Corey Hart

Playing armchair general manager is often met with skepticism. In an ideal world, the New York Mets would have outbid the Seattle Mariners for Robinson Cano’s services, subsequently adding one of the premier offensive threats at a notoriously light-hitting position.

The action was modest through the first two days of the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., with a couple of secondary-type signings taking place, as well as the interesting three-way trade between the Angels, Diamondbacks and White Sox.

Of the free-agent signings thus far, there are certainly a couple that could turn out to be bargains. If Josh Johnson (San Diego Padres) and Chris Young (New York Mets) return to form, they'll be well worth the one-year deals at the cost of $8 million and $7.25 million, respectively.

Same for David Murphy, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Cleveland Indians, and LaTroy Hawkins, who will cost the Colorado Rockies no more than $2.5 million to at least start the season as their closer.

A number of MLB teams are not at full strength at this point in the year because some of their players are still recovering from offseason surgeries and spring injuries.

These players can provide a big boost once they return, and they can help change a team from one that is struggling to one that is fighting for a playoff spot.

Sometimes, the impact is more than what the player does on the field. In certain cases, their leadership ability is invaluable.

The Milwaukee Brewers salvaged what was a disappointing 2012 season by playing themselves into the NL wild-card race by the end of the season. 

The Brew Crew went 18-10 in September. That surge pushed Milwaukee to within 1.5 games of the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL's second wild-card spot, as of Sept. 21. 

ESPN and the Associated Press are reporting that Corey Hart will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

I know that it is way to early to be thinking about the 2012 season, as the 2011 season has not even started yet, or is it? Some teams as of right now know that they will not have a chance for the World Series, and some of those teams are probably already eying players who are due to hit the free agent market after the conclusion of the current season. It is wise for all teams to look at this point in time at the holes that may be left in their current roster after this season and see who will fit into that hole.

Our fourth stop on the 30 in 30 is the Milwaukee Brewers.

Due to my schedule preventing me from writing yesterday, I'll be making up for it by covering two teams today. Consider it a 2-for-...Wednesday? Something like that.

The brew crew finished the 2010 season one game ahead of the Astros, two games ahead of the Cubs and nine games back of the Cardinals.

In the first half of the season, Corey Hart could do no wrong.  He was one of the biggest surprises in the league, hitting .288 with 21 HR and 65 RBI.  Owners who took the gamble on drafting him were on cloud nine…

Unfortunately, the euphoria did not last forever.

Hart’s production in the second half was much more inline with what we would have expected.  He hit .278 with 10 HR and 37 RBI.

Winning the Comeback Player of the Year is not nearly as honorable as a Cy Young or an MVP, but this award shows the players and fans that a player's re-emergence as a stud player has occurred in any given season.  

In the 2010 season, there were several players who brought themselves back into the spotlight by breaking a barrier that they have not touched in years.  Whether it was hit .300 on the season for the first time in 5 years, or any other type of statistical drought, the avid followers of baseball know who is worthy of being recognized for their hard work.