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The New York Mets recently signed 40-year-old starting pitcher Bartolo Colon, and while he’s always been a bit husky, it doesn’t exactly look like he’s in playing shape.

The Mets officially welcomed Colon with the following tweets from spring training. He’s listed at 265 pounds, but he looks quite a bit larger judging from these pictures.

ESPN’s Adam Rubin provided the following about Colon’s weight:

Listed at 265 pounds by the Mets, Colon indicated that is not a concern.

“I’m not worried about my weight,” he said. “I’ve always been a big guy and I’ve always pitched that way. I’m comfortable with that.”

If Colon can post an ERA near his 2.65 from last season, I’m sure the Mets won’t mind what kind of weight he’s carrying around.

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Just a few days after they released their new mascot, the Chicago Cubs have unveiled a few of their Sunday throwback jerseys for the 2014 season.

You can see four of the jerseys above, with them coming from the 1942, 1953, 1929 and 1969 seasons. The 1929 Cubs went 98-54 that year, eventually losing to the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series.

Thanks to Matthew Robins (@BupsJones on Twitter) for the find.

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With spring training just a couple of months away, the MLB trade rumors are still swirling around the league.

There have already been a lot of big free-agent signings around the league, including big names like Robinson Cano, Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury.  The biggest trade of the offseason so far came in November, with the Detroit Tigers trading Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for Ian Kinsler.

There’s still time for some other big trades to take place, so let’s take a look at the latest trade rumors heading into spring training.

Mets Still Shopping Ike Davis

The New York Mets made a big splash by signing Curtis Granderson, but it appears that they’re not done yet, as they’re actively trying to trade away first baseman Ike Davis.

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets were unsuccessful in trading Davis to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, but the team is still reportedly talking with the Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates:

In 103 games played this past year, Davis seriously struggled. He hit just .205 with nine home runs and 33 runs batted in, striking out 101 times. But he’s been a more reliable player in previous years, hitting 32 home runs with a .227 batting average back in 2012.

The Mets are hoping that other teams believe Davis will turn it around. The fact that they haven’t yet been able to trade him might say something about that, but there are still a few teams that appear to be considering adding the left-handed first baseman.

Red Sox Not Interested in Trading John Lackey

With another World Series title, the Boston Red Sox appear to be in very good shape with their roster, even without Jacoby Ellsbury. Still, teams are interested in trying to trade for a few Red Sox players, including right-handed pitcher John Lackey.

But the Red Sox don’t seem interested in trading away their 35-year-old pitcher. Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe had this to say about the situation with Lackey in Boston:

Lackey’s name has come up consistently this winter, but the Red Sox aren’t motivated to deal him. There may come a point when that changes, though his contract is team-friendly with a $15.25 million outlay and only $500,000 in a team option for 2015.

Yet if the Red Sox ever got involved in Tanaka, a veteran pitcher or two would likely go. Lackey could bring salary relief this season and also allow the Sox to fill another need and remain under the luxury tax.

Lackey was a very productive pitcher for the Red Sox in 2013. He started 29 games while posting just a 3.52 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP, going 10-13 on the year. His postseason stats were even more impressive, pitching 26 innings with a 2.77 ERA and allowing just 25 hits. 

While he may not be pitching much longer, the strong numbers are a good sign for Lackey as he looks to keep playing at a high level.

Teams Interested in Brett Gardner

With the New York Yankees signing Beltran and Ellsbury, the outfield for the team looks to be in good shape. However, teams are now looking at the Yankees and considering trying to make a trade for Brett Gardner.

MLB insider Peter Gammons reported that a number of teams have been been trying to shop for Gardner. Gammons had this to say about the situation:

Since the Yankees signed Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran, at least a half-dozen teams—from the Phillies to the Tigers—have taken a run at Brett Gardner, knowing he’s a free agent at the end of next season. But Brian Cashman won’t move him until and unless he has to for starting pitching.

