High Heels On The Field

Heels In The Clubhouse: The Real True Story (Well, Most Of It)

It's rare that I go personal here, because that's not what this blog is. But with the hyper-interest of female sports reporters in the locker room lately, due to some comments by hockey broadcaster Don Cherry, I thought I'd address things from a personal point of view.

Because a lot of what I read in response to Cherry's comments, reminded me that people still aren't entirely clear what this job entails.

That doesn't mean I'm sugar-coating, but let's all calm down about what we see and experience in there.

A baseball clubhouse isn't the Mickey Mouse Club. But it's also not equivalent to a nudist colony, where men walk around casually, pursuing the sports reporter ladies, or often, lady, leering and scaring the little gal.

It's also not an eye feast, where we, as women doing our job, are seduced and reduced to ecstasy. If you think that's what we feel or think, you haven't been in there. And you don't know anything. And you're sexist.

I can't speak for what a football or hockey locker room are like (or, in Cherry's case in Canadian speak, the dressing room). I assume it's very similar. But I can only tell you what a baseball clubhouse is like, and mostly in the minors. My life in the majors accounts for less than half of my yearly experience, on a freelance basis, maybe ten assignments per season. Sometimes less.

So here's what it's like: You wait. And wait. And wait. It's like a doctor's office. You wait, then go inside, and wait some more.

You stand outside a door, in a damp hallway, listening (usually) to rap blasting behind the doors. Employees are milling around with food carts, and paperwork, and walkie-talkies. Players are entering and exiting on their phones. They've finished batting practice. Now they relax. And we wait for the allotted time to start, about 45 minutes, to talk to players and coaches. Meeting with the manager is about fifteen minutes.

When we go in, we find the player. Often he's sitting on the sofa, watching television. Or he's by his locker, listening to music. Or, sometimes, he's hiding from us. We talk to the player by the locker or in the hall.

We then leave.

After the game, they get a cooling period. We go in. Many players are still showering. Many are dressed and eating. Or sitting by their lockers. Or back on the sofa. We ask to talk to a player. We then leave.

See anything exciting yet? Boring as hell isn't it? Sorry. You just read my workday in the clubhouse, and every other reporters' typical day, getting pre-and-post game interviews.

Now, for the part most sports fans seem fascinated with.

Do we see players in the nude? From time to time, yes. We see them walk by or they're at their locker, and, well, we're aware that someone isn't dressed. But we look away, mind our business, and all is fine. They dress quickly and get ready to talk to us or head out the door.

Yes, there have been weird moments. Some guys will walk around naked like it's no big deal. Avoiding looking at them is all we can do. There's the usual moments of seeing a flash of nudity, and yet there is discretion. We respect each other. It's uncomfortable. And everyone tries to be comfortable under the circumstances. Some guys don't mind being interviewed in a towel. Most reporters, myself included, aren't fazed by that.

Ok, let's go a little further. There have been really bad moments. Get a roundtable of female sports reporters. You'll hear some stories.

Making my personal worst list: a major league player waiting until I turned, dropping his towel, and laughing in my face; the minor league player talking to his teammate about wanting to bend me over and using the f word to describe what he wanted to do. As I stood there, pretending it didn't bother me; finally, there was the player questioning my presence, then telling everyone to get naked so I could do my job (Confession: I got a lump in my throat typing those words. That hurt and humiliated me.)

Those incidents are the absolute worst of eight years in baseball. There have been minor incidents, moments that players have done things that were unacceptable or immature, and many more moments where there was laughter, teasing, or remarks that I just ignored. Nothing extremely upsetting like those others.

In the minors, very often, I've not only been the only woman in the clubhouse, but the only reporter. I'm not intimidated, I'm not bothered. I get the work done and go.

In other words, it's mostly just a job, where professional players talk to professional reporters, and we all go home.

It's an atmosphere that is part lighthearted and fun, part business and getting what needs to be done for the very reason we are all there: a game. We are all focused. We are all worried about our deadline, or daily goal, our daily pageviews, our blog posts, or one column, or both, that have to be done that night or the following morning.

We have editors that want the story NOW. Or we have ourselves to answer to, and hope readers like what we have to say or share. We all want to do something informative and interesting, and we Must. Be. Accurate.

