Phils get their man, but are they better?

Chris Ruddick

Philadelphia, PA - When word first started to leak out that the Philadelphia Phillies were on the verge of acquiring Roy Halladay, it seemed like Ruben Amaro Jr. had pulled off a masterpiece.

The initial reports had the Phillies shipping Cliff Lee to Seattle for a handful of prospects, who in return would be sent to Toronto for Halladay. In essence it appeared as if the Phillies were going to get Halladay for basically for the same price they paid to obtain Lee, while holding onto their own blue chip prospects.

Give or take a Joe Blanton or a J.A. Happ here or there.

Then word started to trickle in as the night went on that it actually wasn't a three-team deal, but in fact it was a companion deal. Halladay was indeed going to the Phillies, but they would be surrendering prospects, one of whom was the initially-thought-to-be-untouchable Kyle Drabek.

Lee would then be sent packing to Seattle in a separate deal for prospects to offset the cost of acquiring Halladay.

So, instead of getting Halladay basically for Lee, the Phillies got him for a little less than Toronto was asking for him back in July, plus they had to surrender the man who almost single-handedly delivered them their second straight World Series title in Lee.

I am not sure I like it so much anymore.

Let's get this straight - Halladay is the better pitcher of the two. Nobody is arguing that. At the end of the day, the Phillies still wind up with the best player in the deal. You can tout all the prospects you want. I am not sure what Kyle Drabek or Michael Taylor are going to be. I do know that Roy Halladay is the best pitcher in baseball.

My question about the deal is, why did they have to unload Lee? He is making $9 million this year. A lot of teams can cry poverty, but the Phillies are not one of them. They have a reasonable payroll and sell out every night.

Baseball is booming in the City of Brotherly Love.

Apparently, Phillies brass met with Lee's people last week and it did not go well. He wants CC Sabathia money. Fine. Let him walk after the season though. He will be a Type-A free agent, and you will get two first round picks for him.

Any potential picks the Phillies could have reaped for Lee have as much upside as the players they got in return from Seattle.

Joe Blanton is going to make around $8 million this year. Why not deal him? Sure you are not going to get a Phillippe Aumont in return, but who cares what you get? You unload his contract and you have one of the most dominant tops of the rotation in recent memory.

And don't tell me a team would not take Blanton. Randy Wolf just signed a $30 million deal, so believe me, the Phillies could have found a taker for Blanton. Or why not just non-tender him? That deadline was Saturday. I am guessing this Halladay deal was being talked about prior to that.

How about working out a buyout with Jamie Moyer? He is on the books for $6.5 million this year. Who's to say he is even going to pitch? He is 47 and is coming off an awful surgical experience. You could have saved a few million there.

Like I said before, at the end of the day the Phillies get the best player in the deal. Not to mention Halladay agreed to a more-than-reasonable extension, signing a three or four-year deal for $20 million.

I just don't see the need to deal Lee. Plus I am not exactly sure it makes them all that much better this year. Who cares if Halladay is better over the course of 162 games? The Phillies have moved into Red Sox/Yankees territory where they now play a 162-game exhibition until October. Halladay doesn't get them to the playoffs, they were going there with or without him.

Roy Halladay has never pitched in the postseason.

I am not sure Halladay, who has never pitched in the postseason, is going to give you anything more than what Lee gave you this past year come October.

Now with that said, if Cole Hamels can be the guy we all think he can be, this is really a moot point.

Either way, though, this move will determine Amaro's legacy.

At this stage it seems like the Blue Jays got a decent return for Halladay, but who really knows? Obviously they are in a different spot than the Phillies. Winning will come down the road, not right now. You won't be able to judge this trade for a few years from their standpoint.

But by all accounts, new GM Alex Anthopolous seemed to bring in a nice haul, considering everyone on the planet knew he had to move Halladay. Reports have circulated that the outfielder he will receive from the Phillies, Michael Taylor, is going to be moved to Oakland for third base prospect Brett Wallace.

Wallace, of course, was the centerpiece of the Matt Holliday-to-St. Louis deal last season.

The big winners here are clearly the Seattle Mariners.

Seattle gets itself a bona fide ace in Cliff Lee, who along with Felix Hernandez adds up to about as nasty a 1-2 combination as there is in the league. Couple this move with the acquisition of Chone Figgins, not to mention the losses by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Mariners can state their case for a division title in the West.

I don't think they are done either.

Jason Bay is waiting for something, and I think this could be it on two fronts. One, Toronto could go hard after him to soften the blow of losing Halladay by returning one of their own in Bay, who was born in British Columbia. Or two, Bay went to school at Gonzaga and still has a house in the Seattle area. With all things being equal I am told he would love to play for the Mariners. I think they could probably get him at a discount.

But, then again, he may just be waiting for the Yankees to get into the mix for him.

RED SOX MAKE MOVES

The three teams named above weren't the only ones making waves on Monday, as the Boston Red Sox not only inked free agent righty John Lackey, but also secured Bay's replacement, signing Mike Cameron to a one-year deal.

