Opinion

It’s not officially spring training for the Mets until the manager puts himself under the microscope for a questionable decision.

This year’s controversy came rather quickly, and it revolves around the centerpiece of the Mets franchise: Jose Reyes.

The frustrated Mets fanbase has been so accustomed to their star shortstop batting leadoff that they are unwilling to consider him batting in any other spot in the lineup.

In response to a realignment proposal for MLB reported by Ken Rosenthal, I could not help but toy with my own proposal. It may be a stretch, but I believe that it keeps the traditional and gritty League rivalries alive, along with expanding new horizons. The regular season schedule and playoff system may need to change for this to work, but that may be a different story. Enjoy.

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Enjoy it, Tampa Bay Rays fans.

Enjoy watching the greatness of No. 13 Carl Crawford, as he blazes the base paths, cracks the game winning homer, or makes that SportsCenter highlight catch.

Enjoy Crawford as he leads this Rays' team for one more shot at the World Series because at the end of this season, he'll be gone.

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Spring training is barely a week old and players are already complaining. Not in a "waah I want to play" sort of way, but more of a "can i get a little respect up in here" way.

Chris Dickerson told reporters yesterday that he doesn't understand why Drew Stubbs should automatically be penciled into the starting center field position.

"It's kind of angry and it's frustration and I know it's going to come out that way, I know," Dickerson said.

While Jayson Werth's beard may have you asking the exact same question, the purpose of this article is not to try and get inside Jayson's head (or beard); rather, it's to examine how much the Phillies right fielder would be worth on the open market and what is the most likely outcome.

I admit this analysis may be somewhat premature, as a second consecutive season similar to 2009 would certainly do wonders to enhance the man's value. Prior to his fine 2009 season, Werth wasn't exactly the model of consistency, nor the picture of health.

In the '03-'04 offseason, Aaron Boone, the Yankees third baseman who, the past season, sent the Yankees to the World Series on a homerun off knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to end a grueling, dramatic seven-game series with the Red Sox, tore his ACL in a pickup basketball game.

Thus, getting the Yankees to start looking for a new third baseman.

Thus, asking Alex Rodriguez if he'd be willing to move to third base to play for the Yankees.

Thus, eventually, making A-Rod a Yankee.

It proved to be a terrible mistake at first.

There are always warning signs to addiction.

Addicts often experience mental and emotional instability, changes in physical appearance, and a sudden rejection of family or friends.

Fans, then, are addicts.

First and foremost, we are fanatics, the root of the term “fan.” We cheer wildly in large groups of strangers for players most of us have never met. We dress up in costumes like children on Halloween to show our team pride.

And, for a brief few hours, we push away everything in our world that doesn't revolve around that day's game.

Friends, family, work?

A quick group "Aww" for that picture.

Awwwwwwwww!!!

Anyway, the term "Moneyball" was coined by Michael Lewis in his book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game .

The book is mainly about the Oakland Athletics' revolutionary (at the time) idea of using sabermetics to construct a competitive baseball team in spite of their payroll disadvantages.

I agree with White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen.

What is the big deal about a big league manager having a life away from the diamond and interacting with the masses via a popular social networking website?

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco is a regular presence on the evil Internet forum known as Twitter. So is Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal. Sadly, both seem to be more productive on Twitter than they have been on the field or court as of late.