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Here are five reasons to check out Tuesday's Baseball Today podcast with myself and … well … it was just me, but for half of the show -- the good half! -- I was joined by special guest Jim Bowden!

1. We discuss the return of Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and the pending reactivation of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols. Hey, some players are simply fast healers!

2. I floated the idea that certain teams seem to be coasting along, assuming their October tickets are punched, and Jim quickly puts me in my place!

3. The process of choosing the All-Stars is an interesting and much-debated one, and Jim shares his strong thoughts on ignoring Andrew McCutchen and other matters.

4. We get the general manager perspective on when a big-league team knows when to throw in the towel and be sellers at or before the trade deadline.

5. I reveal my top 10 in the Power Rankings, but Jim has a different team in the top spot and explains why.

Plus: Excellent emails discussing Madison Bumgarner's one awful outing, the large middle class in baseball, pros and cons of next week's Home Run Derby and so much more on Tuesday's Baseball Today podcast! Check out all the podcasts at ESPNRadio.com/podcenter.

Here are the top five reasons -- and there are like 324 reasons in all -- why you should listen to Tuesday's Baseball Today podcast with myself and Mark Simon!

1. ESPN contributor and former GM Jim Bowden makes his Baseball Today debut, discussing many topics, including the frailty of closers, Evan Longoria leading off and how the Buster Posey collision should have been avoided. That answer might surprise you!

2. Mark discusses a landmark Memorial Day around the big leagues, and whether weather might adjust statistics from here on out.

3. It's Power Rankings day, and let's just say one of us regrets jumping on the Cleveland Indians bandwagon. I should have known better! We list our top 10 and bottom five.

4. How is a pair of pants like Oliver Perez? I concede this is an odd one, but hang with us and you'll understand.

5. The Tuesday night schedule is full of young hurlers with bright futures, but we also discuss the ESPN battle in St. Louis. Are you taking Ryan Vogelsong or Chris Carpenter. Think about it ...

Plus: Excellent emails, brothers hitting home runs, how the umpires added to the Twins' discontent, today's birthdays, the Royals change closers and Bartolo Colon just keeps on keepin' on. All this and more in a packed Baseball Today podcast for Tuesday!

Jorge Posada took himself out of the lineup on Saturday, just one hour before game time. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told the media that Posada had been dropped to the ninth spot in the lineup before he was scratched, possibly implying that was the reason. However, Posada’s wife, Laura, later tweeted, “Jorge loves being a Yankee… he’s trying to help his team win. Today, due to back stiffness, he wasn’t able to play.” After the game, Posada said it was his back that forced him out of the lineup.

Posada, 39, is a five-time All-Star, a five-time Silver Slugger who helped the New York Yankees win five world championships. He’s on the final year of a four-year, $52.4 million deal. He’s batting .165 with six homers and 15 RBIs. He also struck out 30 times in 109 at-bats; his OPS is an embarrassing .621. He’s also trying to adjust to a new position as the Yankees’ DH. It is not an easy transition for most. Not everyone can do it. His move to DH was not his decision. He wanted to keep catching. He’s had tough year. After all those world championships, to be told you can’t catch anymore hurts. To be moved to the ninth spot in the order on May 14, hurts.

It’s the combination of changing positions, not performing, aching body, Josh Beckett pitching and loss of confidence that probably culminated with him taking himself out of the lineup. Have compassion. It doesn’t appear that Brian Cashman or Joe Girardi have any for him. We all know it’s big business, and when you pay big money you expect your players to play and perform. We all get it. But he’s Jorge Posada. Deal with him behind the scenes. Protect him from the media and fans. He’s going through a tough time. You owe that much to him. Lower him in the lineup if you have to, sit him on the bench if it helps, ask him to retire when you decide it's best, but in the meantime, don't publicly embarrass him like you did on Saturday.

And yes, Jesus Montero is tearing it up in the minor leagues. And yes, Montero gives the Yankees a better chance to win if he’s the designated hitter. But until you are ready to make that decision, to ask Posada to step aside, and keep him out of the lineup for good, you PROTECT HIM! He’s a Yankee, a five-time world champion Yankee who is known for his class and dignity. Show him the same.

Thanks for reading. You can follow me on twitter @JimBowdenESPNxm.

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the deepest starting rotations in the National League -- seven-deep, in fact -- and of the seven, six of them are ages 23-27.

Edinson Volquez has shown flashes of being a potential No. 1 starter; Johnny Cueto already is a solid No. 2; Bronson Arroyo just wins 15 games and pitches 200 innings every year; Travis Wood has pinpoint control; Homer Bailey has the raw stuff to potentially become a No. 1; and Mike Leake and Sam LeCure are solid back-of-the-rotation arms. With one of baseball's best defensive teams behind this young, strong rotation, the Reds are built to be a World Series-contending team over the next several seasons.

Rotation depth should give them an advantage over the 162-game schedule. But the question remains: Can they compete in the playoffs? While the Phillies, Giants, Marlins, Rockies, Dodgers, Braves and Cardinals all have proven No. 1 starters, the Reds are hoping that either Volquez, Cueto or Bailey will develop into one. The hope is that they can compete with the likes of Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum and Josh Johnson come October in Games 1 and 7 of important playoff matchups. The potential is there.

Here is a breakdown of their starting rotation:

Volquez, 27, has an overpowering fastball at times (90-96 mph) with an excellent changeup, an effective curveball and a hard slider. He has quick arm speed out front with whip-like action. When he’s healthy, he’s shown he can be a strike thrower who goes right at hitters and pounds the zone. In fact, if you want to take a snapshot of his best pitching, it was the first half of 2008, when he went 12-3 with a 2.29 ERA and a WHIP of just 1.24. Some even nicknamed him "Mini-Pedro" for that short period of success. Since then, he’s had Tommy John surgery and a positive test for PEDs. The reality is he can’t control the baseball like he used to. In his past start, he walked five of the first 12 batters he faced. His WHIP is 1.6, he’s averaging seven walks per nine innings, and leads the league in walks with 33. Although he has the potential to be a No. 1, he looks more like a No. 3 starter, and the Reds are hoping the command and control come back sooner rather than later. The raw stuff is top-of-the-rotation talent.

