Scott Miller

MESA, Ariz. -- One of the Chicago Cubs' biggest additions will not step into the batter's box this season. Nor will he throw a pitch.

Nevertheless, the Cubs think new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo's presence is felt in a big way.

One of the most respected hitting coaches in the game, Jaramillo comes to the Cubs after a 15-year run in Texas. During that time, hitters under Jaramillo's tutelage won 17 Silver Slugger awards, four Most Valuable Player awards and three RBI titles. He worked with such hitters as Juan Gonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and, yes, Alfonso Soriano during Soriano's two seasons with the Rangers (2004-2005).

Soriano, who dropped off the table offensively last season (.241, 20 homers, 55 RBI), is one reason the Cubs awarded Jaramillo, 59, a three-year, $2.4 million deal. The Cubs must get him going if they are to succeed in 2010.

So far, he's delivered a similar message here in the desert to what Soriano heard from him in Texas: Stay back on the ball. You see it longer that way. And load your power on your right (back) leg while preparing to spring forward with your swing.

"Same thing as when I play in Texas," Soriano says. "He tells me every day what I have to do. He reminds me, your power comes from your right side. It's like a teacher."

The best hitting coaches are exactly that, like an old teacher who had an exceptional way of making the complicated things seem simple.

From Jaramillo's perspective, new team and new league, he's mostly just trying to get the lay of the land this spring.

"I'm just still trying to win these guys over," he says. "I'm not trying to over-coach them. The key is to win their trust as we go. Situational hitting, two-strike approaches, things like that."

He knows all about the struggles last year of Geovany Soto (.218), Mike Fontenot (.236) and others. He knows Kosuke Fukudome hit just .259 last year after hitting .257 the year before, and how Piniella dreams of getting Fukudome up to the .280-.285 range.

"You've got to give him time," Piniella says. "He's basically familiarizing himself with all of the hitters. He's got a nice program going. We're pleased, we really are. But it's going to take him a little time."

Says general manager Jim Hendry: "I think Sori is going to benefit from Rudy. When you add a guy like Rudy, you're getting one of the best in the game."

"I still have a lot of learning to do," Jaramillo says. "Hitters, opposition parks ... that will come with time. I feel like I'm running out of time [with spring training down to just two weeks left], basically.

"But now, as they start sending some kids out [to the minors via roster cuts], I can focus one on one with some of our guys and try to win their trust."

Likes: Leadoff man Juan Pierre looks just as quick in a White Sox uniform as he did in every other uni he's worn. But how will the 10-year National League veteran (Rockies, Cubs, Marlins, Dodgers) take to the American League? "They've still gotta throw it over the plate," he says, smiling. "And the bases are still 90 feet apart." ... Douglas Thompson's biography of Clint Eastwood is an entertaining read, as you would expect from a book that's entitled Clint: The Biography of Cinema's Greatest Ever Star. One of the best anecdotes comes from the filming of A Perfect World, when Kevin Costner walked off the set when an extra kept flubbing his lines. Eastwood simply told Costner's double to step in and filmed that scene and another without the high-maintenance actor. To hear Thompson tell it, Costner was stunned -- and properly chagrined -- when he reappeared later and Eastwood essentially told him they moved on and that's not how you behave. ... A terrific tournament run came to an end (sigh) when the Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central Falcons were beaten in the Regional Championship of the Michigan High School boys' basketball tourney Wednesday by Napoleon 45-43.

Dislikes: How about the USA Today story Wednesday about pet funerals? Some folks are paying $2,000 or $3,000 for a casket, viewing and funeral for Fido. That's insane. Look, I dig my pets (two cats and a dog) as much as the next person, and my wife probably digs them even more than me. But I'd have her committed (and she me) over a suggestion to put out major bucks for an elaborate kitty funeral. People are nuts.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"And he yells, and he roars
"Loves the Stones, hates the Doors
"Thinks the Beatles sing for girls
"He's a moonshine guy in a six-pack world"

-- Jason & the Scorchers, Moonshine Guy

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Justin Masterson is off the yo-yo string. His days of bouncing back and forth between the bullpen and rotation in Boston are over.

Now, all he has to do is prove he can start in Cleveland.

The Indians have plenty of questions as they turn things over to the kids, and how Masterson fares is high atop the list. Acquired as part of the Victor Martinez trade last July, the 25-year-old right-hander is hoping to complete his first full season as a starter this summer since 2007.

Boston's second-round pick in the 2006 draft, Masterson made his major-league debut just two years later, appearing in 36 games and starting nine for the Red Sox. That fall, in '08, he became the seventh-youngest pitcher ever to win a postseason game for the Red Sox (23 years and 208 days).

With the Red Sox loaded with pitchers, he broke camp with the team in 2009 as a reliever but moved into the rotation after only four relief appearances when Daisuke Matsuzaka was disabled. Masterson wound up appearing in 31 games for the '09 Sox, starting six of them.

He was traded to Cleveland on July 31, whereupon he made one relief appearance before finishing the season with 10 consecutive starts. He went 1-7 with a 4.55 ERA for the Indians, putting him in a classic spring position now: Happy to be given a clean slate in a new place, where the sky is the limit

"It's a real fun place," Masterson says. "What's also interesting is that there's a lot of energy here, but not the nervousness that comes with it. These guys believe they can play."

Sunblock Day? It's into the 70s and predicted to be into the 80s by week's end. Better late than never.

Likes: Cubs manager Lou Piniella, in describing pitcher Ted Lilly's low-key rehabilitation from arthroscopic shoulder surgery over the winter: "We want to keep him under the radar gun and not talk about it much." Not sure if Lou wants to keep him low profile this spring or keep Lilly's velocity down. ... Gotta love that spring training team bonding. There was a signup sheet on the door to the Indians' clubhouse the other day entitled "Bull Riding Event" at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. And there were 17 Indians' players signed up to attend. ... Arizona manager A.J. Hinch says that Conor Jackson, who missed almost all of last season with Valley Fever, is swinging to well this spring that he wishes he could put Jackson "on ice" until opening day. I don't think he meant that literally, but you get the drift. ... Cool that actress Betty White will host Saturday Night Live's Mother's Day show in May. ... New discovery: Frank & Lupe's Mexican joint in Old Scottsdale. Outstanding fish tacos there the other night. ... Exactly how Bob Dylan came to record the old children's song This Old Man, I don't know. But it's here, and it's highly entertaining.

