On December 15, 2010 word was received by many that Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller had passed away at the age of 92. Immediately I heard and read opposite opinions about Bob Feller – to the point that I decided to find out more about the Heater from Van Meter. Here is what I found…

Let’s get some of the specifics out of the way. From Van Meter, Iowa , Feller made his major league debut at the ripe old age of 17.  In 1938 Feller set a then major league record, striking out 18 in a game. In 1940, Feller became the only major league pitcher to throw a no-hitter on Opening Day. In fact by the age of 23, Feller would have 107 career wins and over 1,200 strikeouts. How hard did Feller throw?  Well in a 1946 game, Feller had a pitch clocked at 107.6 mph. Dizzy Dean was once quoted as saying, ” That sounded like a strike.”

But on December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor forced Bob Feller to put his major league career on hold.  Feller became the first major league player to volunteer for active duty. An interesting note, Feller was exempt from active duty because his father was dying of brain cancer. But Feller felt “it was a war we had to win” and still volunteered for active duty. Feller served for 45 months, ultimately missing 4 major league seasons.

Feller returned the major leagues and in 1946 he finished 26-15 with 348 strikeouts. More impressive – Feller had 36 complete games during the 1946 season. Considering that current Major League players might have 36 complete games for a career – makes the number that much more impressive.  In 1948  Feller help lead the Cleveland Indians to their last World Series – sorry Pat. In 1956, Feller retired from baseball with 266 wins,  2,581 strikeouts and a lifetime ERA of 3.25.

In retirement Feller remained in the Indians organization, doing public relations work for almost 40 years. Feller was  fiercely outspoken and it wasn’t always complimentary. When recently asked about Stephen Strasburg,  Feller was qouted as saying, ” Check back with me when he’s won 100 games”.  When asked about Mark McGwire, Feller responded with ” I know a bum when I see one”.  His opinions about Muhammad Ali were less than flattering. Feller protective of the game of baseball has been relentless on Pete Rose and was a known advocate of Rose remaining banned from the game.

One thing is for sure – Feller will be widely remembered by many in a variety of different ways – a teen sensation, a patriot,  the best pitcher of his era, opinionated and possibly arrogant. In the end, the Cleveland Indians have a lost a hero and MLB has lost an ambassador.

This image is way better in real life than Hi-Def

The 21st century remains one of those ambivalent time periods where some have perhaps moved on too quickly, leaving history and physical labor in the dust, while others seem determined to stay stubborn and be the anchor to everyone else’s sail.

Me? I’m conflicted daily. I’m one of those types that feels like he should have been born in the early 20th century yet sees the value of technology and utilizes it.

If the early 1900s were a job, it might have recruited like this: strong work ethic required; optimism and enthusiasm a must; dilly-dalliers need not apply. That’s probably because my grandfather, a former prisoner of war and all-around workhorse, helped raise me.

I’ve become somewhat numb to the fact that certain human skills continue to diminish. Like, say, human contact and dealing with issues face-to-face. Just post your problems on Facebook or send a text.

My complaining aside, I felt as if human interest in things not required to be digitized hit a new low when I read Mark Mravic’s article entitled Extreme comfort zone of home viewing is impossible to beat. (A more fitting title would have been “Dear Life: I Give Up. Sincerely, Apathetic Sports Fan”).

I guess I’m an avid sports fan. It consumes my life in more ways than just being a fan. But for most red-blooded Americans, being a fan initiates us to the largest fraternity in the world. It’s solidarity, yes, but it’s also a human experience soaked in emotions, imagery, and so much more that I just can’t put my finger on all of it.

Just as some religions require a pilgrimage, sports has its own sacred journeys. Every year we plan to visit our favorite team’s home or some piece of sports history so we can say “I saw it; I experienced it.” Heck – for most of us, it is spiritual!

In Mravic’s piece, he claims that watching a game at home is a more comfortable and thus more enjoyable experience than actually attending the game. His defense comes in form of a rainy New York Giants-Jets game.

By watching the game at home, he saved time, money, and the discomfort of a balmy and rainy evening sitting huddled with thousands of other vociferous and opinionated New York fans.

Has it really gotten to that point where we’d rather simulate experiences?

