Baseball Bloggers Alliance Connie Mack Award:

American League:

1. Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays
2. Jim Leyland, Detroit Tigers
3. Joe Girardi, New York Yankees

National League:

1. Kirk Gibson, Arizona Diamondbacks
2. Ron Roenicke, Milwaukee Brewers
3. Tony LaRussa, St. Louis Cardinals

• Jesus Montero has been training with Joe Girardi and Tony Pena at the Yankees’ Spring Training complex since the end of January, and has apparently shed a few pounds in the process.  Although 28-year-old Russell Martin will likely serve as the Yankees’ primary catcher, Montero will have a shot to win the back up role during Spring Training.  Sliding Into Home dissects some comments made this week by the confident 21-year-old, who is preparing to make a strong impression in the coming weeks.

• It should come as no surprise that the Los Angeles Angels are planning to take their sweet-ass time grooming their prized-prospect, Mike Trout.  This week, Angels GM Tony Reagins announced that the 19-year-old outfielder will begin the season in Double-A, and that it’s “unlikely” we will see him in the Major Leagues until 2012.  This offseason, Trout was crowned baseball’s top prospect headed into the 2011 season, ahead of the immaculate Bryce Harper.

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Over the course of past two seasons, I have come to believe that people’s familiarity with New York Yankees catching prospect, Jesus Montero, is more a result of Jorge Posada’s legacy than it is Montero’s young, professional career.  However, with the news that the 39-year old Posada will serve as the teams designated hitter in 2011, it appears that Montero will get the nod and finally have an opportunity to distance himself from his predecessor.

The switch-hitting Montero, who turns 21 on November 28, put together a solid season for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barr, hitting .289/.353/.517 with 34 doubles, three triples, 21 home runs, and 75 RBI.  Here are several videos of Montero taking batting practice from 2009 and 2010:

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