K.C.'s bullpen 'heated' and ready to go
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comThe Royals' bullpen should be a strength in '09, but their starting staff will need to improve for them to be legitimate contenders.
Story | Conversation | March 19, 2009Cubs now a much more balanced team
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comA short-lived run in each of the past two Octobers pushed the Cubs to balance their lineup better for 2009.
Story | Conversation | March 09, 2009Looking for competition? Here you go
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comPlenty of competition battles around the big leagues as spring training begins in earnest.
Story | Conversation | February 16, 2009Winners and losers at the time that were short-lived
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comLooking back at nine deadline trades over the past decade that are perceived differently in hindsight than in the immediate aftermath.
Story | Conversation | July 30, 2008K-Rod could take aim at single-season saves record
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comAs he piles up one save after another, the Bobby Thigpen Chase is officially on for Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Story | Conversation | June 26, 2008Ortiz not letting his slump get him down
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comDavid Ortiz, mired in a terrible slump, admitted his night off Sunday was necessary for him to 'go back to being Big Papi again.'
Story | Conversation | April 13, 2008Slow starters in April who rose to play in October
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comStarting 9 looks back through baseball history and pays homage to nine April laggards who found their mojo in time to play in October.
Story | Conversation | April 08, 2008Identifying those who have a lot to prove in '08
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comFrom Mark Prior to Miguel Tejada to Andruw Jones, some players will be more motivated than usual to perform at a high level in 2008.
Story | Conversation | December 18, 2007Nine players who need to step up
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comWho are the potential difference-makers for contending clubs down the stretch? "Starting 9" focuses on players who could play pivotal roles.
Story | Conversation | September 12, 2007Starting pitching among keys for up-and-down Dodgers
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comFor the Dodgers to play in October, it's going to take some work, a little luck and a better team than the one that sputtered its way through the first 127 games.
Story | Conversation | August 24, 2007AL Central looking like a battle royale
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comWith the Tigers, Indians, White Sox and Twins looking like contenders, the AL Central is shaping up to be baseball's toughest and deepest division.
Story | Conversation | May 14, 2007A whole new ballgame for some players
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comSeven big leaguers are going to school in the desert this spring and learning a new position.
Story | Conversation | March 08, 2007Hype can get lost in translation
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comPredicting whether a player from Japan, Korea or Taiwan can cut it in the American major leagues is a complex proposition.
Story | Conversation | February 15, 2007The best and the worst of times
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comJerry Crasnick runs down the best-case and worst-case scenarios for each of the 30 teams heading into the 2006 season.
Story | Conversation | March 27, 2006Sizing up which teams belong on top
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.comLeading with the defending champion White Sox, Jerry Crasnick picks the six division favorites as spring training gets underway.
Story | Conversation | February 15, 2006TOP SEARCHES IN OCTOBER
NFL Expert Picks tops ESPN.com searches in October. Did "combine" make the list?
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