I like the Randy Winn signing.

Well, the Yankees just signed veteran switch-hitting outfielder Randy Winn to a one-year, $2 million deal. He adds to their outfield depth and will be a speedy bottom of the order bat. I'm not hating this move. Two million for a veteran who can play all three outfield positions and hold his own with the bat isn't bad. Winn had a down year in 2009, but the previous two seasons, he hit over .300, had an OBP above .350, hit a combined 80 doubles and stole 40 out of 45 bases. If he can get close to those numbers, $2 million is a steal. But even if he plays at his 2009 level, it's not awful. A No. 9 hitter who hits .260, steals bases efficiently (16 of 18 in '09) and hits 30+ doubles is more than a lot of teams have.

The main thing that concerns me about Winn's stats from last year is how poorly he fared against left-handed pitching. One of the reasons the Yankees were looking for another bat for the outfield was to platoon with lefty Brett Gardner. They wanted a right-handed (or switch-hitting) bat who could handle southpaws. But Winn was abysmal last season from the right side of the plate. He hit only .158/.184/.200. Gardner, on the other hand, hit an impressive .291/.381/.400, albeit in the small sample size of 65 plate appearances. So, I guess Brian Cashman is counting on last season being an aberration. And there's reason to believe it was, actually. In 2008, Winn hit .289/.343/.470 and smacked 7 of his 10 home runs against lefties. His 2007 numbers were an incredible .351/.399/.535. Again, if 2009 was just a blip on the radar, then Winn could be very effective as Gardner's platoon partner. It just worries me that he dropped off so harshly last season. But hey, Nick Swisher had a bad year in 2008 and then came to New York and raised his OPS 126 points. Maybe Winn can get back to his 2007-2008 form.

Either way, like I said, the Yankees could do a lot worse for $2 million. And they don't need a big slugger in left. They have an All-Star caliber player at ever infield position and in center field, and their DH gets on base like crazy. Gardner is capable with the bat and deadly on the base paths, same with Winn, and Nick Swisher is good for 20+ homers and a high OBP. I think their lineup will be alright.

In fact, I think the Yankee outfield is shaping up to be similar to last year's. They lost Johnny Damon, but they upgraded in center with Curtis Granderson. And Randy Winn is, I would say, about on par with Melky Cabrera offensively. They're both switch-hitters who hit for decent average, and Winn actually stole more bases and hit more doubles and triples last year. So, the offensive production from the outfield should be about the same as in 2009. And the defense will be better. Winn is very good defensively, as is Gardner. Granderson is also an upgrade defensively over Cabrera, and I think Swisher will be better this year, as he seemed to get more comfortable as the season progressed in 2009.

All in all, I think it's a pretty good move. It's good to know New York will have options and depth. Winn is a great defender and a solid bat, especially since he would be batting 8th or 9th. Hopefully, he'll recapture some of his 2007 magic against left-handed pitching.

No one likes change, Milwaukee and Toronto.

You know how Major League Baseball teams keep changing their uniforms and hats and adding alternate jerseys and making life a little less worth living for their fans? Well, it bothers me. I mean, it's one thing for a recent expansion team like the D'Backs to keep changing their color scheme around and not be able to decide on one logo. None of their uniforms ever looked any good, anyway (seriously, purple and green?). But even the Red Sox, one of the American League's charter franchises, now have four different uniforms and a disgraceful second cap that even Sox fans hate. But what I really hate is when a team has a perfectly good uniform and then decides to change it for no apparent reason.

As the awesome blog Sully Baseball has pointed out, the Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays are guilty of replacing awesome uniforms with ugly and forgettable ones. More specifically, in my opinion, each franchise abandoned a great hat logo for a stupid one. When I saw Sully's posts, I could immediately relate. Every time I'm in a hat store and see the old M-B glove hat next to the barley or the bird that adorned Joe Carter's helmet next to the unsightly 'J,' I die a little inside.

The Brewers had what has to be the coolest cap of all time. It's such a cool looking hat that I bought one even though I'm a huge Yankees fan. Like Sully, I remember when I figured out that the glove was made up of an 'M' and a 'B' as a kid and being completely awestruck. It's a great logo. I mean, seriously. It's a picture of a baseball glove that spells out the initials of the team name. IT'S GENIUS. And yet the Brewers have had some incredibly forgettable hat designs since then, finally landing on the bland 'M' with the barley. Come on, Milwaukee! I know you haven't worn the glove hats since you were in the AL, but that doesn't stop you from breaking them out on retro nights. Just do us all a favor and bring them back for good. When I watch Baseball Tonight and see Brewers highlights, it'll be much more enjoyable and engaging. Trust me.




