MLB

The Reds beat up the Diamondbacks today, 13-7, while collecting 14 hits. Drew Stubbs, Jay Bruce, and Miguel Cairo had two hits each, while Bruce and Paul Janish each contributed his second homer of the spring.

The Good

The neon baseball-themed clock at Miller Park reads 2:30 on a warm July day in Milwaukee. At this time, most of the players are either reporting to the stadium or in the clubhouse or batting cages, taking a few swings.

But the oldest of them all is out on the field, shirt off, and iPod on full blast, undergoing intense abdominal and strength workouts that most of us could not do at the age of 26.

In the spectrum of not-so-breaking news, Tampa Bay Rays ownership is not a huge fan of their team playing at Tropicana Field, America’s favorite giant warehouse. Owner Stuart Sternberg said they’ve done all that they can to make the facility adequate, but it just does not invoke an ideal baseball atmosphere.

The Madison Bumgarner that made his major league debut last September wasn't the same Madison Bumgarner we had heard so much about the past two years.

Instead of the low-to-mid-90s heat he used to blow away South Atlantic League hitters in 2008, Bumgarner was barely hitting 90 in his first career start. There was no specific reason as to why the readings on the radar gun was showing 88 or that it was showing 92 and 94.

The New York Mets' farm system has been lacking ever since they acquired Johan Santana from the Twins.  Their farm system began to get ranked near the bottom of the best farm systems. 

It was hard for the Mets to rebuild their farm system but it seems like they have been doing a pretty good job.  Fernando Martinez, Ike Davis, and Jenrry Mejia are looking like the Mets' top prospects.

With Spring Training beginning it's third week of play, a lot of interesting questions have sprung up around Giants' camp in Scottsdale.

1.) Is Madison Bumgarner going to start the year in San Francisco or Fresno?
2.) Is Fred Lewis going to be traded or released considering he has no minor league options left on his contract?
3.) When will Buster Posey supplant Bengie Molina in the starting lineup next season?

This article was originally published at TheDailyCub.com , my blog that covers all things Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs' outfield has been extremely expensive over the past couple of years, and the team has failed to get its money’s worth as they sign free agent after free agent to big contracts without much, if any, improvement.

Today’s edition of “Fish Bytes”, the Miami Herald’s daily blog that covers the Florida Marlins, says that the club had a scout in Fort Myers yesterday watching Mike Lowell throw the leather at first base. As was reported here last night, Lowell made his spring training debut at first base in the game, going 1-for 2 and playing three innings in the contest.

Lowell played seven seasons with the Marlins from 1999-2005 and was a very popular player both in the clubhouse and in the community. He hit .272 with 143 HR and 578 RBIs while with Florida.

Once the obvious first two rounds are drafted, the GM of your tiny team must begin to look deeper into your own knowledge of the sport.

Players begin to be less of stars and more of knowledge. The stats from previous years can often lie, you often try to stay away from losing records by pitchers and hitters that were injured or didn't hit more than 20 home runs or hit over .275.

Heres a hint for you. If the pitchers switch teams, the ERA will stay the same but the Win column will improve.

If the hitter is hurt, 75% of the time he will get better.

The Giants through the years are best known for home runs and heartbreak.

Four of the top 23 players on the career home run leaders’ list hit the bulk of their bombs while playing for the Giants.

All-time leader Barry Bonds hit most of his 762 homers in a Giants' uniform. Willie Mays (660) and Willie McCovey (521) did the same.

When Mays became the National League’s career home run king in 1966, he surpassed the mark of New York Giants' Hall of Famer, Mel Ott (511).