In this series, we are going to spotlight one player on each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams. However, we won't be highlighting just any player. Rather, we are going to call attention to the one guy from each squad that is the heart and soul of the team.

We're going to start things off alphabetically, which gets us started with the Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks - Miquel Montero - Catcher

Acquired: April 23, 2001 - Amateur Free Agent

Signed Through: 2017 (6-Year, $65.9 Million)

MLB Debut: September 6, 2006

They say that catchers are the gateway to the game and Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero is the perfect example of that philosophy. A 7-year veteran, Montero has proven himself as one of the best catchers in the game by placing in the top 4 among Major League catchers in fWAR in both 2011 (4.3) and 2012 (5.0).

Since becoming a regular in 2009, Montero has carved a solid name for himself with his bat, being one of the few catchers in the league that have been able to provide the unique ability to hit for both average and power, averaging nearly .283 at the plate while adding 15 home runs and 69 runs batted in over that period. His production has only increased over the last two seasons, as Montero has been thrust into a position as a run producer, with the stud catcher notching 86 and 88 RBI's in each of 2011 and 2012 respectively.

That all said, while Montero's skills at the plate are his calling card, he hasn't been too shabby behind the dish either. In 2012, Montero finished third in caught stealing percentage with a 42.1% mark, placing him behind only Ryan Hannigan of the Cincinnati Reds and Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2011, Montero led Major League Baseball in the catergory, serving as the only catcher in baseball to throw out more than 40% of would be base stealers.

With the trade of Justin Upton and a remaking of the roster, Montero's role on the 2013 squad will be decidedly greater. The Diamondbacks have been remade under the image of their manager, Kirk Gibson, and by bringing in grinders like Cody Ross and Martin Prado to join dirt dogs like Jason Kubel and Aaron Hill, having one entrenched in the catchers role and in the heart of the order will be essential.

And that is exactly what Montero brings to the table. A down and dirty, take no prisoners approach to the game, and he's in the right environment for it.

I don’t know about any of you folks, but it is certainly cold where I’m at. About the only thing keeping me warm if the thoughts that Spring Training is right around the corner.

Oh, and that hot stove still burning in the corner over there.

Sure it’s starting to cool off a bit, but it is still pumping hot, with plenty of time to get a couple of more moves done before the season starts. Let’s take a look at what this week’s stove is cooking:

-          Of course the big news of the week is the trade between Arizona and Atlanta, sending Justin Upton to the Braves to patrol the outfield with his brother B.J. Upton and Jason Heyward. And all it cost the Braves was Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, and three prospects. While I like the trade results for the Diamondbacks, I cannot help but think that the package they would have gotten from Seattle would have been greater, including Taijuan Walker, Nick Franklin, and Stephen Pryor.  But then again, Upton vetoed that trade and the D-Backs were forced to get what they can, and they still did pretty well for themselves.

-          The Mets are trying to pursue free agent outfielder Michael Bourn. However, to get the deal done, they are asking Major League Baseball to have the draft pick compensation reduced to a second round pick. The Mets have the 11^th pick in the 2013 draft, just one pick outside the protected pick window, and right behind the Pirates, who have the 10^th pick due to their first round pick not signing in 2012. The Mets feel that they should not be punished for this misfortune and have asked for Major League Baseball to rule in their favor. However, one would have to question the system if in its first year of enforcement the league circumvents it for a large market team.

-          The Pittsburgh Pirates inked a contract with Francisco Liriano earlier this winter, but failed to finalize it. That was because the left-hander broke his right arm. Now it is coming out that he broke the arm due to a slip up in the bathroom. The two sides will come to an agreement, but it will likely mean reworking the contract to protect Pittsburgh against any recurring injuries with the arm.

-          Another team that had an issue with a signed player’s health records has finalized their agreement. However, the deal between the Boston Red Sox and Mike Napoli is a far cry below the original 3-year, $39 million deal they agreed to in December. The new deal is for only a single season and $5 million, as it was discovered during Napoli’s physical that the catcher/first baseman suffers from Avascular Necrosis in his hip. It’s the same disease that Bo Jackson had to deal with, so Boston was rightfully diligent in reworking the deal so as to not handicap themselves for 3 season with a catcher that may or may not play.

