Ryan Braun came out to a standing ovation?    So you take steroids that makes your team fall out of a playoff race, and then receive a standing ovation the first game of the season.  I think that maybe the 3 putt golf clap makes more sense.

Jose Reyes has problems with his groin.  Toronto's spark plug.  The guy they need to stay healthy to compete this year.  What do the Jays management decide?  Let's play him on the cement ground in Montreal for an exhibition game.  He is going to the DL after opening day.

Prediction for the AL East.

Tampa Bay Rays
Boston Red Sox - Wild Card
Baltimore Orioles
New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays


Miguel Cabrera received a 10 year/292 million dollar deal.  This deal will haunt the Tigers past year 3.  Cabrera is an absolute beast today.  You did see a little bit of a slow down near the end of the year and the playoffs.  He has Albert Pujols written all over him for how quick his decline will be. 

My predictions for MLB this year.

AL MVP - Mike Trout
AL Cy Young - David Price
NL MVP - Paul Goldschmidt
NL Cy Young - Jose Fernandezz

It's frustrating knowing that a team that you  love to watch has the wrong manager in place there.  This is how I feel with John Gibbons managing the Jays.  They look disorganized and have disaster written all over them.  He has already contradicted Reyes on the extent of his injury.  His "aw shucks" attitude drives me absolutely crazy.  If you look at what a great manager can do with the right situation you know that this is the wrong man for the job.

Top 3 Managers in AL

3 - Joe Maddon
2 - Terry Francona
1 - Bob Melvin

I am happy that AA didn't overpay for Santana or Jimenez though.  Both of those pitchers in the AL East would be an absolute horror to watch. 

Stats for Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for the Baltimore Orioles. 

187 IP
4.97 ERA
10-13 Record
87 BOB
178 K's

 One of the most beautiful things about MLB this year is not knowing who is going to be in the playoffs.  Years past there was always the guarantee of the Yanks, Red Sox, Cards, Rangers, and Giants pretty much getting there year in and year out.  Now none of those teams are a guarantee.  I actually think the Cards are the closest to the guarantee you have out of the above teams and not the Red Sox.

If you were AA would you go hard after David Price after this year?  He has been lights out at Rogers Centre year in and year out.  You would have that ace you have been after for years.  The staff looks a lot different this way.  Price, Dickey, Buerhle, Morrow, Hutchison

Derek Jeter is probably one of the classiest ball players that has played the game of ball.  To play in that market for that many years and not succumb to any of the nonsense that is all around is impressive.  The game will miss him.  In saying all of this.  Hopefully these farewell tours will stop after this.  Takes away from the game and team itself.  Rivera and Jeter are special cases, but what happened to just having your retiring press conference?

Hoseheads overreaction, but could possibly be true to day one of MLB. 

The Miami Marlins will have a better record than the Toronto Blue Jays at the end of the year.