Dislikes: RIP Merlin Olsen, who seemed like one of the nicest men on the planet.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"He's going back to New York, pack it up and let everyone know
"It was something that he should have done such a long time ago
"Still time to start a new life in the palm trees
"Ah, Billy Clyde wasn't insane
"And if it doesn't work out
"There'll never be any doubt
"That the pleasure was worth all the pain"

-- Jimmy Buffett, The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Go ahead, let Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes write another chapter in their endless "Will he start or will he relieve?" saga this spring.

From his perch in the desert, right-hander Ian Kennedy is perfectly content to have left the No. 4 train to the Bronx behind.

He's making his pitch toward the Arizona Diamondbacks' rotation and, though they're not handing him the job, they are giving him what might be the most important guarantee he could get: They view him as a starter, period. The bullpen is not an option.

"We'd like him to win the job," manager A.J. Hinch says. "We feel like he's going to win the job."

As Hinch says, they're not handing out jobs. Kennedy must earn his keep. But you get the idea. ...

"It's nice, because when I was with the Yankees, I didn't know this spring if I was going to relieve or start, what my role was," Kennedy says. "If they wanted me to start in Triple-A. ...

"Coming here, they said, 'Here's what you could have. You've got to just do what you do.' That's the advantage of being here. If you look around, there's a lot of good, young players here. That's what I'm excited about."

Having missed most of '09 with an aneurysm near his right shoulder, Kennedy is doing his normal spring work and feeling good. The Diamondbacks' rotation is somewhat in flux because of ace Brandon Webb's slow return from shoulder surgery.

Kennedy figured to line up as the No. 4 starter behind Webb, Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson -- though with Webb expected to start on the disabled list, Kennedy could find himself pitching the third game of the season against San Diego.

He's spent a lot of time with Webb this spring which, among other things, has resulted in Kennedy adding a sinker to his repertoire. That first came up during the Arizona Fall League.

"I talk to Webby a lot," Kennedy says. "He's usually in the training room, and I've asked him a lot of questions so far about pitching, trying to pick his brain on how he can throw that great of a two-seamer [sinking fastball]."

Sunblock Day? Finally, some sun and some 70-degree weather. And don't look now, but they're predicting highs of 83 and 84 Tuesday and Wednesday in Phoenix.

Likes: Diamondbacks bench coach Kirk Gibson and former major leaguer Brett Butler, now managing at Triple-A Reno, giving hands-on lessons on baserunning the other day on one of the back fields. I hope the younger Diamondbacks in particular were listening, there's a lot of wisdom to be learned from those two men. ... The Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch off of I-10 on the way south to Tucson. Never fails to amuse. And no, I didn't stop and pet the deer (one of the options listed in the extravagant signage). ... Picacho Peak, between Casa Grande and Tucson off of I-10. My friend Steve Gilbert of MLB.com informed me that the westernmost battle of the Civil War was waged there. It's now a state park, and there's a re-enactment of the battle each year. ... Watching the Big East title game Saturday night on television, great scene at the end after West Virginia won and they blasted John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads over the speaker system in Madison Square Garden with the Mountaineer fans singing loudly, especially to the lines in which Denver sings, "To the place, I belong, West Virginia. ..." Sounded great on television.

Dislikes: So I hear there's going to be a "big announcement" on a Detroit radio station Friday night from Alto Reed, saxophone player for Bob Seger. A summer tour, perhaps? How cool would that be? Uh, no. The announcement, according to the crack Web site Segerfile.com, is that the sax guy will be joining the radio station's on-air staff. Yawn.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"It's funny how it's the little things in life that mean the most
"Not where you live, what you drive or the price tag on your clothes
"There`s no dollar sign on a piece of mind, this I`ve come to know
"So if you agree have a drink with me
"Raise your glasses for a toast
"To a little bit of chicken fried
"Cold beer on a Friday night
"A pair of jeans that fit just right
"And the radio up"

-- Zac Brown Band, Chicken Fried

PEORIA, Ariz. -- You've gotta have a whole lot of patience not to go crazy when the trade rumors have you surrounded.

But then, we already knew Padres slugger Adrian Gonzalez has patience.

Quick, name the hitter who led the National League in walks last year. Hint: It ain't Albert Pujols.

"I walked all year, but mainly because pitchers were walking me as opposed to pitch selection," says Gonzalez, who wants to establish an even better eye this summer. "It's something you can work on. The more pitches you see, the better."

Gonzalez walked 119 times last season, including a crazy 24 times over an 11-game span immediately after the Padres shipped Scott Hairston, Gonzalez's main protector in the lineup, to Oakland.

It was right around then that the slugging first baseman (40 homers, 99 RBIs) lost a little of his patience and began taking a whack here and there at pitches he couldn't reach very well.

He still had a sensational season -- All-Star, Gold Glove, career-high .407 on-base percentage -- but his midseason funk still bothers him. Surrounded by upheaval in the organization at midseason, Gonzalez knocked in only eight runs and hit just .235 during the month of June, then batted just .198 during the month of July.

Gonzalez says this "personal funk" helped reiterate to him that he must take his walks.

"[Patience] is one of the parts of the game you have to learn," he says. "Sometimes the best thing you can do for the team is to take the walk rather than expand your strike zone."

The great ones have done it. Barry Bonds. Pujols. Alex Rodriguez.

Gonzalez, already a superstar, is looking to get better.

Sunblock Day? Ah, maybe it's time to open that bottle of SPF. Predicted highs in the 70s all weekend in Phoenix.

Likes: Former Padres general manager Kevin Towers to the Yankees as an assistant to New York GM Brian Cashman. But the best part is, after the Padres tried to extract $250,000 from the Yanks while attempting to recoup some of the fired Towers' 2010 salary, the Yankees stiff-armed them and the Padres settled for only $50,000 in compensation, according to a source. ... Can't wait to see Reds' lefty Aroldis Chapman sometime in the next few days. He may be the most exciting thing to hit Cincinnati since Skyline Chili. ... It is amazing how much Tony Gwynn Jr. sounds like his Hall of Fame father. If you haven't heard him speak yet, check out our video interview. ... Did you see Evan Turner's game-winning 37-foot buzzer beater as Ohio State avoided getting upset by Michigan on Friday? Unbelievable. Let the March Madness begin. ... And on a smaller madness note, a huge congratulations to the Monroe (Mich.) St. Mary Catholic Central Falcons, who stunned 20-2 Dundee for a Class C District title Friday in the boys' high school basketball tournament. Great win for first-year coach Randy Windham, who replaced the legendary Ray Lauwers this year. ... Pretty good sour cream chicken enchiladas the other night at Los Olivos in Scottsdale. But alas, no spotting this year of actor Timothy Busfield. ... First John Hiatt (Thursday) then the Drive-By Truckers (Friday) on the Late Show with David Letterman. The man is on a roll.