Now the big question is, with Lackey in the fold, do the Red Sox make a strong play for San Diego slugger Adrian Gonzalez with Clay Buchholz as the bait?

The Red Sox really lack pop in their lineup. They need a bat and Gonzalez could be the guy. Keep in mind that San Diego GM Ned Hoyer learned his craft from Theo Epstein. He knows the Red Sox organization inside-and-out. He is going to get exactly what he wants in any Gonzalez deal.

Blockbuster kicks Winter Meetings into high gear

Chris Ruddick

Philadelphia, PA - After a relatively quiet first day at Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings in Indianapolis, the New York Yankees - who else - fired the first salvo to really get things rolling.

The Yankees are on the verge of pulling off a three-team, seven-player blockbuster, as they acquired center fielder Curtis Granderson from the Detroit Tigers, with the Arizona Diamondbacks also having a part in the deal.

Detroit picked up righty Max Scherzer and left-hander Daniel Schlereth from Arizona, lefty reliever Phil Coke and outfield prospect Austin Jackson from New York, with the Diamondbacks netting right-handers Edwin Jackson from the Tigers and Ian Kennedy from the Yankees.

My first impression of the trade is that the Yankees made out here.

Forget Coke and Kennedy, Austin Jackson was the only thing they gave up. Considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball, Jackson's ceiling at best, though, was probably what Granderson is right now. An absolute no-brainer from Brian Cashman.

Granderson can play either center field or in left for the Yankees.

His contract is also manageable, as he's due $5.5 million next year, $8.25 million in 2011, $10 million in 2012 and then $13 million or a $2 million buyout in 2013.

Granderson can play either center field or in left and his arrival also puts a little pressure on Johnny Damon, who, really, is no longer needed in the Bronx. Of course, the Yanks would love to have him back, but not at the price he and agent Scott Boras dictated to the Yanks a few weeks ago.

Now there are some concerns with Granderson. He has been in a steady decline since his record-setting season in 2007 that saw him become just the second player in big league history with at least 30 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season.

His season a year ago saw him hit a career-low .249, while also belting a career-best 30 home runs. The Tigers lacked pop last year and Granderson swung for the fences, probably hurting his average and overall on-base-percentage. Whatever pop he gives the Yankee lineup is gravy. If Granderson does what he does in that lineup, he will be an All-Star every year.

As for the Tigers, kudos to general manager Dave Dombrowski, who received a starter who can step in right away in Scherzer, a potential closer in Schlereth, an outfield replacement for Granderson and a quality setup man in Coke.

Now that is how you get younger and slash payroll all in one swoosh.

Now with the Diamondbacks, I have no idea what their thinking is here. If I am J.P. Ricciardi, Kevin Towers or any other general manager out there looking for work, I'd have my resume ready to go because Arizona GM Josh Byrnes is on borrowed time.

The Diamondbacks gave up perhaps the two pitchers with the most upside in the deal in Scherzer and Schlereth for what? Edwin Jackson, a one-half wonder last season who pitched to a plus-five ERA after the All-Star break and Ian Kennedy, who after failing to make the Yankees out of spring training, missed most of the year anyway with an aneurysm under his right armpit.

If you want to tell me Edwin Jackson is an upgrade over Scherzer I might listen. I don't agree, but I could live with it. But if you think Kennedy is going to give you more than Schlereth, I have a big problem with that. Kennedy has shown nothing in his albeit limited big league career. Plus there are questions with his makeup.

Not to mention Jackson can become a free agent in two years and with Boras as his agent, he is almost certain to leave.

Now where this deal leaves the Yankees with regards to Roy Halladay, who knows? Cashman lately has preached the growth of his farm system. I have a hard time believing he is going to unload any more to get the Toronto ace.

GAMMONS LEAVING ESPN

The bigger news to come out of the meetings on Tuesday, though, was the announcement from ESPN that Hall of Famer Peter Gammons would be leaving the network, effective at the conclusion of the festivities in Indy.

Now in a release Gammons made it perfectly clear that this was not a retirement and that he will pursue new endeavors.

I would be shocked if Gammo does not re-surface on the MLB Network in the coming weeks.

OTHER RUMBLINGS

* No movement on either Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. The popular belief is that if Bay does not re-sign with the Red Sox, which is becoming more and more less likely by the day, that they will go hard after Holliday.

Surprisingly, the Seattle Mariners have come calling on Bay, who went to school in the area and has a house near Seattle. The Mariners, though, are not sold on his ability to perform in left field at Safeco Field.

The M's finalized things with Chone Figgins and with possibly Bay in the mix, they think they have a terrific chance at unseating the Angels in the AL West.

* The Braves are listening on reliever Rafael Soriano, who accepted arbitration on Monday. With Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito already signed, Atlanta wants no part of having to pay Soriano. He has reportedly already given general manager Frank Wren a list of teams that had interest before the arbitration offer was extended.