Those are our worries and thoughts when we walk into the clubhouse, locker room, dressing room, wherever it is that we're reporting from. Male or female.

Don Cherry put the spotlight on an issue that is way past it's expiration date. It's not current or sensible. But, truthfully, sports fans, and many in sports, still hold the view that the locker room is no place for a female reporter. That view isn't tolerated in sports, for the most part anyway. But it's there. And it's not our problem. It's yours.

You can think the locker room/clubhouse/dressing room is a nude-fest with female sports reporters being treated like Playboy bunnies, or abused daily, and that we're in there falling apart over all the nudity that supposedly surrounds us.

Or you can think the truth.

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Mets Brandon Nimmo Breaks Out Early

In 2013, Brandon Nimmo is already on fire.

In 14 games with the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Class-A South Atlantic League, the Mets highly regarded prospect is hitting .411 with 10 RBI, a home run, a double, and a triple. He's also worked 5 walks, has a .477 OBP, and a .518 SLG percentage.

After arriving in St. Lucie this spring lighter on his feet, he felt stronger. Different. His body was still growing, but he knew the commitment to getting in better shape had contributed to how much better he felt overall.

That feeling has carried over into the regular season.

"I have better body control. I've matured and I feel more consistent," he said Thursday. "It's helped with my whole game. I'm definitely quicker and more in control of everything."

At the end of last season, his body was betraying him. His first full professional season with the Class-A (short season) Brooklyn Cyclones was both successful and a trial, physically and mentally.

"Last year was a lot of learning. You're trying to do a lot of things that you're not used to. I just feel more comfortable. I did the best I could everyday."

He played in 140 games, something that might be overlooked because half of that was played in extended spring training. He pushed himself to the physical limit by the time the Cyclones stumbled out of playoff contention.

"I'm obviously also getting older [he's 20]. So my body is getting stronger."

The Mets, who selected him in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft, have to be pleased with the strong spring he had, and the footing he already has on the new season. Entering 2013, he was ranked 4th in the organization by Baseball America.

The results are outstanding so far, but Nimmo sees the big picture. It's a long season and he's learned that. Keeping the pace is key.

"I have to be better overall. I need to have better footwork in the outfield, take better swings, and mentally and physically continue to improve my approach. I need to do that until I get to the majors...and continue to improve once I'm there."

You can follow Brandon Nimmo @You_Found_Nimmo

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Austin Romine's Opportunity PLUS: A Look Back Through The Years In His Own Words

When Jesus Montero was traded to the Mariners, a question seemed to be answered.

The Yankees catching depth was a running storyline, and leading the narrative was Montero and Austin Romine's development. And the competition between the two for the future backstop position.

There were questions wrapped in the overall 'Who's the future Yankees backstop?' question. Montero's abilities to catch long-term have long been doubted. Romine's offense couldn't compare to the middle-of-the-order dream bat that Montero carried. What to do?

Ultimately, Montero was shipped out, and, it seemed, the Yankees were making a firm statement about their faith in Romine. Undoubtedly, his defensive value was higher than Montero's. And his bat was developing. He increased walks, took less free swings and made more solid contact in his second year at the Double-A level.

Romine's confidence was a strength from his first day in Double-A, arriving more than ready to play for the Trenton Thunder.

http://highheelsonthefield.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/04/catchers-corner-austin-romine.html

By the end of 2011, Romine, now 25, was a proven leader with Trenton, when he got an end of season promotion to Triple-A. The Thunder was his team to that point. If there was a 'Captain', he was it. He'd also made strides in the areas he needed to improve and had overcome a concussion at a healthy pace. He never seemed affected by the bumps in the road. And no challenge appeared to difficult to him.

In the time since that fateful trade, Romine's development has been challenged even further. He sat out most of 2012 due to a back injury, playing in just 31 games.

That injury disrupted what had been excellent progress in 2011, when he'd hit .279 with 48 RBI, and 32 walks, and made his MLB debut, getting in nine games. He made needed adjustments in 2011, proving he was a willing student of the game, even with that healthy dose of confidence. Thunder manager Tony Franklin also made perfectly clear the kind of player Romine was expected to be, and that the Yankees, and Romine, were on the same page.