Former Reds scout Johnny Almaraz recruited Cueto as an international signee . Cueto, 24, has a smaller frame with a powerful fastball in the 90-95 mph range. He’s aggressive and commands the fastball well. This has allowed him to realize getting outs on the ground can be as effective as strikeouts. He has a hard, tight slider that is deceptive enough to get him punch-outs out of the zone against even some of the league's better hitters. He has a plus changeup at times, and the cutter is also effective, especially against left-handed hitters. The Reds signed Cueto to a four-year, $27 million deal before spring training. Imagine the alarm when his shoulder started barking. But thanks to one of the best medical teams in baseball, led by Dr. Timothy Kremchek, they quickly put him on a strengthening program that has him healthy again and back on track to being a solid No. 2 starter.

Arroyo, 34, is one of the best No. 3 starters in baseball. He has won at least 15 games three years in a row and has pitched at least 200 innings every season since 2005. He’ll throw between 85-90 mph, with a big, slow curveball, an average slider with tilt, and an effective cutter. He varies speeds, plains, zones and really knows how to pitch. He’ll try to get you to chase, and he’ll try to fool you. He wins. He pitches innings. He has tremendous make-up and character and is the leader of this rotation. He is a straight shooter and a rock 'n' roller, with the hairdo, swagger and charm. Every fifth day the Reds can count on him keeping them in the game with a chance to win.

Wood, 24, is the lone lefty in the rotation. He is a competitor and a good athlete. His sinking fastball is mostly 88-91 mph with pinpoint control. He has an excellent changeup, a quality cutter, and his breaking balls -- a slider and a curveball -- have developed enough to be effective. His balls have late movement, and he keeps them out of the middle of the plate. He spent time in the offseason with Cliff Lee, working out and talking about pitching. Both Arroyo and catcher Ryan Hanigan rave about Wood and his ability to get outs with less stuff. Wood is a solid lefty who will always be referred to as a real estate pitcher, meaning location, location, location ... and late life.

Bailey, 25, has the highest ceiling of any of the Reds' starting pitchers. Like Cueto, Wood and Lecure, he was cross-checked and recommended by former Reds scout Jimmy Gonzales, who felt strongly Bailey would be a 15-18 game winner someday. Bailey had some minor injuries early in his career and used to be just a thrower. His stubbornness and inability to make adjustments due to immaturity frustrated the Reds' brass for years. However, last September, the maturity came, the light bulb went on, and Bailey is now ready to take off. His fastball is 90-96 mph with hard, arm-side sink. The pitch is so overpowering that at times he can throw it down the middle of the plate, tell the hitter it’s coming, and they still can’t catch up. When he was drafted, he had a big curveball that was his primary breaking pitch, but now his first breaking ball is a tight slider or cutter that is a lot more effective. His secondary offspeed pitch has improved dramatically; everything moves. He is a fierce competitor who is really coming into his own as he has learned how to pitch.

Leake, 23, the right-hander out of Arizona State, became the first player in a decade in the past season to make the major leagues without spending time in the minors. He rewarded the Reds in the first half by going 6-1 with a 3.53 ERA in 17 starts with a WHIP of 1.3 and was a ground-ball machine. Leake is not overpowering, but he used both sides of the plate and kept the ball down. The second half, however, was a different story once the innings racked up. Leake is now throwing out of the bullpen, but if there is an injury, he’ll be ready to step back into the rotation. At the back end of the rotation, he is certainly capable of winning 10-12 games.

LeCure, 27, went to school at the University of Texas and was academically ineligible to pitch in 2005. That didn’t stop the Reds from evaluating and drafting him after watching his bullpen sessions. His fastball can get up to 88-91 mph, and he commands his slider and changeup. LeCure is a tough kid with exceptional make-up, an over-achiever who can win at the back end of any rotation. He provides more valuable depth for the Reds.

The bottom line is that this is a really talented and deep rotation. If Volquez, Cueto and/or Bailey arrive at their fullest potential, the Reds may be celebrating at the White House and not just at Fountain Square in the Queen City or at one of Jeff Ruby’s famous downtown restaurants.

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate your comments, recommendations and retweets. You can follow me on Twitter: @JimBowdenESPNxm.

Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez is the only one among those in their first or second year of managing who has a winning record. Rodriguez, 50, took over the Marlins on June 23 of last season after Marlins owner Jeff Loria, team president Larry Beinfest and GM Mike Hill relieved Fredi Gonzalez of his duties. Rodriguez went on to lead the Marlins to a 46-46 record the rest of the way and a third-place finish in the National League Eastern division.

Rodriguez, after a thorough managerial search, was given a one-year contract extension through the 2011 season, and the early returns are showing why the Marlins made a wise decision to give him a full season to prove himself.


Rodriguez has been magnificent in the handling of his bullpen, tweaking his lineups, and mixing and matching injured and slumping players, and dealing with holes at third base and in left field (the latter due to an injury to Logan Morrison). As Rodriguez said, “The good thing about this club is the versatility of the players.” My response is this: The good thing about this club is it has a manager who knows how to utilize the versatility of his players.

The Marlins are 21-15 and have the second-best record in the National League, trailing the best team in the league, the Philadelphia Phillies, by just three games. The top three in the rotation -- Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez -- are a combined 8-2, mainly because, unlike last year, the bullpen has been able to hold leads. Closer Leo Nunez is a perfect 12-for-12 in save opportunites, and he credits Gonzalez's belief in him as much as the improved location of his fastball and changeup.

The Marlins are third in the National League in runs scored and fifth in the league in OPS despite Hanley Ramirez's season-long slump, Morrison's stint on the disabled list, a rotation at third base involving Greg Dobbs, Wes Helms and Emilio Bonifacio, and Mike Stanton’s slow April start due to injury.

The pitching staff is sixth in runs allowed and fifth in WHIP, and that’s with the combined ERA of Javier Vazquez and Chris Volstad being north of 6.00. Rodriguez has done a masterful job of mixing and matching his relief pitchers. Mike Dunn, Randy Choate and Brian Sanches all have ERAs under 2.00, while Edward Mujica, Ryan Webb and Clay Hensley have all been effective when healthy in bridging the gap to Nunez. Rodriguez has the knack of knowing the proper matchups to allow his bullpen to maximize success.

