When I first started writing Cooperstown Confidential for MLBlogs, I wrote a series of articles known as "Card Corner," in which I wrote about specific baseball cards and the players featured on them. For a variety of reasons, mostly due to slow dial-up connections and the difficulty of posting images, I abandoned the feature. Well, that's changed. Now that the Internet connection has been upgraded, it's time to bring back Card Corner. In our first installment, let's go back 35 years in time to the 1973 Topps set, which was earmarked by a variety of unusual action shots and some curious poses.

I've always been intrigued by Dave McNally's 1973 Topps card. He's shown wearing one of those gloves that has a release hole for the index finger, but he instead maintains the finger inside of the glove. I've never been able to figure out why.

That triviality never affected McNally. He was never as famous as Hall of Fame teammates like Jim Palmer or Brooks and Frank Robinson, or as popular an "everyman" like Boog Powell, but was a crucial component to the Baltimore Orioles' dynastic run from 1966 to 1971. McNally, who died in 2002 after a five-year battle with lung cancer, was the Orioles' most consistent starter--though not their most dominant--during that span of six seasons.

Stylistically, McNally pitched like Whitey Ford and Eddie Lopat--or like Mike Flanagan and Tom Glavine in more modern times--spotting a decent fastball while fooling hitters with rolls of curve balls and change-ups. McNally also used a unique motion that I often like to imitate, even though I'm right-handed and he was left-handed. Two days after McNally passed away at the age of 60, I happened to be watching ESPN Classic when it aired the highlight film of the 1969 World Series between the "Miracle Mets" and McNally's Baltimore Orioles. The film revived memories of that smooth but unusual delivery used by McNally, in which he dipped his head and shoulders toward first base before sliding his body forward and releasing the ball toward home plate.

Although McNally was one of the game's best left-hand pitchers of the late sixties and early seventies, piling up four consecutive 20-win seasons, he was humble about his achievements. When a reporter from Sports Collectors Digest asked him if he had a shot to make the Hall of Fame, Mac offered an honest response: "I don't think so. I didn't have enough wins (184 in 14 seasons). Sandy Koufax had only 165 wins, but he was really dominating. I think a pitcher has to be in the neighborhood of 250 wins unless some rare thing went with it. I think the Hall of Fame has done a tremendous job making sure it's not easy to get in."

McNally's selflessness matched his modesty. In 1975, the Montreal Expos offered him a contract paying him $125,000, which would have been one of the highest salary figures of the day. Yet, McNally refused to sign, in part because he felt the Expos had reneged on some other aspects of the deal. McNally instead played the season at a reduced salary and without a signed contract, so that he could support Andy Messersmith (who also refused to sign a contract for 1975) and help the Players Association in making a better case for free agency. After the season, arbitrator Peter Seitz awarded both McNally and Messersmith their freedom, allowing them to negotiate with any club. The decision really didn't benefit McNally himself, since he had already decided to retire, but his conviction helped the players win an important gain in their struggle against major league owners. One year later, the players embarked upon their first season of full-fledged free agency. Without the courage and servitude of pioneers like McNally, players of the current day would not be enjoying the salaries and benefits that make them the kings of the sports world.

Those players should remember what McNally did for them.

With all of the negative attention being monopolized by the aging Carlos Delgado and the enigmatic Aaron Heilman, it's been easy to overlook the debut of new Mets right fielder Ryan Church. On Sunday, Church made a spectacular running catch in right-center field, as he outran Carlos Beltran in ending what could have been a huge comeback rally for the Braves. It was the kind of play that could have put Church with the likes of Endy Chavez, Tommie Agee, and Ron Swoboda in Mets lore--if only it had happened during a playoff or World Series game.

That play by Church should serve as the headline maker in what it has been a terrific first month in New York for the ex-National. His defensive play--from his range to his throwing arm--has been first rate, essentially giving the Mets a second center fielder in their outfield. And his offensive firepower has been a godsend for a team that has received virtually no production from Delgado and absolutely nothing from Moises Alou, whose absence may grow longer now that he appears to have suffered a fractured bone in his ankle.

