The New York Mets Already Have Injury Woes

Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado is feeling discomfort in his right hip and returned to New York for an MRI.

Mets general manager Omar Minaya called the move precautionary. Delgado was bothered by his hip after Friday's 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. You remember that game, right? The one where Johan Santana pitched just marvelously....

Delgado

"We said, 'Why don't we just get him to New York and get him checked out?' " Minaya said Saturday.

Delgado missed time last season with a strained hip flexor, but the injury does not appear related, Minaya said.

"I just don't expect it to be extended," he said.

Delgado struggled last season with a .258 average. He still provides considerably more pop than his potential backups. He hit 24 home runs and had 87 RBIs last season.

If Delgado can't play for an extended time, the Mets could turn to Damion Easley, Marlon Anderson or Olmedo Saenz. Jose Valentin was asked to bring a first base glove to camp. Minaya said the team has not looked outside the organization to fill a potential void.

And this pattern of injuries should continue throughout the season as it did the last 2 years.

A Breakdown Of The National League 2008 Baseball Season

What I plan to do here, so long as my power doesn't blow out which has been happening a lot in this area lately, is to go through each team in order of how I think they'll finish in their division and highlight some of their key players. Now onto the National League.......

NL East

1. New York Mets - It was very tough deciding between whether I should put the Mets or Phillies in first place, especially after what happened last season. Though I think the Phillies squad is more reliable than the Mets' batters, I have to give it to the Mets because of that unbelivable piutching rotation of Santana, Martinez (if healthy), Maine, Perez, and Hernandez. Also, Wagner is still an excellent closer. However, though I pick the Mets to go to the World Series this year against the Tigers, they have the same problem as the Tigers. That is, their roster is filled with old players who either get hurt (Alou, Beltran, Martinez) or forget how to bat by the end of the season (Delgado).

2. Philadelphia Phillies - Again, it was tough to list the Mets as first and the Phillies as second and I admit you can make an argument to flip this around. Hamels, Myers, and Moyer are OK pitchers, but don't equal up to the Mets' pitchers. The acquisition of Lidge was a bad move because he isn't a great closer anymore. However, where the Phillies shine is in their big, scary bats of Howard, Burrell, Utley, Jenkins, and Victorino.

3. Atlanta Braves - My favorite team, the Braves, are now just a team of their past. I thought they were bad last year, well, they'll be worse this year with the loss of Andruw Jones and the acquisition of Tom Glavine, who is old, terrible, and led the Mets to their final defeat of the year last year. Again, like the Phillies, the Braves pitching rotation of Smoltz, Hudson, Glavine, and James are very good in their own right, in fact they are better than the Phillies' starting pitchers, but can't equal the Mets. However, the Braves' bullpen is just atrocious and a major reason why they lose. Their batting is still very good though, highlighted by Jones, Teixeira, McCann, Francoeur, and Johnson.

4. Florida Marlins - Like deciding whether I wanted to put the Mets or Phillies at first, I'm having a hard time deciding whether I want to put the Marlins or Nationals in last. The Marlins starting rotation isn't worth mentioning nor is their bullpen spectacular. However, I like their hitting better than the Nationals, with Uggla, McPherson, Hermida, and Jacobs as highlights.

5. Washington Nationals - Their starting pitching isn't memorable and their bullpen is even worse, except for Chad Cordero. They have some decent hitting (Mo Pena, Milledge, and Kearns), but nothing amazing to speak of. The Marlins and Nationals are solely meant for teams like the Mets, Phillies, and even Braves to beat up on.

NL Central (Probably the toughest division)

1. St. Louis Cardinals - Their staring pitching (Wainwright, Looper, Mulder, Reyes) are mediocore, but Isringhausen is still a reliable closer. Their hitting is very powerful in the big bats of Pujols, Duncan, Glaus, and Ankiel. I believe the Cards will be back in first this year.

2. Chicago Cubs - Zambrano, Hill, Lilly, and Marquis make for a solid rotation, though their bullpen isn't all that great. Still they have the best leadoff hitter in baseball (Soriano) and the scary bats of Ramirez and Lee.

3. Houston Astros - The addition of Tejada is lovely, but still won't save this team. Oswalt and Backe are very good starting pitchers and Villarreal and Valverde are excellent in their bullpen, but their hitting is still poor, only highlighted by Tejada and Berkman.

