On this date in 1995, the 28 owners unanimously approved the addition of two new franchises: the Diamondbacks and Devil Rays. The clubs were assigned leagues in 1997 and started play in 1998. Here are the box scores for the first game in D'Backs and D'Rays history. With the regular season just a month away, let's round up the latest from around the web…
- Rum Bunter interviewed Pirates GM Neal Huntington about the A.J. Burnett trade.
- The Todd Van Poppel Rookie Card Retirement Plan interviewed Jonny Gomes, Collin Cowgill, and Josh Donaldson of the Athletics.
- Athletics Farm interviewed Athletics director of player personnel Billy Owens.
- Raise The Jolly Roger is thrilled about the Andrew McCutchen extension.
- Pirates Prospects wrote about the long-term impact of McCutchen's deal.
- Buried Treasure explored McCutchen's trade value.
- Redbird Rants celebrated Yadier Molina's contract extension.
- STL Cardinal Baseball presented an alternate reality for the Cardinals.
- The Brewers Bar looked at the Brewers history of extensions (part one, part two).
- Disciples of Uecker notes that the Brewers depth will get a chance to shine early in the season.
- Call to the Pen wrote about Yu Darvish's impressive Spring Training debut.
- Phillies Nation says the Phillies can afford both Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino, but not a third baseman.
- Twins Fan From Afar looked into how "true aces" are acquired.
- BoSox Injection believes it would make sense for the Red Sox to bat Kevin Youkilis leadoff.
- Puckett's Pond thinks the Twins bullpen has a chance to be just fine.
- Dr. Stangeglove thinks moving Neil Walker to third base is a bad idea.
- South Side Sox says the White Sox don't have much wiggle room for their bench.
- The EntreprenOriole wrote about the best defensive catcher in baseball.
- Levi's Landing analyzed the Giants baserunning.
- NASORB published a list of the Mariners' top 25 prospects.
- Baseball GMs wrote about players deserving of qualifying offers (part one, part two).
- Hume's Jays Bullpen proposed a realignment plan.
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I’d rather have an all star third baseman than Victorino but they don’t exactly grow on trees.
They’re probably better off using some combination of Wigginton/Galvis for 2013 and waiting for a big fish like David Wright to hit the market.
I doubt the Mets let him hit the market in free agency but in a trade maybe. Not sure if the Mets would really trade him within the division unless they increased the package of prospects that he should net.
What happened to Polanco? He’s not the greatest third baseman out there but I’d still take him – assuming he’s healthy – over Wiggy and especially Galvis. You need production from third base, and Galvis isn’t there yet.
Makes all the sense in the world to bat Youk leadoff.. Play station to station baseball, when you have speedster’s like Ells, CC and Pedey on the team and Youk is only faster than Ortiz and *maybe* Salty.
Sure, he might give the team a leadoff HR as a bonus, as Johnny Mac used to say as a pathetic excuse for hitting Evans leadoff, then Mac had no options really back then either.. Cafrado and that writer have lost their collective marbles.. Especially when this 2012 team has 3 people who can hit leadoff with speed and all 3 are viable options, whereas Youk is the sole RH power bat who NEEDS to be in the middle of the order, providing protection to Gonzalez and Ortiz.