Looks like Derek Morris is officially off the Rangers list.  He has filled another former Ranger's slot in Boston. 

BRUINS SIGN MORRIS TO 1-YEAR, $3.3MILLION CONTRACT

Full story from TSN

Does this mean more kids get to play for the Rangers next season?  Or are we looking at some more wheeling and dealing from Mr. Sather?  Also, does this guarantee that Rozy remains a blueshirt?  I'm already missing Paul Mara myself.

Check out this NBC story.  Apparently, authorities have arrested a man who was running a large steroid business.  He claims to have sold steroids to athletes on, among other teams, the Capitals.  Interesting considering who it might implicate....

Also makes you wonder about the exodus of veteran Capitals.  In the last few days, Sergei Federov and Victor Kozlov have bailed the US for the Russia KHL with rumors that infamous Donald Brashear might follow.

Guess we won't know for sure until he publishes his tell all book.

I don't know what to think of this move.  Niese hasn't had a brilliant start to his AAA career.  I know a bit has bit written about extreme bad luck so far (someone posted that his FIP is something like 3.65) and the start is going to be against the Pirates of all teams.... but it really does seem like setting up a young pitcher for failure. 

In my perfect world, Niese doesn't even SNIFF the bigs until after the all star break.  His command isn't good enough, IMO, to survive on his weak fastball in the bigs yet.

Nick Swisher has apparently been traded to the Yankees for Jeff Marquez and potentially some other as of yet unknown prospects.

I guess this assumes Swisher is going to be the new centerfielder.  Depending on what else may be in this trade, it could be a steal for the Yanks.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3700869

Marquez, Betemit, and Nunez…for Swisher and Kanekoa Texeira is what it apparently looks like in the end.

In the aftermath of the Mets bullpen disaster against the Phillies last night, reports are saying the Mets management had a meeting today talking about the serious possibility of calling up Fernando Martinez.  (This is as per Andrew Marchand on 1050 ESPN).

Now, is this idea:

A) Stupid

B) Insanely dumbfoundingly stupid

From my personal perspective, Fernando is doing well in AA but is nowhere NEAR ready to contribute on the major league level.  What could he possibly add that a AAAA slugger couldn't do (Chris Aguila and Valentino Pascucci are currently mashing the ball in New Orleans, for instance)?

The Mets currently have three 1st base types hitting the cover off the ball in AA.

Mike Carp:  .420/.461/.691

Carp was a "prospect" a few years ago who had a lost 2007 due to hand related injuries.  In A+ ball, he showed some power and ability to take walks at the age of 20.  His main problem was an inability to hit lefties, leading him to max out at platoon player status.

Dan Murphy:  .398/.441/.530

I know virtually nothing about Murphy, to be honest.  Scouts keeping talking up his tools but I haven't seen anything in his past stats to suggest a breakout.

Nick Evans:  .338/.376/.597

Evans, in my mind, is the right handed version of Carp.  Very similar stats at A+ although Evans was a year older at that stage.

Now, none of these guys were particularly great prospects coming in but considering the fact the Mets are in dire need of a 1st baseman, do any of these guys have a future?

The previous journal kind of inspired this thread for me.  What is your favorite school project you ever did that involved baseball?  It could be in history, English, chemistry, what have you.  Personally, mine was a persuasive argument speech I had to give in AP US History in my senior year of high school.  Everyone used historically epic topics like abortion and whatnot.  I, logically, as a baseball fan argued both for and against the designated hitter.

Got a chuckle out of my teacher. Hahah, I just remembered. Not only did I get a chuckle out of my teacher, he also ended up mentioning it in my recommendation letter to college as a "positive".

Why exactly does Kansas City not want to give Huber an extended chance in the bigs?  He's apparently finally out of options but they're still not sold on him.  I understood when they had Mike Sweeney blocking him but, now that 1st base is relatively unoccupied, shouldn't he be on the short list?  This is, of course, assuming Butler takes the majority of the DH time.  Does he have anything left to prove in the minors?

http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=33156

Young shortstop in the Mets system with some promising half-season stats.  Anyone know much about him as far as projectability and whatnot?  He seems to already know what to do with the strikezone (very nice BB/K) but does anyone think he might develop some power (he's only 5'11).  For that matter, does he look to stick to middle infield?

Granted, he has very little to project, with only a half season in low A.  But curious as to whether people have predictions about him. I know there was some talk about him in a diary in August. But that was half a year ago and thoughts change and with the reviews of various minor league systems, I've grown more curious. Plus it seems awfully slow around baseball chat circuits right now.

Assuming we resign Ollie after this season to a long term contract, I've been wondering something.  We've got two very talented, still young pitchers in Maine and Oliver Perez plus a number of other pitchers coming up through the minors (Kevin Mulvey, for one).  Which young Mets starter has the greatest likelihood of being the Mets next ace?

I guess we'll call this news in a slow stretch for the Hot Stove League.

"The New York Mets acquired outfielder Angel Pagan on Saturday from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers.

Outfielder Corey Coles and righthanded pitcher Ryan Meyers were sent to the Cubs."

Coles looks definitely just like a warm body.  Meyers had some pretty nice stats in A ball but he's a little old for the league.  Any thoughts on these players?  Seems like it was a move just to make a move to me.  I'm not particularly exciting by a .255 career hitter with no OBP skills, a tiny bit of pop, and speed but with little idea how to use it.  Angel seems to me pretty much like a million other AAAA outfielders that could be a 4th or 5th outfielder on a lot of teams.

Anybody have any idea where to find information on team's spring training workout schedules?  I'm in Tampa right now and I'm thinking of hitting the Phillies' spring training site in Clearwater but I have no idea when they practice and what the policies are.  And, of course, there are about a dozen other teams in the general area I could visit.