Toronto's old hats weren't quite as amazing as the Brewers', but their current hats are far worse than Milwaukee's halfway decent ones. I mean, the bird the Jays wore during their back-to-back World Series titles in '92 and '93 is nothing short of majestic. It remarkably manages to have a baseball, a multi-colored bird, AND a maple leaf (just in case you forgot they play in Canada) without appearing too busy. It was the logo they had when they were the team to beat, when Joe Carter took Mitch Williams deep. And they replace it with what looks like an Arena Football logo. Or, worse, their alternate 'T' hats with the most God-forsaken font I've ever seen. I bet Roy Halladay would've stayed if you would have gone back to the old hats, Toronto.

But seriously, when teams have a good design, they need to stick with it. And when they don't, like the Brewers and Blue Jays, they need to make every night retro night.

Thanks, Bobcats - I was getting worried.

Well, I was getting scared that I had jinxed the Charlotte Bobcats. I called attention to their 6-game winning streak and said to take notice, and they responded by promptly losing their next three games. Whoops, maybe I should have kept my mouth shut (well, fingers still, I guess). But then again, those three games happened to be against teams who all hold playoff spots and are a combined 44 games over .500. So, perhaps it was just bad timing.

I was let off the hook last night when the Bobcats secured their first ever win in Phoenix, beating the Suns 114-109 in overtime. Charlotte has now dispatched Phoenix twice in 10 days, also posting a win at Time Warner Cable Arena on January 16th.

Stephen Jackson was incredible last night, especially down the stretch. He put up 30 points, including 4 three-pointers and really carried Charlotte for a while. He's been a difference maker for the team: they've gone 19-16 since acquiring him, and he's led the team in scoring with over 20 points per game.

So, thanks again, Bobcats. You were starting to make me look bad. How about getting back on one of those winning streaks?

I'm planning on going to the next home game, which will be against Charlotte's former team, the Hornets. Hopefully, it will have a better end result than the last game I attended.

Weekend of Pro Sports Action: Part Two

The Carolina Hurricanes are no longer in last place in the NHL standings. By handing the Bruins a 5-1 Boston massacre, the Canes moved one point ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, into 29th place in the league. And I was there to see it!

Okay, so being 29th instead of 30th doesn't change the fact that Carolina has still had a very disappointing season and would need a miracle to reach the playoffs. But in a season this bleak - especially after reaching the Conference Finals last season - small victories must be cherished. And there were other reasons to be excited about the win.

It was Cam Ward's 131st career victory, placing him first on the franchise's all-time list, ahead of Artus Irbe. Ward was brilliant, stopping 27 of Boston's 28 shots on goal. He unfortunately missed recording his first shutout of the season when David Krejci scored a power play goal at 8:56 of the 3rd period. The Warden made some beautiful saves to protect the Carolina lead and allow his team to put the hammer down on offense.

The Carolina power play continued its recent success, converting on an Eric Staal goal 4:26 into the 2nd. The goal was Staal's 5th as team captain, as he has scored in each of his first three games wearing the 'C.' The Canes' power play is now 8-for-21 - a 38% clip - over the last 5 games. They've moved up to 18th in the league with a 17.6% success rate. It's really great to see after some really ugly man advantages earlier this season. Carolina has reportedly been working on the power play a lot recently during practice, and it has definitely showed.

Another bright spot of the win is that it pulled the Hurricanes to within one game of .500 at home this season. They've won 3 of their last 5 at the RBC Center and will have a chance to pull even on Thursday against the Islanders. Carolina has also started finding ways to win on the road of late, winning in New York, Toronto and Atlanta this month after going just 2-13-4 previously. With their 6 wins in January against 5 losses, the Canes have posted a winning record in 2010 thus far and have a chance to post their first winning month of the season.

