Opinion

The 2008 sports scene in Seattle was something straight out of one of those bad horror movies like Hatchet, or the Saw Sequels.

The Seahawks missed the playoffs for the first time in recent memory, the Mariners were miserable, and we do not even have a basketball team to boo anymore because they currently reside in the 44th largest market in America, playing like my High School basketball team, who have not made the playoffs in 30 years.

Andy Martino is the new guy in town.  He’s beginning his first season on the Phillies beat for the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Martino let me know a little more about himself in our interview, Sunday afternoon.

SHAY RODDY: Where are you coming from?  What jobs have you had in the past?
ANDY MARTINO: I last worked for the New York Daily News, where I covered most New York teams: Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, etc.  For three years before that, I was a high school teacher in Brooklyn.

As Opening Day nears, the Dodgers still do not have their fifth starter in place, or do they?

Dodgers filled in their offense by signing Manny and Hudson to short-term deals. Though the Dodgers are still avoiding filling in the making of a true pitching staff to be a prominent contender in the west. 

The Dodgers have the offensive power to score three to five runs or more this season with a great starting lineup. Though, what about the pitching, is it capable of surviving a season without a true fifth starter?

The New York Mets' offense was noticeably anemic today in their spring training game against the Atlanta Braves. In their defense, most of the offensive stars are either playing in the World Baseball Classic or did not make the trip to Orlando.

Spring training is a time when possibilities are endless.

There's room for unheralded youngsters to raise eyebrows. There's room for grizzled veterans to latch on to new teams.There's even room for those whose best days were behind them to find new life.

Case in point: Corey Koskie.

Former Minnesota Twins' third basemen Corey Koskie is hoping to latch on with the Chicago Cubs as a non-roster invitee. He's been out of baseball for two-and-a-half years with post-concussion syndrome.

This year, doctors say he's fit enough to give it a go.

And now, starting in center field, for your Atlanta Braves...

Who will that be opening day?  I don't know.

Spring training is coming to a close very quickly.  We knew going into spring that center field would be a tough battle between Josh Anderson, Gregor Blanco, and prospect Jordan Schafer.

Anyone that follows the Braves farm system knows the name Jordan Schafer.

It seems that all the management will say is, "We want to be responsible and let him mature at Triple-A before bringing him to the big club."

The Houston Astros made a splash in free agency this week signing catcher Ivan Rodriguez to a one-year deal. Now don’t expect that all of Houston’s problems are solved and they have everything they need to reach the promised land. The move does however improve any chances Houston had at a division title or the wild card far more than anyone realizes.

The report is very disconcerting for Atlanta Braves fans.

Chipper Jones strained oblique muscle is only getting worse after reaggravating the injury trying to come back and play for his country.

He has finally decided to head back to Braves camp in hopes that he can be ready to play in a few days.

Some early reports stated that Chipper might not be available until opening day, but the latest reports—and even Chipper himself—said that he should be back within the week.

Coming from the Southeast, I am surrounded by three "fandoms": Braves, Red Sox, and Yankees.

I side with the first.

With this, came the natural hatred of the New York Yankees.

They seemed to be the polar opposite of my beloved Bravos. They always spent a TON of money and never really focused on their farm.

However, with the gradual evolution of my love of the game of baseball came the gradual increase of respect for the Yankees.