4. Milwaukee Brewers - Eh. Sheets and Suppan are good starters, but that's about it. Gagne and Turnbow aren't reliable in the bullpen anymore and once you pitch around Fielder all the other batters are just so-so.

5. Cincinnati Reds - This team is very unpredictable, but I predict they'll do bad. Harang is their only good starter, but Cordero can save them in the bullpen. Their hitting is either old or inconsistent, but I would still highlight Griffey Jr., Dunn, Phillips, and Encarnacion has reliable hitters.

6. Pittsburgh Pirates - This team may surprise people, but I can't see it happening. I mean, Snell and Duke are young starting pitchers just waiting to break out, but they consistently are bad. Their bullpen is a bunch of bull. However, their hitting is at least mediocre, highlighted by LaRoche, Bay, Nady, and McLouth.

NL West (Another Tough Division)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers - All the work the Dodgers have put into this team should pay off. If the Mets don't go to the World Series, this team would be my next choice to represent the National League. Penny, Lowe, and Schmidt are still excellent starters, as is Saito in their bullpen. Their hitting is an excellent mix of pesky speed (Furcal, Pierre) and very good hitting (Kent, Garciaparra, Martin, Jones). Oh, and they got one of the best managers in baseball, Joe Torre. Man, the Yankees and their fans are harsh. Do they forget what how much good Torre did for the Yankees?

2. San Diego Padres - If any team in this division is going to give the Dodgers trouble, it would be the Padres. Peavy, Maddux, and Wolf can put up a fight with the Dodgers' pitching and Hoffman is still one of the best closers in baseball. Barrett, Greene, Giles, and Edmonds are their standout hitters, but their other batters are decent as well.

3. Colorado Rockies - Was last season a fluke? It had to be. Looking at this team I don't see what the big deal is. Francis is a great starter, but that's about it. Their bullpen (Fuentes, Vizcaino, Corpas) is actually pretty good and their batters (Holliday, Atkins, Helton, Torrealba, Hawpe) I'm sure are better known now after last season. Still, we won't see a repeat performance.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks - Again, the starting pitching (Webb, Haren, Owings) is very good and can face other pitching rotations. However, I can not say the same for the Diamondbacks' bullpen or hitting, with honorable mention to Drew and Byrnes.

5. San Fransisco Giants - The Barry Bonds controversy should be the least of this team's worries. Their starters are terrible with the exception of Lowry. Their bullpen is...well there isn't one. As far as hitting, Molina, Rowand, and Winn make this team look like an MLB team.

Is Punishment For Steroids Too Severe?

Former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski avoided jail time and was sentenced Friday to five years' probation after cooperating with baseball's investigation into performance-enhancing drugs.

Radomski, who admitted giving dozens of major leaguers steroids and human growth hormone, also was ordered to pay an $18,575 fine by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.

He pleaded guilty in April 2007 to distributing steroids and laundering money, admitting he sold speed, steroids and HGH to players from 1995 until Dec. 14, 2005, when agents raided his Long Island, N.Y., home.

As part of his plea deal, Radomski was required to cooperate with investigators probing baseball's doping scandal. He led investigators to Brian McNamee, the former New York Yankees strength coach who claimed he injected Roger Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times from 1998 to 2001, an allegation the seven-time Cy Young Award winner vehemently denies.

Ok, so I was wrong when I said that steroid users and suppliers should just admit what they did. I figured, with SO many steroid people out there, they couldn't possibly punish them all. However, Kirk Radomski doesn't play baseball. Punishing him wouldn't take away anything from the game at all. He was also very honest about what he did back in 2003...and still got punished. I can only imagine what they are going to do to Roger Clemens.......

Radomski is scheduled to testify before Congress on Wednesday along with Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and McNamee.

Signing Johan Santana Is Proving More Difficult Than The New York Mets Thought

With millions of baseball fans on their seats awaiting to hear the biggest trade in the offseason, Johan Santana and the New York Mets are having a difficult time delivering the good news.

Major League Baseball has granted Johan Santana and the New York Mets an extra two hours to work on a contract extension Friday, pushing the deadline to 7 p.m. EST. The Mets and Santana's agents continued to negotiate furiously Friday, as the original 5 p.m. ET deadline to complete terms of a long-term contract came and went with no immediate resolution.

