As this blog is being posted, the collective population of Cooperstown, New York, is growing by the dozens. After all, it’s this weekend, EVERY YEAR, when baseball is celebrated and the game’s class of immortals grows.

This year, only one player will receive the distinction known as “Hall Of Famer” …..
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Of course, as soon as Andre Dawson completes his induction speech and as the festivities begin to draw toward a close, the Baseball Writers of America will officially be on the clock ….

For the first time EVER, those with the discriminative ability to vote YES for enshrining a player among the very greatest of the sport will have a true dilemma. For the past decade, we’ve discussed steroids and HGH to the point of exhaustion. We’re all tired of it.

Yet, for the Hall Of Fame’s voters, their most daunting task is just beginning …..

As they consider the nominees for the CLASS OF 2011, they’ll be presented with name of the first “worthy” candidate with a noted, distinguishable tie to Performance Enhancing Drugs. And, no, don’t invoke the Mark McGwire inclusion. Regardless of what he might’ve injested, McGwire did not achieve a Hall Of Fame resume’.

But, Rafael Palmeiro did reach the threshhold. In fact, he surpassed it.

3020 hits & 569 homeruns
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End of discussion, right? I sure wish that was the case, but it’s not. Whether Palmeiro cracks 75% of the vote is very questionable. It’s really an unknown, at this point.

Whether he used ONCE, TWICE or SEVERAL times, Rafael Palmeiro is about to become a very vital part of baseball history. He’s the guinea pig for an assembled cast of beefed-up players who were great throughout a substantial portion of their careers.

Trust me, we have another six months before finding out, but Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez will be watching for the results. I’ll suggest it’s fair to assume they’ll need to witness Palmeiro’s acceptance, prior to reasonably hoping they, too, will join Ruth, Mantle, Cobb and Williams.
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For my money, I think Rafael Palmeiro is a Hall Of Famer. But, I’ve got a sobering suspicion he’ll be excluded, next year. Why? Heck, I don’t know.

There simply seems to be alot of contempt for him. And, much of it is attributed to the media members covering the game. We’re more than five years removed from Palmeiro’s darkest days. Yet, many still hold his failed drug test as the determining factor in his destiny.

If the writers decline his entry, I’ll understand. But, they better be consistent and fair about their convictions. All of them make it or none of them do. Anything short of a balanced process will be as damaging as the revelavtion of drug usage, itself.

We shall see …..

Well, Allen McCallum and I spent the better part of Tuesday’s show discussing the American League’s best players over the last quarter century. Of course, we agreed on some and disagreed on just as many.

Below, find my list of offensive players. Tomorrow, I’ll post the pitching staff. Just remember, IT ONLY COVERS THE SPAN OF 1985-2010 …..

Catcher – Ivan Rodriguez
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You could probably make an argument for a few different backstops, but “PUDGE” has simply been the best catcher in the American League during this time span. The AL-only numbers are undeniable – 2477 hits, 281 homeruns and a .301 batting average.

Figure in 13 Gold Gloves and 14 All Star appearances, in the American League, and it’s easy to see he is absolutely unrivaled. Yeah, he obviously used PED’s, but he was damn good when he was skinnier than a rail.
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First Base – Rafael Palmeiro
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Don’t say STEROIDS. I don’t wanna hear it. Plenty of players used, Palmeiro simply got caught. His career achievements are almost exclusive to the criteria – American League (1985-2010) …..

I don’t even see a close second, with one exception. Don’t despair “Big Hurt” fans, he made the list. Just wait a little while …..
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Second Base – Roberto Alomar
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Hello, McFly ??? This might be the single greatest Hall Of Fame injustice of the last 25 years. Roberto Alomar is not only the greatest second baseman of the last quarter century, he’s arguably among the five best players of the cited generation.

Yep, he was THAT GOOD …..
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Third Base – Wade Boggs
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Did you play baseball during Bogg’s heyday? If so, don’t tell me you didn’t try eating CHICKEN before a half dozen straight games …. before figuring out DIET really had nothing to do with it. Boggs was probably among the three very best hitters of the last 25 years – regardless of league.

Here we are a couple decades removed from the Margo Adams debacle. Remember her? I wonder what she looks like TODAY? She was the one HIT & RUN the hitting champ would prefer to forget. If she happened today, it would be a non-issue.

Wade Boggs was a hitting machine …. on and off the field. And, he’s the American League’s best third baseman, since 1985.
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Shortstop – Alex Rodriguez
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Shoot me !!!! Dump my body in the nearest landfill …..

Whatever your heart says, the sobering truth is A’Rod is the American League’s best shortstop of the last 25 years. He hasn’t played the position in nearly 7 years and he still has more hits, homeruns, rbi and steals than any other A.L. shortstop of the last quarter century.
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Outfield (not by specific position) – Ichiro Suzuki
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He has achieved monumental accomplishments in the span of ONE decade. In fact, Ichiro hasn’t finished playing his 10th full season, yet. But, he’s collected 2151 hits, 363 steals and a .332 batting average. At this rate, he’ll collect his 3000th hit approximately halfway thru his 14th season.

Can you imagine if he would’ve arrived on the scene before his 27th birthday, or if he played in a better lineup? Throw in 10 All Star appearances and 9 Gold Gloves (in 9 full seasons) and Ichiro is arguably the GREATEST PLAYER of the last 25 years.
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Outfield – Manny Ramirez
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Love him, hate him …. he’s among the very best of the American League’s STARS over the last quarter century …..

A.L. stats alone – 2318 hits, 510 homeruns and a .313 batting average. Throw in a couple World Championships, and it’s pretty hard to deny Manny Ramirez’s pedigree. And, there is a concrete argument suggesting that he doesn’t always play his hardest. After all, Manny is usually being Manny, right?
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Outfield – Ken Griffey Jr.
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I originally omitted him from the list. But, Junior has enjoyed a better A.L.-only resume’ than Rickey Henderson over the duration of the last 25 years. If the consideration was the last 30 years, it might be different. However, it’s not …..

Of course, Junior hit the scene with an energy and power display that made many of us think he would re-write history. That didn’t happen, but he’s still among the 3 best A.L. outfielders of the last 25 years. In 14 American League seasons, he racked up 1877 hits, 420 bombs and a .291 batting average. Toss in 10 Gold Gloves and just as many All Star appearances, and he’s a notable choice over the likes of Rickey Henderson.

