Angels Abreu Signing Next Best Thing after losing Teixeira to the Yankees.

The California Angels desperately needed that one hitter in the middle of their 2009 line-up that knows how to take pitches. The Angeles second half season acquisition of Mark Teixeira in 2008 actually seemed to help the hitters around him adjust to the concept of taking more pitches and being just a bit more selective.

Vladimir Guerrero appeared to benefit greatly from having Teixeira in the line-up last year. Bobby Abreu will probably hit behind Kendry Morales and in front of Vlad, and that is probably the perfect table setting for the Angels. Perhaps the only criticism I have for the Angels is not making a play for an additional year for Abreu beyond the 2009 season.

If Abreu proves a solid addition for the Angels in 2009, the Angels will be stuck a year from now with perhaps nobody who can do what Abreu does when it comes to on base percentage and who can play the outfield. I would have offered Abreu a second year at 8 million with a 1.5 million buyout.

Either way, the Angels are starting to get up in age and they appear to be log jammed in the outfield with over 30 year old players and little room for younger players to get playing time. At least the Angels have been able to use the DH to "rest" their veteran outfielders, a strategy that helped sustain them last year through a myriad of outfield injuries.

Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation’s 6th Annual “In the Spirit of the Game” Sports and Entertainment Extravanganza.

Century City Los Angeles was the home of the Sixth Annual Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation’s “In the Spirit of the Game” Sports and Entertainment Extravaganza. This wonderful event supports and honors the scouting profession along with baseball veteran players and coaches.
A ginormous selection of auction memorabilia was on display as well in what is known as a "silent auction". The silent auction gives the PBSF an opportunity to raise funds for scouts who may not have the entire range of health and pension benefits enjoyed by baseball players they helped discover.

The PBSF was held at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City and tickets started at 300 dollars and went up from there. Ticket Purchases help to ensure funds are raised and appropriated to baseball scouts in need while giving those who attended a chance to see many well known ballplayers and the scouts who discovered them, up close and personal.

Ricky Henderson and Jim Rice elected to the Hall of Fame, Ricky's exit from baseball seems to have been forgotten.

One thing about Ricky Henderson that was not revisited prior to the 2009 Hall of Fame voting was the allegation that Ricky went to the Mets clubhouse during a playoff game to play cards with a teammate. It may have been Ricky's final year in the league, but it sure seemed to leave a sour taste for news writers and fans alike. Apparently Ricky had been used as a pinch hitter or pinch runner and once his participation had ended, rather than stay on the bench and observe and support his teammates, Rickey went to the clubhouse and played cards. Kind of a weird thing for a vet to do, actually.

But I think we can see what fives year of just laying low can bring, nothing but accolades and even curiosity over the 28 voters who did not vote for Ricky Henderson. Maybe those 28 remembered Ricky's not so classy exit from the game and just wanted to make sure he didn't get in via a unanimous vote. Obviously, what Ricky Henderson did in his final few games in the playoffs can't undo a lifetime of baseball achievement that included the record for lead off home runs and the ability to steal a base well into his forties. Neither can anyone forget Ricky repeatedly coming back to get just one more shot in the majors even when it meant starting out in the minors or lower to get back!

Congrats, Ricky Henderson. Jim Rice made it in his final chance before having to be voted in by the veteran hall of fame committee. Jim Rice was just dominant enough for just long enough to make squeeze in. Once a Hall of Famer, always a Hall of Famer. Congrats Jim Rice.

"I'm not Ozzie Blogspot" reporting Bartolo Colon to sign with the White Sox, why aren't the Cleveland Indians in the Hunt?

"I'm not Ozzie" Blogspot Reports that Bartolo Colon will sign a one year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Sigh, the real feel good story of 2009 would have been for Bartolo Colon to come back to Cleveland and be a teammate to the two All Stars Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee, who were mere minor league prospects several years ago when Montreal traded them for Bartolo Colon.

Mark Shapiro should have tried to sign Bartolo and put him on a fitness training program for a month or two, even if it meant Bartolo would not be available until May or June. Why don't ballplayers ever see the silver lining, the " if we build it they will come" moment in their careers? For Bartolo Colon, coming back to Cleveland right after CC Sabathia left, and being along side the progeny that his trade from Cleveland had created, would have been the right place at the right time in the right year.

Bartolo Colon, aka Java the Hut, sits back and waits for his next juicy victim.

I followed Bartolo Colon's career. Year after year he would get slightly fatter, and apparently stronger in the legs. It became the "excuse" for Bartolo's annually expanding girth, "He has strong legs". I guess for several years Bartolo was able to move his mass forward under the direction of his powerful legs, the excuse even being that his strong legs actually made his pitches go faster and that sometimes in the late innings his pitches got even faster.

Then Bartolo's injuries started, and yes, Bartolo's weight played a part in those injuries. Yet Bartolo shouldered on, never once really going on any kind of a noticeable diet. So here we are in 2009, and Bartolo Colon could actually resurrect his career, if only he would lose some weight.

Instead, Bartolo, it appears, will play the role of Java the Hut, welcoming those who would venture into his den and overpay for an overweight "athlete" who appears capable of insulating himself from what would make him better, being in better shape. The Indians did right by Bartolo Colon, even when they traded Bartolo to Montreal.

Because Montreal was a team in desperate need of a starter and his presence there was appreciated by the Montreal fans. Bartolo's effectiveness in Montreal helped land him a four year deal from the Angels, of which at the most he earned 2 years of. Bartolo spent more and more time on the DL during his four years in California.

More rehab followed, and now, instead of having started a physical fitness regimen to show he is serious about the game, apparently Bartolo Colon is content to sit back and wait for his reputation and past success to wrest another one year contract from a desperate team. If only Bartolo could embrace the adventure of going back to Cleveland, especially after the departure of CC Sabathia, and actually being the pitcher the Indians needed to bring them over the hump in 2009. But I guess that is asking too much of a pitcher, to actually visualize their own success when all that really matters is a fat contract.