next season.

 

"Any time you’re going to be out for the season&mdash;but especially the timing of this, with this ballclub, this new stadium, the excitement&mdash;it’s definitely tough," Nathan said. "But right now I’ve got to take care of myself and get myself ready for next year."

 

Nathan, 35, is coming off a year in which he set the franchise record for saves with 47 and posted a 2.10 ERA, a .932 WHIP and earned a trip to his fourth All-Star Game.

 

Needless to say, the club will have a hard time finding anyone to legitimately fill Nathan’s shoes.

 

The club has, however, been exploring potential replacement options for Nathan since the initial word broke two weeks ago.

 

In that time the Twins have been linked to the like of Heath Bell and Kerry Wood as potential trade candidates.

 

The more likely option, however, is that Nathan’s replacement will come from within the organization.

 

Right-handers Jon Rauch and Matt Guerrier are largely believed to be the front-runners with lefty Jose Mijares a distant third.

 

Rauch has some experience&mdash;albeit limited&mdash;in the role from his time in Washington and figures to get the first crack at the job.

 

Mijares has long been touted as having “closer stuff” on the mound, but many&mdash;seemingly including manager Ron Gardenhire&mdash;question whether he has the mental makeup to handle the role.

 

Guerrier has good stuff and a cool head to pitch late in important, high-pressure situations. He is also, however, very valuable as a setup man and Gardenhire loves to use him in multiple-inning situations.

 

It’s entirely possible that Guerrier’s success in his current role will prevent him from taking over as the club’s closer.

 

A popular dark horse candidate is current Twins farmhand Anthony Slama.

 

Slama has looked good in Spring Training, posting eight strikeouts, one walk, one win and a 0.00 ERA in four innings pitched.

 

He has a proven track record a closer in the minor leagues and appears to have all the intangibles it takes to be a big league closer.

 

With Opening Day just two weeks away, the race for the closer role is now officially up for grabs and&mdash;for all intents and purposes&mdash;wide open.

 

If nothing else, today’s unfortunate news should make for a compelling final two weeks of Spring Training.

 

2009 Finish &ndash; 87-76 &ndash; (1st Place) It’s strange really. You look at the depth chart of the Minnesota Twins and you see how they would be the favorite to win the division. They have solid performers at every position except third base, and they’re led by perhaps the most exciting young players in the AL in Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Yet, it takes an injury to the one position where they had no depth to really bring them down to Earth. Offensively, this is as sound a club as they come. They have enough pop in the line-up to pair with solid situational hitting. Professional hitters like Morneau, Mauer, and Michael Cuddyer do what is needed of them to push runs across the plate. Add in solid piece like Denard Span, JJ Hardy, Orlando Hudson, and Jason Kubel and you have a pretty even line-up. Their only real weakness is at third base, where Brendan Harris and Nick Punto will share the duties, but even so, the two of them together should give the team enough production from that slot. The amazing thing about the pitching staff for the Twins, and I think you can say this has been true for a number of seasons, is that they get the job done despite the fact that there is not a true ace or even number two starter amongst them. They all pitch within their means to keep the team in games and let the offense do its job. As mentioned above, the true hurt on this team comes from losing Joe Nathan at the end of the game. They’ll likely go with a committee of Jon Rauch, Pat Neshek, and Matt Guerrier at the start of the season. There have been rumors that they are considering shifting Francisco Liriano into the role, but he belongs in the rotation more than he does in the pen. Ultimately, this is a team that could easily win this division, but to do so, they’ll need to address the Nathan loss and do it early. If the committee doesn’t work, they’ll have to scrap it right away and trade to pick-up someone. Last year’s improbable run isn’t impossible to happen again, but having to catch two teams may be a lot more difficult than grabbing a sliding tiger by the tail. 1.) Chicago White Sox2.) Minnesota Twins3.) Detroit Tigers4.) Kansas City Royals5.) Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians:
Batting: Speedy LF and eventual lead-off man for the Tribe Michael Brantley will start in the minors. With the signing of Russell Branyan it began a domino effect pushing probable 1B and uber-prospect Matt LaPorta back to LF, making Brantley the odd man out. Things could change quickly though with the lineup as Travis Hafner isn’t the monster he once was and has been on a downward spiral with injuries and forgetting how to hit since his 2006 campaign where he slugged 42 HR with 117 RBI. If he struggles/injured, Branyan to DH, LaPorta to 1B and Brantley to LF.
- Trending the wrong way: Johnny Peralta ( lowest HR, RS and BA since becoming a regular in 2006)
-Unexpected production: Youngster 2B Luis Valbueno, 10 long balls in 368 AB·
Pitching: Jake Westbrook comes back from Tommy John surgery to lead the rotation. 2007 All-star Fausto Carmona is rounding back into shape. This spring he’s given up 1 ER in 7 IP with 4 K’s. Right-hander Justin Masterson obtained in the Victor Martinez trade with the Red Sox last year is tearing up ST with 12 K’s in 7 IP with only 1 ER given up.