If Church had endured a poor start, Mets fans would have booed him with the same passion they've reserved for Delgado, largely because of their dissatisfaction with the Lastings Milledge trade. Milledge still has the higher upside, but right now, there's no question that Church is the better, more complete, and more polished player. And given the struggles of the Mets this April, that should count for something...

What a difference a year makes. Last year, Wil Nieves played so incompetently as the Yankees' backup catcher that I regarded him as arguably the worst major league player I'd seen in 30 years. (Other candidates include Mike Fischlin, Ron Hodges, Happy Jack Voigt, and Scott Bailes.) Nieves couldn't do anything; he couldn't hit, looked tentative behind the plate, and couldn't throw. Twelve months later, he has emerged as the Nationals' No. 1 catcher during the absence of Paul Lo Duca. In 23 at-bats, he's hitting .348 with a .423 on-base percentage and has even pounded out his first big league home run--a game-ending blast that gave the Nats a dramatic win over the first-place this past weekend. With Nieves playing so well, Washington now faces a dilemma. Which catcher gets the axe when Lo Duca returns from the disabled list? It was supposed to be Nieves, but it might now be Johnny Estrada (who suddenly could draw interest from the Yankees, smarting from the loss of Jorge Posada). Or the Nats might do the unthinkable and carry three catchers until they can sort things out behind the plate...

Finally, longtime Latino baseball expert and author Peter Bjarkman has provided us with our first baseball card change of 2008. Peter recommends a card for Cuban standout Pedro Lazo, who just become Cuba's all-time leader in pitching victories. Lazo was also the pitcher who saved the game for Cuba against the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, launching the Cubans into the finale of the WBC in 2006. Thanks, Peter. We'll post your card this week.

Two developments this week point directly to the ridiculous ways in which pitching staffs are being managed and pitching decisions are being handled. Exhibit No. 1 could be found with the Brewers, who actually went with a 14-man pitching staff for a day; that is believed to be a major league record number of pitchers on an active roster, not counting the month of September, when rosters are expanded to a maximum of 40 players. It is preposterous to think that a team needs a 14-man pitching roster--even for a single day. That amounts to five starters and nine relief pitchers. It is getting to the point where MLB needs to think seriously about imposing a limit on the number of pitchers that can be an on an active roster at any one time, much like the NFL limits the number of quarterbacks who are available on game day. That way, we might be able to avoid these embarrassing scenarios where teams are repeatedly using pitchers as pinch-hitters. My goodness, this is supposed to be the major leagues, where the highest quality of baseball is played. And that can't possibly happen when pitchers continue to pinch-hit, and position players are asked to play positions they've hardly ever played before in their careers. That's what the Cardinals did with Albert Pujols this week, asking their fragile-shouldered superstar to play second base because Tony LaRussa insists on carrying a 13-man pitching staff.

Exhibit No. 2 of the pitching apocalypse involved the Rockies last night. Their starter, Mark Redman, a guy who hasn't been effective since 2003, allowed ten runs in the first inning against the Dodgers. As if that wasn't enough, the Rockies then allowed Redman to start the second inning, ostensibly because they didn't want to blow through their bullpen. This is why you have a long reliever--or at least why you should-- a durable pitcher who can give you four or five innings as a way of saving the rest of the staff. But that seems to be an impossibility nowaways, where headlines are made if a relief pitcher is allowed to pitch more than an inning at a time. And what kind of a message do you send to your fans when you give the ball back to a lousy starting pitcher who couldn't get through the first inning without giving up double digits in runs? Shameful.

One of the most criticized men among general managers in today's game was given the boot by the Reds this week. I don't understand it--either the criticism of Wayne Krivsky or the decision to fire him. The Reds haven't played well this season, but it's a small sampling of games that doesn't accurately reflect the moves that Krivsky has made. Let's consider that Krivsky managed to acquire a third of the Reds' starting lineup--second baseman Brandon Phillips, shortstop Jeff Keppinger, and catcher David Ross--for a pittance. Krivsky stole all three players in minor trades, principally Phillips, who has emerged as the franchise's best second baseman since the days of Joe Morgan.

