The Yankees start playing spring training games Wednesday, March 3, and Bronx Baseball Daily will be hosting a live chat that day. The game starts at 1:05 p.m., so remember to come back then and join us all game long as the Yankees take on the Pirates.

It’ll be a great way to enjoy the game and chat about your favorite players and up-and- coming prospects.

36 hours into Manny Acta’s first spring training as manager of the Indians, and he’s already nestled himself a nice, warm place in the back corner of Cleveland’s media doghouse.

That didn’t take long, did it?

On one of the youngest teams in the majors with question marks for most of the team, Acta has curiously already ended all speculation and named Russell Branyan the starting first basemen.

“He’ll get a majority of the time at first base,” said Acta. “We didn’t sign him to be a backup guy.”

It can't possibly be all bad.

Predictions for the Pirates in 2010 run from bleak (they might only lose 90 games) to abysmal (they probably will lose 120 games) to fanciful (they will win it all).

The truth, as is usually the case, likely lies somewhere in between (and around 75 wins).

As crazy as it sounds, its probably no longer a matter of if the Pirates will turn things around, but more a matter of when .

In Adrian Beltre the Boston Red Sox have acquired a Gold Glove third baseman to replace another Gold Glove third baseman in Mike Lowell. But the Red Sox may have gotten more than they bargained for.

Mike Lowell’s Quick Demise

Spring Training is finally getting under way for Major League Baseball.

And already, as the manager of the defending World Series Champions, Joe Girardi has a major decision to make.

Well, I guess you can call it a "major decision." Some might not see it as that.

But for the careers of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, it is a major decision.

That decision is who will win the fifth and final spot in the Yankees starting rotation and who goes to the bullpen as the setup man.

During the 2009 postseason, the New York Yankees rode their top three starting pitchers to a ring. The defending champions added depth to their rotation during their offseason while the arch rival Boston Red Sox added another ace to their starting five. The AL East is well known for its high-power offenses, but the teams chasing the Yankees and Red Sox will need pitching if they hope to have any shot of getting by the two.

Do the AL East also rans have the rotations to do it? Who has the better rotation, the Yankees or Red Sox? Look inside to find out.

There have been a few rumors about international free agents lately and the Yankees are involved in three of them: Dominican righty Rafael DePaula and a pair of Cuban first basemen Leslie Anderson , who can also play all three outfield positions, and Jose Julio Ruiz .

Here are scouting reports and the most recent rumors on the trio:

2009 was a tough year for San Diego Padres fans, starting with getting used to not watching the all-time save leader Trevor Hoffman close out games and then their ace, Jake Peavy, was sent to the Chicago White Sox midseason. 

The release of the longest tenured general manager in MLB would follow, as Kevin Towers made way for 36-year-old Jed Hoyer, former assistant GM of the Boston Red Sox.  The question becomes will the Padres blend together quickly enough to compete in the National League West this year? 

There is hope Padre fans and there is life after Jake Peavy...I promise.

Not to put unneeded pressure on 6'10" righthander Chris Young, but, well, the San Diego Padres' 2010 season is riding on that over-the-top right arm. They're counting on him to be the new team ace and they're counting on him to stay healthy, something Young hasn't done over the last two seasons.

As a Braves blogger for the past few seasons, I have seen my fair share of Jeff Francoeur ups and downs.

I have also seen him make claim after claim that he will do certain things in a given season. Jeff Francoeur's batting average makes his prediction record look like Ted Williams' production against Mendoza's: Terrible.

Here is what the Met's right fielder had to say about the 2010 season to Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.