2011 MLB Spring Training

When camp broke, St. Louis Cardinals prospect Matt Carpenter seemed destined to start the 2011 season as the third baseman for Triple-A Memphis.

The Philadelphia Phillies have proved to be the class of the National League in recent years.  Their successes have included two World Series appearances (one title) and four straight NL East crowns.  As of late, they've done everything possible to keep the proverbial "window" open for as long as possible.  With winning comes more money; money that the Phillies have spent more and more freely.

The Toronto Blue Jays were the league leaders in home runs in 2010, and it looks like they are starting to re-establish that trend in Spring Training.  Jose Bautista and Adam Lind hit their first home runs of spring against the New York Yankees on Friday, which helped power them to a 10-3 victory.

They joined Edwin Encarnacion and Eric Thames as Jays that have already hit one home run each, while Brett Lawrie and Rajai Davis have both hit two so far.

Throughout the process of Spring Training, I intend to bring you a weekly update on the progress of key Atlanta Braves' players and of the team as a whole.  As we all know, Spring Training is a situation in flux, so the status quo changes every day, much less every week.  So, in an attempt to better inform the reader and the fan, I'll be bringing you week by week updates on the progress of players, coaches thoughts and more!  So, stay tuned and you might just learn something.

The Tampa Bay Rays have prided themselves in having strong pitching in the past few years, from Scott Kazmir, to Matt Garza to David Price.

Price, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, James Shields and Jeremy Hellickson, the entire rotation for 2011, were all drafted by the Rays. Now that's called a stockpile of talented arms. But there's more on the way.

Trouble at the Top?

Spring training is spring training.  A time for fans to slather on the sun screen, throw a towel down on the outfield lawn, and try to suck down a cold beverage before it becomes a lukewarm cup of swill.

Hanley Ramirez: When he has played in at least 140 games in a season, Ramirez has averaged a .313 AVG, .385 OBP, .520 SLG, .906 OPS, 25 HR, 78 RBI, 112 R, 187 H, 39 SB and 108 SO.

Troy Tulowitzki: When he has played in at least 120 games in a season, Tulo has averaged a .301 AVG, .372 OBP, .533 SLG, .906 OPS, 28 HR, 95 RBI, 98 R, 162 H, 13 SB and 107 SO.

During the 26-year career of Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, he struck out 5,714 batters, a record likely to never be broken. Ryan also gave up a record 2,795 walks.

However, this time Ryan was not about to give a free pass to Texas Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg. The Ryan Express just rolled through Arlington, TX, and Greenberg was Ryan’s latest victim.

Hot on the heels of the Cliff Lee acquisition, the Philadelphia Phillies entered spring training as favorites to reclaim the National League crown. With Lee joining Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, and Joe Blanton, the Phillies should have the rotation locked down.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, the team isn't without questions as it prepares for the regular season. Turnover in the bullpen, spring training injuries, and the loss of key players and coaches during the off-season has left the team with several potential headaches to sort out.

As Carlos Beltran continues to nurse a sore knee and Fernando Martinez, Lucas Duda and Kirk Nieuwenhuis keep getting reps out in right field, Cory Vaughn should be the long-term solution for the New York Mets' vacant right field position in the future.