Bob Uecker is one of the most interesting figures in baseball, and will forever remain an icon of the sport. He may not have spent a long time on the field, but he ended up turning lemons into lemonade, becoming one of the most notable voices in baseball history.

Uecker ed away on Thursday, January 16, leaving a gaping hole in the world of baseball. The star broadcaster leaves behind a large net worth, a testament to his unwavering loyalty to the sport.

Bob Uecker’s transition from the field to the booth

Despite the title of “baseball player” showing up when you Google Bob Uecker, he was better known for his decades-long broadcasting career. Uecker, who was born in 1934, briefly served in the military before he started playing for his hometown team, the Milwaukee Braves. He played in the minor leagues with the Braves from 1956, until 1962, when he made his major league debut.

By all s, Uecker was an average player. He was an adequate catcher, and his professional career only lasted six years. However, it didn’t take Uecker too long to realize that for all the extraordinary talent he seemingly lacked on the pitch, he was a star behind a mic. After retiring from professional playing, he switched to a career in broadcasting, where he found immense success. 

Uecker was the primary broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers for 54 seasons, the second-longest tenure of any major league broadcaster. He was best known for his self-deprecating humor and magnetic presence. His popular catchphrase, “Get up! Get up! Get outta here!” wasn’t only popular with the Brewers, but across the league. He would always make jokes about his short-lived professional career and mediocre playing style, earning himself the humorous title of “Mr. Baseball.” Over the decades, Uecker mentored some of the best names in baseball broadcasting, such as Pat Hughes, Joe Block, and Jim Powell.

Beyond the microphone, Uecker was also a well-known television personality. He frequently appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and made his acting debut as the character of George Owens in the sitcom Mr. Belvedere. He also starred in all three films of the Major League trilogy, and showed off his comedic chops in multiple iconic ments and celebrity cameos on TV shows. Some of his most iconic moments include when he hosted Saturday Night Live and Wrestlemania.

What was Bob Uecker’s net worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bob Uecker had a net worth of $10 million. While broadcasting for the Brewers, Uecker had an estimated annual salary of $2 million. Notably, Uecker didn’t have a formal contract with the Brewers for the majority of his time broadcasting with them, and only signed a contract in 2021 so he could be included in the team’s health insurance.

Uecker owned a 3-acre lot in Wisconsin that he purchased for $179,000 in 1989 and is now valued at about $2 million. He constructed a resort-like mansion on the grounds, complete with a pool and amenities.

The combined revenue from his announcing career as well as his entertainment career and a few other sources make up his net worth. He also wrote an autobiography titled Catcher in the Wry. He is survived by his ex-wife Judy, and his children, Sue Ann and Bob Jr.

Anyone who knows baseball should be familiar with the iconic Jackie Robinson. Born on Jan. 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgie, he became the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era, representing the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947 until 1956.

Robinson’s baseball achievements are the stuff of legend. He won the first Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, was selected as an All-Star for six consecutive seasons from 1949 until 1954, and won the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, making him the first Black player to achieve the honor. Robinson also played in six World Series and was part of the Dodgers team that won the 1955 World Series. In 1962, Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sadly, he ed away on Oct. 24, 1972, in Stamford, Connecticut. He was only 53. He died of a heart attack, having also suffered one four years earlier. At the time of his death, he had heart disease and diabetes and was almost blind.

Away from baseball, Robinson had a family. He was married to professor and ed nurse Rachel Robinson (née Isum), and the couple had three children: Jackie Robinson Jr. (born in 1946), Sharon Robinson (born in 1950), and David Robinson (born in 1952). But what happened to them?

What happened to Jackie Robinson’s children?

Two of Robinson’s children, daughter Sharon and youngest son David, live relatively ordinary lives. Sharon became a midwife, teacher, and director of educational programming for Major League Baseball and wrote two books about her father (Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By: Becoming Your Best Self (2002) and Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America (2004)). David has ten children of his own and works as a coffee grower and social activist in Tanzania, East Africa. However, the story of his oldest son, Jackie Robinson Jr., is far more harrowing.

As per All That’s Interesting, Robinson Jr. died in a catastrophic car accident on June 17, 1971, just 16 months before his father’s ing. Robinson Jr. was only 24 years old. He was traveling toward his parents’ home at high speeds, resulting in him losing control of his car and crashing through a fence and into a bridge near Route 123 on the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Jackie Robinson’s eldest child was born just five months before his father made history by being drafted into Major League Baseball. He endured a troubled life. As a youngster, he suffered emotional issues and was forced to enter special education. In an attempt to experience structure, stability, and discipline, he dropped out of Rippowan High School in Stamford, Connecticut, to enlist in the United States Army and served in the War in Vietnam.