And as that 5 p.m. deadline passed, indications were that the key sticking point continued to be Santana's attempts to get the Mets to guarantee all six years of his contract extension, on top of the final year of his current contract. According to baseball sources who have been monitoring the negotiations, the Mets' best hope to resolve that disagreement would be to offer to guarantee the sixth season if Santana's side would agree to accept fewer dollars per year.

The Mets and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a tentative deal Tuesday pending the completion of an extension for Santana, a two-time Cy Young winner. In return, the Twins would receive center fielder Carlos Gomez and pitching prospects Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra. The buzz in the industry Friday was that Santana's agents, Peter and Ed Greenberg, initially asked for the $28 million per year listed in Roger Clemens' prorated contract with the Yankees last season -- which would have amounted to a six-year, $168 million extension. That amount would not have included either a signing bonus or the $13.25 million Santana is scheduled to earn this season. So his total package would have topped $190 million.

There were indications that the Greenbergs later lowered that request to $25 million a year -- which would have resulted in a six-year, $150 million extension and a total package (including this season) of more than $170 million. The Mets' initial offers, however, were all believed to be just five-year guarantees, plus a vesting option for 2014, in the range of $21 million a year. But there was rampant speculation in the industry Friday afternoon that the two sides were headed toward a compromise in which the Mets would guarantee the sixth season if Santana lowered his salary request to $22 million a year.

With a hefty signing bonus added to this year's salary, that figure would bring Santana's total package to about $152 million over seven years -- the largest contract ever awarded to any pitcher. The $22 million per year also would be a record for a pitcher on a multi-year contract -- and, in fact, would be the third-highest average annual salary in baseball history, behind only Alex Rodriguez's last two contracts ($27.5 million in the deal signed this winter, $25.2 million in the contract he signed with Texas in December 2000). But as of mid-afternoon Friday, the two sides hadn't agreed to those figures -- or any other figures.

New York Mets Land The Best Pitcher in the World

This from MLB.com:

The Twins and Mets have agreed to a deal that would send two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana to New York in exchange for four prospects, according to a report by USA Today on Tuesday afternoon.

The deal is contingent on the Mets and Santana reaching an agreement on a six-or-seven year contract extension. Indications are that Santana is seeking a deal worth close to $150 million dollars. The Mets have been granted a 48-to-72 hour window to negotiate the extension and Santana is expected to waive his no-trade clause if an agreement is reached. The left-hander must also pass a physical.

According to the report, the four prospects that that Twins would be receiving in the deal are outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey.

Comments:
You have got to be kidding! The New York Mets give up basically nothing for the best pitcher in baseball? The Yanks and Red Soxs offered much better deals to the Twins, but the Twins settled on this? I am a huge Mets fan, and THANK GOD!!! The Mets just put themselves at the top of the best teams in the league with this deal. They now have two pitchers they can send out on any given night to win a game.

The New York Yankees Set A Record...But Have Nothing To Show For It

The Yankees did finish first in something last year -- spending.

While their streak of AL East titles ended at nine, the Yankees wound up with a record payroll of $218.3 million.

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox were a distant second at $155.4 million, according to information received by clubs from the commissioner's office. The Los Angeles Dodgers were third at $125.6 million, followed by the New York Mets ($120.9 million), Chicago Cubs ($115.9 million), Seattle ($114.4 million), Los Angeles Angels ($111 million), Philadelphia Phillies ($101.8 million), San Francisco ($101.5 million) and the Chicago White Sox ($100.2 million).

This proves that buying out the top players doesn't always guarantee success. The New York Yankees have arguably the best third basemen, shortstop, and catcher in the game in addition to an amazing outfield. They can also afford any player they desire.....but how long has it been since they won a World Series?

Of course, the New England Patriots disapprove my theory that buying out the top players doesn't always guarantee success.

In addition to the largest payroll, the Yankees have the highest revenue in the majors. New York took in $415 million last year, giving about $100 million of it away in the sport's revenue-sharing plan.

Both the Yankees and New York Mets will receive revenue boosts in 2009, when they move into new stadiums.

"We're always working on increasing revenues, but it's getting harder and harder to do," Red Sox owner John Henry said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "The Yankees and the Mets will be greatly helped by their new ballparks which look to be state-of-the-art. They seem very well designed to maximize revenues and to greatly improve the fan experience. The renovations we have been at work on within Fenway, the new ballparks in New York, Washington, Minneapolis -- everywhere -- these are great for baseball."

At the back end were Tampa Bay ($31.8 million), Florida ($33.1 million), Washington ($43.3 million) and Pittsburgh ($51.4 million).