* Everything is also quiet on the Halladay front. It is almost a little too quiet. If something happens in the next few days, I will have to tip my hat to Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos. We know he has been talking to some teams, but not a lick of information has been leaked. Kind of remarkable considering the age we live in.

* Speaking of the age we live in. The big winner of this year's Winter Meetings without a doubt has been Twitter. You can't find anyone without a Twitter account. That is where the news is being broken. It is also a bit of a detriment, as every single rumor on the planet is also being "tweeted".

Hot Stove taking a little while to get heated up

Chris Ruddick

Philadelphia, PA - There is usually at least one big-ticket free agent who signs before Thanksgiving. At the very least, we normally have a trade by this point in the offseason.

Barring something happening over the next few hours, though, that does not seem to be the case this year.

That is unless you consider John Grabow re-upping with the Chicago Cubs, or Omar Vizquel playing his 22nd season on the Southside of Chicago a big deal, which I certainly do not.

However, the rumors are starting to pick up.

I thought the Boston Red Sox were going to try and make a big splash this winter and that appears to be the case.

Reportedly the Red Sox are going hard after Toronto ace Roy Halladay, and want to have a deal consummated before the Winter Meetings get underway in Indianapolis on December 7. The names that are being bandied about include Clay Buchholz and Casey Kelly, the pitcher/shortstop who signed with the Red Sox in 2008 after being recruited by Tennessee to play quarterback.

The Red Sox are reportedly going hard after Toronto ace Roy Halladay.

Theo Epstein loves Kelly, though.

Boston is also supposedly shopping third baseman Mike Lowell. In all likelihood, the Red Sox want to get rid of Lowell so they can shift Kevin Youkilis to third and get a young bopper to play first, like an Adrian Gonzalez or Miguel Cabrera, who some believe may be available in the right deal.

I said last year that I have always believed that Texas prospect Justin Smoak would be the Red Sox first baseman in 2010, and I still believe that.

Everything appears quiet with the big free agent names. Matt Holliday and Jason Bay don't want to sign until the other does (obviously one will have to bite the bullet and sign first), and nothing is even remotely close on either front. Although, should the Toronto Blue Jays move Halladay, don't be surprised to see them make a run at the Canadian-born Bay, who would soften the loss of Halladay a little.

You hear the usual suspects with regards to John Lackey. The Mets and the Yankees appear to be the most interested, with the Rangers showing some mild interest.

Lackey, of course, is a Texas native and the Rangers could certainly use some pitching, but their ownership situation is in such disarray, I just don't see that happening.

It seems as if the hot stove is trying to start cranking, but still needs a few more coals to get it really going. The Winter Meetings the last couple of years have been a dud. Three weeks from now, though, Indianapolis figures to be a pretty busy place.

NICE JOB BY THE BBWAA

I have to hand it to the Baseball Writers Association of America. They were right on the money in just about all of their awards, especially nailing it with the unanimous selection of St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols and the near overwhelming support put behind Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer.

Well everyone that is except for Keizo Konishi from Kyodo News-Japan, who inexplicably gave a first place vote to Miguel Cabrera. The same Cabrera who of course was arrested after a night of drinking and smacking his wife around the weekend of the Tigers' biggest series of the season.

Maybe Konishi thought MVP stood for Most Valuable Partier?

This has always been my problem with the BBWAA voting for these awards. Cabrera reportedly got a $200,000 bonus for finishing fourth in the voting. Without Konishi's first-place vote, he probably would not have been in the top-5. Who's to say Cabrera and Konishi could not have cut a side deal to give the latter some cash?

Obviously I don't think that happened, but is not out of the realm of possibility that something like that might occur at some point. That's a loophole the BBWAA needs to close.

MLB's offseason off and running

By Chris Ruddick

Philadelphia, PA - "People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."- Rogers Hornsby.

Mr. Hornsby would not have that problem these days, because there is no offseason anymore in baseball. The champagne is barely dry from the New York Yankees 27th World Series celebration, and the general managers' meetings are already nearing their conclusion in Chicago.

MLB does not have much on the NFL, but when it comes to the offseason, there is not another sport that even comes close to generating the kind of excitement that baseball does.

Nothing usually comes out of the GM meetings, as they generally serve as a precursor to the main event - the winter meetings, which will take place this year in Indianapolis from December 7-10.

Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik said Felix Hernandez was off limits during the GM meetings.

Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik ended what could have been the talk of this offseason just days into it, when he stated that Felix Hernandez was off limits and would remain the property of the Mariners for the foreseeable future.

Hernandez, though, was not the only name being bandied about, as I am sure a pair of newly hired general managers' phones have been ringing off the hook since arriving at the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport Hotel on Monday.

Both Toronto's Alex Anthopoulos and San Diego's Jed Hoyer embark on their first offseason with the unenviable task of deciding whether or not to deal the best player on their respective teams.