Kansas City Royals:
Batting: One time can’t miss prospect Alex Gordon is hurt once again. Gordon broke his thumb sliding into 2nd base making Opening day a question mark for him. If he can stay healthy and that’s a big if; Gordon could be a 20/20 guy.
- Who’s up the middle? Alberto Callaspo should be starting at 2B with speedy Chris Getz (from the White Sox) backing him up and getting about 300 AB with 20+ steals. Getz will probably be starting by the end of the year as Callaspo will probably be traded at the trade deadline to a contender. Yuniesky Betancourt is starting at SS and probably not someone you want to roster unless you’re in a very deep league and you have to.
- Rifle armed Rick Ankiel will be manning CF and should be a sleeper to hit 20-25 HR with a .265 average
Pitching: It’s all about Greinke and Soria! 2009 Cy Young winner Zack Greinke leads the young rotation, while stud closer Joakim Soria will be finishing the games. Luke Hochevar could surprise some people like he did last year with a 13 K game against the Rangers on June 25th or he could continue to struggle like he did most of last year finishing 7-13 with a 6.55 ERA.

Detroit Tigers:
Batting: Did someone say Johnny Damon? So this is where ex-Yankees go to die. Johnny wanted to be a Yankee but super-agent Scott Boras screwed that up by wanting too much (go figure). This should end up being a good thing for the Tigers as they needed another bat, but there is no way Damon approaches his numbers from last year hitting half of his games this year in cavernous Tiger Stadium…ummm Comerica Park. This is a team that has serious question marks!
- Rookie Scott Sizemore manning 2B
- All-glove/no-hit Adam Everett at SS
- Rookie Austin Jackson from the Yankees farm system starting in CF
- Fading RF Magglio Ordonez
- 3B Brandon Inge and his .230 BA in 2009 (.236 lifetime)
- Maybe I just should have hit the high points…er point. Miguel Cabrera is sober and primed for a big year if the guys in front of him can get on base.
Pitching: Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander put it together again last year and looks to repeat those stellar numbers…Projected stats: 20 Wins, 245 K’s with a 3.12 ERA, Young Ace in the making Rick Porcello slots in at #2 with hard throwing Max Scherzer from the D-Backs probable as the 3rd starter. 2008 surprise rookie Armando Galarraga has been sent down to the minors so that leaves 2 spots open for 2/3 of these guys. Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson. My guess is Willis and Robertson as Bonderman is having a tough spring: 11.12 ERA with 2 HR given up in 5 2/3 IP

Chicago White Sox:
Batting: Key Losses- Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Scott Posednik and Chris Getz Gains: Juan Pierre, Mark Teahen and Andruw Jones
- This is a lineup that will score a lot of runs. Juan Pierre is going to have a big year leading off for the White Sox with Gordon Beckham moving over to 2B and hitting second, Carlos Quentin returning from injury and returning to form could be a devastating 1-3 hitters. Add in Paul Konerko hitting 4th and Alexis Rios rebounding and this is a powerful nucleus. They are solid all the way down the lineup.
Pitching: This is what could make them really special though…Jake Peavy and Mark Buehrle heading the rotation followed by two good young pitchers in John Danks and Gavin Floyd with Freddy Garcia possibly being the best 5th starter in the AL. If there’s a problem with their pitching it’s with Bobby Jenks as he has been trending the wrong way the past couple of years. Here are his Save totals 2006-41, 2007-40, 2008-30, 2009-29. He is in danger of losing his job to hard thrower Matt Thornton or possibly former closer JJ Putz.

Minnesota Twins:
Batting: How can you start with anything other than the M &amp; M boys? 3 time batting champ and MVP Joe Mauer and former MVP Justin Morneau, add in sparkplug Denard Span and the O-Dog possibly hitting 2nd and you’re going to score some runs. Sometimes lost in the spot light is High Avg/Power DH Jason Kubel who will hit over 30 HR this year with 110 RBI. If Delmon Young can finally turn the corner and new SS JJ Hardy (from the Brewers) can get back to his 25 HR power, nobody in the division can keep up with them offensively.
Pitching: Big blow last week with Joe Nathan coming up with a torn ligament in his right elbow. Possible closer replacements: Matt Guerrier, Pat Neshak, Jon Rauch and maybe Francisco Loraine? My bet is Jon Rauch as he has the closer experience with 26 saves lifetime. Rotation? Scott Baker is the ace with Carl Pavano, Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey lining up behind him. You’ll want to grab Slowey this year as he’s going to have a monster year…trust me! What about Francisco Liriano? Some say he’s back to 2006 form and if that’s the case grab him too and enjoy the ride!

Patrick Kelley

It might be the most followed game of catch of all-time. And especially to Minnesotans eager for a winner in their brand new ballpark after a long, cold winter.

Joe Nathan will test his elbow - which he knows has a torn ligament - this weekend in Fort Myers, Fla. And if things go badly, the most consistent closer in baseball not named Mariano will have to miss the entire 2010 season after Tommy John ligament transplant surgery.

"It's been, 'You have a tear; can you throw with it?' " Nathan said, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "From a doctor's standpoint, their opinion is more than likely I won't be able to, just from what they've seen. They said it's not impossible."

Not the most optimistic prognosis. And even if he's OK now, there's no guarantee he'll make it through the season, of course. If this seems a bit too much hype over a guy who is not a household name for a lot of baseball fans, they must not follow the Twins. He has 36 saves or more the last six seasons. Since 2004, he has more saves than anybody in the majors (246), the best ERA (1.87) and strikes out 11.9 batters per nine innings. The Twins won the AL Central by one game (a tiebreaker) last season and one game in 2006. It's safe to say Nathan, 35, has made a big difference.