Dislikes: Nomar Garciaparra's tenure in Boston ended unceremoniously with a trade, and after he bounces around the game like a foul ball for several years, he and the Red Sox get together so he can "sign" a minor-league contract and "retire" as a Red Sock? And he hated dealing with the media, and now he's headed to become a talking head on ESPN? Look, I have no personal ax to grind here -- I've always gotten along just fine with Nomar -- but count me out of this entire dog and pony show. The Red Sox, of all organizations, should be above a publicity stunt like this. And Nomar on television after avoiding the media as often as possible? Whatever.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"There ought to be a law with no bail
"Smash a guitar and you go to jail
"With no chance for early parole
"You don't get out until you get some soul"

-- John Hiatt, Perfectly Good Guitar

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro will tell you there are three clear keys to the Indians' 2010 season: Jake Westbrook, Fausto Carmona and Justin Masterson, who right now are the top three starters.

Shapiro thinks the Indians will score enough runs, he likes their bullpen and they have several candidates -- young, but experienced -- to pick from for the fourth and fifth starters' slots.

As for those first three starters, there are issues with each. Westbrook hasn't started a regular season game in nearly two years because of reconstructive elbow surgery. Carmona has never been able to replicate his 2007 command. And Masterson, after bouncing between the rotation and bullpen in Boston, has yet to prove himself as a starter.

So each time out for that trio is a test this spring, and on Friday, against a Los Angeles Angels' split-squad, it was Westbrook's turn in his second start of the spring. Though the numbers didn't look good (three hits and four earned runs allowed in 2 1/3 innings), Westbrook sailed through in fine form and said he felt "great."

"I gave up four runs total, but I felt 100 times better than when I gave up one run last outing," said Westbrook, who allowed a run on one hit and three walks in 1 2/3 innings against Arizona on March 8 in Tucson. "I feel so much better confidence-wise, and how I attacked the hitters."

Westbrook, who won 44 games for the Indians from 2004-20006, was mainly hurt when he left a fastball up to Mike Napoli, who crushed it for a three-run homer. If you're grading on the curve, Napoli has crushed everything in sight this spring: With 21 total bases in 16 at-bats, his slugging percentage is 1.312 and he's hitting .438 (7 for 16).

After surrendering a double, single and homer to start, Westbrook retired the next six hitters in what mostly was an Angels 'B' lineup -- and seven of the next eight.

"Another step," Westbrook said. "Another step toward getting back to full strength. I feel like I'm definitely back to full healthy."

Sunblock Day? Don't look now but it actually hit 70 degrees here today. Whoo-hoo! Still chilly enough in the shade that jeans are preferable to shorts.

Likes: Woodjock, a charity event hosted by White Sox starter Jake Peavy, went off splendidly Thursday night in Scottsdale. Peavy, a beginning country crooner, held it together and played a couple of songs he's written. Former Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams is terrific on the guitar, as you've probably heard. Excellent rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and nice solo on James Taylor's You've Got a Friend. Retired big leaguer Ben Broussard and his band probably was the best -- he's really good. Bronson Arroyo's emo singing  wasn't bad, either. Aubrey Huff? I'll pass. Great crowd, roughly 1,400 folks showed up. You should have seen the line out front just before the doors opened. And fine job by Rick Sutcliffe as master of ceremonies... Love the framed photo in the Goodyear press box with the caption "Did anybody pack the snake?" The photo shows the Indians' press corps hard at work in the old press box in Winter Haven, Fla., where the Indians trained until last year, and it's a reference to the time a snake literally slithered into the press box near Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and scared the poor guy half to death. ... Also like all the airplanes just sitting in the desert far over the right-field fence here in Goodyear. It's a giant parking lot for dozens of airplanes. ... Everyone loves Rerun and the old 1970s television show What's Happening!!, don't they? And, who wouldn't want to watch the classic theme song once more?

Dislikes: The plethora of cameras along the interstate and at red lights in Arizona looking to bust you and take money out of your pocket. It's unbelievable how many there are. I've seen plenty of red-light cameras, but here there are cameras set up along the freeways to catch speeders. Big brother is always watching you in the state of Arizona. Be careful, it's disgusting.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"You bitch about the present
"And blame it on the past
"I'd like to find your inner child
"And kick it's little ass"

-- The Eagles, Get Over It

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The place to be in the Cactus League on Thursday might not be a baseball field so much as a club in Scottsdale, where a handful of big leaguers including two Cy Young winner -- White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy (2007) and Giants pitcher Barry Zito (2002) -- and Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo and former Yankee Bernie Williams will headline Woodjock 2010: A Big League Jam Fest for charity.

The event, hosted by Peavy, will benefit the Jake Peavy Foundation, which raises money for Team Focus USA, Strikeouts for Troops, White Sox Charities and Autism Speaks.

Also scheduled to participate are White Sox reliever Scott Linebrink, Giants infielder Aubrey Huff, Giants pitcher Brandon Medders, Giants third-base coach Tim Flannery, White Sox shortstop Omar Vizquel, White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham and former infielder Ben Broussard.

The players/musicians will play various musical genres -- rock 'n' roll, country, jazz, blues, bluegrass, classical and Latin.

The concert will take place at The Venue in Oldtown Scottsdale at 7 p.m. Thursday night. If you're in the area, tickets are available here.

Sunblock Day? Not in my definition of the term. Another cold one in Arizona today, with the temp barely creeping into the 60s and a stiff wind blowing -- howling? -- all day.

