Here is something new for Sports Outlaw. A new thread will be created each week in this forum for posting weekly baseball news, just like we do in the NFL news forum.

gmcharity had the idea for this, and I think it can be a great addition to the site, as we have many baseball fans here.

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Long Live Sports Outlaw!

As people are beginning to sit down and prepare for their baseball drafts it is very important to hear the news coming out of spring training. To start off this thread I will be breaking down the 2007 World Champion Boston Redsox. This is the latest news coming out of Florida.


Jason Varitek C Bos

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said he hopes Varitek will be the team's "catcher for the present and hopefully for the future, too," the Boston Globe reports. With this being Maribellis last year in Boston Theo is trying to get a long term deal done with the Red Sox captain. The Sox have Dusty Brown in the minors but besides him it is definately a position they are lacking.

Dustin Pedroia 2b Bos

Pedroia, who had offseason surgery to the hamate bone of his left hand, did not pick up a bat until the first week of January, the Boston Herald reports.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Coco Crisp OF Bos

In a surprise announcement Manager Tito Francona has insisted that the Centerfield position is Cocos to lose. He has stated that Coco is the incumbent and Jacoby has to beat him out for that position.


Curt Schilling P Bos
As most have already heard Schilling will likely be out until atleast the Allstar break and possibly the entire year.

Tim Wakefield P Bos

Boston general manager Theo Epstein said Wakefield is in "good shape," after missing the postseason with pain in the back of his shoulder, the Boston Globe reports.

As of Now the opening Day pitching staff will be Beckett,Dice K, Wakefield, Lester and Bucholz. Reports are Francona will use Tavarez as a 6th man to give his pitchers ample rest throughout the season barring injuries.

Some news on a few top name players:

Carlos Beltran OF NY Mets

Beltran, who had both knees scoped in October to remove some dead tissue from the patella tendon of each, arrived in camp early and said Saturday that he has yet to run full-throttle and may not participate in games until late in the Grapefruit League season. Still, Beltran predicted the cleanouts will result in a spike in steals, the NY Daily News reports.

Albert Pujols 1b St Louis

The Cardinals are concerned about the status of Pujols' right elbow, the Associated Press reports.

Pujols elected not to have offseason surgery to fix a strained ligament, which has been bothering him since 2003. While the coaching and medical staffs are going to closely monitor his elbow, Pujols isn't planning to change any of his routines. The injury effects his throwing more than hitting, so unless it causes him to miss time this season it shouldn't have a huge impact on his numbers.

Barry Zito p San Fran

The Giants have named Zito as the Opening Day starter, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

This is Great! Thanks gmrcharity!

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Sports Outlaw Fantasy Football League Champion 2007 - Maelstrom

Reports say that Fransisco Liriano will be ready to contribute at the major league level again very soon. He might start the season at AAA, but he won't stay there long.
I also like this idea. Thanks for posting it.

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"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans..." John Lennon

Here is another short update from spring training. I am going to keep my posts directed on specific teams or players that can make an impact in Fantasy Baseball.

Yovani Gallardo P MIL

Gallardo (knee) is expected to miss four weeks after having surgery on his left knee to repair torn cartilage, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
This is a tough way for the Brewers to start the season as they were counting on Gallardo to build on his rookie season. He'll begin the season on the DL once he returns and will need to build up his strength before he can return to the rotation.

Gallardo is a young pitcher that has been going about the 15th round of every draft. People are hoping that he will be Ben Sheets of a couple years ago but after this news let your opponents pick him up. A young pitcher who will miss all of spring training and the first couple weeks of the regular season will be a long way behind his peers.

Randy Johnson P ARI

Johnson (back) was impressive during his first bullpen session at spring training on Sunday, the East Valley Tribune reports.

Josh Hamilton OF TEX

Hamilton won't be platooned against left-handed pitching this year, the team's web site reports.