The Twins are trying to keep this game of catch away from the eyes of the public and media. It's rumored to be happening on Saturday.

"Let the guy live in peace here and see if he can throw the ball,'' Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "If he can't and grimaces in pain and goes to the ground, I don't really want you to see that. So let him throw and we'll tell you tomorrow."

But the result should be definitive, Nathan said.

"This is going to be something where there shouldn't be a gray area," Nathan said to the Star Tribune. "On Day 1, I'll definitely know if there will be a Day 2. And the only way there won't be a Day 2, is if I need to get this thing repaired."

Other storylines in Twins camp:

• Just behind Nathan's elbow as a major topic of Twins fans' conversations is the long-term future of Joe Mauer, the game's best catcher and a homegrown talent from St. Paul. It's been rumored that he had a contract in place earlier this winter, but nothing now appears imminent in the last year of his contract. And it's a gamble for both sides.
• Who would take Nathan's spot? Matt Guerrier would be the natural choice, moving a very good setup guy into the role. But Jon Rauch, Jesse Crain or even Francisco Liriano could be a candidate for the role.
• While the Mauer talks have hit a snag, the Twins have locked up a few other core players, such as center fielder Denard Span and starter Nick Blackburn.
• Scott Baker had a slow start last year, but was great in the second half and is likely to be the starter on opening day.
• And of course, the Twins are opening their new ballpark, Target Field, which from the air looks a lot like Progressive Field in Cleveland (but with a little bit of a roof).

2010 Minnesota Twins preview

Coming Saturday: No. 11 Detroit Tigers.

Joe Nathan watch: The game of catch heard round the world originally appeared on About.com Baseball on Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 01:56:36.

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1 - “Né io né mio marito scopi**o perché i vegan non scop**o ‘ché non hanno le forze né le proteine”, ha scritto questa settimana un’indomita guerriera vegana, citando come fonte i commentatori di Dissapore. Solo 164 commenti dopo, la lite tra gli onnivori e la scheggia impazzita dei vegetariani, sembra essersi calmata. 2 - Segnatevi [...]

Larry Schechter from Sandlot Shrink posted the results of his AL LABR draft:

6MI Teahen10OF Ellsbury34OF Choo24OF Hunter23OF Gutierrez18OF Ankiel4UT Hafner330Saunders7Danks13Bergesen1Blackburn3Aceves2JP Howell4Rauch3Rivera<</span>!>RESERVESHunterBannisterBalfourPedro MartinezWheeler

C Buck	5
C Kendall	2
1B Kotsay	2
2B A. Hill	21
SS Bloomquist	2
3B M. Tejada<</span>!>	16
CI J. Bautista<</span>!>
PITCHERS Greinke
27
Guerrier

Larry's team is lacking power, but has plenty of speed. I do like his outfield of Ellsbury, Choo and Hunter, but if it was me, I am spending $34 on a&nbsp;power hitter rather than Ellsbury. But Larry is a Red Sox fan and he got his guy. Ellsbury was the highest auctioned outfielder in the AL LABR draft.

Larry can't go wrong with Greinke and Rivera anchoring his pitching staff, but I am not sure he has much else on his staff.

I am curious about the following: how

Rick Ankiel

performs in Kansas City? and if Aaron Hill can hit 30 HRs again in 2010.

 

Poll

Can Shin-Soo Choo go 25-25 in 2010?

• Yes, there is more power there, and he could run more in 2010.
• No, maybe the power, but he won't steal 25.
•   5 votes |

Results

Unreality SF has revealed the finalists for their Story of the Year poll, and I'm on it twice, once for a comic, once for a novel. The award is for TV tie-ins of any kind, and the list includes novels, audios, comic books, and nonfiction. Two of the nominees, to my amazement and glee, are Farscape: D'Argo's Lament and Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon.

Here's the full list of nominees:

Being Human: The Road by Simon Guerrier (novel)
Farscape: D'Argo's Lament by Keith R.A. DeCandido & Neal Edwards (comic book)
Doctor Who: The Angel of Scutari by Paul Sutton (audio)
Doctor Who: The Final Chapter by Russell T. Davies & Benjamin Cook (nonfiction book)
Doctor Who: Prisoner of the Daleks by Trevor Baxendale (novel)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Never-Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack (novel)
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Losing the Peace by William Leisner (novel)
Star Trek: Vanguard: Precipice by David Mack (novel)
Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon by Keith R.A. DeCandido (novel)
Torchwood: In the Shadows by Joseph Lidster (audio)

Voting is open until the end of this week: Sunday 14 March. So go vote!