When the Marlins lost a few games, Rodriguez tweaked the lineup. Chris Coghlan would move to the second spot in the order and Bonifacio to the leadoff spot. When that didn’t work, Coghlan returned to the top Tuesday night, getting on base, scoring the first run and driving in the winning run against the division rival Phillies. Rodriguez, tweaks, adjusts, and wins.

Rodriguez is getting rave reviews from the players and the front office. Instant respect. Steady hand. He keeps the clubhouse calm. He instills confidence. He makes the Marlins play fundamentally sound baseball. Move the runners over, get them in, one at a time -- unless, of course, Stanton, Gaby Sanchez, Morrison or John Buck go yard.

Rodriguez is quickly becoming an early lead candidate for National League Manager of the Year, and the Marlins' front office has to be thinking about a contract extension for one of baseball's bright new managers.

There are six other active major league managers who are either in their first or second year of managing at the big league level. Here is the complete breakdown:



Mattingly is getting high marks in his managerial rookie season. His experience as a player and coach with the Yankees has helped him do a tremendous job in not allowing the ownership situation to affect his clubhouse, keeping the players away from the controversies. He has handled the pitching staff, allowing Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley to pitch deep into games, and dealt with the ineffectiveness and elbow injury to Jonathan Broxton. His wisdom to delegate authority to his coaching staff and lean on Rick Honeycut for pitching advice has paid off. Allowing Jerry Sands to develop at the major league level and helping James Loney get through a season-long slump without him losing confidence has been remarkable. Adjusting his infield at second, shortstop and third due to injuries to Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake and Juan Uribe has been challenging, but he’s found a way. Mattingly is a born leader, has a bright baseball mind, and -- when his team is good enough -- will be winning at Chavez Revine.

Gibson has brought an old-school mentality back to baseball. His managerial style mirrors his playing days -- play the game hard, play the game right, or get out of my way. His players told me Gibson's spring training camp was more of a “military camp” then a normal baseball spring training experience. His players were there early and worked on fundamentals as much as any team in baseball.

Kelly Johnson, the Diamondbacks' second baseman, told me this week that Gibson demands that the game is played right. Johnson said the club works hard on the small details of the game, such as first-and-third bunt plays, hitting the cutoff man, holding runners, and slide-stepping. The fundamentals are drilled into the players, and they are carried out. That's the way the Diamondbacks play baseball. For Gibson's team, it's not a suggestion, but a way of life.

The Diamondbacks are a much-improved team from a year ago. The strikeouts have been cut down, the bullpen is better, and most importantly, because of Kirk Gibson, they’re becoming a fundamentally strong team. Gibson, like Rodriguez and Mattingly, has quickly embraced his new career as a major league manager.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate your comments -- well, most of the time! Feel free to follow me on Twitter: @JimBowdenESPNxm.

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t finished over .500 in 18 years. The 1992 season was the year the Pirates won 96 games. Andy Van Slyke, their center fielder, won a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and was in the All Star game. Zoom ahead 18 seasons and the Pirates have another special center fielder: Andrew McCutchen.


Like Van Slyke, McCutchen hopes he too can be a five-time Gold Glover and three-time All-Star. What is unknown is whether it will be with the Pirates. Will he be traded or leave through free agency like so many other former great Pirates, such as Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla?

The Pirates’ payroll for 2011 is close to $42 million, or $6 million less than they spent on their big-league players in 2008 and 2009. They have very little long-term exposure on the books: $10.25 million committed in 2012, and nothing committed in 2013 and beyond. In analyzing their roster, it is clear the top priority should be signing McCutchen to a long-term contract. The financial spreadsheet is clear, and the baseball evaluations generate few questions.

Behind the scenes, Neil Huntington, the Pirates’ VP and GM, and president Frank Coonelly, have been in negotiation with representatives for McCutchen for quite some time. McCutchen has told me on multiple occasions that he wants to stay with the Pirates. He’d like to sign a long-term deal with the Pirates and he has his agent grinding it out with the Pirates’ brass.

This past spring, Huntington told me that he would like to sign McCutchen if the numbers and years are right. As Clint Hurdle told me last Friday, the public doesn’t know how hard Huntington has been working on a multi-year contract for McCutchen.

For the Pirates to make this type of commitment, five years with a club option should be the minimum requirement. The advantage for the club in signing a player to a long-term deal is getting a discount on dollars, but more importantly getting the players' free-agent years. The player gets financial security. The fifth year gets the Pirates the first free-agent year and a club option gets the second free-agent year. A substantial buyout would have to be included for the player’s benefit if the club option isn’t picked up.

Let’s go into the reasons why it will benefit the Pirates to sign him to a long contract now:

1. The Stock Market Theory: His numbers are down. He hasn’t had his breakout year yet. He has not won a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger -- yet. Last year, Carlos Gonzalez had his breakout year, but it was too late for the Colorado Rockies at the end of the season to get Gonzalez signed at a good rate. The Los Angeles Dodgers will be kicking themselves for not signing Matt Kemp to a longer deal, and the Arizona Diamondback are pleased that Justin Upton is already tied up.
   
   The Pirates can sign McCutchen before his breakout year and get him for a lot less than they could get him a year from now. McCutchen isn’t going to get in the range of a Kemp or Gonzalez, but if the Pirates wait, who knows what this market will do. Things can change with an improved economy, a new CBA and an increase in industry revenues.
2. Exposure: The club has very little long-term exposure on the books and not a lot of arbitration-eligible players. The team can afford to sign McCutchen and fit him in their budget, which should be close to $48 million in 2012, with the potential of growing to at least the $55 million to $58 million range by the year 2016.
3. Fans: This would be a wise public relations move. When a front office scouts, signs and develops players, and those players succeed, they are going to keep them. Doing this would send a loud message to the Pirates’ fan base.
4. Players: It would be incentive for Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata and Neil Walker to produce, because it they do, the message is that you’ll get paid and rewarded with financial security.
5. Leadership: McCutchen represents the Pirates well in terms of his makeup, character and leadership. He is a great, quiet influence on the younger players in the Pirates’ system and can be a leader and face of the franchise for years to come.