For me, the experience of finally getting up to Raleigh to see the Hurricanes play was amazing. I got there about an hour early and explored the arena in jubilant awe. All of my friends ended up having prior commitments (that's what I get for deciding to go to the game three days beforehand), so I ended up going by myself. However, it's probably for the best. Anyone who had come along would probably have thought I was an idiot for being like a little kid on Christmas and trying on about 37 hats before finally picking out this beauty. My seat was up in the 3rd level on the Carolina offensive end, and I had a pretty great view. Although, being on the Carolina end sort of backfired considering they scored 3 of their 5 goals during the 2nd. But even from the other end of the rink, it was still thrilling to see Ray Whitney show why they call him The Wizard by completely schooling Zdeno Chara to set up Brandon Sutter's goal.

All in all, great weekend!

Weekend of Pro Sports Action: Part One

Well, I took my own advice and went to see the Bobcats play the Magic on Saturday night in Charlotte. And it was one of the best times I've had in a while. They really go all out to keep the crowd entertained and pumped up, and it was an exciting game to watch (well, for 48 minutes, anyway). It was NASCAR Night, which meant there were a lot of drivers in attendance, including Jimmie Johnson, who was presented with his record fourth consecutive Sprint Cup championship trophy at halftime. And while I don't follow racing at all, I actually really dug the Bobcats' checkered flag uniforms.

The 'Cats came all the way back from being down by as many as 16, tying it in the final seconds of regulation on a Stephen Jackson lay-in. Unfortunately, they faded fast in overtime, seemingly out of gas from fighting back the entire 4th quarter. Charlotte only scored 3 points in the extra period, looking completely outmatched. It was kind of depressing to watch, to be honest. They had fought so valiantly, hitting big shot after big shot to send the crowd into frenzies, only to seemingly give up in OT. It's not the NHL, guys. You don't get half a win in the standings for making it to overtime.

But still, the incredibly thrilling 4th quarter softened the blow of the disappointing finish. I still left the Arena feeling like it was $13 very well spent (thanks, eBay!). I'm definitely planning on going to a lot more games this season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a buzzer-beater win.

Despite the two straight losses (the other being to the 3rd place Hawks on Friday), Charlotte is still in the playoff picture and playing exciting basketball. Hopefully they'll continue to gain more support.

Speaking of the Canes, I'm going to see them Sunday!

Living in Charlotte, working five days a week and being a full-time college student (until I graduated this past December) have made it hard for me to make it to the RBC Center. It's a 5-hour round trip, and I don't have many friends who are into hockey enough to make it. I wanted badly to go to one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals games last season, but I couldn't afford it. However, I am going to see a rematch of that series this Sunday when the Canes take on the Bruins!

I'm extremely excited. I admit to never actually having been to a Hurricanes game. The previously mentioned factors have made it difficult, and I have unforgivably not just gone anyway. (Don't judge me too harshly; I do watch almost every game on TV!) But I went to a Stars game over my Christmas vacation and had the time of my life. It made me determined to see a Canes game, because if I loved watching a Dallas team I had no feelings about, I knew I would be in heaven watching my favorite team.

So, I'm off to Raleigh this Sunday to watch the Canes in action. I'll be writing about the experience, so stay tuned for that. Hopefully, it'll turn out the way games 2, 3, 4 and 7 of those Conference Semifinals did.

Staal shows he deserves the 'C' with a hat trick.

The Carolina Hurricanes' new captain, Eric Staal, made a statement in his debut wearing the 'C.' He did exactly what has been preached by previous captain Rod Brind'Amour: he led by example.

Staal recorded his 10th career hat trick in the 5-2 win over Atlanta. He scored the game's first goal, knocked in an overpowering shot from the circle on a power play in the 2nd period, and put the icing on the win with an empty-netter in the final minute. The 25-year-old Forward, dubbed a franchise player, led his team to an impressive road win, of which there haven't been many this season for the Canes. The game also saw the Carolina power play, ranked 23rd in the NHL, show some life, converting its first three opportunities. The other cornerstone of the franchise, goalie Cam Ward, also performed brilliantly, stopping 32 shots. Many of his saves were highlight-reel worthy.

It's very fitting that the two best young players on the Hurricanes stepped up in big ways on a night of transition. They not only showed their team that this new era with Staal as captain can be great, but also honored Rod the Bod with their stellar play. It would have been sad to see Brind'Amour's transition to being an alternate captain begin with a whimper. Staal and Ward did him proud.

