Twins All-Star closer Joe Nathan

The 35 year old is going to rest for two weeks in an effort to try and build his strength back up.  If this is not successful, Nathan will have to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire 2010 season which would be a crushing blow to the new look Minnesota Twins. 

As a Twins fan I was naturally reading comments and message boards and most Twins fans are on the happy trail for some reason.  They think with rest Nathan will comeback.  As a matter of fact I’m more score of Nathan trying to pitch through this and jepordizing his career now, then not pitching at all.  The Twins have a few young starters that they could give up to make a trade for a closer and just have Joe sit this year.  

This news is absolutely devastating for Twins fans.  Nathan has been one of the best closers in the league the past 5 seasons.  Since 2004 he has the most saves in baseball (271) and set a Twins record by saving 47 games in 2009.  I think other than Rivera he is the best closer in baseball right now so I don’t understand how Twins fans still think they can win 94 games without such a vital piece to their team.

I don’t see this two week rest period doing any good for Nathan and the Twins but I suppose it’s worth a shot?  I was, as well as most Twins fans I’m sure, were very excited for the 2010 season.  New additions like JJ Hardy and Orlando Hudson plus the addition of a brand new stadium got me real giddy but yesterday was a cruch blow.  I wish the best of luck to Nathan in his mini rest/rehab and hope he can somehow pitch through this with no side affects because let’s be serious, they need him.

-Jason and Matt both contributed to this post

• Barry Zito is all over the news thus far this Spring.  Just the other day he hit Prince Fielder and a week before that he said that he wants to be the ace of the Giants staff… and he wasn’t joking!  Sorry Barry, but maybe you forgot this guy Tim Lincecum, who just won back-to-back Cy Young awards, will be the ace for a long time coming.  Also the fact that you are washed up doesn’t help your case.

“I want to earn my stature back. I don’t expect anybody to give it to me,” Zito said. “I want to be a top-of-the-rotation guy again. I want to be out there on Opening Day, getting the win. It’s important to me.”

             Zito still has 4 years remaining on his 7-year/$126 millon deal.

• Last year Geovany Soto hit the sophomore slump harder than a brick wall.  In 2008 Soto was the NL ROY and last year he barely hit .200 (.218).  It was a terrible season for Soto who looked fat and overweight and tired the entire year.  This year he came into Spring Training weighing 40 pounds less than he did in 2009.  If he regains his form from 2008, which was 23 HRs and 86 RBI, then the Cubs will have an even more dangerous lineup.
• Russell Martin was bothered by hampering injures last year and this year he is likely to start the year on the DL.  Martin pulled his right groin muscle (as a catcher I’d say that will be hard to bend down in the crouching position) and will likely miss 4-6 weeks which will defnitely cut into the beginning of the season.  Martin is on the decline and I don’t really see him as an offensive threat anymore in the NL.
• Mets Japanese RP, Hisanori Takahashi, is waiting for his work visa to come through.  He was scheduled to pitch in a Mets intrasquad game last week but isn’t allowed to pitch in regular Spring Training games.  As part of a law dealing with his work visa, Takashi can’t pitch in games where people pay to get in.  This is going to hurt his chances of pitching in significant games for the Mets if they can’t see how he does in Spring Training.
• Indians OF Shin-Soo Choo may have part of his season cut off due to a military committment in his home country of South Korea.  In South Korea men are required to have 2-years of military but Choo will be excused from duty if the South Korean team wins the gold medal in the Asian Games in which the Indians would have to grant him permission to do.
• Johnny Damon is set to grow that crazy long beard back in Detroit this season.  Just when I thought I would be able to appreciate that beard because he wasn’t going to be a Yankee, he then goes and signs with the Tigers and I know how to see him play the Twins 18 times a year, great.

-Jason

Last Laugh for San Fran?

Down the stretch in the midst of a wild card race last season, Brewers 1B Prince Fielder slugged an extra inning walkoff homer to beat the Giants. This wasn’t the issue though. As Fielder approached home plate, he jumped in the air and landed on the plate, which led to his teammates falling over like bowling pins. And yes, the Giants took offense to this.

So on Thursday, Giants pitcher Barry Zito, in the team’s first chance for retaliation, hit Fielder in the first inning in the back side to close the books on the issue. Or did they? The Giants did not retailitate themselves during the game, but maybe they are waiting for the regular season. Who knows…

This really ticked me off when it happened, so I hope that Zito really did do this on purpose. It was uncalled for and unprofessional. Fielder didn’t seem to care when he got hit, probably because he knew it was coming. I know this will be a subject of conversation when the teams meet again this season, so stay posted.