Here is my assessment of McCutchen, using the scouting grades that run on a scale from 20-80:

Scouting Evaluation
Andrew McCutchen, 1st Round Pick, 11th overall 2005


Analysis
Offense: McCutchen has above-average bat speed and plate recognition. He has a direct path to the ball and gets started with his trigger on time. He has explosive, quick wrists with strong forearms. His compact swing allows him to hit line drives to all fields. Stays back on the ball well; power will develop in time because it’s there in batting practice. He could become a 25-homer hitter. He has blazing speed and can steal bases, but is a below-average base runner; his stolen base rates have to improve. He does not always get good jumps on the bases and hasn’t figured out how to read pitchers and what counts and pitches to run on yet; eventually, he will be able to steal 45-50 bases. Has ability to hit in the Nos. 1, 2, or 3 slots in the lineup, with potential to someday score 100, drive in 100, hit 25 and steal 45 with an OPS in the. 860 range.

Defense: He has the potential to be one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. He has great range, but still needs to improve his consistency with angles and reads off the bat. However, because of his above-average instincts and makeup, he should become a Gold Glove center fielder who has the ability to take away significant runs from opponents in the gaps. I love his energy and presence on the diamond.

Summary: He’s a five-tool athlete with the potential to be special, and he has the ability to make adjustments. He possesses All Star and Gold Glove potential with great leadership qualities and an excellent makeup. The Pirates should try to sign him to a long-term, five- to seven-year contract with the intent of buying him out of at least two years of free agency.



McCutchen is a future All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger as a center fielder. I look forward to the Pirates’ news conference announcing a long-term deal with him. It will be good for baseball, the Pirates and the McCutchen family.

Thanks for reading and as always I appreciate your comments and feedback. Follow me on Twitter @JimBowdenESPNxm and feel free to send me ideas for future blog posts.

The Cleveland Indians were quiet this past offseason. No sexy free-agent signings, no wheeling and dealing. When I arrived to Indians camp in spring training, I spent considerable time with rookie GM Chris Antonetti and second-year manager Manny Acta. Both were convinced that if everything went as planned the Indians could contend as early as this season -- even though this was a team that hadn’t had a winning record since 2007 and had lost 93 games in 2010 and 97 in 2009. Contending? Really? How?

Antonetti, one of the youngest and brightest GMs in baseball, broke it down this way for me on that hot Arizona March day: "To contend we need the following to happen: (1) We need our key players to get healthy, specifically Grady Sizemore, Carlos Santana, Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis Hafner; (2) We need our other young players on the roster to continue their development with meaningful contributions on the field. This list of players includes Justin Masterson, Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin, Chris Perez, Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta and our young bullpen arms; (3) We need our veterans to contribute and provide leadership on the field and in the clubhouse, including Orlando Cabrera, Sizemore and Hafner."

Check, check and check, Mr. Antonetti.

This Indians team is not only contending but has the best record in the American League. Are they for real? Yes, they’re for real. I’m not saying they’re going to win the division, but what I am saying is that if they stay healthy, this team will contend into September and should win more games than they lose. The main reason this team is for real is the pitching and defense. The starting pitching is solid, the bullpen underrated and the infield defense is the best the Indians have seen since Jim Thome, Roberto Alomar, Omar Vizquel and Travis Fryman played together.

The starting rotation is led by Fausto Carmona, who won 13 games last year and is capable of winning 13-16 again this season. Masterson, one of the pitchers acquired in the Victor Martinez trade with Boston, is emerging as a solid No. 2 behind Carmona. Masterson has great size and stuff. His four-seam fastball goes up to 97 mph while the two-seamer sits between 89-94. He mixes in a slider and change from a deceptive lower arm angle and has great downward bite. His command in the lower part of the strike zone has improved due to the fact he solidified his delivery. Most importantly, Masterson continues to develop the understanding of how to best utilize his stuff to attack left-handed hitters, a weakness throughout his career. Masterson has quickly become one of the better pitchers in the league, starting 5-0 with a 2.11 ERA.

Carrasco just spent time on the DL for the first time in his career, but the Indians are not concerned as he is set to return to the rotation this week. In my discussions with Shin-Soo Choo, Santana and Acta, they raved about Carrasco’s potential. They think he’ll develop into a 15-game winner. That brings us to Josh Tomlin, who wins everywhere he goes. His minor league career record is 54-21 and his major league career record is 10-5, including 4-1 this year. Here is Antonetti’s scouting report on Tomlin that he gave me this week: "Great competitor. Won’t beat himself. Pounds the zone. Good four-pitch mix. Understands how to pitch and get hitters out." No argument from me. He might not chalk up a lot of strikeouts each night, but he’ll get the groundballs and get the outs to win games.

That brings us to the infield defense. When you have a rotation that pounds the lower part of the strike zone, but doesn’t always miss bats, then you better catch the ball in the infield with range. This infield catches the ball with range. Jack Hannahan, the journeyman infielder, has done a tremendous job defensively at third base, catching everything with soft hands and an accurate arm. Asdrubal Cabrera is quickly becoming one of the best all-around shortstops in the American league, a very good offensive and defensive shortstop with power, quick hands and feet and a strong arm from the hole. He also has great baseball instincts. He exchanges the ball from glove to release as quickly as anyone. Orlando Cabrera was the one major free-agent signed by Antonetti this offseason and here’s his assessment of Cabrera: "He has made an impact both on the field and in the clubhouse. He has great baseball intelligence and understands what it takes to win." In fact, it seems wherever Cabrera goes his teams win (see: Reds, Twins, Red Sox).

Behind the plate Santana has helped lead the Indians' staff to the third-best ERA in the AL. He has well above-average arm strength and eventually will be able to stop the running game when he gets more experience. He’s off to a slow start with the bat, but he can hit and hit with power from both sides of the plate. He’s a legit future All-Star.

The outfield defense matches the infield defense. Choo is one of the best right fielders in baseball. He gets great jumps, angles on balls and has a strong arm. He can also hit and hit with power. Sizemore is back diving for baseballs and Brantley covers everything in left field like a center fielder. Not a lot of balls are going to be falling in the the gaps at Progressive Field this summer.

The Indians' starting pitchers are pitching deep into games, their offense has put up quality at-bats and has manufactured runs in a variety of ways, thanks to the shrewd managing of Acta, and the bullpen has done a great job of closing games when they get leads as closer Chris Perez has saved 10 of 11 opportunities while Tony Sipp, Vinnie Pestano and Rafael Perez all have ERAs under 2 setting him up.

