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Mets Bloggers On the Outside Looking In

Talk to anyone who has done an interview with Colorado Rockies prospect Dexter Fowler, and they will tell you the same two things—this kid has a smile made for television, and he can run like a gazelle.

At the beginning of the spring, it seemed a given that the top outfield prospect for the Rockies, Dexter Fowler, would start the year at Triple-A Colorado Springs. After all, he was called straight to the big leagues after tearing the cover off of the ball in Double-A Tulsa.

Not only did Michael Young have to spend his Spring Training learning an entirely new position, but now he is dealing with a left quadriceps injury that continues to nag him.

This past weekend he missed back-to-back games after feeling some tightness in his left quad.  On Tuesday he returned to the lineup, but was only able to last one inning.

After singling in the top part of the first inning and then playing the field in the bottom part, he was pulled from the game. 

According to Alden Gonzalez of Yankees.com, FOX Sports is reporting that Melky Cabrera is once again being dangled as trade bait across the league.

The Houston Astros can officially welcome future Hall-of-Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez to the active roster.

Rodriguez, the 1999 AL MVP, passed his physical in Orlando, finalizing the one-year, $1.5 million contract. ESPN.com reports the 14-time All-Star will make his spring debut for the Astros this Sunday.

On May 3, the Chicago Cubs will add another number to their list of those retired.

The team announced Wednesday it will retire No. 31 in honor of both Greg Maddux and Fergie Jenkins.

This will be the sixth flag to carry a retired number on the foul poles at Wrigley.

The others include No. 10 (Ron Santo), No. 14 (Ernie Banks), No. 23 (Ryne Sandberg), No. 26 (Billy Williams), and No. 42 (Jackie Robinson, which is retired throughout baseball).

Both Maddux and Jenkins won Cy Young Awards with the Cubs, with Jenkins winning it in 1971 and Maddux in 1992.

The 39-game tournament that includes 16 teams expanded into other countries this year. Games were played in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Japan, and the expansion has helped even in this time of recession.

“From a ratings standpoint, from an attendance standpoint, and more importantly from an acceptance standpoint...it really is doing everything we hoped it would do,” MLB President Bob DuPuy said.

Over the past couple of days, I've been involved in a lot of Yankee/Red Sox banter.

It started when I had dinner with some Red Sox fans last weekend, and has continued on into this week.

Last weekend, we got on the subject of where we all were when Aaron Boone hit the game winning home run in Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox.

The rumors surrounding the Houston Astros interest in signing 14-time All-Star catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez became a reality when the future Hall-of-Famer agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal on Monday, according to ESPN's baseball analyst Steve Phillips.