Mr. Mravic: I’m sure your high definition flat panel television with surround sound made that game quite realistic. Unfortunately, no matter how advanced it becomes, technology will never replace the human elements we can only get from each other, and in this context, sports.

Had I sat home and watched the Cleveland Indians from the comfort our hotel suite, my dad and I would have never seen Jim Thome hit 3 homeruns from our overpriced nosebleeds. We would have never high-fived so spontaneously that it continued on to other strangers next to us, only to realize that for the first time in my thirteen years, we physically shared an emotion.

No matter the weather, the game experience - sights, sounds, smells, emotions - is well worth it

Had I sat home and watched from the toasty warmth of our house, we wouldn’t have sat on a crowded bus to see the Buffalo Bills play the Miami Dolphins. I wouldn’t have froze in the stands while watching my favorite team lose to my hometown one.

I wouldn’t have sat as a young child and experienced the passion of 80,000 fans sitting in freezing weather to cheer on their home team (albeit with some expletive-laced rants) because it represented a part of their grit and hard work. I wouldn’t have started to appreciate what I actually had at home instead of coveting everything I saw on TV thinking it was somehow better than where I was or what I had.

Had I sat home and watched from my cushy couch, I wouldn’t have seen that final game at Silver Stadium in Rochester, NY, former home of the AAA Red Wings, as proud homegrown fans cried and cheered all in the same breath. I wouldn’t have realized that big isn’t always better, and that sometimes if you don’t experience it for yourself, it’s gone before you actually had time to enjoy it.

Had I sat home and watched from my recliner with a cold beer, I wouldn’t have been able to tell my kids that I saw Michael Jordan play and score 20 points in a quarter. I wouldn’t have witnessed the smile on my brother-in-law’s face, a soldier and huge Jordan fan, as he watched Jordan announced while sitting in the free seat that I offered him. I wouldn’t have learned as a young adult that giving is actually better than receiving.

Had I sat at home and watched my beloved alma mater Temple University defeat nationally ranked Tennessee on its home court in North Philadelphia, I wouldn’t have realized the power sports and generations it can cross and affect.

I wouldn’t have driven six hours with one of the kids I coached to sit next to my former coach and stand with them and cheer as a bunch of players we didn’t know persevere. I wouldn’t have realized that positive role models don’t just affect the next generation, but generations thereafter as they mold their heirs to be the teachers, parents, and leaders.

No, those experiences would not have come within the context of sports. I could have saved a bunch of time. Certainly saved a ton of cash. Although . . . the life lessons seem few and far between from my 45 degree angled view of the television.

Maybe I would have eventually learned them elsewhere. Consequently, however, should I have learned them in some other realm of life, then that would mean that sport exists only to entertain.

If that is true, then I’ll sit right there in my recliner and watch along with Mr. Mravic. I know that is not the case, though. My experiences have proven otherwise.

So I suppose a more suitable title for this piece would be: “Dear Life: I’m All In. Sincerely, A True Sports Fan.”

The beautiful unobstructed views of Progressive Field

by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell

SATIRE – The Setting: A Cleveland Indians publicist welcomes the sparsely scattered media to an Indians’ press conference. The club’s owner Larry Dolan walks out and addresses them.

“Good afternoon everybody.

I called this press conference today to address the faithful fans of the Cleveland Indians. We are currently in the midst of another disappointing season, sitting in last place in the division and nearly 20 games from our rivals, The Detroit Tigers, and current division leaders, the Chicago White Sox.

As a result of our on field failings the past few seasons, our attendance has declined steadily since 2007. We currently risk averaging less than 20,000 fans per game for the first time since 1992, back when the team still called Cleveland Municipal Stadium home.

Contrary to popular belief, I want the Indian organization to be as successful as you do. I can only hope to someday return to the prominence we experienced in the mid and late 1990s where we became the first Major League ballclub to sell out before the season even started.

And that is why we’re here today.

I recently found myself out on Ontario Avenue when my phone rang. I answered and after about a minute of conversation, the phone call was lost. This has in fact happened on several occasions with my new iPhone 4 from AT&T.

Frustrated once again, I reached my office in Progressive Field and turned on the news. Coincidentally at that exact time, I caught a news story on the newest version of the iPhone. Dropped calls have become a common complaint amongst many consumers.

Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, announced a press conference to address this issue. But alas, I found out that there was a way to fix this problem in a more frugal manner (which, contrary to what some fans want to say, is not a euphemism I use for “cheap”).

Apparently, if you stick a small piece of duct tape to the lower left side of the phone, it will fix the problem of inadvertently disrupting the signal on the new antenna.

That’s why it surprised me that Steve Jobs wanted to spend money when all I have to do is find some duct tape. That’s like keeping a promising pitcher who’ll just ask for more money when his contract is up.

So for you Cleveland Indian fans, here is what I propose to fix our attendance issues: “Tribe Tape.”

A single 6-inch piece of duct tape (choose between red, blue or white) bearing the logo of your favorite team! Choose between Chief Wahoo, the fashionable cursive Indian “I,” or a throwback logo.

This will be handed to you at the gate, at which time you should immediately find your seat. Once there, place “Tribe Tape” over both of your eyes, sit back, and enjoy Cleveland Indians baseball again!

I’m sure some of you are thinking that there is a better solution; this was my exact thought when I heard about using duct tape on my $300 iPhone. However, you won’t realize the benefits until you try.

Just think: you no longer have to feel constrained by knowing the score, who’s up, or which inning it is. In fact, our public address announcer won’t even use player or team names when colorfully describing the action to you!

Anyway, your eyesight is just one of the five senses you can use at the ballpark. Plus, I saw this special on the Discovery Channel once where if you take away one of your senses, it enhances the other four to animal-like capabilities.

By June of every season, the crack of the bat will pop louder in your ears. The National Anthem and seventh inning stretch will resonate like an opera house. The hot dogs will taste juicier. The smell of peanuts and cotton candy will permeate through the air to tickle your nose. And the frosty cold beer in your hand will feel like you’re gripping an icicle.

“Tribe Tape” won’t take away from the game. No, no – it will actually intensify your baseball and Indians experience, all without having to witness the blooper reel that is our team.

Oh – before I forget – for you special fans brave enough to sit in foul ball territory, a replica Indians helmet garnished with a softball facemask will be waiting for you in your seat to prevent any visits to the dentist after your family outing to the ballpark. This, however, needs to be returned to the seat upon the game’s completion. We’re not made out of money like some companies, eh Apple?

But wait, there’s more! “Tribe Tape” will not only be to your benefit at the ballpark, but can allow you to keep that oblivious feeling at home. The next time you open up the sports page at the kitchen table, just apply “Tribe Tape” to the whole American League Central standings!

And as a precautionary measure, I’d also like to suggest purchasing an additional piece of “Tribe Tape” for a the low cost of $39.95 to apply over the “trades and transactions” portion of your sports page. That way, we will no longer crush your hopes and dreams during the trade deadline again!

So you see, Tribe fans, it will be okay to purchase tickets for the whole family for a Cleveland Indians game again. If duct tape can fix my $300 phone or affix my rear light to my car, then it’s good enough to fix our team! We don’t need to make like Steve Jobs and pour money into a misfortunate dealing.

You can come to the games without having to worry about whether or not you’ll see a catastrophe of a game. Simply put “Tribe Tape” on and cheer on the Tribe like it’s 1995!

And before I close, just in case anyone from the Pittsburgh Pirates or Baltimore Orioles is watching, “Tribe Tape” is a patent pending product.

Thank you for your time. It’s a beautiful day for a ball game! Go Tribe!”

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

ZacKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK Grienke grabs my POTW. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out a team record, 15 batters as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Cleveland Indians (sorry Rey), 6-2.

Of his 117 pitches, Grienke threw 77 for strikes while breaking a 21-year old record set by Mark Gubicza.

The Orlando, Florida native improved to 12-8 on the season (has since won #13) and an American League-leading 2.43 ERA.

Grienke etches his name in Royal pitching lore along with Bret Saberhagen, Dennis Leonard, Paul Splittorff, Dan Quisenberry, and…have I forgotten any.

Who gets your POTW?

AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams

Philadelphia Phillies’ second baseman, Eric Bruntlett, found redemption Sunday and earned my POTW.

Bruntlett snared Jeff Francouer’s line drive and completed an unassisted, walk-off triple play as the Phils defeated the New York Mets, 9-7.