-          The Seattle Mariners are not discussing trading stud ace Felix Hernandez this winter, as almost every GM wishes they would. Instead, they are exploring a way to extend the right-hander, with rumors floating around about a 4-year, $100 million extension on the table. That would make King Felix’ current deal worth 6-years, $139.5 million and keep him with the Mariners until he is 32-years-old. However, Hernandez may want a few more years of security, but it is worth noting that both sides are very interested in getting a deal done.

On December 8, 2009, Detroit Tigers fans were shocked to learn that the team's most likable player, Curtis  Granderson, had just been traded to the New York Yankees in a 7-player, 3-team deal that also involved the Arizona Diamondbacks. At the time, it looked like a deal of the rich getting richer, with the Yankees picking up the All-Star Granderson.

However, three seasons later, and this trade has been a somewhat win-win situation for every team involved.

Sure, the Yankees got a huge upgrade in center field, and Granderson has lived up to his billing in New York, nearly winning the MVP in 2011 and being among the league leaders in home runs each of the last few seasons. But this deal was about more than just Granderson and the Yankees.

The Arizona Diamondbacks picked up a couple of solid pieces in this trade as well, pulling in Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy in the trade. Jackson would last only 21 games in a Diamondbacks uniform before they in turn traded the vagabond to Chicago in exchange for Daniel Hudson and David Holmberg. At 20-years-old, Holmberg is still at Double-A, but has shown some promise. Meanwhile Hudson and Kennedy were instrumental in leading the D-Backs into the postseason in 2011, with Hudson winning 16 games in his first full season and Kennedy nearly taking home the Cy Young after going 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA, 198 strike-outs, and a WAR of 4.7. 2012 has been a bit of a regression for both, with Hudson having Tommy John Surgery in July and Kennedy still contributing 12 wins despite an ERA of 4.39. Clearly the D-Backs did pretty well in this trade.

However, the true winners of this deal were the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers received a bevy of players in this deal, pulling in Daniel Schlereth, Phil Coke, Austin Jackson, and Max Scherzer. And while Schlereth and Coke have become important pieces for the Tigers in their bullpen, the true rewards in the deal have been Jackson and Scherzer.

After finishing 2nd in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2010, Austin Jackson suffered a disappointing sophomore campaign that saw regression nearly across the board. However, whatever he suffered through in 2011 made him a much better player in 2012. He's has established or is on pace to surpass career highs in almost all offensive categories, including home runs, RBI, Triples, OPS, WAR, and Runs Scored. He's also been locked in close combat with Mike Trout for honors of being the best defensive center fielder in baseball in 2012.

But wait, Jackson wasn't even the complete prize of the trade. That honor goes to Max Scherzer.

The hard throwing right hander has become a complete horse of a pitcher over the last three seasons, perfectly complimenting his teammate Justin Verlander at the top of the Tiger rotation. After winning 15 games in 2011, Scherzer has already tied that mark in 2012, but in the process, has dropped his ERA nearly 60 points to 3.85 and an American League leading 213 strike-outs over 170.2 innings pitched. That is an oustanding 11.2 K/9 rate!

Now, Scherzer is an all-or-nothing type of pitcher and can be inconsistent at times. That will prevent him from evolving to the plateau of Verlander. However, his growth in the last few seasons shows that he is capable of being a number two or three starter in this league and be a stopper when his team really needs him to be. At 28-years-old, Scherzer is right where the Tigers want him in terms of development and he has the benefit of not having logged a single season with more than 200 innings pitched, meaning that he isn't in a position to break down any time soon.

All this points to the Tigers continuing to get a big bang from their buck.

Another week of baseball means another week of news across the small markets of the league. This week, I thought I would do something different and skip the lengthy introduction paragraph full of filler and skip right to the tidbits.

Sounds like a plan, right?

-          The Baltimore Orioles continue to defy the odds and are leading the tough American League East division with a 13-8 record. So how do a middle-of-the-pack hitting squad and middle-of-the-pack starter’s ERA pace a power division like the AL East? Simple; the bullpen is 5-2 with a sparkling 1.94 ERA. They are paced by the trio of Luis Ayala, Jim Johnson, and Matt Lindstrom who have yet to surrender a single run as a group.  Buck Showalter’s group will need to get some more offensive out of JJ Hardy, Nick Markakis, and Mark Reynolds (27 K’s in 57 AB’s!) if they want to stay in the playoff hunt for the season, but it looks like Baltimore is serious about taking advantage of the extra wild-card spot in 2012.

