Who Has Helped or Hurt Themselves the Most With
Their Performances This Spring

post from Oriole Post - Baltimore Orioles Analysis & News; The World of Baseball and Beyond on 21 March 2010 03:50:00 PM. © Oriole Post - Baltimore Orioles Analysis & News; The World of Baseball and Beyond

This week, as part of the Hot Stove website, the Oriole Post along with other prominent bloggers were asked this question: Bearing in mind that Spring Training stats are essentially meaningless, who among the Orioles' players have helped or hurt themselves the most with their performances this spring?

For the most part, the Orioles everyday batting lineup is set, and also the bench. Although second baseman Brian Roberts has not played in a Grapefruit League game, Felix Pie has not played much due to injury, and Miguel Tejada, Nolan Reimold, plus Matt Wieters are struggling at the plate, no one is in real danger of losing their jobs.

On the pitching front, both Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman have made quite the impression this Spring; meanwhile, Brad Bergesen is coming back from injury and looks to be healthy. Veterans Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie have struggled at points during camp, but both men are virtual locks in the rotation.

Farmhands such as Josh Bell, Rhyne Hughes, Brandon Snyder and Miguel Abreu have made a solid impression amongst fans and personnel with the organization who seem them every day. None of these guys will be up with the Orioles on Opening Day unless there's a major injury or until much, much later in the season.

The real battle for roster spots is pretty much out of the bullpen at this point. Jim Johnson, Mike Gonzalez, Koji Uehera, plus lefties Will Ohman and Mark Hendrickson are locks; meanwhile, Cla Meredith, Matt Albers, Kam Mickolio and Dennis Sarfate are fighting for jobs in Baltimore. However, Mike Gonzalez has struggled with some ailments over the past week, but for the most part, he's more than safe on the roster.

Also, young pitchers David Hernandez and Jason Berken are also in contention for a roster spot. Both men had ups and downs last season at the major league level; however, Hernandez has been the far more consistent and impressive of two, while Berken has struggled. Hernandez could find himself a fifth starter if Tillman falters or in the bullpen, while Berken - I think - will start the year in Triple-A (Norfolk).

>>> Read More

Read The Full Article:
http://oriolepost.blogspot.com/2010/03/who-has-helped-or-hurt-themselves-most.htm
l

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Plans For This Website

post from Demolition of Yankee Stadium on 21 March 2010 03:49:27 PM. © Demolition of Yankee Stadium

First off, when i made this website almost a year ago i never would have thought it would have gotten as popular as it has. With a few key mentions on bigger blogs ie. Peter Abraham, we got this site noticed and it basically snowballed from there. This website was built in the honor of [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.demolitionofyankeestadium.com/2010/03/21/plans-for-this-website/

Digg this

Yankees Cut Jesus Montero and 3 Others

post from Bronx Baseball Daily on 21 March 2010 03:34:02 PM. © Bronx Baseball Daily

[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.bronxbaseballdaily.com/?p=4271

Digg this

Bad Start Shouldnt Eliminate Aceves from 5th
Starter Competition

post from Bronx Baseball Daily on 21 March 2010 03:31:32 PM. © Bronx Baseball Daily

[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.bronxbaseballdaily.com/?p=4270

Digg this

Lineup vs. Rox (3/21) - 3:05 CT

post from Royals Review on 21 March 2010 03:03:50 PM. © Royals Review

Even though KU is out, support those Mizzou Tigers. They've got a big game ahead of them.

Other news: Mr. Joe Nathan is definitely out with Tommy John surgery. Hopefully that means the Royals can get some shots in late innings against the Twinkies.

Dutton's article from yesterday sums up the Royals' positional and pitching debates.

To pitch today vs. the Rockies: Gaby Hernandez, Bruce Chen, and Roman Colon. Greinke's throwing a minor league game against the Padres with Kendall catching.

The game will air on tape delay at 10 CT on the MLB Network.

Gameday here.

Lineup vs. the Rox:

1. Pods - LF

2. Getz - 2B

3. DDJ - RF

4. Billy - 1B

5. Callaspo - 3B

6. Fields - DH

7. Anderson - CF

8. Vance - C

9. Yuni - SS

P - Hernandez

Read The Full Article:
http://www.royalsreview.com/2010/3/21/1383558/lineup-vs-rox-3-21-3-05-ct

Digg this

Welcome to the Gradual RevolutionNow What Are You
Prepared To Do About It

post from 2 think good on 21 March 2010 02:37:00 PM. © 2 think good

Read The Full Article:
http://www.2thinkgood.com/2010/03/welcome-to-gradual-revolution-now-what.html

Digg this

Catching Coaching at George M Steinbrenner Field

post from Love My Team on 21 March 2010 02:15:26 PM. © Love My Team

So the Yankee game was rained out today, but before it was I was able to catch a really nice moment[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://blog.lovemyteam.com/2010/03/21/catching-coaching-at-george-m-steinbrenner-
field/

Digg this

Eiland: "We led the league in hit batters, which
is something Im actually kind of proud of"

post from Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog on 21 March 2010 02:04:43 PM. © Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog

OK, to be fair this is the entire quote from the headline: "We led the league in hit batters, which is something I?m actually kind of proud of. Because that means we are pitching inside."

