Presidential talk in Texas continues. New Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan made an appearance at Rangers camp in Surprise on Friday and his first order of business was announcing the two-year contract extension for GM Jon Daniels. Ryan has a four-year deal. Rangers owner Tom Hicks made a joke about the new president of the United States having a four-year deal so it was only fitting that Ryan should get one as well.  The impact Ryan will have on the organization should be interesting to watch. Ryan would have been in camp sooner but he was at the White House visiting his old friend President Bush. That "other" Presidential thing in the Lone Star State is right around the corner. Just don't ask C.J. Wilson or his teammates about it.

Make no mistake, Edinson Volquez and Juan Dominguez are not the same type of player or person. Daniels made that clear when the topic came up. Both guys have talent. Both guys are young right-handed pitchers. Both guys are Dominican. Two people could not be more different. Dominguez is currently out of the game because of a history of personal problems and Volquez is now with the Reds and appears on his way to earning a spot in the rotation.  The guys are sometimes grouped together because they were/are young talents and both were disciplined by the club a few times for various mistakes in judgement. Volquez would get into trouble for being late or sometimes oversleeping. Dominguez raised eyebrows by locking himself in his hotel room and refusing to come out -- on more than one occasion. Dominguez baffled (sometimes scared) the organization with odd behavior and things he did/said. Volquez just ticked people off with irresponsible behavior. See the difference?

Rangers team photographer Brad Newton created this website in order to honor his wife and help others who have suffered the loss of a loved one. It's called 100 in 57 because that's how his wife Cecillia lived -- it's like she lived 100 years in her 57 years on Earth.  He calls the site a place of hope and healing.

It's a beautiful day in Arizona, perfect for a Dallas Mavericks fan like Chris Young to get warm. If Young looks tall in the photo, it's because he is. He's 6-ft-10. Once upon a time, Young played baseball and basketball at Princeton. He thinks the Jason Kidd trade from the New Jersey Nets to the Mavericks will help out his home team but I can't help but wonder what it would be like back home if Steve Nash would not have left town and become the toast of Phoenix. They love him here.

Other tidbits from Padres camp:

Who knew the term "a slippery slope" could be so provocative? There were a few players discussing the "true" meaning, it's origin, etc. complete with examples in the morning. Next up, the meaning of "thin ice."

Rangers closer C.J. Wilson is a good dude but ran into trouble (sort of) recently because of comments he made about his teammates in a blog. Oh, the dangers of the blogosphere. Wilson's name came up here. Interesting.

Adrian Gonzalez said he has been asked about being in camp with his brother Edgar at least 24 times. I was 25.

Mariners pitcher R.A. Dickey is on the front page of sports in the New York Times. Wow. That raised a few eyebrows around camp. Dickey's story is a good one though. We'll see how far that knuckleball takes him.

Mark Prior.

Padres Media Relations Director/PR Head honcho Warren Miller. Best golf swing in the organization.

Mesa, Ariz. -- The bitter taste of being swept in the playoffs last fall has been replaced by the sweet feeling of optimism this spring at Fitch Park.

It’s not that the Cubs have forgotten about winning the National League Central title last year and subsequent three-game meltdown against Arizona in the NL Division Series that followed, it’s just that the club is determined to move forward.

“We are looking at repeating the division (championship), we really are, and giving ourselves another chance at the postseason,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. “I’m looking at a season where we can win 90-plus ballgames.  I don’t underestimate anybody in our division. I don’t underestimate anybody in the National League. I just have confidence in our team to play well.  I like our personnel. I like the demeanor of our players.”

He should.

Stacked with veterans like Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez and Henry Blanco, there will still be a new look to these same old Cubs. The catcher Geovany Soto is a rookie and center field will be occupied by a young player – either Felix Pie or Sam Fuld. Carlos Marmol will play a big role in the bullpen and let’s not forget the Kosuke Fukudome factor in right field.

There are new faces. The goal remains the same.

“Not to take anything away from the Arizona team, but I didn’t think we would get swept in postseason,” Piniella said. “It ended rather abruptly and I think because of it, we are a hungrier team this spring. That’s the feeling I get. Now being hungry and playing well are two different things but we have to talent to play well on field. Let’s just stay healthy and let these guys play.”

