First Trip...I like it!

Sorry for not writing...I figured since I was new to the organization, I should take time in Spring Training and in the early part of the season to observe (I've also been busy with Yakcy.com, so I hope you understand). I've certainly had the chance to do that and now I'm ready to start putting my thoughts down in the blog.

The start of the year was rough...I take that back, Opening Day was awesome. The Snuggy World Record? Not bad. The games that followed? Not so much. Granted the Twins and then the A's brought some great pitching with them in the first week of the year but the fact still remained there were too many talented hitters in the Angels lineup to have the lack of production that we saw in that first week. That coupled with some so-so starting pitching and some struggles out of the 'pen, certainly didn't help this team and its slow start...especially at home.

When you start the season at 2-5 and then have to look at a road trip that features 3 in New York (regardless of what the past record has been) and 3 with the red-hot Blue Jays, you quickly realize that the team needed to snap out of and do it in a hurry...otherwise you'd be in some serious trouble before returning home.

To me, the inspiration for this road trip came in the form of Joel Pineiro's start against the pinstripers. Many are still skeptical about Pineiro's return to the American League because of the offensive difference in league's and because Dave Duncan wasn't stuffed in Pineiro's travel bag when he signed his 2-year deal with the Halos. The fact of the matter is that sometimes pitchers change...they age and mature and realize the "gift" they were given at birth doesn't necessarily mean it's good enough to be really successful in the Major Leagues. Guys make adjustments all the time and Pineiro has found his niche...pitch to contact and let your defense do the work. Pretty simple but sometimes not executed. The thing that helped Pineiro against a very good Yankees lineup is the fact he got ahead and stayed in the zone all afternoon...he made them swing the bats. Conversely, Scott Kazmir's start that followed on Thursday was the opposite... a lot of deep counts, high pitch count and guys on base and that's usually a recipe for disaster for a team like New York.

So after losing 2 of 3 to the Yankees and rolling into Toronto with a record of 3-7, Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher made the call...get 3 straight quality starts from the top 3 in the rotation. Mission accomplished. Jered Weaver set the tone on Friday night by being as aggressive as he's been in his other two starts. He may not want to call himself an ace but he has taken the bull by the horns and embraced the role and that's a really good thing for this team. Joe Saunders followed on Saturday afternoon with no-hit stuff. I kid you not, if Brandon Wood comes up with a couple of shots down the line (one a double, the other an error), Saundo would've been flirting with the no-no...that's how good he was. And then of course Ervin Santana coming through on Sunday with a CG...his 6th of his career. The only thing better would've been a shutout but Adam Lind ruined it with his jack in the 9th. All in all, there were a ton of things to be happy about on this trip. Starters got it done, relievers starting to come around, offense getting on base and pushing the opposition with their aggressiveness and clutch hitting...which had been somewhat non-existent in the first week of the year but came to life north of the border.

So the boys return home now to a 10-game homestand beginning with the Tigers on Monday. The best thing for this team to keep it rolling is to jump all over Dontrelle Willis in game 1 and never let up. It's never easy when you have talented teams like the Tigers and Yankees rolling in (Indians are just not at the same level as those two) but the Angels have some momentum rolling right now and the onus falls on Pineiro to follow up last Wednesday's start and make it 4 quality starts in a row and more importantly, an even .500 mark with a win.

Just livin' the dream...

VR

Three Weeks from Opening Day!

I'm sitting here in front of my computer trying to figure out what to write about...it's three weeks until opening day and we're in the part of Spring Training where there's a lull. Teams have had some major injury news (Joe Nathan of the Twins, Russell Martin of the Dodgers, Jared Mitchell of the White Sox, Ryan Westmoreland of the Red Sox) while others have had to deal with the obligatory "nagging" injuries such as hamstrings, groins, sore arms and the like. Pitchers feel like they've been in camp for three months while position players are starting to ramp up their innings and AB's.

As fans, we just hang out holding our breath hoping none of our guys get hurt. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? We live and die with every moment and don't be fooled into believing broadcasters don't feel the same way. I don't want to hear from any of my fellow brethren saying they can set aside their emotions while calling games...I call bolshevik if they do.

I remember when I first started calling games in the big leagues (cue the music and flashback sequence)...ah yes, 2003. I arrived in Tucson, Arizona with my then pregnant wife ready to call Major League Baseball for the first time. I had just been hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks after spending two years working for the Newark Bears (independent ball). The thing about working in Newark was that I was in charge of putting the team together, so I really had a vested interest in what was going on down on the field. Well, with limited payroll and players, any time someone got hurt, I'd not only have to call the action as I saw it, but I'd also start jotting down notes on how I was going to find a replacement.

It really goes without saying (but since it's my blog, I'll say it anyway) but it got old and it got old quickly. It's really easy to put a team together BEFORE the season but not during the season. As games got checked off the schedule, the more frustrated I grew and the less patience I had (and I'm a relatively patient man....cough...NOT TRUE...cough). So not only did I want the team to win, I wanted them to not get hurt...so I was really living and dying with every pitch.

Back in Tucson, I got a chance to meet the guys and hang out for awhile. Pretty good team as they still had their veterans around: Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace and so on. Maybe it was the vision of the DBacks having won the World Series a couple of years prior to my arrival that had me pumped up about the season. I really had lofty goals for these guys (you know, cause MY goals for a Major League team carry so much weight). Anyhow, the season started and they had a mediocre April followed by another mediocre month in May...but all the while, any time something bad would happen, I'd get frustrated and pound the desk (I think you can probably go back and listen to some of those games and here big loud thumps sporadically in our broadcasts). I wasn't necessarily mad, I just hadn't yet separated myself from my role as a GM/broadcaster in Newark to just a broadcaster with the DBacks. And it wasn't until a lot of the young kids (Brandon Webb, Robbie Hammock, etc...the "Baby Backs" as they were called...brutal) came up that I realized I couldn't control what was happening on the field or in the clubhouse and at that point, I settled in as announcer.

