2011 MLB Spring Training

It seems like every year the San Francisco Giants enter spring training desperately looking for pieces to add on, not subtract. Guys who have nagging injuries stemming back to the previous season and a good number of non-roster invitees end up making the team.

Uncertainty came with those players (a lot of it) and the Giants' plans often went awry.

It's no secret that fans get excited by the sight of new uniforms. They love new jerseys, and why wouldn't they? They're new, they're fresh, they're vibrant and they're fun.

Some changes are minor. Some changes are major. But the best part about new uniforms is that they bring instant success.

Disclaimer: Results may vary.

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Replacing a legend is no easy task. Just ask Chris "Izzy" Cole, Mark Wahlberg's character in Rock Star, who failed to live up to the hype Bobby Beers set forth as the front man of Steel Dragon.

The decision about who will comprise the back of the rotation just got a little easier for Kirk Gibson.  One of the three players vying for the fourth and fifth spots the rotation, Zach Duke, was injured on Saturday after taking a line drive off his pitching hand.  He suffered two broken bones in the hand and will be out six to eight weeks.

This past Sunday, I found myself transported from the rains and dreary snows of late winter to the cloudless skies of Arizona—temperatures blazing in the mid-80s. For a moment, the bracket announcements of March Madness were put on hold as I had the opportunity to see the Cactus League in live action at last. The distinction was difficult to make; was it March or midsummer?

The baseball world, and Boston in particular, is abuzz over the Red Sox bullpen this season.

Recently, Terry Collins has surprised everyone by naming Luis Hernandez his starting second baseman. Hernandez is a young switch-hitter who has nice ability at the plate, but has had limited time in the major leagues.

In a move that is quite different from what Neftali Feliz said last week, he now wants to be a starter.

With the resent outing of Tommy Hunter, the Rangers could do worse in the starting rotation.

But why the new change of heart for Feliz? Seems that Feliz has added a new pitch to his already impressive set of pitches—a fast ball cutter.

So the Yankees missed on Cliff Lee twice—first when the Mariners decided to trade him to the Rangers and again when he decided to sign with the Phillies. 

However, neither time can be attributed to lack of effort or offers from the Yankees. In both situations, the Yankees offered enough, if not more, to get Lee—first offering a No. 1 prospect in Jesus Montero and then offering too much money for too many years. 

The latest news out of Port St. Lucie is that Luis Hernandez has won the job at second base and is manager Terry Collins' choice to be the Opening Day starter.

Regardless of whether or not Sandy Alderson allows this to happen, one thing is certain:

It looks like Daniel Murphy is on the move to a new position. AGAIN.