L'epicentro al largo dell'isola meridionale di Naha. Non ci sarebbero vittime Le autoritá ridimensionano il rischio di onde anomale, invito alla cautela sulla costa<</span>!>
Giappone, terremoto 7 Richter Rientrato allarme tsunami a Okinawa<</span>!>(21:50 26/02/2010)

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Gb: la stazione cambia look, rivolta su Facebook

(14:50 26/02/2010)

Une tribu indienne lance un appel au réalisateur d'Avatar, considérant qu'elle est persécutée exactement comme les Na'vis sur Pandora. Survival International avait rappelé il y a quelques semaines que pour certains peuples, le récit d'Avatar était bien plus qu'une fiction . Aujourd'hui, il lance un appel au réalisateur du film, James Cameron , pour qu'il prenne conscience qu'une tribu indienne vit exactement le même drame que les Na'vis de Pandora. Le groupe espère ainsi faire changer les choses pour les Dongria Kondh, exploités par une compagnie minière qui compte bien les déloger de leur montagne sacrée. Voici le communiqué officiel : Appel à James Cameron Avatar est une fiction... bien réelle. En Inde, la tribu des Dongria Kondh lutte pour défendre sa terre contre une compagnie minière qui s'apprête à détruire sa montagne sacrée. Venez en aide aux Dongria Kondh. Nous avons vu votre film - maintenant, visionnez le nôtre : www.survivalinternational.org/mine Le lien renvoie vers un court-métrage de 10 minutes produit par Survival International et intitulé Mine : histoire d'une montagne sacrée. C'est Joanna Lumley ( Absolutely fabulous ) qui a été choisie pour en être la narratrice. Stephen Corry, le directeur du groupe à l'initiative de ce projet, s'est exprimé ainsi : "De même que pour les Na'vi qui décrivent la forêt de Pandora comme ?leur tout', pour les Dongria Kondh, la vie et la terre ont toujours été profondément liées. Le drame d' Avatar ? si l'on fait abstraction des lémuriens multicolores, des chevaux à longues trompes et des guerriers androïdes ? se joue aujourd'hui sur les collines de Niyamgiri en Orissa. (?)J'espère que James Cameron soutiendra les Dongria dans leur combat pour protéger leur montagne sacrée et garantir leur avenir". Avatar : pour les peuples indigènes : ce n'est pas une fiction ! Notre dossier spécial Avatar. Avatar : 8 raisons de boycotter le dernier James Cameron James Cameron : il défend le message écologiste d'Avatar. Golden Globes 2010 : Le palmarès cinéma

I giapponesi ne inventano sempre una. Una delle ultime trovate, che è possibile utilizzare anche a carnevale a seguito di alcune semplici accortezze - prevedere buchi per l’aria, ad esempio.. - può essere costituita dalla eco warrior bag. Una busta in cotone ecologico al 100% utile per fare la spesa ma anche, all’accorenza, maschera inquietante per indurre l’ignaro ed ecologicamente poco attento passante a raccogliere la cicca di sigaretta appena gettata a terra oppure, se colto in fallo mentre non differenzia i propri rifiuti, invitarlo ad un atteggiamento più responsabile…

Pensato per essere capovolto e messo in testa, il simpatico shopper diventa, inoltre, anche il segno distintivo di un attivismo ecologico tout court secondo le opinion i degli stessi realizzatori, i designer di Kawamura Hideo Activity di Rezon…

Foto | elitechoice

Last year, when the Twins were in third place, I predicted that they would win the division. And they did, although it took them 163 games to do so. With most of the offseason moves having occurred already, here's part one of six of my division previews. The worst, but most entertaining division in baseball: the AL Central.

 

2009 Standings:

1. Minnesota Twins (87-76)
2. Detroit Tigers (86-77)
3. Chicago White Sox (79-83)
4. Cleveland Indians (65-97)
5. Kansas City Royals (65-97)

"Outlook" Key:
A: [Great]
B: [Good]
C: [Okay]
D: [Below Average]
F: [Doomed]

2010 Outlook:

 

1. Minnesota Twins

Key Losses: Boof Bonser, Orlando Cabrera, Joe Crede, Carlos Gomez, Mike Redmon
Key Gains: J.J. Hardy, Jim Thome, Clay Condrey

Offensive Outlook: A<</span>!> Well, the Twins have two of the past four American League Most Valuable Players in
Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau . Mauer won the award last year after leading the league in batting average, slugging, and on-base percentage. Morneau missed the end of last year due to back injury and still managed to crank out 30 home runs and 100 RBI. This potent punch is backed up by the underrated Jason Kubel , who's another lefty that only batted .300 with 100+ RBI for the Twins.

Think that's scary? They also just added

Jim Thome , who still cranks out home runs (one per every 16 at-bats in 2009) and is still an OPS man. Throw in Michael Cuddyer (.276/32 HRs/94 RBI in 2009), and this offense is one of the best in baseball.

The Twins also acquired former All-Star

J.J. Hardy , who was so bad last year that he was sent down to the minors, but Joe Vavra thinks he can fix him. Brendan Harris and Nick Punto had 75 RBI and seven home runs between them, so they are offensive liabilities. The Twins do have one of the best leadoff men in baseball in Denard Span . The one nitpick with the Twins is that they don't have a deep bench. In fact, it's awful.

Defensive Outlook: A<</span>!> The Twins were one of the best fielding teams in baseball last year, having only committed 76 errors. J.J. Hardy is no Orlando Cabrera with the glove, but the Twins will still be just as strong. Mauer plays Gold Glove defense, Morneau has an ultra-reliable glove at first, and Denard Span is excellent in the outfield. Manager Ron Gardenhire preaches the importance of defense, and it's why his teams are successful.

Starting Pitching Outlook: C-

The Twins didn't have a pitcher with a sub-4.00 ERA last year, and they pitch in a terrible division.

Scott Baker
(15-9, 4.37 ERA in 2009) pitched well down the stretch for the Twins, but he's going to need to be more consistent to be considered an ace. Kevin Slowey (10-3, 4.86 ERA in 2009) had a great win percentage, but when he was off, he was bad.