Of course I still get emotionally attached to my team. I want them to win as badly as the next fan. In our profession, you're privy to the some of the inside jokes, nicknames, stories, etc that just happen during the course of the season. And because we spend so much time around them, we get attached...that's the draw about calling games for a particular team.

Anyhow, just wanted to drop some things on the blog. As we get closer and closer to opening day, my communication on here will pick up steam. I'm looking forward to getting out to Arizona next week and being around the club...I think I'm starting to have withdrawals...not good. Aside from that, my focus has been on getting ready for the move, working on my social interaction site and catching up on as much Angels baseball as possible. I'm feeling really good about the season.

Just livin' the dream...

VR

Dude, why are you leaving?

In the last 72 hours, I've received a number of incredible messages congratulating me on the move to Southern California. Whether it was a text or via Twitter or Facebook, everyone's been awesome. And even though it's only been a couple of days since the announcement, it's really starting to sink in how stoked I am about joining this organization. I say that because this was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make on the professional front. Why? I'm glad you asked...it's a little lengthy (even the CliffsNotes version), so sit back and strap it down. It's a story that only a select few know about.

I'm going to take you back to the Summer of 2008 when the Texas Rangers were in New York for a weekend series against the Yankees. Word had come out before the season that MLB Network was going to launch on January 1, 2009 and because I was happy in Texas and wasn't looking to move, I thought I'd try to meet with Tony Petitti (MLBN's CEO) to see if he'd consider me for some of the Thursday Night Baseball games the network was going to air. Even though all we talked about were the plans for the network and about my experience calling games, I told him how I wouldn't mind doing a couple of games a year on top of my duties with Texas. I left that afternoon impressed by a man who just knew what his vision was going to be and the means in which he was going to accomplish it. Oh, I almost forgot...before I left and with a shrug of the shoulders, I told him I might be interested in hosting shows even though I had no experience whatsoever. We shook hands, agreed to stay in touch and I went about my business. I thought to myself..."self, this was worth blowing off a round of golf in New York."

The '08 season came to an end and I never personally heard back from MLBN. I just figured they were extremely busy putting everything together and building out those incredible sets. Then one afternoon, while playing in a charity golf tournament before Thanksgiving, I received a call from a producer at MLBN asking me if I could fly up to Secaucus, NJ to audition. I kid you not..."audition? Audition for what?" Those were my exact words since I had just completed my 6th year of calling games in the big leagues. The producer then told me they wanted to see if I could host a show. I said ok, but the dates they were shooting for didn't coincide with my schedule since I was taking a family trip out of the country. I politely asked if we could do something when I returned. I promise, I wasn't "big-leaguing" anybody...and it could've been construed that way since my foursome that day included Ian Kinsler, Michael Young and Mark Teixeira. But I wasn't.

Now, not only was my golf game that day craptastically awful (the 50 mph winds didn't help), but I started to get the feeling I may have blown my one chance to show them how inexperienced I was in hosting. My only saving grace was the fact I was on a golf course and that I had heard rumblings the San Diego Padres wanted to fly me in to talk about their TV opening (Matt Vasgersian had left to go to MLBN).

After interviewing in San Diego, I received another call from the producer at MLBN asking me if I'd come up the Thursday after Thanksgiving for another audition round they were having. I said yes, of course. That audition was nerve-racking. It was the first time I sat behind a desk, looking at cameras and "hosting" a show/segment. Me, Harold Reynolds and Jeff Nelson (I knew Nellie from his Rangers days, so that made it easy). Then it was me, HR and Jesse Barfield...then Joel Sherman. I think I did ok...I don't remember much about it. During the lunch break (I'm not sure I ate), I was taken to the studios and given a tour by Tony and John Entz (MLBN's Executive Producer). As we were walking out the door to head back for the afternoon run of auditions, Tony says to me, "Ok, so I guess our next call is to your agent." Yeah, exactly...if I couldn't recall much of the first part of the day, the second part was spent in la-la land (not SoCal people, pay attention).

I left that afternoon, called my wife and asked her if she wanted to move back to New Jersey. That's how confident I was in MLBN making an offer. They did...the next day (a Friday). By Monday, it was essentially done. Everything was announced on a Wednesday (irony) at the Winter Meetings. My schedule was to fly up Sunday, December 28th and launch on January 1st. Oh...almost forgot...they wanted me to be the one that actually launched the network. SAY WHAT? That's how I felt for those three long days before the 1st. I had never looked at a "run-down", written script, read off a prompter, looked at multiple cameras or even hosted a show and now they wanted me to do all of that in front of 50 million people (so now you know why I had the deer-in-the-headlights look during our first several shows).

Just like anything else, you either sink or swim and if I was going to be in the water, I sure as heck wasn't going to go under. So I just figured it out. The patience of all of the producers and staff was incredible (at least to my face :)) and without that, I probably would've folded. Every day was a new adventure as we were writing the book on how MLBN would program and/or produce shows. "We're going to try..." became the call during the year and that's what you do when you launch something new. If you're not adaptable, your doomed. I fell in love with my work...it was about everything I had known my entire life, baseball. The "guys" at the desk were like my brothers, sitting around and talking the game...that's what made the shows easy for me. The technical stuff took awhile to get used to but the baseball stuff was cake.

I grew to love what I was doing. Hosting became easier and easier and I was getting a chance to do play by play on Thursday Night Baseball. I was, as they say, finding a groove. After the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis, we (my agent and me) talked about approaching MLBN about extending my contract. I had two contract years left on my deal and we had come to the conclusion that this is where we wanted to stay. So we opened the door with the network and they were receptive.