Yeah, I know the RICKEY arguments are coming. Don’t waste your time. As I said, we’re talking about the last 25 years, which means you’ve gotta wipe away the first half dozen seasons of Rickey’s career. Thus, since 1985, he was a slightly above average hitting A.L. outfielder – with 1754 hits, 475 steals and a .278 batting average. Include 6 All Star appearances and ZERO Gold Gloves and Rickey simply doesn’t shape up to Griffey’s achievements.
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Designated Hitter – Frank Thomas
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I told you the BIG HURT would make the list. After all, he’s arguably the most prolific power hitter of the last 25 years. He could hit the ball 500 feet. Yet, he was disciplined. You don’t wanna throw Frank a strike? No problem, he’d gladly drop his stick and trot down to first base. Count ‘em – 1667 walks, while only whiffing 1397 times. That’s remarkable for a hitter who averaged 35+ homers, per season.

Much to my good friend Allen McCallum’s chagrin, the WALK defines a huge part of the Big Hurt’s pedigree. Allen penalizes Thomas for not being more of a ‘swinger, while feeling he should’ve been more aggressive, especially as a #3 hitter. I wholeheartedly disagree. Regardless of batting position, what’s the one thing we know? In fact, what’s a bigger KILLER than heroin and crack, combined? FREAKIN’ WALKS. Ask any pitcher !!!!

Frank Thomas amassed 2468 hits, 521 homers and a .301 batting average in 19 seasons. He’s a first ballot Hall Of Famer. And, if has a hair on his rear-end, he’ll call this guy and ask him to make the introduction, at Cooperstown …..
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And, while we’re at it, lets refute the Edgar Martinez talk, right now. Along with Bret Boone and Jay Buhner, Edgar suddenly found the “Fountain Of Youth” (or Primobolan and Winstrol) as he neared his 30th birthday. Yeah, I know plenty of the guys in this blog USED. But, at least they were good at some point before they found “help.” Who has their best seasons between ages 32-37 ??? Hmmm …. how about Hulk Hogan, Barry Bonds and Edgar Martinez. Gimme a break …..

Lets look at Martinez before 30 …..
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Now, lets look at Martinez after his 32nd birthday …..
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Like I said, plenty of players used performance enhancing drugs. There is no getting around it. I just think some guys really developed an edge they’d never realized, prior to the usage. And, a core sect of those type of players were on a team in the Pacific Northwest.

It surely wasn’t the coffee …..

Tomorrow, I’ll do the American League pitching staff.

As the world waits with bated breath for LeBron James announce the venue at which he’ll be applying his craft for the foreseeable future, it would seem all but a foregone conclusion that James is set to join forces with DeWayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. That said, there have been lots of seemingly foregone conclusions surrounding the NBA’s free agent bonanza 2010, and so far few of them have actually come to fruition. So until LeBron makes it official in just a few hours, everywhere is still a possibility; or so it would seem.

I’m still betting on Knicks or Cavs tonight. The Knicks fan in me says, “New York was the first to begin making preparations for LeBron.” Indeed the Knicks have skirted the tampering line for several seasons now, through coaching and front office regime changes, their focus has been single minded and unwavering, get the King to the Empire City. By signing Amar’e Stoudamire already in free agency, the Knicks have provided LeBron with the best potential big man pairing amongst his suitors. Even if LeBron hasn’t figured it out yet, Stoudamire, and not Chris Bosh would be the ideal pairing for him if he hopes to advance his championship hopes. He’s an athletic marvel, capable of getting up and down the floor in a Mike D’Antonio system, an adept back to the basket player, who unlike Bosh appears both willing and ready to take on the dirty work, and do LeBron’s heavy lifting.

In Cleveland, regardless of your own feelings about the city, LeBron has security and familiarity. He also would return to the team that posted the league’s best records in each of the last two seasons, although one that hasn’t been able to recapture the magic of their NBA Finals run of 2007. As a native of nearby Akron, with a number of his childhood friends serving as confidants throughout this process, I’m still having a hard time believing that LeBron James would simply leave his city high and dry. The economic impact on the businesses surrounding the Quicken Loans Arena and throughout Cleveland would be immediate and seemingly devastating. What’s more, the Cavs still have some maneuverability under the cap themselves, and in Anderson Varejao and JJ Hickson they also have two of the most desirable trade commodities in the league, dollar for dollar.

I’d like to believe that seeing through what he began in Cleveland would be important to LeBron. Even more so, I wonder how future free agents might view the Cavs if they were unable to keep LeBron around. If there’s any such thing as karma in sports, LeBron will stay in Cleveland.

So where does Miami fit in? Going to Miami, and joining forces with 2 other max deal players seems like a best case scenario for LeBron, but would it be? If Miami is the answer to the question tonight, then you can only imagine that it’ll be a matter of time before Pat Riley pulls another Stan Van Gundy move, and replaces Heat coach Eric Spolestra on the bench with himself. You could also reasonably guess that he’ll do it anyway, with or without LeBron. In either case, the expectations would be immediate.

Using the majority of your salary cap on max players seems like such a good idea, that you have to wonder why other teams haven’t done it before. Then you look at what the Heat will have to spend in order to fill out their remaining roster spots, and the reason becomes clear. In order to be effective right away, the Heat would need a journeyman point guard – or a pure shooter since Wade and James are both adept ball handlers – on a mid level exception, they’d need Dexter Pittman to be ready to start at center, and deal with Dwight Howard, Kendrick Perkins or Andrew Bynum at playoff time, or get creative in trying to bring back Udonis Haslem and hope that Pittman can back him up. Rookie Jarvis Varnado will have to be ready to play too, since the Heat’s only other draft pick went to injured forward Da’Sean Butler, who surely can’t be counted on as a rookie, simply based on the injury he sustained in the Final Four. Michael Beasley and his $5 million or so in salary would have to be jettisoned, and finding suitors for him hasn’t been easy, and Mario Chalmers will have to be ready to run the offense for stretches in the third and fourth quarters of games. Let’s not forget how many games in this year’s playoffs alone were decided by the second units.

Have I mentioned that Bosh lacks toughness, and is unlikely to mix it up much in the paint? He’s not really a pick and roll player, more like pick and pop. At his best Bosh is Pau Gasol with limited range, at his worst, well Steven A. Smith probably summed it up best when he called him Manute Bol with tiny dreads. The dreads are gone, but that may be all that’s changed about that assessment when it really matters. And lastly, has anyone stopped to think about what would happen if one of these guys were hurt? Talk about scotch tape and bubble gum.