Gary Mathews JR OF ANA

Matthews' left knee, which kept him out of the playoffs against the Red Sox last season, still isn't 100 percent, the Angels' official site reports.

Roy Oswalt P HOU

Oswalt will be the Astros' opening day starter against the Padres, Astros.mlb.com reports.

Kerry Wood P CHI CUBS

Wood feels healthy heading into spring training, the Cubs' web site reports. "I felt great when I finished the season last year," Wood said. "It felt like June for me when the season was over because I had such a late start. I took some time off and got right back into it. It's nice to come into camp. My body feels good, and I'm ready to go."

Wood is a closer sleeper in this years draft. His velocity is still there and he is competing against Howry and Marmol for the closer role. While others are picking closers in the top 10 rounds of your drafts save a guy like wood for your final pick as he is going undrafted in most leagues.

Geovany Soto C CHI CUBS

Cubs manager Lou Piniella expects that Soto will catch 120 to 125 games this season, the Cubs' official site reports.

Jay Bruce OF CIN

Reds manager Dusty Baker has been trying to encourage Kenny Lofton to sign with the Reds, which would likely mean that Bruce would start the year in the minors, the Reds' official site reports.

The projection on this kid is superstar. If you are in a deep league, Dynasty or Keeper then he is a must. If you are in a redraft league then pay attention if he is truly sent to the minors.

This thread is going to make me change my avatar!! I can't wait for baseball!!

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Hideki Matsui OF NY Yankees

Matsui (knee) is likely to enter this season as the Yankees' designated hitter, The New York Post reports.

Jason Giambi DH NY Yankees

Manager Joe Girardi wants Giambi to be the team's first baseman, The New York Post reports.

Scott Rolen 3B TOR

Rolen (shoulder) took indoor batting practice with Blue Jays hitting coach Gary Denbo on Tuesday and reported no problems after the session, the Blues Jays' official site reports.

Pedro martinez P NY METS

Martinez was pleased with his health and progress after throwing a 55-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday, the Mets' official site reports.

"It felt natural," Martinez said. "That's the way it's supposed to feel, and that's the way I used to feel before I got hurt. I would just pick up a ball, throw it, go through my routine and feel like I could do it an hour later. That's pretty much how it was today." Martinez actually threw several of his pitches with his eyes closed, which he's already done earlier this spring. The chances of his velocity fully returning are slim, but Martinez should still be effective if he can stay healthy as the Mets' No. 2 starter behind new ace Johan Santana.

David Ortiz DH BOS

Ortiz (knee) was in camp Tuesday and was swinging in a batting cage, the Assocaited Press reports.
He says he's feeling good after undergoing knee surgery following the 2007 World Series. As long as he's feeling good the rest of spring training, you should have no qualms about selecting him for the upcoming season.

Adam Dunn OF CIN

Dunn, who had arthroscopic surgery on his knee to end his 2007 season, said that his knee feels much better, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "It's good," he said. "I haven't done a lot of agility stuff. But it's better than it's been in a long time. It should make it easier to play."

Hunter Pence OF HOU

After crashing through a sliding glass door in the bathroom of his spring training home, Pence suffered multiple cuts that will sideline him for a week, the Associated Press reports.

Apparently, the incident happened when he got out of his hot tub -- with the glass door closed -- and hit the door with his shoulder, leg and head and it shattered. The cuts aside though, it looks like he caught a break by escaping serious injury.

Juan Pierre OF LA Dodgers

Pierre would be willing to waive his limited no-trade clause should it be determined that he would not be the primary left-fielder, the LA Times reports.

Despite claims by General Manager Ned Colletti that Pierre is a "strong asset" and a "championship type player", the Dodgers would probably love to move the remaining $36 million on his contract to make room for Andre Ethier in left. There should be takers, but only if the Dodgers are willing to eat a large portion of that money.

Rich Harden P OAK

Harden (shoulder) threw 40 pitches in a modified simulated game on Monday and was pleased with the results, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Jose Reyes SS NY METS

Manager Willie Randolph said Reyes will get more time off this year to prevent him from wearing down as he did in 2007, the NY Post reports.