So...why leave? After everything I experienced, it wasn't until this Angels thing came up that it gave me time to reflect. I loved the fact it was the Angels, it was southern California (where I had lived and gone to college), it was being one of their fans, it was being in the clubhouse during the '88 season, it was playing in their system, it was play by play on television, it was back to one team, it was working with a cool dude like Mark Gubicza and many more reasons. But most importantly it was because it would put me next to my oldest daughter whose going to college out there and because Mr. Moreno (I promise I will learn to call you Arte) wanted to make a commitment to me and the family. After selling our house in Texas to move to New Jersey, the last thing that was on my mind was doing it all over again 15 months later. But ultimately, the draw was too much. Without getting too sappy, this opportunity is essentially the final piece to our personal/professional puzzle that allows us all to be together in the ultimate location with the ultimate organization. It's just right.

There you have it...told you it was a bit lengthy. I love MLB Network and the opportunity they presented me. I feel horrible about the timing because it puts them in a tough position so close to the season. But as you're aware of, nobody could've foreseen the circumstances leading to this "opening". Although I'm 100% vested in the Angels moving forward, I hope to keep my relationship with MLBN and possibly do some games and the like. They have the most amazing, talented people at the network and I will miss them dearly.

Hope that helps shed a little light into the decision. Not easy. Thanks again for the messages. I'm deeply appreciative of everyones support. I'm looking forward to getting out to Tempe in the next couple of weeks and getting into the flow of things...Angels style.

Just livin' the dream...

VR

Spring Training in Full Swing

Spring training is awesome! Now, I know I could've taken a ride on the information super-highway and visited thesaurus.com to look up another adjective, but what's the point? Awesome just captures the essence of this time of year for me. Where else can you get fairly easy access to players, coaches and managers on a baseball campus? Or take in a lazy afternoon watching a baseball game that many know doesn't really count? It all happens in spring training and for those fortunate enough to have partaken in this annual trek while in the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix area), you get to crush In-N-Out burger (or at least I hope you have or will eventually). See...I told you it's awesome.

Anyhow, I asked for questions via Twitter and Facebook and I'm here to provide you some answers. You may like the answers or you may not...it's the beauty of opinions. But one thing you'll get from me is honesty. I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you just to appease. With the disclaimers in place, let's get this thing started.

From Jason S. : Why do the Royals suck and continue to pick up players out of their prime...Jason Kendall, Scott Podsednik, etc.?

Jason, right from the get-go a "hot-button" issue for me...I think you're using a term that many Royals fans have thrown around for so many years and its because of frustration. When we were growing up in the KC area, Royals baseball was legit. Year in and year out, for the most part, you had a team that produced quality players and/or went out into the free agent market and plucked the "right" guy. That hasn't been the case over the last 15 years...save for Tony Pena's run in 2003 where he was dancing in the showers with his uniform on. But I digress...I just haven't figured them out. I can understand the signing of one veteran player or even two to "fill" holes but to go out and make commitments to the guys you listed above as well as Rick Ankiel, Kyle Farnsworth, etc is beyond me. At some point, an organization has got to get to the point of being able to sustain its Major League roster and that comes from drafting and developing. Billy Butler was a breakout in 2009 and now it's time for Alex Gordon to take the bull by the horns and show people that he's legit. Alberto Callaspo had a pretty good season for a young man and they go out and trade for Josh Fields and Chris Getz and Getz is listed ahead of Callaspo on the depth chart. Just bad decision-making as far as I'm concerned...who knows what type of player Mitch Maier or Alberto Callaspo are going to be unless you continue to run them out there, let them know you believe in them and let them play. The Royals aren't winning anything in the next couple of years, so what do they have to lose? Absolutely nothing. Instead the Royals faithful continue to go to the yard every 5th day to see Zack Greinke (whom I love but still think the Royals should trade in order to stockpile their roster) pitch and when it's Lady's Night or Fireworks Night...outside of that, good luck filling that gorgeous stadium.

Larry G.: What's your prediction on how my beloved Rangers will finish the 2010 season?

Larry, thanks for the question. I want to desperately believe that this is the year they get it done. Like any young team that's had players show "promise" during the season, the biggest question for Texas is their ability to repeat that performance. Can the "Swan", Scott Feldman hold down the #2 spot in the rotation after a great year? What about Tommy Hunter, Derrick Holland...will they continue to make strides? The organization is putting a lot of stock (and rightfully so) in those young men and you hope that the lessons learned in 2009 carry over. My biggest questions for Texas is going to be the health of Josh Hamilton in middle portion of that order and which Nelson Cruz is going to show up? The lineup, not the most patient in baseball, could potentially be deadly if those two guys produce. I believe the Rangers are in the position, for the first time in a long while, of favorites in the West. I can't anoint them the division winners as of yet...because that would ruin my "predictions" post later this spring.

Steve W.: Why are the Angels not signing Pedro Martinez and/or John Smoltz to fit their bullpen? They need some better arms in there. They should sign Jermaine Dye...it doesn't makes sense...they're all great fits.

Steve, I'm of the belief that you have to maximize your return and when it comes to both of these veteran arms, they may be more productive in a limited basis than full time. What I mean by that is we all saw what Pedro was capable of doing in short bursts toward the end of last season with the Phillies and he may be better suited to 12-15 start season towards the end of the year instead of wearing him out with 30 starts. I think the same could be said for Smoltz as well...the bigger question with John is what role is he looking for? Does he still want to start or work out of the bullpen? I hate to pigeonhole a guy, especially a future Hall of Famer, but I think he's best suited for the National League and maybe even as the swing guy...where he can start and also work out of the bullpen. I'd say the same thing about Pedro as well...National League. It'll all come down to how his arm is feeling and what the needs are of the teams interested...but as it relates to your Angels, what do you mean you need better arms our there? You've got to give some of the kids a chance to get it going...I love the arms on Matt Palmer and Kevin Jepssen...Scot Shields is supposed to be back and they added some depth with the signing of Fernando Rodney and the trade for Brian Stokes (from the Mets in Gary Matthews, Jr. trade). Angels will be more than fine...I still like them a lot.

Jim M.: Why hasn't Mike Arbuckle put together a better team in KC after all his magic in Philadelphia when he was working with Pat Gillick? Is he going to be a GM someday?