Here’s the most intriguing part for me though, and maybe the angle that provides the most insight too, depending on how you interpret it. We all remember LeBron famously sporting his Yankees cap as a guest of CC Sabathia – then with the Indians – at a Yankees / Tribe playoff game. So what does LeBron’s Yankee fandom lend to the speculation about his destination?

First, there’s the physical location angle. If LeBron simply loves New York, then Knicks it is, or maybe the Nets on an outside flyer. If it’s Yankee philosophy he embraces though, then consider this:

James’ beloved baseball team routinely scalps all of the best talent on the free agent market, and why wouldn’t they? Outside of wanting to build something where you are already playing, piling on to a team that’s already of championship timber and enjoying the ride seems ideal. Again, James own buddy Sabathia succumbed to the temptation to pile on with a winner, so for James to do so in Miami shouldn’t be a surprise. But real baseball fans understand that even while Alex Rodriguez was arguably the AL’s best player for a number of years before joining the Yankees, and while with them, the Yankees have never been A-Rod’s team. Derek Jeter is Mr. Yankee, just like, for now at least, Wade is Mr. Heat.

If A-Rod never wins a World Series ring in the middle of an order that doesn’t feature Derek Jeter, his legacy will be lessened; not tarnished, but certainly lessened. Jeter has rings without A-Rod, much like Wade has one of his own already. If LeBron joins the Heat, the expectation will be championships, 3 in the next 5 seasons I’d say. Anything less would just be lame, and we’ll remember those teams more for the ones that they lost than the ones that they didn’t. And they will lose some, Kobe and the Lakers are still licking their chops, the Magic are primed, toughened angry and cohesive already, they’ll be a factor. The Original Big 3 in Boston are setting up to make a run, and desperation is riding with them, and whether you like the Joe Johnson signing or not, the Hawks only laid a proverbial egg in the playoffs because they were a really good team, otherwise no one would have noticed when they fizzled. Atlanta is tough, defensive minded and back together with new and hopefully better leadership.

The road to the Finals might not roll through Miami for a couple of years. Still don’t believe that his team can fail? Go back and look at the 2004 Olympic team, they didn’t have Bosh, but they were loaded and coached by Larry Brown, yet lost to Puerto Rico, Lithuania and Argentina, not exactly the Celtics, Magic and Lakers in their own right.

Everything to lose, nothing to gain, that will be LeBron’s cross to bear in Miami. He’ll be out front for the criticism, but will have to share the praise. And multiple championships are the expectation already. Here’s betting this was all a clever rouse and it’ll be Knicks or Cavs tonight. 

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I can’t help it. I’m a baseball junkie …..

It’s my favorite sport and regardless of the Orioles demise, I still get wrapped up in anything and everything concerning America’s pasttime. And, as much as I don’t really care for next week’s Homerun Derby, I still get excited about the lure of the All Star Game. So, I write about baseball, to include, my memories and opinions.

Over the past week, I’ve covered current All Stars, as well as MVPs, Cy Youngs and Rookies Of The Year. Where else can I go?

Well, I can take the historical path, I suppose.

Are there sure-lock HALL OF FAMERS in the game, today? You bet. In fact, my list includes players, managers, executives and owners. As with anything else, it’s puely subjective. However, I do feel I’m absolutely right about 99.9% of this crowd …..

Chipper Jones

Quite frankly, he’s going to be a benificiary of NOT being tied to any Performance Enhancing Drug scandals. Did he use? I don’t know. However, as we look at him TODAY, there are no smoking guns.
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Over 17 seasons, Chipper has achieved some HOF-worthy stats – .306 avg, 2464 hits, 432 homers, 487 doubles

He also owns an MVP, as well as a ring. And, he’s well liked. Chipper has spent his entire career in one city and I think such an honor and loyalty gets rewarded by media voters. Perhaps, he’s not a first ballot guy. But, he’s in Cooperstown.
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John Schuerholz

Baltimore guy makes good, huh? Schuerholz has evolved into one of the most respected scouting minds in the game. He was instrumental in the construction of the Kansas City Royals of the 80′s, and more famously, the Atlanta Braves of the past 20 years.
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Schuerholz’s Braves have appeared in the postseason 13 times over his two decades at the helm. He owns two rings and has drafted a gang of future Hall Of Fame players.
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Bobby Cox

Indeed, he’s earned his bust, in Cooperstown. Bobby Cox has skippered the Atlanta Braves through their era of dominance, in the National League’s Eastern Division. Heck, he’s even been recognized with a CAKE, at the U.S. Capitol …..
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His managing career includes 5 Pennants and a World Championship, along with a .556 winning percentage. Bobby Cox is absolutely a Hall Of Famer. And, with his retirement at the end of this season, he probably won’t be waiting too long.
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Omar Vizquel

Before you say “NO WAY,” just consider one name ….. Ozzie Smith. Lets look at their careers …..

Smith – .262 avg, 2460 hits, 580 steals, 13 Gold Gloves

Vizquel – .272 avg, 2735 hits, 391 steals, 11 Gold Gloves
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I think Omar Vizquel is another player who might wait for a “thin year” of candidates. But, I do think he’s ultimately a Hall Of Famer. I’ll admit part of my reasoning is also tied to some dissent. I didn’t think Ozzie Smith’s career was really HOF-worthy. Very good? Yes. Great? No. Thus, I think Vizquel reaches the Ozzie Smith threshhold and earns his place in Cooperstown.
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Manny Ramirez

I’m not part of the group that thinks players with direct ties to Performance Enhancing Drug usage will be denied entry to the Hall Of Fame. This was the Steroid Era – period. Some users will make, some will not. Mark McGwire was not a HOF-worthy player. Manny Ramirez is …..
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Manny’s numbers are undeniable – .313 avg, 2553 hits, 554 homers, 544 doubles. Although, he lacks the organizational commitment of a Chipper Jones, he has been dominant over the course of his career. In fact, he’s a first ballot guy.
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Joe Torre

He’s in …. regardless of the advantages the New York Yankees have enjoyed over other organizations. Torre was a guiding, laid-back influence, who managed an array of attitudes. And, he never panicked under pressure.
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Joe Torre has managed 5 different ballclubs, over 29 years. He owns a .540 winning percentage, along with 6 Pennants and 4 World Championships. Yes, all of these titles came with the Yankees, but he still has them.
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Trevor Hoffman

