Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro made it a point not to bring back the exact same lineup in 2009 after winning the World Series in 2008. He succeeded in that goal by replacing the departed Pat Burrell with Raul Ibanez in left field. The strategy worked as the Phillies won their division and made it all the way to the World Series, eventually losing to the New York Yankees.
During this offseason, expect the mantra to be very similar to last winter. The one position in the lineup that likely will roll over is third base. The team declined their $5.5 million option on Pedro Feliz and will try and find an upgrade in the free-agent pool. If they fail to do so, they can always bring Feliz back to the team.
Four of the nine Gold Glove winners in the National League were recognized for the first time when Rawlings announced the 2009 awards Wednesday afternoon.
Two members of the NL champion Phillies -- center fielder Shane Victorino and shortstop Jimmy Rollins -- were recognized for their defensive excellence. Victorino was a Gold Glover for the second straight year, while Rollins won it for a third consecutive time.
Earlier this year, Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino did a joint interview with Jon Gosselin from the TLC reality-docudrama "Jon and Kate Plus Eight." I guess that makes them best friends forever, because online newspapers and gossip communities frothing at the mouth for something to rag on during the Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" video delay are "reporting" that Victorino invited the fertile d-hole to his Saved by the Bell-style Hawaiian wedding this month.
Tonight's Dugout, which might as well be a bunch of still photos of celebrities walking, is after the jump.
NEW YORK – Finally, there was life in Ryan Howard's bat, energy in his words. "Come on man, let's go," he shouted upon crossing the plate, as if adding a hardy exclamation point to his two-run homer in the sixth inning would spark whatever the defending champions had been missing since they took a brief World Series lead way back in October.
The Philadelphia Phillies brought the bravado, for sure. On the eve of the Fall Classic, Jimmy Rollins made one of his many extemporaneous observations, saying on the Jay Leno Show, of all places, "If we're nice, we'll let it go six. But I'm thinking five. Close it out at home." So here's the first lesson, to any budding big leaguers: try not to mouth off when playing the wealthiest, hungriest, most talent-stacked team on the planet.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
All season long, we've been waiting for David Price to deliver on the hype. But Price's year has been up and down, with counting stats that resemble waiver-wire fodder outside of his strikeout total. Well, there's another Rays starter that may be on track to finish 2009 stronger than Price, and is well worth a spot in all keeper leagues.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
On Sunday, Ichiro Suzuki became the second fastest player to ever reach the 2,000 hit milestone as he doubled in the first inning and later scored.
It took Suzuki 1,402 games to reach 2,000 hits. The fastest was Al Simmons who did it in 1,390 games. Suzuki needs five more hits to reach 200 for the season, which would break the record he shares with Willie Keeler at nine consecutive seasons with 200.
As milestone talk goes, Ichiro is playing second fiddle to what's about to happen in New York.
The greatest mystery in the history of Chicago has finally been solved. The Cubs fan who dumped a beer on Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino's head at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night has turned himself in, and now the people of Chicago can now rest peacefully at night without fear of someone pouring a beer on them.
Johnny Macchione was the kid who wasted his beverage on Wednesday, but after Wrigley Field security grabbed the wrong man, he was able to sneak out of Wrigley undetected. Then on Thursday it seems his conscience -- or the fact that there was videos and pictures of him everywhere -- caused Macchione to turn himself in and face the music.
CHICAGO -- Midwestern values? Sorry, I've never detected more common sense here than anywhere else, particularly during baseball season in the heartland capital. Chicago is where a father/son tag team, one with a knife falling from his pocket, tackled an enemy first-base coach who never has emotionally recovered. Chicago is where a bond trader attacked Cubs relief pitcher Randy Myers for allowing a home run. Chicago is where a fan stole the cap of Dodgers catcher Chad Kreuter, prompting his teammates to rush into the stands. Chicago is where a riot broke out and fires erupted on Disco Demolition Night.
Chicago is where psycho fans come to pillage and plunder, possibly a byproduct of having won only one World Series over the last 191 collective seasons -- soon to be 193 -- on both sides of town. Philadelphia boos Santa Claus? Cleveland throws batteries at helmeted, padded football players? New York, Boston, Detroit? Those places are mellow compared to Chi, the city that really should taser morons after Oakland introduced the idea last week, the city where so-called regional sensibilities don't always apply at the two ballparks.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That it's possible to get ejected by the home plate umpire when you're standing in center field. That's exactly what happened to Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino, who questioned a call by Ed Rapuano in the seventh inning of Philadelphia's 12-3 loss to Florida by gesturing and jumping up and down in center and was then run from the game.
After Rapuano threw Victorino out, the speedy outfielder known as the Flyin' Hawaiian sprinted all the way to the infield to challenge his decision. It appeared he was going to make contact with the umpire, but he denied that was the case, explaining:
Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
Four of the nine Gold Glove winners in the National League were recognized for the first time when Rawlings announced the 2009 awards Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier this year, Philadelphia Phillies center fielder 
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
CHICAGO -- Midwestern values? Sorry, I've never detected more common sense here than anywhere else, particularly during 
Starting Five
Starting Five
