Kuzul

The Arizona Diamondbacks are hoping they can turn back the clock on veteran outfielder Cody Ross, and why not?

Ross has been a journeyman for the past decade, but he has rarely let his teammates or fans down on or off the field since breaking into the big leagues with the Detroit Tigers in 2003.

Now, the former Boston Red Sox right fielder is headed back to the National League West after agreeing to a three-year contract with the Diamondbacks, according to ESPN baseball analyst Jim Bowden via Twitter:

Cody Ross and Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed on a 3-year $26 million dollar contract that includes a club option with $1m buyout #Source

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) December 22, 2012

But even before Ross takes his first swing at the plate for Arizona, Diamondbacks fans can breathe a little easier knowing their club has made a smart addition to its outfield, especially with right fielder Justin Upton’s future still up in the air. 

The deal means that the 31-year-old Ross will return to the division where he excelled with the San Francisco Giants late in 2010. Ross played 33 regular season games with the Giants after being claimed off waivers.

In the 2010 postseason, he recorded 15 hits and five home runs in 51 at-bats to help lead the Giants to the 2010 World Series title. He batted .294 in 15 games that postseason. 

Ross hadn’t been to the postseason before, or since. 

Last season, he hit .267 with 22 home runs and 81 RBI in 476 plate appearances for the Boston Red Sox. He provided quality at-bats to go with solid defense on the struggling American League East team.

Although the numbers aren’t eye-popping by any stretch, Ross, at his worst, is still a quality player to bring off the bench. He’s also an excellent clubhouse presence because of his World Series experience and willingness to accept whatever role his current team wishes to give him.

He can even adapt to new atmospheres. After all, he’s used to short stays and constant relocation. He’s played with six different MLB teams since 2003 and will now suit up for a seventh in 2013. That may not sound like a big deal, but it is when you’re looking for a steady presence. Ross will transition seamlessly, just as he has done in the past. 

There’s a whole lot more good than bad involved with bringing in Cody Ross. The consummate professional, Ross will offer Arizona much more than a presence at the plate or in the outfield. 

You might say Ross peaked in 2009 with the Florida Marlins when he hit .270 with 24 home runs and 90 RBI. Sure, his best baseball is likely behind him, but it’s not required for Arizona to be successful.

Ross isn’t a superstar, and he probably wasn’t the team’s first option, but he won’t disappoint. He’s a great leader, and he’s going to help his team win in whatever way necessary.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It looks like Cody Ross‘ career renaissance in 2012 has landed him a nice new contract. According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the veteran outfielder has signed a three-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks:

League source: Cody Ross has reached agreement with Diamondbacks on a three-year deal.

— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) December 22, 2012

According to ESPN’s Jim Bowden, the deal is worth a guaranteed $26 million and has a fourth-year club option with a $1 million buyout:

Cody Ross 3 yrs $26 million confirmed 4th yr option $1m buyout

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) December 22, 2012

The move to Arizona will be the latest in what has become a bit of a journeyman career for Ross. The soon-to-be 32-year-old has played for six teams spread out over eight professional seasons and spent the 2012 season with the Boston Red Sox. 

In his only season in Boston, Ross essentially rejuvenated his career. Taking advantage of the friendly Fenway confines, Ross hit .267 with 22 home runs, 81 RBI and an .807 OPS. Those power numbers were his highest since 2009 and brought Ross back to prominence after a down season with the Giants in 2011. 

While he shouldn’t have any trouble continuing that pace with the Diamondbacks, this signing is a little curious from the team’s perspective. Arizona is loaded in the outfield, and Ross’ addition would give the team five outfielders worthy of starter consideration.

In other words, expect a trade coming out from the Diamondbacks. Justin Upton has been a popular name in trade circles all offseason, and Jason Kubel is also another option to be shipped out of town.  

Adding Ross may be a smart move by Kevin Towers, but one that is more than likely a precursor to a larger deal down the line.

Follow @tylerconway22

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed outfielder Cody Ross to a three-year agreement, according to the Twitter feed of New York Daily News writer Mark Feinsand.

League source: Cody Ross has reached agreement with Diamondbacks on a three-year deal.

— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) December 22, 2012

The one-time San Francisco Giants playoff hero who played last year with the Boston Red Sox gives the Diamondbacks yet another power-hitting threat in their arsenal. But most significantly it allows Arizona the flexibility to make another trade.

Ross made his debut with the 2003 Detroit Tigers. After short stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds, he became a productive hitter with the Florida Marlins, notching back to back seasons with more than 20 homers.

In 2010, Ross stunned the Philadelphia Phillies by hitting a pair of home runs off Roy Halladay in Game 1 of the 2010 NLCS. He was named the NLCS MVP when he hit three homers, batted .350 and posted a 1.385 OPS as the Giants stormed into the World Series. He homered in the World Series victory against the Texas Rangers in 2010 as well.

After another 22-home-run season with the Red Sox in 2012, he joins a crowded Arizona outfield that currently features Justin Upton, Jason Kubel, Gerardo Parra, A. J. Pollock and Adam Eaton.

ESPN’s Buster Olney speculates that the Texas Rangers would be interested in Upton or Kubel to help replace the offense lost by the defection of Josh Hamilton. Arizona’s need for a shortstop has been satisfied by acquiring Didi Gregorius from the Cincinnati Reds, so Elvis Andrus might not be as alluring a trade chip anymore.

But the team can always use additional bullpen arms or a chance to replenish a farm system that used some top trade chips to strengthen the 2013 squad.

So general manager Kevin Towers has made a move that helps in the short term and the long term.

The Diamondbacks are going into 2013 with very few holes, making Arizona a very dangerous team. And Cody Ross knows something about playing for a National League West team that exceeds expectations.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The following slideshow touts the top 15 waiver-wire pickups right now, a countdown of the best free agents from the majority of 12-team roto leagues. For the most part, this list rewards players who have already fostered productive starts to the 2012 season.

Savvy readers will notice the rankings are different from last week’s offering; and that can be attributed to the waiver-wire graduations of Zack Cozart, Jordan Schafer, Henry Rodriguez, Danny Duffy and Lance Lynn—forgotten assets on draft day but now invaluable pieces with their current teams. And that’s how it should be with this list: Here today, gone tomorrow.

Enjoy the show!

Begin Slideshow

By late January of last season most Red Sox fans were already counting the days until Spring Training. 

The Bruins and Celtics were both smack dab in the midst of the long NBA and NHL regular seasons. The New England Patriots had just absorbed a nightmarish ending to a promising season at the hands of their hated rival—the New York Jets. 

The Red Sox were front and center. They had traded for Adrian Gonzalez and signed outfielder Carl Crawford. John Lackey had looked decent at the end of the 2010 season and Jacoby Ellsbury was healthy as well. 

Winning the American League East had already become an almost foregone conclusion in the minds of many fans and baseball writers. The Red Sox were picked to make the World Series by numerous publications and predictors. 

Things are a little different this January. 

The Patriots, in case anyone was not aware, are preparing to play in one of the most heavily hyped Super Bowls of all time. A rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants. 

The Celtics are mired in an up-and-down lockout shortened season. It’s possible that members of the “Big Three” will be dealt.

The Bruins are once again among the NHL’s top teams and as the defending Stanley Cup Champions, they recently visited the White House. That routine action was made none-too-routine when goalie Tim Thomas chose to make a personal political statement and sit out the Oval Office appearance. 

The Red Sox? 

Well earlier this evening they inked former Met and Oriole John Maine to a minor league contract. If that seems somewhat underwhelming it’s because it is, as was the recent signing of former Giant Cody Ross.

The Red Sox have made numerous moves this season. Fans can debate whether or not the moves are “good” or “bad”. None of them have been earth shattering though. There’s been no Carl Crawford type of signing, there’s been no Adrian Gonzalez type of trade.

In the aftermath of all these moves the Red Sox are likely to enter the 2012 season with far more questions than they had at the outset of the 2011 season. New general manager, new manager, new closer, new right fielder, new shortstop and probably some new starting pitchers as well.

So what?

The 2011 team was at its best before it ever took the field. Its best baseball was played in the hopeful imaginations of Red Sox fans in January, February and March of 2011. That was before the team started 2-10. Before they battled back to move into first place through the summer and well before the cataclysmic collapse of September.