Cashman loves Gardner’s toughness and likens it to that of Dustin Pedroia, thinks Gardner is very similar to Ellsbury only a year or two behind in skill development, and thinks the defense and the offensive speed will play big in Yankee Stadium and in a lineup that will otherwise play for power.

It was another solid season for Gardner, as he played in 145 games after playing in just 16 the previous year. He hit .273 with 52 RBI, eight home runs and 24 stolen bases with a 4.2 WAR. He’s a speedy outfielder who can play in center field, but he’s not getting any younger, as he’s already 30 years old.

Given his production when healthy, Gardner would make a great fit for another team. The Yankees have a ton of solid outfielders, and Gardner may be the odd man out. 

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Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper is already a pretty big guy at 6’2” and 230 pounds, but it appears that he just isn’t satisfied.

According to Bill Baer from HardballTalk.com, Harper wants to get “as big as a house” before the start of spring training.  

I’m not a doctor or anything, but I’m pretty sure that’s going to be hard to do.

With 42 home runs over his first two years, Harper appears to want to add weight in order to add some pop to his bat. Houston Astros strength and conditioning coach Jake Beiting will lead the charge to help Harper beef up, as it seems that the star outfielder is planning on sacrificing speed for power in 2014.

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Most people love sledding. Most people in Boston also love Fenway Park, the iconic ballpark for the Boston Red Sox.

Those people who love both now have a chance to combine the two. The ballpark has been transformed into Frozen Fenway, a place for kids (and adults) to go sledding and enjoy the great venue.

Hat tip to Busted Coverage for the find.

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The MLB offseason has only been going on for a few weeks, but it’s already been quite a busy one in 2013, as rumors about a number of big players continue to come up.

Several big players have already been traded this offseason.  Prince Fielder was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Ian Kinsler, who is now a member of the Detroit Tigers, according to Richard Durrett from ESPN.com.  Jerry Crasnick from ESPN.com also reported that David Freese had been traded to the Los Angeles Angels.

With a number of big-time free agents looking to get huge contracts and star players likely to be traded, let’s go ahead and take a look at some of the most recent rumors surrounding key names in the MLB.

Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Free Agent

In his first season with the Cincinnati Reds, it’s safe to say that Shin-Soo Choo was a productive player.  Now that his contract has expired and he’s a free agent, other teams have started to take a look at him.

It appears that the Tigers are one of those teams that would be interested in Choo.  According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, several evaluators believe that the 31-year-old will play in Detroit and move to left field.

By bringing in Choo, the Tigers would have a solid outfield that would include him, Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter.  While the move to left field could be a bit awkward, his value on offense makes him well worth it.

Choo had arguably the best season of his career in 2013.  He finished the year hitting .285 with an on-base percentage of .423 while scoring 107 runs and driving in 54 more.  He could certainly come in and be the leadoff hitter, allowing Kinsler to come in and hit just behind him.

With how well Choo played last season, he’s likely to get a pretty sizable contract, and it looks like the Tigers might be willing to give it to him.

Carlos Beltran, OF, Free Agent

After a strong regular season and an even more impressive postseason, veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran is now a free agent.  He may be getting up there in terms of age, but he still has quite a bit left in the tank, and a number of teams are in talks with him.

One team in particular that’s interested in Beltran is the Boston Red Sox.  According to Scott Lauber from the Boston Herald, the two sides are engaged in talks, saying:

According to a major league source, the Sox have had “serious dialogue” with outfielder Carlos Beltran, though indications are that the sides are nowhere close to a deal. The eight-time All-Star could fill a need in the outfield in case Jacoby Ellsbury signs elsewhere and in the middle of the order if Mike Napoli should leave.

Beltran would certainly be an interesting player to add, as he would be moving from the St. Louis Cardinals to the team that beat them in the World Series.  He had a great run in 2013, hitting .296/.339/.491 in the regular season and was named an All-Star for the eighth time in his career.