In all, teams spent $2.71 billion on players last year, up from $2.49 billion in 2006 and $2.35 billion in 2005.

The 30 clubs estimate they took in $6.075 billion last year, an increase from $5.2 billion the previous season and $4.7 billion in 2005.

New York has had the highest payroll for nine straight years. The Yankees' total rose from $207.5 million in 2006 and $206.6 million in 2005.

The Yankees were set to fall under the $200 million mark before signing Roger Clemens, who increased their payroll by $17.4 million. He went 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 18 appearances.

In addition to the largest payroll, the Yankees have the highest revenue in the majors. New York took in $415 million last year, giving about $100 million of it away in the sport's revenue-sharing plan.

New York is on track to lead the major leagues in payroll again but its total appears likely to drop. The Yankees have committed $198.6 million to 19 signed players on their 40-man roster. Adding in the midpoints for their three players remaining in arbitration -- Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano and Brian Bruney -- the total increases to $207.6 million.

A New Face Arises In The Roger Clemens Spiral

To update everyone on the Roger Clemens case, here is the latest from ESPN:

A meeting in 2004 between Roger Clemens' former trainer and a representative of the pitcher's agents could have implications in the back and forth claims about steroid use that came out of the Mitchell report, according to published reports.

Jim Murray, who is employed by Clemens' agents, met with the pitcher's former trainer Brian McNamee in 2004, near Clemens' New York apartment, according to McNamee's attorney Earl Ward. Ward said that at the time, McNamee was concerned that some steroids may be lingering in Clemens' system that could result in a positive test in Major League Baseball's first round of steroid testing.

"He did speak to Murray about his suspicions, his concerns that Major League Baseball had implemented testing and that Roger could have a problem," Ward told the New York Times after speaking with his client Friday night.

McNamee said Murray took detailed notes about the meeting. "Brian wanted to let them know Roger had some problems," Ward told the New York Daily News. "They discussed steroid use." Clemens has repeatedly and vigorously denied McNamee's claim that he injected Clemens with steroids 16 times in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Clemens has acknowledged he received injections from McNamee, but he said they were for vitamin B-12 and the painkiller lidocaine. During his press conference defending himself on Jan. 7, Clemens played a telephone conversation between himself and McNamee taped the previous Friday. On that tape includes a reference to Murray. "I told Jim Murray. I told Jim Murray. I told him. I told him. I sat down with him in Starbucks on the corner where you [Clemens] used to live, and I told him the guy's name," McNamee says on the tape, referring to the ex-trainer's source for procuring steroids.

The person McNamee was referring to was former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski. On the tape, Clemens asked McNamee if he knew Radomski. "I asked you point blank," Clemens said. "I said, Do you know who this cat is when we were working? I said there's some rumblings about some guys with the Mets. Do you know who this guy is? You told me no." McNamee's response appears to validate his claim about the meeting with Murray. "I met with Jimmy in '04, and I told him. I said Jimmy, I just wanted to give you guys a heads-up because you better have some information. I'd rather you be prepared than unprepared," McNamee said. Ward also says McNamee contacted Murray shortly before the Mitchell report was released to warn him that both Clemens and Andy Pettitte would be mentioned by name in the report. Clemens and Pettitte have the same agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks. Ward also said that when Murray called McNamee back, he believes Murray taped the call, which could be used as evidence in both Clemens' lawsuit against McNamee as well as for the congressional hearing slated for Feb. 13.

Rusty Hardin, Clemens' attorney, told the New York Times on Friday that no one from Clemens' agents' agency mentioned the alleged conversation between McNamee and Murray in 2004. Hardin added that the Hendricks agency denied that either Hendricks brother ever received a message from McNamee on the topic. "McNamee never told Jimmy that Roger or Andy were in any way connected to steroids or human growth hormone," Hardin told The Times. The Feb. 13 hearing before Congress is expected to include Clemens, Pettitte, McNamee, Radomski and Chuck Knoblauch.

The Story Of Roger Clemens Just Gets Worse

In keeping up with Roger Clemens' case, here's an article from ESPN explaining what will happen next in the developing story:

Brian McNamee's attorney, Earl Ward, defended his client's asking for immunity to testify before Congress and suggested that if Roger Clemens were to contradict McNamee's testimony, the pitcher likely would be indicted for lying under oath.