The groundwork for Anthopoulos to deal his ace Roy Halladay was laid by his predecessor J.P. Ricciardi, who wanted an awful lot in return for his Cy Young Award-winning right-hander. Anthopoulos won't get as much as Ricciardi was asking simply because he will be a free agent after the end of the season, but Halladay will still certainly bring back a boatload.

Philadelphia was the strongest suitor at last year's trade deadline, and even with the acquisition of Cliff Lee, it figures to be the main player for Halladay's services this winter. The Phillies likely won't have to give up Kyle Drabek to get a deal done, nor would they have to give up Cole Hamels, which is a ridiculous rumor making the rounds in Philadelphia. Hamels is not going anywhere.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox will also be in the Halladay mix.

As for Hoyer, his mission is simple: figure out what Adrian Gonzalez wants and either get him signed long-term or deal him. The Red Sox wanted him at last year's trade deadline and want him even more now that the New York Yankees won a World Series title.

Hoyer was Theo Epstein's right-hand man, so he knows the Red Sox organization inside-and-out. He is going to get exactly what he wants from the Red Sox in return for Gonzalez. I would be shocked if Gonzalez is not in Boston on Opening Day.

Speaking of the Red Sox, you get the feeling that Boston is going to make a monster splash this winter. Don't be surprised to see them get Halladay, Gonzalez and still re-sign Jason Bay.

Though nothing usually comes from these meetings, one player who could get moved before the week is out is Chicago Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley, who wore out his welcome in the Windy City as quickly as be blew in. The big rumor making the rounds is a three-way deal that would send Bradley to Toronto, Lyle Overbay to the New York Mets and Luis Castillo to Chicago.

The holdup in that potential deal appears to be the $21 million still owed to Bradley over the next two seasons.

Either way, Bradley is not going to be with the Cubs next season. If the three- way does not work out, Bradley could land with Tampa Bay in a swap of malcontents, with Pat Burrell heading to Chicago.

Another hot topic that was thought to be a big issue this offseason was the expansion of instant replay, given how poorly the umpiring was in this past postseason. However, that talk was put to rest, as the GMs decided to pass on even addressing the topic.

We are still well over a week away before we really hit free agency, but if this first week is any indication of what is ahead this offseason, it is going to be very busy until pitchers and catchers report in February.

LET'S HAND OUT SOME HARDWARE

Before we really crank up the Hot Stove, though, the Baseball Writers Association of America will dole out their annual awards starting next Monday. So without further ado, let's take a look at who we think are the most deserving this year:

AL MVP: JOE MAUER, MINNESOTA

No-brainer here. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira had sensational seasons, but with that team it is really hard to determine who was the most valuable. Without one of them, you could probably make the case the Yankees still make the playoffs. On the other hand, where do the Twins finish without Mauer? Mauer led the majors with a career-high .365 batting average despite missing the first month of the season because of back injury. He also established personal- bests with 28 home runs and 96 RBI, all while winning a Gold Glove behind the plate. Minnesota's goal this offseason is to try to get Mauer locked up to a long-term deal this winter, before he can become a free agent next offseason.

AL CY YOUNG: ZACK GREINKE, KANSAS CITY

Greinke was the silver lining in otherwise another disappointing season for the Kansas City Royals, going 16-8 with a 2.16 earned run average for a Kansas City team that lost 97 games on the year. He led the majors in ERA and finished third with 242 strikeouts. His six complete games and three shutouts were second in the majors behind Halladay. Had he played for a contender, Greinke surely would have at least 20 wins. Consider that he allowed three runs or less in eight of his nine no-decisions, giving up one or less in four of those outings, and surrendered just one run in two of his losses. In fact, in his eight losses, the Royals mustered just 15 runs. His run support per start was the lowest in the league, so he shouldn't be penalized for a win total that is lower than the usual Cy Young standard.

AL ROOKIE: GORDON BECKHAM, CHICAGO

Beckham didn't make his 2009 season debut until June 4, but finished the campaign with 14 homers, 63 runs batted in and a .270 batting average in 103 games. He played primarily at third base for the White Sox this season, but his future is at second, where he will play next season from day one.

NL MVP: ALBERT PUJOLS, ST. LOUIS

This is perhaps the most lopsided of all the awards this year, as it would be one of the biggest upsets in the history of sports if El Hombre does not come away with his second straight MVP, and third overall. Pujols had one of his best statistical seasons in 2009, leading the league in homers (47), runs scored (124), on-base percentage (.443), slugging (.658) and total bases (374). In 160 games, the 29-year-old finished with a .327 batting average and 135 runs batted in, and the Cardinals won their fourth NL Central title in six seasons.