He’s just short of 600 career saves. Of course, Hoffman is also the all-time saves leader. It’s pretty difficult to deny his dominance in this role and, along with Mariano Rivera, he’s been the standard for closers over the last several years.
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I would’nt be surprised if Trevor Hoffman fails in his first HOF ballot. I think closers always run that risk. But, he’ll gain entry into Cooperstown. After all, his name is always mentioned when discussing the greatest closers in the history of the game.
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Jim Thome

Some people actually agonize over this one. It’s a SLAM DUNK. Jim Thome is another player who has no direct tie to Performance Enhancing Drugs during the course of his career. Are we suspicious? Sure …. but, all players have really earned a lifted eyebrow.
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Thome’s stats are career defining – 574 homers, 423 doubles, 1593 rbi and 1646 walks. Of course, the longball really makes Thome. He’s closing in on 600 homers and in a limted role, he’s swatted 10 in the first half of the season. He’s also a nice guy and voters remember that.
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Mariano Rivera

While he is not the career saves leader, many observers believe Rivera is the most dominant closer in the history of the game. Overtaking Trevor Hoffman is not out of the question, but health and age are crucial, at this point. Regardless, Mariano Rivera has enjoyed a great career …..
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With 545 saves and a 2.22 era, he could walk away today and anticipate his induction into the Hall Of Fame. And, that’s the spirit of this blog …..
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Alex Rodriguez

Yep, he certainly gets lumped in with Manny Ramirez and other sluggers who’ve been busted for Performance Enhancing Drug usage. That said, A’Rod has been the game’s best player over the last 15 seasons. He’s on pace to succeed Barry Bonds as the All-Time Homerun King, probably by 2015 …..
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A’Rod is 3 homers shy of #600 …. 1 stolen base shy of #300 …. 388 hits shy of #3000 and just 35 doubles shy of reaching his 500th two-bagger. Unless, he does something very “OJ-ish”, A’Rod is a shoo-in …..
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Derek Jeter

The Yankees are flowing in now, huh? Jeter is another first ballot guy. He, too, is closing in on 3000 hits. Jeter has certainly been the backbone of a formidable New York franchise, over the last 15 seasons. While he has stellar stats, he also possesses an array of the intangible qualities.
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Derek Jeter is universally respected for playing the game the right way. He’s got a handful of rings and a noted reputation for good character and loyalty. He’s an absolute lock for first-ballot induction into Cooperstown.
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George Steinbrenner

Uh-oh …. here come the negative comments and f-bombs. Hey, it is what it is ….. and George Steinbrenner owns a franchise that has reinvented itself, a couple times. He also has 7 World Championships during his ownership and that’s difficult to diminish.
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I’ll concede Steinbrenner has his critics and dissenters. He’s also been banned from the game; earlier in his ownership. That said, his “business of baseball” has been legendary and he’ll be remembered as such. Some folks will think his dealings hurt the game and some will disagree. I think he was innovator.
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Jamie Moyer

Count ‘em …. 267 wins. Moyer is 33 shy of the magical 300 mark. However, even more amazing is his durability and longevity in this game. He’s 47 years old and midway thru his 24th Major League season.
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Some observers may think he never dominated, and that’s okay. But, Jamie Moyer will be recognized for everything else. He’s headed to the Hall Of Fame – and, regardless, of how many ballots it takes, he’s gonna be an old dude when he gets there. Good for him !!!! It’s a great story …..
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Ichiro Suzuki

Without a doubt, he’ll be coming back across the pond a mere five years after he hangs it up. Ichiro has arguably been the best player in the game, since arriving just nine years ago. In that brief time, he’s hit for a .332 clip and achieved 200+ hits in EVERY full season, along with Gold Gloves. He’s also been an All Star, each season.
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He has shown no signs of slowing down. And, I do wonder where his numbers would climb, if he played in a good lineup. He’s in his tenth season, and Ichiro is a slam dunk first-ballot Hall Of Famer. Don’t even argue it …..
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Albert Pujols

Yeah, he’s in. I’ve always been skeptical of his inflated numbers and behemoth frame. But, once again, there are no direct ties between Pujols and Performance Enhancing Drugs. He’s been a monster over the last ten years.
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Look at these numbers – .332 avg, 1810 hits, 386 homers ….. since 2001. If he retired today, Albert Pujols would be inducted on his initial ballot. There is little doubt of that. And, he’s just 30 years old. That’s just sick …..
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Tony LaRussa

Yep, he’s a Hall Of Famer. LaRussa has managed 32 seasons, while garnering 5 Pennants and 2 World Championships. And, he sports a .535 winning percentage …..
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There is also the argument that Tony LaRussa has been a WINNER wherever he goes. Joe Torre does not have that distinction. And, LaRussa has managed teams with far lesser payrolls. He’ll be elected to the Hall Of Fame at some point.
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Vlad Guerrero

If Chipper Jones is a Hall Of Famer, so is Vlad. While he has battled injuries over his 15 seasons, he’s been a steady, if not dominant performer during the course of his career. In fact, he could’ve been one of the game’s greatest players, but he’s missed nearly 200 games, due to injury.
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The career numbers don’t lie – .322 avg, 2350 hits, 426 homers, 434 doubles. Although, his Major league resume’ is nearing an end, Vlad could reach the 500 homerun club, if he stays healthy. That’s a BIG if …. but, he’s a Hall Of Famer.
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Ivan Rodriguez

While he will always be remembered for his defensive prowess, and a ROCKET arm, “Pudge” has also enjoyed a very stellar offensive career. He has a career batting average of .299, along with 2772 hits, 306 homers and 561 doubles.
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Yet, it’s his skills as a catcher that really makes Pudge the complete Hall Of Famer. He has 13 Golden Gloves and many obervers regard him as possessing the best arm EVER, for catchers. That’s difficult to argue. Welcome to Cooperstown …..

Well, that’s it. Agree? Disagree? We’ll chat about it TODAY @ 2pm …..

There’s been some mail, and a few on air discussions cut short that I’ve been meaning to catch up on. And since some of it at least is timely, there’s no time like the present, so here goes, the first edition of Thyrl’s Mail Bag. And if you have a question, comment or idea, send it to me at thyrl@wnst.net.  

With all of the NBA’s free agent buzz, a caller off air asked who the highest paid NBA players were in 2009-10.

It’s an interesting list, and leads you to wonder where some of the teams spending big might find themselves on the tail ends of these monster contracts, especially with a new collective bargaining agreement on the near horizon too.