Blame Chicago, Not Milton

I love writing about Milton Bradley, you have no idea. This guy was my favorite topic of conversation last season, almost more than writing about Albert Pujols (for completely different reasons). Well this time, Milton tells The New York Times it’s not his fault that he didn’t have success in Chicago, it’s literally Chicago’s fault:

“Two years ago, I played, and I was good. I go to Chicago, not good. I’ve been good my whole career. So, obviously, it was something with Chicago, not me.”

You gotta be kidding me! He couldn’t handle anything that was expected of him, which was based on his previous season. He also says that there was unfair expectation due to him batting fifth. That’s a production spot in the lineup, and Bradley simply wasn’t up to it. Good luck Seattle, you have your hands full with this guy.

Tidbits:

• Rangers president Nolan Ryan has some pretty high expectations for his ballclub – try 92 wins and an AL West title. Yowza! I don’t think that’s the most farfetched thing I’ve ever heard, but why would you put those kind of expectations on a team that hasn’t had that kind of success in over a decade!
• Cubs manager Lou Pinella has to be getting tired of Chicago (almost as much as Milton Bradley) and as he enters the last year of his contract, he just wants to enjoy the ride. He doesn’t know what his future will bring, so it’s likely not going to be decided until next offseason.
• Current ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine says he was not offered the Florida Marlins managerial job, despite the rumors. He wants the rumors to stop – but I’m sure he wants a job more!
• After massively screwing up so many calls last postseason, the MLB has changed it’s umpiring supervisors for this season. They have something to prove to me this year, but they likely won’t be under the microscope until the playoffs.
• Mets SS Jose Reyes is trying to return from a massive hamstring injury, but he got some bad news this past week when he heard he has a hyperactive thyroid. This is treatable though, so the Mets and Reyes believe it can be handled.

-Chris

• Down in Arizona, Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb says he felt ‘stagnant’ in his latest bullpen session and is becoming impatient with his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery last season. He only threw in one game, opening day and he missed the rest of the season. It’s unclear whether this will continue to slow him down, but it’s definitely not good that it is almost year since he last threw in a game and he still isn’t healthy. He shouldn’t rush himself for opening day if that’s asking too much in order to help the team as the summer goes on.

• On Saturday, Twins closer Joe Nathan, coming off elbow surgery, left a spring training game with soreness and tightness in that elbow. No one seems to be afraid about this, but I bet Jason is a little nervous considering his Twins are so dependent on their closer. Personally, I’m concerned.
• It’s only early March, but already Daisuke Matsuzaka has “an outside chance” of being ready for opening day according to Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. Dice-K has been throwing bullpen sessions and long toss, but it seems he just needs some extra time to get ready for the season. Boston is in no rush with the addition of John Lackey to an already stacked rotation, so Dice-K will be able to take his time.

Ok, enough with the bad news already! Here are some pitchers that are doing well in new places and coming back from injury too:

• In his first appearance on a mound for the Phillies, Roy Halladay threw two hitless innings and struck out three to maintain the buzz around his acquisition this winter. The Phillies fans gotta be happy about this!

• New Rangers SP Rich Harden looked good in his first start on Wednesday. He threw two innings of one-hit ball. Good pitching in Texas? That’d be a welcome site…
• Facing hitters for the first time in 17 months, new A’s pitcher Ben Sheets had to face his former team. He threw 1 2/3 innings and didn’t feel any discomfort. Good for the Athletics, who invested $10 million for one season.
• The Mets most important player, SP Johan Santana, is returning from elbow surgery and he threw 40 pitches in a simulated game last week. The Mets live and die with this guy, but not even Santana can do it himself this season for New York.

-Chris

Money Talks, Upton Listens

The Diamondbacks have announced today that they have reached an agreement with Justin Upton on a six-year extension reportely worth $51.25 millon.  Good for the Diamondbacks locking up what looks to be a player headed for superstardom.  Justin is the younger brother of BJ (who plays for the Rays) but has enjoyed more success (in the regular season) than his brother thus far.  Upton is just 21 and last year hit .300-.366-.532 with 24 HR and 86 RBI.  The D-backs now have a centerpiece to build around for the future.

The First Step Is Admitting Your Problems

Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers claims he quit drinking and was never an alcoholic.  Nothing like perfect timing, unfortunately his teammates probably wish that he quit before his teams most pivitol game against the Twins last year before the Tigers choked their way OUT of the playoffs.  Cabrera goes on to say:

Derek Jeter Minus the Pinstripes?

Nahhh… Although, this has come into question this week due to his contract ending after this year. Jeter has simply stated that he wants to remain a Yankee for the remainder of his career (3-6 years?). And about those pinstripes, he couldn’t imagine not wearing them. Jeter has been the heart and soul of the Yankees since they won in his first full season in 1996. He’s been a focal point during his five championships with the team and I assume the Yanks are prepared to reward him for his dedication and focus toward the team. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: despite not being a Yankees fan, I cannot dislike Jeter. He is the classiest guy in the game and I know ALL he wants to do is win. I hope the Yankees give him what he has earned and deserves.