Francouer’s hit looked like a sure single, but Bruntlett found himself in the right place at the right time foiling the Mets’ double steal attempt.

New York’s Angel Pagan reached on a three-base error to open the ninth. Pagan scored when Bruntlett mishandled a ground ball by Luis Castillo.  Bruntlett had his first shot to redeem himself when Daniel Murphy hit  a ground ball to the right side of the infield. The Phillie second baseman could not make the play, and Murphy reached with an infield single.

Francouer gave Bruntlett another chance, and this time the Phillie second baseman made good on his opportunity. Bruntlett grabbed the line drive for the first out, stepped on second to erase Castillo, and tagged Murphy to end the inning and the game.

Not since 1927 has anyone completed such a feat in MLB. On May 31, 1927, Johnny Neun, of the Detroit Tigers, turned the game-ending triple play as the Tigers downed Cleveland 1-0.

Who gets your POTW?

Kel and I come in a close second to this week’s POTW.  Starting Friday morning 8am – we loaded our two daughters with a semester’s full of gear, travelled over 1,500 miles to two campuses and returned home today by 2pm.

Yes, we loaded Ceil’s gear and shuffled off to Buffalo on Friday. The family returned to New York’s Queen City on Saturday for freshmen orientation activities at Canisius College. That night Ab, Kel, and I loaded the pick-up again. Sunday, we headed for Ohio’s Queen City, Cincinnati. We reached the Xavier University campus shortly after noon. We managed a couple of trips to grocery and department stores before returning to Rochester this afternoon.

How many miles to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center?

I arrived at the park about two hours before the game’s scheduled 7:05 start time, so that I could take in all that this modern baseball venue has to offer. It was 83 degrees and sunny, by far the nicest weather I’ve experienced since probably last September. The temperature held pretty well throughout, dropping to only 73 by the completion of the game at approximately 10:20. Unfortunately, the attendance was a pretty unimpressive 22,829, especially considering how pleasant the weather was and the fact that this was their second game—and first night game—of the season.

I seem to have a thing for happening upon dollar hot dog nights, as Rangers Ballpark had a similar special to the one at Minnesota when I visited there last summer. However, where Minnesota asked that each customer limit themselves to two $1 dogs, and the special was only good for the first couple thousand sold, Texas only had a limit of five per customer per trip to the concession stands…as if we needed any more evidence that the Lone Star State is all about being bigger and “better” than everywhere else. Believe it or not, someone actually told me that they built the state capitol in Austin to be exactly one square foot larger than the U.S. Capitol building in Washington DC.

I took full advantage of this bargain and ate five hot dogs, three prior to the game and two more about half-way through. These dollar hot dog nights are pretty much the only times I eat hot dogs at the ballpark, as I simply refuse to pay four dollars or more for an item that it takes five of to fill me up. Beer, on the other hand, is an item that I’m generally willing to overpay for. After all, if I would have to pay $4.50 for a soda or a bottled water, why not pay a few more dollars to alter the state of my mind a little? I wasn’t expecting much, however, considering this was Texas—not exactly the nation’s capitol of craft brewing.

After bypassing a number of beer vendors selling only Bud Light and other typical offerings—as well as a couple of “Beers of the World” stands that featured Heineken, Corona and Red Stripe in addition to mostly American selections—I found my way to a “Beers of Texas” stand. Again, not expecting much, I purchased a 24-oz. Texas Red for $8.50. It was nothing impressive—maybe a hair better than Killian’s Red—but, considering the weather, it kind of hit the spot. When I arrived at my seat with the amber-colored brew, a couple nearby asked me where I got it, then complained that the Rangers said they were reducing the prices of concessions this year, but apparently had reneged on this promise.

Later, I tried another craft-style offering called ZiegenBock Amber, which was a slightly better value at $7.50 for 22 ounces. A poster advertising this beer at the concession stand claimed “Only Texans get it”, but the lady who sold me the beer—after I told her I wasn’t from Texas—said she’d make an exception. I guess the advertising slogan was correct, though, as I was slightly less enamored with this one than with the Texas Red. As I found out later, ZiegenBock is an Anheuser Busch product available only in Texas.

