I think it's probably a lot easier to play without a book on you. There's just so much uncertainty and it appeas we may have our hands on an actual asset. It doesn't make sense to me to undermine his full development with sporadic play against a particular kind of major league pitching. Especially when he could be the long term CF/SS solution we've been seeking.

This reluctance to cut bait on non-players is getting in the way of guys who seem to be legit assets. Masset instead of Wasserman. Crede instead of Fields. Ramirez taking a spot on the big club's bench seems to be similarly short sighted. On the whole, I still very much appreciate KW's talent for acquiring...um...talent, but it seems like this spring especially he's really gotten a little bit pigheaded about his perception of a few players.

I wonder if JRE (welcome back!) or SSH will feel the need to expound upon and expand the extent of the aforementioned pigheadedness.

I don't see the utility of keeping Ramirez with both Uribe and Ozuna on the roster. They'd be much better served with Ramirez playing SS/2B in AAA and getting a bunch of at-bats and keeping Fields to platoon with Thome. Plus a year of scouting Ramirez in AAA would let the Sox know for sure if he can play SS in the bigs next season.

What I think will happen this season is that Ramirez will be the 4th OF and backup CF. Anderson won't be on the team.

I think Wasserman will be in AAA and Masset the long man. Coop said today they don't want specialists. Wasserman is a ROOGY, whereas Masset is equally ineffective against LH and RH hitters. So clearly, advantage: Masset.

I think Crede is on the Sox till August when he gets flipped for an A-ball reliever. It's a catch-22 situation. If Crede is lousy he has no trade value. If he plays well, the Sox will be reluctant to trade him. The only scenario that works to get Crede traded quickly is if he plays very well and the Sox fall out of the playoff race immediately. I don't see both happening.

So we are going to see a steady dose of Jessie in the lineup, including him facing lefties down in the lineup. I can't wait to see how effective two scraps starting ( Ozuna and Jessie) do in a lineup. Hawk will talk about how speed doesn't slump.

Hopes this season.

1.) Cabrera has a great season so he becomes a class A free agent. We don't sign him, and he goes to a good team so we get the 1st round pick.
2.) Owens gets replaced by Quentin soon. Ozzie talked about OBP, which basically is a buzzword that he doesnt believe in. He mouthed it, but when push comes to shove multiple speed guys is the answer for tough situation. Grinder speed guys short on talent overcome all.
3.) Crede is replaced by Fields. I understand that KW wants a good player for Crede, but that ship has sailed. Dump him as soon as possible and move on.
4.) We truly take the top talent at number 8 in the 2008 draft. I could care less who his agent is, how much money it will cost, or if we upset Selig. Our minor leagues are wrecked and we need impact players. If KW drafts a pitcher it better be a high schooler throwing mid 90s with some killer peripherals. Outside of Alvarez, it better be a high schooler with top skills. I could care less if Boras represents the guy, get Hahn to negotiate, pinch your nose and sign the talented kid.
5.) Move Dye to Left Field and/or dump him to another team.

Cowley says Ozzie/Kenny may take another couple of days to decide certain positions. I take that to mean "try and trade BA/Uribe/Konerko/" before going North. Or maybe they just want BA to have a couple of 0fers so they can justify his AAA demotion.

Anyway, if last year was a team of spare parts, have the spare parts been at least upgraded?

The A's will start Ryan Sweeney, but not Mike Sweeney, in Tuesday's season opener against the Red Sox.
A couple of surprises. Ryan Sweeney gets the nod over Chris Denorfia despite having the weaker spring and entering camp as the underdog. Mike Sweeney figured to be the DH in the game, but the A's will go with defense instead and put Emil Brown in left and Jack Cust at DH. The full lineup is: RF Travis Buck, 2B Mark Ellis, 1B Daric Barton, DH Cust, LF Brown, SS Bobby Crosby, 3B Jack Hannahan, C Kurt Suzuki and CF Ryan Sweeney.

Ken Rosenthal wrote:

Just over a year ago, the Blue Jays signed center fielder Vernon Wells through 2014. Now, they are on the verge of locking up right fielder Alex Rios for at least that long — and possibly longer.

Rios, 27, is close to signing a six-year contract extension, according to major-league sources. The deal, expected to be in the $65 million range, will include an option for 2015 that could push the total value closer to $80 million.

The contract will cover Rios' remaining two arbitration years plus his first four years of free agency. Rios is signed for $4.835 million this season. His extension would begin in 2009.

The White Sox in 2007 were 16-28 against Left-handed starters. That's the worst in MLB. Next closest were the Angels, Royals, Orioles, and Cubs, all tied with 19 wins.

Interestingly, though, the White Sox had the 2nd best record in MLB against the AL Central. (39-33). The Indians, of course, were far superior. (48-24). Maybe a surprise to some, but not to me, since I watched the games... the White Sox had the worst record against the NL among all MLB teams. (4-14). That included games against the Pirates.

The Giants were already extremely thin at all infield positions. Now they are pretty bare.

According to their team page, they have Aurilia starting at 3B, Bocock at SS (Vizquel is coming back from knee surgery), spring chicken Ray Ray at 2B and D. Ortmeier at 1B.

They could certaily use a utility infielder in addition to Crede.

Bruce Levine was on Waddle and Silvy this morning and mentioned that, if pressed, the Sox would admit that they think of Ramirez as their SS of the future. So that seems like good news at least. By 2010 the infield could look good with Fields, Ramirez, Shelby (hopefully he pans out), and Swisher left to right.

I'm still trying to figure out what to go with as my avatar. It's such a life-defining choice, too! I think I've got it scale down to an Albert Belle or Willie Harris photo but I can't find a top-class picture of either of them. Maybe I'll just go with my same facebook Pacman Jones image...

Oh, and I, for one, welcome our new SB Nation overlords.

"Hall update: No news yet, but more meetings"