NL CY YOUNG: CHRIS CARPENTER, ST. LOUIS

Another big factor in the Cardinals' division title was the return of 2005 Cy Young Award winner Carpenter. Already named the NL's Comeback Player of the Year, Carpenter made just four starts combined in 2007 and 2008, but went 17-4 with an NL-best 2.24 earned run average over 28 starts in 2009 to re- establish himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. The 34-year-old recorded three complete games and one shutout while helping St. Louis capture the NL Central title for the first time since 2006. During the months of July and August, Carpenter went 9-0 with a 2.00 ERA. He dominated divisional opponents in 15 starts, going 11-0 with a 1.58 ERA. His main competition figures to come from teammate Adam Wainwright, who tied for the major league lead with 19 wins. However, my vote goes to Carpenter.

NL ROOKIE: J.A. HAPP, PHILADELPHIA

Happ started the 2009 season in the Phillies' bullpen and joined the starting rotation in late May. He finished the year with a record of 12-4 and a 2.93 earned run average for the National League champions. The 27-year-old lefty struck out 119 batters in 166 innings and posted a pair of shutouts. Happ was probably the Phils' most consistent starter until Cliff Lee came to town, but oddly enough, did not really have a role in the postseason.

Awful umpiring continues to be the story of the postseason

By Chris Ruddick

Not since referee Danny Davis cost the British Bulldogs the WWF Tag Team Championship have I seen as bad an officiating job as has been witnessed in this American League Championship Series.

If I did not know any better, I might have thought third base umpire Tim McClelland had been hanging with disgraced ex-NBA official Tim Donaghy. The only problem with that line of thinking is that McClelland's awful performance hurt both teams on Tuesday.

The first controversial play actually came on a call by Dale Scott in the fourth inning, when the Yankees' Nick Swisher was clearly picked off at second base. In Scott's defense, that is a bang-bang play that we have the luxury of watching on replay, and he has to make a split-second decision. Fine he gets a pass, although, Swisher was out by a good foot.

Now here is where McClelland comes into play.

With Swisher at third in the same inning, Johnny Damon lofts a fly ball to Angels center fielder Torii Hunter. Swisher tags up and easily scores. However, Anaheim protests, saying Swisher left early. McClelland agrees, Swisher is out, and the inning is over.

However, replays clearly show he never left early. In fact, on the replay it appears as if McClelland is not even looking at Swisher, but watching Hunter catch the ball.

"In my heart I thought he left too soon," McClelland said after the game.

If that gem was not enough, how about this?

"After looking at replays, I'm not sure I believe the replay of the first one."

Huh? You don't believe the replay? So not only do you call plays based on how you feel in your heart, but you don't believe photographic evidence either?

You can go two ways here. Either you think it was a make-up call for the earlier Swisher blunder, or McClelland just botched it. Given what came later, I tend to go with the latter. Plus, how could he have even seen what went on at second?

In the fifth inning the Yankees had Jorge Posada on third and Robinson Cano on second with one out. Swisher grounded back to reliever Darren Oliver, who threw home. Posada got caught in a rundown and headed back to third. Cano, though, had already moved toward third as well, but for some reason never touched the bag, while Posada ran through third as if it was first base.

With neither runner occupying a bag, Angels catcher Mike Napoli tagged both.

Easy double-play right? Wrong. McClelland called Cano, who touched third after being tagged, safe and Posada out.

"When he tagged Cano, I thought Cano was on the base," McClelland said. "[The replay] showed that Cano was off the bag when he was tagged. I did not see that, for whatever reason. So, obviously, there were two missed calls."

As bad as McClelland was in Game 4, he has not been alone in these playoffs. From Phil Cuzzi's foul-ball call on Joe Mauer's clear ground-rule double in Game 2 of the ALDS to last night's abysmal performance, the umpiring as a whole has just been horrendous in these playoffs.

Last week, long-time baseball writer Tracy Ringolsby reported that injuries are preventing several veteran umpires from calling games in the playoffs. In fact eight of the 19 umpires with at least twenty years of big-league experience are sidelined.

Even if that is the case, there have to be more reliable umpires than the ones out there.

I have always been an instant replay guy and what has happened in these playoffs has further cemented that. In this day and age, if there is a way to get a call right, how do you not take advantage of it?

Of course, the big knock on replay, aside from the purity aspect of it all, is that some feel that games, which already take forever, will last even longer. A quick look at an instant replay, though, will take considerably less time than the argument that occurs when one of these calls is blown in the first place.

Why not just have an umpire up in the booth watching? How much time would it take to make a quick call downstairs?

It seems silly to just use replay for home runs and plays down the line. I still think that was the first step towards bringing replay in on a more expanded basis - close calls at the plate, on the basepaths, whatever. These playoffs will probably be the straw that breaks the camels back.

Get the call right. At the end of the day, isn't that the most important thing?

Latest Halladay rumors

Contrary to local speculation, a few other teams are involved in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes. The latest team in the mix is the Milwaukee Brewers, the same club that played the rent-a-player game so well last year with CC Sabathia.

Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel spoke to the Brewers GM Doug Melvin, who confirmed that he did have a conversation with Toronto, but wouldn't go into details.