The design of the stadium was as impressive as many of my favorite newer venues, including Camden Yards, PNC Park, Miller Park and the new Busch Stadium. The concession areas were uncongested and I never had to wait in line at the rest room, although the relatively smallish crowd certainly contributed to this. My seat was down the first base line, as I opted for a different perspective than my usual view—when you’re buying one ticket you can sit almost anywhere—from behind home plate. The seat provided a similar vantage point to that which I enjoyed in my last trip to Camden Yards about five years ago. I sat in the fifth row, basically directly behind where the ball girl sits—and I had an excellent view of the game action as well—with the seats in this section turned about 45 degrees so that they were angled to face the pitcher.

One aspect that I was less than impressed with was the Legends of the Game Museum, which required a $6 admission. My first thought was…what legends? However, it appeared that the exhibits paid tribute to more than just the home team, but considering I had recently—less than two months ago—spent three days in a row at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, and it was getting pretty close to game time when I discovered the museum, I decided to pass. I learned later that the exhibits include over 100 items on loan from the Hall of Fame. So, in hindsight, I really can’t criticize the $6 price, but having been at other stadiums that have nicely done areas that celebrate their teams’ all-time greats, I’m feeling a bit put off by the required admission.

In the game itself, the Rangers once again had tremendous success against one of Cleveland’s dual aces–the pair described by my Tuesday counterpart as one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball–roughing up Fausto Carmona for six runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings, en-route to an 8-5 victory. Texas’ attack was paced by two monster home run blasts by Nelson Cruz, who could well be on his way to becoming the team’s next emerging offensive star, following last year’s breakout seasons by Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler. It’s too bad that they can’t occasionally produce such a talent from the ranks of their pitching prospects.

When Texas catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia left the game due to an injury in the 8th inning, I was reminded that, not only does he have the longest name in baseball history, but backup Taylor Teagarden is no slouch in that department himself. The two team up for possibly the strangest pair of names among the ranks of major league catching duos.

Due to my leap back into fantasy baseball this year—and the fact that I otherwise had no real rooting interest in either of these teams—I found myself pulling for Cleveland’s relievers to accomplish a different type of hold than the kind that appears in the box scores. Trailing by three runs—and twice seeing that deficit extended to four, then subsequently reduced to three again—I was desperately rooting for them to keep their team within three through eight innings. They granted me my wish, which gave me the opportunity to witness one of my fantasy relievers, Frank Francisco, vie for his (and my) first save of the season. Francisco entered the game to a song that I can best describe as Dominican electronica—a far cry from “Enter Sandman” or “Hell’s Bells”—then looked more than a little shaky in his successful effort of closing out the second victory of this young season for the home club.

Following up Chas’ insightful analysis of the National League, let’s take a look at how the American League is stacked up for the 2009 season.

East

Baltimore Orioles – Current GM Andy McPhail is mid stream in his rebuilding process of the Orioles. The O’s locked up Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis to long term contracts -  a step in the right direction for the O’s. The 2009 starting pitching staff is questionable to start the season with Jeremy Guthrie, Mark Hendrickson, and newcomer Koji Uehara. But don’t fear O’s fans, help should be on the way by mid season with top prospects Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta just about ready for the major league level. Adam Jones and Luke Scott round out a young OF. Top Prospect Matt Weiter was sent down to start the season – but for how long?

Boston Red Sox – Now that the Manny Ramirez fiasco is behind them,  the Red Sox appear primed for another run at a World Series title. David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew appear to be healthy – can they stay healthy and can they be productive? The Red Sox added pieces to their bullpen, which for better part of 2008 was inconsistent. Ramon Ramirez and Takashi Saito were added  and Justin Masterson was left in the bullpen. Starters Brad Penny and John Smoltz were brought in to battle for the #5 position in the rotation. Penny has been throwing well, but can he hold up? Where will Smoltz go when he is ready in June? The Red Sox farm system is loaded with pitching, starting with Clay Bucholtz, Micheal Bowden, Daniel Bard, and Junichi Tazawa. Will one of them be traded during the season if the Red Sox offense falters?