Oh Brother, What’s the Problem

Mark McGwire is ‘saddened’ by his estranged brother’s book on his usage of performance-enhancing drugs, in which Jay McGwire has stated that his big brother took them to heal from injuries. Frankly, I’m a bit confused here. Isn’t that exactly what Mark said when he came out with his admission in January? Yes, it is. So what’s the big deal? I was watching ESPN on Thursday to try and figure out what the big deal was, and I figured it out. ESPN is airing an interview with Jay McGwire on Sunday so they are simply promoting it. This book will get hardly any sales. What Mark has done in response is announce he will likely not talk to his brother again. He does not respect his attempt to make money off something like this, and I don’t really blame him. Sad though.

Tidbits:

• The Cardinals are closing in on a contract with infielder Felipe Lopez, who was with the team for a few months two years ago. This offseason Lopez dropped Scott Boras as his agent and I hoped the Cards would swoop in. I like this pickup because Lopez fits the Cardinals system perfectly by playing multiple positions.
• I heard last week that the Yankees are dropping the Joba Rules. THANK GOD! I always thought it was insane to keep this guy under such a microscope. Now he can just go out there and focus on pitching instead of wondering how many innings he’s ‘allowed’ to pitch.
• The White Sox aren’t very happy with manager Ozzie Guillen. What else is new? Well, this time it’s because Guillen has started up a Twitter account, in which one can only imagine what he will say throughout a season. Which reminds me, check out MLBtoday.net on Twitter @MLBtoday !

-Chris

A-Rod Reflects on Last Year

Around this time last year, Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez was crying and apologizing for his steroid use from ‘earlier’ in his career. Lucky for him, that media coverage faded away due to his hip injury that kept him out til May. Then, when the postseason came, he ‘redeemed’ himself with a great postseason. Now, we’re back in spring training and A-Rod is being asked if he feels better than last year. UMM DUH….!? Who would ask that?? That only gives this phony an opportunity to make himself look like a hero for coming out and speaking the truth. I don’t think he cried this year, but he did give that annoying face.

Josh Hamilton Goes All Out

Rangers OF Josh Hamilton was held out of practice on Thursday, but returned on Friday, after diving for a fly ball in practice on Wednesday. The x-rays on his shoulder and neck were negative, but Hamilton is still very, very sore. It’s pretty early to start diving, but that doesn’t matter to Hamilton. I’m sure the Rangers have some issue with Josh diving in the first couple days of practice (or even practice in general). I’d have to agree, mostly because I’m sure his body isn’t in game shape yet, so diving could really hurt his body. Gotta love the intensity though!

The Next Griffey?

Yes, you heard me right. The Atlanta Braves are eagerly looking forward to this next season due to the emergence of outfielder Jason Heyward. I read today that he’s been hitting cars in the parking lot with his moon shots causing them to name the lot “Jason’s Junkyard”. Awesome! I can’t wait to see this kid play!

Tidbits:

• Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano says his surgically repaired knee feels better than later year. I sure hope so, because he was nothing to be scared of in the Cubs lineup last season. Well, I don’t really hope so, but you know.
• Paul Konerko is starting to see the writing on the wall in Chicago that the team is getting younger, which is leading him to believe this will be his last year with the White Sox.
• Twins 1B Justin Morneau, returning from a back injury, says that rest is going to play a big part this spring training. He obviously wants to be able to play the whole season. He easily could have been MVP if he didn’t get late hurt last year.
• An ankle twist has Red Sox 3B Adrian Beltre resting a bit. He says it’s not as bad as it looked, but of course the Sox have Mike Lowell if necessary.
• Newly acquired Cliff Lee threw in the bullpen late this week after fixing problems with his left foot. That’s good news for the Mariners, who are looking forward to this season with a revamped squad.

-Chris

Manny’s Farewell Tour

In the final year of his two-year, $45 million contract (overpriced much?), Manny Ramirez has announced that he is not coming back to the Dodgers next year. Please tell me he’s retiring..!!! Well, not so fast – Manny says he is undecided on what to do next year, but he expects to be either retired or back to DH in the American League. I’ll tell you now, he will NOT retire. He is just trying to get everyone’s attention back because no one cares about him anymore. Manny announced this on Monday, and on Tuesday Manny said he was amused by the attention his comment got. JUST IGNORE HIM AND HE’LL GO AWAY!

Aaron Boone Says Goodnight…Again

The first time he said goodnight was to the Red Sox in Game 7 in 2003…ooooo. That was lame, sorry. But yes, Boone has announced his retirement from baseball. He retires a .263 hitter with 126 homers and 555 RBIs, but he is best known for an extra-inning walkoff homerun off Tim Wakefield of the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS for the Yankees. For that, he goes down in history. I hardly ever got to root for Boone because he was on teams I didn’t like, but this past season he had open-heart surgery and came back to play 10 games for the Astros. He’s a gamer for sure. Boone will now be an ESPN baseball analyst, so we haven’t seen the last of him.