I've always been a Brind'Amour fan. How could you not be after the way he led his team to a Stanley Cup Championship in '06, scoring 12 goals in 25 games along the way? That was the most goals for any Carolina player in those playoffs, and second only to Edmonton's Fernando Pisani. I've got a t-shirt with No. 17 on the back, and I'll still wear it with pride even though the Bod's playing time has dwindled.

And while I'm not terribly keen on the mid-season timing of the switch, obviously Eric Staal is the right man to lead this team. It was ultimately very telling that although he didn't score as many goals as Brind'Amour in '06, he had the most points of any player in the playoffs with 9 goals and 19 assists. Even then, in only his 2nd NHL season, he was showing what a leader he could be. And who could forget his series-winning goal last year against the Devils? I'm sure Marty Brodeur hasn't. Although, he obviously hasn't let it phase him or his team this season.

You've got to respect Rod Brind'Amour for being so classy about this switch, saying he's the one who is honored to pass the torch to Staal. And you also have to admire how well Staal performed under the pressure of carrying that torch for the first time.

Will Charlotte finally start caring about the Bobcats?

The Charlotte Bobcats have never really drawn much buzz in their home city. I've lived in Charlotte all my life, and if people are talking about feline pro sports teams, they're talking NFL, not NBA. Well, sometimes people talk about the Bobcats, but only to say how bad they are. And this is understandable to a degree. The team has never posted a winning record or earned a playoff berth. The passion for NCAA powerhouses like UNC and Duke seems to detract from interest in professional basketball. And I think the city is still wounded from the debacle with the Hornets leaving and George Shinn's shenanigans.

But I still feel bad for the Bobcats. It's not their fault that they have to play in a state that houses some of the best college teams in the nation. It's not their fault that the Hornets' owner alienated the city to the point where even playoff teams weren't drawing fans. Watching Bobcats games and seeing thousands of empty seats is just depressing. So I'm here to say "take notice." The Bobcats are good this year!

Charlotte has won 9 of its last 10 games, including 6 straight and counting. They've dominated two playoff teams from the superior Western Conference - the 4th place Spurs by 16 and the 6th place Suns by 26. And last night, the Bobcats jumped ahead of the now 6th place Heat by an embarrassing 39 points. Charlotte is 2 games over .500 (which is saying something in the East, where only 6 out of 15 teams have winning records) and right in the middle of the playoff picture at No. 5. Folks, this means we need to start paying attention.

I've caught several games this year on TV (I've sadly yet to make it to the Arena), and this Bobcats team is exciting. Guys like Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson are dynamic players who are extremely fun to watch. This team plays with an intensity that's palpable even on television. I can't wait to catch these guys live in action.

Did you know the Bobcats have won 2 of 3 against the East-leading Cavaliers? That includes going into Cleveland and snapping a Cavs 11-game home winning streak on January 3rd with a dramatic 91-88 win.

Or, are you aware that Charlotte allows the fewest points per game in the entire NBA? That's right. Basketball-Reference.com ranks them 1st in the NBA in Defensive Rating. And their offense, although only 28th in points per game for the season, has shown more life of late. They're averaging over 111 points for their last three games, better than the NBA-best season mark of nearly 110 for the Suns. And with the league's best defense and a dominating 18-4 mark at home, the offense doesn't seem to be hindering the 'Cats too much.

This Charlotte team is for real. They have a real shot at making the playoffs in an Eastern Conference with two playoff spots being held by losing teams. And if they do continue their success, they've shown they can hang with the big boys. So support them! Go to games, watch away games on TV, get pumped about this team that is delivering solid, dynamic, exciting basketball to the Queen City.

The Yankees - Red Sox Rivalry in 2010

To kick things off here at The Sport Locker, I thought I'd take a look at how the greatest rivalry in baseball (and in my opinion, all of sports) is shaping up for 2010. The Yankees and Red Sox have both been busy this offseason, New York preparing to defend its World Series title and Boston trying to bridge the AL East gap.

Now, let me get it out of the way here in my first post: I'm a Yankees fan. More on how a southern boy from Charlotte became a huge New York fan in later entries, but for now, I just thought I'd let you know on which side of the rivalry I stand.

From reading Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch's Inbox entries on yankees.com and watching analysis on MLB Network, it seems a lot of fans are concerned about the Bombers and that the experts think the BoSox have improved more than their rivals. So, I thought I'd examine the teams, piece by piece, to determine who might have the edge come April.