Carl Pavano

(5-4, 4.64 ERA in 2009 for Twins) tried to resurrect his career in the AL Central and was nothing special. Nick Blackburn (11-11, 4.03 ERA in 2009) is a stud, but the Twins don't like to give him run support. And 26-year-old Francisco Liriano is still a question mark. We all know he can be great, but will he live up to his potential? His offseason resume is impressive.Relief Pitching Outlook: B

The Twins have one of the best closers in baseball in

Joe Nathan
, who, outside the playoffs, was mister reliable yet again. They also acquired Jon Rauch from the Diamondbacks in late August last year, and he was decent, but his career has been marked by inconsistency. Matt Guerrier (2.36 ERA in 2009) is an underrated relief pitcher, and Clay Condrey came over after the Phillies failed to resign him. Jose Mijares (2.34 ERA in 2009) was unfairly overlooked in the Rookie of the Year race, while Jesse Crain is garbage.2010 Outlook: B+. The Twins are the favorites to win the division in 2010 again. They have all the right pieces, including a great manager, best 3-4-5 punch in baseball, great defense, and a great closer. The Twins need to sign Mauer before the season starts so his contract situation doesn't become a distraction.

 

2. Chicago White Sox

Key Losses: DJ Carrasco, Octavio Dotel, Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Scott Podsednik, Jermaine Dye, Jose Contreras

Key Gains: Mark Teahen, J.J. Putz, Omar Vizquel, Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre

Offensive Outlook: D+

The White Sox were in the bottom-three in the American League in runs scored, RBI, and batting average in 2009. Health was a key issue last year, as 2008 MVP candidate

Carlos Quentin
missed a lot of games. Qunetin can still crank home runs, but he's going to have to bring his batting average back up.

A.J. Pierzynski

was the only reliable hitter, batting at the .300 mark. Plus, he's in a contract year. The captain Paul Konerko also was a consistent run producer (28 home runs and 88 RBI in 2009). The spark from last year's team is gone and replaced with Juan Pierre , who was arguably the Dodgers' most valuable player for a chunk of the season. The White Sox hope that this time Pierre will have a good season in Chicago. Mark Teahen is a question mark, as is whether or not Alex Rios can "be fixed," like hitting coach Greg Walker said he could be.The platooning of the DH role with

Mark Kotsay

and Andruw Jones will also be interesting, as one only hits for power and the other for average. Alexei Ramirez hopes his sophomore slump doesn't last. The White Sox' future is Gordon Beckham , who had a tremendous rookie season, and his success will determine how the White Sox fare in 2010. The bench is average.Defensive Outlook: D

Being a White Sox fan, I can honestly tell you the defense is awful. Too many stupid errors were committed last year. The departure of Jermaine Dye should help the problem a little, as should the shift of Alex Rios to center field. Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham will also be mentored by future Hall-of-Famer

Omar Vizquel
, whom the White Sox picked up as a backup.Starting Pitching Outlook: A-

The White Sox clearly have one of the deepest rotations in baseball. Mr. Perfect

Mark Buehrle
(13-10, 3.84 ERA in 2009) anchors the rotation and will eat innings, although he's going to have to avoid a collapse this year. He will be followed by Jake Peavy (3-0, 1.35 ERA in 2009 for White Sox), who won't put up Petco Park numbers, but will be reliable and get lots of strikeouts.

John Danks

(13-11, 3.77 ERA in 2009) keeps maturing and pitches well in big games. Gavin Floyd (11-11, 4.06 ERA in 2009) had a disappointing year in 2009, and it wasn't even that bad. He will only improve. The fifth starter spot is likely to go to Freddy Garcia<</span>!> (3-4, 4.34 ERA in 2009 for White Sox), who says he's healthy. If not, we will see some more Dan Hudson . Relief Pitching Outlook: C

Bobby Jenks

blew six saves last year, and his ERA (3.71) was unacceptably high. The White Sox lost
Octavio Dotel and D.J. Carrasco to the Pirates, meaning the bullpen will rely heavily on undependable Scott Linebrink (4.66 ERA in 2009) and Tony Pena<</span>!> (3.75 ERA in 2009 for White Sox). Matt Thorton (2.74 ERA in 2009) has been labelled the best left-handed setup man, while "bromance" partner J.J. Putz is out to prove himself. Randy Williams (4.58 ERA in 2009) is a wild card, depending on the situation.2010 Outlook: C+. Can a ballclub depend entirely on pitching? We shall see with the 2010 edition of the White Sox. We can see that their offense will be shaky, and the defense is still in transition (Beckham shifted to second base). The rotation is the best in the division. 

3. Detroit TigersKey Losses: Curtis Granderson, Aubrey Huff, Edwin Jackson, Brandon Lyon, Placido Polanco, Fernando Rodney, Jarrod Washburn

Key Gains: Phil Coke, Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth, Jose Valverde

Offensive Outlook: C-/D+

The Tigers' best offensive weapon is clearly
Miguel Cabrera<</span>!> , who would've been higher on the MVP final count had it not been for alcohol problems/late-season slump. Back to normal, he'll be his regular old juggernaut.

It's pretty much downhill from there.
Gerald Laird is no offensive threat. Placido Polanco's replacement at second base, Scott Sizemore

, has no big league experience.