New York Yankees – Much was made about the Yankees and their spending during the off-season. But there is no doubt  the Yankees addressed some major needs. Gone are  Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu. Players that symbolized the Yankees recent frustration in not winning the World Series.  A-Rod’s off-season was welcome documented, and had to have surgery to take care of a cyst on his hip. However, the torn labrum remains – how will that affect his play when he comes back?  A-Rod, Mark Texiera and Jorge Posada should be extremely formidable . Sabathia and Burnett have been added to what is quite possibly the best rotation in MLB.  Wang,  Pettite and Chamberlain round out the rest of the rotation. Questions remain with the bullpen – not with the closer, but can Marte and Bruney bridge the gap between starters and Mariano? How will A.J. Burnett respond to playing in New York?

Toronto Blue Jays -  If any team took a hit this off-season it was the Blue Jays. A.J. Burnett left for the Yankees,and  young pitchers Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan are potentially out for the season with shoulder problems. Both could be back by the end of the season, but if the season isn’t going anywhere – look for the Jays to shut them down.  However Roy Halladay remains and expect him to be a workhorse for the Jays. Lineup remains formidable – led by Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Scott Rolen.

Tampa Bay Rays – Last year’s surprise team, the Rays look to build off a season that got them to the World Series.  Look for Evan Longoria to be a MVP candidate. Carl Crawford is healthy and looks to have a bounce back year.  The rest of the lineup is strong with Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton, offseason acquisition Pat Burrell and Akinori Iwamura. Starting rotation is strong with Jamie Shields, Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza and an underrated Andy Sonnastine.  Top prospect David Price was sent to the minors to start the season, but should be back up to take the fifth spot in the rotation.  Closer is slightly suspect with Troy Percival taking the reins. Grant Balfour, J. P. Howell and Dan Wheeler round out a good bullpen. With such a strong AL East, can the Rays build off last year?

Central

Cleveland Indians -  The Indians look to rebound from a disappointing 2008 campaign. The lineup, led by Grady Sizemore is formidable and will be even stronger if Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner can return to form. Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona create one the best 1-2 punches in baseball at the top of the rotation, but can Scott Lewis, Carl Pavano and Anthony Reyes fill out the rest of the rotation? Jake Westbrook is on the mend and beginning to throw. His return in May/June should provide stability for the back end of the rotation. Kerry Wood was brought in to be the closer and should eliminate a huge need for the Indians.

Chicago White Sox -  A team that is balancing rebuilding and making a run for the World Series at the same time. Carlos Quentin, Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko anchor a lineup that lead the American League in Home Runs last year. But the lineup also has youngsters such as Dewayne Wise, Alexei Ramirez, Josh Fields and Chris Getz.  How will manager Ozzie Guillen handle the youngsters if they struggle early? Starting rotation is anchored by the veteran Mark Buehrle and youngsters Gavin Floyd and Jon Danks. Can Jose Contreras make it back from the Achilles injury of a year ago? Bullpen is solid with Bobby Jenks, Matt Thornton and Scott Linebrink

Minnesota Twins – Lineup is made up a combination of speed and power which suits the Metrodome. Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer lead the offense and the Twins are counting on Joe Crede and Michael Cuddyer to provide big bats behind Morneau. Starting rotation is young, but was solid last year. Francisco Liriano leads the rotation and is a year away from Tommy John surgery. Liriano could be a Cy Young candidate this year. Nick Blackburn and Scott Baker were welcomed surprises last year and certainly hope to build off 2008.  Bullpen is solid led by closer Joe Nathan.

Kansas City Royals – This could be this year’s surprise team. Off season additions of Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs provide additional speed, power and defense to solid lineup. Alot of Royals’ success in contingent on Alex Gordon who has been compared to George Brett. Time for Gordon to step up and take the next step.  Gile Meche and Zack Greinke lead a decent Royals rotation. Greinke has been mentioned by experts to be a potential Cy Young candidate this year.  Bullpen is strong led by Joakim Soria.

Detroit Tigers -  Another team that is balancing rebuilding and making a run at title. The offense lead by Curtis Granderson, Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez and Placido Polanco. Is Cabrera ready to take the next step, as experts are touting MVP and Triple Crown potential for him. Starting rotation is a mess, as Jeremy Bonderman and Justin Verlander try to return to form. Both Bonderman and Dontrelle Willis start the season on the DL.  In the meantime, can Verlander and Armando Galarraga tread water until both get back.  Can Edwin Jackson provide stabilization in the lineup. Tigers replaced Todd Jones as their closer with Brandon Lyons. Joel Zumaya begins the year on the DL, but should be back relatively soon to help out Fernando Rodney and Bobby Seay.