Jim, any time you make a move like that and it's about changing the system, you've got to give the guy a chance to put his stamp on things. He's only been in Kansas City for one season after being hired in November 2008, so there's still hope he can put his magic touch on the Royals after drafting Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Cole Hammels, etc for the Phillies and having built a perennial winner in the City of Brotherly Love. As far as whether or not he'll become a GM at some point? Many thought perhaps Philly was going to be the place for him but they opted to go with Ruben Amaro. Never say never in this game cause when you do, it happens.

Jason B.: What do you guys expect from Chris Davis and could we see Justin Smoak this season if he falters?

Jason the Rangers have a pretty good situation on their hands at first base. The hope, of course, is that Davis continues the strides he made after being demoted last season and is able to help the 2010 club. I think the "pressure" of knowing that Smoak is now just a phone call away, may be a little bit of a motivator for the big man (we wouldn't want to see another Jason Botts, would we? I never thought Botts would ever hit in the big leagues, but I believe Davis can). Smoak, the Rangers first round pick out of the University of South Carolina in 2008, is legit. Just think of another Mark Teixeira...I know, lofty expectations. One way or another, Smoak will be in the big leagues in 2010.

Greg R.: How about the Red Sox? We've got pitching and defense. I'm a little concerned about the offense...need Beltre and Big Papi to have big years.

What about the Sox? Nobody's really talking a whole lot about them, which is surprising. While I still think the AL East belongs to the Yankees, I truly believe the Red Sox could make things extremely interesting. Look, when your rotation boasts Josh Beckett, John Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Dice-K, you're in pretty good shape. I know people keep talking about the White Sox rotation but to me, the Red Sox starting five might just be the best in AL, if not all of MLB (1-5). I love the signing of Adrian Beltre. I think he's going to have a monster year offensively in that ballpark and I love him at 3B. I can see where your concerns are with the offense especially after the incredibly slow start Big Papi had last year. I think JD Drew needs to step up...I'll leave it at that. Red Sox will be tough this year.

Steve C.: Where does Hank Blalock wind up?

Unfortunately for Hank, it looks like he'll end up somewhere as a bench guy unless the market opens back up because of injuries. Hank's biggest downfall is the fact he's not a very patient guy at the plate...and more importantly, his swings and misses. I would imagine it's that, coupled with the fact he's now a first baseman that's limited his market. I think he needs to play every day in order to get him "fixed". The bench role, even as a "power" bat, might not work and just goes back to making contact. It may work better in the National League where he could at least get into a lot more games as a pinch hitter. I like "Hammer" and he's still relatively young, so somebody will give him a chance...

Kenneth A.: I'm a Yankees fan but why don't the Mets go after Blalock? They might need a backup plan just in case the whole Daniel Murphy situation doesn't work out?

Kenneth, I've listed my reasons on Blalock above and the Mets signed Mike Jacobs to compete for the first base job in NY. Thanks for chiming in...

@originalbC (via Twitter): Do you think the Yankees will repeat?

As World Champions? You never know but they are in a very good position to do so. I'm curious to see how the "tinkering" will work out. I'm also curious to see how guys respond after winning it all last year. Either way, how can they not be the favorites going into the season? They are pretty good.

@KevinGillman (via Twitter): Can Grady Sizemore become a 40/40 man after his injured season last year?

Kevin, as long as he stays away from snapping pictures in front of the mirror, anything's possible. In all seriousness, I just think that's asking way too much of the guy. I'm sure if you're thinking about 2008 when he flirted with it (33 HR/38 SB), it gets you excited about the potential if he's fully healthy. I think so many things have to go right for a player such as Grady (not the prototypical power hitter) in order rack up the power numbers. Not saying it's impossible.

@BleacherNYC (via Twitter): Do you think the Twins can be a World Series team? In Minnesota, everyone is excited about the team's chances?

Yes, I think they can be. You never count out what the Twins are capable of. It's a franchise that preaches fundamental baseball from the bottom on up. I like the DP combo of JJ Hardy and Orlando Hudson (somebody sign this guy to a long term deal) and was really impressed with the way Francisco Liriano threw the ball in winter ball. If he's back to where he was as a prospect, the Twins just picked up a number one starter...that's how good I think he can be. My biggest question for this franchise is going to be how they adapt to going from a HUGE home-field advantage in the Metrodome, to outdoor baseball. Philosophically you'd think they'd change in the type of player they might be scouting or signing but then again as the old saying goes...if it ain't broke, why fix it?

Thanks for all the questions.

Just livin' the dream...

VR

Our Great Game

I love baseball. I know you know but I wanted to reiterate it just in case somebody else actually stumbled by this new blog and wasn't sure. Because I love this great game, I'm extremely excited for spring training to officially kick off this week. The funny part about it is the fact that not much will be going on. That's right, I said it...there's not going to be a whole lot going on for the first week or so. But that's the beauty of it all...we are so consumed by this game that for whatever reason, we're thrilled when our players are finally in the same clubhouse again to begin working out.

Last night on Hot Stove, we started off the show with some footage from Boston Red Sox camp in Fort Myers, Florida. It was Terry Francona and Theo Epstein chatting; Clay Buchholz and John Lester throwing bullpens; and guys just smiling and talking with one another. THAT'S IT! That's all they were doing and when we were told of said footage during the pre-production meeting, we were ELATED! And the kicker to this footage? It was FRESH! Not stock footage from last year's 30 in 30, but actual new footage that was shot that day with a camera that perhaps was unwrapped as a Christmas gift in December. It was awesome (pardon the "Dude, Where's My Car" moment).

Anyhow, I'm pumped as I'm sure many of you are as well. It's the time of year where everyone has a chance...or at least, the fan base thinks it has a chance. You crave for the sight and smell of freshly cut grass, baseballs popping into the catchers mitt, wood bats making that sweet sound that takes you back to when mom was singing lullabies to you as a child to put you at ease. It's the time of year when you wonder "is this kid" going to be the next Mike Schmidt or just have a great spring training like Gary Scott once did. There are few disappointments unless one of your guys gets hurt.