Let me start by saying that even if the Red Sox have improved more than the Yankees, that's not necessarily cause for too much alarm. The Yankees finished 8 games ahead of Boston in 2009, so obviously the Sox are the ones who need more improvement. It's hard to do a ton of improving to a Bombers squad who had the best record in baseball and won the World Series.

For this post, I'm going to take a look at the Starting 9 for each team. I want to compare each position and the primary designated hitter and see how they match up. I'll do a separate entry on the pitching.

So, here goes!

Catcher.
NYY: Jorge Posada
BOS: Victor Martinez

Okay, here, Boston has the edge. However, looking at last year's stats, it's not as huge of an edge as one might think. Obviously, V-Mart is younger and in his prime while Posada is declining. But Posada still had higher OPS and OPS+ numbers than Martinez in 2009. He also had only one fewer home run in more than 200 fewer at bats. And granted, Yankee Stadium was something of a launching pad in the first half, but it's still an 8 AB difference in AB per HR. Victor Martinez hits for a higher average, though, and will get more playing time, especially with his ability to play first base. So the edge still goes to Boston.

First Base.
NYY: Mark Teixeira
BOS: Kevin Youkilis

This is an interesting matchup. Both guys are recent MVP candidates who play Gold Glove caliber defense. Both are feared No. 3 hitters with power and high OBP. So who has the edge? Well, Youk had the higher OPS and BA in 2009. He is also more versatile defensively, capable of playing third (and left in a pinch, although it's not pretty). But Tex had more runs, hits, doubles, triples, HRs, RBIs, walks and total bases. Not to mention a higher OPS+. And apparently not even Theo Epstein thought Youkilis was better than Teixeira last offseason. I'm giving the edge to New York, albeit not a huge one.

Second Base.
NYY: Robinson Cano
BOS: Dustin Pedroia

This is another interesting, close matchup. Cano had a down year in 2008 while Pedroia was putting together an MVP season. But in 2009, it was Pedroia who declined a bit while Cano put up big numbers. Pedroia's "down year" wasn't as harsh as Cano's, and his numbers were still very good, just not up to MVP expectations. But compare Cano's 2009 to Pedroia's 2008. Robbie matches up better than you might think considering he wasn't even in the discussion for MVP last season and Pedroia won it in '08. Cano had more HR, RBIs and total bases, as well as higher OPS and OPS+ numbers. Pedroia's numbers were definitely better overall, with his 20 for 21 stolen bases, hits, runs and OBP. But the gap isn't huge. It'll be interesting to see if the two star second basemen can both have great years in 2010. I'll give the edge to Boston due to Pedroia's superior defense and skill on the basepaths.

Third Baseman.
NYY: Alex Rodriguez
BOS: Adrian Beltre

Okay, defensively, Beltre is clearly better. He's got two Gold Gloves at third base to A-Rod's zero (although A-Rod did win a couple at short). He's been at or near the top in Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) in four of the last five seasons, while A-Rod has never been better than average at third. But offensively, there is no contest. Beltre had one great offensive year with the Dodgers in 2004, but he hasn't even come close to touching those numbers since. His highest OPS since '04 is .802 in 2007. Alex Rodriguez has never had an OPS lower than .846 in a full season, and that was way back in 1997. Don't get me wrong, it's not like Beltre is abysmal with the bat. He had an injury-marred down year last season, but he hit 25 home runs the previous three years. But the edge still has to go to the Yankees at third. Alex Rodriguez is coming back healthy with the added confidence of getting the postseason monkey off his back and winning a ring. His defense, which is far from awful, is more than made up for with his bat.

Shortstop.
NYY: Derek Jeter
BOS: Marco Scutaro

Marco Scutaro had a career year in 2009. In his career year, he still didn't have as many total bases as the fewest Derek Jeter has ever had in a full season. Jeter's worst years still match up pretty favorably with Scutaro's best. And coming off one of his best seasons ever, I think it's clear Jeter is the superior offensive player. Additionally, Jeter won the Gold Glove last season, this time without nearly as much protest from proponents of sabermetrics. Jeter's UZR was almost six runs better than Scutaro's in 2009. So, The Captain is better defensively and offensively. Edge: Yankees.