And as for being an everyday player, he's never had any doubts about that.

http://www.going9baseball.com/2011/08/10/austin-romine-earns-his-stripes/

With Montero no longer in the picture, the question, still, is where Romine fits into the long term picture.

As Spring Training gets underway, the decision hangs in the air, though there looks to be little doubt about how they'll handle the situation. According to Yankees GM Brian Cashman in an interview with the New York Daily News, Romine will begin 2013 in Triple-A. Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart will start the season for the club.

Before he left for Triple-A at the tail end of 2011, he'd expressed a sense of how far he'd come. In retrospect, he essentially acknowledged that he did have more to learn about catching. And he'd developed relationships with pitchers based on communication. Offense was also something he admitted the Yankees wanted him to improve even more.

http://www.going9baseball.com/2011/09/03/eastern-league-report-austin-romines-final-week-with-the-trenton-thunder/

Questions remain, but Romine has already answered many of them.

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HHOTF Guest Writing Information And Guidelines

I wanted to find a way to create work for other writers, that, while low-paying, gave them some initiative and some respect for the time they put in.

I wanted to make a small point. If you ask people to write for you, why not give them something? Even if it's this- $15-20 dollars for a 500-1,500 word guest blog spot.

So that's what I'm going to do. Once or twice a month, I'll invite a guest-blogger or two to contribute a story. The subject has to be about minor league baseball. It can be an interview, a feature, an opinion piece, a prospect report or statistical analysis, as well as game coverage that focuses on something interesting in the game or a standout player.

Whatever it is, expect that when you're doing it, someone is paying you for your time. Because writing is a job. And it should pay. Just make sure you have PayPal.

For anyone interested in paying gigs, I'll contact writers I'd like to bring on, but please also feel free to pitch ideas by DM on Twitter if I follow you. If not, contact me at @heelsonthefield11@gmail.com. Don't contact that address about anything other than writing work. Thanks!

35 Years After Historic Decision, Melissa Ludtke Reflects On Case That Changed Baseball

In 1974 Melissa Ludtke, a lifelong baseball fan, began her career reporting on America's pastime for Sports Illustrated.

A few years later, she would be part of changing baseball for every female reporter covering the game.

At a time when women were battling for equal rights socially, politically and professionally, Ludtke had a part in the big picture. Everything was changing, and baseball had to as well. But in a male-dominated industry, the fight for that change went deeper than just legal precedence.

In 1977, Ludtke's editors at Sports Illustrated learned that she was not begin given the same access to the clubhouse and players, as her male colleagues. That led to a lawsuit filed by Sports Illustrated publisher Time Inc., and, finally, in 1978 a federal law was passed that stated men and women should have equal access to the clubhouse.

But the events that led to that moment weren't angry verbal battles and threats to sue. No, that wasn't the way Melissa Ludtke conducted herself. She didn't draw the spotlight to herself. Instead, she chose to face the difficulties with a game-face, a can-do attitude, and did her job to the best of her ability. When it came time to fight the legal battle, she understood what was on the line.

In a lengthy conversation, some of which was off the record, she discussed the case, her part in it, and the struggles she faced as a woman in baseball in the late 1970's.

After graduating from Wellesley College, Ludtke took the job with Sports Illustrated, covering a sport she'd watched all her life. Her enthusiasm to learn and be part of baseball journalism was met with unexpected resistance.

"At Sports Illustrated, we did have a lot of women on the staff. Most of them were researchers, rather than reporters or writers or editors, but at the office, I wasn't working only among men."

"There were emotional hurdles that I was dealing with, internally, and on my own. Then there were the dynamics at the ballpark. And then there were the dynamics at my office. The first was more personal, I grew up as a girl loving baseball. and I never imagined that girls weren't supposed to love baseball. When I followed my dream, and ended up working for Sports Illustrated, and started going up into the press box, and in the park interviewing players, I was surprised by my usually being the only [woman] there. I had to absorb that."

As she began to get into the business of reporting on the New York Yankees and Mets, she became increasingly aware of the attitudes that permeated the press box. Knowing baseball is one thing, but covering the game is a much different animal. The help of others matters when you're a rookie reporter. Ludtke quickly learned, that she was very much on her own.

"It hit me that most of [the men] didn't really want to engage very much."

"I've come to understand in later years, that it wasn't because of the person I was, but because of the gender I was. It wasn't maybe threatening to them personally, but it was threatening to the institution they had known."