Likes: Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon says he is very impressed with the Rays' attitude and work ethic in camp, and he thinks everyone believes the off-season was too long. Translation: He thinks the hunger has returned following the 2008 World Series run and then swinging and missing in 2009. ... Good to see Padres right-hander Chris Young, who has had back-to-back seasons marred by injuries, healthy and strong at this point in camp. ... The rental car lady in Florida was not in the mood for nonsense when I returned the car early the other morning. She was busy working her little hand-held computer upon my return, and when I told her I'd like a full refund because the Florida weather was so crappy for three weeks, she didn't even crack a smile. "You'll have to talk to them inside at the counter, sir," she said without even so much as a hint of a smile. Uh ... I was kidding? ... Notre Dame over Seton Hall in the Big East Tournament on Wednesday. ... Butler over Wright State in the Horizon League tourney title game. What a season for those Bulldogs. Going undefeated in league play is an incredible achievement. ... The jerk salmon at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Glendale the other night. ... Excellent win for the Monroe (Mich.) St. Mary Catholic Central boys' basketball team on Wednesday in a 55-53 district tourney triumph over Whiteford.

Dislikes: Former big leaguer Riccardo Ingram, now a hitting coach in Minnesota's system, battling a brain tumor. He was stricken last summer while serving at hitting coach at Triple-A Rochester and, after treatment at Duke University and ongoing chemotherapy, he's doing great right now and is in uniform in Twins camp. The plan for him in 2010 is to serve as a roving hitting coach between Rochester and Double-A New Britain. Here's a prayer that Ingram, one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, continues to feel well and beats this thing. And here's another prayer for his wife and two daughters as they all fight through this thing.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"Well, I came upon a child of God
"He was walking along the road
"And I asked him, Tell me, where are you going?
"This he told me
"Said, I'm going down to Yasgur's Farm
"Gonna join in a rock and roll band
"Got to get back to the land and set my soul free
"We are stardust, we are golden
"We are billion year old carbon
"And we got to get ourselves back to the garden"

-- Joni Mitchell, Woodstock

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Not long after third baseman Adrian Beltre arrived at his new home, he and Mike Lowell had a talk. It wasn't a major summit. The two were simply out on one of the practice fields when Lowell approached him, the two said hello and they then carefully broached the 800-pound elephant in the infield.

Lowell, 36 and recovering from thumb surgery, is being moved out to the Shady Acres Rest Home by the Red Sox.

Beltre, who will turn 31 on April 7 and is signed to a one-year, $10 million deal for 2010 with a player option for 2011, is replacing him.

The complicating factor, of course, is that Boston had Lowell traded to Texas over the winter but the Rangers nixed the trade after Lowell failed the physical because of the thumb.

So Lowell, due $12 million this year, is rehabbing while in a holding pattern. The Red Sox quietly pray he shows enough this exhibition season that they'll be able to trade him.

"Most people probably think it's uncomfortable," Beltre says. "But for us, not at all."

That the two are co-existing this spring is a tribute to Lowell's class and grace as one of the club's elder statesmen, and to Beltre's ability to walk gingerly through what is undoubtedly, at times, an uneasy start with his new employer.

"It's not easy," Beltre says. "He's been one of the best third basemen in the big leagues for the last 10 years. I've been a big fan of his. For me, he has one of the best [sets of] hands of any third baseman. It's just a situation where he's been hurt the last couple of years. ... It's not easy to be in his situation. Everybody knows he can play.

"We both want what's best. He wants to play. I want to play."

Lowell was the MVP of the 2007 World Series. He's been a good player for the Red Sox and pure class in the clubhouse. Yet, he committed the cardinal sin of getting older and breaking down. The hip. The thumb. The gray hairs.

He's a fan favorite and beloved by the Red Sox. But, hey, it's a business.

"He's a guy we really respect," manager Terry Francona says. "It can be a little bit difficult, to be honest with you. He's a guy who's earned that. He's been in the game a long time. All those things we talk about loyalty, he's earned it.

"Then, as an organization, we make decisions and they can be hard on guys sometimes. I think they really recognize that.

"So we just try to handle it the best we can. That's about as honest as I can be about that. Sometimes our evaluation doesn't match the player's evaluation And we understand that, too. And they can't. They never do. Anywhere."

Likes: Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia barking good naturedly at somebody across the clubhouse the minute I opened the door at 8 a.m. the other morning. The guy never stops, even before the coffee has kicked in. ... You've got to pull for young Boston outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, one of the nicest guys in the game. ... Long-time Boston radio man Jonny Miller, who always has asked all the hard questions for WBZ and whose non-stop work in the face of nasty back problems is an inspiration. ... I'm perfectly fine with The Hurt Locker winning the Oscar for best picture. I'm really, really happy Avatar, the most overrated flick of the year, didn't win. ... The Monroe (Mich.) St. Mary Catholic Central Falcons opening the boys' basketball District Tournament this week at Blissfield. Go get 'em, Falcons.

Dislikes: Exhibition games have barely started and, already, players are dropping left and right: St. Louis' MVP Albert Pujols (back), Minnesota closer Joe Nathan (elbow), Cubs reliever Angel Guzman (shoulder), Dodgers catcher Russell Martin (groin) and Kansas City third baseman Alex Gordon (broken finger) for starters. Martin is probably out four-to-six weeks minimum. Gordon is expected to miss at least two or three weeks. Guzman probably will be sidelined for the entire season and the Twins continue to hold their breath on Nathan. Meantime, the Cards say they aren't concerned with Pujols. Yet. Yikes.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"If midnight is an awful hour
"Baby, why does it come so soon?
"If midnight is an awful hour
"Baby, why does it come so soon?
"It never brings me happiness
"Always leaves me filled with gloom"

-- B.B. King, Midnight Blues

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- You like fresh starts in the spring? Well come visit for a moment with shortstop J.J. Hardy, whose tale is a classic in the genre:

Hardy, part of Milwaukee's young wrecking crew, falls off the cliff in 2009.

His 24 homers in 2008 melt to 11 in '09.

His 74 RBI in '08 shrink to 47 in '09.

He scuffles so much the Brewers ship him back to Triple-A Nashville. Then, looking to trim their payroll this winter, they ship him to Minnesota for center fielder Carlos Gomez.

So here Hardy is, new Twins uniform, blank slate, hopes as high as his production once was.

Credit for some of those hopes goes to Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra and special spring training instructor (and, of course, Hall of Famer) Rod Carew.