Brandon Inge can never seem to stay healthy and had an overrated year in 2009. What I said about Gerald Laird also applies to Adam Everett , as he's absolutely not an offensive threat. We know that Carlos Guillen can be a threat, but can he stay healthy? The Tigers really need his bat. Ryan Raburn (.291 avg/16 home runs in 2009) was surprisingly good for the Tigers last year, and Clete Thomas

is still maturing into a big league hitter who has tons of power.

Magglio Ordonez (.310 avg/nine home runs) got his batting average back up after a horrible start, but it's clear that his power is gone. The bench is pretty decent for a bench. Defensive Outlook: B+ The Tigers have an above average defense. Gerald Laird and Adam Everett are not offensive threats, but they're in there because they're two of the best with their gloves at their positions. Brandon Inge also flashes nice leather, and Miguel Cabrera plays an underrated first base. It's yet to be seen if Scott Sizemore is the real deal and how the outfield will be without Curtis Granderson.Starting Pitching Outlook: B+

The Tigers have a dynamic one-two punch in

Justin Verlander
(19-9, 3.45 ERA in 2009) and

Rick Porcello

(14-9, 3.96 ERA in 2009). Verlander got a Cy Young vote because he led the league in wins and strikeouts in 2009, after a horrendous 2008. Porcello was one of the best rookies in baseball, and he just turned 21 and has a really bright future.
The Tigers traded Edwin Jackson and got Max Scherzer (9-11, 4.12 ERA), who might have the same problem he did in Arizona: a lack of run support. Jeremy Bonderman

also only started one game in 2009, before being moved to the bullpen. His health will be a key factor. The fifth starter role is up for grabs between

Nate Robertson (who split time between starting and relief duties in 2009), Dontrelle Willis (whose mental health is questionable), Armando Galarraga<</span>!> (who has shown flashes of brilliance but was disappointing last year), and Eddie Bonine .Relief Pitching Outlook: C+ The Tigers got arguably the best closer on the market in Jose Valverde , who was great for the Astros and an upgrade over Fernando Rodney. Everybody wants to know if Joel Zumaya<</span>!> (4.94 ERA in 2009) will be healthy, because if he is, he's unhittable.

Bobby Seay

(4.25 ERA in 2009) and
Zach Miner (4.29 ERA in 2009) are iffy, and the Tigers also acquired inexperienced Daniel Schlereth (5.89 ERA in 2009) and Phil Coke (4.50 ERA in 2009). Fue-Te Ni (2.61 ERA in 2009) will be an interesting case with potential to examine. 2010 Outlook: C+. The Tigers have one of the best 1-2 starting pitching punches in baseball. The key question is whether or not the offense will give them enough run support to win games and if the bullpen can sustain leads. If the Tigers fourth and fifth starters turn out to be reliable, then they have a shot at the division.   4. Kansas City Royals

Key Losses: Coco Crisp, John Buck, Mark Teahen, Mike Jacobs Key Gains: Rick Ankiel, Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Jason Kendall, Scott Podsednik

Offensive Outlook: D-

The Royals have an absolute stud at first base in Billy Butler

(.301 avg, 21 home runs, 93 RBI in 2009). Just imagine what his stats would be if he played with a competent offense. The Royals also have a gem at second base in

Alberto Callaspo
(.300 avg, 73 RBI in 2009).

Other than those two, you can describe the team as washed up veterans. Their starting catcher is
Jason Kendall , who might have been the worst player in baseball in 2009. Rick Ankiel (.231 avg/11 home runs in 2009) suddenly lost his power in 2009, and DH Jose Guillen

(.242 avg/nine home runs in 2009) can't stay healthy and can't hit for power any more. The shortstop

Yuniesky Betancourt had an on-base percentage below .300 in 2009. Scott Podsednik has a resurgent year with the White Sox but has yet to prove that he can play outside of Chicago. David DeJesus (.281 avg/71 RBI in 2009) had a nice year in 2009, and Alex Gordon

has still failed to live up to the hype. The Royals upgraded their bench with

Josh Fields and Chris Getz and still have Willie Bloomquist , so their bench might be the deepest in the AL Central. Defensive Outlook: D- The Royals were the worst defensive team in the American League last year. Jason Kendall lets lots of stolen bases occur, and Alberto Callaspo has to cut down on his errors. Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel are no angels in the outfield, so the Royals should expect to see more balls hit the grass.Starting Pitching Outlook: B- The Royals get a bump up from "Okay" because they have the best pitcher in baseball in Zack Greinke

. The 2009 American League Cy Young award winner was absolutely brilliant last year (16-8, 2.16 ERA) and would've had a lot more wins had it not been for his lack of an offense.

Gil Meche

(6-10, 5.09 ERA in 2009) has proven he can be a reliable number two but will have to stay healthy. Like with Alex Gordon, we're still waiting for
Luke Hochevar (7-13, 6.55 ERA in 2009) to have a break-out year, because he's got the stuff, and he just doesn't know how to use it. Brian Bannister

(7-12, 4.73 ERA in 2009) suffers from the lack of consistency problem.