Here’s the top 10, from hoopshype.com for 2009-10:

1. Kobe Bryant $24.8 mil

2. Rashard Lewis $20.5 mil

3. Kevin Garnett $18.8 mil

4. Tim Duncan $18.7 mil

5. Michael Redd $18.3 mil

6. Pau Gasol $17.8 mil

7. Andrei Kiralenko $17.8 mil

8. Yao Ming $17.6 mil

9. Gilbert Arenas $17.7 mil

10. Vince Carter $17.3 mil

For all of the grief baseball gets, there top 10 looks much better. Here are the MLB rankings from CBSSports.com for 2010:

1. Alex Rodriguez $33 mil

2. CC Sabathia $24.2 mil

3. Derek Jeter $22.6 mil

4. Mark Teixeira $20.6 mil

5. Johan Santana $20.1 mil

6. Miguel Cabrera $20 mil

7. Carlos Beltran $19.4 mil

8. Ryan Howard, Carlos Lee & Alfonso Soriano $19 mil

And USA Today’s top 10 NFL salaries for 2009:

1. Philip Rivers $25.5 mil

2. Jay Cutler $22 mil

3. Eli Manning $20.5 mil

4. Kurt Warner $19 mil

5. Kelvin Hayden $17.4 mil

6. Matt Schaub $17 mil

7. Julius Peppers $16.6 mil

8. Chris Long $16.5 mil

9. Greg Jennings $16.2 mil

10. Antonio Smith $15.5 mil

Jeff, who didn’t identify where he was from wanted to know who has the biggest potential among this year’s crop of free agents to be a bust?

For the money Jeff, Chris Bosh seems a bit too willing to concede the driver’s seat to another superstar. Although he’s a willing second fiddle, he doesn’t seem to be a willing #5 in the NBA, and therefore probably lacks the toughness a superstar would need in the paint. If winning the Eastern Conference means solving Dwight Howard, I like A’mare Stoudamire’s chances much better than the pick and pop game of Bosh. But the even easier answer is Darko, again.

Kevin in Fallston heard me say – in a moment of weakness perhaps – that the O’s might be close, and wants to know exactly how close.

Kevin, I’d say not quite as close as the ’06 Rays or even the ’03 Tigers, but still much closer than the ’46 Cubs. Or so I hope.

And Adrian in Essex wants to know what I expect LeBron will announce tomorrow at “The Decision”.

The Knicks fan in me wants him to go to New York, the closet Nets fan growing inside of me wants New Jersey, my humanitarian side wants him to stay in Cleveland, but more than anything, I want to see it drug out a little further. I’m hoping to see LeBron at a table, flanked by World Wide Wes on one side, Simon Cowell on the other, and a parade of teams auditioning to win the judges and America over. After that we’ll have a nationwide vote, and Shaq can emcee the results show. I’m almost afraid to see it all end, so are a lot of teams, I’ll bet.

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There is really no such thing as the PERFECT team, regardless of whether it’s of an All Star caliber or not. However, I do think it’s pretty easy to think of very formidable teams, especially when you’re afforded the luxury of selecting players from an inventory of more than a dozen squads.

I have no doubt Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel will be wrestling with some emotion, obligation, expectation and even POLITICS when selecting the reserve members of their respective All Star rosters.

They have friends in other organizations …..

They have their own players to consider rewarding …..

They have Bud Selig looking over their shoulders …..

But, what would it be like if the All Star managers were truly afforded the latitude of selecting the reserves by distinguishing those whom he feels give the team the very best chance of winning? Why is thIS primary consideration? Well, the game counts.

Bud Selig is hellbent on ensuring the victorious All Star squad secures homefield advantage for their respective league’s World Series representative.

Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel skippered their team’s to the 2009 fall classic. Heck, Manuel’s Phillies have appeared in the LAST TWO World Series. They’re also the same team that forfeited it’s defense of the World Championship on the Yankee Stadium turf, following Game 6, last year.

Why did 2009′s defending World Champions forsake homefield advantage to the Yankees? We know that answer – the American League won the 2009 All Star game.

On the heels of such a bitter defeat, I would think Manuel has every reason to want to win this upcoming All Star matchup. Girardi should harbor the same desire and motivation. So, would the rosters look different if the managers could select the players whom they believed to comprise the most dangerous of teams?

I think so.

That means beyond the players selected by the fans, the manager would get to choose 25 reserves, to comprise a total of 34 players. And, the STUPID rule of including at least one player from every team MUST be discarded for this process. It should be forgotten, anyway.

This isn’t Little league. You play to win the game. Just ask Herm Edwards …. and Bud Selig.

So, if I stood in Joe Girardi’s shoes and I really wanted to win the upcoming game, this is what my All Star roster would look like …..

ELECTED PLAYERS (voting thru July 1, 2010)

Catcher – Joe Mauer
1st Base – Justin Morneau
2nd Base – Robinson Cano
3rd Base – Evan Longoria
Shortstop – Derek Jeter
Outfield – Ichiro Suzuki, Carl Crawford, Josh Hamilton
DH – Vlad Guerrero
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RESERVES (selected by manager)

Catcher – Victor Martinez, Mike Napoli

It’s a shame Matt Wieters is struggling, because Napoli really gets the noD by default. Jorge Posada is not healthy. Heck, Victor Martinez may not be healthy, either.
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1st Base – Miguel Cabrera, Kevin Youkilis

Cabrera is the best of the bunch, including Morneau. And, Kevin Youkilis is a guy I want at the plate with the game on the line. His bush league antics and mannerisms are irritating, but he’s an OBP stud.
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2nd Base – Ben Zobrist

Nobody else carries a likelihood of being a difference maker, especially with Pedroia on the DL. Cano and Zobrist would split the duties.
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3rd Base – Michael Young, Alex Rodriguez

Obvious choices, huh? Forget Adrian Beltre’s .349 clip, I want A’Rod or Young at the plate.
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Shortstop – Elvis Andrus, Erick Aybar

A more traditional run of shortstops, huh? All speed, no power. It’s not a very good year for this position. These guys could do damage on the basepaths.
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Outfield – Shin Soo Choo, Alex Rios, Nick Markakis, Brett Gardner, Nelson Cruz

I’m taking Choo, Rios and Markakis to play LF/CF/RF, respectively. In the second half of the game, I want guys playing their positions. Gardner is a fantastic spark plug and Cruz is a threat anytime he steps to the plate.
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DH – Vernon Wells

I was torn between Wells and Billy Butler. But, I went with the power.
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Starting Pitchers – Cliff Lee, David Price, Felix Hernandez, Jon Lester, Jered Weaver, Francisco Liriano

Why these guys? While they throw hard and have an impressive haul of strikeouts, their success is equally attributed to having a great “out pitch,” beyond the fastball. I think all of them would baffle National League hitters …. and they’re having a GREAT season.
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Relief Pitchers – Mariano Rivera, Joakim Soria, Neftali Feliz

In a word, NASTY. All three of them could nail down a perfect 9th against the heart of the NL order.
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Well, there it is – all 34 players for my American League All Star Team. Now that I’m looking back at it, I’ve made some perculiar observations …..