Tidbits

• Mike Lowell is still with the Red Sox, despite being traded to the Rangers and being returned due to a nixed physical. Awkward much? He says he is treating this like a tryout and he is extra motivated.
• Dodgers manager Joe Torre wants a contract extension. Guess he loves that laid back LA… and that wheat grass drink? What was it in the commerical??
• Cubs 1B Derrek Lee is in the final year of his contract, but he is not pushing for a new contract. He wants the Cubs to come to him before the season starts rather than to negotiate in season. He deserves money from this team. He’s been the most consistent player they’ve had in the last 10 years.
• Bobby Cox gave his final spring training speech on Tuesday as he moves towards retiring. Chipper Jones has heard it so much (17 years), he could recite it word for word. Turns out it was a little different, but he didn’t fail to mention that he’ll get grumpy every once in a while, haha.
• Word from Phillies camp from NBAtoday.net’s G is that the Phils are extremely focused on winning. Almost too focused. They gotta relax a little! They got their ‘ship two years ago – don’t go crazy!
• Royals fan John Coomer has filed a lawsuit against the Royals for a hot dog that was launched into the stands by their mascot Sluggerrr. Coomer says it caused a detached retina and he is seeking more than $25,000 for injuries from the September 8 ‘shooting’. I couldn’t make this thing up.

-Chris

It’s been a long offseason for Johnny Damon, one that he likely won’t want to go through again.

The Detroit Tigers and Johnny Damon reached an agreement on a one-year/$8 million deal on Saturday to end the saga of Damon’s new team. Nearly a month ago, the Yankees called Damon’s bluff and signed Randy Winn to play outfield to replace Damon. That left Johnny and his agent Scott Boras questioning Damon’s worth on the market and whether the 36-year-old was going to find a home worth his liking (money-wise that is).

The Braves and Rays were rumored to be on the prowl for Damon, but there is no way that either had outbid the Tigers and $8 million. Then again, I can guarantee that neither of them outbid because Damon was DEFINITELY in it for the money – so the Tigers put out most.

Grade for Tigers: C; I don’t like this move. A team that lost Curtis Granderson just got a lot older. They need to compete with the youthful Twins and Damon will not be the answer. He hit .282 with 24 homers and 82 RBI in the short porch of Yankee Stadium, but Comerica Park is not as forgiving for longballs.

Another free agent made news on Saturday, but this wasn’t quite as exciting as signing a contract.

Carlos Delgado had surgery this past week on his hip and will not be able to play for four months. That’ll certainly hurt his contract hopes… His agent had high hopes for his client in saying, “The prognosis is that Carlos Delgado will be the Carlos Delgado of old in four months rather than an old Carlos Delgado.” Hahaha….you have got to be kidding me. Delgado is obviously washed up and he should be focusing more on a retirement home rather than rehabilitating. He missed 136 games last season for the Mets and the free agent obviously wants to keep playing to reach 500 homers – he’s at 473 at 37 years old. Will anyone want him? We’ll have to wait and see….

The New York Mets have found their starting catcher, but it’s not someone you would expect. The Mets signed Rod Barajas to a one-year/$1 million contract on Saturday. Barajas had a pretty good year for Toronto last year with 19 homers and 71 RBIs, but he only hit .226 overall. I’m very sure the Mets really wanted Bengie Molina to play catcher in 2010, but he re-signed with the Giants. The Mets are going to be bad……………again.

-Chris

No, it’s not quite the summer months yet, so don’t pull out the shorts from the closet quite yet… but today marks the first day of mandatory pitchers and catchers practice! Position players are required to join the battery men next week, but some teams start to assemble today, and the rest start to get together this week. Not even every free agent has signed yet, but you can bet that they will be eager to sign soon in order to prepare for the regular season.

I don’t know about you, but this baseball fan is very happy to see his favorite sport return to the grassy fields for another season!

I have never officially been in Florida or Arizona for Spring Training, but I hear it is awesome. I was down there two years ago to see a Cardinals/Mets game (Cards won!) and I was disappointed that I could not stay longer to see some practices and just get a better feeling for what goes on each day down there. One of my goals in life is to spend a week in Florida to see my Cards practice and play some games. The cool thing is that the stadiums are so small that you are guaranteed to have a good seat, and the seats aren’t as expensive as the regular season.

So if you’re lucky enough to be attending one of these camps, I envy you! And if you’re not, try and visit your favorite team at one point in your life – it’ll be worth it (and I haven’t even done it yet)!

-Chris