http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/ News and Features from Baseball America Fri, 06 Nov. 2009 16:40:24 EST en-us http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/baonlinelogo.gif http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/ 96 9 1 http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/traps-view/2009/269124.html Fri, 06 Nov. 2009 15:20:15 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/traps-view/2009/269124.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269122.html Adam Rubin answered questions about New York's prospects. Fri, 06 Nov. 2009 14:37:36 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269122.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269120.html Scouting reports on New York's best prospects. Fri, 06 Nov. 2009 10:26:43 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269120.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269121.html We ranking the top prospects in New York's farm system and rate the system's best tools. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 17:29:53 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269121.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/toronto-blue-jays/2009/269119.html The feeling in the organization is that it is time to slow down with some of the recent high school draft picks, like third baseman Kevin Ahrens and shortstop Justin Jackson, who both struggled in 2009. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 16:29:52 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/toronto-blue-jays/2009/269119.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/texas-rangers/2009/269118.html For the second time this decade, the Rangers have consolidated their pro and amateur scouting departments under the direction of one man. The Rangers will hand the reins to A.J. Preller, who has overseen the international scouting effort and the pro scouting department since Jon Daniels took over as general manager following the 2005 season. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 16:22:59 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/texas-rangers/2009/269118.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/tampa-bay-rays/2009/269117.html The Rays hired Derek Shelton to be their major league hitting coach, but they expect him to have an impact on the entire organization. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 16:17:40 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/tampa-bay-rays/2009/269117.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/seattle-mariners/2009/269116.html No. 2 overall pick Dustin Ackley did not play this summer after a long contract negotiation, but he wasted no time getting his bearings in the fall. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 16:08:16 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/seattle-mariners/2009/269116.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/washington-nationals/2009/269115.html Righthander A.J. Morris wasn't ready for the Big 12 when he arrived at Kansas State. Three years later, he was an All-American and a fourth-round pick by the Nationals. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 15:58:29 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/washington-nationals/2009/269115.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/trade-central/2009/269123.html Right fielder Jeremy Hermida priced himself out of the Marlins' budget, so Florida traded its 2002 first-round pick to the Red Sox for a pair of minor league lefthanders in Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 14:52:52 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/trade-central/2009/269123.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/business-beat/2009/269114.html The worst economy since the Great Depression didn't stop a handful of teams from welcoming a record number of fans to their ballparks in 2009. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 11:11:36 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/business-beat/2009/269114.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-diary/2009/269113.html For this week's Suitcase Chronicle, Garrett Broshuis is going to the e-mailbag. Thu, 05 Nov. 2009 10:59:11 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-diary/2009/269113.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/espn-chat/2009/269112.html The World Series and Starlin Castro were hot topics during our weekly ESPN.com chat on Nov. 4, 2009. Wed, 04 Nov. 2009 15:18:59 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/espn-chat/2009/269112.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/minors/column/2009/269110.html The World Series is always an excuse for Will Lingo to look back at when today's stars were yesterday's top prospects. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 14:59:14 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/minors/column/2009/269110.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/trade-central/2009/269111.html Tampa Bay sent veteran Japanese import Akinori Iwamura, the second baseman for the franchise's '08 pennant winter, to Pittsburgh for righthanded reliever Jesse Chavez. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 12:03:26 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/trade-central/2009/269111.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/news/2009/269107.html Aaron Fitt empties his notebook with tidbits from fall baseball around the country. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 11:18:33 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/news/2009/269107.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/column/2009/269108.html Even with five all-stars this year, the Phillies lineup is filled with players who weren't always highly regarded. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 10:25:38 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/column/2009/269108.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/baltimore-orioles/2009/269106.html Josh Bell's first week in the Arizona Fall League couldn't have gone much better. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 09:54:46 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/baltimore-orioles/2009/269106.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/arizona-diamondbacks/2009/269105.html It should have come as no surprise when the Diamondbacks identified Tony Abreu as the player they wanted from the Dodgers in exchange for righthander Jon Garland in a trade completed Aug. 31. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 09:54:41 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/arizona-diamondbacks/2009/269105.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/atlanta-braves/2009/269104.html The 2009 season was not unlike other South Atlantic League campaigns for low Class A Rome. Featuring one of the youngest rosters in the league, the R-Braves fielded a prospect-laden pitching staff. While righthanders Zeke Spruill and Randall Delgado lived up to expectations, a less-heralded pitcher established himself as one of the better arms in the organization as well. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 09:54:37 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/atlanta-braves/2009/269104.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/boston-red-sox/2009/269103.html Ordinarily, the Red Sox would be hesitant to let a player's performance in the Arizona Fall League dictate where he will start the following season. But the case of Jose Iglesias is an unusual one. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 09:54:33 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/boston-red-sox/2009/269103.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/chicago-cubs/2009/269102.html All J.R. Mathes does is wait patiently . . . and win. The 27-year-old lefthander has been in the Cubs system for six seasons and racked up double-digit victories in four of them. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 09:54:29 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/organization-reports/chicago-cubs/2009/269102.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269101.html Bill Ballew chatted about the Braves Top 10 prospects. Tue, 03 Nov. 2009 09:17:50 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269101.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/book-guide/2009/269100.html Part daredevil, part cowboy, early catchers made themselves indispensable with their reckless disregard for their own safety. The growth of the position significantly impacted the evolution of baseball in the latter part of the 19th century. Peter Morris details this progression in "Catcher: How the Man behind the Plate Became an American Folk Hero". Mon, 02 Nov. 2009 14:02:37 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/book-guide/2009/269100.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2009/269099.html Did Braves lefthander Mike Minor deserve to get drafted seventh overall? Are White Sox outfielder Jordan Danks' Arizona Fall League numbers for real? Is Tigers shortstop Gustavo Nunez a legitimate prospect? Mon, 02 Nov. 2009 13:04:50 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2009/269099.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/winter-baseball/arizona-fall-league/2009/269098.html Athletics farmhand Grant Desme reflects on his ridiculous Arizona Fall League start, as he has 10 home runs halfway through the league season—just four homers short of the league record. Mon, 02 Nov. 2009 11:56:03 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/winter-baseball/arizona-fall-league/2009/269098.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269097.html We rank the top 10 prospects in Atlanta's farm system. Mon, 02 Nov. 2009 09:52:31 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269097.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269096.html Scouting reports for Atlanta's 10 best prospects. Fri, 30 Oct. 2009 16:39:01 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269096.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/news/2009/269095.html Looking back on who had the best debuts from the 2009 draft. Fri, 30 Oct. 2009 15:27:06 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/news/2009/269095.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-dish/2009/269094.html The Nationals set a draft record for money spent on a draft while overall spending was up slightly from last year. Fri, 30 Oct. 2009 15:12:42 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-dish/2009/269094.html