Krivsky also brought in the ace of the Reds' rotation, Bronson Arroyo, at the price of an underachieving Wily Mo Pena, a flat-out bust in Boston who is off to a terrible start with the Nationals in 2008. Furthermore, he managed to acquire Josh Hamilton for cash after the 2006 Rule Five draft, before flipping Hamilton to Texas for the ultra-promising Edinson Volquez. With Arroyo, Volquez, and Johnny Cueto, the Reds' starting rotation hasn't been this promising since the turn of the millennium. Because of that pitching, Reds fans, for the first time in a long while, have a legitimate right to be optimistic about the team's chances of contending.

Krivsky's detractors love to point to his ill-fated decision to surrender Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns for a cache of mediocre Washington relievers, but it's not as if those ex-Reds have turned into the second coming of Davey Concepcion and George Foster. Frankly, I'd rather have Keppinger and Adam Dunn, who both remain property of the Reds.  

Other critics of Krivsky point to his secretive nature, his unwillingness to be more forthcoming with the media. Gee, that's a criticism that could be aimed at only about two-thirds of the game's current GMs, many of whom act as if they are operatives for the CIA. It's certainly a bone of contention, but hardly a fireable offense--not unless you wanted to start giving pink slips to the other GMs too.  

Whatever the real reason, Krivsky is out of work, replaced by Walt Jocketty, who may be angling to bring in Tony LaRussa as his manager in the next year or two. I'm sure that Jocketty will do well in moving the Reds from builders into contenders, just as he did with the Cardinals. I'm just not sure why his predecessor, Krivsky, wasn't given that same opportunity. After all, he was the man who started putting the pieces into place in Cincinnati.

I never had the chance to meet John Marzano, but the lack of a face-to-face encounter shouldn't always matter when it comes to assessing someone's character. When everyone who worked with a person talks about how amicable and good-hearted he was, then you feel pretty comfortable trusting their judgment. Well, John Marzano was that kind of guy. 

By now, you've probably heard that Marzano, a former major league catcher and a talk show host with MLB.com, passed away over the weekend at the young age of 45. He died while falling on the stairs of his home, possibly after suffering a heart attack. Given how energetic, gregarious, and passionate Marzano was, the news of his death comes as a particularly horrible shock--to those he worked with and to the many fans who listened to him on Baseball Channel TV. Marzano not only appeared to be in good health, but he had that kind of vibrant personality that can make someone look indestructible. That's why his passing is twice as jolting to those who knew him and listened to him.

I've often heard people use the phrase, "Only the good die young." I used to scoff at that notion, but when you hear about tragedies like the one involving Marzano, it makes you wonder. How do you explain the death of someone so young and so strong of character? It just doesn't make sense.

When someone like Marzano leaves us all too soon, all that we can do, I guess, is to take solace in knowing that we had at least some time to appreciate him, whether it was as a listener of his talk show, or more importantly, as his friend or loved one.

We can also remind ourselves to live each day to its full potential, since we simply don't know which day will be our last.

Well, it's time to change the baseball card. And what the heck does that mean, you might ask? Every two to three weeks, I'd like to change the baseball card image featured on Cooperstown Confidential. I started with Roberto Clemente (1973 Topps) before switching to Thurman Munson (1978 Topps), reflecting two of my favorite players of all time. Now it's your turn to suggest a baseball card image for the main page of the blog.

The rules are simple. Just post a note indicating the card you would like to see posted. It doesn't have to be a Topps card, but can be any company, any player, assuming that I can find the image. Tell me in a few words why you'd like to see that card posted. I'll pick the best one, post the image, and acknowledge the winner here on the blog.

You can also e-mail your suggestions to me at bmarkusen@stny.rr.com.

In reading about the various celebrations that are taking place in honor of Jackie Robinson, I learned that ESPN has won the rights to do a feature film on the Hall of Famer and racial pioneer. The venerable Robert Redford will direct and play Branch Rickey. Redford's acting and directing accomplishments are unquestioned, and he has experience doing a baseball film (The Natural), but I have a hard time picturing him in the role of Rickey. Will he put the weight on naturally, or use some sort of prosthetic? That may be a tough one to pull off.