Remember, this first-place team is doing it without much production from the heart of the order as Choo and Santana have struggled to get past the Mendoza line and top hitting prospect Lonnie Chisenhall is in the minor leagues getting additional seasoning. But we all know that will change, and all three will be productive offensive weapons by season's end.

Hafner and Sizemore are competing for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Hafner’s shoulder is finally healthy and according to Acta, that allowed him to weight train for the first time in years in the offseason. The result is that Hafner’s bat speed is back, as shown by his .347 average and .932 OPS.

The farm system is also about to add another wave of young talented players as well. Rookie starter Alex White made his debut recently with a win, Nick Hagadone and Drew Pomeranz aren’t far behind ( not to mention Jason Knapp, Zach Putnam and Bryce Stowell) and Chisenhall will probably be taking over third base by the middle of this summer. Chisenhall has a chance to be a .290-to-.300 hitter in the big leagues with 15-20 home runs and 40 doubles. He can really hit and is adequate and improving defensively at third base.

Acta is not only one of the best-dressed managers, but he’s also quickly becoming one of the most respected young skippers in the game. He’s done a phenomenal job in developing the Indians' young arms the last two years and his ability to communicate and motivate are special.

The Indians -- if they stay healthy -- are for real and should produce a summer of winning and continued improved parity in the American League Central.

Thanks for reading and as always I appreciate your comments and feedback. Follow me on Twitter @JimBowdenESPNxm and feel free to send me ideas for future blogs.

Six major league players have been arrested for DUI since Jan. 1: Miguel Cabrera, Coco Crisp, Austin Kearns, Derek Lowe, Shin-Soo Choo and Adam Kennedy. Law enforcement is doing its job. Major League Baseball and the players' association is not. After the tragic death of Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock and the unfortunate death caused in an accident involving former Yankee Jim Leyritz in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., haven’t we learned our lesson?

How many more deaths will it take before baseball does something about this problem? Do we have to lose our children, parents, siblings or friends before we take action? Enough of the problem. Let’s find a solution.

Here are my ideas:

1. If convicted of a DUI, you receive the same punishment as testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs: a 50-game suspension without pay the first time; 100-game suspension for the second violation; and if there’s a third offense, you are banned for life. That is more than fair in an effort to save lives.

2. Bring parents who have lost their children to drunken driving accidents into each of the 30 clubhouses. Show the players pictures and videos of the 8-year-old children playing baseball the night before they were killed. Let the players see the parents crying while telling the story. Let them feel the lifetime of pain and agony that they have to live through.

3. Provide players with the phone numbers of cabs, town car or limo services in every city.

4. Implement a club rule: No drinking and driving, period. No exceptions.

In April 2006, I was arrested for DUI, and although the charges were later dropped, the process was a learning experience that changed my life. I spent considerable time learning the negative effects of drinking and driving, and never again will I have a single glass of wine, or a single bottle of beer and get behind the wheel of the car. It’s not worth it. I owe it to your family and friends, and you owe it to mine. I’m a proponent of saving lives and using cars as transportation, not as potential weapons.

The Boston Red Sox are hoping that Jarrod Saltalamacchia comes around and becomes their No. 1 catcher. However, the 26-year-old is off to a slow start, hitting just .203 with an OPS of .522 and 19 strikeouts in only 69 at-bats. Although he is improving behind the plate in calling a game and throwing out runners, it's still unclear whether he is the long-term answer.

As the Red Sox allow him to play through his slow start, they are blessed to have a veteran and a winner in Jason Varitek to help him out. However, the Red Sox can’t wait until the trade deadline to search for a short-term or even a long-term answer behind the plate if Salty doesn’t hit or improve enough to win with one of the better rotations in baseball. Therefore, the effort has to be going on now behind the scenes.

Since general managers have only 29 trade partners, it’s important to stay in constant communication with each of them, constantly exploring options while communicating needs and depth. The best chance for the Red Sox making a deal for a catcher is to target teams that have multiple talented catchers. Therefore, teams such as the Reds, Yankees, Angels, Nationals, Blue Jays and Athletics are the most logical places for the Red Sox to start. Remember, trades can be done in one phone call, but most trades take weeks, months or even years to consummate. It never hurts to make trade proposals on a regular basis, even if you never end up making a deal with that club.

To make a deal for a catcher, the first thing you need to do is to look at your rankings of catchers in the minor and major leagues. Each team will have a board listing their top 50 trade targets. GMs will have these players ranked in terms of how their top executives, scouts, player development personnel and other evaluators view them.

All 30 clubs want to have a Joe Mauer or Buster Posey, but those aren’t players you’ll ever be able to trade for. Draft them if you want them; otherwise, lower your sights. Every club is always trying to improve their team at each position. In the case of the Red Sox, they have to figure out where Saltalamacchia fits on their rankings of catchers. For this example, let’s say they view him at No. 32. To improve the team, it would then make sense to talk to the teams that have catchers who are ranked higher, ideally trying to acquire a catcher in the top 20.

Here would be an example of what the CATCHERS TRADE TARGETS list would look like. Note that it is a mix of major and minor leaguers. (This is not an exact order, just an example.)

CATEGORY NO. 1: DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME, THEY'RE NOT TRADING
1. Joe Mauer -- Minnesota Twins
2. Buster Posey -- San Francisco Giants
3. Brian McCann -- Atlanta Braves
4. Yadier Molina -- St. Louis Cardinals
5. Carlos Santana -- Cleveland Indians
6. Matt Wieters -- Baltimore Orioles
7. Kurt Suzuki -- Oakland Athletics
8. Jesus Montero -- New York Yankees
9. Carlos Ruiz -- Philadelphia Phillies
10. Miguel Montero -- Arizona Diamondbacks
11. Hank Conger -- Los Angeles Angels

CATEGORY NO. 2: PLAN ON PAYING A HEFTY PRICE
12. Travis d'Arnaud -- Toronto Blue Jays
13. Derek Norris -- Washington Nationals
14. Gary Sanchez -- New York Yankees
15. Devin Mesoraco -- Cincinnati Reds
16. Wilson Ramos -- Washington Nationals
17. Alex Avila -- Detroit Tigers
18. J.P. Arencibia -- Toronto Blue Jays
19. Wilin Rosario -- Colorado Rockies
20. Yasmani Grandal -- Cincinnati Reds
21. Max Stassi -- Oakland Athletics
22. Tony Sanchez -- Pittsburgh Pirates
23. Jason Castro -- Houston Astros