Left Field.
NYY: Brett Gardner
BOS: Jacoby Ellsbury

It's interesting that both these guys were center fielders last season. But according to Boston's depth chart, they're putting Ellsbury in left, which I think is clearly the right move. Mike Cameron is a perennial Gold Glove contender (he's won 3), and even at 37 is still one of the elite defensive center fielders in the game. Ellsbury, despite some highlight reel catches and winning the fan voted This Year in Baseball award for Defensive Player of the Year, is not a great center fielder. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of sabermetrics like UZR, but a look at the ratings for center fielders in 2009 shows Ellsbury was dead last in the majors. It can't be that wrong, right? And with New York getting Curtis Granderson, Gardner will most likely be shifted to left.

As for the comparison, it's closer than you might think. Assuming the two players' defense stays about the same in left, Gardner has the edge. There's a massive gap in UZR, and Gardner also has the better throwing arm (Gardner had only one less assist in 54 fewer games last season). Offensively, Ellsbury is more developed and thus has an edge. But Gardner wasn't far behind in OBP or OPS+ last season, and he had more than half the triples in less than half the at bats (not to mention an inside-the-park homer). Neither is a big power guy, and their speed and on-base numbers are pretty similar. Still, I'll give the edge to Ellsbury because of his experience and better offensive production.

Center Field.
NYY: Curtis Granderson
BOS: Mike Cameron

Mike Cameron's numbers for the past two years are very similar. He has had an 111 OPS+ each of the past two seasons, as well as identical RBI totals (70 each year). Granderson's 2008 was markedly better than his 2009, and his 2007 season was even better than that. But still, Granderson's less-than-stellar numbers last season aren't too far off Cameron's for the past two years. Really, Granderson's .327 OBP last season is the only major flaw in his stats compared to Cameron's. Curtis is a lot younger than Mike, and his left-handed power will fit in beautifully in Yankee Stadium. Defensively, Cameron definitely has the edge, but Granderson is no slouch, providing good speed, average range and a decent arm. I'm going to give the nod to New York here. Even though Cameron is better defensively, Granderson has the youth, and even his down year numbers are comparable to Cameron's production the last two seasons against National League pitching.

Right Field.
NYY: Nick Swisher
BOS: JD Drew

Drew is better defensively. But despite an ugly start to the year, Swisher really improved his defense and throwing. It's not like he's a liability out there. Drew had a better average, OBP and slugging percentage than Swisher in 2009. But Swish had more doubles, home runs, RBIs, walks and total bases. He's a reliable on-base guy who nearly cracked 30 homers last season and has hit at least 20 in five straight seasons. 2009 was the first time Drew cracked 20 homers in the American League. Still, it's hard to ignore Drew's edge in OPS. Boston gets the edge in right.

Designated Hitter.
NYY: Nick Johnson
BOS: David Ortiz

David Ortiz is on the decline. His average, on-base and slugging have taken sharp dips the last two years. He's still got power, with 35 doubles, 28 home runs and 99 RBIs last season. But his sub-.800 OPS was less than fearsome. Nick Johnson is sort of the opposite. He doesn't have big power numbers (only 8 home runs in 2009), but he's an OBP machine who hits for a respectable average as well. His .426 OBP last season was behind only the two MVPs, Albert Pujols and Joe Mauer. And with five of the seven players who hit 20+ home runs last season returning, it's not like the Yankees need a ton of power out of Johnson. They're just depending on him to be on base for Tex and A-Rod. I know it may sound a little crazy, but I'm giving the Yankees the edge here. They're using the DH a little differently, but a guy who gets on base for their heavy hitters is going to really help their offense. Ortiz just isn't what he used to be. Plus, he can't play the field. Johnson can spell Teixeira at first and allow more flexibility in the lineup. With Ortiz, it's pretty much DH or pinch hitter. The edge goes to New York.

Starting 9 Edge: Yankees.

The Yankees have the edge in the infield and at DH. The Sox have the outfield edge, but they don't have any overwhelming mismatches in their favor. I think it's pretty clear that A-Rod and Jeter are bigger threats than Beltre and Scutaro. Even in the positions where Boston gets the nod, it's not nearly that clear-cut. Plus, the Yankees, I think, have just as good of an outfield this year as last. Sure, they lost Damon, but they upgraded in center and have a more defensively comfortable Swisher coming back. And last year, obviously the outfield did the job, even in the World Series when Philly had a pretty clear edge out there.

So, there's my analysis. Next stop, pitching!