Before the manger can let them play, he must first make a few personnel decisions. Here’s a look at what Piniella is considering this spring.

Pie vs. Fuld in center field: “We will lean on center field as more of a defensive position than offensive,” Piniella said. “The center fielder against right-handed pitching is going to be hitting eighth right now. We need to catch and help our pitching.”

Pie posted a .215 batting average with two home runs and 20 RBIs in 87 games for the Cubs last season. Fuld spent last season at Double-A and was the Arizona Fall League’s MVP last year. Known for his defense and speed, Fuld was called up last September.

It is doubtful the player will be an everyday starter. Numerous players could play center field for the Cubs before the end of the season.

“I think we have good young kids who are very capable,” Piniella said.

Cubs closer: Welcome to the Bob Howry vs. Carlos Marmol vs. Kerry Wood contest where only one pitcher will win the ninth inning job but there are no real losers.
The two others pitchers will pitch in eighth and seventh innings.

“Whether it’s Kerry, whether it’s Howry or whether it’s Marmol, each of these guys is capable of doing it,” Piniella said. “We just want to do what’s best for the team and what’s best for the individual.”

That’s the tricky part.

Last season, Howry went 6-7 with a 3.32 ERA with eight saves last season in 81 1/3 innings and could be the front-runner because of his experience. Wood went 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 24 1/3 innings while Marmol posted a 5-1 record with a 1.43 ERA in 69 1/3 innings.

Wood’s history of injuries might make him better suited for the seventh or eighth inning on a daily basis. Marmol could use the experience in the setup role before becoming the full-time closer in 2009.

“I know that’s Bob has had trouble early so let’s see how he comes out of Spring Training throwing the ball. Let’s see how durable Kerry is once we get him in games and throw him back-to-back.,” Piniella said. “With Marmol, it’s about experience, nothing more and nothing less. He’s only been in the big leagues half of a year. We’ll find the right guy. I can’t go wrong with either three and let’s leave it at that.”

The Fukudome factor: The talented Japanese outfielder will play right field, but his spot in the batting order is to be determined. He will not lead off, hit fourth or eighth, but exactly where Piniella puts him is anybody’s guess. He can run like a top of the order player and hit like a middle of the order player. It’s a good problem to have if you are the Cubs.

"I think he'll probably be more comfortable in the two or three hole than the five hole," Piniella said of Fukudome. "That's my opinion, and I'll ask him. I'll talk to the players, too, and see how they feel. I know Ramirez feels very comfortable in the five hole. I'm sure Derrek will do what's best for the team. The fourth spot won't be a problem for him."
Last year, Fukudome hit third in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons. He said he has no problem hitting third again this year.

Catching on: Geovany Soto could be the first rookie catcher to start on Opening Day for the Cubs since Joe Girardi did it in 1989. Veteran Henry Blanco will be the backup catcher.

“(Soto) caught my eye last spring,” Piniella said. “I like the way he handled our pitching staff. He’s a confident kid He put up great numbers in Triple-A. He came up in September in a tough situation and performed well.”

Last season, Soto hit .389 with three home runs in 18 games for the Cubs. He hit .353 with 26 home runs and 109 RBIs in Triple-A last season, earning the Most Valuable Player honors for the Pacific Coast League.

“We are going to have rookie behind the plate and a rookie in center field, or a very young player in centerfield,” Piniella said. “That’s sort of odd in a way. Look, these kids deserve it.”

New Diamondbacks closer Brandon Lyon could not be more different than his predecessor Jose Valverde.

Valverde’s huge frame gave him a large physical presence, making him hard to miss in the clubhouse, on the mound and almost anywhere he went. Lyon, on the other hand, comes across as the everyman’s man, blending into the clubhouse and the diamond almost effortlessly.

You have to look for the easy-going Lyon. You couldn’t miss the showman Valverde.

They could not be any more alike.

At least that’s what the Diamondbacks are hoping for this season when Lyon assumes the ninth inning role for the defending National League West Champions. Valverde, who led the Major Leagues with 47 saves in 2007, was traded to the Houston Astros for Chris Burke and right-handed pitchers Chad Qualls and Juan Gutierrez before the season.

