Pedro Alvarez has the Pittsburgh Pirates excited

post from Pittsburgh Pirates MLB News - Pirates Baseball Blog on 03 March 2011 10:15:46 PM. © Pittsburgh Pirates MLB News - Pirates Baseball Blog

24-year old lefty swinging 3B Pedro Alvarez might be a little rough around the edges but he excites the Pirates because of the big time power in his bat. Alvarez played in 95 games for the Pirates last season and he was 89 for 347 (.256 avg, .788 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 16 [...]

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Spring Training notes 3/3/11

post from Capitol Avenue Club on 03 March 2011 09:16:35 PM. © Capitol Avenue Club

Jair Jurrjens threw three innings in his second start of the spring. His stuff looked good and he appears to be fully healthy (he is). Early he struggled to stay on top of the ball, leaving a lot of pitches up in the zone. He was able to work through that issue and did a [...]

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Can the Royals Have the Best System Ever Just a
Year Removed From Mediocrity

post from Royals Review on 03 March 2011 09:01:53 PM. © Royals Review

He's ready for his close-up. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Last year, according to the Baseball Prospectus Rankings, the Royals had the third best farm system...

... in the AL Central. Overall, BP ranked the Royals at #10, while Baseball America had the Royals at #17. (Why Goldstein, who uses the BA methodology and worldview is now so prominent at BP is a topic for another day.) One year ago, while the Royal system had potential, no one was really talking about them as a sleeping giant. In fact, overall, there was decent reason to be disappointed.

So now, as we all know, the Royals have an awesome farm system. Literally every Royals blog has been writing about the meaning of this for months, including this one. It's been quite fascinating watching the most beaten-down fanbase in the American League struggle with these strange new feelings of hope. There is considerable buzz, at both the prospect hound level, and in the mainstream baseball press, about the system. The phrase "best ever" has seen considerable action.

Here's my query: what do we do with the fact that this has really happened quite soon? Does the fact that the system essentially had the communal equivalent of a "career year" matter? Does it simply mean everything is awesome? Or, as we might with an individual, does a part of you worry that there's some potential for regression? Finally, what do we make of last year's rankings?

Please don't misunderstand my tone. I'm really curious and open-minded here. These questions aren't necessarily leading ones. However, when I think about how the "best farm system ever" gets assembled, I imagine a more gradual progression (which, btw, might happen next year when Tampa's zillion-pick 2011 Draft enters their loaded organization). When I think about something being, again, "the best ever" I don't see a sudden rise as making the most sense, but rather a sustained build. I really see this across the spectrum: art, sports, whatever. The system was mediocre last year because a number of important guys had iffy years. Now, it's unbelievably insanely beautifully amazing because the same guys had good years? Maybe it is that simple. However, that doesn't sound like the most rigorous methodology.

So you tell me.

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Rangers Feliz starts, goes 2 scoreless (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 03 March 2011 07:19:26 PM. © MLB News Blog

Neftali Feliz is starting to see what it will take to be a starter. The AL Rookie of the Year pitched two scoreless innings in his bid to become part of the Texas rotation, and a Rangers split squad beat the Cleveland Indians 11-9 Thursday. Feliz, who posted 40 saves last season for the AL [...]

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VIDEO: Together We're Giant

post from 22gigantes on 03 March 2011 07:02:39 PM. © 22gigantes

The World Champion San Francisco Giants launched their new promotional campaign today, called "Together We're Giant."

The first 30-second spot (which can be viewed below after a brief advertisement) features several Giants players riding along the streets of San Francisco during their World Series parade while Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" plays.

Cody Ross says, "This is epic." Freddy Sanchez follows with, "Wait till the after-party at Zito's."

Tim Lincecum then says, "Check out the dude in the leather chaps" (in reference to the Machine?) to which Ross responds, "He sure looks happy."

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Ford, Posey lead Giants over Rockies

post from 22gigantes on 03 March 2011 07:02:39 PM. © 22gigantes

San Francisco Giants outfielder Darren Ford collected his first two hits of the spring including a long home run onto the left field berm at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick as the Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 7-5 Thursday to improve their Cactus League record to 5-2. The Rockies, who were swept by the World Champs last spring (two-games-to-none), fell to 3-2 this year. [view box score] [download the PDF press pass for this game]

Ford, who had previously been 0-for-9, also singled and stole a base and finished 2-for-4. He has been playing in place of Andres Torres who is still out with a sore oblique muscle.

Buster Posey hit his first home run of the the spring -- a 440-foot shot to straight away center -- and finished 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBI. He looked dialed in when I saw him last week down in Scottsdale and it's obvious he hasn't slowed down one bit. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year is 7-for-10 (.700) this spring.

Infielder Mike Fontenot went 3-for-3 and Emmanuel Burriss had two hits.

Ryan Vogelsong made his first start of the spring in place of the injured Matt Cain. The 33-year old right-hander, who was originally drafted in the fifth round by the Giants in 1998, pitched three solid innings, giving up just one walk. He fanned two Rockies batters and has not given up a run this spring in five innings.

The Giants got scoreless innings from Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo, Matt Yourkin and Henry Sosa. Casey Daigle picked up his third save of the spring.

Other notes:

Pablo Sandoval went 0-for-3, despite hitting the ball really well. In the first inning, Sandoval hit a hard liner to third base that was snagged by Ty Wigginton, who doubled Ford off second base. In the third inning, Sandoval hit one deep to left field but Wille Tavares made a terrific, diving catch to rob him again.
Closer Brian Wilson, who has been carefully nursing a stiff back this spring, should be seeing some Cactus League action soon. Wilson threw a 15-minute live batting practice session this morning and -- according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News -- looked 100 percent. None of his pitchers were drilled, sans a line drive comebacker off the bat of Mark DeRosa. Pitching coach Dave Righetti was pleased with what he saw and says Wilson could pitch against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday at Scottsdale Stadium.
Torres said he feels much improved and took BP today. He plans to play in tomorrow's game against Milwaukee.

Final score: SF 7, COL 5 Winning pitcher: Vogelsong (1-0) Losing pitcher: De La Rosa (0-1) Save: Daigle (3) Game ball: Posey (2-for-2, HR, 2 RBI) Top play: Posey's 440-ft. home run in the 3rd inning Giant homers: Ford (1), Psoey (1) Giants record: 5-2Streak: Won 2 Next up: Jeff Suppan (0-0, 0.00) vs. Tim Dillard (MIL, 1-0, 4.50), Friday (1:05 p.m.)

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Charlie Sheen follows Nick Swisher on Twitter

post from lenNY's Yankees - A Bronx Bombers Blog on 03 March 2011 07:02:28 PM. © lenNY's Yankees - A Bronx Bombers Blog

The one and only Charlie Sheen joined the Twitter craze this week and already accrued 1.3 million followers. He is only following 25 back, one of which is Nick Swisher. Awesome. Follow me on Twitter here. [...]

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Whats On My Bookshelf

Mr Spock Pez Dispenser I?m a huge Star Trek fan especially of the Original Series, and the Next Generation. I couldn?t get in to Deep Space Nine, or Voyager, while I enjoyed Enterprise with Scott Bakula. I?ve read over a hundred Star Trek books and am always looking for another one to read. I vacillate [...]

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Braves Jones returns to 3B (AP)

For Chipper Jones, it was all rather routine. And for him, that was a good thing. Jones played third base for the first time since injuring his knee last August, and the perennial All-Star was flawless in the field Thursday as the Atlanta Braves beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3. Jones handled a grounder by Magglio [...]

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