CATEGORY NO. 3: POSSIBLE UPGRADES
24. Russell Martin -- New York Yankees
25. Geovany Soto -- Chicago Cubs
26. Austin Romine -- New York Yankees
27. John Buck -- Florida Marlins
28. Jeff Mathis -- Los Angeles Angels
29. Ramon Hernandez -- Cincinnati Reds
30. A.J. Pierzynski -- Chicago White Sox
31. Nick Hundley -- San Diego Padres
32. Yorvit Torrealba -- Texas Rangers
33. Chris Snyder -- Pittsburgh Pirates
34. Sebastian Valle -- Philadelphia Phillies
35. Justin O’Connor -- Tampa Bay Rays
36. Miguel Olivo -- Seattle Mariners
37. Mike Napoli -- Texas Rangers
38. Jonathan Lucroy -- Milwaukee Brewers
39. John Jaso -- Tampa Bay Rays
40. Kyle Skipworth -- Florida Marlins
41. Lou Marson -- Cleveland Indians
42. Jesus Flores -- Washington Nationals
43. Josh Thole -- New York Mets
44. Matt Treanor -- Kansas City Royals
45. Carlos Perez -- Toronto Blue Jays
46. Rod Barajas -- Los Angeles Dodgers
47. Pudge Rodriguez -- Washington Nationals
48. Chris Iannetta -- Colorado Rockies
49. Bobby Wilson -- Los Angeles Angels
50. Ryan Doumit -- Pittsburgh Pirates

Now, let’s get specific with realistic possibilities the Red Sox could be discussing:

Long-term solutions
Reds -- Devin Mesoraco or Yasmani Grandal
Blue Jays -- J.P. Arencibia or Travis d'Arnaud
Angels -- Hank Conger or Jeff Mathis
Nationals -- Wilson Ramos or Derek Norris
Athletics -- Max Stassi
Yankees -- Never mind, not happening

Possible stop-gap catchers for this year
These guys could be available if their teams fall out of the playoff race.

White Sox -- A.J. Pierzynski
Mariners -- Miguel Olivo
Padres -- Nick Hundley
Nationals -- Pudge Rodriguez
Free agent -- Bengie Molina

I hope that the combination of Saltalamacchia and Varitek will work out for the Red Sox. If not, it will be fun to watch Theo Epstein and the Red Sox try to wheel and deal in July.

Thanks for reading! I appreciate your feedback and ideas. Feel free to contact me directly at my Twitter account: JimBowdenESPNxm.

The Texas Rangers signed Cuban defector Leonys Martin this past week to a five-year, $15.5 million contract. Martin, 23, is a left-handed hitting center fielder who profiles to be their future leadoff hitter. The Rangers continue to be disappointed in the jumps and angles Julio Borbon takes in center and feel that for longevity sakes that Josh Hamilton will be better served staying in left field. Martin is expected to start in Double-A Frisco, with a September call-up not being ruled out this year if he hits enough.

Definition of scouting grades:

80 -- Hall of Famer
70 -- Superstar
60 -- All-Star Caliber player/Silver Slugger/Gold Glove
55 -- Above-average major league player
50 -- Average major league player
45 -- Below-average major league player
40 -- Role player
35 -- Minor league player

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels gave me his scouting report on Martin:

"6-2, 190 -- could have been a wide receiver. Left/Right (has actually played some shortstop in the past, but we feel is true CF). Plus runner (3.7 on drag bunt yesterday) but not a burner. Instinctive in field and on basepaths. Has some pull power and will drive ball, but is more of a line-drive gap to gap approach. True leadoff guy with feel for strike zone and understanding of his role and value of getting on base. 6 arm (60 on our scale). Smart, aptitude and driven."

Here is a summary of the evaluation of Martin that I received from multiple teams and other evaluators:

DEFENSIVELY: He is an above-average defender in center field with first-step quickness with good jumps and angles. His arm is above average and accurate.

OFFENSIVELY: Line-drive hitter with sweet spot contact. Has good strike zone awareness. Stays back well on secondary pitches. Not a lot of preliminary movement and has direct path to ball. Knows how to work counts and can draw walks. Has pull power that has the potential of developing in time. Potential leadoff hitter who can steal bases.

MAKEUP AND CHARACTER: Intelligent player with good baseball instincts. Knows how to play the game. Aptitude is off the charts.

SUMMARY: Long-term solution in the leadoff spot and center field. Chance to be an impact top-of-the-order bat with above-average, but not burner, speed. Estimated time of arrival is 2012 with the possibility of a September call-up this year.

The Atlanta Braves announced today right-handed pitcher Julio Teheran will be called up to start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, in place of Jair Jurrjens. One of the top pitching prospects in the minors, the 20-year-old Teheran has a free and easy delivery. His fastball is dominant in the 93-96 mph range with an above-average changeup and a developing curveball. He has slightly long arm action. When the breaking ball becomes more consistent and his command improves, Teheran will be come a top-of-the-rotation starter.

Teheran has been especially impressive at Triple-A Gwinnett, starting 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts with 25 strikeouts and eight walks in 30 innings. I exchanged texts with Braves VP and GM Frank Wren today and this is what he said: "He has developed very quickly. He hasn’t been intimidated at any level. Throwing very well and we thought he would be best suited for a spot start at this time."

A spot start against the division-rival Phillies in Philadelphia while trailing the Phillies by 4.5 games. That shows you the confidence Wren and the Braves have in this young phenom. Teheran’s fastball will be flaming in Philly ... best wishes in his MLB debut!

The guys over at the Capitol Avenue Club are excited for the debut as well.

Follow Jim on Twitter: @JimBowdenESPNxm.

The Kansas City Royals’ decision to call up Eric Hosmer today is a strong indication that they believe they can contend this year. Why? Because of the timing of his promotion, Hosmer will now be on pace to be Super Two arbitration-eligible player in the winter of 2013-2014, making this a potentially expensive decision to make now. If they had waited until mid-June to call him up, they could have avoided arbitration with Hosmer for another year.