The 2012 team is nowhere near as good as the 2011 team was back in January, February and March of 2011. Will they start 2-10? Will they go 7-20 in September? It’s hard to know. One thing Sox fans should remember is that being wildly optimistic one year ago had no bearing on the end results of last season. Entering the 2012 season pessimistic probably won’t have much of an impact either.

The 2012 Red Sox are going to start the season with a lot more questions than the 2011 Red Sox did but hopefully they’ll end the season with less questions and more answers.  

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It was a fun time at good old Wrigley Field earlier this week. The Giants scored two week’s worth of runs in one afternoon. Barry Zito won his first game since Ronald Reagen was elected to his second term, and Ryan Dempster figured out that there’s a team in the National League that he can pitch well against.

Splitting a four-game series on the road isn’t such a bad thing, but when the opposing team is as bad as the Cubs, you’re left with the same feeling of dread that occurs after being on the losing end of a sweep.    

I have only one thing to say about Thursday. Don’t blame Brian Wilson. The Giants blew too many chances to add an insurance run, and it cost them in the ninth. The team Bruce Bochy fielded that afternoon was full of hapless hitters that couldn’t manage a single hit in nine innings against the Cubs’ horrific bullpen. Given their production in the doubleheader, it’s a miracle if the Giants aren’t a hit before the All-Star break.

As usual, it was a poor game for everyone except the guy who started on the mound. Emmanuel Burris bunted into two more outs, Bill Hall inexplicably played in another game and Cody Ross blew a chance to nail the final out at home when he threw the ball 30 feet above the plate.

It’s hard to believe that the Giants are four games better than they were at this point last season.

I know this sounds crazy, but isn’t it plausible that if Buster hadn’t gotten injured and Brian Sabean didn’t signed Miguel Tejada in the offseason, the Giants might have won 100 games by now?

Aye me.

********

Speaking of Cody Ross, while he hasn’t been that great so far in this road trip hitting .190 and grounding into a rally killing double play, he showed the world the proper way of reacting to one of the most frustrating occurrences in baseball.

In the sixth inning of last week’s game against the Minnesota Twins, Ross chased a foul ball down the left field line and sprinted into the stands. Just as he appeared to make a circus catch, a fan reached out in front of his glove and caught it.

It was a play that brought back a flood of memories from Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS.

Except Cody didn’t make like Moises Alou and throw a tantrum. He simply scooted back to his position in right field with barely a glance over his shoulder. Vogelsong retired the next two batters and the inning was over.

The same thing may have happened eight years ago if Alou had done something similar. Screaming at somebody won’t change the amount of outs on the scoreboard. Slamming your hands into the turf isn’t going to help your pitcher retire the next batter. What transpired was one of the most hilarious meltdowns in the history of professional sports.

It’s not funny really. I despised the Cubs for several years after they hired Dusty Baker along with a few other ex-Giants which included Kenny Lofton, Ramon Martinez and Tom Goodwin. More loathsome than Dusty, cheatin’ Sammy or screamin’ Carlos Zambrano however, was the presence of the Ostrich-sized douche bag Mark Prior.

But even as I gleefully taunted Prior with a pair of middle fingers directed at the television screen, I found it disheartening the way Fox kept zooming in on the tearful Steve Bartman for what felt like two hours. A diehard Cubs fan, whose greatest dream was to see his team play in the World Series, suddenly found himself clumped together with guys like Steve Garvey, Will Clark and an immigrant farm owner from Greece.

There was no justice in making this kid the poster boy for a century’s worth of failure.

I’ve continually maintained that Bartman wasn’t to blame for the Cubs’ demise as they were closing in on that oh so elusive National League pennant. Although Alou certainly had a shot at making the play, there’s no guarantee that the result would have been different without Bartman’s intervention. This was not Jeffrey Mauer reaching into the field of play and corralling the ball over the fence for a home run.

This was a strange happening with an unusual set of circumstances that could have produced any outcome.  

Whatever the result, Alou didn’t help the situation by screaming at the fans and blaming Bartman again during a postgame interview.

Let that be a lesson learned.

Never follow any example set by the Cubs.

*******

The Giants continue to allow their bullpen to walk the tightrope in the every game. For the second straight day, Brian Wilson squandered away a 1-0 lead, and it took a miraculous rally and a couple of crazy plays in the ninth to avoid another late-game collapse.