"If [Clemens' attorney Rusty Hardin] allows his client to go before Congress and testify under oath, I don't think we'll be talking about Roger Clemens being inducted [into the Hall of Fame], I think we'll be talking about Roger Clemens being indicted," Ward told ESPN's Bob Ley on "Outside The Lines" in his first national television interview Sunday morning. Ward, who has drawn criticism from Hardin for asking for immunity, sounded as if he expected Congress to give McNamee immunity to testify at the Feb. 13 hearing. "I'd be very surprised if he doesn't get immunity," Ward said. "It makes no sense whatsoever. Congress wants to hear from this man." Clemens reportedly won't ask for immunity, but a source told ESPN's T.J. Quinn on Saturday night that Hardin is hedging over the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's request to depose Clemens under oath next week because it might interfere with his defamation lawsuit against McNamee. On Sunday, Hardin released a statement reiterating Clemens' willingness to testify before Congress in February. "I want to make very clear that there has been absolutely no change in Roger's willingness and indeed desire to testify under oath before Congress in a public hearing at a date of the Oversight Committee's choosing," Hardin said in the statement. "Any suggestion that he or we are having any second thoughts about that is absolutely false. All other pre-appearance issues and scheduling we will discuss privately with the committee and do not think it is appropriate to discuss those matters publicly."

The source also told Quinn that Hardin is making "noises" about not turning over a taped conversation between McNamee and two investigators for Hardin's office recorded Dec. 12, the day before the Mitchell report was released. A source told Quinn all the issues surrounding Clemens' potential testimony will be raised Monday when Hardin meets with committee staffers in Washington, D.C.

"He has no choice in the matter if he's subpoenaed," said Richard Emery, one of McNamee's lawyers. "It's just a question of whether the congressional investigators will be subpoena him. If they don't, they'd be crazy. The whole point is to investigate in advance of the hearing so it isn't a circus."Ward went on to explain that he is hoping for immunity to protect his client from possible steroid distribution charges. He also said that if he doesn't get it, he will sit down with McNamee to discuss possible courses of action. Ward was clear that his -- and McNamee's -- first choice would be to speak to Congress. "It's important for everyone to finally hear from Brian McNamee ... [on] his interactions with Roger Clemens," Ward said. As far as McNamee's credibility, Ward said Andy Pettitte's statement validating the Mitchell report findings that the Yankees pitcher was injected with HGH by McNamee proves his client's truthfulness. Ward, who said McNamee has been vetted by federal prosecutors as a witness, also indicated that he hoped former Yankees infielder Chuck Knoblauch would step forward to further corroborate McNamee's claims about Clemens.

McNamee's lawyers keep hinting there is additional evidence to back his account but won't go into details.

"We've always said there will be clear corroboration," Emery said. "Clear corroboration exists. And I won't say anything more."

Clemens and McNamee have been asked to testify Feb. 13 before Congress. Pettitte and Knoblauch also have been asked to testify, along with Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse attendant who pleaded guilty to distributing steroids to major league players. McNamee talked with Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Parrella and IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky about the events that led up to his phone call last week with Clemens, a person familiar with the session told The Associated Press. McNamee has an agreement with prosecutors that no charges would be filed against him as long as he told the truth to them and Mitchell.

The Congressional Meeting of Clemens, Pettitte, and McNamee Has Been Postponed

The drama will have to pause for a bit before it continues to unravel. The congressional hearing involving Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and former trainer Brian McNamee was postponed Wednesday until Feb. 13 so lawmakers can gather evidence and coordinate their investigation with the Justice Department.

Plans are still in place for the Jan. 15 hearing before the same committee about the Mitchell report on baseball's Steroids Era. The witnesses that day are commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, the report's author.

At the end of last week, Congress asked seven-time Cy Young Award winner Clemens, teammate and friend Pettitte and their former trainer, McNamee, to testify under oath. Also invited were former Yankee Chuck Knoblauch, and Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse attendant who was one of the main sources of evidence for the Mitchell report.

Radomski pleaded guilty in April to federal felony charges of distributing steroids and laundering money, and he is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 8.

"The Justice Department told the committee it would be helpful if we waited until after Radomski is sentenced," the committee's minority staff director, David Marin, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "This also gives us more time to delve into more recent developments, gather more information, and depose all witnesses before they testify in public."