More to the point, I wonder who will play Robinson in the film. As an iconic figure who was photographed often during his adult life, Robinson would create challenges for even the most experienced of actor. The actor will not only need to be African American (a brilliant deduction), but will also have to replicate Robinson's beefy build and athleticism (a tough combination) and try to match his unique, high-pitched voice. Who would be the right choice? A headliner like Denzel Washington would help the film enormously--at least from a commercial standpoint--but he strikes me as too lean and athletic to replicate Robinson. Don Cheadle is an enormously talented actor, but he's too small and frail to make a believable Robinson. On the other hand, Lawrence Fishburne might be too big for the role--literally. How about Jamie Foxx? Oh please, don't get me started.

After considering some of thes A-listers, an actor from a lower rung (but still extremely talented) came to mind. How about Andre Braugher of Homicide fame? The underrated Braugher is accomplished at serious roles, has extensive experience on both the big and small screens, and owns the same kind of stocky build that Robinson carried during his major league days. And at age 45, Braugher is still young enough to pull off Robinson in his younger days, perhaps with only a small boost of makeup.

Come to think of it, Braugher has already played Robinson, albeit in a small television film that appeared in 1990. (Thanks, IMDB.) That film centered on Robinson's court martial. Given that experience, an older and more mature Braugher would seem ready for a full-length biopic on Robinson.

Yes, I like Braugher in the title role. Then again, I've never cast a film, not even a cheap one made for television. If you were in charge of a Robinson film, who would you cast in the lead role?

I was always amazed by Tommy Holmes' ability to put the ball into play. Let's consider what he did in 1945, when he hit .352, led the National League with a .577 slugging percentage, and struck out a grand total of nine times. Given that he hit 28 home runs and piled up 47 doubles, that strikeout total is ridiculous. Nine times. We see some of the game's offensive superstars strike out that many times in a week--or perhaps in a particularly bad four-game series.

Actually, I had never heard of Holmes until 1978, when his National League record 37-game hitting streak was eclipsed by another fair country hitter named Pete Rose. That's when I learned about Holmes' magical ability to make contact. Frankly, that was a lot more impressive than either Holmes' 37-game streak or Rose's eventual 44-game streak. Hitting streaks are one thing, but practically never striking out against major league pitching, well that's quite another.

The left-handed hitting Holmes died on Monday at the age of 91, bringing to a tangible end a remarkable legacy of contact hitting. Though he never again duplicated his 1945 power numbers, he still avoided strikeouts like the plague throughout his career. Over the course of 11 seasons, Holmes struck out 122 times in over 5,000 plate appearances. In other words, he struck out roughly ten times a season for more than a decade.

Given today's emphasis on swinging for the fences, along with a general reluctance to use a shortened, two-strike swing, I think it's highly unlikely we'll ever see anyone come close to matching Holmes in the art of putting bat to ball. The game simply isn't played that way anymore. Players today take little pride in avoiding the strikeout--certainly not the way that Holmes did.

It's kind of sad that no one today can do what Holmes once delighted in doing. Yes, I know that power is part of a good offensive philosophy--and strikeouts come with hitting home runs. Still, it would be pretty nice to see someone wave the wand the way that Holmes did in the 1940s.

Who is the worst manager in all of baseball?

Maxim (yes, I admit it, I do read Maxim, though I restrict my reading to the web site) has a list of the five worst managers in the game. From the least worst to the actual worst, they are:

Dave Trembley, Orioles

John Gibbons, Blue Jays

Willie Randolph, Mets

Ozzie Guillen, White Sox

Dusty Baker, Reds

Do you agree or disagree with the listing? Well, I have some problems with it. Trembley has the Orioles playing the most surprising ball of the new season, after making a good first impression in 2007. I'm not sure exactly what he's done to merit inclusion on this list. Randolph definitely doesn't belong here, but is being buried because of the Mets' disastrous performance in September.