* I’m taking at least one player from each A.L. team, except the Oakland A’s. That said, if a pitcher backed out, I would probably take Andrew Bailey.

* While Mark Teixeira would not make my team (over Cabrera and Youkilis), two of the players the Rangers acquired for him (Perez and Andrus) are on my squad.

* My roster would include NINE first-time All Stars.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY …. WE’LL TALK ABOUT THIS TODAY AT 2PM !!!!

As the fiscal year draws to a conclusion, the fine folks at Forbes Magazine have decided to delight us with their MOST POWERFUL lists. Of course, these lists are broken down by profession, and include …. Actors, Musicians, Entrepreneurs, Media Personalities and Athletes.

While I found each list interesting – and certainly controversial – I was inspired to ask myself the very same question for the umteenth year of Forbes lists ….

WHO IN THE HECK COMES UP WITH THESE LISTS ???

Yeah, the standard, sensible criteria is cited as a method for determining the list rankings. According to the official Forbes disclaimer, the order of rank is determined through a combination of “annual earnings (+ potential) and resulting fame.”

The MONEY portion is really attributed to how much they’ve earned, while considering how much they’re likely to earn through future endorsements and increased visibility.

The FAME portion is deciphered by Google searches and official website visits, as well as social media relevance, like Facebook and Twitter. This certainly makes sense to me.

That said, I still came away from each list with the conclusion that a very loud and powerful voice at Forbes is out of touch with the reality of 2010. Perhaps, they’re stuck in 1999 – Tom Cruise is ranked ahead of Leonardo DiCaprio on the list of POWERFUL ACTORS, and one my very favorite bands – AC/DC is ranked several spots ahead of Kenny Chesney on the list of POWERFUL MUSICIANS. While I prefer the music of Angus and his cronies, they don’t have Kenny’s clout.

Enough of the other lists, lets talk about the MOST POWERFUL ATHLETES. Once again, I disagree with alot of these choices. Perhaps, the Forbes crew is trying to be global and diverse. However, the list is supposed to be based on the American market – which renders the rankings even sillier. Agree? Disagree? Here ya go …..
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1) Tiger Woods
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I’m not arguing this one. However, I do wonder how many of the GOOGLE SEARCHES were related to Tiger’s personal life over the last 7 months. He’s every bit as INFAMOUS as he is FAMOUS. But, he’s still raking in cash – much of which he’ll be paying back out, as his divorce settlement is rumored to be in the neighborhood of $750 million.

I do find it pretty poignant that our MOST POWERFUL ATHLETE is also the guy with the most screwed up life, as we sit here today. But, I don’t disagree – I still think he’s on top.
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2) Kobe Bryant
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Umm …. I guess so. I can attest to his popularity in the Los Angeles area, which is also the “Media Capital” of our society. I was in L.A. a couple weeks ago and it’s pretty challenging to walk around without seeing the name “Bryant” affixed to some kid’s back. And, the Kobe billboards are everywhere.

It’s hard to believe Kobe Bryant has reinvented his image, reputation and career in about 5 years time. That’s amazing. I guess it gives Tiger hope, huh? Wait a minute ….. he’s still ahead of Kobe !!!!
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3) Michael Jordan
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Not a bad ranking for the MOST POPULAR ATHLETE EVER, huh? And, he hasn’t played a game in more than 7 years. Is there really anything else to say? Well, if I was WNST’s Chris Pika, I would be holding out hope that MJ remembers his Birmingham Barons cohorts in his will …..
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4) Lebron James
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This stuff is easy – I could write this list from the top of my head. And, I’ve gotta funny feeling he’ll be ranked even higher on next year’s Forbes findings. In fact, he could shoot directly to the top !!!!
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5) Floyd Mayweather
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This is just a STUPID decision. I’m guessing somebody at Forbes really loves boxing …. or they’re totally overestimating the fighter’s actual cut from a purse. Nearly all of them end up with financial problems after retiring and I don’t see ANY of them making commercials.

When is the last time we saw Floyd Maywether on television, at all? If any sports talk show made FLOYD MAYWEATHER the day’s topic, freakin’ crickets would be chimed up. Absolutely ridiculous ….
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6) David Beckham
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Is this supposed to be a calculated, discriminative list? Or, did Forbes just pick names based on some inflated salary figure? I can’t fathom David Beckham yielding more Google searchesor social media hits than Peyton Manning. Heck, does he even merit the web traffic of Eli Manning? Well, maybe ….

By the way, David Beckham poses for more freaky photos than any person on this list. I’ll definitely give him that award.
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7) Phil Mickelson
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If anything, I thought he would be ranked higher on the list. Silly me ….. I guess Floyd Maywether is just a little more marketable. I have ZERO doubt Phil Mickelson is making plenty of money and he’s regularly featured on televisions, from Thursday thru Sunday.

By the way – and certainly outside the Forbes discussion – I talked about Phil Mickelson’s generosity during yesterday’s show. He quietly paid for former NFL player Conrad Dobler’s children to attend college. Dobler is disabled as a result of his football injuries and his wife is a parapalegic. Mickelson has never acknowledged this act of generosity – he won’t address it. But, Dobler is quite humbled by it. A very nice story …..
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8) Cristiano Ronaldo
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Who? I guess all those Tom Brady endorsements are being mistakingly attached to Ronaldo. This might be the most asinine entry on the entire list.
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9) Alex Rodriguez
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I’m kinda torn on this one. A’Rod is raking in a salary $32 million, but Derek Jeter is making $21 million. Yeah, that’s a tangible difference. But, I think Derek Jeter garners much more face time on TV pitches and such.

It seems like Jeter is much more marketable and relevant, especially in the social media aspect. But, I’m not really in disagreement with this selection.
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10) Shaquille O’Neal
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It’s amazing what hanging with Michael Phelps for a day will do for a guy, huh? I’m a little surprised Shaq is still carrying this clout. And, I’ll imagine this is the last year he’ll qualify for the Top-10 list. As much as he’s enjoyed an amazing career, the last year hasn’t been near his best.