-          The high-spending, and under-performing Angels released 38-year-old Bobby Abreu this week in order to make room for Mike Trout. So where does Abreu land? This blogger thinks he would be an excellent fit with the hitting challenged Pittsburgh Pirates. Jose Tabata is showing no signs of learning how to hit major league pitching, so bringing in the professional Abreu would serve wonders in the development of Tabata, Andrew McCutchen, and Alex Presley.

-          Quick, without looking, can you name the major league ERA leader? The honor belongs to soft-tossing Joe Saunders of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The very same Saunders that sat on the free agency pile all winter only to go back to the team that non-tendered him in the first place. He is pacing MLB with a 0.90 ERA and has a solid .186 batting average against. Sometimes cast-aways bite the hook again and turn into a big fish.

-          Looking down the top 10 in the batting average category is almost a who’s who of Major League Baseball. You have perennial MVP candidates in Matt Kemp, David Ortiz, Josh Hamilton, Derek Jeter, David Wright, Paul Konerko, Jose Altuve, Buster Posey, and hot-hand David Freese. Wait, did I say Jose Altuve? Yep, the Houston second baseman is 8^th in the league in average at .359 and is sporting a solid.958 OPS to start the season. With his combination of speed and bat control, he has been a solid fantasy baseball sleeper for teams that took the chance on him.

Thanks for reading this week and keep enjoying the baseball!

Watching a game of baseball can sometimes be as much fun listening to the broadcast booth as it is watching the actual action on the diamond.

Generally that area is filled by people who have been in and around the game for as long as anyone can remember. While the fairly recent losses of legends like Ernie Harwell and Harry Kalas makes the game a little less fun, there are several people left who bring listeners much needed smiles.

We all have our favorites, so feel free to add yours to the list if you are so inclined. Yours truly freely admits that he hasn't had the pleasure of hearing everyone behind the microphone.




Bob Uecker


If you want to get a feel of how cool "Ueck" is, you can watch all the commercials, appearances with Johnny Carson, movies, and even his sitcom for a taste.

One of the best ways is to listen to comedian Artie Lange tell a story of how he got to sit next to Uecker for a few innings and watch the maestro at work. Truly hilarious insight.

"Mr. Baseball" knows his stuff, both good and bad. A sound defensive catcher with a World Series ring, he once led the league in passed balls trying to catch knuckleballing Hall of Famer Phil Niekro despite playing just 59 games.

He is not just extremely funny, but you can improve your own game listening to Uecker. Want to learn how to catch a knuckleball? Just wait until it stops rolling, then go pick it up.

Here is a montage of some of his quips :


Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat.


Baseball hasn't forgotten me. I go to a lot of old-timers games and I haven't lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things at me. Just like old times.


Career highlights? I had two. I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.


I didn't get a lot of awards as a player. But they did have a Bob Uecker Day Off for me once in Philly.


I had slumps that lasted into the winter.


I hit a grand slam off Ron Herbel and when his manager Herman Franks came out to get him, he was bringing Herbel's suitcase.


I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.


I led the league in "Go get 'em next time."


I set records that will never be equaled. In fact, I hope 90% of them don't even get printed.


I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for three-thousand dollars. That bothered my dad at the time because he didn't have that kind of dough. But he eventually scraped it up.


If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter.


In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.


Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist.


One time, I got pulled over at four a.m. I was fined seventy-five dollars for being intoxicated and four-hundred for being with the Phillies.


People don't know this but I helped the Cardinals win the pennant. I came down with hepatitis. The trainer injected me with it.


Sporting goods companies pay me not to endorse their products.


Sure, women sportswriters look when they're in the clubhouse. Read their stories. How else do you explain a capital letter in the middle of a word?


The highlight of my career? In '67 with St. Louis, I walked with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in an intersquad game in spring training.


When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team's dugout and they were already in street clothes.


When I looked at the third base coach, he turned his back on me.