Gary Sheffield DH DET

Manager Jim Leyland said Monday that he doesn't plan on using Sheffield (shoulder) in the field much this season, the Tigers' official site reports.

Carlos Delgado 1B NY METS

Delgado says the hand that was broken on the last day of the season is now "100 percent," the Associated Press reports.
Delgado, who has been hitting since the first week of January, also claimed that his down year in 2007 was not a result of injuries, but rather a problem of timing. Look for Delgado, whose 2009 fate will be determined by a team-owned option, to bounce back in some capacity in 2008.

Vernon Wells OF TOR
Wells said Monday that his surgically-repaired left shoulder is close to "100 percent," the Associated Press reports.

Not really a lot of star news coming out of Florida and Arizona yet but that is about to change this week as those big names begin to report. The biggest news so far is the condition of Albert Pujols. Just the simple fact that the Cardinals are highly concerned should make you think twice before taking him in your drafts. For me I have been taking Matt Holiday instead of Albert when both are still on the table.


ALBERT PUJOLS 1B STL

The Cardinals are planning on giving Pujols (elbow) more rest both this spring and also during the regular season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Pujols maintains that the sprained ligament in his elbow is not a problem, but the Cardinals are wary of him needing season-ending surgery. He may get a few Sundays off during the season as a result, but so far this strategy shouldn't affect his fantasy value yet. It is a little disconcerting that this story won't go away however - the Cardinals are clearly concerned.



FELIX PIE OF CUBS

Manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday that Felix Pie is "a head or nose in front" of Sam Fuld for the Cubs' starting job in center field.

Fuld has posted strong on-base percentages in the minors, has decent speed and won the Arizona Fall League MVP, but possesses very little power and is likely being used primarily to push Pie during spring training. Expect the 23-year-old Pie to claim the job after hitting .362 in 55 games at Triple-A last season, although the over-achieving Fuld is definitely Piniella's type of player.

ANDRUW JONES OF LA

According to manager Joe Torre, Jones reported to camp "a little overweight," the Dodgers' official web site reports. Torre did go on to say he didn't think it would be a problem by the time camp broke.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA 3B LA

In a morning media session Thursday, manager Joe Torre talked about how veteran players (i.e. Garciaparra) tend to adjust better than rookies to coming off the bench, the LA Daily News reports.
Looks like Nomar will be a reserve behind Andy Laroche.

AUSTIN KEARNS OF WASH

Kearns is looking to rebound from a disappointing 2007 campaign and reported to spring training two days early to get a head start, the Nats' official site reports
Kearns may be the happiest member of the Nats heading into the team's new ballpark, after he hit just .228 at RFK Stadium in 2007 compared to .301 on the road. With a more hitter-friendly home park and a better cast of talent around him in the Washington lineup, Kearns could be a nice cheap source of 20-plus homer and 90-plus RBI this season.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Manny Ramirez is so happy to be with the Boston Red Sox that he wants to finish his career with them. That said, the eccentric star isn't going to ask the team to pick up his option for 2009.
"I want to stay here, but it's up to them if they want to bring me," Ramirez said. "But if they don't want to bring me back, that's fine. I know I'll be a free agent after '08 so that's another thing that I'm looking forward [to]."
Boston's slugging left-fielder is entering the final season of his eight-year, $160 million contract that has team options for 2009 and 2010 of $20 million each.



ESPN - Ramirez won't ask Red Sox to exercise '09 option - MLB

Right-hander Josh Fogg agreed to a one-year contract Thursday with the Cincinnati Reds, who are trying to fill out their rotation.