West

Los Angeles Angels – The Angels lost out in the Texeira Sweepstakes and were probably the team hurt most by it.  Offense again is lead by Vlad, Tori Hunter and addition Bobby Abreu. For as much as Vlad swings at the first pitch he sees, Abreu should offset him with his deliberate approach at the plate. Is Chone Figgins healthy and ready to wreck havoc at the top of the lineup?  Starting rotation is strong but Mike Scioscia has to be concerned. Both starters John Lackey and Ervin Santana start the season on the DL, and Kelvim Escobar is coming off an injury from last season.  Can the rotation hold up until all 3 are healthy? Brian Fuentes was brought in to replace K-Rod. Bullpen is solid with Fuentes, Scott Shields and Jose Arredondo.

Oakland Athletics -  When looking at the A’s roster, one would believe there are mixed messages. The pitching staff is extremely young. The only pitcher of recognition is Justin Duscherer and he starts the season the DL. But Billy Beane is well… Billy Beane and has added veterans to the lineup. Jason Giambi and Matt Holliday pack a solid 3-4 punch in the lineup. Can Orlando Cabrera conform to Beane’s style of offense? Holliday, who is a free agent at the end of the year just on a 4 month stop in Oakland?

Texas Rangers – Some what of a same story scenario is Texas. All hitting and suspect pitching.  Lineup is stacked from hitters 1-9, led by Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Ian Kinsler  and reclamation project – Andruw Jones. Youngsters Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis have the ability to hit 30-40 HRs apiece this year. Is catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia ready to take the next step and become a star.  Starting rotation is lead by Kevin Millwood and Vincente Padilla. If Brandon McCarthy,  and Kris Benson can provide something at the back of the rotation, this team could make a run at the AL West.

Seattle Mariners -  A team that largely stood pat for much of the off-season. Offense still centers around Ichiro, but Ken Griffey Jr., Franklin Gutierrez,  Jose Lopez and Adrian Beltre will be counted on. Beltre is in a contract year and the last time that happened, he hit 46 home runs that year.  Felix Hernandez leads a pitching staff that could be strong.  If Erik Bedard lives up to his promise – could provide a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. How Carlos Silva, Jarrod Washburn and Ryan Rowland-Smith hold how the back of the rotation, remains to be seen. Can Brandon Morrow replace J.J. Putz who was traded to the Mets? If not, it could be a long season for the bullpen.

Following the Rockies’ trade of Matt Holliday to Oakland, the biggest name on the hot stove trading block is, of course, the San Diego Padres’ Jake Peavy. With the Padres clearly in rebuilding mode, having recently rescinded a contract offer to all-time saves leader and San Diego lifer Trevor Hoffman, there appears to be no chance that they’ll hang onto Peavy. The Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs are the current front-runners in the Peavy sweepstakes.

Peavy apparently is trying to have his cake and eat it too. Since he has a no-trade clause, and can veto any deal, he wants to make sure that his new team doesn’t give up too much in the process. The Braves seem to be the team that is working the hardest to get a deal done, with shortstop Yunel Escobar’s name being mentioned most frequently. San Diego will be looking for more than Escobar, though, and it doesn’t seem likely that Atlanta is willing to part with the young pitching–i.e. Tommy Hanson–that the Padres want.

Chicago, on the other hand, seems to have the pitching–although they’re certain to be stubborn about the availability of Jeff Samardzija–but no position player of Escobar’s caliber. It may turn out that, if either team wants to land the biggest fish on the trade market, they may have to include a third team in the deal. Otherwise, Barry Axelrod, Peavy’s agent, may have to turn to the other teams on his short list. So, it doesn’t appear right now that there’s any certainty as to where Peavy will end up.

What does seem certain is that the Cubs are ready to place a greater emphasis on starting pitching in their off-season pursuits following yesterday’s acquisition of Kevin Gregg from the Florida Marlins. With Gregg and Carlos Marmol, the Cubs have two potential candidates for closer, and have informed Kerry Wood that they won’t be attempting to re-sign him. Look for the Cubs to be serious about bringing back Ryan Dempster, but don’t rule out the possibility that they could still acquire Peavy or pursue the relatively under-valued free agent Ben Sheets instead.