Meanwhile, Bill Shaikin of The LA Times reports that the Angels have pursued Halladay as well, but "club officials are not confident they can satisfy the Blue Jays in a trade."

Alcohol contributed to Marzano death

Philadelphia native John Marzano was intoxicated when he fell down the stairs and died in his home, the medical examiner's office said Thursday.

Marzano, who went to Temple and spent parts of 10 major league seasons with Boston, Texas and Seattle. died in April at the age of 45.

He had been working for MLC.com, as co-host of a Morning webcast. Before that, Marzano was an analyst Comcast SportsNet's Phillies postgame shows and also appeared on WIP.

The cause of Marzano's death was determined as "postural asphyxia contributed to by blunt trauma and ethanol intoxication."

Mitchell wants to talk to more players

By John McMullen
The Phanatic Magazine

Former Senator George Mitchell reportedly is seeking cooperation from 45 current or former players as he continues his investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball.

According to The New York Times, the number of players was disclosed in a letter from the Major League Baseball Players' Association to Mitchell and was read aloud to one of its reporters by a representative of the MLBPA.

The letter, which was signed by MLBPA general counsel Michael Weiner, voiced concerns about players cooperating with the investigation.

The New York Yankees' Jason Giambi is the only active player known to have cooperated with the Mitchell investigation, which is hampered by the lack of subpoena power.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig selected Mitchell to pilot the investigation that was formed in the wake of the book "Game of Shadows," which illustrated detailed steroid use by San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds and others.

According to the book, written by reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams of the San Francisco Chronicle, Bonds began using steroids after the 1998 season because of his jealousy stemming from the attention that Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa garnered during their chase, and eventual passing, of Roger Maris' single-season home run mark.

Bonds eventually broke McGwire's mark of 70 after he belted 73 homers during the 2001 season. He has continuously denied knowingly taking steroids. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball has been constantly battling the alleged use of steroids for some time now.

Mitchell, a senator from Maine from 1980-95 and the Senate Majority Leader from 1989-95, has had extensive investigative experience, starting with his time as a United States attorney. He also headed the investigation into the improper bidding process for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002.

20 Questions Heading Into the Baseball Season

By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine

Here is the first half of a two-part series on the most pressing questions heading into Opening Day on Sunday.

1) Can the Cardinals repeat with so many unknowns in their starting rotation?
It seemed highly unlikely that the Redbirds would win last year’s World Series with Jeff Weaver and Jeff Suppan. Now the backend of their rotation is AdamWainwright, Braden Looper, and Anthony Reyes. Just ask Carlos Beltran how good Wainwright's stuff is. Despite good springs, Kip Wells and Braden Looper aren’t a recipe for success. However, any team with Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds won’t just rollover. Mark Mulder won’t be back until the middle of the season, and St. Louis will have to patch it together until then.

2) Is Jimmy Rollins right?
Are the Phillies the team to beat in the NL East? Rollins probably should have waited until the Phillies had actually done something, but his words aren’t far-fetched. The Phillies made the biggest offseason move in the NL East with the addition of Freddy Garcia. He’s an innings eater that will benefit from pitching in the NL during the last year of his contract. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley make up the best right side of any infield in the big leagues. Tom Gordon and Cole Hamels will have to stay healthy, and Pat Burrell must make some sort of impact with the bat to push this team to the next level. Philadelphia’s first 14 games are against the Braves, Mets, Marlins, and Astros so it will have to start the season with a bang or face a big hole before the calendar turns to May. The Mets are the team to beat since they won last year, but only an utter collapse will keep the Phillies out of the playoffs.

3) Is this the year A-Rod delivers a World Series to the Yankees?
The question should be can A-Rod get the Yankees out of the first round of the playoffs? I can’t see them losing in the first round three years in a row, but their pitching is too old, and Joe Torre beats on his bullpen. Early injury problems with the starting pitching have made the signing of Roger Clemens an even bigger need. Trading away aging players made the New York farm system one of the best in the baseball. The Yanks aren’t ready for another title, but soon they will go on another run. Rodriguez will have a big season, but leave New York without a World Series ring after the season.

4) Will the Mets’ rotation provide enough depth until Pedro Martinez returns?
It’s hard to have a lot of confidence in Oliver Perez, John Maine, and a No. 5 starter to be named later. It’s not the Mets’ rotation that will hold them until Pedro returns in August, it’s their lineup. They boast an American League lineup in an inferior National League. While Phillip Humber isn’t ready yet, Mike Pelfrey is and he may be the answer to New York’s rotation woes.

5) Are the White Sox still better than the Cubs?
Despite getting rid of Freddy Garcia for Gavin Floyd and a minor leaguer, and jettisoning Brandon McCarthy, the Pale Hose are better then their crosstown rivals. The White Sox lineup is still stacked and is roughly the same one that won the World Series two years ago. The leash for center fielder Brian Anderson is getting shorter and shorter. Scott Podsednik needs to set the tone for the offense and defense, which is something he didn’t excel at last year. Expect a big year from Mark Buehrle, who is going to be a free agent and will cash in big time. They’ve got one of the best offenses, a solid rotation, and a deep bullpen.