Cameras caught Wilson in the dugout where he cussed out the helmet rack, threw a Gatorade bucket into the wall, then smacked around the same bucket with a baseball bat.

While Brian was probably reacting to his fourth blown save, I’m sure he’s also peeved that Alex Smith is coming back as the starting QB for the 49ers next year. 

Pretty f#@$ing stupid, I know.

*******

Over the last three games, Giants starters have allowed two runs in 21-and-a-third innings, striking out 24 and walking four.

And they have no wins to show for it.

Bumgarner was unhittable again on just four days of rest. He might actually win a game if he comes out of his hitting slide.

Snap out of it kid, you’re the best hitter on the team. Now is not the time for slumps.

********

You just have to love Brandon Crawford. He walked three times and saved the game when he caught Brennan Boesch’s soft liner as it was heading toward center field. Biggest double play of the season so far.

Still he’s only batting .198 for the year. But he also has one home run. That’s good enough to be hitting cleanup in this lineup. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

An injury to a starter before the season even starts is never a good sign.

However, the 2011 San Francisco Giants are one of the few teams this year that can absorb the blow.

Blessed with incredible outfield depth and player versatility, there is no reason to believe that the current personnel can’t hold down the fort for the first two weeks of the season.

Assuming Cody Ross returns in three weeks as predicted, the Giants may actually benefit from his temporary absence.

Right now, the Giants have options for starting right fielders—in reality, an absurd number of options. Aubrey Huff, Mark DeRosa, Andres Torres, Aaron Rowand or Nate Schierholtz could all man the position.

Travis Ishikawa has been playing left field in spring training and Brandon Belt has experience in the outfield, so they theoretically could be in contention as well for the spot.

However, it is more likely that they would take over first or left for Huff or DeRosa should he slide to the other corner.

Regardless of who actually plays right, somebody who was going to be playing left bench will now be on the field. Rowand, Ishikawa, Schierholtz, DeRosa and Belt, who are all currently without a starting spot, get another shot, this time in real big-league games.

Bruce Bochy already seems to pride himself on the way he can fit the same 13 players in the same eight positions in as many variations as possible, so he should have no problem getting all his bench players at-bats.

Most likely, Belt will not be in the mix. Although he certainly has the skills, his presence on Opening Day would be an economic burden for the franchise. If he plays only three weeks in the minor leagues, the organization can delay his option for free agency by a full year, securing him until through at least the 2017 season, at which point he would be eligible for free agency.

If Belt begins the year in Fresno, the Giants also solve another problem: Rowand, Schierholtz and Ishikawa all can have spots on the 25-man roster. Both Ishikawa and Schierholtz are out of minor-league options, meaning that if one did not make the roster, he would have to be released, unless traded before March 31, the deadline to reduce rosters to 25 players.

Even in a tough division like the NL West, the loss of one player for a couple weeks will not derail a team’s playoff hopes, especially in April. As a result, the extra playing time for bench players has minimal risk and can only bode well for all parties involved.

If Schierholtz or Ishikawa utterly fails to produce when given a spot in the lineup, the organization can release him to make space for Ross when he recovers from his injury, which they may have had to do anyway had Ross not been injured. 

And if one of them, or DeRosa or Rowand, goes on a tear to start the year, the Giants would have gained an asset they otherwise would not have. They could either be looking at this year’s Andres Torres or simply have a player with enhanced trade value.

They already have plenty of outfielders; if one off the bench can get himself traded, then the Giants gain a prospect for absolutely no cost.

Either way, the Giants have only something to gain.

As these very same Giants saw last year, players step up from obscure corners of the roster to make an impact. Why not see if some other guys take advantage of their chance this year?

The injury to Ross is definitely a concern. The Giants have much less hope of repeating without him. But players get hurt and miss time; it’s part of the game. As long as he is out only three weeks as the doctors think he will be, there’s nothing to worry about.

Luckily, the Giants can turn this setback into an opportunity. Ross’ absence can temporarily take away the need to cut a player and allow some fringe players a chance to grab hold of the spotlight.

Baseball is a funny game; crazy things can happen.