The biggest concern for the Red Sox is that Beltran will likely be asking for a longer deal.  He’s currently 36 years old, and he could be asking for a contract that lasts until he’s over 40.

Still, with how well Beltran played this past season, the Red Sox would be smart to sign him if the price is right, because he’s shown that he can still play at a very high level.

Matt Kemp, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers had to be frustrated seeing Matt Kemp sit out so much in 2013, as he only played in 73 games.  While he’s still a terrific player, there’s a chance that the Dodgers trade him away.

According to Nick Cafardo from Boston.com, the Red Sox have inquired about bringing in Kemp, with the report saying:

The Red Sox are one of several teams who have made inquiries on Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp according to a major league source. The Red Sox have probably made a few dozen of these types of calls on trades and free-agents, but Kemp is certainly intriguing.

The Dodgers, according to the source, have not been shopping Kemp, but teams have inquired. The Dodgers were reportedly recently in trade talks with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners.

With the possibility of Jacoby Ellsbury signing somewhere else, the Red Sox are likely keeping their options open to add some talent to their outfield.  While he’s only played in 179 games over the past two seasons, Kemp is still an incredibly productive player, hitting .293/.350/.493 with 157 home runs and 162 stolen bases during his eight-year career.

Kemp’s contract is what could keep him from being traded, as it is certainly a big one.  According to Spotrac, Kemp is due $127.5 million over the next six years, making this a very big investment for any team looking to trade for him.

These two teams are quite familiar with each other, as the Red Sox sent off Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett last year, and that could make this trade involving Kemp possible.

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The 2013 Manager of the Year awards were announced on Tuesday night, with Clint Hurdle from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Terry Francona from the Cleveland Indians coming away with the honors.

The awards are decided upon by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, along with the other major individual awards. The BBWAA will also announce the winners of the Cy Young and MVP awards on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Hurdle helped lead the Pirates to an incredible turnaround season, taking them to the playoffs for the first time in over two decades. Meanwhile, Francona was in his first season with the Indians and led them to their first playoff berth since 2007.   

Neither vote was stunning, but all six managers that were nominated were certainly deserving. Below is a deeper look at the two winning managers for the National League and American League, along with the voting results for each, courtesy of Mike Oz of Yahoo! Sports.

Clint Hurdle Wins 2013 NL Manager of the Year

The NL featured some great nominees for this award, but there wasn’t a manager more deserving than Pittsburgh’s Clint Hurdle.

The official Twitter account for the Pirates congratulated Hurdle on the award:

ESPN Stats & Info mentioned that Hurdle is the first Manager of the Year for the Pirates since Jim Leyland in 1992:

After so many rough seasons for the Pirates over the years, Hurdle became the manager for the team in 2011 in an attempt to get the franchise back on the right track. His tenure in Pittsburgh got off to a bit of a rough start, going 72-90 and 79-83 in his first two seasons as the Pirates faded down the stretch.

That all changed in 2013.

Hurdle’s players stayed hot throughout the season. The Pirates had struggled after the All-Star break the previous couple of years, but that wasn’t the case this season. They finished with a 94-68 record, the highest win total for Hurdle in his 11-year managerial career. The Pirates finished with their first winning season since 1992 and ended a 20-year run without a playoff appearance.

The Pirates weren’t satisfied with those achievements, however, as they took down the Cincinnati Reds, 6-2, in the NL Wild Card. They lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, but not before taking it all the way to Game 5.

MLB Network’s PR Twitter account provided a quote from Hurdle, who had this to say about winning the award:

Don Mattingly led the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 92-70 season, but it wasn’t enough to earn him the honors. The expectations for the Dodgers were high, and although they were able to advance to the NLCS, Mattingly didn’t quite do enough to sway voters.

Fredi Gonzalez finished third in the voting, after leading the Atlanta Braves to an impressive 96-66 record but falling in the NLDS to the Dodgers. Mike Matheny, who led the Cardinals to the World Series, was able to grab a few second- and third-place votes as well, finishing in fourth.