After all, he made a TV show with Ben Roethlisberger.
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Well, that’s your list of the TEN MOST POWERFUL ATHLETES. If you’re curious about the athletes that nearly cracked the Top-10, it includes in order from #11 thru #16 ….. Serena Williams, Derek Jeter, Lance Armstrong, Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams and Danica Patrick.

Are the Williams’ sisters and Sharapova really more powerful than Roger Federer? I’ve gotta question that finding. And, Danica Patrick? That’s pretty funny. There are easily a handful of NASCAR drivers who make more money and garner more pop culture appeal. To suggest Patrick has more power or clout than Dale Earnhardt Jr. is hard to defend. He appears in many more endorsements. Oh yeah …. Earnhardt made $34 million in the last year, and Patrick made $7 million. You tell me ….

I was very surprised to see Peyton Manning, who is easily the most recognizable face in the American sports landscape, missing from the list. Also absent – Tom Brady, Alex Ovechkin, Roger Federer, Jeff Gordon and Michael Phelps.

I wonder what this list will look like in 5 years? That’s a blog for another day …..

We’re all looking for something positive to grasp onto as the Orioles enter the summer on pace to finish with the worst record in franchise history.

But searching for positives in a 17-43 disaster of a season is kind of like pointing out the luxuries on the Titantic before that pesky chunk of ice got in the way.

A daunting task, but that’s what we’re left with having a baseball team 22 games out of first place in the second week of June.

It was a far cry from the franchise-changing evening that occurred in our nation’s capital earlier this week with Stephen Strasburg’s historic debut for the Nationals, but Jake Arrieta and David Hernandez provided a brief moment of optimism on Thursday night in a season of epic failure.

Arrieta, making his major league debut, wasn’t tremendous, but he pitched six tough innings against the defending world champions to collect his first victory, beating the New York Yankees, 4-3. The 24-year-old struck out six Yankees—including Marcus Thames to end a scoring threat in his final inning of work—and allowed only four hits while displaying good movement on his fastball and an impressive slider.

He displayed a stronger sense of poise than most pitchers’ debuts we’ve witnessed in recent years, particularly in the sixth when the Yankees were threatening to tie and take the lead with the bases loaded before fanning Thames with a low-and-away slider.

“It’s real satisfying to throw well in my debut and get a win against these guys, it feels good,” Arrieta said. “I just wanted to make pitches and not let the adrenaline get the best of me. I think through the first three innings, at times, it did. But I kind of got into a groove from the fourth on and got out of a jam in the sixth. There were a lot of positives out of tonight.”

Another positive came two innings later when Hernandez, gaining more confidence with every appearance out of the bullpen, earned his first major league save, pumping fastballs at 97 miles per hour as he preserved the victory for Arrieta. Having struggled as a starter, Hernandez was disappointed in being moved to the bullpen but has allowed just one run in 7 1/3 innings of relief.

Thursday night’s performance against the Yankees was a brief sample of why so many scouts projected Hernandez as a late-inning reliever with closer potential as he worked his way through the minors. Of course, it’s only one outing, but it was an impressive first act.

“That definitely probably ranks right up there with making my major league debut,” Hernandez said.

The only thing more disappointing than the Orioles’ record is the overwhelming part in which the supposed future core of players has played in the losing. In reality, it matters little what Ty Wigginton or Miguel Tejada or Kevin Millwood do, unless you’re hopelessly wishing a desperate team will throw a bunch of prospects at the Orioles’ feet for their services at the trade deadline.

The performance—or lack thereof—of the team’s young players is the only thing that truly matters at this point, and the results haven’t been there. Not even close.

Matt Wieters, expected to be baseball’s next big star behind the plate, is hitting .241 and has driven in a measly 17 runs.

2009 All-Star Adam Jones continues to flail away at low-and-away breaking balls with a .251 average and 19 RBIs when he was hitting .335 with 37 runs driven in on the same date last year.

Nolan Reimold, a candidate for Rookie of the Year in 2009 before suffering an Achilles injury, is hitting just .179—at Triple-A Norfolk.

And Brad Bergesen was demoted to the minors earlier in the season and now resides in the bullpen with a 6.75 ERA, trying to regain the effective sinker that made him the team’s most effective starting pitcher as a rookie in 2009.

Even if this season wasn’t really about wins and losses, despite what we were told last fall by general manager Andy MacPhail, it’s been a season of regression instead of development.

So forgive us if we take a tiny sliver of satisfaction from the accomplishments of two young pitchers on Thursday night—especially when they come against the Yankees.

“It’s always good to do well against a team like that,” Hernandez said. “They’re a team that knows how to win.”

The Orioles are clearly a team that does not, evident in both their record and the way they conduct themselves after a rare victory with the now regular—and ridiculous—occurrence of a shaving cream pie for the key contributor. It’s just another sign that this team fully expects to lose every night and parties like it’s 1999 when it does pull off the scarce win.

Make no mistake, laughter and music in the clubhouse are common occurrences and are well deserved after a win, but after venturing over to the New York clubhouse after its 4-2 win over the Orioles on Wednesday, the differences were night and day as Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and the Yankees were all business after doing the job they fully expect to do every night.

Win.

Of course, the difference in talent is night and day too.

And so is the mindset.

Despite this, the Orioles beat the superior Yankees on Thursday night behind the arms of Arrieta and Hernandez.

We can only continue to watch and hope for more of these small signs—and a willingness to open the checkbook in the offseason for some prime talent—as the Orioles painfully move through the remainder of a horrid season.

There’s no saving this season, but small signs for the future will have to do for now.

And Arrieta and Hernandez provided just that.

**Go to the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault to hear from Jake Arrieta and David Hernandez about their performances in Thursday night’s game.**

With an off day to escape the reality of having the worst record in baseball, the Baltimore Orioles looked to the future Monday evening by selecting prep shortstop Manny Machado with the third overall pick in the 2010 MLB 1st-Year Player Draft. Machado is a 17-year-old product out of Miami Brito High School.

Possessing a 6-foot-3 frame and hailing from Miami, Machado has drawn comparisons to a young Alex Rodriguez, though the mere mention of a 17-year-old projecting to be similar to a player with 591 career home runs sounds maniacal at best. Other draft experts have likened Machado to Hanley Ramirez, but more subdued comparisons have been made to Atlanta Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar.

Machado possesses a level swing and has not shown overwhelming power in his prep career, though scouts believe the potential to develop above-average power is there as his frame fills out.