"It was like I'd gone into one of their [all-male] dining clubs on Fifth Avenue."

"Not all of them, but a lot of them, just didn't want to talk to me or engage or help. It was challenging. Already I was very uncertain, because this was my first reporting assignment."

"I've come to understand the history of this. I didn't know when I started that just two years before, there were women told they couldn't go on the field or in the press box. I didn't know that."

"There were wonderful exceptions. Some of those men were just amazing to me as friends, and are to this day."

The women's movement was busy battling various injustices, and baseball would become an unwilling participant in that battle. Women wanted to go to work, be respected like men, and receive equal pay, ideas that were still unacceptable to many Americans.

Ludtke remembers the activity of activism all around her, especially living in New York.

"I was twenty-seven and there was a lot going on at that time. There had been a lot of activity at publications, such as Newsweek and the New York Times. A lot of women in those institutions said, 'Excuse me. But some of the practices we're seeing here are discriminatory.'"

We don't often don't talk about the psychological sacrifices women make to cover baseball. Doing our work to the best of our ability is the greatest defense against any sexist doubts. But in those days, those sacrifices were far greater. With few women around, Ludtke had to find a way to survive and thrive.

"I began to feel like I almost had to leave what was everything I had brought with me from girlhood, and who I was as a woman. I almost had to leave that behind, and try as best I could to be like the men. That doesn't mean that I had to dress like them or carry on in ways that they did, but it was very clear to me that if I was going to be able to function in this environment, I had to learn how to talk baseball as men talked baseball. I listened to how they asked questions. I took it on as me learning how they were doing this job."

"I began to take on some of their characteristics. I could spout statistics and anecdotes. I would spend a lot of time after games, late at night, in bars around tables, sharing stories. I never drank very much, but I understood that had to be kind of part of it, if I wanted to do it."

"Inside, that meant that I had to give up a sense of femininity and this other part of me, that was very much there. There I was spending almost every available moment of my life, eight months of the year, at a ballpark, with men who, for the most part, didn't want to be around me."

As Ludtke continued doing her job in the face of those challenges, something started to unfold. How the lawsuit came about might not be as you imagine. It was not a sonic boom, like so many sports scandals involving women in sports media. The lawsuit was really the final straw in what had been a series of frustrating moments.

"Here's the thing. I never actually decided it was difficult and that I was going to sue."

"I actually had the lead feature story in Sports Illustrated in 1978, and it took me an inordinate amount of time. [A story on catchers and umpires relating to one another behind the plate]. To do that, I had to talk to almost every catcher in the major leagues. And what would often happen was I would approach a catcher I wanted to talk to during batting practice, and a number of times, they'd say yes, and I would be waiting and waiting, then they would come off the field and just walk right by and into the locker room. And there went my chance, because I couldn't go in and talk to them."

"I would try to send a male reporter in to talk to them. That meant that I just spent the entire night trying to get a player, who I couldn't talk to."

"I didn't complain. I didn't whine. I didn't go back to my editor and say 'I need help with this'. I just kept going up. Because I knew that if I complained, I would either lose my job or lose the respect of the players."

"The irony was that during the off-season, I was covering the NBA, and I was in locker rooms. But I never asked if they saw the dichotomy. You have to play the game by the rules, until you can't abide by them anymore."

"The lawsuit came about because of my request. Leading up to the World Series in 1977, I had been given backdoor access to the locker room by [then Yankees manager] Billy Martin. That didn't mean I went into the locker room, but I was in his office at least. I was able to at least be that far in, and I thought that was pretty good. The last two home games of that season, I was even given a pass."

"I approached [former Dodgers coach and manager] Tommy Lasorda, the day before the World Series, and told him that Billy let me in his office and asked him how he felt about it, and asked, 'Will this work? Can I go in and cover your locker room?' I don't know what the policy is. He then put me in contact with Tommy John, who was the player rep for that team at the time. Tommy John took a vote of all the players, and the players voted a majority in favor of it, which he told me the next day right before the World Series started."

"What I want to have you understand, was that it wasn't just me demanding. I was doing my job, getting to know people, letting them see the work I did, see how I handled myself, all of those things are much more difficult in some way."