So as you drift off into la-la land (no, not Paris Hilton's home) day-dreaming about your guys getting their bullpen sessions in and watching (on our Network of course) as the position players arrive for the first "full-squad workout", keep in mind a couple of things. Spring training wins and losses mean nothing. A no-name who's batting average is stupid good, should be met with caution. A veteran's numbers that are sub-par should not be looked at as negative...cause everyone knows vets do it their way.

Prepare yourselves for the "I'm just here to get my work in"; or "I'm not worried about my numbers as long as I get my at-bats"; or "I don't too much stock in..."; and the very popular, "I'm not worried about him, he'll be ready to answer the bell" quotes that will come out of spring training camps. They are always fun and always keep you guessing.

Ah yes, spring training is just about here and I can't wait anymore.

Just livin' the dream...

VR

Baseball Is...

Tuesday morning I woke up and felt like "connecting" with baseball fans that follow me on Twitter as well as the folks on Facebook. Oh, I've been connecting with my "followers" and "friends" for some time...actually since late May of last year when I finally decided to give social networking a chance. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be having "conversations" with people I really don't know...it's the beauty of the "space" we are currently experiencing.

Having immersed myself into Web 2.0 and all of its trappings, I found myself a couple of months ago with an idea...a concept if you will. While there any number of sites that are out there that offer a bevy of opportunities to "connect" and "network" with people, there wasn't one out there that met my personal interests...at least not in functionality. So I figured I'd do my own...and that's the "project" I've been working on.

Which brings me back to Tuesday morning. I love reading all the different articles out there on how people have connected through social networking and how companies continue to figure out how and to what extent social media can help them. Personally, I was feeling really generous because things have been good lately and I like to "give". Professionally, I wanted a reaction. I wanted to see what people would do if I posed a question or thought and whether or not enticing them would get their attention.

I asked for my "followers" (I really don't like that term, but I'll leave that for another day) and "friends" to complete this thought: Baseball is...

I had no idea what to expect. For some, it was difficult to answer in 140 or fewer characters (and those that couldn't, posted it on my Facebook page). For others, it was very easy. Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate some of the responses that I received and more importantly, I didn't think it was going to be as difficult as it was to pick just one for the Jimmy Rollins helmet. Man, I was dead wrong. After spending last night going through all of them, I picked the post by Matt Rozycki who responded on Facebook with the following:

Baseball is more than a game. It's a science, addiction, and lifestyle all wrapped in one. Baseball fans don't root for their favorite team. They breathe with them. Their hearts beat with them. Baseball fans feel a greater love for their team than most other people will feel in their entire lifetimes. Baseball isn't something that we watch at the end of the day; it's something that we rush through our day to get to. Baseball is one of the few things in life that transcends time.

Nicely done Matt. As I read all of the thoughts, I came to the conclusion they needed to be posted so everyone can see how others view this grand game of ours. Oh, before I forget...here's mine:

Baseball is the essence of my being. It's what I was born into; raised in; and currently immersed in. It's not being able to explain to others just how much you care because there are no words. It's what I know and have always known. It's why two of my children have names such as Mattingly and Hobbs.

Enjoy the following posts and thank you to all for participating. I loved reading every single one and as always, I appreciate your interactions in the social space. Feel free to post more thoughts in the comments section. I'm hopeful we can take our "conversations" to a different place at the end of the month...

Baseball is...

· Ultimate entertainment - age 1-100. Something fun for everyone.

· How I connect with the important men in my life. And how I make stuff happen with "important" men @ work.

· LIFE

· Taking its time to get here!!!

· What allows us to dream...allows us adults to stay young and innocent

· A privilege. Live it, love it, respect it!

· My life-blood during my military career, following my team got me through all the bad times. Thank you MLB!

· Hard to watch if you're a Mets fan

· In our blood

· When all you think, all you and say and you do are in harmony

· Nirvana in the dog days of summer

· The beautiful mix of tradition, competition and passion that will continue to unify the world for years to come

· The best excuse to talk to your parents, your kids, your family, your friends or the person next to you

· The sports equivalent of comfort food. What you come back to when you're sick of the fancy ****

· A language...we communicated to other with our play

· A connection to the past, our vision into the future and the life and blood of America

· My escape from the ordinary

· The reason I'm single. Girls have a low tolerance for guys who spend 8 hours a day watching baseball after work

· Everything that football does not have...passion

· What brings everyone together regardless of age or race

· A motivation - unexplainable - a spiritual event that lifts the soul - A game not long enough, for each play excites me

· So much better during the offseason now that MLB Network exists

· Life from childhood memories through adulthood from the calming sights & sounds provided by the game

· What binds our nation together

· A dream for some, a reality for others, but essentially it's a joy for all

· A referendum on life, one inning at a time

· What I look forward to through the trying times of football season

· A rush, a surge, a rage of energy. A relief, a retreat, a calming pastime. A ball of memories wrapped in one.

· My sunshine on a rainy day if the roof is closed. A love in my heart around Valentines Day

· What I wait all football season for

· Yankee Stadium in October

· Hot dogs and beer

· What we wait for during football season

· My refuge

· 8 days away! Finally!

· A microcosm of Life on a 360ft. diamond

· The reason I am going to Florida for one week. Spring Training baby

· Better in Texas with Nolan in and Hicks out! "Hello Win Column"

· Perfection

· The summer sun warming your face w/ lemonade, w/ smells of dirt and grass

· Our beautiful game for there is as much poetry in it as anywhere in sport. Oh yes, there is magic on those fields!

· Standing out in centerfield looking towards the infield, forgetting everything but the most wonderful thing

· An Epic Story

· The most horrible curse that's even been inflicted upon me

· A pastime that keeps us preoccupied for 162 days a year and the reason I am so good at web design

· An escape from having to think about anything else but still able to keep mind engaged and brain thinking

· The fountain of youth. Where else can 40 year olds play sports?