Given Baker's current status as the Sabermetric whipping post among managers, I wonder if the article was written by someone with a statistical inclination. I have mixed feelings about Baker (great motivator, lacks a disciplinary touch), but some of his recent rants against on-base percentage make me wonder if all of his success in San Francisco was merely a mirage.

What's going on here? That was my reaction when I read John Harper's piece in the NY Daily News, in which he suggested that Joe Girardi shouldn't put Alex Rodriguez at shortstop in place of the injured Derek Jeter because it might offend Jeter.

This has to be one of the most ridiculous suggestions I've ever read. Since when did the Yankees become a soap opera instead of a baseball team? I thought the idea was to win ballgames, as opposed to soothing egos. For crying out loud, if Girardi thinks that the Yankees have a better chance of winning with A-Rod at shortstop, then A-Rod should play shortstop. No questions asked.

I have my doubts as to whether Jeter cares whether A-Rod fills in for him at shortstop. But if Jeter, for whatever reason, feels threatened or offended by that possibility, then he needs to do some serious re-thinking about his commitment to winning. If Jeter has become such a diva that certain players aren't allowed to fill in for him while he's injured, then I have to wonder what became of the ballplayer who was once such a selfless contributor that always valued wins over everything else.

Either way, Harper's recommendation strains credibility. Folks, the point of professional baseball is to try to win ballgames, not obsess over who receives top billing.

You can't win a pennant (or a division title) in April, but you can come awfully close to losing one if you're not careful. That's the predicament the Tigers find themselves in, having lost their first six games of the season despite being cast as pre-season co-favorites in the American League Central.

What has been Detroit's undoing? Well, just about everything. We knew the bullpen would be questionable because of first-half injuries to Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney, but the Tigers' problems extend well beyond the identity of the set-up corps to Todd Jones. With arguably the most talented lineup from top to bottom in the league, the Tigers were supposed to make a run at 1,000 runs this summer. Well, that's not going to happen. Injuries to Curtis Granderson and Gary Sheffield have shackled the offense, which has shown a disturbing tendency to ground into double plays (ten in the first six games, including five on Sunday night). Without Granderson, most of the Tigers' speed is gone, making them more susceptible to rally-ending twin killings. The team's defense, particularly in center field (where Brandon Inge is no Granderson) and the left side of the infield (where the offensive-minded Miguel Cabrera and Edgar Renteria reside), is shaky. And even the top of the rotation, in the form of Cy Young contender Justin Verlander, has bombed, with Verlander looking more like Jose Lima and Felipe Lira, vintage 1996, in the Sunday night game against the White Sox.

No matter how talented a team might be, no one wants to open the first week of the season without a win. Certainly not the Tigers, who reside in the same division as the equally regarded Indians and two improved teams in Chicago and Kansas City. None of this is meant to indicate that the Tigers are done--they're only four games out in the Central--but the depth of the division and the difficulty of the schedule will not give the Tigers much of a buffer. If the Tigers do not turn their situation around within the next two weeks, they will find themselves having to play catch-up in a deep division, while having to overcome a shaky bullpen, a thin starting rotation, and constant reminders of high pre-season expectations.

It's hard to believe, but the Tigers are already facing a critical watershed to their season. The 162-game schedule may be a long one, but it's not long enough for a team to simply sleepwalk through the first month of the season...

Observers continue to be surprised by the success of Kansas City's Brian "The Animal" Bannister, largely because of his lack of velocity and a general paucity of strikeouts. But should we really be surprised by Bannister's continuing mastery of American League hitters, especially after his dismantling of the Tigers in his 2008 debut? Bannister owns a terrific curveball, throws strikes with regularity, and mixes his pitches with the kind of artistry that one would expect from the son of a former major league pitcher (his father is former Mariners and White Sox lefty Floyd Bannister). Those three strengths put the younger Bannister three steps ahead of many major league pitchers who throw 95 miles per hour but have no other discernible weapon in retiring opposing hitters...