Interesting. Why would this meeting be postponed so they can gather more evidence? Just like Barry Bonds, the evidence surrounding Roger Clemens is overwhelming....and not in his favor. Even America is losing faith in him. In a poll taken by ESPN, America voted that they believe McNamee over Clemens.

Who Is The MLB's Best Leadoff Hitter?

1. Alfonso Soriano, Cubs
This guy gives you everything you need in a leadoff hitter, plus more. The attributes required include speed and baserunning acumen, patience and a discerning eye, some pop, a swagger, the dexterity to lay down a bunt and the tenacity to keep diving back into the first-base bag to beat those always annoying pickoff throws. Not only does Soriano have incredible speed, he's also a power hitter! Leadoff hitters are traditionally not supposed to be power hitters; they're only job is to get on base. Soriano is less a leadoff hitter than a freakishly talented power-speed hybrid who happens to feel most comfortable batting leadoff. He upgraded his plate discipline last season on the way to hitting 46 homers, stealing 41 bases and securing a $136 million contract with Chicago. But that .325 career OBP is nothing special.

Soriano's penchant for swinging away makes him particularly effective leading off an inning, when pitchers are inclined to dispense with caution and attack the strike zone. He's a career .303 hitter with a .912 OPS leading off an inning.

2. Jose Reyes, Mets
"He's the best player in baseball," a National League front-office man said of Reyes. "Every tool is [rated] plus, and he can change a game in so many ways."

Based on his performance in 2006, quick start in April and the people hitting around him, a healthy Reyes appears to be a lock for 20 homers, 15 triples, 120 runs, 80 RBIs and 60 stolen bases. His on-base percentage, which spiked from .300 to .354 last season, continues to trend upward as his discipline and pitch recognition also improve.

Remember when people mocked Reyes for his lack of patience? In 2005, Reyes struck out 18 times and failed to draw a walk in the entire month of April. So far this season, he has 13 walks and nine whiffs.

Reyes will still chase a two-strike pitch outside the zone, but he hardly ever swings at the first pitch unless it's a strike. A little maturity and some guidance from teammates Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Jose Valentin have turned him into a man with a plan.

Even when Reyes gets a tad reckless on the bases, he has the speed to outrun his mistakes. He's been successful on 81 percent of his career stolen base attempts, and he's off to a 12-for-14 start in 2007. He's the fastest player in baseball, possibly the fastest person in all of humanity.

3. Grady Sizemore, Indians
If Sizemore is behind Reyes, it's not by much. One executive, citing Sizemore's speed, on-base ability, impressive power and prudent judgment on the bases, called him "the closest there is to the total package right now." Since Sizemore is 24 years old, a wonderful athlete and driven player, he's only going to improve.

There are only two areas in which Sizemore is lacking: 1) He's a career .223 hitter against lefties; and 2) he strikes out a ton. The Indians also worked with him extensively on bunting in spring training, but he's yet to incorporate that weapon into his game.

4. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners
Sure, you'd like to see him walk more. But when a guy amasses 200 or more hits for six consecutive seasons and his on-base percentage averages out to .376, he's not spending a whole lot of time in the dugout.

Ichiro also wins points for knowing what to do upon arrival. He's a smart, attentive (not to mention extremely fast) baserunner, and he'll turn those singles into doubles in a hurry. Last season he stole 45 bases in 47 attempts, for a success rate of 95.7 percent. According to Baseball Prospectus, that's the all-time high for a player with 40 steal attempts.

5. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies
Someone forgot to tell Rollins that 5-foot-8-inch middle infielders are supposed to be spray hitters. Last season he hit 25 homers and amassed 79 extra-base hits -- more than Miguel Cabrera, Vernon Wells and teammate Chase Utley.

He's also a very efficient base stealer, as evidenced by 36-for-40 performance a year ago. "He's turning into a great offensive catalyst," said a National League talent evaluator.

So why isn't Rollins higher on the list? Try that .330 career on-base percentage, for starters. Rollins' aggressive mind-set serves him well when he's in a groove, but it can be a liability when his swing gets big and he's in such a blissful state letting it rip that he's immune to the concept of patience.

Here's Rollins in a nutshell: He walked eight times in the Phillies' first seven games this season, and didn't draw another walk in the next 12 games. Maybe he's just bored taking those four pitches outside the zone and jogging down to first.

6. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
With another year similar to his rookie season in Florida, Ramirez might leapfrog about four people on this list.

