2010 MLB Spring Training

Manager Joe Girardi and the Yankees staff evaluated the entire spring training and came to the same conclusion I did: Phil Hughes should be the fifth starter.

Hughes beat out Joba Chamberlain, Alfredo Aceves, Sergio Mitre, and the recently released Chad Gaudin.

Girardi has been very impressed with the much-improved changeup that Hughes has been using and working on throughout the spring.

Chamberlain, Aceves, and Mitre are all now competing for spots in the Yankees bullpen. Nobody, including Chamberlain, is guaranteed a role. Each player will need to earn it.

The Yankees cut five more players from the big league camp yesterday: outfielder Greg Golson, righties Mark Melancon and Jonathan Albaladejo, and infielders Juan Miranda and Kevin Russo, according to Marc Carig of The Star-Ledger.

The cuts of Miranda and Russo have pretty much cemented the Opening Day bench, ensuring a spot for Ramiro Pena.

With spring training almost over, it’s time to take a look who is tearing up both the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues.

Here are the Spring Training All-Stars...

(All stats are through Wednesday, March 24.)

C—Mike Napoli, LAA—.313/5/9/.405

If Mike Scioscia had any faith in Napoli behind the plate, he could hit 40 home runs during the regular season. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that will ever happen.

Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett missed his start on March 14 when he came down ill.

He made his scheduled start last Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he pitched in a weakened state and was largely ineffective.

So all eyes were on the big Texan this afternoon in Bradenton—hoping to get some indication as to whether he will be ready to take the ball on Opening Night against the Yankees, just 11 days from now.

We wandered in here the week of the UW vs Arizona State game after walking two miles from 3rd and Mill to East Apache Blvd. and Rural in 100 degree weather, in search of liquor and food. Fortunately for us, this place specializes in both.

The Baers Den is a must stop if visiting just for Game Day or for Baseball's Fall and Spring training camps.

The thought is that I would do a follow-up to my article that was written on October 22, 2009.

We spent 11 days in Tempe for Spring Training and St. Patrick's day in the desert.

If you have paid attention to the Orioles this spring, you know it hasn’t been pretty.

After crushing the Tampa Bay Rays in the opening game to spark Oroles fans’ excitement, the Orioles have look mediocre.

The Yankees are expected to announce this morning that Curtis Granderson will indeed become their starting center fielder and will not play much left field, if at all, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.

Granderson roamed center field in all his years with the Detroit Tigers, but there was speculation that the Yankees would move him to left field after general manager Brian Cashman made the claim that Brett Gardner might be the best defensive center fielder in all of baseball.

Perhaps the most amusing topic of discussion this spring as position players fight for roster spots is a stipulation of Ronnie Belliard's agreement with the Dodgers and manager Joe Torre: Lose weight, gain a roster spot.

That's right. The Dodgers want Belliard—just not as much of him.

As the 2009 season came to a close, no one was more prominent of an influence in the Dodgers' playoff run than Ronnie Belliard.

According to Ed Price of Fan House, the Yankees have placed right handed pitcher Chad Gaudin on waivers. There are four scenarios that can happen now and only one involves him pitching with the Yankees in 2010.

With Daisuke Matsuzaka’s late start and Clay Buchholz’ fine spring performances, the 2010 Red Sox’ starting rotation is achieving some predictability: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, and Tim Wakefield.

That’s five.

Although not as finalized, a bullpen is forming that centers around Daniel Bard, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez, and Jonathan Papelbon.