"I've made some pretty big changes, and for the better," Hardy says. "Some things I've known I've needed to do, and I just haven't been doing them."

What Vavra and Carew have succeeded (so far) in doing with Hardy is this: Last year, he fell into a bad habit of twisting his upper body back toward the catcher too much as he was loading his swing. What Vavra suggested, and Carew has helped fine tune, is getting Hardy's hands and back elbow in a spot that makes it hard for him to rotate his upper body so extravagantly.

Now, instead of turning back too far before he launches his swing forward, Hardy says he's coming straight to the ball in a shorter, more compact manner.

"It's a new start, and I'm excited about that," Hardy says.

Especially alarming were two things: His deteriorating power, and his declining effectiveness against lefty pitchers. He's never hit right-handers particularly well, but he hit only .169 against lefties in '09 (as opposed to a .299 career average against lefties through '08).

Can Hardy bounce back?

Did Vavra unlock an eternal mystery?

Will Carew's suggestions put Hardy back on track?

For now, the smile is back, and that's a start.

"I'm going to have fun. Last year, I was miserable. For some reason last year, I felt more pressure on myself. If I was 2-for-4 or 1-for-3, I was miserable because it just wasn't good enough.

"I'd come to the park in a bad mood. It was a long, frustrating year for me."

Sunblock Day? Slow start, but it was in the 70s by day's end Sunday and it is supposed to remain in the 70s for the rest of the week. Let the burning begin.

Likes: Nice conversation the other day with former Twins manager Tom Kelly, in camp helping as an instructor. The other day, he was on a half-field working with the infield defense and with the pitchers in their fielding practice. He's doing well and roves throughout the Twins' minor-league system during the summer, evaluating and teaching. As for spring camp, he'll be here through the end. "Gardy wanted me to come for the whole spring," T.K. says of manager Ron Gardenhire, as if it came as somewhat of a surprise. ... Hall of Famers Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew and Paul Molitor also are in uniform as guest instructors. Between those three and T.K., it's an impressive sight. ... Nice conversation also with former outfielder and first baseman Dmitri Young, who is retired and was visiting his brother, Twins' outfielder Delmon. Dmitri says he's retired with no regrets, and his top priority now is being a father to his three kids. He brought his oldest, 12-year-old Owen, who served as the Twins' batboy on Saturday. ... Nino's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria in Fort Myers remains as delicious as ever, and it was good to hear that the owner of the joint, Graziano, was able to get away to his native Italy for three weeks last summer. More impressive, he spent the time with some friends making food and feeding people following last April's earthquake centered in Abruzzo mountain region of Italy.

Dislikes: Aw, I'll have left Florida by the time Wilco plays in Clearwater on March 23. I've had a heck of a time catching up to them over the past year. Would

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"I feel alright, it's a Minnesota night
"You've got nothing left to show me but your smile
"Stars so bright on this Minnesota night
"Can we cut the conversation for a little while?"

-- The Push Stars, Minnesota

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It's hold-your-breath time for the Twins: Closer Joe Nathan, who was removed from Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Boston, will return to the Twin Cities on Monday for an MRI on his surgically repaired elbow.

"We're going to repeat some tests," Twins general manager Bill Smith said Sunday morning. "We want to repeat some tests that we had done on him in September. Those were our baseline tests, and when we repeat those [and compare], then we'll have a much, much better idea of where it's at."

Nathan, following a season in which he had 47 saves, had surgery to clean out the elbow in October. Noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews removed two bone spurs and some bone chips, and Nathan said Saturday, in describing his elbow as "achy" and saying he felt "tightness", that doctors had warned him he would have moments like that along his recovery.

One of the game's top closers, the prospect of a Nathan-less Twins club -- for any amount of time -- would shake things up in the AL Central.

"He came out of the game, so we're a little concerned," Smith said. "But until we see how the tests compare ... our doctors have talked a lot about establishing baselines, especially with our pitchers' shoulders and elbows, and using that date into the future to evaluate."

Up next in that plan is Nathan.

The Twins are holding their breath.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Twins closer Joe Nathan left Saturday's outing against Boston early when his surgically repaired elbow became "achy" and he felt "a little tightness."

Nathan faced three batters and threw 20 pitches. He walked two batters and was removed following a walk to J.D. Drew.

He was upbeat after the shortened outing and said doctors had warned him that the type of surgery he had would bring days like this in his recovery. He said he will be re-evaluated Sunday and, as of now, does not expect his spring training regimen to change.

"They said it may be scary, but you've got to understand that you're going to go through moments like this," Nathan said.

Though he was relaxed and seemed to take it in stride, he confirmed that the doctors were right, and that it is scary.

"Definitely," he said. "It's never fun when you get pulled out of a game, especially by the training staff. It's just a little speed bump here. We'll see where it goes."

Nathan said he felt "awesome" in the bullpen warming up. But, as he noted, while everything has gone smoothly in his rehab and recovery, he hasn't reached the intensity level in bullpens and live batting practice -- especially with his hard, biting slider -- that he did in Saturday's game.

Nathan, 35, had surgery to remove two bone spurs and some bone chips from his elbow in October. He revealed shortly after a season in which he had 47 saves that his elbow was not right for much of it.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Have you gotten a housewarming gift for the Orioles, who are happily ensconced in their new spring training home?

Manager Dave Trembley has: Early-spring baserunning drills.

Anybody who watched the Orioles last season knows they too often ran the bases as if they were blindfolded and suffering from vertigo.

But here's the key: The Orioles' early-spring schooling on the bases is not just a reaction to that. The early drills are made possible because of the upgrade to a real, live, major league spring training facility.

In Fort Lauderdale, where the O's trained the past 16 years, even something as simple as baserunning drills wasn't always possible.

"What we've done the last couple of springs, situational hitting, baserunning and bunting, we'd do it at the end of the spring," Trembley says. "This year, we're doing it at the beginning for two reasons: One, they needed to be emphasized, for obvious reasons. And two, with these facilities, we can do those things now.

"We've got four full fields, plus the stadium. We've got a half-field.

"We can run a major-league spring training the way it should be run."

That the Baltimore Orioles, who were a textbook model for fundamentals for so long through the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, were in such a shoddy facility in Fort Lauderdale for 16 years is unimaginable -- an inexcusable.

Among other things, the O's weight room in Lauderdale was a tent in the parking lot.

