Opinion

As we push through the latter parts of Spring Training, player news and updates will have more and more impact on our Fantasy Draft Day plans.

With this week winding down, here are some insights:

Chase Utley, PHI.

With the status of Grady Sizemore uncertain for Opening Day, and Austin Kearns' off-the-field issues still pending, the Cleveland Indians have turned to a relatively unfamiliar face this Spring Training for stability in the outfield: Travis Buck.

Buck has logged 39 at-bats this Spring Training, tied for first on the team, while appearing in 13 games. 

For the second year in a row, Travis Wood enters a three-man race for the last two spots in the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation. Wood is coming off an impressive rookie campaign and is preparing to take another step in becoming a solid pitcher.

Wood, the 24-year-old pitcher, seems to play with more experience than his age. His Major League debut was at Chicago in Wrigley Field where he threw seven innings of two-run baseball.

On Friday, the New York Mets released second baseman Luis Castillo with a year remaining on the four-year, $25 million deal he signed after the 2007 season.

To be fair, the marriage between Castillo and New York was doomed from the get-go. Mets fans never really took to Castillo, booing him on Opening Day despite a strong 2009 season, and poor performance egged on by injury killed his career as a Met.

The Florida Suncoast Dome was completed in 1990, and even then the facility quickly become outdated; a stereotypical 1980's multi-use domed stadium whose architecture was bland at best.

21 years after its completion, Tropicana Field now serves as an ugly reminder to Rays fans that a city with notorious Napoleonic Syndrome will fight tooth and nail to make sure the team honors its 30 year stadium lease and does not move across the Bay to join the regions other professional sports franchises.

As I was watching today's spring training game on SNY between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, Mets GM Sandy Alderson spent some time in the broadcast booth with Kevin Burkhardt and Keith Hernandez.

Alderson was asked by Hernandez about defense vs. offense at the second base position with the earlier release of Luis Castillo.

A few years ago, the Florida Marlins acquired infielder Wes Helms from the Philadelphia Phillies, who absorbed the remainder of his salary.

The Marlins only had to pay one dollar. 

Now there is another player that the Marlins can pick up for the equivalent of the Dollar Menu item at McDonald's.

This morning when I woke up and went online I did not expect to see any major news regarding the Mets.  However, I was stunned when the headline on Metsblog read, “Mets release Luis Castillo.”  I thought this day would never come.  And then the thought hit me: Maybe this new front office does have a clue. 

The Philadelphia Phillies are the solid favorite with Las Vegas oddsmakers to win the 2011 World Series.

But they might be overrated. 

The Phillies have a star-studded starting pitching rotation and a lot of big names but might not be quite as good as everyone thinks.

Age is a Problem

There's been no shortage of drama in Philadelphia Phillies camp, specifically in regards to the health of an aging club. When Brad Lidge and Placido Polanco joined All-Star second baseman Chase Utley on the sidelines this week, the city of Philadelphia went into what some would consider panic mode.

With little middle-infield depth, are the Phils in a bit of a bind?