MLB

Derek Jeter's range at shortstop has been scrutinized a lot in the media recently as Yankees writers are already worrisome of the Yankees' defense in 2009.  Frankly, it's pissing me off.

Hey peoples,

It's been a minute since I wrote last. Now that there is progress in spring training we can look at what the Yankees have...as far as you can with deceiving Spring Training numbers.

Basically, I am happy A-Rod had surgery. It is good for him, good for baseball, and good for Jeter's peace of mind, because he has been obviously angry with the press over this.

Any idiot can hear it in his replies; they are quick, biting jabs, not mad at A Rod, mad at the press for being gossip column writers instead of sports writers.

Hitters

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.

The New York Yankees came into 2009 with more depth on offense than any year since Darryl Strawberry came off the bench.

With the acquisition of Nick Swisher and the emergence of Brett Gardner in center field, head coach Joe Girardi had countless ways to mix and match a powerful offensive attack.

The signing of Mark Teixeira, however, was the first spark in an eventual flame out of Girardi’s plans.

It is impossible to question the signing of a dynamite offensive leader in his prime who also possesses top-notch defensive prowess.

Two or three weeks ago, I wrote an article that ranked every Center Fielder in the history of MLB, offensively. A letter grade was given to each player, and they were also put in order from 1-236.

I will do the same thing in this article, defensively—every Center Fielder in the history of MLB that played in at least 800 games.

At a later date, I will rank them overall, combining offensive and defense.

Team Puerto Rico reminded me of the 2008 Mets in the way they lost to Team USA.

Team Puerto Rico was leading Team USA 5-3 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Pedro Feliciano reminded me of last year, and to most Puerto Rico fans, it wasn't good. He did not have good command and put himself in a hole.

The Puerto Rican team had a chance to get out of it with a double play, but Carlos Delgado was pulled off the bag. It was all downhill from there.

The NEW York Yankees—out with the old and in with the new. With the recent acquisitions of "big name" players such as A.J. Burnett, CC Sabathia, and Mark Teixeira, the Yankees are beginning to show that they, as a team, are once again a "big name" team.

The Yankees, coming off a most disappointing season, are setting their sights on that precious World Series Championship, of which they have not had the honor of winning since 2000, when they defeated the Mets in the Subway Series.

Team USA is falling apart at the seams more each passing day, and last night, they suffered another blow. The game did and will continue to go on, but with few to no reserves, it is getting scarier by the minute. Reserves can and will be called on for the semifinals this weekend, but their effectiveness in this tournament will remain to be seen in front of the world.