MLB

The bullpen was one big reason why the playoffs didn't make their way to the Metrodome last season. Without that tough two-week road trip in which game after game was blown, game 163 would not have been needed.

In the upcoming '09 season the Twins hope the bullpen will solve itself. The front office didn't go out and get some big name, and really, they didn't need to.

According to Brian Hoch of MLB.com, Phil Hughes was among six Yankees who were assigned to the minor league camp today. The others were Anthony Claggett, Steven Jackson, Humberto Sanchez, Sergio Mitre, and Jason Johnson.

These 30 shots were taken on March 19th and posted on Flickr today by member treman262. Hat-tip to Baseball-Fever member donut726.

As you can see they've put up a few more ads, they planted the plant in front of the bleachers, the bunting has started to go up, and the ad board behind home plate has been installed. The place is virtually finished, they're just down to the final details now.

Make sure you click on "Full Post" to view all the pictures in this update.

YANKEES
Melky Cabrera CF
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Hideki Matsui DH
Xavier Nady RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Cody Ransom 3B
Jose Molina C
Angel Berroa SS

If the Florida Marlins end up getting their new stadium, the baseball fans of this area, if there are any left, are still likely to have contempt for  the ownership. They'll probably resent them more when they find out the total cost of this project.

The proposed state-of-the-art baseball stadium and parking complex will probably cost the tax payer close to a billion dollars when completed.  We're in a recession, remember, or haven't your checked for 401K lately?

Kevin Kernan of the Post discusses the bond being formed by two New York superstars over at the WBC, Derek Jeter and Mets' third baseman David Wright. Kernan writes about how Jeter has become something of a mentor to the younger Wright.

A-Rod must be loving all these stories about Jeter being so friendly with players from other teams. Just saying.

*From Protect the Plate

After failing to post a winning record in 14 seasons, the Milwaukee Brewers have put together back-to-back seasons above .500. The team won the Wild Card after tallying 90 victories last season, making its first postseason appearance since 1982.

Johnny Bench will be 62 this year.  Pete Rose was thrown out of baseball 20 years ago.  Sparky Anderson is an old man with three rings from two leagues.  The team had two losing seasons from 1961-81—six less than they have had since 2000.  For a team whose future still seems a ways off, Reds' fans can remember the glorious summer of 1976.

Since going to a League Championship Series in 1969, only one team has swept the LCS and World Series in the same year—the 1976 Reds.  And they seemed to do it on cruise control.

This list was made after extensive research into the stats I believed to be the most important when it came to pitchers. I took a list of close to 200 candidates and looked at their career totals in Wins, ERA, WHIP, Saves, and Strikeouts. I then ranked each player in each of those categories. After that I looked at what they averaged in those stats per year. This ensures that we are looking at quality along with quantity. Next I weighted each stat accordingly, because lets face it, a save isn't as important as a win.

The Tigers' rotation is still somewhat in limbo.

Justin Verlander is the staff ace, and obviously Leyland's No. 1 starter. It appears that Edwin Jackson may have pitched himself into the No. 2 slot, to be followed by Jeremy Bonderman (if healthy) and Armando Galarraga.

It is the fifth slot in the Tigers' rotation that has Jim Leyland and Dave Dombroski scratching their heads.

Dontrelle Wills or Nate Robertson was supposed to be the answer for the fifth rotation spot, but until recently, neither has had a strong spring.