Pitching inside is something Dave Eiland stresses and as we found out today from Pete Caldera, he's pretty happy the Yankees have listened.

"Obviously we?re not trying to hit guys. But we?re trying to pitch in, and make hitters uncomfortable, and get outs in there as well."

Given those constant reminders last season, Eiland?s staff reversed a three-year trend. For the first time since 2005, Yankees pitchers hit more batters (71) than opposing pitchers plunked Yankee hitters (54).

...

Pettitte termed the emphasis on pitching inside as "almost a survival mode" for any starter.

"This is no joke, you know what I mean? We?re trying to do our jobs," Pettitte said.

"And to do our jobs, we have to look at that plate as, ?This is our plate.?

"When you throw a good pitch on the outside corner, and guys are getting to it when they have no business getting to it, you?ve got to make him aware of inside."

...

In the new Yankee Stadium, "The way the ball carries to right field, it?s even more of a precedence," Pettitte said of establishing inside.

"If you don?t, these guys are so big and strong ? you have to come in there to give yourself a chance to get them out with stuff away."
...

"It?s part of making the hitters somewhat uncomfortable," Girardi said.
"To me, you don?t want hitters comfortable in the box, leaning out looking for the ball.

"You have to give hitters something to think about."

This was a complaint for many fans during the Torre era, and was also my biggest beef with Torre. The Yankees seemed to think they could do things differently than everyone else and didn't need to intimidate opposing batters. I guess the idea was "we're the Yankees, people are already afraid of us." But when the Yankees stopped winning rings that fear subsided. That led to Yankees batters becoming target practice for the rest of the league while their pitchers sat back and did nothing.

We are already seeing results. In 2007 and 2008 Yankees batters were hits 78 and 80 times respectively. Last year that number dropped to 54. It was their lowest total of hit batsmen since 1997, and the first time that number had been in the 50's since the end of the last dynasty.

In this league, with the power these hitters have, pitching inside has become a necessity, and I couldn't be happier that the Yankees staff has embraced the idea. It's something we've all be waiting to see for a long time.

Read The Full Article:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SlidingIntoHome/~3/bUyaQaC2tw8/eiland-we-led-leagu
e-in-hit-batters.html

Digg this

Duttons 10 questions that still remained
unanswered with the roster

Duttons 10 questions that still remained unanswered with the roster

1.Who is the 5th starter
2.Is Farnsworth getting a serious look at that rotation spot?
3.Who are the primary setup men going to be for Soria?
4.Will Edgar Osuna be offered back to the Braves?
5.Will the Royals keep a lefty specialist in the bp?
6.Will Alex Gordon start the year on the disabled list?
7.How long until Aviles is fully recovered?
8.Can the Royals find regular duty for Callaspo if Getz is the starting 2nd baseman and Gordon returns from injury?
9.Is Jose Guillen going to be happy as a fulltime DH?
10.Where does Josh Fields fit on this roster?

Read The Full Article:
http://www.royalsreview.com/2010/3/21/1383404/duttons-10-questions-that-still

Digg this

ST Game No. 17 & 18: Houston Astros at Boston Red
Sox and vs. New York Mets

More photos » Charlie Riedel - AP

Another day, another Hunter Pence game photo.

Browse more photos »

Grapefruit League record (though meaningless): 9-7

Today's starters: RHP Roy Oswalt vs. LHP Jonathan Niese; RHP Bud Norris vs. LHP Jon Lester

Note: Norris is only scheduled to pitch three innings after being scratched from his last start due to the flu. Brian Moehler will follow him and get three innings of work in. Should be a light day for relievers against the Red Sox.

The lineup vs. the Mets:

1) T.J. Steele, CF

2) Jeff Keppinger, 2B

3) Hunter Pence, RF

4) Carlos Lee, LF

5) Pedro Feliz, 3B

6) J.R. Towles, C

7) Chris Shelton, 1B

8) Edwin Maysonet, SS

9) Roy Oswalt, P

Other pitchers available in this game are Gustavo Chacin, Andy Van Hekken, Wilton Lopez, Roy Corcoran, Sammy Gervacio, Gary Majewski and Jeremy Johnson.

Rain is in the forecast for most of Florida this afternoon, so the Astros may not be able to get any games in.

Listen and watch the Red Sox game here. The Mets game is not on MLB.TV, but if you are in the Houston area, you can hear it on 740 KTRH.

Final - 3.20.2010 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E New York Yankees 0121000116161 Houston Astros 0002400228111WP: Brett Myers (3 - 0)
SV: Shane Loux (1)
LP: Alfredo Aceves (1 - 1)

Complete Coverage >

Read The Full Article:
http://www.crawfishboxes.com/2010/3/21/1383082/st-game-no-17-18-houston-astros-at

Digg this