Ludtke left Sports Illustrated around January 1979, and moved on to pursue other areas of journalism. She did, however, continue to cover sports events throughout her career, most notably the 1984 Olympics.

But the experience was one that she remembers as a tremendous and gratifying learning experience, not just in gender politics, but in being part of the SI staff.

She's also come to a time in her life when telling the story of what she went through felt right, and is writing what she says is not so much a memoir, but a way to reflect on a key moment for women in baseball.

"It's always important to understand history. It tells you something about what's come before you. And helps you understand why you're confronting what you're confronting."

"I'm just beginning a theme in chapter two of my book, talking about those walks I made, down the dugout tunnel, and how I'd emerge out of the dugout, firmly placed on the grass, and I'd never have even thought of wearing high heels. For many reasons. You didn't want to look too much like a woman at the time."

For women in baseball today, many of the same attitudes prevail. Women are more protected, certainly by law, but that doesn't keep incidents from arising, or sexist thinking from being openly displayed.

But Ludtke forged a path, no matter how unintentionally, by being the consummate professional. Her actions were her weapon. Even today, that course of action is still the best one.

"I chose to do it in a way that built up my credentials and showed people that I knew what I was doing. Rather than demand."

"But just going out and complaining about them is not going to get you anywhere. Go out and prove yourself."

When the line is crossed and women know they need to speak up, hopefully, they gather courage from Ludtke's experience. When the time came to force a change, baseball had no choice but to allow women their fair place in the game.

Ludtke is impressed with the countless women now covering the game.

"I'm so inspired by young women today, that are out there doing what you're doing."

Women that enter the clubhouse and have equal access today, owe a great debt of gratitude to Melissa Ludtke. Following her example of hard work, preparation and bearing down and being fearless, are lessons as valuable today, as they were when she lay the groundwork thirty-five years ago.

2013 MLB Draft Preview: New Jersey Native, UNC Commit Rob Kaminsky Pitching His Way To Being Possible High Rounder

Pitcher Rob Kaminsky has created enormous buzz in New Jersey the last two seasons.

The St. Joseph's high school senior has shown to have a mixed bag of skills, as a centerfielder and pitcher, but, finally, as he approaches his senior year at St. Joseph's (Montvale, New Jersey), he will be on the mound every 5th day. He felt strongly enough about still playing the outfield, that he chose to sign a letter of commitment to the University of North Carolina.

But as his big league dream moves forward, he'll be pitching. And he's already proven a lot when taking the ball.

The Star-Ledger named the lefty 2012 Player of the Year after a brilliant run, in which he went 8-2 and threw three no-hitters for the Green Knights. He also struck out 103 batters, and in 53 innings, allowed just 12 hits. When decision time came, he ruled out Louisiana State and Florida State, before settling on UNC. That was after fielding offers from over a dozen colleges.

He's been developing into a more solid pitcher since junior year, and learning how to use what Jeff McKay was quoted as saying in Baseball Digest, as “power arm potential”.

Scouts reportedly clocked his fastball at 93 mph, even hitting 96 at one point on several radar guns.

He's armed with possibilities, in what could be a MLB Draft full of high-upside pitching.

The native of Englewood Cliffs had this to say about his breakout year as a pitcher and what the future might hold....

On the 2012 season: "Everything clicked. I was able to make pitched on both sides of the plate. I got the fastball to jump up."

P/OF: "I always threw hard. But in the past I was a centerfielder that happened to pitch."

Strongpoint: "I got stronger and quicker. My command was good. I located my fastball inside. All of that made a difference."

On MLB possibilities: "It's my dream. But I've committed to UNC and we'll see what happens in June."

On being a pitcher, not a position player: "I think pressure is good in a way. But if I pitch for the Yankees or St. Joseph's, I'm going to play the same."

Strategy: "I know what hitters are thinking. I want to mess with them a little bit. Because of my experience hitting, I it helps me know what they're going to do."

Approach: "I'm more of an attack pitcher. I try to get you out on one or two pitches. I'll thrown any pitch in any count."

The key: "No matter what you're doing, you just want to be confident. That's the most important thing for a pitcher."

You can follow Rob on Twitter @Kaminsky21.

R.A. Dickey Trade For Prospects Brings Questions For Jays And Mets

Nothing about the trade that sends Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey to Toronto is easy.