6) In the land of Barry’s, will Bonds be indicted by the grand jury for perjury before breaking Aaron’s record, and is Zito enough of an ace to bring the Giants back to the postseason?
No and no. The grand jury has been investigating so long that it’s probably safe to assume that no indictment is coming. For god’s sake Greg Anderson seems willing to sit in jail for the rest of his life before he rats on Barry Bonds. Bonds will break the record and then there will be a movement not to recognize it or put an asterisk next to his name. Since Bud Selig and the MLBPA dragged their feet with the drug policy there is no way to deal with this issue. Getting Barry Zito was a start, but the team is so old. Pedro Feliz is the youngest starter and he’ll be 32 in April. Bruce Bochy is a fantastic manager, but the Giants will have to fight to stay out of last place.

7) Are the Braves ready to reclaim the throne atop the NL East?I
t’s bad news whenever you are forced to count on Mike Hampton. The oft-injured pitcher is already done for at least the first month and he was the Braves’ No. 3 starter. Tim Hudson needs to rebound from a poor 2006. They got rid of Marcus Giles and Adam LaRoche, both big pieces of their infield. The Braves got a solid reliever, which they sorely needed, for LaRoche, but couldn’t get anything in return for Giles, who is a former All-Star. Mike Gonzalez will be a shut down pitcher late in games, but Bob Wickman has a habit of making things interesting in the ninth. The addition of Rafael Soriano was big, but Atlanta just doesn’t have enough to compete with the Phils and Mets.

8) Will the $300 million spent by the Cubs buy them a playoff spot?
This trend of buying your way to a title hasn’t followed through in the past few years. Yes, the Yankees have the highest payroll, but that hasn’t gotten them another championship. The Cubbies play in a difficult division where there are four teams that are contenders. The Cubs’ pitching is still suspect, and because of that they will be on the outside looking in when it comes to October. Carlos Zambrano is a stud, but Rich Hill is unproven, Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis are average at best, and Mark Prior and Kerry Wood can’t stay healthy. Chicago will score a ton of runs, but it won’t have the pitching to back it up.

9) Who is the Twins’ No. 2 pitcher?
Don’t have a guess? It’s Ramon Ortiz, who has a career record of 79-76. It’s funny how nobody talks about theTwins that much, but they are right in the thick of things every year. Ron Gardenhire will have his work cut out for him without Brad Radke and Francisco Liriano. However, Johan Santana, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Joe Nathan will keep the Twins in the playoff hunt. Look for a big year out of Torii Hunter, who is in the walk year of his contract.

10) Is this the year the Red Sox catch the Yankees for the AL East crown?
The answer to this question lies solely on the arms of Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Boston bullpen. J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo aren’t the difference makers on an already potent offense. If Matsuzaka is as good as expected then yes the Red Sox can and probably will end the run of nine straight AL East titles for the Yankees. The Red Sox bullpen gave up 279 runs from the seventh inning or later last year, which was second-worst in baseball (Kansas City gave up 320), and that’s why the bullpen got a facelift. Jonathan Papelbon needs to stay healthy for the Red Sox to make a run.

20 questions heading into the baseball season

By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine

Here is the second half of a two-part series on the most pressing questions heading into Opening Day on Sunday.

11) Will Roger Clemens be the difference maker after the All-Star break for the Red Sox, Yanks or Astros?
He’ll be a difference maker, but to who is the question. Carlos Lee has added offense to the Astros, who have been anemic in the Rocket’s starts. Clemens’ best friend, Andy Pettitte, is in New York. Then there is Boston. Does Roger want to go back where it all began? Clemens is a guy that cares what people think of him. If he goes to Boston then the people in New York will despise him. If he goes to the Big Apple then the fans in Houston and Boston will hate him. But if he goes to the Astros then he’s pretty much in the clear. Houston has to be the odds-on favorite to land the Rocket even though the Red Sox and Yankees give him a better chance at a title.

12) Are the Tigers a one-year wonder in the stacked AL Central division?
Definitely not. The Tigers came out of nowhere in 2006 but they will not sneak up on teams in 2007. Jim Leyland is one of the most highly respected managers in the game. The Tigers have outstanding, young pitching in the rotation and in the bullpen and have one of the deepest lineups in the big leagues. The addition of Gary Sheffield provides a much-need dose of power. If anyone can reach the deep alleys in Comerica its Sheffield.

