A sad story gets a little sadder
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...reminded of the day I turned against Barry Bonds. It was almost five years ago, during spring training. Bonds was on crutches -- he would wind up playing only 14 games that season -- and for...
Blog | December 08, 2009Right team, wrong Rookie
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...News' Joe Stiglich: The award caps an improbable ride for Bailey, a roster long shot in spring training who wound up making the All-Star team and setting an Oakland rookie record with 26...
Blog | November 17, 2009Red Sox will never 'rebuild'
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...much talent they've already got locked up, I can't imagine the Red Sox entering spring training without a viable plan for winning 95 games (or more) for the fourth straight season
Blog | November 13, 2009Will Wakefield be back in 2010?
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...guys like John Smoltz and Brad Penny. Well, forget the speculating. Of course they'll enter spring training with more than five starters. And No. 6 isn't likely to be Paul Byrd, who...
Blog | October 16, 2009Chris Coghlan's big second half
Rob Neyer, SweetSpotA little-noticed nugget, courtesy of Elias: Chris Coghlan capped his torrid second half with three hits on Sunday and he finished the season with 113...
Blog | October 05, 2009Royals find new way to lose
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...Maybe he just hasn't been indoctrinated yet. Maybe a winter of contemplation and a spring training of stern managing will convince him to adopt the Ways of the Royal. Except ... Well, there...
Blog | September 30, 2009Who will start for Rangers in 2010?
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...but manager Ron Washington said that that rookie duo will have to earn a spot during spring training. "Once we get to spring training, everyone's going to be competing," he...
Blog | September 22, 2009Does five-man rotation still make sense?
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...to the next level. Money quote: Why not instead be proactive? Consider the following scenario. During spring training, or the offseason, or better yet at the minor league level, a team does a full...
Blog | August 28, 2009Mariners just flat can't hit
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...t hit don't hit with guys on base. There's no approach, no spring training drills, that teams that can't hit can use to become way more awesome with...
Blog | August 25, 2009Abreu boosting teammates?
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...manager Mike Scioscia and hitting coach Mickey Hatcher put a renewed emphasis on plate discipline in spring training this year, it was largely focused on some "alarming trends" Scioscia said he saw...
Blog | August 24, 2009Five reasons to love baseball
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...free agency rules forced Raines to sit out the first month of the season and miss spring training. Raines, on May 2, 1987 against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, on the "...
Blog | August 07, 2009Better to be good than lucky at shortstop
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...Gonzalez to a one-year deal for $2,682,592 just prior to the start of spring training. Although Gonzalez didn't hit much (.255/.299/.397), he was spectacular in the field...
Blog | August 05, 2009Royals' Aviles lost for season
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...failed to heal through rest. --snip-- He began experiencing forearm and elbow soreness this season in spring training and batted just .183 in 36 games before going on the disabled list after the May...
Blog | July 01, 2009Uncle Lou's misplaced concern
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...closer's job has been a hot topic since the decision was made late in spring training. So Piniella was quick to stress there is no closer controversy -- yet. 1. Gregg's...
Blog | June 25, 2009Marlins (still) need new 3B
Rob Neyer, SweetSpot...concluding with this: Having reached the majors for a brief look last September, Sanchez heads to spring training with an excellent shot at winning the starting first-base job. The Marlins dealt incumbent Mike...
Blog | June 15, 2009EXPLORE RELATED TOPICS
TOP SEARCHES IN NOVEMBER
Bowl Projections tops ESPN.com searches in November. Did "spring training" make the list?