Questions remain whether Machado will remain at shortstop given his tall, skinny stature as a 17-year-old, but scouts say he has a very strong throwing arm. His lateral movement might come in question as he gains more weight, facilitating a move to third base like his idol Rodriguez.

Machado hit .639 with 12 homers, and 68 runs batted in in 29 high school games in 2010.

The young shortstop played with the first two picks of the draft, Bryce Harper and Jameson Taillon, on the U.S. 18-and-under national squad that won a gold medal at the Pan American Junior Championships in Venezuela last fall. Taillon—who many thought the Orioles coveted before the Pirates selected the high school pitcher one spot ahead of Baltimore—called Machado the “most fluid player I’ve ever played with.”

Machado is represented by super agent Scott Boras, which will cause concern regarding how easy it will be to sign the high school shortstop. Machado will use his scholarship acceptance to Florida International as a bargaining chip in reaching an agreement with the Orioles.

If the Orioles cannot reach a contract agreement with Machado by August 16th, Machado would re-enter the draft next year while the Orioles would receive the fourth overall pick (a spot later than this year’s position) in the 2011 draft as compensation. However, it is not expected that Machado is very serious about attending Florida International at this point.

Here is what others have to say about Machado:

Keith Law, ESPN.com MLB insider: “He might be A-Rod light. Machado can hit with strong quick wrists, and he should add power as he fills out his lean 6-foot, 3-inch frame.”

Garye LeFevers, U.S. national team coach: “He’s very patient at the plate. He never carries a previous at-bat over to the next one. It’s all for the moment. He’s focused on what’s going on in that at-bat, whether the last one was a home run or a strikeout.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbmnJKe5fZQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMiwrnDpFr0&feature=related ([/youtube]

Here is a more detailed scouting report, courtesy of MLB.com:

Manny Machado – SS
Miami Brito HS, Sr.

• Birthdate: 7/6/92
• Height: 6’3″
• Weight: 190lbs.
• Bats: Right
• Throws: Right
• Scout’s report filed: 3/18/10

Scouting Report

Hitting ability: Machado is swinging the bat very well, with authority. He led Team USA in hitting last summer

Power: He has the chance to have good power.

Running speed: He’s run well in the past, though he might slow down as he matures.

Base running: He’s fine on the basepaths.

Arm strength: He’s got plenty of arm for his position.

Fielding: He makes the plays he can get to.

Range: This is the question, whether he’ll have enough range to stay at shortstop as he gets bigger and stronger.

Physical Description: A big, strong athletic high school shortstop in the Miami area, Machado obviously draws young Alex Rodriguez comparisons.

Medical Update: Healthy.

Strengths: Big, strong, looks the part, plenty of tools, especially with the bat.

Weaknesses: Already pretty big, he may not be able to stay at shortstop in the long-term.

Summary: Machado entered the season as the top high school position player and has done nothing to diminish that evaluation. Big and athletic, he can do just about everything on the baseball field, with the ability to hit for plenty of average and some power as he matures. He’s got more than enough arm to play shortstop and is fine there for now, though there is some concern he’ll outgrow the position. Even if he does, he’d be just fine at third, both in terms of handling the position defensively and providing the kind of offense teams look for at the hot corner. Regardless of his position, Machado is primed to be one of the earliest names taken off the board in June.

Another report on Machado from Baseball Intellect

Former Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers general manager John Hart has a great track record as a baseball executive in the majors, and built those two franchises into winners. He joined Drew Forrester and Glenn Clark here on WNST 1570 to talk about today’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, and how Baltimore’s rebuilding franchise should go in the draft in an effort to keep building up the franchise to get it back to its winning ways.

Hart, who took over the Cleveland Indians in 1991, was at the helm for nine years, and during that time the Indians won six of the possible nine American League central championships and made appearances in the World Series in 1995 and 1997. The list of players on those teams were outstanding including Kenny Lofton, Jose Mesa, Sandy Alomar Jr, Omar Vizquel, Manny Ramirez, Eddie Murray, Jim Thome,  Orel Hershiser and Hart was one of the integral parts in keeping that team together for the time they were in Cleveland.

During his time in Cleveland, Hart was 870-681 as GM of the team and was outs away from winning two World Series. Now, he serves as a studio analyst for the MLB Network, and looking at this year’s draft, he weighed in to Drew and Glenn about the top picks in the draft this year, and if he were to make the decisions here in Baltimore, he said that the Orioles are going to like whoever falls to them behind Bryce Harper going to the Nationals and whoever the Pirates take with the #2 pick.

He first weighed in on Brito High (Miami) shortstop Manny Machado, who has drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez coming into the league. While Hart said the A-Rod comparisons aren’t fair, he said that he does have legitimate power and compares him more to a big, powerful hitter out in Colorado, Troy Tulowitzki.

“Machado is an infielder with a bat and power,” Hart said. “He’s only going to fill out and he’s got a lot of room to grow. Any organization would like this kid.”

Hart said that when Machado finally does fill out, he probably will be your stereotypical 6’4”, 215 lb. hitter who has a chance to stay at shortstop for a few years until a move to third or the outfield is likely.

With that kind of talent, the Pirates are likely to take Machado. And with Orioles GM Andy MacPhail’s philosophy of “buying the bats and growing the arms”, the next best option for the Orioles at the 3rd spot in the draft is Woodlands High (Texas) pitcher Jameson Taillon.

Taillon, 18, is a tall, intimidating right hander who stands at 6’7”, 230 pounds and has four plus pitches in his repertoire.  This guy could be a front-of-the-line rotation guy in a couple years, and pairing him with Hobgood in last year’s draft along with maybe Tillman, Matusz, and Arrieta could give the Orioles one of the best rotations in all baseball if they all pan out, which is not certain.

But Hart says this is certain: Taillon is the real deal.

“I tell you the scouts I’ve talked to said he is one of the top four amateur high school pitchers they’ve ever seen,” Hart said. “He’s going to pitch with a plus fastball… and he’s got a great makeup. He’s a guy you can anchor any staff around, and he’s got front of the rotation stuff.”

But Hart did leave us with this. He said that it’s probably better for GMs to wait on the high school guys till later on in the draft, and most GMs already follow that policy because they want the players up in the big leagues as soon as possible. Hart says to look for the  guy that will give you “the most impact”, and then a GM can look on their draft with success.

But it will take a few years to figure out if a draft will work or not.

Listen live to Drew Forrester and Glenn Clark on WNST 1570 AM for the “The Morning Reaction” Monday through Friday!