“I think we are all excited to get the season going because we know we are capable of doing just as well as what Jose did if not better,” Lyon said. “He was very important to us and probably one of our MVPs last year, but I think we are all comfortable with the job we can do.”

Lyon, Valverde’s setup man last year, is now the man and will be expected to back up his words come April. The post-Valverde era in Arizona is officially underway.

Pressure? What pressure?

“I don’t try to add any pressure because I know what I need to do when I get out there,” Lyon said. “I have a short memory so if I have a bad outing I know I can right back out there and have a good one. I don’t change and I’m not going to change anything I have done. I’m just pitching in a different inning.”

He’s not the only one changing roles. Qualls and Tony Pena will pitch in the eighth inning, but with Pena considered the closer of the future it would not be a surprise to see him used in the eighth and Qualls in the seventh often. Qualls went 6-5 with a 3.05 ERA for the Astros last season while Pena was 5-4 with a 3.27 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 75 innings of relief.

“I don’t think anybody is going to have 47 saves anywhere, but I don’t think we are going to miss a beat as far as our confidence going into games when we have leads after the sixth inning,” Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. “Qualls has been unbelievable in his first three years, Pena is scooting back and with Lyons, you don’t know if you are going to get the same type of results but going into camp and hopefully into the season, we are going to have the same type of feeling when we have a lead.”

Juan Cruz (6-1, 3.10 ERA) will serve as the long reliever for Melvin. The bullpen will also feature Edgar Gonzalez (8-4, 5.03 ERA), Dustin Nippert (1-1, 5.56 ERA) and left-hander Doug Slaten (3-2, 2.72 ERA).

“We’ve all been for a couple of years together and most bullpens that are successful have been together and can do their jobs no matter what role they are in,” Lyon said. “We have good pitchers down there and we are aggressive, going after hitters. Our guys throw strikes and get people out.”

The Diamondbacks pitching staff – from top to bottom – could be among the best in the Major Leagues. Brandon Webb and Dan Haren will serve as a potent 1-2 punch. Randy Johnson, if healthy, might be the most established No. 3 starter in league and the youthful Micah Owens along with left-hander Doug Davis round out the rotation.

As talented as the starters are, the pitchers know their success could be directly related to the performances coming out of the bullpen. In this case, that’s not a good thing. It’s a great thing.

“We lost Valverde, a good pitcher but I think we will be fine with Brandon coming in there because he’s the one who set up Valverde last year anyway,” Davis said. “If it doesn’t work out, and we all hope it does, we have at least two other guys who can do a good job in the closing role with Qualls and Pena.”

“The expectations are going to be higher obviously because last year nobody even gave us the time of day,” Davis continued. “This year, you will be hearing more about the Diamondbacks, our starting five, our bullpen, and all of these young players we have coming back.”

Melvin agrees and is confident his club will be ready for the challenge – early and late in games. It’s up to Lyon and company to prove the manager right or wrong.

“We didn’t score a ton of runs and we feel like hopefully the offense can score some more runs and take some of the pressure off the pitching,” Melvin said. “We played so many one-run games last year and I like to think we won’t have that many again this year yet we are suited for it.”

I don't think the question is if Giants starter Barry Zito is going to be successful again, it's when. Why not this year? Watching Zito in the clubhouse and pitch to live hitters Sunday, his focus is hard to ignore. The guy is in town to work and he seems happy. That's exactly what you are looking for if you are a Giants fan. A happy and comfortable Zito is a productive Zito. Zito is gifted and like many talented athletes (or gifted people, in general) he is sensitive to his surroundings and always aware of what is going on around him. His mind is always working. So is his spirit.  I really believe Zito is trying to find the balance between utilizing his gift and functioning in a crazy world where things don't always make sense. This could be his year. Why not? He sure looks ready and it's only February.

PEORIA, Ariz. – Count me among those who saw Carlos Silva listed at the top of the 2007 free agent pool for pitchers this winter and chuckled.

Former Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito topped the free agent pitching class of 2006 and the 2008 class, including Johan Santana (before he was traded to the Mets) and C.C. Sabathia, already had General Managers watering at the mouth.

But Silva in 2007? He’s the cream of the crop? He’s the best pitcher out there? That’s a joke.
The joke is on me. And you, if you are being honest.