That couldn’t be more true than with these San Francisco Giants.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As February dawns here in 2011, that can only mean one thing for baseball fans, here comes spring training. And with the breath of fresh air and the feeling that only a beginning can supply comes a time when all the questions are going to be tackled. For three months us Giants fans have been basking in the glow of a World Series victory, the first for the city. And now, the Giants must begin their first title defense in the history of San Francisco.

For a team that did relatively little in the offseason (besides locking players up), this spring training will still be phenomenally interesting, mostly due to the tumultuous nature of last season. Now, we know that spring training can be nothing more than a small exercise, and that none of our questions may be answered. Heck, just look at the lineup changes that went on during the season in 2010. However, it is still an incredibly important time of year, a time to review last year, but mostly preview the coming year and address the questions heading in.

In that case, let’s count down the 10 biggest questions facing the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants (feels good don’t it!) as the head into spring training.

Begin Slideshow

Fans have dubbed most of the Giants’ 2010 season and postseason as torture, but after the team’s impressive World Series victory against the Texas Rangers, the Giants’ faithful at the High Five Pizza Co. restaurant and sports bar felt euphoric.

The Giants won the seven-game World Series in just five games, courtesy of a Game 5 seventh-inning three-run home run from the series’ MVP Edgar Renteria, and brought home the first championship in their San Francisco history.

Cathleen Belknap, a manager at High Five, was among those who were thrilled about the Giants’ World Series title. She said that although she was a southern California native, she began following the Giants when the playoff games were on the televisions at work, and when everyone came into the restaurant to watch them.

“I feel very good about it because it will bring revenue to the city, and it’s long overdue so it is nice for the fans,” Belknap said.

Like Belknap, bartender Mark Mitchell recently began following the Giants during the frenzy when the playoffs began. As a fan of San Francisco itself, he felt the Giants’ World Series victory was one of the best things to happen to the city.

“I really liked what it did to the city of San Francisco,” Mitchell said. “It was similar to what happened when the Saints won the Super Bowl.”

Mitchell was also drawn to the team by the personality and charm of some of the players, including Buster Posey, his favorite.

“I saw Buster Posey in an interview, and I was impressed with the way he conducted himself,” Mitchell said. “If I see him, I would like to buy him a beer.”

Some were so excited about the Giants’ World Series title that they celebrated in surprising ways. Kealaa Kai, a concrete foreman for the city of San Jose and regular patron at High Five, told of his experience at another San Jose sports bar.

“I went to a bar in downtown San Jose, and after the Giants won, the owner bought a round of drinks for all his customers in the bar at the time,” Kai said.

Others were just relieved that the Giants won at least one title in their lifetime, and they are confident many more are on the way.

“I’m so happy they did it while I’m young,” said Katerina Nowack, a cashier and cook at the restaurant. “I am excited that everyone on the team is so young, and there’s a good chance it (a Giants World Series title) might happen again.”

Even fans of opposing teams, including the Giants’ arch-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, could not help but feel happy for Giants fans. Greg Scaglione, another High Five bartender, has been a Dodger fan since birth, but showed an understanding of what the World Series victory meant to Giants fans.

“I’ve known a lot of people who were Giants fans, and it’s really good for them,” Scaglione said.

In years past, every last game of the season for San Francisco has ended in defeat, but this year, it was the San Francisco Giants who had the last victorious word in Major League Baseball.

This article is also featured on Talking Giants Baseball.

Who is the best baseball broadcaster today? Click here to vote.



Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the Major League Baseball Hot Stove season almost at its boiling point, many fans across Dodgertown can’t help but recollect the most notable trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.

Since officially moving to Los Angeles in 1958, many player trades occurred that were instrumental in winning nine National League pennants and five World Series championships. However, along with the deals that were beneficial came the deals that were dreadful, and people wonder what may have transpired if a number of these trades could have been undone.

The following slides rank the 50 worst trades in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as well as offer a bit of commentary for each transaction. Please note that the rankings don’t include any free-agent signings, nor do they contain any deals made prior to the Dodgers moving to Los Angeles. The list is not syndicated in any fashion and it is purely opinionated and subjective.

Although some of the transactions listed may seem more prominent than others, the logic used in the rankings is based on the players ability at that time and into the future, weighted against what the Dodgers actually received in return.

Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride through 52 years of Dodgers history.

Begin Slideshow