Jonny Gomes is fast gaining a reputation as a hothead who talks too much and thinks too little. He only added to that reputation on Saturday afternoon, when he twice failed to run hard on long drives to the outfield. (Who does he think he is, Manny Ramirez?) In the first incident, Gomes assumed that a drive to right field would result in a home run, so he lollygagged his way to first base. And then, halfway between first and second base, Gomes realized that the ball was in play; Bobby Abreu nailed him at second base on what should have been an easy double for Gomes. One would have thought Gomes would learn from the experience, but later in the game, he once again went into a home run trot, this time on a deep drive to left field. Luckily for Gomes, the ball cleared the fence for a home run. I can only hope that Rays manager Joe Maddon said something to Gomes after one--if not both--of those at-bats... Of course, now I'll have to hear criticism from some Internet hotshot for being an old-fashioned curmudgeon, fuddy-duddy, or worse. (Is there anything worse than being called a fuddy duddy?) God forbid that we get upset when players lazily run into outs on the basepaths because they're too busy posing for alleged home runs.

We've all heard the phrase, "Beggars can't be choosers." That is a philosophy that would serve some out-of-work players who seem to have an overinflated sense of entitlement. For example, the Mets would love to add Claudio Vargas to their pitching equation, but they have not been able to convince him to make a few starts at Triple-A New Orleans before moving up to Queens. Given the Mets' current pitching shortage (caused by the amazing fragility of Pedro Martinez), Vargas likely would have needed to make only one or two tuneup starts with the Zephyrs before earning a promotion to New York. But that apparently wasn't good enough for Vargas, who feels that he deserves to pitch in the major leagues right away. Now Vargas will surely be able to find another suitor, but it's debatable whether he'll find work with a team that is as good as the Mets are...

The Dodgers thought they had a deal with Marcus Giles, only to have the journeyman second baseman reject the idea of starting a comeback at Triple-A. Like Vargas, Giles may have passed on a good situation. With the Dodgers running through third baseman the way that Joan Rivers runs through plastic surgeries, Giles would have been in line for a quick promotion. He has the skills to play third base, and could have received some playing time at second base behind the aging Jeff Kent. Giles apparently feels that Triple-A baseball is beneath him, but let's not forget how brutally he played for the Padres last season. A week or two of minor league ball would have been well worth the tradeoff for an eventual job, with a contending team, in the major leagues...

Not only have the Nationals played well during the first week of the season, but they have seen the trade value of Nick "The Stick" Johnson rise appreciably. Johnson's loss of weight, coupled with his surprising mobility, have convinced some scouts that he's fully recovered from his broken leg. The Giants, who are desperate for help at just about every position, have made inquiries into Johnson's availability. They'd love to make Johnson their starting first baseman and cleanup man, return Rich Aurilia to a utility role, and move Bengi Molina out of the cleanup spot. The latter situation has been a source of embarrassment for the Giants, who look to be headed toward 110-plus losses in the first season after Barry Bonds...

In the meantime, the Giants continue to shop every available veteran on their roster, with the exception of Aaron Rowand. One of their best trading chips, Randy Winn, has already endured injury by hitting himself in the ankle while swinging a bat, putting a crimp into Brian Sabean's immediate plans of a makeover...

Finally, I'm not sure why the Marlins decided to reacquire Wes "Dark Helmet" Helms from the Phillies--while also taking on the balance of his $2.5 million salary. After all, a journeyman like Helms is not going to make one bit of difference in the Marlins' ability to make the playoffs. Given how cheap the Marlins have become in regard to their payroll, it's surprising that they would spend so much on a fringe player who doesn't play third base well enough to handle the position everyday, and doesn't hit well enough to play first base everyday. Helms might have made sense as a role player for a contending team, but not a rebuilding ballclub in south Florida.

I just became aware of a sad development the other day. A young actor named Angelo Spizzirri passed away last October at the age of 32. Though not a household name, Spizzirri did a wonderful job in portraying a high school catcher in the 2002 hit film, The Rookie.

I met Angelo in 2003, when he came to the Hall of Fame for a special program about The Rookie. As part of the event, I interviewed Angelo and Jim Morris (the real-life basis of the film) in the Hall's Bullpen Theater. In conversing with Angelo both on and off microphone, he struck me as being modest and considerate. Combining his down-to-earth manner with his considerable acting talent, I thought he would become a star within the matter of a few years.