While wins and deep playoff runs are important in the voting process, Hurdle won the award because his team exceeded expectations and created a truly special regular season that engaged Pirates fans. His positive attitude and passion for the game made Hurdle the clear choice for this award in 2013.

Terry Francona Wins 2013 AL Manager of the Year 

His former team may have won the World Series, but Terry Francona was able to win his first AL Manager of the Year award with the Cleveland Indians.

The Indians congratulated their skipper over Twitter:

Francona took some time off after leaving the Boston Red Sox, but came back in 2013 to become the lead man in the Cleveland clubhouse. The Tribe hadn’t had a winning season since 2007, but that changed this year.

The Indians stepped up big under Francona, going 92-70 and finishing second in the AL Central behind the Detroit Tigers. They fell in the AL Wild Card Game to the Tampa Bay Rays, but it was still a successful season for a team that has struggled with success in recent years.

John Farrell was a popular candidate for the award, finishing in a rather close second. He led the Red Sox to an Major League-best record of 97-65 and capped it all off with a World Series title. Meanwhile, Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin, who had won the award in 2007 and 2012, was unable to win his third, while Joe Girardi came in at a distant fourth.

Despite leading the Red Sox to two World Series titles in the past, Francona had never finished better than fourth in the Manager of the Year voting. That has all changed in 2013, and now he has finally won an award many believe was long overdue.

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On a team that’s desperately searching for some real talent, the Chicago Cubs have a future superstar in third baseman Kris Bryant.

At just 21 years old, Bryant was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft out of the University of San Diego.  Mark Appel, the incredibly talented pitcher out of Standord, was the only player drafted ahead of him.

There’s no denying that Bryant is a truly special talent.  During his time in the minors, he appeared in 49 games with four different minor league teams in 2013, hitting .309 with 15 home runs and 49 runs batted in.

Bryant has blown up even more in the Arizona Fall League.  Through 13 games so far, he’s hitting .389 while leading the league with six home runs and 17 RBI.  He has an impressive .870 slugging percentage and 1.313 OPS.

There are a number of people that have been impressed with Bryant, including Arizona Diamondbacks announcer Steve Berthiaume, who was present at one of his recent games.

The Cubs are going to need a star player at some point.  They have a few exciting emerging pitchers on the current roster, but there’s a severe lack of talent on the rest of the depth chart.  

At third base, the Cubs have David Murphy and Luis Valbuena right now, and neither of them have been very impressive.  Neither player did much in 2013, combining for just 23 home runs, 60 RBI and 57 runs scored.

As a hitter, Bryant is the ideal power hitter.  He crushes inside pitches, and with his massive 6’5” frame, he uses his size to his advantage when hitting.  He has some great bat speed and surprising discipline for a younger hitter and also possesses some very deceptive speed for his size.

Defensively, Bryant’s biggest asset is his powerful arm.  He has the ideal combination of arm strength and accuracy, which means he could play at either third base or in the outfield at the major league level.

The current concern is with Bryant’s frame, with there being a chance that he may outgrow third base and move into the outfield.  The good news is that he’s flexible and quick enough to work around this.

Based off of what we’ve seen so far, Bryant looks ready to move up at some point in 2014 or 2015 at the latest.  Once he gets called up, he will quickly become the next star player that the Cubs have been looking for over the past few seasons.

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The first two games of the 2013 World Series have been like night and day, with the Boston Red Sox taking Game 1 and the St. Louis Cardinals taking Game 2.

The Red Sox won 8-1 in the first game of the series, getting to Adam Wainwright early and often.  In Game 2, the Cardinals were able to make the most of a key seventh inning, scoring three total runs in the 4-2 win.

With the series tied at 1-1, we are getting at least three more games in the World Series. Let’s take a look at the remaining schedule followed by a pitching preview of the three games in St. Louis.

Note: Probable pitching matchups are provided by CBSSports.com.

