Chicago

In a minor move that is nonetheless surprising, the Chicago Cubs dealt backup middle infielder Andres Blanco to the Texas Rangers on Saturday for a player to be named or cash.

Blanco, who will turn 26 on April 11, was the best defensive middle infielder on the Cubs major league roster, but was a lightweight at the plate. In 2009, Blanco batted just .259 with one home run and 12 runs batted in from 123 at bats in 53 games in Chicago.

It appears the Chicago Cubs will carry a rookie, Tyler Colvin, as their fifth outfielder when the come north for the regular season. And to me, it might be a shame.

The Cubs have a lot of money tied up in their outfield. Between the albatross contracts of Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome, the corner outfield spots are pretty well locked up because of financial obligation.

Meanwhile, the Cubs brought in Marlon Byrd and Xavier Nady as free agents this winter to replace "Baseball's Kanye West," Milton Bradley. More money spent on veterans.

On Tuesday morning, the Minnesota Twins revealed that their closer, Joe Nathan, had a torn ligament in his throwing arm and would likely be shut down for the 2010 season.

The subsequent barrage of texts, tweets, and comments from White Sox fans were overwhelmingly celebratory.

As one Sox fan friend of mine put it, "Hell yeah!"

It's March, so it's once again time to get out the glove oil and rubber bands, clean off or buy new spikes, remember where the lucky batting gloves went, and wonder if you're too fat to play softball.

It's also time to wonder if your favorite player will stay on your favorite team throughout the entire season.

Will 2010 be the last season for Derrek Lee as a Cub? Perhaps, but it looks like there is mutual interest on both sides:

"The last time Derrek Lee was up for a new contract, he signed a five-year extension at the outset of the 2006 season and suffered a season-changing wrist injury a couple of weeks later.

Seven-and-a-half million dollars is a lot of money to pay to a relief pitcher who walked a career-high 4.98 batters per nine innings in the previous season.

That is especially true if the reliever in question also struck out a career-low 7.09 strikeouts per nine innings in that season.

Yet general manager Jim Hendry and the Chicago Cubs made just such an investment this winter when they inked left-handed hurler John Grabow to a two-year pact.

What can the Chicago Cubs do for an encore in 2010?

2009 started off with the highest of expectations, but a season of hope and promise quickly turned into one of dismal performances and despair.

A team that was predicted to win the National League by most "experts" did not even qualify for the playoffs.

Their season was derailed by injuries early and often, and a manager, front office, and city of fans were left scratching their heads, wondering what the hell happened to a 97-win ball club.

Not since Shawon Dunston have the Cubs had one of the top middle-infield prospects in baseball, but that has changed. There's a kid skyrocketing through the Cubs' organization that might show up at Wrigley Field at some point in 2010.

If you haven't heard of Starlin Castro, here's your introduction.

Have people forgotten about Mark Buehrle?

I am a Chicago White Sox fan who lives in Chicago. Naturally, many of my peers are White Sox fans as well.

They, like myself, are very excited for this year's team, which features one of the best pitching rotations in baseball.

While I am with one of my friends, he decides to bring up the upcoming season. He tries to spark up a conversation about the potential of the Sox this year, but he fails miserably by saying, "How 'bout that offense, huh?"

"Oh yeah...all that power..."

After winning the AL central in 2008, the White Sox had high expectations going into the 2009 season.  Unfortunately for them, these high expectations turned into large disappointments after a third place finish. 

So what should we expect in 2010?