Eric is a special talent, and I believe he is here to stay as the long-term solution for the Royals at first base. He has great hand-eye coordination, which allows for above-average pitch recognition. He also has 30-40 home run power that comes from explosive hip torque and strong wrists and forearms -- his swing is loud and violent on the sweet spot.

If you throw him middle/away, he loves to go the other way, and he’ll go that way with tremendous power on fastballs and secondary pitches. Teams will try to throw hard inside to him, but he has lightning quick bat speed, and if he knows you’re going there, the light towers are in range, because Hosmer has serious whack in his bat. In the field, Hosmer also has above-average range at first base, and might even win a Gold Glove before his 30th birthday.

Put all of that together, and Hosmer will develop into a hitter not only is capable of winning a batting title but -- perhaps even more impressively -- an OPS crown someday. To me, it’s always an exciting day in baseball when future stars are born. Welcome to the Show, Mr. Hosmer!

One of the great storylines of the 2011 season has been the comeback stories across both leagues. Often called "reclamation projects" when they are signed, these comeback players can make a general manager look brilliant if they succeed.

Comeback players can return to success for myriad reasons, including but not limited to: finally getting healthy; mechanical adjustments; a change of scenery; a weightlifting or conditioning program; getting a second chance from off-field problems; taking a year off and wanting to come back; or even improvements in their personal life like a marriage or birth of a child.

When a general manager signs a player with the intent of him becoming a Comeback Player of the Year candidate, he normally has a reason behind it. Here are some of those guys, plus a couple who didn't change organizations.

1. Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals

Berkman had spent his entire career with the Astros, averaging 30 home runs, 110 RBIs and a .410 on-base percentage over a 12-year career as one of baseball’s top OPS guys. However, at 34 years old, he saw it all crumbling down last season, in which he hit just .245 with 13 HRs and 49 RBIs before being traded to the Yankees. Once he arrived with the Yankees it got worse, as he finished the year batting .255 with just one home run in 106 at-bats. His lower half looked old. His legs were slow. His bat was slow. His torque in the middle wasn't the same. He looked finished. He was embarrassed. He also did something about it. Ed Wade, his former GM in Houston, told me this past winter that he ran into Berkman in the Houston area and he had lost 15-20 pounds and looked to be in great shape. He was excited about being able to return to right field with the Cardinals -- a position he hadn’t played in over four years. His hard work in the offseason has paid off early this season, as he’s hitting .390 with nine HRs and 27 RBIs. In the case of Berkman, the reasons he has been able to make a successful comeback can probably be attributed to conditioning, weight training, change of scenery and the wake-up call that he appeared not only in decline but possibly near the end of his career. Whatever the reason, he’s back, and Cardinals GM John Mozeliak is no longer answering questions about why he signed Berkman to a one-year, $8 million deal. By the way, Berkman also has looked impressive in the field, getting good jumps on balls and covering enough ground to be called close to an average defender.

2. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals

The Royals have taken a lot of flak for drafting Gordon ahead of such players as Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki and Jay Bruce, and rightfully so. However, Gordon was always a talented player and most clubs had him in the top five that year. Gordon has had to overcome injuries, positional changes (3B, 1B and now finally a home in LF) and mechanical changes. More importantly, he had to overcome being rushed to the major leagues before he was ready. He really struggled with major league pitching, leaving a lot of evaluators scratching their heads. However, he made a mechanical change this spring that allowed his hands to start further back and higher, giving him the ability to let the ball travel further, and that has put him back on the map as one of the top, young, potential left-handed power hitters in the game. Gordon presently has an OPS of .900 with 20 RBIs.

3. Aaron Harang, San Diego Padres

Harang won 16 games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2006 and 2007 and was considered the ace of the staff. However, after three years of averaging six wins per season, the Reds let him go via free agency at the end of last season. Jed Hoyer, the GM of Padres, took a chance on Harang on the recommendation of pitching coach Darren Balsley, and it has paid off. Harang told me that Balsley changed his leg kick back to where it was in '06 and '07 and changed the timing of his hands splitting. The results added velocity, a crisper breaking ball, a much-improved WHIP and two wins away from Petco Park.

4. Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs

Last summer, Cubs GM and then-manager Lou Piniella told me Soriano will never be the player he was in Washington. Because of bad knees, Soriano hasn’t hit 30 home runs since 2007, when he hit 33 in his first year with the Cubs. But 2011 is a new season, and Soriano, after spending the winter working on his legs, knees and lower half, is back. He has an NL-leading 11 home runs and is presently on pace to hit more than the 46 home runs he hit for me in Washington back in 2006. Amazing what happens when a talented player gets healthy again. Another good comeback story.

5. Bartolo Colon, New York Yankees

This one’s the hardest one for me to believe. Colon is throwing a 92-96 mph fastball, painting the corners and keeping it down or elevating when needed with a good breaking ball. This can’t be happening, can it? I feel like Michael J. Fox is going to soon tell me we are back to the past. Colon won 21 games in 2005 for the Angels. He won a total of 14 games over the next four years ... four years! The great Branch Rickey once said, "If you see it once, you can see it again." Colon is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA but giving the Yankees important innings in the rotation. The key will be how long can he maintain this; how long can he maintain velocity; how long can he maintain command? A phenomenal story.

6. Travis Hafner, Cleveland Indians

Hafner’s shoulders have been so bad that he hasn't been able to do any offseason weightlifting the past few years. However, this offseason was different. With better health on his side, Hafner worked hard in building up strength and flexibility. The result has been outstanding, as his bat speed is back and so is the thump in his bat. His sweet spot contact is loud again, and his face is smiling. And it should be after starting this season with a .404 OBP, including four home runs. Hafner is presently nursing a sore right foot but fortunately is not heading to the disabled list, according to Indians manager Manny Acta.

7. Russell Martin, New York Yankees

I watched Martin closely the last two years with the Dodgers. He showed no power in games and no power in BP, and questions about the health of his hip and knees never ceased. When the Dodgers decided to non-tender Martin, it wasn’t met with surprise, but rather with understanding. Remember, he hit five home runs in 2010 and seven in 2009. When Yankees GM Brian Cashman signed Martin, he took a lot of criticism. With Jorge Posada, Jesus Montero and Austin Romine, the signing didn’t appear to make sense. However, Cashman is now looking brilliant. Martin already has six home runs and 20 RBIs to go with a .939 OPS and has done an admirable job of calling a game and stopping the running from a defensive standpoint. He is clearly one of the better free-agent bargains of 2011, and the Red Sox and Dodgers should be kicking themselves for not pursuing him more aggressively. This comeback story has as much to do with a change of scenery as health, but both have played a major factor.