On Nov. 19, 1965, he was wounded in action. Shrapnel struck Robinson Jr. while he attempted to save a fellow soldier from exposure to heavy enemy fire. Sadly, the soldier died. The experience sent his life spiraling out of control. Upon his discharge, he became addicted to using drugs — something many soldiers unfortunately did at the time. He sought help and, following two years of successful treatment at the Daytop Village in Seymour, Connecticut, he became a counselor and assistant director at the institution — roles he had until his untimely ing.

His son’s trouble with drugs turned Jackie Robinson Sr. into a keen and determined anti-drug crusader toward the end of his life, encouraging education about the subject to young people.

We hope both Jackie Robinson Jr. and his legendary father are resting in eternal peace.

Pete Rose was an MLB legend. During his 23 year career from 1963 to 1986, most notably playing for the Cincinnati Reds during their 1970s peak, Rose landed more hits than any other baseball player in history and he played in more games and collected more singles than anybody. Unfortunately, Rose’s decision to bet on his own games — something he denied for years, until he finally itted the truth in 2004 — kept him out of the Hall of Fame.

The gambling scandal was a stain that sadly hampered Rose’s legacy right up to his death on Sep. 30, 2024. The former three-time World Series winner ed away at age 83, according to AP News. While the sports world struggles to contend with his complicated legacy, even as the loss of such a major name in baseball history is mourned, fans are curious about what led to Rose’s death.

Here’s what you need to know about the MLB star’s ing and whether an official cause of death has been released.

How did Pete Rose die?

Pete Rose died in Clark County, Nevada on Monday, Sep. 30. Stephanie Wheatley, a spokesperson for the county, told AP News that he was pronounced dead on the last day of September. This must have been quite the surprise for fans who attended an autograph show in Nashville over the weekend, as Rose was one of several MLB veterans who was on hand to meet and greet with his fans.

At the time of writing, a cause of death has yet to be determined. Wheatley told the outlet that there will be more information released to the public once an autopsy is conducted. Bob Castellini, co-owner and managing partner of the Reds, issued a statement on Rose’s ing once it had been made official. In it, he implicitly encouraged MLB fans to Rose’s incredible achievements on the field rather than what he may have done off of it.

[Rose] was one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen… We must never forget what he accomplished.

Did Pete Rose have health problems?

Pete Rose’s cause of death may not yet be determined, the former athlete had been hampered by poor health in recent years. The Enquirer noted that Rose spoke of his poor health at length during his 2018 divorce hearing. He described himself as being “disabled,” and his lawyers claimed that he was struggling to walk on his own accord.

Pete Rose’s lawyers also claimed that he’d undergone three heart procedures over the course of five years, which led to him needing blood thinners. Moreover, those who attended the aforementioned autograph show in Nashville claimed that Rose was confined to a wheelchair throughout the event.

Previously, in April 2024, Pete Rose canceled a scheduled appearance at the annual Bob Huggins fish fry charitable fundraiser. His representatives cited “health reasons” as the cause, though no exact details were provided. Rose is survived by his five children, including fellow former pro baseballer Pete Rose Jr.

Anthony Volpe is the latest in a long line of Yankee superstars. The shortstop made his MLB debut in 2023, and wasted no time showcasing his talent on the field. He won the Gold Glove Award that year, becoming only the fifth rookie to do so in American League history.

Volpe is quickly becoming a Yankee favorite due to his airtight defense. The franchise’s intense fandom has, however, led to some debate about the shortstop’s background. Volpe’s physical appearance and his surname has confused many, and we’re here to set the record straight.

What nationality is Anthony Volpe’s mom?

Anthony Volpe comes from a mixed-race background. His mother, Isabelle is of Filipino descent, while his father, Michael, is of Italian descent. Both of his parents are doctors who practice in New York, according to Pinstripe Nation. Isabelle is an anesthesiologist while Michael is a urologist.

Volpe talked about the impact of his Filipino family during a profile with New York Daily News. He recalled hearing about the struggles that his maternal grandparents went through emigrating to the United States, which he gained even greater appreciation for as he got older:

It just showed the sacrifices the whole family was willing to make… It’s crazy the stuff that the whole family went through to sacrifice.

Anthony Volpe celebrates both sides of his family

Anthony Volpe itted that he struggled with his mother’s native language, but he cites Filipino cuisine as his absolute favorite. “[It’s] amazing, and it doesn’t matter what kind of food it is,” he told the outlet. “They do everything, and they’re really good at it.”

Being Italian on his father’s side, Volpe also told the New York Daily News that he has a predisposition for loving chicken parm:

They’re so good. It’s really that, and then the Italian [food], like chicken parm. Those are the two that are my favorites.

In 2022, Anthony Volpe gave a speech on his Italian-American background at the Italian American Baseball Foundation. He reflected on the legacy of his grandfather, who also played, and voiced iration for Italian culture as a whole. It’s clear he appreciates both his mother and father’s cultures.