On Thursday night, as I was surfing the web, I came across a reference to The Rookie, and decided to look for an update on Angelo's career. As I looked at his page on the IMDB site, I was shocked to see a date of death under his entry.

As it turned out, Angelo's acting career hadn't taken off the way that it should have. After appearing in a handful of small films, Angelo gave up acting in 2006 in order to become the tour manager for several rock bands. And then, last October 20, he died unexpectedly at his home in Los Angeles. I've been trying to research exactly what happened to him, but still haven't been able to pin down a cause of death.

Even in the Internet age, we can quickly lose track of what happens with those people we meet along the way. I'm sorry to say that's what happened for me with Angelo. Surprisingly little information about Angelo exists on the web, at least in the places I've looked. I can only hope that Angelo's change in careers brought him some level of happiness before he was taken away from us all too soon.

One of my favorite players of all-time is Rico Carty, a phenomenal hitter when he was healthy (which wasn't often enough). Another player named Rico has a chance to join Carty on my list of favorites. He's already emerged as one of the best stories of the early season.

He's Rico Washington, who finally made his major league debut this week after 11 seasons in the minor leagues. Never considered a top prospect, Washington had played at least part of each of his last eight seasons at the Double-A level, with only a smattering of Triple-A ball included for good measure. By now, most players would have sought richer pastures in the Japanese Leagues--or given up the dream completely.

Coming out of oblivion to make the Cardinals' Opening Day roster, the 29-year-old Washington came off the bench in St. Louis' second game, delivering a pinch-hit RBI double in the Cardinals' 8-3 win. And that may not be the best news of all. Washington has a chance to last for more than the proverbial cup of coffee. He happens to be playing for a bad ballclub, which may provide him with more of an opportunity than a deeper, more talented team. He's a versatile player, playing most frequently at third base, but with plenty of experience at both second and first base. He's also caught a few games in the minor leagues, which could make him an emergency third-string catcher. Plus, he happens to bat left-handed, always an advantage for a player who hopes to receive additional pinch-hitting opportunities.

So there you have it. Rico Washington, a great story. He also happens to have a great name, like a character out of "Hill Street Blues." I hope he hangs around for awhile.

No matter where I go in the Cooperstown area, I'm asked the inevitable question of the month: who will be the next Hall of Fame president? To be perfectly honest, I really have no idea--but that could change in the coming days. Several sources tell me that interim Hall president Jeff Idelson has the inside track, assuming that he is interested in the position. But at least one reliable source believes that the Hall of Fame will select someone from outside of the organization, as it has with its last two presidential selections, Dale Petroskey and Don Marr. Either way, the Hall of Fame will officially begin its search next Monday, with the goal of having someone in place well before the July 27th Induction Ceremony.

Who are some of the possible successors to Petroskey? Two names come to mind. One is Ted Sizemore, the former major league second baseman who has become a successful executive with Rawlings and was very interested in the Hall's presidency in 1999, when Marr was let go at the end of his five-year contract. The other name is Andy Strasberg, a former major league executive with the Padres who has been active as a Hall of Fame consultant and confidante over the years.

I'm sure that at some point we'll hear the names of Bob Costas and Joe Morgan, but that isn't likely to happen. As mainstays at NBC and ESPN, respectively, they would have to give up lucrative broadcasting positions in order to take the job and avoid any potential conflicts of interest--and that just isn't likely to happen.

Change is certainly in the air around these parts. With the coming of a new season, MLB.com has unveiled a new and improved look to MLBlogs, along with a blogging system that is certainly easier from my--the writer's--point of view. I hope that you like our selection of the MLB retro design to the blog; it gives the blog the kind of 1960s or seventies look that I prefer.

Along the lines of change, I'd like to propose a few others. You might have noticed that I've changed the baseball card image from Roberto Clemente (my favorite player) to Thurman Munson (my favorite Yankee). In order to keep things fresh here, I'd like to change the card image once every two weeks, based on your preferences. If you have a particular card image that you'd like me to post, let me know and tell me why I should put it up. Those who propose the best and most interesting card images will get their wishes.