The other rotation spot will go to Kyle Davies (8-9, 5.27 ERA in 2009), who gives up too many hits, or Robinson Tejeda<</span>!> , who was surprisingly effective in the starter's role in 2009 (3-1, 2.84 ERA as a starter in 2009).Relief Pitching Outlook: C

Joakim Soria<</span>!> is one of the best closers in baseball. He still managed to get 30 saves in 2009, despite being injured for a large chunk of the season. From there, the bullpen goes downhill. The Royals bullpen was the worst in the American League last year (with a 5.02 ERA) and they blew 22 save opportunities. Kyle Farnsworth (4.58 ERA in 2009), Juan Cruz (5.72 ERA in 2009),

Bruce Chen

(5.65 ERA in 2009),
Ramon Colon (4.83 ERA in 2009), and Victor Marte (8.25 ERA in 2009) just do not make for a good bullpen. Carlos Rosa<</span>!> (3.38 ERA in 2009) has potential.2010 Outlook: D+. The Royals don't play defense well, and they have a terrible offense. Besides that, Zack Greinke can only pitch once every five days. The Royals have an unreliable bullpen and made some questionable moves in the offseason that only maintained, not improved the team. 5. Cleveland Indians

Key Losses: Kelly Shoppach

Key Gains: Austin Kearns, Shelley Duncan, Mike Redmond

Offensive Outlook: C The Indians didn't have a healthy team last year and still finished in the top-twelve in all of baseball in runs scored, batting average, and RBI. The Tribe will be displaying a lot of new, young talent this year. Matt LaPorta<</span>!> will be the everyday first baseman and is recovering from injury ahead of schedule. 22-year-old

Michael Brantley

will be in left field, and it's up to him to prove himself.

Lou Marson
and

Wyatt Toregas

will be competing for the starting catcher role and couldn't have had a better mentor than Sandy Alomar, Jr.
Luis Valbuena<</span>!> (.250 avg/10 home runs in 2009) will be the starting second baseman, and he's not really an offensive threat. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera<</span>!> (.308 avg/68 RBI in 2009) is an unheralded gem for the Tribe, while Jhonny Peralta<</span>!> (.254/11 home runs in 2009) underachieved in 2009.The key question will be whether or not

Travis Hafner

can stay healthy. He had an excellent June in 2009 but was otherwise inconsistent. The two main sources of offense for the Indians are the extremely underrated Shin-Soo Choo (.300 avg/20 HRs/86 RBI/.883 OPS in 2009) and Grady Sizemore , who should be back to his normal (healthy) self. The bench is also average.Defensive Outlook: C+ Defense will be a question mark for the Tribe in 2010. They have all this fresh, young legs and arms, but they're also inexperienced. However, we do know that Grady Sizemore and Shin-soo Choo play a good outfield, and the middle infielders are a pretty good duo. Starting Pitching Outlook: F The Tribe's ace is

Jake Westbrook

, who didn't play a single game in 2009. His career ERA is 4.31, and he's clearly the Indians' best starter, which doesn't spell good things. There's also Fauston Carmona<</span>!> , who couldn't keep his emotions in check. After winning 19 games with a 3.06 ERA, Carmona has taken a nosedive, going 13-19 with a 5.89 ERA over the past two years. Justin Masterson came over from Boston in a trade and went 1-7 in 2009 and didn't live up to his expectations. Aaron Laffey

is inconsistent, although he's shown flashes of brilliance. If he can get comfortable in the starter's role, he's dangerous.

David Huff
led the Tribe with 11 wins last year, but it was nothing special (5.61 ERA in 2009). There's also the potential of

Jeremy Sowers

,
Carlos Carrasco , Hector Rondon , and Mitch Talbot

snagging a starter role or at least playing time with the low quality of this rotation.

Relief Pitching Outlook: D- The bullpen was wretched for the Tribe in 2009. Kerry Wood got paid $10 million to blow six saves and be ultra-unreliable. Chris Perez , who was acquired by trade for Mark DeRosa, was nothing special but has potential. Same thing applies to Rafael Perez (7.31 ERA in 2009). Joe Smith is reliable (3.44 ERA in 2009), and Tony Sipp (2.93 ERA in 2009) had an excellent rookie season. Jensen Lewis (4.61 ERA in 2009) and

Jess Todd

(7.66 ERA in 2009) are also question marks expected to fill big roles in 2010.
2010 Outlook: F. Their starting pitching is just so bad. There's not one quality pitcher. Westbrook's health is a concern, Carmona has been trash over the past two years, and the rest are all young, inexperienced, and unproven. This will be a rebuilding year for the Tribe.

Player Club
First Basemen
Lance Berkman HOU *
Wes Helms FLA<</span>!>Jason Giambi COL
Ross Gload FLA<</span>!>Paul Konerko CWS
Derrek Lee CHC
David Ortiz BOS *
Lyle Overbay TOR
Carlos Pena TB
Albert Pujols STL *

Second Basemen
Eric Bruntlett PHI
Willie Bloomquist KC
Mark Ellis OAK *
Esteban German TEX
Akinori Iwamura TB
Jose Lopez SEA *
Kaz Matsui HOU
Aaron Miles CHC
Freddy Sanchez SF

