Spring is in the Air

That's how Jackson Field currently looks.  But still...

Heading into my apartment complex to pay my rent this afternoon, I ran across Josh, a stalwart in the apartment office.  He grinned:  "Do you smell that?  That's the smell of baseball in the air."

The big news last night, beyond Stephen Curry lighting up MSG:  the triumphant return of "Psych" to television.  You can have your sophisticated fare like "Downton Abbey" or "The Walking Dead."  I'll be over here laughing at the misadventures of Shawn and Gus.

Baseball America's 2013 Prospect Handbook arrived in the office this afternoon, carrying with it the added intrigue of the Toronto Blue Jays' Top 30 Prospects, as ranked by the esteemed Nathan Rode.  Sadly but predictably, the top two prospects ranked were Travis D'Arnaud and 2012 Lugnut Noah Syndergaard, both of whom were traded to the New York Mets for R.A. Dickey.

** Interlude:  Video of Dickey throwing his knuckler.  Brilliance.  **

#3 was 2012 Lugnut Aaron Sanchez, who now moves up to #1.  It's a rightful spot for a high-ceiling arm.  This is going to be an interesting year for Aaron.  Should he earn a Double-A debut, which I expect he will, it's going to be hugely anticipated.  The key, simply:  command, command, command.  If he pitches with command, his arsenal should lead to dominant results.

I'll go over the other interesting names on that list down the road.  For now, let's end with the 2012 Lugnut who earned the Blue Jays' #31 prospect slot:  Tyler Ybarra.  Left-handed pitchers are a coveted commodity, especially lefties who can throw hard with strikeout stuff.  It'll be interesting to see if Ybarra follows the same path to the Majors as former Lug Aaron Loup.

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