· The great American catalyst. Nothing brings people together like baseball. Probably the #1 reason 2 strangers will stop and talk

· The enduring definition of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

· My life, my wife and everything I love to do. It is my obsession and it is where all of the money I earn goes

· The ice in the drink of life. Irreplaceable

· A simple game that inspires complex strategies, passion and emotions; elation, despair and unyielding loyalty

· Something EVERYONE can love and appreciate

· The only sport my wife likes...our vacations: WBC, Spring Training, Road trips

· Like Jack Bauer. Both will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more

· The only reason why I wake up EVERY morning

· The best boyfriend I've ever had (We've been going steady for 3 years)

· More than a game. It's a form of art, utilizing the strategies of chess, yet with an appeal that reaches the heart of a child

· The gift that keeps on giving

· The place I can escape the work world and remember when it was always just my dad and I at the park

· Less than a month away

· The only reason I would ever listen to what Bud Selig would ever say

· Forever's game

· About the love of the game. It is about spending time with family and friends, tailgating and eating good food. Baseball is also Americas pastime and is the best sport in the US

· Where I took my wife on our first date and why I named my sons Ryan & Brett

· The only game that can unite a country after September 11th, be past down through generations through remarkable stories like how fast Ricky Henderson truly was and how fast Nolan Ryan could the the ball, and is the only game where I can convince my wife to skip watching the dang Bachelor because the Rangers are on the MLB Network

· Not just a game...it's a life. You have your ups and downs and you struggle to not strike out and give up. You live to win!

· The low and outside fastball on the black, the 3-2 curveball, the squeeze play in the 9th, the foul ball by 2 inches, the bad call at first base, the 4 year old sleeping during extra innings, and the hot dog vendor yelling something you can't understand. It's breaking up the double play, the check swing appeal, the fungo bat, and batting gloves in the back pocket. It's running on a non-stealing count, getting thrown out trying to take the extra base, trotting in from the bullpen, and chewing a giant wad of gum. All in all, baseball is just plain amazing.

· What makes this country great. No matter your political views, your race, your age, your gender, your income...etc, baseball is what brings people together for a common good, often to the tune of 35,000 to 45,000 at a time. Baseball is often the building block for a son to have a relationship with his father, particularly during the awkward teen years when "dad can't understand anything". It links generations together--My grandparents are 80 and watch every single televised game (roughly 159/season), and I can talk about "that play in the top of the 6th" with my grandfather (or grandmother, for that matter), the next day. Baseball is universal, and helped begin the healing process for our nation after 9.11. It pre-dates so many of our national traditions, and is woven into the very fabric of who we are. I am so proud that, in recent years, we have started to (officially) share this wonderful game with other nations around the world. Seriously, I could go on for days.

· What keeps you from running off a bridge because you're stuck in (Dallas) Cowboy nation. The thoughts of baseball are crucial for survival.

· Not a hobby...it's a way of life.... it's like looking at the ball and glove and saying hey bud.... let's party...Spicolli..circa 1980ish!!!!!!!

· Baseball is what brings spring sooner. Knowing catchers and pitchers are reporting makes feet of snow a little more tolerable.

· Crazy! It's the one sport that I'll watch on a nightly basis with my husband. The only thing that makes me crazy enough to stand in 4-inch deep water puddles at the Ballpark in Arlington while watching a doubleheader against a team like the A's. The one sport that makes my husband crazy enough to convince me to name our son that's due in June "Nolan Ryan Austin Roberts," the only sport that I'm interested enough to have my own fantasy team and learning guys crazy names like Coco Crisp or Milton Bradley. (thought that was a joke when I first heard his name) It is a passion of our family and has become part of our identity. Through all the years of suffering as a Rangers fan we continue to have hope that some day we will taste victory, and until then I will continue to stand up in pouring rain and cheer on some guy named Ichiro.

· What makes my heart smile...

· The reason my DVR is broken...Darn you C.J. Wilson for making me rewind and replay you so much!!

· As my 3 year old, Aimon, puts it..."Dad, Baseball is Life."

· What has me rushing home after work to catch the 5 o clock hot stove. Baseball is what keeps me going whenever everything else in life isn't going the way I want it to. With loved ones losing their job, losing hair because you're so stressed out, living paycheck to pay check, baseball finds a way to keep you going. Baseball is life; it's my passion in life that will never go away.

· What I'm using right now to help my son learn how to turn fractions into percentages! Batting averages rule!

· Always a great way to help fill any awkward situation, and create a common unity with complete strangers.

· Such a great game where you can have writers/broadcasters/fans/players all tweeting like crazy trying to find the most clever thing to say during a Twins vs Tigers game in the metrodome. I'll never forget watching that game and seeing everything that I love about baseball all wrapped into one game. It's the one game where it can make all of us flat out giddy and it's the one thing that can get tons of people all trying to find one thing creative enough to win the amazing gift of J-Ro's helmet

· Spending Super Bowl Sunday having a good time in a cramped little booth in Secaucus remembering players, projecting stars and having a good time hearing and telling stories about the game we love.

· Hope

· America's Pastime and the best sport out there! It's Mom, Apple Pie, Hot Dogs and Beer, it's a love of the game, it's the best sport on grass, it's Spring and Summer altogether...and it's the ties that bound me and my family together when I was 4 years old...and I am still a fan to this day! I LOVE BASEBALL!

· Almost here, thank goodness

· Summertime!!!!

· NOT just a bat & a ball.... it's got a field, bases, players, fans, food, cheering, umpires, traditions, boos, music & a well of American passion that will bring a grown man to tears!

· Sunday afternoon with the family and a few cold ones cheering on the home team. It's the Sunday afternoon game that I enjoy most!

· Ballet in the dirt, every move eloquently mastered.

· Like spring. It brings the renewal of life, of warmth, of faith. Everybody has an equal chance, a fairness, and everything starts out smoothly.

· Baseball means peace to me because I'm free to play the game I love. Running, sliding, hitting, catching, diving and throwing. It's having fun and being free. I'm free from my medicines and it brings peace to my heart! .... Baseball is a drug that can cure an illness!