The Mariners acquisition of Erik Bedard from the Orioles turned the ho-hum signing of middle of the road Silva into what could be one of the biggest signings in the American League West.  With Bedard and fellow ace Felix Hernandez at the top of the rotation, Silva’s role is as the third starter is important, some could say crucial, if the Mariners want to top the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the AL West crown. Silva provides more veteran leadership, but more importantly, he is the bridge from the top of the rotation to Jarrod Washburn and Miguel Batista, the club’s No. 4 and No. 5 starters.

Maybe the “best free agent pitcher on the market in 2007” label is not so funny after all.

Silva is not a No. 1 starter and you can argue he is not a No. 2, either. When he signed with Seattle last December it spurred a wave of yawns from coast to coast. But as a No. 3, Silva could keep a winning streak alive or start a winning streak of his own. Like Bedard and Hernandez who will pitch before him, he has the ability to rest the bullpen -- which is always a bonus. He will keep you in games and just might be good enough to complete a three-game sweep if the opportunity presents itself.

Who knew being middle of the road could mean so much?

“What I want to do is help the club as much as I can see what happens,” Silva said. “I’m going to leave everything on the field and keep the score low so the bullpen can come in and do their job.”

Silva the workhorse has history on his side. He has thrown more than 190 innings during the past four seasons with the Twins. He made 33 starts in 2007, pitching at least six innings in 24 of them. He also threw two complete games.

He’s had success on the mound yet prefers to stay out of the spotlight off of it. Perhaps pitching on the same staff as Santana in Minnesota might have something to do with Silva’s ability to stay humble and grounded. Maybe Silva is just a reserved guy.

“We are very happy to have Carlos. He’s an inning-eater and a strike-throwing,” Mariners manager John McLaren said. “He does not give me the impression he is a limelight guy, he does not like the headlines or anything.  He just likes to mix in.
I like the way he handles himself. He’s a great addition.”

Silva is 55-46 in six MLB seasons, including a 47-45 record with a 4.46 ERA in 125 starts. Overall against the AL West, he is 16-8 with a 3.48 ERA and is especially tough against the Angels, posting a 5-1 record against the Los Angeles club. He has a 3-2 record against Oakland and is 3-4 against Texas in his career.

“Last year, this team was very good but maybe there were missing little things here and there,” Silva said. “I think they could have used a little more starting pitching, but look at it now. Bedard is a tremendous pitcher. Felix is a tremendous pitcher. This is a very good staff and I want to do my part.”

If all goes according to plan, he should. Silva is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in four career starts at his new home park, Safeco Field, and is making friends in his new clubhouse. He said he is looking forward to getting to know Hernandez, who like Silva is from Venezuela, as a teammate and friend. The two knew of each other before the start of Spring Training but are relative strangers.

“Felix is young but with the stuff he has, it’s like he is a veteran,” Silva said. “I don’t know him very well yet, but I hear he is a tremendous person. I like him because he’s tranquil. He’s calm and he’s cool. We all need to be like that. The more people we have like that the better this team will be.”

Silva has spoken. Who knew so many would be listening?

Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano and newly acquired outfielder Kosuke Fukudome have become fast friends despite the fact that Fukudome's primary language is Japanese and he does not speak English or Spanish. Some of the Japanese media have even come up with a nickname for Zambrano -- kichigai. It means crazy person, lunatic, wild man ... you get the picture. I asked a Japanese reporter how to spell kichigai. She looks at me and goes, you mean Ozzie Guillen? He is the original kichigai. 

** I was impressed by the number of Cubs fans in attendance for the workouts in Mesa. It's hard to believe it's only Feb. 21 and the start of the season is about 90 days away when you see so many fans.

** Kerry Wood is in the running for the closer's job. My guess is he will end up pitching in the seventh or eighth inning because of his history of injuries. I know he has tons of fans in Texas rooting for him.

** Alfonso Soriano. He enjoys everyday on the field like it's his first. You gotta love that.

** Still think Ronny Cedeno would be a much better player than he is if he had a Latin influence (coach) take him under his wing. There are tons of Latinos on the Cubs but Cedeno is quiet and reserved, which means he can get lost in the crowd easily -- in any language. He needs a different type of attention.