Comeback players can make an impact on pennant races and they already have this year for teams such as the Yankees (Colon, Martin and Eric Chavez) and Indians (Grady Sizemore and Hafner).

You can follow me on Twitter @JimBowdenESPNxm, and I look forward to your input, feedback and ideas. Thanks for reading.

Editor’s Note: This is the debut blog post from former major league general manager Jim Bowden, who has been hired as an analyst for ESPN.com. Bowden will write “The GM’s Office” blog, part of ESPN.com’s SweetSpot Blog Network, and provide multimedia analysis across ESPN’s digital platforms. Bowden became the youngest GM in MLB history when the Cincinnati Reds hired him in 1992 at age 31. He served as senior vice president and GM for the Reds from 1992-2003 and for the Washington Nationals from 2005-09. He was named MLB Executive of the Year by Baseball America in 1999.

As a former general manager, I look forward to sharing my angle of baseball here at ESPN’s SweetSpot Blog. A general manager’s view of baseball is often times unique and usually different than that of a player, manager, scout, coach, member of the media or fan. Doesn’t make our opinion right or better; it's just coming from a different vantage point.

The general manager’s position today is much more sophisticated and complex than it was a decade ago. The job consists of in-depth player analysis, including: scouting (professional, player development, amateur, video and computer), statistical components (including sabermetrics, new-wave algorithms, plus old-school numbers), medical evaluations, make-up, character, intelligence, instincts, family background, education and financial history.

It’s also an advantage to a GM if he has a strong legal, financial, medical and negotiating background. Strong leadership, communication and people skills and evaluative ability are a must. Most successful GMs are long-term visionaries who have the innate ability to know when to shift the emphasis to today, when their team has a chance to win a World Series.

GMs oversee four major areas: (1) the major league club; (2) the scouting department; (3) player development; (4) industry issues. To win a world championship you have to be successful in all four departments.

Today’s first blog will focus on Jose Reyes and possible trade partners for the New York Mets.

Please feel free to give me feedback or subjects you want me to address in the future at my Twitter account: @JimBowdenESPNxm. Thanks for reading.

* * * *

Jose Reyes will be a free agent after the 2011 season. Reyes, 27, is in his prime and finally healthy again. He has an OPS of .812 to go along with a .315 batting average, 11 stolen bases, 19 runs scored and is presently one of the best leadoff hitters in the National League. He has range to both sides, can turn the double play and has a gun from the hole. His best years should be the next four. He is a building block to a championship-caliber club. If I were running the Mets, I would sign him long-term and continue to build around David Wright, Ike Davis and Reyes.

I talked to Mets GM Sandy Alderson during spring training. He was evasive with his plan for Reyes. However, he did tell me that if the Mets are in a pennant race, Reyes more than likely would finish the year with the Mets. To be realistic, the Mets don’t have enough pitching to contend with the Phillies, Braves and Marlins for 162 games. Therefore, the decision should be simple: either sign him or trade him by the July 31 deadline. It doesn’t make sense to get only two draft picks as compensation if he leaves as a free agent.

Mets manager Terry Collins told me Tuesday that Reyes wants to stay with the Mets and, in his opinion, Reyes isn’t going anywhere. However, here’s the problem: Reyes is going to want a seven- or eight-year deal in the $15 million range and the way he’s playing, he’s going to get it. Based on the ownership financial issues, and the fact the Mets are several players away from contending, I think a Reyes trade is more likely than a Reyes signing ... at least by July 31.

Therefore, let’s look at the some of the most likely trade partners and possible players that Alderson would be asking for in return:

1. San Francisco Giants -- They’re not trading any of their four starters: Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner or Jonathan Sanchez. Instead, the Mets would target 1B/OF Brandon Belt, minor league right-hander Zack Wheeler, shortstop prospects Ehire Adrianza or Brandon Crawford and second baseman Charlie Culberson. The Mets might ask for four players and the Giants might offer three. Any deal of this magnitude will have the contingency of signing Reyes to a long-term deal prior to the transaction closing.

2. St. Louis Cardinals -- If the Cardinals decide they are not going to commit to Albert Pujols, they could decide to make a deal for Reyes and continue to improve the team up the middle. The difficult part is these two teams don’t match up well. The Cardinals could offer pitching prospects Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins and maybe even future closer Eduardo Sanchez. However, they really don’t have any young position players to make this work (Colby Rasmus and David Freese are not being traded).

3. Boston Red Sox -- The Red Sox could be a good fit, if they’re willing to sign another Carl Crawford-type deal, which they might not want to after the start he’s had. A package that included shortstop Jose Iglesias and former LSU stud Anthony Ranaudo would be a good starting point to a potential package.

4. Cincinnati Reds -- The Reds have the best farm system of any team that has a need for Reyes. Although they are happy with Paul Janish defensively at short, can you imagine Jose Reyes on the Reds? Instant World Series contenders (if they’re not already). A package would have to include one of their top catching prospects, either Devin Mesoraco or Yasmani Grandal; middle infielder Billy Hamilton or Zack Cozart; a young bat like Juan Francisco; and a starting pitcher with tremendous upside like a Homer Bailey. If the Reds want Reyes, if the Reds can afford Reyes, they have enough to get Reyes.

5. Los Angeles Angels -- The Angels have talent to deal and the resources to sign Reyes. The Angels desperately need a long-term solution in the leadoff spot and Mike Scioscia has always built his teams with defense up the middle. Reyes would be a perfect fit. The Angels could offer major league talent back, including a package or combination of players: one of their three catchers (Bobby Wilson, Hank Conger or Jeff Mathis), an everyday shortstop (Erick Aybar), a rotation arm (Tyler Chatwood) and/or a second baseman (Alexi Amarista).

The Twins, Brewers and Nationals are three other teams that could really use Reyes. However, due to either financial reasons or lack of high-level prospects, it is extremely unlikely a deal could be made with any of those teams.

Follow Jim on Twitter: @JimBowdenESPNxm.