Game 3

Jake Peavy vs. Joe Kelly

At 32 years old, Jake Peavy is finally making his first career start in the World Series, but the playoffs have not been kind to him in his limited postseason appearances.

In the two games Peavy has started in the playoffs, he’s had an ERA of 8.31, and opposing batters have been hitting .294 against him.  Before this season, his previous two playoff appearances came in 2005 and 2006 against the Cardinals while he was a member of the San Diego Padres.  In those two starts, he got rocked for a total of 13 runs.

Joe Kelly will take the mound for Boston, and he hasn’t looked the same in the playoffs.  He was terrific in the regular season, posting a 2.69 ERA with 124 innings pitched in the 37 games he played in.

In the playoffs, Kelly has struggled.  He hasn’t lasted longer than six innings, allowing eight earned runs and 18 hits in 16.1 innings pitched.

Both pitchers have had their struggles in the playoffs, which means that this matchup has the opportunity to be a high-scoring affair, likely giving Boston an advantage with their impressive offense.

Game 4

Clay Buchholz vs. Lance Lynn

After finally being able to return to the Red Sox, Clay Buchholz was huge for Boston in the regular season.  He only started in 16 games, but he was terrific in those, going 12-1 with just a 1.74 ERA and a WHIP of just 1.02.

The playoffs have been a completely different story.  In his first three starts, Buchholz has given up 10 earned runs and 19 hits, giving him a 5.40 ERA.  He’s had 15 strikeouts, but when batters have made contact, they’ve made it count.

For the Cardinals, Lance Lynn hasn’t been much better this postseason.  He wasn’t a top-tier pitcher in the regular season, but he did post a 3.97 ERA and had 15 wins.  

In the playoffs, Lynn has taken a step back.  He’s also had a 5.40 ERA, starting two games and appearing in relief in another.  In the two games he started, he allowed seven runs while allowing 13 hits and six walks in 9.2 innings of work.

Much like Game 3, both of these starting pitchers are struggling, and we could see runs scored in bunches once again.

Game 5

Jon Lester vs. Adam Wainwright

We will most likely see the first pitching rematch of the World Series in Game 5, as Jon Lester and Adam Wainwright will go at it once again.

Lester got the win in Game 1 with an impressive performance.  He went 7.2 innings in the game, allowing just five hits and zero runs while striking out eight batters.  He’s only given up five total runs in four starts this postseason, giving him a 1.67 ERA.

For Wainwright, he had his first bad outing of the playoffs in Game 1.  He allowed three earned runs and six hits in just five innings.  Before that game, he had allowed just four earned runs and struck out 20 batters in 23 innings pitched.  

Wainwright should be able to turn things around.  He has a deadly arsenal of pitches, especially his curveball.  According to FanGraphs.com, Wainwright’s curve had the second-highest pitch value in the majors at 17.1.  A.J. Burnett’s breaking ball had the highest value at 20.0.  Wainwright discussed his struggles after Game 1.

This is going to be a big game in the series, especially if one of the teams is able to win both Game 3 and Game 4.  There’s a chance that this will be a series-clinching game, but even if it’s not, it’s going to be a very critical matchup between two great pitchers.

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With the World Series tied at 1-1, both the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have some big questions that need answering as the series heads to Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals were able to tie up the series on Thursday night, winning 4-2 over the Red Sox despite a two-run home run from David Ortiz to put Boston up in the sixth inning.  

However, the Cardinals came right back in the seventh with a wild play that resulted in two runs being scored on a sacrifice fly and a throwing error, followed by another run off of a Carlos Beltran single.

With two games down, let’s take a look at a couple of questions each team needs to answer in order to take the World Series in 2013.

St. Louis Cardinals

Can Carlos Beltran Stay Hot With Rib Injury?

Beltran was able to rob a home run from Ortiz in Game 1, but it didn‘t matter, as the Red Sox easily won the game 8-1.

The Cardinals probably would have wished that Beltran didn‘t rob that home run.  On the play, Beltran suffered a severe rib bruise, according to Matt Snyder of CBS Sports.

