Baseball

Here’s the scoop: Cole Hamels left Clearwater, FL tonight for the Philadelphia area to have his left elbow examined tomorrow by team doctor Michael Ciccotti.

General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. said Hamels complained about “a little bit of a persistent soreness” in his elbow. “We thought it was important at this time for Dr. Ciccotti to check it out,” Amaro said.

Andy Martino is the new guy in town.  He’s beginning his first season on the Phillies beat for the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Martino let me know a little more about himself in our interview, Sunday afternoon.

SHAY RODDY: Where are you coming from?  What jobs have you had in the past?
ANDY MARTINO: I last worked for the New York Daily News, where I covered most New York teams: Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, etc.  For three years before that, I was a high school teacher in Brooklyn.

The New York Mets' offense was noticeably anemic today in their spring training game against the Atlanta Braves. In their defense, most of the offensive stars are either playing in the World Baseball Classic or did not make the trip to Orlando.

So far this offseason has provided us with many prospect lists. Baseball America's top 10 Yankees prospects and top 100 overall.

Round 5

Jonathan Papelbon is the best closer to own, end of story.  He plays for one of the three best teams in baseball, he strikes out people at a ridiculous rate, and his ERA has never been above 2.65. His saves have increased over the last three seasons, and given the talent on the Red Sox, he could top his 41 saves from last year.

As your Chicago Cubs community leader, I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day and to salute you, the Chicago Cubs fan. I'd also like to toast all of the terrific writers who help make this the best place to get your online Cubbie fix!

To all of you baseball fans in general, who stop by to read and comment on our articles, even though you may not be Cubs fans, this toast is for you as well.

Big Sports News can help you with all your fantasy needs. If you are those types of guys who check out Lester’s Legends or Fantasy Football Maniacs, then you’ll love this! Big Spots News can also help envy your friends on how much sports you know today. You can even get famous! Well, no, not really but still read Big Sports News.

Here's A-Rod on the cover of this month's Details magazine.

When it is all said and done, and his career is over, Albert Pujols will be the best hitter to ever play the game of baseball. He is 29 years old, had 2 MVP awards, and World Series ring, two National League pennants, and a 7-time all star. Here are some of his career statistics-

• Batting Average- .344
• Hits- 1,531
• Doubles- 342
• Home Runs- 318
• RBI's- 977
• Slugging Percentage- .624