The deal takes young talent from the Blue Jays, but adds this year's Cy Young Award and 20-game-winner. The talent was some of the Jays best, the Jays add a veteran arm. The talent is unproven. The Cy Young winner that led the National League in strikeouts with 230, is 38.

Add to that list, the combative back-and-forth between the Mets camp (plus some media members) and Dickey, and you had no easy goodbye. Or maybe that bitterness made the goodbye all the easier.

The bottom line is, the trade everyone waited and debated on for the past few days amid heated rumors, is final. Prospects Travis d'Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard, Wuilmer Becerra, and veteran catcher John Buck.

D'Arnaud, 23, was ranked as the Jays top prospect. Both at the plate and behind it, there's always been some questions. And he's usually answered them with improvements to both. There is that nagging injury issue. An everyday catcher's time can be short in the majors, and his back problems and a knee injury (not to mention one to his thumb) have raised concerns. But reports have consistently highlighted, not only his skill, but his ability to learn quickly and turn things around.

RHP Noah Syndergaard has been impressive in his own right. The twenty-year-old is far from making an impact in the big leagues in this part of the trade. He's still a few years away, but the 2010 38th rounder had a solid first full professional season. He posted a 2.60 ERA in 27 games and struck out 122 batters in 19 starts for Class-A Lansing.

The Jays get that guy that won that award. That guy whose name is linked securely to perfecting the art of knuckleballing, and what he accomplished after turning a last-ditch-effort and minor league contract into success. But he's also linked to raising awareness of sexual abuse. In revealing that truth in his autobiography, hopefully he's encouraged others to come forward. Children look up to athletes now more than ever. His presence in that fight is meaningful.

But baseball is a business, and regardless of success on the mound and being a champion for abused children, the Mets had to make what they believed was a sound decision. Dickey wanted an extension on his contract that the Mets refused.

The Jays made an offer that rid the Mets of their problem/Cy Young Winner, and bulked up their minor league system a little more. Those prospects, d'Arnaud in particular, add a shot of solid promise to the future.

Both teams fans are being asked to believe in a lot.

Jays fans must believe that R.A. Dickey will continue the success he had last year.

Mets fans are being asked to come down from the mountaintop and hang out patiently in the peaks. That's not to be mistaken for overall success. No, the Mets haven't had much of that in a long time. But with Dickey they had a vitally important piece of their starting rotation. A valuable player that they could actually say had proven plenty. Who are these prospects in exchange for THAT guy? Odds are, Mets fans are also asking why the Mets would run Dickey out of town. Reports on the Mets front office negative feelings toward Dickey can only be categorized as conjecture. That doesn't mean reports of their feelings aren't true. They are simply unclear.

Mets fans don't want to invest time believing in two maybes when they had something much better: a definite. At least, he was to that point. Whether Dickey can sustain that success or close to it, is also unknown. Jays fans have taken to social media to voice their own worry and distrust.

In that respect, the Blue Jays and Mets are in the same boat.

Minor League Winter Notes: Yankees, Marlins, Mets Make and Consider Moves

Marlins - The business model that is the Marlins continues to prove it's "strategy", with the trade of Jose Reyes to the Blue Jays that blew the roof off baseball. The blockbuster trade also included Mark Buehrle, John Buck, Emilio Bonifacio, and Josh Johnson, in exchange for Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino, Jake Marisnick, Jeff Mathis, and Anthony DeSclafani. Going into 2013 they have an approximate $30 million payroll. Juan Pierre is their highest paid player, making $1.5M. The Marlins sell the team every few years, that's part of their business "strategy". But teams that have to make some tough decisions to survive, not compete, but really just survive the season and not be in the basement at the conclusion, often have a farm system that they can at least hang some hopes on. They can say to fans, 'Next year or two years from now, these guys will be ready.' Can the Marlins?

Receiving outfielder Jake Marisnick was no small thing. They needed a shot of talent. Marisnick is highly regarded defensively and at the plate, though the latter is still developing in the power department. Regardless, Marisnick is a spark in the dark. Add to that minor league acquisitions Nicolino and Anthony Desclafani. The Marlins system has slowly overhauled and continues to do so. Top talent like RHP Jose Fernandez and outfielder Christian Yelich are their biggest strengths, with Yelich widely considered the most promising.