** Carlos Marmol is looking, walking, talking and acting like a big leaguer. I'm not necessarily sure if that is a good thing or bad thing ...

** The most popular players from Japan currently playing in MLB, according to Sports Nippon Newspapers reporter Gotaro Nagase:

1. Ichiro

2. Hideki Matsui

3. Daisuke Matsuzaka

4. Hideo Nomo

5. Fukudome, Kenji Johjima, Kaz Matsui.

The next great player from Japan to play here will be right-handed pitcher Koji Uehara, Nagase says. Uehara is currently playing for the Yomiuri Giants.

TEMPE, Ariz. – A group of reporters crowded around the locker of a prominent Angels outfielder Tuesday and everybody knew exactly what was coming next.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have four outfielders for three starting jobs so it didn’t take long for the questions about playing time in the outfield and the possibility of being the team’s designated hitter to come into play.

The player said he wants to play the outfield. The player said he’s not ready to be the designated hitter. The player was Garret Anderson.

Vladimir Guerrero said almost the exact same thing only a few hours earlier.

Welcome to the real-life Angels in the outfield where Guerrero, Anderson or Gary Matthews Jr. is going to be in the designated hitter spot and somebody is likely going to be annoyed about it each day. Only Torii Hunter, who will start in center field daily, will have a smile on his face every time he checks the lineup card. On second thought, Hunter has a smile on his face no matter the situation.

“If you look at Vlad last year, he had probably more DH at-bats [159] because he was banged up,” Scioscia said. “He DH’d pretty much the last month of the season.

“Those four bats have to be in the lineup. The DH is going to be a tool. I’ve talked to Vlad. He’s not ready for that [full-time DH role]. We’re going to have that option now. I think Vlad understands the luxury we have, that if he comes in and his legs are a little stiff, he’s going to DH.

“We’re going to take advantage of that. Nobody’s talking about an everyday DH. We’ll work through it.”

Scioscia said the DH at-bats will be allocated by health, matchups and circumstances.

Guerrero has the numbers to be a decent designated hitter. He hit .270 as a DH, with 10 homers and 36 RBIs in 159 at-bats. Overall, he is a .294 career hitter as a DH with 23 homers and 79 RBIs in 398 at-bats. The slugger made 41 DH appearances in 2007.

The tricky part is, it’s not about the numbers. It’s about perception. Let’s take a quick (and maybe dangerous) look into the mind of some baseball players. Let’s take a trip to the place where the team matters the most as long as the said player is the first player on the team.  I’m not speaking for Guerrero or Matthews or Anderson but rather for a hypothetical outfielder on a roster full of proven outfielders playing for a team that has the name of the town that houses the home park and the name of a much larger city in its official name.

Any similiarity to real people or places is coincidental. Or is it intentional?

In this world of make-believe and make-believe player thoughts, full-time designated hitter sometimes means you are at the end of your career. It means you are no longer good enough to play on a daily basis and that thing you call pride needs to be swallowed without any gagging.
Being a full-time DH means you are likely old or getting there according to this system of beliefs. It means retirement, either voluntary or forced will have to start coming up in conversation.

Few players – make-believe or real -- want to face this reality. Few players want to be a full-time DH when they believe they can still play the field. Few players know when give in and take a seat while their teammates play defense – all the time.

Guerrero and Anderson are not those types of players yet. Neither is “on board” with being a full-time DH.

“No. It’s right field,” responded Guerrero when asked about the DH spot. He later added, “We’ve got to wait until the season starts and see how my body responds and then decide what’s best for me.”

Guerrero is 32 and is coming off another stellar season with the Angels (.324 average, 27 home runs and 125 RBIs in 2007). Should he be the full-time DH? No. Not with 35-year old Anderson on the roster. Anderson needs playing time in the field, he also needs more rest than he needed as a young player. Matthews needs to be in the lineup as often as possible in left or right field.

But should Guerrero start thinking about it and learning how to deal with the possibility mentally? Yes. The years of playing on turf in Montreal have taken a toll. He’s also had nagging injuries pop up now and then. Sometimes, he looks older than his age and that’s not a compliment.

