As the 2014 major league baseball season draws near let’s take a quick look at some of the biggest names in the sport and what they are up to. Read Part 1.
Robinson Cano was named for baseball legend Jackie Robinson. He has been a baseball guy all of his life and has spent the past nine seasons playing second base for the New York Yankees. In one of the major offseason moves in MLB, Cano signed a deal with the Seattle Mariners for a whopping $240,000,000 claiming that he didn’t get any respect from the Yankees.
The five times MLB All-Star and 2011 Home Run Derby Champion, Robinson Cano is generally considered to be one of the elite players in baseball today.
Derek Jeter has been a cornerstone of the Yankees organization since joining them in 1995. Jeter has had some injury issues in recent years but is still hoping for yet another season in New York. To date he has accumulated 3,316 hits and has 5 rings to show for his efforts. As recently as 2012 he was batting a respectable .316 before he smashed his ankle in postseason play.
For the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter, now approaching 40 years old, ranks as an team icon and he is already headed for Cooperstown, no matter what happens in 2014.
One rookie to keep an eye on is young Carlos Rodon from North Carolina State who is a left-handed pitcher and a consensus first round overall pick in the next MLB Draft which comes up in June. The Houston Astros have the number one draft pick again and they could surely use a talent like Rodon to help the team climb out of the cellar in 2014.
Last but not least is retiring Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. At least we think he is retiring. He has stated his intention to step down several times in the past but, never actually did so. Selig has done a good job as baseball commissioner since taking over in 1992.
Selig introduced the concept of revenue sharing to MLB and is credited for the financial turnaround of baseball during his tenure as commissioner in which revenues rose 400% and new attendance records were set at ball parks around the country. He has seen the league through strikes, as in 1992, and was instrumental in the introduction of wild card games and interleague play. Previously, Selig was the team owner and president of the Milwaukee Brewers.