· More than just a sport. Baseball brings great friends, new and old, together to the ballpark and partake in America's greatest pastime. When I think of baseball, I think of unity and gracefulness. As you sit and watch the game, there's always a chance you could be watching history, and that is an amazing feeling. Whenever the season comes around a feeling like no other takes over my body. Indescribable really. This feeling lasts to the very last pitch of the World Series. I'm a die-hard Phillies phan, but honestly it's the game of baseball and all of its grace that I'm a true fan of. Baseball is more than just a sport, and it has a different meaning to each individual fan. That's what makes baseball great.

· The game that makes very elderly New England women smile and laugh on a jam packed subway at 11:30 at night and say, "Wasn't that GREAT?" on their way home from Fenway. It is also the game that has made many cranky New Englanders smile when they hear "Sweet Caroline" because it brings back such fond memories of being at Fenway. Baseball gives New Englanders hope -- hope for spring, hope for summer, hope for victory, hope for the pennant.

· The real "Beautiful Game." There is no rival in the poetry of sports. It is leather, wood, grass and dirt. It is history and legend while relevant and modern and it delights in bringing the two together. It is the magic of Buerhle in '09, the awe of Carter in '93, and the hope of Boston in '04. It is the mourning when the joy of Pittsburgh was taken from us; the still shed tears with Gehrig and the courage of Robinson and Doby. It is Cooperstown, hot dogs, it is "Take me out to the ball game" and "Sweet Caroline," and it is the local traditions of every stadium and fan. It is the unquantifiable beauty of a well-turned double play. It is the tangible spirit of fans, players, cities and nations. The pride of victory and the sadness of defeat. It is all of these things and more but it is always the grandest of old games.

· Quite a conundrum. For a few lucky ones, it provides for the family. For most of us, however, it turns our beautiful wives into "baseball widows" for 9, if not 12 months out of the year. But no matter how you look at it, baseball is great!!!

· "Baseball IS All of This and More" - A Poem

Baseball IS...

The Sox versus the Yanks,

And pie-in-the-face pranks.

It's a few dogs and a few beers,

It's a few boos and a few cheers.

It's controversy left by steroids and "juice",

It's mound intimidation from Randy and Goose.

It's a guy named Cal who never wanted to sit,

And a transfer named MJ who could barely even hit.

It's Boston and New York always being a buyer.

It's a robbed fly ball by some kid named Jeffrey Maier.

Some guy named Joe with no shoes and no laces,

It's controversy of Spiderman being on the bases.

A man named Rickey who was always "on the go",

Or that guy Knoblauch who plain forgot how to throw.

It's a Pujols moonball that takes forever before it lands,

It's Derek Jeter hustling and diving into the stands.

It's "Manny being Manny" and Griffey Jr. - "The Kid",

It's that unspeakable thing that poor Steve Bartman did.

It's thinking a 3-0 series lead was nothing but a lock,

It's a Game 6 gem symbolized by a bloody sock.

It's dirt and mud and grass and hats,

It's balls and gloves and cleats and bats...

Baseball is a highlight of my life...

And complete hell for the wife.

Baseball is all of this and more...

...So let's get the 2010 season started,

29 teams are waiting to even the score.

· Will Smith rap "Just the Two of Us," re-written for this special occasion

Just the Two of Us

From the first time the doctor placed me in my moms arms,

She knew I'd be wearing a glove on my right arm.

Although questions arose if I'd be tall enough,

Would I be able to throw the ball far enough?

From the hospital that first night,

I started to swing a bat it was quite a delight.

My mom got kind of upset,

She wanted me to be a scientist.

That night the ball game was on,

Sure enough Harold Reynolds hit one gone.

That's when my mom knew I was lost in this game,

25 years later and the Rangers still no ring.

Just the two of us, me and that Rollins helmet can make it if we try, Just the two of us, (just the two us)

Just the two of us, until it's passed down to my son from the sky Just the two of us, that Rollins helmet and I

*That has to the be worst rap ever but that's as much as I got while sitting in my cubicle here at work

Looking Back at the Winter Meetings

I've got to say, the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis were pretty cool. It's a collection of all the General Managers and Managers of every team in baseball...and for a die-hard like myself, it is almost nirvana.

The biggest news to come out of the meetings, in my estimation, was the three-team deal between the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Tigers. From the Yankees perspective, they had a need in centerfield and they addressed it. And as good a player as I think Curtis Granderson is and will probably be for the pinstripers, I am a tad concerned about the decline in plate discipline. "Grandy" had two solid years in 2007 and 2008 ('07 - .302/38 2B/23 3B/23 HR/74 RBI/122 R/.361 OBP & '08 - .280/26 2B/13 3B/22 HR/66 RBI/112 R/.365 OBP and that was shortened because of the wrist injury he suffered in Spring Training of that year) before becoming the "power hitter" that he's become. I put that in quotation marks because he's not your typical power hitter...as listed above, the guy has flirted with the long ball in his career. It seems to get magnified because he did hit 30 big fly's in what is a spacious home ballpark in Detroit. But those 30 HR's came at the expense of his OBP (.327, full season career low) and Runs Scored (91, second fewest full-season total).

But does any of that matter? Not necessarily and it's mostly because it's the Yankees. It's clearly understood that if Grandy doesn't get the job done in his PA (plate appearance), the Yankees have 8 other studs that can pick-up the slack. He doesn't have to worry as much as say in Detroit, where the only real offense in 2009 was provided by Miguel Cabrera (that is until the singles-machine Magglio Ordonez showed up in September). But he will be the match-up candidate of the year because of his struggles against left-handed pitching in 2009. So what you say? I'm just saying that in the American League East, there are some talented lefties as starters as well as the situational guys in the 'pen. The bigger concern for the Yankees? Which defender is going to show up because towards the end of 2009, Grandy was taking routes that not even Mapquest wanted to sponsor. Was it just bad reads? Bad eyesight? Who knows? But the Yankees honed in on their guy and they made the move...kudos for pulling the trigger and filling that need.