Ramirez put up monster numbers as a rookie (119 runs, 51 steals, 74 extra-base hits) for a middle-of-the-road offensive club in a tough park for hitters. And he appears to be taking a more disciplined approach this season in an effort to reduce those 128 strikeouts.

"He should develop some more power, which would make him a viable option further down in the order, but he's fine where he is right now," write the analysts at Baseball Prospectus.

7. Johnny Damon, Yankees
Damon is starting to show some wear and tear after playing a minimum of 145 games a year in center field for 11 straight seasons. He's fighting a bad back and sore hamstring, and nagging injuries will continue to be a concern now that he's 33.

But we're still talking about the pro's pro -- a guy who'll foul off good pitches, take his walks and consistently set the tone for an offense. And if you judge a man by the company he keeps, Damon is going to have an awfully strong Hall of Fame case by the time he's finished. In 2006 he joined Lou Gehrig and Stan Musial as the only players to surpass 30 doubles and 100 runs scored in nine consecutive seasons.

Could Roger Clemens And Andy Pettitte Go To Jail?

In no way do I want either of these guys ending up in the slammer. They've contributed too much to baseball and unlike Barry Bonds, these guys aren't rude, cocky, or hated by the media and the public. However, they are following the exact trail as Bonds, which may lead them to prison.

Why might they go to jail? Because Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were asked Friday to testify before a congressional committee on Jan. 16, along with their former trainer, Brian McNamee. Once you're in front of Congress, you have to tell the truth. That's what put Barry Bonds in the position he is now. He lied under oath. Will Clemens and Pettitte lie like Bonds did or will they come clean under extreme pressure? And even if they deny their accusations, are they still citing the truth? What is the truth? Only time will tell.

Also invited to appear before the House Oversight Committee were former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, whose allegations were a central part of last month's Mitchell report on doping in baseball. Former All-Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch also was asked to speak to the panel.

A day earlier, the committee is to hear testimony from baseball commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell.

McNamee told Mitchell he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone during the 1998, 2000 and 2001 seasons. Clemens, in an interview to be broadcast by CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday, said McNamee injected him with vitamins and painkillers but not performance-enhancing drugs.

Pettitte admitted McNamee injected him with HGH twice while the pitcher was recovering from an injury.

The panel also convened a March 2005 hearing, when Mark McGwire refused to say whether he had used performance-enhancing drugs. Sammy Sosa said he had never knowingly used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Rafael Palmeiro denied using drugs but tested positive later that year for a steroid.

The New York Mets' Interest in Johan Santana Is Resurfacing

With the winter meetings nearly over, the Minnesota Twins' ace remained on the market Wednesday night and the Mets hoped to get seriously involved in trade talks. The Mets, who insist they won't deal speedy shortstop Jose Reyes, were not considered major contenders -- but the Yankees said Tuesday they had stopped pursuing Santana, and Minnesota's negotiations with Boston seemed to have stalled.

The players the Mets are willing to trade for Santana remind me of the players the Tigers gave the Marlins in their trade. That is, a bunch of mostly unknown potential players. New York could offer a package that includes some combination of young pitchers Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey along with outfield prospects Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez.

At this point, the Twins are better off keeping Santana. After all, did they ever consider they need his pitching expertise as well? The Twins maintain they don't necessarily have to trade Santana. New general manager Bill Smith has said his first choice is to sign the pitcher to a contract extension, though it would probably be difficult for Minnesota to meet Santana's asking price.

Even if the Mets don't get Santana, they are still going after pitching. The Mets also are interested in Baltimore lefty Erik Bedard as well as Oakland's Dan Haren and Joe Blanton, who could come cheaper than Santana.

The New York Mets Say Goodbye To Milledge

Raised in the New Mets farm system, Lastings Milledge is ripe and ready for the picking. The Nationals traded catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church to the New York Mets for outfielder Lastings Milledge.

Other than saying goodbye to Tom Glavine, this essentially was the Mets first big move for the offseason and it was a terrible transaction. Let's analyze this trade:

Lastings Milledge only played in 59 games last year, but he batted .272 with 7 HR and 29 RBI; he wasn't even their starting outfielder.

Ryan Church was one of the nationals regulars. However, he too batted .272 with 15 HR and 70 RBI, but it took him 144 games to do that.

Brian Schneider played in 129 games and in that span batted a terrible .235 with 6 HR and 54 RBI.