It’s simple, really. Anderson and Guerrero need to get used to the reality of being a full-time DH soon, maybe this spring but definitely this year. Anything else is just make-believe.

Anytime your nickname is King a couple of things come to mind. First, it's kinda ridiculous but not necessarily in a bad way. Second, that's a lot to live up to. Think of the people you refer to or are known as King. No, Burger King does not count. So far Felix Hernandez seems to be living up the moniker. He's only 21 and could be on his way to his best season yet. The guy is in great shape and he seems to have it all together upstairs. That's important, especially with such a gruelling season and all of the distractions that come with being in the big leagues. He's a quiet guy in general -- in English and Spanish -- but when he laughs, he shows his age. He is still a kid in a lot of ways.

Nice vibe here in Tucson. It’s different from Phoenix and I like Phoenix. Think San Diego vs. Los Angeles or Fort Worth vs. Dallas with Tucson serving  as San Diego/Fort Worth. It kind of feels like Austin, Texas here. That’s a good thing.

The Randy Johnson watch is officially on. He threw a side session Sunday and said he feels great. I learned something about Johnson today: good session = good mood. I think his willingness to laugh, talk and deal with the media with a smile on his face is directly related to how good he feels.

Dan Haren seems surprised by all of the media attention and says he's really not this popular. Haren will do fine in Phoenix. He’s really laid-back and does not get rattled easily. Just don’t call him a bargain (The D-Backs will pay him about $5 million per season for the next three seasons.) He hates being called a bargain.

The Diamondbacks will play against the White Sox on March 2 in Hermosillo, Mexico. The club will play the Monterrey Sultanes at Chase Field on March 29 . It should be a big deal for pitcher Edgar Gonzalez. Monterrey is his hometown.

The Diamondbacks pitching staff (Brandon Webb, Haren, Johnson, Doug Davis and Micah Owings) is impressive and the bullpen looks good – on paper. We will see how Brandon Lyon responds to his new job as the team’s closer. There is a big difference between pitching in the eighth inning and pitching in the ninth.

Davis has been the first person to the clubhouse here at Tucson Electric Park each morning but nobody has seemed to notice. That’s just the way he likes it. Look for Davis to excel this season in his new role – out of the spotlight and in the back of the rotation.

Arizona Republic reporter Nick Piecoro gets picked on every now and then because of his weight. He’s thin and the players like to give him a hard time about it. Orlando Hudson’s father saw Nick and deadpanned, “Hey Nick, glad to see you gained some weight this winter. You look a good quarter of a pound heavier.”

Pitcher Doug Slaten to Nick (holding a Nutrigrain bar) this morning: "Light breakfast Nick? You trying to lose weight?"

The dude hears some wisecrack everyday and laughs about it. Funny. Check out his blog.

Ran into R.A. Dickey in the clubhouse in Peoria and he tells he is the oldest player ever selected in MLB's Rule 5 Draft. Dickey might not have the most talent in the game, but the guy has heart. Unfortunately, heart alone does not win games in the big leagues. Once upon a time Dickey was a hotshot phenom out of University of Tennesse and was all set to sign a big league, big-money deal out of college when a routine physical turned out to be anything but routine. It was discovered that he was missing a tendon in his pitching elbow and the rest is ... history. Dickey never received the bonus, money or contract he expected and has been fighting for a Major League job every year for more than 10 years. Last year, he was Pacific Coast Pitcher of the Year for the Brewers in Triple-A. Looks like his knuckleball has improved but we'll see if he makes the Mariners big league club as a reliever. The only certainty is the guy will be in camp again somewhere next year. He refuses to quit and has just enough talent to earn another look.

** The joke around camp is the Mariners already lead the league in team meetings. Here's part of the reason: each day a player is picked and asked to introduce himself, tell a little bit about his history and either sing his school song or tell a joke. It's all behind closed doors and from what I hear, it's pretty funny.

**Pitcher/poet Miguel Batista is working on a couple more books. He is writing one about his baseball experience and another novel, his second. Batista has also published a book of poetry.

Viva Mexico!!! ... Serie Del Caribe 2009. 

It's a sellout here at Estadio Cibao for Thursday night's finale between Licey and the Aguilas.

Here's a question for you  Dominican fans: What took you so long?

