Football is done. The world's most expensive figure skating competition is on. I see the Arizona Diamondbacks have already gathered the pitchers and catchers. More will follow this week. Never has an opening day been needed more. It's been a long, cold winter. Time for a tall boy and a few more fir logs for the hot stove. 

Braves Re-Up Freeman

8 years/135 million for the 24 year old first baseman. Another budding star locked up before hitting the open market. No brainer. Nice young player. 

D-Backs Ink Arroyo

Two years/$23.5 million. The park doesn't exactly fit his fly ball tendencies, but then Bronson Arroyo has never pitched in a home park that fits his fly ball tendencies. Arizona has a young staff and the 36 year old Arroyo is an unflappable pros pro. I like it. You know what you're going to get, durable as hell. Put him down for 200 innings. 

Did You Know....

Yankee signing Masahiro Tanaka threw 160 pitches in game 6 of the Japanese World Series last fall, and then closed game 7? In his career Tanaka has fifteen 130 plus pitch count starts. In the last five years, all of major league baseball has 23 such starts. Japanese starters are abused. 

The Mariners Are Dumb

A couple of months ago I scoffed at the notion that the Mariners would sign Robinson Cano. This was mostly predicated on the thoughts that: 1. Cano would hate losing. 2. The Mariners would hate paying someone a ton of money. 3. Jay Z could hardly stand for his first major sports client to be anywhere but New York.

Well I was wrong. Sure Cano is a great player, but I don't trust the M's to surround him with enough good players to make the investment worthwhile (although Cano is good for ten years of bobble head nights I suppose.) 

The Mariners Are Smart

I like the Scott Baker signing. Low dollars for an effective major league starter coming off Tommy John. Low risk, high possible upside. 

The Mariners Are Dumb

Two years and 14 million for Fernando Rodney? Sure he had a 2012 for the ages in Tampa, but I told you a year ago he'd regress. That's exactly what he did led by a serious return of his old nemesis the base on balls. Seattle was in need of more depth in the pen, but getting yourself locked up for two years with a 37 year old who walks too many people is no way to spend your dough. I'm guessing Danny Farquhar (acquired from the Yankees in the Ichiro salary dump) will be back in the 9th by July. 

You Can't Kill...

Bruce Chen. (Resigned with the Kansas City)

Jack Cust (minor league invited by Baltimore)

Grady Sizemore (major league deal with Boston)

You Can Get Rid Of

The truly awful Yuniesky Bettancourt. He'll be very happy in Japan with the Orix Bluewave this summer!

Brian Phillips is the afternoon DJ at the world's greatest radio station, WWCD 102.5 FM