ESPN - Ex-Rockies pitcher Fogg agrees with Reds - MLB

Brad Lidge P PHI

Lidge (knee) left his bullpen session early on Saturday after getting a spike caught in the ground and irritating his surgically-repaired knee, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The Phillies are saying that Lidge stopped the session for precautionary reasons and that he's going to be fine, but the closer has been saying all along that his knee hasn't been 100 percent. We'll see if the Phillies opt to run some addition tests on Lidge just to be sure that he will indeed be OK for Opening Day.

Jon Garland P ANA

Garland has impressed Angels manager Mike Scioscia with his conditioning and his arm this spring, the Angels' official site reports.
"Not only is he a strike thrower," Scioscia said, "but he throws good command strikes on tough counts. He shows the ability to make pitches in tough situations. He wants to win. His stuff has evolved; he has a lot of pitching in his arm." Scioscia thinks that Garland could be a 20-game winner if the Angels are able to generate adequate run support for him

AJ Burnett P TOR

The Blue Jays have Burnett on a throwing schedule slightly behind the rest of the club's pitchers as they're trying to keep their oft-injured No. 2 starter off the DL in 2008, the team's official site reports.

BJ Ryan P TOR

Ryan (elbow) could be cleared to face batters within the next week and he's now thrown nine incident-free bullpen sessions, the Blue Jays' official site reports.
With medical clearance, Ryan could be put on track to get in the Toronto bullpen in time for Opening Day. There are never any guarantees with hurlers coming back from Tommy John surgery, but the reports on Ryan continue to be encouraging and remains ahead of schedule with his rehab.


BJ Ryan is one of the reasons I like drafting my teams before spring training. I have picked him up in just about every league and it cost me at most a 20th round selection. His stock is rising fast in leagues that are still drafting and will no longer be a bargain.

Matt Garza P TB

Garza looked very impressive in his first BP session in the Rays' camp on Friday, the team web site reports.
Garza was certainly ahead of the hitters in Friday's session, wowing both catcher Shawn Riggans and manager Joe Maddon with his velocity. Garza, who came to the Rays in an offseason trade with the Twins, likely begins the season as the Rays' third starter behind Scott Kazmir and James Shields.

Rich Harden P OAK

Harden (shoulder) was again impressive in his first session against live hitters on Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Harden has shown no ill effects from last year's shoulder injury thus far, but long-time Harden owners know the drill by now. Take every bit of good news with a grain of salt, as the next injury is looming right around the corner.

Mark Mulder P STL

Mulder (shoulder) threw a low-intensity bullpen session Friday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Mulder was scheduled to throw only 20 pitches, but threw 23 or 24, lifted his leg for the first time, and even went into his windup. He's still working with team trainers, rather than the team pitching staff, so he has a ways to go. The Cardinals are hoping for an early May return.

Philip Hughes P YANKEES

Hughes is throwing with greater velocity than last season, the team's official site reports.


George Sherrill P BAL

Sherrill sat out Friday with a hamstring injury, the Baltimore Sun reports. It is unclear if he will be able to take part in camp Saturday.
The injury still seems minor, and he is still the favorite to be the Orioles' closer

Carlos Marmol P CUBS

Marmol could be the frontrunner to close for the Cubs early on because Kerry Wood might not be able to go on back to back days, and manager Lou Piniella made reference to the difficulty of hitting Marmol's nasty slider in chilly April weather, the Cubs' web site reports. "I'd rather have a healthy Kerry Wood than rush him to be the closer come April 1," Piniella said. "That's a determination that's easy to make. Bob [Howry] last year struggled for a month or five weeks, and then he really turned it on. Marmol in cold weather with that slider and that motion he comes at you with, it's not easy to hit. I don't think we can go wrong with any of the three."

The Mets are using Sandy Koufax as a resource for their pitchers and I can't say that I disagree with them for doing it. Few pitchers in history were mentally tougher than him and he might be able to instill that "bulldog" instinct into even Johan Santana.
ESPN - Koufax gives Wagner some tips at Mets' camp - MLB
I've seen Matt Garza pitch several times. He has great stuff, and as a 3rd starter, he should be fine with the Rays.