13) Will we see a postseason Freeway Series?
It’s entirely possible. The Angels added Gary Matthews, Jr., Shea Hillenbrand and Justin Speier, while the Dodgers coughed up more than $125 million on Juan Pierre, Luis Gonzalez, Jason Schmidt, Randy Wolf, and Mike Lieberthal. Schmidt is a question mark at this point in his career, and Wolf looked decent after coming back from arm surgery last season. The Dodgers spent too much money on Pierre, but at least he’s a consistent hitter. The Angels wrote Matthews a huge check and he’s had one good season. That and who knows what he’s been getting in the mail. The Angels are so deep that they don’t have to rush Bartolo Colon back after rotator cuff surgery last year. Both teams have deep bullpens and scary lineups. They should play deep into October.

14) Can Fredi Gonzalez get as much out of the Marlins as Joe Girardi?
It seems hard to believe that one year you’re the Manager of the Year and the next you’re broadcasting games on the YES Network, but that is the life of Joe Girardi. Gonzalez took his place to lead an overachieving team that won 78 games last year. It’ll be tough for Gonzalez to match that. The starting pitching was better than anyone expected, but Josh Johnson is out for the first month and Anibal Sanchez had arm problems over the winter. Dontrelle Willis went from 22 wins in 2005 to 12 in 2006. Teams are salivating at the chance to acquire the southpaw. Miguel Cabrera is a great hitter and a steal at $7.4 million. A huge payday is coming soon. However, with a suspect bullpen Florida won’t be as good as it was last year.

15) Will the additions of Bud Black, Greg Maddux, and Marcus Giles push the Padres to the top of the NL West for the third year in a row?
How many of you even knew that the Padres had won three straight division titles? Bud Black finally gets his chance to manage and has a strong pitching staff to work with. While Jake Peavy and Chris Young are the aces of the staff, Greg Maddux was a good signing. The addition of David Wells is a plus, but how much does he have left in the tank? Hopefully, Marcus and Brian Giles can push each other to play better in their hometown. Kevin Kouzmanoff is a star in the making at third base. The lack of a proven leadoff and cleanup hitter is something that Black will have to deal with, but this team is poised for a fourth straight NL West title.

16) Who are the Brewers?
Milwaukee is a contender in the NL Central, which needed only 83 wins to crown a champion. The Brew Crew has a pitching rotation to compete with anyone in the division as long as Ben Sheets can stay healthy. Francisco Cordero regained his closer form from a few years ago and took Derrick Turnbow’s job. Bill Hall is emerging as a star and will get the chance to start in the outfield. There’s no reason to think that this club can’t make a run. The Brewers can use Geoff Jenkins as a piece to trade if they need to improve their pitching come the trading deadline. Milwaukee has a lot of talented, young players in the outfield. They could be one of the great surprises of the season.

17) Does the return on Randy Johnson make the D’backs NL West contenders?
Here is another team, much like the Brewers, that should come out and compete for a playoff berth. Other than getting back the Big Unit and a pair of pitchers from Milwaukee, Arizona was relatively quiet this offseason. Luis Gonzalez, Craig Counsell, and Miguel Batista are all gone to make way for the continuing youth movement. Homegrown talents Chris Young, Carlos Quentin, Stephen Drew, and Conor Jackson will keep this team in contention. NL Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb is joined by Johnson, Livan Hernandez, and Doug Davis for a powerful rotation. Johnson should enjoy being back close to home in the desert, where there isn’t as much scrutiny and he can be as surly as he wants. His dominant days are done but he can still win 16-17 games a year. He’ll become one of the last 300-game winners sometime next year. The bullpen is the weak link for the Diamondbacks.

18) How will the A’s respond after losing their best pitcher, best hitter and manager?
Oakland lost Frank Thomas, Barry Zito, and Ken Macha, and will respond by keeping things interesting for the Angels in the AL West. Nobody is sure how they've done it, but they've made the playoffs in five of the last seven campaigns. The A’s will go on their annual 15-game winning streak and be in thick of things. This will be the year that Rich Harden stays healthy and dominates the league. Oakland has a good, young pitching staff and a fabulous closer. Eric Chavez must rebound after a subpar 2006. Bobby Crosby must prove that he can stay on the field and play at least 145 games, which is something he’s only done once.

19) Has the NL narrowed the gap with the AL?
The Senior Circuit has slowly gained some ground on the American League, but the AL is still stronger. There are at least six teams (Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, Twins, Tigers, Angels) that no one would be surprised if they won the World Series, while there are maybe three in the NL. Everyone was shocked that the Cardinals hoisted the trophy last season, but they got hot at the right time and used surprisingly good starting pitching to beat the Tigers. There hasn’t been a repeat winner since the Yankees in 1999 and 2000, so the odds of the Redbirds doing it are highly unlikely. The two biggest contenders from the NL have to be the Mets and the Dodgers. The AL, which has won 10 of the last 15 World Series and 16 of the last 19 All Star games, is still the dominant league and should prevail in the Fall Classic.

20) Who are next year’s big free agents?
Ichiro Suzuki, Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, Carlos Guillen, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Zambrano, Mark Buehrle, Mariano Rivera, and Freddy Garcia will all be free to shop their services. Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu, Jason Isringhausen, and Jorge Posada have club options, while A-Rod has an opt-out clause.