But what does it mean, ultimately? The Marlins don't have a history of developing talent and making something of it. They've not drafted with the best success; there are a couple of exceptions- first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (2000), and pitcher Josh Beckett (1999) come to mind. Both developed into impact players and Beckett helped them to a World Series title in 2003.

Beyond that, the Marlins haven't helped themselves by promoting from within. Despite the swap with the Blue Jays bringing them solid young talent, that remains a major topic of discussion as the team plows ahead.

Perhaps the best Marlins prospects can hope for is to do their best, in order to be an important piece in a trade that gets them out of Miami. If they want to win, and be part of a cohesive unit that competes year after year, Miami is probably not where they want to be.

Mets - Zach Wheeler is not on the table. Hang up the phone...hang...hang it up.

Yankees - If you covered or follow the Yankees or their affiliates in the last five years, you've talked a lot about catching. A LOT. About catching. The Yankees selected well in that department, and have, so far, developed at least one of them into a possible big club option in 2013. That would be Austin Romine. The other, even more developed prospect was Jesus Montero, but he was traded to the sound of a lightning bold to the Mariners last year.

There's also JR Murphy, but he's still a couple of years away. The Yankees had Russell Martin behind the plate, after beloved Jorge Posada hung up his knee pads. Martin signed with the Pirates last week.

While Romine suffered development-slowing back-issues that kept him out for parts of the season, he made his major league debut in 2011 and ended 2012 on a high note, going to the AFL, and making the fall league All-Star Team. He's highly regarded for his defensive skills, making him more valuable to the team than Montero ever was.

But the just-concluded Winter Meetings brought chatter about A.J. Pierzynski possibly signing with the Yankees. While the White Sox were said to be still working things out with the 35-year-old, it was interesting that the Yankees were inquiring. The Yankees would obviously want to go with a veteran such as Pierzynski is in the everyday role, and keep Francisco Cervelli and Romine as options, or at least that's what makes the most sense. But if that signing doesn't pan out, they'll likely go with a Cervelli/Chris Stewart (yes, another!) platoon. Romine has a shot as backup, but needs more Triple-A time. And that makes even more sense. Or maybe it doesn't. And they get six more catchers via trade, FA and street auditions.

Dave Winfield, Jamey Carroll Offer Minor Leaguers Advice, Talk PED’s

New York City- Tuesday’s MLBPAA Legends For Youth Dinner in New York City provided an opportunity for former and current major league players to connect through a shared passion: the future of baseball.

The game as they knew it has changed and so has their place in it. But what hasn’t changed is their deep love and dedication to improving baseball. And reaching young players pursuing careers with the clinics players participate in gives kids a chance to imagine and work at baseball skills they might one day use professionally. For now, they’re having fun and learning some valuable lessons from some of baseball’s best.

Here, Dave Winfield, and Jamey Carroll impart wisdom to minor league players hoping for and working toward a long career in the majors.

Jamey Carroll (Infielder; Expos/Nationals, Rockies, Indians, Dodgers, currently Twins; MLB debut in 2002)

“Being part of the alumni association and put on the clinics for kids is huge for the kids. To continue the game, stuff like this is important. I’m thankful to be part of this event.”

Cracking Down on Performance Enhancers in MLB:

“I think we’re doing the best we can to eliminate [PED’s]. We want to show that you can still play this game regardless of past situations. Looking at the game this year and how it went, I think we did a good job with guys that try to cut corners. Those who did were caught.”

“I think I’m the perfect example that it’s not always the biggest guys that get to play. I take a lot of pride in that. I do my best to compete at this level. I want kids to realize they can go out there and have success without the use of anything. We’re improving testing each time and next year there’s the HGH testing. We’re trying to ensure that this game can be healthy.”

Looking Back on the Bus Leagues:

“I played seven years in the minor leagues. One of the main things I learned was that if I still had a uniform on, I still had an opportunity. I didn’t get called up until I was twenty-eight. I was realizing at that point, maybe I needed to find something else to do. I knew I could go out and get a job anywhere else and make more money, but as long as I had that uniform on there was possibility. You can always go back to school. But if you have the opportunity to play professionally, do what you can.

