Don't forget Wade Miller among starting pitchers making the move from the NL to the AL. He's going from the Astros to the Red Sox.
-- Brant Guillory, Columbus, Ohio

I probably should have thrown Miller in as an aside, but he didn't make 20 starts last year because of his shoulder injury. That's why I didn't include him on the list. But I'm glad you mentioned it. The poor showing by David Wells so far (including Spring Training) may mean that a healthy Miller will become even more important for Boston.

How about those first place Blue Jays? A great spring followed by a hot start! I was worried when Sports Illustrated put them on the cover, but SI made up for it by predicting a bad season. Given your Spring Training experience, the magazine should have taken a closer look at this young and hungry team. Boston and New York look old and tired compared to the Blue Jays.
-- Paul Martin, Brampton, Ontario

Hey, I was worried about the cover jinx myself: writer's block, writer's cramp, Devil Rays assignment ... Yes, Toronto had a nice first week. Let's give it some time. I will say this: I like the enthusiasm with which they are playing. How about Reed Johnson hustling down the line on an infield grounder and turning it into a winning run? That's how the Jays need to play each day.

Can someone please explain to me why the Texas Rangers continue to bat Alfonso Soriano leadoff? This makes no sense. He'll be lucky to have an OBP of .300. His speed was the only attribute that fits the lead-off mold, yet he won't run because of his hamstring.
-- Paul Macaluso, Longview, Texas

I wish I could give you a reason I believe in the move, but I'm not sold on it, either. The explanation I got from them in Spring Training was that his OBP is less of an issue when he's hitting 50 doubles and 30 homers. In other words, he's getting into scoring position as much as a singles-hitting guy with a .360 OBP. (Their thinking, not mine.) I guess Michael Young is their best leadoff guy, but he's a very good situational hitter and they like him hitting with runners on. I still expect Soriano to be traded for pitching help by the end of the season.

What is it about the Dodgers or Paul DePodesta that makes much of the media rush to rip them? Is it really hard to believe that Jeff Kent's solid defense and excellent bat are a big upgrade at second base over Alex Cora? That J.D. Drew, Derek Lowe, Jason Phillips, and Jose Valentin are a solid replacement over Adrian Beltre, Jose Lima, Steve Finley, and Kaz Ishii? Or, my biggest pet peeve, that winning breeds chemistry and not the other way around?
-- Alex, Medford, Ore.

Critics have been overly harsh on DePodesta, considering they did win the division last year and we're only two weeks into this season. I still think the jury is out on him. I'm not going to give Kent credit for solid defense and I don't get the Valentin deal at third base. And this is a very quirky mix of personalities. That said, I do think winning comes before chemistry, which is why I need to see this team play for two or three months. I can't tell how many scouts and other baseball people I talked to in Spring Training who had no solid feel on what this team is about. I feel the same way, so I'm not going to bash DePodesta this quickly.

I went to Shea on Opening Day and it was horrible. There was no parking, there are five gates and only two were open in each section, no vendors in the stands, the delay because of the batters' eye and the bathrooms were gross. Who besides the Mets have the worst organization in the league and who has the oldest stadium? Shea is just awful.
-- Jeffrey Scheck, New York

Jeffrey, I would write a personal letter addressed to Fred and Jeff Wilpon. The days of throwing open the gates and just expecting fans to pour in are long over. Ballparks now are no different from concert venues, theaters or theme parks. There must be an intrinsic entertainment value to the experience, not just the competition on the field. I wasn't at Shea for the opener, so I can't give you my take on how things went there. But I can tell you that judging from past experience, for overall ballpark experience -- beginnning with basic cleanliness, which is the least an organization can do -- Shea Stadium ranks dead last in the big leagues.