And while the big-leaguers trained there, their minor-leaguers were a three-hour drive away, in Sarasota.

Now, everyone is together. And making it better, the Orioles now will be able to use Sarasota as their year-round base for things like sending injured players down for rehabilitation.

"Huge upgrade," says president Andy MacPhail, who has been working toward upgrading the Orioles' spring facilities since taking the job in 2007. "In terms of travel, facilities, coming to a community that has had spring training baseball since 1929.

"They've embraced us early. This will be better in any form you can imagine."

Sunblock Day? Not exactly. The sun is shining, but let's just say this: The Twins pushed their workout back an hour this morning, from 9 to 10, because of predicted early-morning temperatures of 39 degrees.

Likes: Boston's City of Palms Park sold out Thursday night despite temperatures in the 40s. Not surprised. ... Akinori Iwamura in a Pirates uniform. Stylish as ever. ... Former catcher Matt Walbeck, one of the game's good guys, managing Double-A Altoona in the Pirates' system this year. ... Nino's Italian restaurant in Fort Myers, Fla., hasn't lost its fastball. Great chicken parmigiana the other night. ... And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the ribs at Lee Roy Selmon's barbecue joint in Tampa the other night. ... The Oscars are Sunday and one thing completely slipped past me until this week: I had no idea that author Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy) was up for best adapted screenplay for An Education. Hornby is terrific. Haven't yet caught up to his latest book, Juliet, Naked -- it's in the stack of books I've got at home, waiting to be read.

Dislikes: Mets' shortstop Jose Reyes shut down because of concerns over his thyroid levels? And he'll return to New York for tests? Lordy, Lordy, the Mets just don't quit with this health stuff, do they? ... Speaking of which, neither does Nick Johnson. Scratched from the Yankees' lineup Thursday with a stiff lower back, and he says the problem came when he wore spikes instead of turf shoes on the mat in the batting cage. Good luck with this move, Yankees.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
"To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
"And all around me a voice was sounding:
"This land was made for you and me.
"When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
"And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
"As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
"This land was made for you and me.
"As I went walking I saw a sign there
"And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
"But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
"That side was made for you and me."

-- Woody Guthrie, This Land Is Your Land

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Andy LaRoche feels the locomotive steaming toward him, but what's he going to do? Run?

He will open the season as Pittsburgh's third baseman.

Whether he closes it that way is an entirely different story.

Over there in the wings, Pedro Alvarez, one of the top five prospects in the game, is sharpening his defense, honing his hitting and preparing for a long future as Pittsburgh's third baseman (or, perhaps, first baseman -- Alvarez's bat is by far his most intriguing tool).

"No matter if I play with A-Rod, Pedro or nobody behind me, I have to get the things done that I need to do," LaRoche says. "It's not going to make me work any harder, or work any less.

"That's all I can focus on."

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft, Alvarez hit .288 with 27 homers, 32 doubles and 95 RBI in 126 games last season between high-Class A and Double-A.

He likely will not break camp with the Pirates and probably won't arrive until June, July or later -- partly because the organization thinks he still needs seasoning, and partly because stashing him in the minors until then will delay the clock on his major league service time and stop him from being eligible for arbitration until after the 2012 season.

"It's easy to get excited about Pedro," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington says. "You see the strength in his bat, and what he did last year. But it's also easy to forget that he hasn't swung the bat above Double-A. Triple-A pitchers are going to teach him some lessons he needs to learn."

So the good people of Indianapolis (locale of Pittsburgh's Triple-A team) are in for a treat early this season. How long he remains there -- and how long LaRoche remains in the lineup -- right now is only a matter of conjecture until what most people think is the most fearsome bat to come out of the draft for Pittsburgh since first-round pick Barry Bonds in 1985 is ready.

"Obviously, he's a great player," says LaRoche, 25, who hit .258 with 12 homers and 64 RBI last season for the Bucs. "All the publicity he gets, it's not just hype. He's the real deal. He's a great hitter and a solid third baseman.

"It would be nice to play on the same field with him one day -- even if he's at third base and I'm at second."

Sunblock Day? If things don't change around here, I'm going to have to remove this category from the blog entirely. Not to keep bitching, but according to the St. Petersburg Times, this is the coldest winter in the Tampa area since the 1950s. According to the newspaper, so far this season, "Tampa and St. Petersburg have had 26 and 28 days respectively that haven't climbed above 60 degrees — the second-highest number in recorded history. And we're only a few days away from the record, which was set in 1958 when St. Petersburg had 31 days below 60 and Tampa had 30." Brrr.

Likes: Love the blue and orange paw print pattern throughout the carpeting in the Tigers' Lakeland clubhouse. ... Pittsburgh's Pirate City, about a mile away from McKechnie Field in Bradenton, is totally first class. The Bucs have done a great job incorporating their history, with photos and nods to men like Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, Danny Murtaugh and Roberto Clemente throughout. Love the Clemente quote painted onto the wall above the door through which the Pirates exit to head toward the fields: "I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all he had to give." ... If you're on vacation to see the Pirates and just couldn't find a pet-sitter, there's a place just down the very rural street on which Pirate City is located that offers dog obedience training. Lessons are Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Woof. ... Mixon's Fruit Farm also is just down the road from Pirate City, and it's a must-stop for lunch. The fresh orange juice is out of this world. The deli sandwiches are solid, but what's really a must-have is the orange swirl ice cream cone, made with Mixon's fresh orange juice. Mmmmm.

Dislikes: Not that I was ever tempted to watch, but sure am glad I missed The Marriage Ref the other night. Based on the awful reviews and some of what we've seen lately, this painful question needs to be asked: Has Jerry Seinfeld jumped the shark?

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

Exhibition games start this week, and in tribute to Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who would open the Tigers' first Grapefruit League broadcast each spring with this poem, I've gotta go with this today:

"For, lo, the winter is past
"The rain is over and gone
"The flowers appear on the earth
"The time of the singing of birds is come
"And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

-- Song of Solomon

You can listen to Ernie himself recite this verse from the Song of Solomon here, from his Audio Scrapbook (a cool four-disc set that is extremely well done). Just click play and it's the first up in the Harwell tribute video.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The changing spring training landscape is presenting some clubs with scheduling dilemmas, not the least of which is teams which already face divisional rivals 18 or 19 times a summer because of the unbalanced schedule facing those clubs even more in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues.