Speaking of Sheets, one comparison I’ll be keeping an eye on this off-season, and in the seasons to come, is his relative value to A.J. Burnett. Baseball executives seem to have short memories, but other than this past season, Burnett’s health is not any less suspect than Sheets’ is. Plus, I’m a big fan of strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Sheets’ career mark of 3.85 is vastly superior to Burnett’s 2.25. Also, Sheets’ career ERA+ (park/league adjusted ERA) of 116 (16% better than average) tops Burnett’s 111. If I were a GM, I would be much quicker to sign Sheets to 2-3 years at $30-40 million than I would be to pay Burnett $65-75 for 4-5 years.

Who doesn’t need pitching?

I don’t really intend to answer this question. I’m not sure if there, in fact, is an answer, but the Cleveland Indians certainly aren’t it, even after Cliff Lee’s remarkable season that landed him the AL Cy Young Award yesterday. Following Lee in the Tribe’s rotation is Fausto Carmona, whose sub-par 2008 can’t be blamed entirely on injury problems. After that, it’s a crap-shoot, with Anthony Reyes, Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey among the top candidates to hold down the fort after the departures of CC Sabathia and Paul Byrd, and with Jake Westbrook out until at least mid-season due to Tommy John surgery.

While starting pitching is certainly a need they can’t afford to overlook, the bullpen seems to be the current focus of Cleveland’s off-season plans. Jensen Lewis finished last season as the Indians’ closer and, while he’s a candidate to maintain that job, there are also rumblings about interest in free agent Trevor Hoffman and the Rockies’ Huston Street, one of the players they acquired in the Holliday deal. Despite a down year in 2008, don’t count Rafael Betancourt out of the Tribe’s bullpen plans, and Rafael Perez should be back in the mix as well.

The Indians could also use another infielder, preferably a second baseman who would allow them to move Asdrubal Cabrera to shortstop and the defensively challenged Jhonny Peralta to third. Brian Roberts’ name has been mentioned in trade rumors, and his addition would also allow Grady Sizemore to be moved out of the leadoff spot, but don’t expect him to come cheaply. Colorado’s Garrett Atkins has been mentioned as a third base option as well. If neither of these deals happen, don’t be surprised to see the return of Casey Blake.

The catching position is considered to be where Cleveland has a surplus of talent. One option would be to deal Kelly Shoppach to fill one of the aforementioned needs, and stick it out with Victor Martinez as their full-time catcher. An even more ambitious move would be to trade Martinez, and possibly fill more than one of their major needs. Neither of these players will be easy to part with, especially Martinez, but this may be what it’s going to take for this team to enter 2009 with anywhere near the level of optimism they had going into 2008.

Last, but certainly not least, as far as the Cleveland Indians are concerned, is the question of what to expect from Travis Hafner in 2009. Can we expect anything approaching his 2005-06 level of performance, or is Hafner’s career on a steep decline? I promised last week that I would not use a particular dirty word in this column, so I’m not going to speculate as to why Hafner is no longer the player most of us thought he was going to be. I haven’t completely given up on him yet, so I’m going to predict that his performance will return to a level that approximates what we saw from him in 2007 (24 HR in 545 AB, .266 BA, .385 OBP).

Other Items on the Burner

Of course, you all know that Evan Longoria and Geovany Soto were named AL and NL Rookies of the Year, respectively, and that the Cy Young Awards went to Cliff Lee (AL) and Tim Lincecum (NL), all deservedly so. Also, it came as no surprise that Joe Maddon won the AL Manager of the Year Award, and there was no major controversy with the NL Award going to Lou Piniella.

A few other notable hot stove developments from late this week:

• The Yankees are expected today to make an offer of 6 years and in the neighborhood of $140 million to CC Sabathia.
• The Yankees acquired the versatile Moneyball-darling Nick Swisher, who achieved the dubious distinction of the lowest batting average in the majors in 2008 (among players with enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title).
• Randy Johnson filed for free agency, after being unable to reach a contract agreement with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Johnson is 45, and has 295 career wins, but don’t expect him to remain unemployed.
• Milwaukee Brewers closer Salomon Torres announced his retirement, at age 36, after recording a career high 28 saves in 2008.

Thanks for reading. See you next week.