I'd also like to encourage more reader feedback in terms of leaving comments. If you drop by to read an entry, leave us a comment from time to time. I sometimes receive e-mails from people who say they read this blog constantly, but they never leave any comments. Let's change that habit. Tell me that you agree, or disagree, with something I've written; it doesn't matter which way you fall. Let me know about the kinds of content you'd like to see here. Tell me what it is that you would like me to write about, whether it's more about the game's history, or today's game, or more about the Hall of Fame and Cooperstown.

And, as always, feel free to send feedback via e-mail. I can be reached at bmarkusen@stny.rr.com.

In the meantime, enjoy the start to the 2008 championship season.

The traditional Opening Day finally arrived on Monday--though it would have been difficult to tell based on the cold, damp air of Cooperstown. (Basically, we experienced the same weather that wiped out Opening Day at Yankee Stadium.) In spite of my usual complaints about the climate, games did take place throughout the country, including a smattering of matchups that made their way onto my television. So away we go...

Johan Santana, David Wright, and Jose Reyes all played the way the Mets expect them to, resulting in a 7-2 thrashing of the skinflint Marlins. After Santana left with seven innings of two-run, eight-strikeout ball, Willie Randolph did some mixing and matching with his bullpen, turning not to Aaron Heilman but giving Matt Wise and Jorge Sosa a taste of the eighth inning. Wise looked so-so, but Sosa pitched well, as Randolph searches for some bullpen answers during Duaner Sanchez' latest stint on the disabled list...

As for the Marlins, they continue to look shaky defensively, as they did most of 2007. More importantly, they gave the Opening Day ball to Mark Hendrickson, a Lee Guetterman throwalike who should be pitching in middle relief, not anchoring the rotation. Without much established pitching and without the booming bat of Miguel Cabrera, it looks to be a long season in south Florida...

The Cubs and Brewers played one of the most entertaining games of Opening Day, with each team's supposed relief ace blowing up in the ninth inning. We're only one game into the season--and the Cubs already have a closer controversy. Kerry Wood gave up three runs in the top of the ninth, which will fuel fan desires to see Carlos Marmol in the ninth-inning role. The Brewers' new relief ace, Eric Gagne, looked even worse than Wood. He couldn't throw strikes, walking his first two batters before grooving a fastball to Japanese sensation Fukudome (who looks like a thicker, more powerful version of Ichiro).For Red Sox fans, Gagne's performance was all too reminiscent of his second-half horror show in Boston. And to think that the Brewers spent $10 million on Gagne, who was far more concerned with the muddy mound and his own steamed-up glasses than he was with opposing Cubs batters. (An aside on Gagne: Could he make a semblance of an effort to wear his uniform properly? I'm all for players having a distinctive look on the field, but does Gagne need to wear pants that are three sizes too large? I mean, he had enough material with those trousers to make a couch! He also made no effort to tuck in his shirt, until the home plate umpire finally ordered him to do so several batters into his frightful inning of work. Looking distinctive and personal is one thing; looking like a complete slob is quite another. End of rant.)...

In between my usual Monday night fare of Medium (a terrific show, I might add), I watched bits and pieces of the opener between the Padres and Astros. Jake Peavy looked Cy Young unhittable over the first five innings, while Roy Oswalt struggled against what appears--at least on the surface--to be a popgun Padre offense. While the Padres have question marks in left, center, and at third base, they do have a legitimate star in Adrian Gonzalez. While the ESPN broadcasters compared him to Rafael Palmeiro, he reminds me more of a widebody version of Will "The Thrill" Clark. With that sweet swing, ability to hit to all fields, and raw straightaway power, Gonzalez could emerge as a serious MVP cancidate within the next two seasons...

Finally, I received a care package coinciding with Opening Day. Friend and fellow author Matt Silverman sent me copies of his three most recent projects--Mets By the Numbers, 100 Things Mets Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, and Meet the Mets 2008. If you're a Mets diehard and are not yet familiar with Matt's work, you need to change that quickly. A talented writer, Matt has emerged as a print version of Howie Rose--an absolute Mets expert and historian. Thanks, Matt.