For the Tigers it was a move that was predicated on salary-flex. I would not be surprised to hear that Dave Dombrowkski's wheels started churning on the turn-over his ballcllub as Ordonez' option was getting closer and closer. The $18 million hit that the Tigers will take with Mags in right field as well as the non-existent offense in 2009 forced the Tigers into this situation. Some have chided Dombrowski for moving a pretty damn good starting pitcher and cornerstone center fielder but when you have pieces that are attractive to other teams AND they have value, it's the time to strike.

I absolutely love the haul that Dombrowski got for trading Grandy and Edwin Jackson. Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth from the Diamondbacks and Phil Coke and Austin Jackson from the Yankees. From the pitching standpoint, Dombrowski picked up one, if not, three starting pitchers. That's right, I said it...there's a potential that Coke could be an option moving forward in the rotation. The same goes for Schlereth. Either way, the Tigers will start 2010 with a rotation of Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, & Max Scherzer (9-11, 4.12 in 30 starts w/ Arizona)...that's not a bad front three to have in the American League Central. If nothing else, Coke will be a terrific bullpen piece as will Schlereth (I like him as a possible closer down the road). As far as Austin Jackson...you always have to be leery of Yankees prospects but this kid seems to have some good numbers/makeup. The Tigers are not the Yankees, in that they'll give Jackson first crack at winning the center field job and ride it out. The Yankees, as we've seen in the past (Melky Cabrera to name one), prefer the "established" guy. Oh, almost forgot...I wouldn't be surprised to see the Tigers make a couple of other moves. They're not done dealing.

Last but not least, the Arizona Diamondbacks. If you have a consistent offense and you can play defense and your bullpen is lock-down solid, then I understand this trade. Otherwise it's a brutal move. They've swapped out Scherzer (who's several years away from free agency) for Edwin Jackson (who's numbers were great in the first half and mediocre at best in the second half - 7-4, 2.52 pre All Star Game/6-5, 5.07 post All Star Game). Not only that, Jackson is arbitration eligible and will probably see his salary jump to the $5-$6 million range...that doesn't sound like much, but when you tack on the $1.33 million bonus they gave to Schlereth as their #1 pick in 2008, you begin to wonder about the fuzzy math (and on top of that, you'll have to run through that process again after 2010 unless they give him a 2-year deal or longer to "buy" it out).

The other piece that the DBacks received came courtesy of the Yankees. Pitcher Ian Kennedy. The thing about Kennedy is that he's an unknown. He had the surgery to take care of an aneurysm that he had near his shoulder...it a surgery that David Cone and Kenny Rogers have come back from. The problem with this surgery, more times than not, is that velocity is affected. Could he get it back? Yes. Will he get it back? No one knows. At the end of the day, the DBacks felt comfortable enough to make the call on Kennedy and it was a go...but like I said, it's a shot in the dark.

The Diamondbacks will begin their quest for the National League West with a rotation of Dan Haren, Brandon Webb (assuming he's all the way back) and Edwin Jackson. That's a pretty good three. But this is what comes to mind...Why has Edwin Jackson been traded so many times? Are there issues out there we don't know about? Remember, the Rays traded him AFTER going to the World Series for Matt Joyce...MATT JOYCE (.188 in 11 games with TB JOYCE)! Other than that, the Diamondbacks were 27th in Average (.253), 20th in Runs, 22nd in OBP (.324), 1st in K's (1298), 19th ERA (4.42) and the 2nd worst fielding percentage in baseball (.980 - 124 errors). They've got a lot of issues to address outside of their front three and that's not including how bad their bullpen is. My point being that you make a move like this if you're pretty damn close to winning a division, not when you have glaring holes throughout. Maybe the DBacks surprise everyone and go out and make a multitude of moves and all of a sudden the moves become genius. UNTIL then, it looks like a shot in the dark by a General Manager (Josh Byrnes) that hasn't proven anything yet other than he has the security (signed through 2015) make moves like this. Oh yeah, the National League West includes two teams that were in the post-season in '09 (Dodgers and Rockies) and the Giants who have a "decent" rotation...yep, looks like the DBacks have a chance.

Random Thoughts:

* I have no idea what the Nationals were thinking when they handed Pudge Rodriguez a two-year contract. At 38 years of age and coming off one of his worst offensive season, there's no need to give that type of guaranteed deal. A one year with an option would've probably been a little more appropriate. The other thing is the development of the young pitchers...Pudge has been around and can give great advice, the Nats better hope he remains engaged throughout the season in order to be the mentor they'd like him to be for both the arms as well as their future backstops.

* Chone Figgins going to the Mariners makes sense. I like what Figgy can do when he's on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he'll slide in nicely in the 2-hole behind Ichiro. Defensively I see him being at 3B although neither GM Jack Zduriencik nor Manager Don Wakamatsu would commit during the meetings. The Mariners are not done with their off-season either...Jason Bay in left field would be a heckuva move.

* Love the fact the Brewers went out and got Randy Wolf (even though, like the toolbox that I am, I called him Ben Sheets during the show the other day...that crap happens and at least I corrected it) and LaTroy Hawkins this past week. Still surprised that Wolf was not offered arbitration by the Dodgers, a team that needs some. Hawkins continues to impress with his work out of the 'pen for the Astros in 2009. I wouldn't mind seeing the Brewers make one more, mid-range move on the rotation. They have been rumored with the courting of Mark Mulder.

* For a team that had no flexibility whatsoever, the Texas Rangers did a helluva job during the meetings. Sure they lost a starter in Kevin Millwood, but they get a pretty "nasty" (Brian Cashman term) reliever in Chris Ray. On top of that they go out and sign Rich Harden to a very club-friendly deal that includes an option for 2011. In a perfect world and if their ownership situation were resolved, I'd plug John Lackey at the top of the rotation and then take your chances. But that's not going to be the case...at least for now.

Just livin' the dream...

VR