As bad as the injury was, it didn‘t seem to stop Beltran from playing a big game on Thursday. He went 2-for-4 at the plate along with a run on an RBI single in the seventh inning.

During the postseason, Beltran is hitting .273 with two home runs and 13 RBI, the most by any player so far in the playoffs.

He may have had a nice game on Thursday, but the real question is if he can continue this high level of success throughout the rest of the series. A rib injury can certainly impact the way Beltran hits, and that could make a difference in the next few games.

He looked fine in Game 2, but we will have to see if he can stay hot for the rest of the series.

Will Adam Wainwright Look Like His Usual Self During Next Start?

We did not see the Adam Wainwright we were used to in Game 1.

After looking so good in his first three postseason starts, Wainwright struggled in the first game of the World Series. He lasted just five innings after allowing five hits, three earned runs and five total runs as the Cardinals went on to lose.  

Before the loss, Wainwright had allowed just four earned runs in 23 innings pitched this postseason while striking out 20 batters.

According to Anthony Gulizia from The Boston Globe, Wainwright had this to say about his performance:

I felt very out of synch tonight, unfortunately. It’s something usually I can make adjustments on the fly a lot quicker than I was able to tonight. It’s pretty disappointing to do that on this stage.

It was difficult from the first pitch on. I didn’t make it real tough on them. I threw a lot of balls out of the zone, no contest pitches, and a lot pitches up for them to hit. Kind of a perfect storm of pitching.

Everything I threw tonight was pretty garbage.

According to Deb Carson of Fox Sports Radio, the Cardinals announced that Wainwright would start on Monday in Game 5.

It’s going to be a difficult test for Wainwright, as the Red Sox easily have the best offensive team in all of baseball this year. During the regular season, they hit .277 with 853 runs scored, the most of any team in the majors.

With how good Wainwright is, he should be able to bounce back, but there are no guarantees when going up against a lineup like the one Boston has.

Boston Red Sox

Can Jake Peavy Help Boston Take Game 3 in St. Louis?

The Red Sox need to take the momentum back from the Cardinals in Game 3, but it’s not going to be easy as the series moves to Busch Stadium with Jake Peavy getting the starting nod.

Peavy dealt with an inconsistent regular season, posting a 4.17 ERA in 23 starts. In the postseason, he’s started just two games, but he’s posted an ERA of 8.31 with a .294 opposing batting average, lasting just 8.2 innings.

This is easily Peavy’s biggest game of his entire career, but he says that he’s ready. However, he’s struggled during his career in the playoffs. Before this year, his previous two playoff starts were against the Cardinals in 2005 and 2006 while he was with the San Diego Padres. In those games, he allowed a total of 13 runs.

Boston made a big decision to trade for Peavy in the middle of the season, and this is his chance to prove that he was worth it.

Can the Offense Get Hot Once Again?

We already talked about how strong this offense is as a whole, but they haven’t exactly been the same team offensively during the playoffs.

In their 12 postseason games, the Red Sox are batting just .228 with 55 runs. After averaging around 5.2 runs scored per game in the regular season, the bats have cooled down a bit in the playoffs with just 4.6 runs scored per game.

The Red Sox will have to rattle Joe Kelly and Lance Lynn in the next two games, and while both were really solid pitchers in the regular season, they’ve struggled in the playoffs. Kelly and Lynn have combined for 28 innings pitched, allowing 15 earned runs and 32 hits in six total games played.

The go-to guy to watch for has to be Ortiz in this series. He’s been hitting .268 with 12 RBI while leading all hitters with five home runs this postseason. He’s accounted for nearly one-fourth of Boston’s runs driven in, and he’s looking to cement his legacy as one of the best postseason hitters ever.

Boston certainly has an opportunity to drive in plenty of runs over the next two games, and that could completely change the series. If the Red Sox can hit like they did in the regular season, they’re going to be in great shape.

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