In Florida, with Baltimore having moved to the Gulf Coast side (Sarasota) from Fort Lauderdale, all five AL East clubs are within a two-hour drive of each other. Tampa Bay is just down the road in Port Charlotte, the Red Sox are a little further down the road in Fort Myers and the Yankees and Blue Jays not far north in the Tampa area.

Result: Tampa Bay is scheduled to play AL East foes in 16 of 31 Grapefruit League games. The Orioles play AL East rivals in 15 of 32 games. And so on.

The Dodgers' move to the Cactus League last spring made for more NL West spring matchups. In Vero Beach, Fla., the Dodgers didn't see any of their NL West rivals all spring. This year, Los Angeles plays NL West opponents in eight of 28 Cactus League games.

Aside from the simple fact that you get bored playing the same teams over and over, are there advantages to seeing divisional rivals so often in the spring? Disadvantages?

"There are two schools of thought on that," Baltimore president and general manager Andy MacPhail says. "One, is that you need to hide, or camouflage, what you have. The other is that what you're afraid of letting your opponent see, you get the same benefit with your opponent.

"There's probably some validity to both points of view."

The Yankees, for example, could pitch Joba Chamberlain in a 'B' game one day this spring rather than against Boston, thus not allowing Red Sox hitters the luxury of seeing Joba until the meaningful games begin. Or they could shuttle Joba into a minor-league game.

There was the spring in Arizona several years ago when Curt Schilling did just that, facing either the White Sox in each of his spring starts or the Diamondbacks minor-leaguers. His preference was to not reveal anything to the Rockies, Giants or Padres until he had to.

Meantime, the defections of the Orioles and Dodgers from Florida's East Coast has made the Cardinals and Marlins (Jupiter) and Mets (Port St. Lucie) adjust travel plans. That trio must play each other more often, and make a couple of extra trips north to face the Nationals (Viera).

It's that, or hike clear across the state, or way up to the Orlando area.

Sunblock Day? Technically, because the sun is out. But the game-time temp for Baltimore's first-ever game here in Sarasota today was 54 degrees, with a howling wind making it feel like high 40s or low 50s.

Likes: Thanks to Johnny Damon for playing along when I hit him with this quiz on Detroit and Michigan the other day. Not everybody would have been such a good sport. ... Thanks also to the Jefferson High School track team in Tampa, which graciously shared its facilities with me the other afternoon when I actually got outside for one of my few outdoor runs over the past couple of weeks in this chilly state. Jefferson, by the way, is the alma mater of Tony La Russa and Tino Martinez. ... Great line in Baseball Prospectus in comparing the struggles of the Orioles, Expos and Brewers in its 2010 edition: "The Expos were a ward of the state, while the Brewers were a ward of the Selig family, and in both cases, the clubs were the baseball equivalent of inmates in dire Dickensian orphanages." ... In the tweet world, it will be hard to top one of Dave O'Brien's from several days ago. O'Brien, who does a great job covering the Braves for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tweeted something about closer Billy Wagner's "flannel shirt." Only he dropped the "r" in shirt. Fairly soon after came another tweet from O'Brien, explaining that's what happens sometimes when you're trying to work the keyboard on a cell phone.

Dislikes: Jay McGwire. What a sleaze. Can you get any lower than writing a book to cash in on your brother's name? Jay and Mark apparently are estranged. This oughta keep them that way. ... Watched the monologue of Jay Leno's return to late night Monday. It was even lamer than his monologues used to be. David Letterman remains the king in my book, and Conan O'Brien got jobbed.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"The senioritas don't care-o
"When there's no dinero"

-- Zac Brown Band, Toes

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Roy Halladay is gone and Toronto is auditioning starting pitchers.

And while you have to travel long distances to find anybody willing to pick the Blue Jays anywhere other than dead last in the AL East (I know, I've been traveling long distances here in Florida and have yet to find that person) ... well, maybe it's not quite as bad as it looks.

At least, with Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow aboard, a healthy Shaun Marcum and kids Brett Cecil and Brian Tallet, maybe it won't be Kansas City bad around here.

"Even though they're young, I feel some of them are ready," says catcher John Buck, who signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Jays over the winter after six seasons with the Royals.

"In Kansas City, I feel they were forcing guys up a year or two before they were ready. They were rushing them, and it was tough to catch them.

"These guys are telling me why they like to do this and why they like to do that. They have a plan, and that's huge."

Nobody in camp has thrown 200 innings in a major-league season -- Romero's 178 last season is the high. Marcum has never made more than 25 big-league starts in a season. Morrow is still trying to catch up to the hype. Cecil needs to throw more strikes.

Dustin McGowan, Mark Rzepszynski, David Purcey, Scott Richmond ... the list of candidates is a long one. Jesse Litsch is injured and due back sometime just after the All-Star Game.

"Romero is somebody who stands out," Buck says. "You hear a lot about him. The way he works, the way he gets after his day. Some of the small stuff he does to get ready ... that probably relates to Halladay when he was here. The drive."

The Jays will miss Halladay tremendously. But if he left a few things behind -- such as his model work ethic for these guys to follow -- then maybe, for now, that's as good as Toronto can hope for.

Sunblock Day? And on the seventh -- eighth? -- day, the sun came out. Beautiful on Monday, sunny and 70 and yes, a sunblock day.

Likes: I still get a big kick -- too big, perhaps -- out of the fact that the Blue Jays' vice-president of communications is named Jay, Jay Stenhouse. Jay of the Jays. Perfect. ... Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson in Roy's for dinner Sunday evening in Tampa. Don't know what Reg was eating, but the seared and blackened Ahi was superb. ... The 2010 Baseball Prospectus will be in bookstores soon and, as usual, it's a must-read -- for executives, scouts, baseball writers and fans. You will not find more thorough scouting reports, and smarter analysis. ... Good to see Troy Glaus healthy in Atlanta's camp. He says he's feeling terrific and says the move to first base should be no big deal. ... When it's a bright, sunny day -- as Monday was (finally) -- there is no more spectacular sight in Florida than cruising over the Tampa Bay on the Sunshine Skyway, pretty blue and green water surrounding you for miles. ... Paul Schaffer's book We'll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives is a fun read. Some very entertaining behind-the-scenes stories from the Saturday Night Live, Blues Brothers and David Letterman days. Who knew the legendary Bob Dylan was a huge fan of Larry "Bud" Melman from the old Letterman show? You'll read this and other nuggets in this page-turner. ... Sandy Koufax actually taking the stage with Dodgers manager Joe Torre for a benefit for Torre's foundation Saturday night in Los Angeles, the two allowing themselves to be grilled by LA Times columnist T.J. Simers.