What I'm saying is the Mets made an awful deal. No wonder it took the nationals 2 players to trade for Milledge. The Mets gave away a potential future star. Look at the numbers Milledge put up in just playing roughly 1/3 of the season. Now if you multiply those numbers by 3, his numbers would be better than Church and Schneider.

Perhaps it was best for the Mets to let Milledge go because of the poor team chemistry he created. Still just 22, he was the Mets' top prospect when he made his major league debut in May 2006. Right away, he showed why he was so highly rated on the field -- but also drew the ire of his team and teammates.

One of the most publicized episodes came in the town that will be his new home. In September 2006, a sign was posted in Milledge's locker in the visiting clubhouse at RFK Stadium that read: "Know your place, Rook. Your teammates."

Milledge earlier had been reprimanded for not running hard on the bases and had arrived late to the clubhouse for a game. He also rankled Mets management by making a rap CD that used offensive language.

Where Will Johan Santana Be Pitching In The Spring?

According to the rumor mill on Yahoo sports, The New York Daily News has installed the New York Yankees as a 3-1 favorite in the race to acquire Johan Santana of the Minnesota twins. The Boston Red Sox are 4-1, the Los Angeles Angels are 5-1 and the New York Mets 8-1.

It's no secret that the Yankees would love to add the left hander ace to their rotation, but at what price? They have made it clear that Joba Chamberlain is untouchable, although Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy can be had for the right price - and Santana, who will be 29 on March 13, could be that player. However, that'll leave the Yankees with a weak bullpen once again if they plan on making Joba a starter.

The Red Sox are in strong position to deal for Santana, since they possess potential pitching prospects in Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester

The Mets, according to Billy Wagner, are being criticized for not making any transactions in the offseason thus far. With Glavine gone, Santana would fit in comfortably in that rotation.

The Angels already have Garland, Colon, and Lackey in their rotation. Adding Santana would only buff up that incredible rotation.

I would like to see Santana go to a team in the process of rebuilding instead of one of these big name teams who already have enough star players to carry them. I mean, c'mon. Does Boston really need another star pitcher? The Tigers of 2 years ago when they went to the World Series is an example of a team that suffered for years before finally assembling a great team. I think he would fit in well with the Blue Jays. The 1-2 punch of Halladay and Santana would be an interesting combination and would help the Blue Jays keep up with Red Sox and the Yankees.

It is also rumored that if the Twins can deal Santana, they may also be interested in trading their closing pitcher Joe Nathan.

Atlanta Braves to Welcome Back Tom Glavine?

The Atalanta Braves would like to have Tom Glavine back after a five year absence. New general manager Frank Wren spoke with the two-time Cy Young Award winner and his agent, Gregg Clifton. Wren said Wednesday he will call again next week, after teams can start making offers to free agents.

Glavine, a left-hander who turns 42 in March, was 13-8 with a 4.45 ERA for the Mets this year, when he earned his 300th win. He was hit hard in his final two starts as the Mets collapsed down the stretch, including the season-ending loss to Florida when he failed to get out of the first inning.

As an Atlanta Braves fan, I would urge and beg the Mets to keep Glavine. Though I admit entirely the Braves are in much need of quality pitching, there are better pitchers than Glavine and the Braves should wait until they become available. In no way am I trying to disrespect Glavine because in his prime he was a dominant pitcher, but he his getting up there in years and his pitching is losing the impact it once had, as indicated in the season-ending total embarrassment he pitched in against the Marlins.

Daddy, I Want A-Rod on my Team! Can You Raise My Allowance to $350 Million?

That title is no joke. I'm hoping either A-Rod and his agent have either flipped or there was a serious problem with the location of the decimal, but I doubt either of those cases happened. The reality is before A-Rod opted out of his contract with the Yankees, the team was told that it would not be able to meet with the third baseman unless they presented an offer of $350 million. Now I understand without A-Rod's clutch hitting during the regular season, the Yankees would have most likely not made the playoffs. Still, no one player is worth investing $350 million in! Instead, with the departure of A-Rod, and possibly the overpaid Clemens, the Yankees could invest that money into fresh young talent. Two examples of recent success are the maturation of Chamberlain and Cano. The Yankees should build up a team of fresh, young players instead of going out and getting wash-ups, old players, and overpaid stars who do nothing but fail in the post-season. Leave that trend up to the Mets, who have and are acquiring all-stars from all over the league. By the way, the Mets have their eye on A-Rod.