The bull known as spring training in Tucson just took a lance to the neck. A couple more banderillas to the beast and we may be witness to the torturous death of spring training in Tucson.

Herb Score and Preacher Roe have died. Roe pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers when they dominated the National League. Score won 36 games in his first two years, but an injury kept him from realizing his full potential as a pitcher.

Jason Donald is on his way. Whether that means the former Arizona Wildcat is rising through or moving out of the Phillies organization remains to be seen. The Phillies have recognized his talent and his value in the infield. But as a middle infielder, he’s blocked by a couple of fairly decent players in Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins.

President-elect Barack Obama has said he would raise income taxes for all families earning more than $250,000 annually. The minimum salary for Major League Baseball in 2008 was $390,000. Agents for professional athletes find themselves in a race against the calendar.

The Phillies are World Series champions and Philadelphia’s fans have become the latest to feel such joy that the urge to cause destruction becomes too strong to deny. Congratulations Phillies. Here’s hoping your hangover doesn’t last too long.

Thank goodness for the National League. If the American League had it’s way, we’d never again get to witness one pitcher’s total humiliation of the other pitcher – not to mention the third baseman and the first baseman…

Count me among those who could not care less about which team wins this year’s World Series. I’ll still tune in every chance I get, but I’m not itching for the games to start. I say I’ll be pulling for the Rays to win the World Series, but anticipate that once the games start I’ll find myself cheering the true underdog – the National League. Why would I even consider wanting the Rays to win? Maybe it’s because I haven’t heard their fans (original or bandwagon variety) whine yet about their teams being losers.

This postseason has a lot of potential – good and bad. There are two potential single-city World Series matchups (if you count Anaheim as Los Angeles). There’s also potential for some real snoozer matchups. Who out there is chomping at the bit for the possible Brewers-Rays tilt? As I make my annual predictions, there still is the potential that my picks will again go down in flames. That said, I forge ahead anyway.

When looking at today’s Chicago-Minnesota matchup to decide the AL Central champion, it appears to me that Chicago is the favorite. The statistics and my perception of the teams’ emotional state seem to support this statement.

Planning a trip to Hawaii this winter? Wondering what to do once you grow weary of the beaches and hula shows? Mudville suggests coming home to baseball. Hawaii Winter Baseball to be precise.