Dislikes: Anybody who knows me knows I love Bruce Springsteen and the E St. Band. And within that, I think Clarence Clemons can do no wrong. However ... oh my Lord, Clemens' "book" Big Man: Real Life and Tall Tales is unreadable. Just brutal. Here's the problem: He picked the wrong guy to write it. The New York Times reviewer nailed it when he wrote that ghost writer Don Reo "hijacked" the book. Reo keeps butting in with show biz stories of his own that he thinks are terrific and, apparently, Clemons does, too. But what they are is lame. Lame and unfunny. Nobody bought the book to read name-dropping and stories from Reo, a television writer who worked on such shows as M*A*S*H and Blossom. It is maddening. I picked up the book not expecting much over the winter, and it fell miraculously far below even my very low expectations.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"My allergies were bad so we moved to the desert to a city called Palm Springs
"We trick-or-treated at Liberace’s house
"Each finger had a diamond ring
"We met Elvis Presley in the middle of the summer
"He hugged my sister for far too long
"Well, it felt kinda weird, but I woulda pimped her out
"Just to hear him sing a song
"We talked Hollywood, and baseball in the car
"The voice of Jack Buck; It would travel really far"

-- Steve Poltz, Brief History of My Life

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers expect to start two rookies with a combined zero games in the majors (center fielder Austin Jackson and second baseman Scott Sizemore), a third baseman who had surgery on both knees over the winter (Brandon Inge) and a shortstop duo (Adam Everett and Ramon Santiago) whom manager Jim Leyland will be thrilled with if it can produced 80 RBIs between them again.

Yet what's dominating the skipper's mind right about now?

The Tigers' rotation.

"The No. 1 thing I'm thinking about right now," Leyland said, adding, "It's not Austin Jackson or Scott Sizemore.

"The No. 1 thing is how the rotation will play out. That's a huge key."

Though Leyland shies away from discussing specifics out of respect for the pitchers and the process (plus, who knows whether they all stay healthy), the Tigers appear to have three rotatoin spots spoken for -- including by the newly acquired Max Scherzer (from Arizona) -- with the remaining two wide open.

The rotation starts, of course, with ace Justin Verlander, proud owner of a new five-year, $80 million deal.

Rick Porcello, the 21-year-old fireballer who won 14 games last summer, is in there.

Scherzer, 25, who was 9-11 with a 4.12 ERA in 30 starts for the Diamondbacks, should be starter No. 3.

After that?

"There are four guys for sure that have got credibility, if you want to throw [Eddie] Bonine in that mix."

That means Leyland and pitching coach Rick Knapp this spring will be looking hard at Jeremy Bonderman, 27, who so far is looking strong after missing nearly two seasons following circulatory surgery; Nate Robertson, 32, who spent most of last season in the bullpen and underwent elbow surgery in June; Armando Galarraga, 28, who won 13 games in 2008 but crash-landed back here on earth in '09 (6-10, and his ERA shot up nearly two runs, to 5.64 from 3.73); Dontrelle Willis, 28, whom Leyland says looks much better in these early days of spring; and Bonine, 29, who has started nine games over the past two seasons.

"At some point we have to make decisions," Leyland says. "But we're not even close to that point yet. ... I'm kind of anxious to see how it's going to play out."

********

The weather continues to frown on spring training. Here in Lakeland, it rained all morning and the thermometer stubbornly remained stuck on 49 degrees. Brrrr.

The Tigers did most of their work indoors.

"We actually got some things accomplished," Leyland said. "We went over signs, signs with the catcher and signs with all the players. You try to improvise a little bit to make sure you get something accomplished, so we did that.

"There's nothing else you can do about Mother Nature. The weather that I got for the next week doesn't look very warm, but it doesn't show rain. So if it's 55, 60 and not raining, we're fine." ...

"It's a little aggravating, to be honest with you, but there's nothing you can do about it."

Sunblock Day? Absolutely, positively not. In fact, Saturday was the worst of all down here. Steady rain all morning and a high of 49 degrees in Lakeland. I know you're probably buried in snow somewhere and rain and 49 looks good to you, but it's still ridiculous. Worst waste of money I've made so far this spring, in fact, has been popping for a bottle of sunblock. You can add Florida to your overrated list (at least, speaking in the present tense).

Likes: Get well soon, Bob Gebhard. Arizona's assistant general manager had a mild heart attack the other day and, fortunately, is recovering well. ... Great Jimmy Buffett show in Orlando on Thursday. Excellent diversion from spring training. Any time he digs into his past to play Door No. 3, as well as My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink and I Don't Love Jesus and Last Mango in Paris, and anytime he plays the very underrated Window to the World (from the terrific disc License to Chill) and Bob Marley's One Love, it's a great show. ... Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren are outstanding in The Last Station. Really good. ... Good crawfish etouffee at Harry's in Lakeland the other day. And if you're wondering about crawfish, don't even ask about colleague Danny Knobler. Last I talked to him, he had eaten goat in an East African restaurant in Phoenix. ... Nice lunch the other day with Larry Stone, the very underrated national baseball man from the Seattle Times -- not to mention proprietor of one of the coolest blog names around. You can check out the Hot Stone League here.

Dislikes: Smokers who think they can throw their butts out the car window. You see this a staggering amount of the time, and I saw it the other day on a freeway here in Florida. Who do these smokers think they are? Literally, they view the world as their ashtray. How selfish.

Rock 'N' Roll Lyric of the Day:

"Boat drinks
"Boys in the band ordered boat drinks
"Visitors scored on the home rink
"Everything seems to be wrong
"Lately, the newspaper mentioned cheap air fare"
"I gotta fly to Saint Somewhere
"I'm close to bodily harm
"Twenty degrees and the hockey game's on
"Nobody cares they are way too far gone
"Screamin' boat drinks, something to keep 'em all warm"

-- Jimmy Buffett, Boat Drinks