I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Actually, I was born in Illinois. My mother and father were on an oleo margarine run to Chicago back in 1934, because we couldn't get colored margarine in Wisconsin. On the way home, my mother was with child. Me. And the pains started, and my dad pulled off into an exit area, and that's where the event took place. I remember it was a Nativity type setting. An exit light shining down. There were three truck drivers there. One guy was carrying butter, one guy had frankfurters, and the other guy was a retired baseball scout who told my folks that I probably had a chance to play somewhere down the line.

Well, a couple of grand slammers and the Brewers are right back in this one (Uecker during the 8th inning of a game the Brewers were losing 8–0.)

The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game. He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game. Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud.


I had slumps that lasted into the winter.

A doctor told me to drink lemon juice after a hot bath. But I have never finished the bath.


I won the Comeback of the Year Award five years in a row!

I'm scared of the Reds.

I had been playing for a while, and I asked Louisville Slugger to send me a dozen flame treated bats. But when I got it, I realized they had sent me a box of ashes.

Luv Ya Ueck!




Jim Palmer


Residents in Charm City have long been blessed with great men behind a microphone. The legendary Chuck Thompson is still king, and his days working with Orioles Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson were fun.

Ford Frick Award winner Jon Miller took over in the radio booth when Thompson, who also won the Frick Award, worked just television in 1983, the year the Orioles won the World Series. Today the Orioles have the excellent Gary Thorne.

Palmer is the greatest pitcher in Orioles history. He is a Hall of Famer who has done modeling and acting too, so going to the booth was a natural transition. He started working network television before coming back home to do just Orioles games.

Listening to Palmer is a daily education. From his knowledge of the game, stories from the past, and relationships with current players, Palmer is always fun to listen to.

A few years ago, the Orioles played the Washington Nationals. Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton was calling Nationals games at the time, and someone had the idea to put both in the same booth.

The legends swapped stories, theories, learning's, and more. Anyone who got to listen to the duo in that three game series probably paid little attention to the action on the field because the focus was on listening to the duo.

Baltimore has had solid guys like Buck Martinez in the booth, as well as Orioles greats like Rick Dempsey and Mike Flanagan working with Thorne too. But everyone quietly hopes Palmer will feel like calling the game that day so they can get a wealth of wisdom and greatness.





Vin Scully


Scully's 61 years of calling Los Angeles Dodger games is the longest of any broadcaster with a single club in professional sports history. The 83-year old is still going strong, showing no signs of slowing down.

Not only is his wealth of knowledge endless, but all players say Scully is one of the truest gentleman to have ever graced the game.

Born in the Bronx of New York City, Scully started calling Brooklyn Dodger games in 1950. He accompanied the team when they moved in 1958, making him and Tommy Lasorda the last ties in the organization to their beginnings.

While he has covered all sports, many other organizations have unsuccessfully tried to retain his services. His loyalty to the Dodgers is a legend of lore that will not be duplicated.

The historic moments he has called it endless. From the Brooklyn Dodgers only World Series win, to four perfect games and a no-hitter. His biggest moments may have been Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run and Kirk Gibson's famous World Series home run in 1988.

Scully, a Frick Award winner, is often imitated but he will never be duplicated. There are thousands of Dodgers fans out there who root for the team because he is the man in the booth.





Jon Miller


Miller started out broadcasting Major League games with the Oakland A's in their title year. After working with the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox, he got a job with the Baltimore Orioles in 1983.

The Orioles changed owners in 1993, and Miller was fired in 1996 for being a broadcast journalist as opposed to a homer-type. Though Miller was an Orioles fan, he called games with an objectionable point of view.

The San Francisco Giants hired him immediately, where he still works today. Miller also spent 20 years with ESPN before departing after the 2010 season. Games he called with Hall of Famer Joe Morgan drew a large fan base for the network.

Miller won the Ford C. Frick Award in 2010. Lon Simmons, who also won the Frick Award in 2004, has still sat in on a few Giants games on occasion after retiring to a part-time basis. Giants fans are certainly lucky to have a pair of legends in their booth.

Miller is known for being cerebral and eclectic, as well as humorous. He does a wide range of impressions that range from Vin Scully, Jack Benny, Thompson, Simmons, and others.




Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow


This duo of ex-players have teamed in the Giants booth for a few decades. Their rapport is the stuff of legend, as the banter in known to fly often.

Krukow was a pitcher who won 124 games, including a 20-win season once for the Giants in 1986. Kuiper was a utility player with a good glove and light bat. Krukow often kids Kuiper how he has four more career home runs than Kuiper.