This is the game everybody has been waiting on ... but c'mon.

There's a buzz on the island about a teenage pitcher who stands at 6-foot-7 and  throws consistently in the 92-94 mph range. I hear he can hit 95 mph. He's a gifted athlete and the bidding is supposed to start around $5 million for a MLB club to sign him and put him in one of their academies. He's 15, 16 tops!!! I'm all for signing premium talent and giving the opportunity to others ... but really? He's just a kid and nobody really knows what he is going to look like in a few years or how his talent will evolve as he gets older. I'm happy for the kid. Who doesn't want millions of dollars to do what you love? But wow.

Wow.

When this guy shows up (center) you know it's a celebration. Mexico upset Licey in extra innings for the country's first victory in the Caribbean Series. Yes, that still makes the team's record 2-15 since the 2005 Caribbean Series but who cares about the details? Nelson Figueroa was a hero again. He signed with the Mets recently and we'll see how that plays out. I'm not sure how his game will fare against big league competition but his confidence has to be riding high.

We'll see what Bartolo Colon has left and if he eventually signs with a big league club. He's pitching tonight for the Aguilas against Venezuela. I asked him if any teams were interested in him. He said "Yeah, the Aguilas."

No comment.

We are eight games into the 2008 Caribbean Series and it's official : a team from the Dominican Republic is going to win this thing. Licey is 4-0 and the Aguilas came into Tuesday night's finale with a 2-1 record. Mexico and Venezuela are eliminated from contention.

The series is a good place to meet officials and front office people from MLB without even trying. So far I've spotted Mets general manager Omar Minaya, Yankees coach Tony Pena Sr., Arizona manager Bob Melvin along with Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes and tons of others in the stands. Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona is here and so is Rangers pitcher Joaquin Benoit. Neither are playing.

Former AL MVP George Bell was honored before Tuesday night's game. He was gracious and is still a pretty big dude after all these years. I still can't look at Bell without thinking of the story former Major League pitcher Jose Rijo once told me about him. As the story goes, Bell was crushing Rijo's team everytime he stepped up to the plate so Rijo's manager (who will rename nameless) asked him to nail Bell with a pitch. Rijo refused. He and Bell were good friends and neighbors growing up in the Dominican Republic. Bell is the man who taught Rijo how to drive a car. Rijo struck Bell out instead.

Who knew cows had this much fun ...

Mexico starting pitcher Nelson Figueroa pitched an impressive 9 1/3 innings and it became a different game when he came out of the contest. Licey eventually topped Mexico 2-1 in extra innings to set up the showdown with the other Dominican team, the Aguilas, on Monday night.

The hundreds of fans in right field have been a pretty big part of the show so far. Each of them have different colored posterboards  and they flash them in unision periodically spelling different things. It's cool to watch. 

Silence: Press is working. That's what the sign on the door says ...

But it's hard to tell if it is louder inside or outside of the press box. And that's not such a bad thing. It's a party in here. Literally. In addition to water, sodas and juice, there is wet bar in the back of the press box. It's hilarious. There's a guy to my right broadcasting the game via webcam and webmicrophone. He's not even the loudest guy in here!

In the stands, the Mexican fans are going nuts. They have a great reputation and are among the most loyal fanaticos in the Caribbean.  They love to dance, sing, and chant.  And laugh.

Here's a shot that literally brought the house down. Somebody fell through the roof in the press box and into the laps (heads) of reporters working below.

Here's a shot of Dominican team No. 2 messing around before its game against Mexico in Game 2 of the Caribbean Series. The mood was silly, funny and light. Then it got serious. The Aguilas scored six runs in the first inning. Game time was scheduled for about 8 p.m. or so. It started around 9:15, maaaaaaybe. Hey, it's island time. I don't think anybody but the visiting journalists noticed.

The party is on in Santiago... We're in the final innings of Game 1 between Licey and Venezuela and it's still close -- Licey 5, Tigres 4. So much for the Dominican domination. Ok, ok, I know it's early. The fans are starting to fill in the stadium and everybody is gearing up for the night's finale -- Aguilas vs. Mexico. The horns are deafening. Sounds like a traffic jam in Manhattan ... Santo Domingo ... Mexico City ... Caracas ...