I will say that I'm very happy that Hamilton will be in a different league when he starts kicking ass this season.

Cueto on the otherhand.... his awesome spring means ROY and CY awards forthcoming.

For me, I think he already falls into the category of "good enough so that it results in the release of Mike Stanton," but an inanimate carbon rod would probably qualify also.

The possibility of three left-handers in the bullpen doesn't faze Baker, and once again he turned to veteran manager Jim Leyland for an outlook.  "The Pirates always had three left-handers in the bullpen when Leyland was there and they were winning," he said. "I've found that more left-handers can get righties out than right-handers get lefties out."

With Affeldt out of the rotation pot, the Reds are without a left-hander in the projected rotation, no matter who survives.  "I'd prefer a left-hander, but again, you want the best man," said Baker. "You'd prefer one, definitely. But as I recall, didn't the Red Sox go to the World Series without a lefty?"

And more importantly:

Asked about being back in baseball after a year off, he said, "I enjoyed spending time with my son, my wife, my daughter and my dog. My dog is 11 years old and I miss my dog. That's the best woman in my life."  Baker's 9-year-old son heard that comment and quickly said, "I'm going to call mom and tell her."

"I love my mom, my sisters, my daughters, everybody, and it's no slight on anybody, but my dog (Bailey, a German short-haired pointer) ... well, my wife knows how I feel about my dog. My wife ain't never run and got no pheasant for me. Best hunting dog I ever had and don't they always talk about man and his dog? Ain't no slight on any women in my wife."

Day 2: Consider how the admission "[My dog is] the best woman in my life" might quite understandably be perceived as a slight to your mother, wife, daughters, every living female close to you, etc.

Day 3: Shut up and go away