• What’s an installment of Prospect Buzz without a little Bryce Harper speculation? After speaking with Nationals’ Manager Jim Riggleman on Friday morning, John Heyman tweeted that Bryce Harper could reach the big leagues in 2011 if he were to dominate “at every level.” Although I still doubt that it will actually happen, the fact that Riggleman, and presumably Mike Rizzo, have entertained the idea is exciting.  Jeff Sullivan over at SBNation contemplates the type of numbers Harper must put up at each stop to make his debut in 2011, and believes they might have to be similar to Ken Griffey, Jr.’s during his brief, minor league career. At least we know that he’ll be documenting his entire ascent to stardom…

• Apparently Carlos Santana will take some reps at first base during Spring Training, and undoubtedly increase his fantasy value with each one.  After sustaining a gruesome, season-ending knee injury in 2010, Santana is finally healthy…and the Tribe obviously wants to keep it that way.  With the possibility of playing first base, he becomes an even more intriguing fantasy option behind the plate; he might be able to avoid further knee or leg injuries and will likely play more games than originally anticipated.

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It has been altogether too long since I have written for the Sombrero, and with the news of pitchers and catchers reporting on Monday morning, I knew that this amateur writer needed to report very soon as well.  It has been a terribly long offseason, and with a potential trip to Phoenix for Spring Training only a few weeks away, the thrill of a coming baseball season has gripped me once again.

I certainly hope that I’ll be chronicling another triumphant Pioneer run to the finals of the Midwest Conference tournament, adding to my “Four Ballparks” series, and once again extolling Ubaldo Jimenez’s virtues after ten wins and a 0.78 ERA in the season’s first two months. But for now, I’ll settle for a commentary on some of the offseason’s biggest headlines.  They may be old news, but I will begin by evaluating big offseason moves from the two franchises nearest and dearest to my heart.

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• Our friends over at Splashing Pumpkins were lucky (not in the sense that they were undeserving!) enough to attend Giants Media Day this week, and capture a candid video interview with Madison Bumgarner.  Among the topics discussed in this must-watch interview: the Verducci effect, the Giants’ new Showtime series, and his hitting prowess.

• At the beginning of the week, MiLB.com sat down for an interview with San Francisco Giants’ prospect – a fan favorite here at the Sombrero – Brandon Belt.  After just one year in the Minor Leagues, Belt was recently named the #26 prospect in baseball by MLB.com.  Considering how careful the Giants were with their development of Buster Posey, I really don’t know what to think of GM Brian Sabean’s claim that Belt could break camp with the parent club.

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The Golden Sombrero presents MLB Look-alikes: Raul Ibanez and Tom Morello

#33 Kyle Drabek – Toronto Blue Jays

RHP

DOB: 12-8-87

ETA: 2011

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