Spring training came to an end with all the Arizona games starting an hour earlier to allow teams to make a quick get-away. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the 10-10 tie between the Cubs and Brewers seemingly went on forever. Because the teams play each other early in the season, neither used any of their regular pitchers (for the most part), so naturally it was a high-scoring affair.

A few notes: it was really cool seeing George Foster before the game, signing autographs alongside Fergie Jenkins. He looks as mean as the day he smacked more than 50 homers in a season (back went it meant something). Also, I will tell you that Kosuke Fukudome is the real deal. He has an arm like Ichiro and looks like he may have the pop of Matsui. The Cubs may have themselves a right fielder.  (The best once since Jim Hickman).

Sad to say Cubs fans, I think the Brewers are better than your boys this year. If the Brewers get any pitching, they will win the NL Central. They can mash.

Andruw Jones  is now patrolling center field for the Dodgers after playing his first 1,761 games with the Braves. He might be a solid addition, but he looks beefy in his Dodger Blues. ESPN says he’s 210—now way, he’s easy 225-240. 

I think about the first time I saw Larry Bowa:  he was a good field, no hit shortstop coming up through the Phillies ranks in the ‘70s.  In the minors, we was teamed with Denny Doyle and later found his calling when he was paired with Dave Cash as the Phillies double-play combo. Bowa, a former manager and coach, now is the third base coach with the Dodgers and is a true testament to what hard work can do for your career in baseball.

Well, it was history in the making when the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Los Angeles Angles in a stadium outside of Southern California. After 55 years in Vero Beach, Florida, the Dodgers are moving their spring training home to Arizona next year. As a warm-up, the Dodgers played the Angels in a game at the spring training home of the A’s who are in Japan getting ready to be slaughtered by the Bosox to open the season.

It was a huge crowd mostly filled with Dodgers fans who have been longing to see their team in spring training. A seven-hour drive versus a flight to Florida…you do the math.

It was semi-surrealistic to see the blue uniforms on a spring training field, and LA started most of their regulars except for the handful who are hurt. It was also really odd to see Joe Torre in an LA uniform wearing Steve Garvey’s old number.

The Angels look fairly formidable even without Vlad in the lineup. Torii Hunter is a huge addition to the team, and speaking of huge, Andruw Jones, the new centerfielder for the Dodgers, looks like he spent the offseason exercising the knife and fork.

Ah, one more note: with Nomar and Andy LaRoche on the disabled list, Blake DeWitt, one of the Dodgers top prospects is filling in at third base. He is a native of Sikeston, Missouri, the home of Lambert's, the top place to pig out in America (according to the Travel Channel).

This is the life: sunny afternoon, A’s hosting the Diamondbacks in front of a full house at Phoenix Muni. Doug Davis (the most deliberate pitcher on earth) facing Dana Eveland whom the A’s got from the D-backs in the Haren deal. The A’s won 2-1 in a  well-played effort that is typical of the later stages of Spring Training. Emilio Bonafacio on the D-backs looks impressive and gives Arizona hope if they (foolishly) pass on signing Orlando Hudson to a deal; this is his walk year.

These clearly are teams headed in opposite directions. It’s odd to see the Diamondbacks roll out a lineup that looks solid from 1-7/8 depending on who’s in the rotation. Good drafting and a few smart trades (like the ones for Chris Young and Hudson) go a long way to building a winner.

Lots of featured players: Upton, Drew, Keith Foulke (he’s back in an A’s uni) and a hard-throwing young lefty on the A’s, Blevins, who is so skinny… well, add your own joke here.

The calendar said March, so it’s time for another season on baseball. Our first Cactus League game took us to Phoenix Muni to see the Oakland A’s host the Milwaukee Brewers.  Both teams started some of their regulars, but the game quickly turned into a showcase for the group of players hoping to make the final, 40-man roster.

These clearly are teams going in opposite directions: the A’s are totally rebuilding while the Brew Crew are hoping to win the National League Central.  Featured in this video are a handful of players including Ryan Braun, Matt LaPorta (#1 Brewers prospect), Carlos Gonzalez (who came from the D-backs in the trade for Dan Haren), personal favorite Huston Street and former (emphasis on former) great closer Eric Gagne. To say Gagne looked awful is an understatement.

Jack Cust, a one-dimensional slugger on the A’s hit two homers. Interesting in light of the fact he was mentioned in the steroids report.