Shortstops
Alex Gonzalez BOS
Christian Guzman WAS
J.J. Hardy MIL
Omar Infante ATL *
Cesar Izturis BAL
Derek Jeter NYY
Julio Lugo STL
Jhonny Peralta CLE *
Edgar Renteria SF
Jose Reyes NYM *
Jimmy Rollins PHI *
Ramon Santiago DET
Ramon Vazquez PIT
Jack Wilson SEA<</span>!>
Third Basemen
Garrett Atkins COL
Wilson Betemit CWS
Jorge Cantu FLA<</span>!>Eric Chavez OAK *
Pedro Feliz PHI
Bill Hall SEA *
Brandon Inge DET
Maicer Izturis LAA
Mike Lowell BOS
Melvin Mora BAL
Nick Punto MIN *
Scott Rolen CIN
Ty Wigginton BAL

Catchers
Josh Bard BOS
John Buck KC
Ramon Hernandez CIN
Gerald Laird DET
Victor Martinez BOS
Joe Mauer MIN
Miguel Olivo KC
A.J. Pierzynski CWS
David Ross ATL
Yorvit Torrealba COL
Matt Treanor DET
Jason Varitek BOS
Gregg Zaun TB

Outfielders
Alfredo Amezaga FLA<</span>!>Pat Burrell TB
Eric Byrnes ARI
Frank Catalanotto MIL
Carl Crawford TB
Coco Crisp KC
Michael Cuddyer MIN *
David DeJesus KC *
Adam Dunn WAS
Jermaine Dye CWS
Jody Gerut MIL
Jose Guillen KC
Willie Harris WAS
Brad Hawpe COL *
Geoff Jenkins PHI
Austin Kearns WAS
Jason Kubel MIN *
Magglio Ordonez DET *
Marcus Thames DET
Jayson Werth PHI

Starting Pitchers
Bronson Arroyo CIN *
Josh Beckett BOS
Joe Blanton PHI
Jeremy Bonderman DET
David Bush MIL
Daniel Cabrera ARZ
Matt Cain SF *
Jorge De La Rosa COL
Jeff Francis COL *
Jon Garland LAD
Roy Halladay TOR
Aaron Harang CIN *
Tim Hudson ATL
Cliff Lee PHI
Ted Lilly CHC
Braden Looper MIL
Noah Lowry SF
Kevin Millwood TEX
Jamie Moyer PHI
Vicente Padilla LAD
Tim Redding NYM
Nate Robertson DET
Ian Snell SEA *
Jeff Suppan MIL *
Willy Tavarez CIN
Javier Vazquez ATL
Brandon Webb ARI
Jake Westbrook CLE
Dontrelle Willis DET
Chris Young SD *

Relief Pitchers
Jeremy Affeldt SF
Grant Balfour TB
Doug Brocail HOU
Neal Cotts CHC
Jesse Crain MIN
Scott Downs TOR
Chad Durbin PHI
Alan Embree COL
Kyle Farnsworth KC *
Pedro Feliciano NYM
Jason Frasor TOR
Brian Fuentes LAA *
Chad Gaudin NYY
Geoff Geary HOU
Jimmy Gobble CWS
Matt Guerrier MIN
Aaron Heilman CHC
Mike Lincoln CIN
Javier Lopez BOS
Seth McClung MIL
Brian Moehler HOU
Scott Proctor FLA<</span>!>J.J. Putz NYM
Chad Qualls ARZ
Jon Rauch MIN
Arthur Rhodes CIN
David Riske MIL *
Mariano Rivera NYY
J.C. Romero PHI *
B.J. Ryan CHC
Bobby Seay DET
Scott Shields LAA
Brian Shouse TB
Justin Speier LAA
Huston Street COL
Matt Thornton CWS *
Luis Vizcaino CLE
Tyler Yates PIT
Tyler Walker SEA<</span>!>Kerry Wood CLE *

L&iacute;der do Campeonato Francês, com boa folga em rela&ccedil;&atilde;o aos seus advers&aacute;rios, o Bordeaux voltou sua atenç&atilde;o &agrave; disputa da Copa da França neste s&aacute;bado (23/01) e n&atilde;o teve dificuldades para avançar de fase. Jogando em casa, os girondinos atropelaram o Ajaccio por 5 a 1 e agora est&atilde;o nas oitavas de final do torneio.

Tendo um advers&aacute;rio da segunda divis&atilde;o nacional pela frente, os anfitriões levaram apenas dois minutos para inaugurar o placar, em gol de Plasil. Ainda antes do intervalo, o placar j&aacute; estava 3 a 0, gra&ccedil;as aos gols do brasileiro Wendel, ex-Santos e Cruzeiro, e do argentino Fernando Cavenaghi, ex-River Plate.

No segundo tempo, o Ajaccio esboçou uma rea&ccedil;&atilde;o, balançando as redes de Ram&eacute; aos 12 minutos, com Guerriero. Por&eacute;m, na sa&iacute;da de bola, Cavenaghi fez mais um e esfriou os &acirc;nimos de seus advers&aacute;rios. J&aacute; no final da partida o atacante da Argentina anotou seu primeiro hat-trick com a camisa francesa.

Se o Bordeaux n&atilde;o foi surpreendido, a mesma coisa n&atilde;o pode ser falada de clubes como Lille e Montpellier. Os Mastiffs visitaram o modesto Colmar e, depois de ficarem em empate por 0 a 0, foram derrotados nas cobranças de pênaltis pelo placar de 10 a 9. J&aacute; os atuais vice-colocados da Ligue 1 perderam para o Grenoble, por 3 a 2, em partida que foi decidida na prorroga&ccedil;&atilde;o.