2011 MLB Spring Training

Can you believe the Tribe is already a week into spring training 2011? It seems like it was just yesterday when we saw manager Manny Acta sliding down the toboggan chutes at Progressive Field's Snow Days.

Although we are still about a month away from Opening Day on April 1st, there are already some headlines coming out of Goodyear, AZ.

Will Grady Sizemore be ready for Opening Day?

Are we still worried about Shin-Soo Choo's military obligations?

What's going on with Austin Kearns?

Fire at Goodyear Ballpark?

What's Manny Acta's favorite movie?

The 2010 bullpen of the Tampa Bay Rays was one of the best in the Majors, if not the best in franchise history. Now all the names that made that possible are gone, vanishing faster than you can say "Tropicana."

Now we step into 2011, with new and much less recognizable faces in the pen. There's a lot to be asked about this new bullpen, but not a lot to be expected of it.

It is being reported this morning that Jason Castro's injury—first thought to be a meniscus tear—is actually a torn ACL, and he will be out for the majority of the 2011 season. This is a major blow to the Houston Astros and their chances this season.

For 15 years, Giants managers were blessed with one of the easiest lineup decisions in history—putting Barry Bonds in left field. And for 15 years, it was a position that didn't need to concern fans or coaches—if you had a five-year-old making the lineups for the San Francisco Giants, they would, without fail, know who to put in left field. 

Then they had Fred Lewis, Randy Winn, Eugenio Velez, John Bowker, and Brian Horwitz. That's right, those guys.

Despite a strong showing from New York Mets lefty Oliver Perez on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals in Port St. Lucie, Perez may be on the fast track to the bullpen come Opening Day.

Forget about Stephen Strasburg—Bryce Harper is the hottest thing in baseball now. His bat has been compared to the late, great Ted Williams and he might be the most hyped prospect of all-time.

It is hard to say whether or not Harper is ready to break into the bigs. Last season, he played in junior college and the year before that, he was still in high school.

Do you think that Bryce Harper is ready for the show? I don’t think he is quite there. If the Nationals are smart, they will wait until they call Harper up to the majors.

It’s a fickle life in Major League Baseball. Here today, gone tomorrow is a phrase often used when referring to ballplayers who had a quick run of success before seemingly losing it altogether, or players felled by injuries who were unable to make it all the way back.

The stories of great fame and then injury go back many years in baseball, especially among pitchers. Dizzy Dean was a classic example.

Known as the Ace of the Gashouse Gang for the St. Louis Cardinals, Dean was the last pitcher to win 30 games in the National League, reaching that mark in 1934.

The Baltimore Orioles used to be the envy of the baseball world. There was an Oriole Way: The team had an identity and a unique sense of fundamental soundness and professionalism. From the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, they won 90 games nearly every year and went to six World Series.

Even with Miguel Cabrera, don't be surprised when the Detroit Tigers are in last place in the AL Central division after the first month of the schedule. 

The MLB schedule makers have done no favors for a team that has been abysmal on the road the last two years, and the team has one major and a few minor issues to deal with.

The NL East had quite the shake up this off-season. Cliff Lee returned to the city of brotherly love, Dan Uggla jumped ship and was traded to a team in the same division and the Nationals are trying to become relevant.

The East usually is one of, if not the toughest division in the National League and this year will be no different. 

Will these big summer acquisitions shake up the East and could there be a change of power at the top? With a long season ahead, it will be interesting to see how things shake out.