As for player that I want to see make the leap, I'm gonna have to stick with the Rays (again with the Durham Bulls connection, since I watched these youngsters play). I'd really like to see B.J. Upton come into his own and become a dominant offensive player, whatever position he ends up playing. I watched him whack a walk off grand slam (seriously, the Bulls were down 3 in the ninth) on opening day in Durham last year, well over the "Blue Monster" in left field, and I was hooked.

First? Me? That hasn't happened in ages...

Otherwise, I want to see if the two Youngs - Chris and Delmon - are all they're hyped up to be.

Prospect-wise, obviously the Yanks prospects. But since my local team here is the Mudhens, I'll have to see who's on the roster (Marcus Thames is now sporting a firstbaseman's glove, so that he can play more positions.) Kevin Hooper is a fan favorite in town, but he's basically my size -- 5'9", 155 Lbs, and without any power so he's not going to make the show.

ARod will endear himself to all the haters!!!! His Yankee fan haters that is.

I'm amazed that it wasn't a 3-0. I can't wait.

I don't like to think about the scenarios that would get him more than 500 ABs, but I think he has the talent and "likeability" to become a bonafide star someday, beyond just a hometown favorite.

Pitching-wise one of the less obvious hurlers I'd like to see enjoy a breakthrough of sorts is Jose Veras.

He's already 27, so there's little chance he'll ever emerge as a star, but the big kid can chuck, and I imagine part of him still believes he can set-up for Mo.
He's one of the off the radar guys I'm rooting for this year.

I've also read so much about KC's phenom 3B, Alex Gordon, that I'm excited to see him. Many people think he's going to hit real well real fast, and that the AL ROY is going to be between he and Delmon Young. That should be another fun race to watch.

On the Yankees front, I think Robbie Cano is going to bring his game to the next level - write it down, he starts in this year's all-star game.

A Rays game with Kazmir on the mound will definitely be worth watching. Maybe he'll start one of those $5 tier seat weekday games.

The Yanks are doing $5 tier seat weekday games this year, right?

Honorable Mentions goes to Felix Hernandez, Cole Hamels and Eric Duncan. They need to start solidifying all the hype. I just don't see what everyone was talking about through the drafts.

I've never been to the Trop but Jake Luft, a Florida native, says it's a pretty good place to watch a game, no matter how horrid it looks on TV. Said there is a great cherce of beers there and even an Outback Steakhouse, so, not only can you cherry-pick your choice of seats, but you can eat a bloomin onion in your seat too!

We got great seats in 2002 or 2003 to see Pedro pitch and we bought the tickets that day.

When we were leaving, we got lost driving from the stadium and ended up at a dead end. The funny thing was that there was a line of 10-15 cars that were following us. I guess they thought we knew where we were going.

Re the big jump: how about Markakis? Sheely? Pelfrey?

There were a couple of good players on that Mariners team, Griffey, jr. and Randy Johnson. There was also talk of a young phenom at SS, name of Alex Rodriguez. Wonder whatever happend to him.

Ditto the comments on Tropicana. That place is a dump.

Hong Chih Kuo
Howie Kendrick
Troy Tulowitzki

i love Kuo's stuff, and at least late last year he seem to be proving that he really can throw it over the plate. something that Oliver Perez havn't quiet done.

Kendrick is what he is, and a major reason why i think the Angels will win the west in a cake walk this year

Tulo is a bigger gamble, but should be pan out he should put the Rockies in serious playoff contention in a full season for the first time . the Rockies have quietly assembled a great team.

Guys that i'm rooting for a breakout/revive

Chin Hui Tsao (injury.. neeed to get stuff together... need chance...)

Chan Ho Park (if he's actually healthy for once.... in the Met's park he should be a steal)

Byum Yun Kim: just love the delivery, and he's only 27, he really should not be written off as just another guy.

I am hoping arod gets totally pissed off at derek and uses his simmering hatred and resentment to have a MONSTER year. He is also due for something huge.

I hope Melky gets 350 at bats and hits .320 and steals 30 bases.

Cano wins the batting title and spoils arods triple crown on the last day of the season.

the first gyroball thrown in Yankee stadium is recovered in row 45 of the black seats and is sold on ebay for $175,000.

2007 breakout candidate = 50-HR Jonny Gomes!

And this may be the most appropriate place for the following:

http://dugout.progressiveboink.com/archive/jon102.html

Cano is my Yankee guy. I made him my story of 2007 at Was Watching, when Steve Lombardi came a callin' and I think he could have a Mattingly-esque upside. PECOTA also doesn't agree with that, but it didn't project him to be what he is now either.

One guy to watch on the Japanese side, since that's my thing, Akinori Iwamura. Tampa signed him under the radar and he has had ZERO publicity there or over here. He's not Matsui or Ichiro, but he will be a very good hitting infielder. His career line in Japan was .300/.366/.519, but the last three years saw him put up:

2004 .300/.383/.583
2005 .319/.388/.555
2006 .311/.389/.544

In Japan he was a good glove third baseman, but the Rays will shift him to 2nd, where he'll do very well. I expect him to put up similar numbers to Tadahito Iguchi, which ain't chopped liver at 2nd, especially at the price they signed him. If he'd put up those numbers at AAA, we'd talk about him here, so I think a guy at 28 with professional experience can be expected to garner a little attention as well.