I think every player will tell you it’s a grind. It’s a drive. You really have to love it. Control what you can. I learned that there’s a lot of things going on and a lot of players running around, but there’s only a certain amount you can control. You take that and run with it.”

“Sure [there were times I doubted myself]. There were times I’d look in the mirror and wonder what is this I’m doing? I started YEAR in Triple-A not playing. That’s when I started thinking this may be the end for me. Then somebody got hurt and I took advantage of the situation. It’s a matter of where you’re at and what you’ve done along the way. In any job when you’re going through some tough times, they have to check themselves and see what they can do, whether it’s making a change or fighting their way through.”

Dave Winfield (Outfielder; Padres, Yankees, Angels, Blue Jays, Twins, Indians; MLB debut 1973; Retired 1995; Lifetime .283, 3, 110 Hits, 465 home runs)

“This [Lifetime Achievement Award] is a pleasure and an honor to receive it with my man Rusty Staub. I feel a little young for it, but I’ll take it. I support the good works that [the MLBPAA] does. They put on over 80 national and international clinics. And they’re free. Not only in baseball, but the golf events. The camaraderie with the players, it’s a good organization. It’s steady. Even the guys playing today, I applaud them for becoming members.”

Youth Baseball Today:

“Baseball is not as readily available to kids as it used to be. Every dad in the neighborhood was a baseball coach when I was growing up. Now most of them don’t know the game. There’s also the costs. It’s not free like it was when I played. Then there’s the connectedness. From 8-18, there’s very few communities that are doing it the way they used to. Baseball has to continue to be creative.”

Advice to Minor League Players

“Sometimes, that’s the problem. People talk about the pressure, the pressure...are you doing what you love? If you’re playing professionally at any level, you’ve got to feel good about yourself. If you have confidence, it kind of works in your favor. You have to look at it like, you don’t always succeed. I didn’t always succeed, but mostly when I played it was a good year one way or another. There’s so much media today and focus on pressure. If you can’t handle pressure, don’t play.”

They can’t think about [what media says] all the time. That can’t be the primary focus. If you want to succeed, you go out there and do what you do. It’s like running for president. You can win and half the people don’t like you. Don’t worry about it. Do your thing.”

“I’m always going to look fondly upon the coaches that helped me. I think really giving it all I had everyday, if you’re going to participate, give it all you have. And be prepared. More that that, you know, don’t make excuses for what happens. A lot of stuff happens in life. We expect a straight line, but life unfolds. Many times if you don’t achieve something when you want or how you want, don’t make excuses, keep on going. That among other lessons, how to take care of yourself and everything. And I never put any limits on myself. Don’t put limitations on what you can do. Had I done that, I don’t think I would’ve achieved what I did. I look back and people say, ‘Man, you knew you were going to do this. You knew you’d be an All-Star and Hall of Famer...no way I wasn’t even the best young athlete coming up. Growing up, I wasn’t the fastest, I had a good arm...but you never know what you’re going to achieve. I just never put any restrictions or limitations on what I’d be able to accomplish.”

AL ROY Mike Trout Talks About Minor League Lessons And 2012 Season

Angels outfielder Mike Trout was named American League Rookie of the Year on Monday, and Tuesday attended the MLBPAA Legends For Youth Dinner. Among other things, he addressed what he's learned as a young player and reflects on his remarkable rookie season.

"It helped me out a lot [getting called up last year] Taking it into this year, you just don't know what to expect."

"I look back at this year, but you have to be confident in your abilities. I knew I had it in me. There's still work to be done. We stopped short in the playoffs. So I gotta try harder next year."

"I figured [the power numbers] would come later in my career. But the adrenaline rush and just the way I was feeling at the plate, the ball was jumping out of the park."

"[What I learned in the minor leagues] is not to get down on yourself. You're always going to go through a little slump. You've got to get the negative out of your head and always stay positive. You're human, so you're going to make errors and mistakes. You can't worry about that stuff. I had to be confident in my ability. Looking at minor league numbers the power numbers weren't there, but average and stolen bases were there. I have to keep working hard to where I want to be."

"[Nationals NL ROY Bryce Harper] plays the game right. He plays the game hard. Yeah, there's some things that he does crazy. But he shows emotion on the field. He handles himself pretty good and he's out there playing a hundred percent. He wants to win and that's why you see him having emotion sometimes."