Krukow is best know for having his own lingo. His phrases are said to come from the "Kruktionary". Here are a few samples :

"Grab some pine, meat!"

"Just another - ha ha ha ha - laugher!"

"I wanna get that!, I wanna get that!, I wanna get that!" whenever a product is endorsed during a game.

Kuiper invented a new slogan for close games. "Giants baseball... torture!"

"Kruk and Kipe" are opinionated but funny. Having played the game, what they speak garners the respect of listeners. The fact that they are ex-Giants who staunchly support the team and players gives them even more legend in the Bay area.





Marty Brennaman


In 1974, Brennaman was hired by to replace the departed Al Michaels to broadcast the Cincinnati Reds games on the radio. Joe Nuxhall, a former Reds pitcher, was paired with him and the duo would call games the next 31 seasons.

The pair were extremely popular in Cincinnati, appearing in all sorts of events throughout the city. Brennaman has won the Ford C. Frick Award in 2000, as well as several other awards.

He is known for voicing his opinion, even if it is deemed controversial. He had been critical of umpires and even some Chicago Cubs fans. His son, Thom, is a respected announcer who has called games for the FOX network as one of the original announcers of NFL games, the Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Thom, who started out working with his dad in the late 1980's, re-joined the Reds in 2006 so the Brennaman's could team up again. This gives Reds fans a duo with almost 70 years of combined broadcast experience.





Ralph Kiner


Kiner followed a Hall of Fame playing career, which ended early due to injury, to the the booth. He joined the expansion New York Mets in 1962 and is still going at 88-years old. Kiner is the only broadcaster to call all of the Mets history as he gets ready to enter his 50th year with the team.

Mets fans enjoyed the days of Kiner and Frick Award winner Bob Murphy working together for 41 years. The duo was entertaining in many ways and developed a huge following.

Kiner is a gem himself. He is known for making mistakes on the microphone, especially with remembering names. He even called himself "Ralph Korner" once. He called Gary Carter "Gary Cooper", and Hubie Brooks "Mookie".

Kiner hosted a show called "Kiners Korner" since 1963, but the post-game show appearances dwindled as Kiner aged.

Here are a few of his most notable quotes on the "Korner" :

"And it's going....going....going to be caught"

"The Mets are winless in the month of Atlanta"

"It's Father's Day today at Shea, so to all you fathers out there, Happy Birthday."

"All of Rick Aguilera's saves have come in relief appearances."

"All the Met wins on the road against Los Angeles this year have come at Dodger Stadium."

Mets fans love Ralph Kiner! With good reason.





Chip Caray


Sometimes one is born to sit in a broadcast booth due to D.N.A. Chip Carey's grandfather and father had announced baseball games over 80 seasons combined. His grandfather, Harry, is a legend in the city of Chicago, while his dad, Skip, is an Atlanta legend.

His dad broke him into broadcasting Braves baseball in 1991, even though he had already two seasons of working Orlando Magic games, in the NBA, under his belt. Carey left the Braves to call Seattle Mariners games for a few years, then worked for the FOX network.

His grandfather worked with him doing games in 1998, and the two would work together calling Chicago Cubs games until 2004. Carey joined the Atlanta Braves to work with his father again in 2005, where he currently works. He also has a brother who calls games for a minor league team in the Braves network.

Skip Carey worked many years with Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton calling Braves games. Sutton has a son, Daron, who is considered by many to be one of the best broadcasters calling baseball games.

Chip Carey truly benefited from learning as a child from his parents. Thom Brennaman is another excellent broadcaster who is following his own famous fathers footsteps.

But being related to a famous broadcaster does not mean one is automatically good at his job. Joe Buck is the son of the legendary Jack Buck, but is as exciting as watching paint dry behind a microphone.




Jerry Coleman


Coleman started out as a player and won four World Series as well as a World Series MVP Award. He is the only Major League Baseball player ever to have seen combat in two wars.

He started working in the booth of San Diego Padres games in 1972 and has been there since, with the exception of the 1980 season. He managed the Padres that year and went 73-89.

He is one of just four ex-players to win the Ford C. Frick Award. Coleman is known for a penchant of making mistakes announcing, but the 86-year old is a legend in the San Diego area.