Born on Jan. 30, 2000, in Oakland, California, Bryan Woo is a 24-year-old American baseball star playing as a pitcher for Major League Baseball’s Seattle Mariners.

His fledgling career is impressive, and from a young age, it was apparent he would be a star. He attended Alameda High School in Alameda, California, and showed early promise with his “unique fastball” (as per the San Francisco Chronicle). He also played for the Peninsula Oilers in the Alaska Baseball League that summer and the following summer (as per the Peninsula Clarion).

In 2019, he enrolled at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, to play college baseball for the Cal Poly Mustangs. As a freshman, he shone, but his 2020 and 2021 seasons were prematurely ended by the COVID-19 pandemic and ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (as per ESPN) — known as Tommy John surgery — respectively.

In the 2021 Major League Baseball draft, the Seattle Mariners selected Woo in the sixth round with the 174th overall selection (per the Santa Maria Times). Suffice it to say he quickly got to the big leagues. He debuted for the team against the Texas Rangers in 2023 and has been a consistent performer since.

But what ethnicity is Woo?

What ethnicity is Bryan Woo?

As per JapanBall, Woo’s surname is traditionally of Korean or Chinese descent. However, as The SuperSlice points out, he has yet to address his specific ancestry.

His parents — who, like Woo, have lived all their lives in the United States — are Clayton and Hilary Woo (as per MLB.com). His grandparents, John Woo and Nancy Woo, are the first recorded residents of California from his family (as per The SuperSlice again).

Hopefully, it will all become clear one day, but for now, let’s just appreciate what a terrific baseball player Woo is.

Aaron Judge is already a Hall of Fame player, that much is certain. The New York Yankees veteran has proven himself to be every bit the superstar that fans thought him to be when he won the unanimous Rookie of the Year award in 2017.

Judge may not have a World Series ring yet, like so many eye-catching Yankees stars before him, but he’s racked up both the numbers and the hardware to be recognized as a franchise player. As with his predecessor, Derek Jeter, however, there has been some confusion about Judge’s ethnicity.

Read on to learn what Judge’s ethnic makeup is, and how the Yankees slugger identifies when he’s not crushing baseballs as far as the eye can see.

Aaron Judge identifies as biracial

Judge was adopted the day after he was born on April 27, 1992. According to Distractify, the slugger is a biracial man with Caucasian and African American ancestry. The exact make up of his family tree is unclear to both the public and Judge.

The Yankees superstar does not know his biological parents, and is therefore unsure of their respective ethnic backgrounds. He has, however, spoken out against racial injustice towards African Americans. In 2020, Judge posted a photo of himself on Instagram with the caption:

We are BLACK MEN!! We build and lift each other up!! Together we are better, together we are strong! We need to continue to stand TOGETHER to create a better future for generations to come!

Major League Baseball (MLB) also spotlighted Judge during Black History Month in 2022.

Judge s the Black Lives Matter movement

Judge was one of several Yankees players who kneeled during the National Anthem during a 2020 series against the Washington Nationals. Judge also wore a Black Lives Matter jersey during batting practice, and clarified his stance on the movement during a press conference.

“As a team, we made a united decision to kneel right before the anthem,” Judge explained. “There’s a lot of injustice in this world and a lot of bad things going on. We just wanted to show that we’re aware of it and start the conversation and start the change.”

Judge also wore a piece of black cloth on his jersey as a tribute to George Floyd, who was killed as a result of police brutality.

Aaron Judge is one of the biggest players in baseball in both stature and status. The Yankees outfielder stands at a towering 6’7″, and is the single-season record holder for most home runs by a rookie and most home runs by an American League position player.

Despite his tremendous success, Judge has maintained a humble demeanor and an emphasis on family. An emphasis that he credits to both of his parents. Judge’s family history may be confusing to some fans, but the Yankees slugger has made a point of putting his mother and father center stage.

Here’s what you need to know about Judge’s parents.

Aaron Judge was adopted by Patty and Wayne Judge

Patty and Wayne Judge both attended Fresno State University. According to People Magazine, the couple wed in 1975 and adopted Aaron Judge in 1992. They waited until the future slugger was ten, however, before they told him about the adoption. Judge recalled this discovery during a 2015 interview with the New York Post:

I was about 10 or 11 and we really didn’t look alike, so I started asking questions and they told me I was adopted and answered all my questions, and that was that. I was fine with it.

Aaron Judge is biracial, but Patty and Wayne are Caucasian, which is partially why the baseball star noticed the difference in appearance. Another difference, however, was his stature. Neither Patty nor Wayne are over six feet tall, yet Judge’s massive size was evident from the time he was an infant.

“We kind of joked that he looked like the Michelin Tire baby,” Patty Judge told the outlet. “It wasn’t long before the 4 ounces of formula was just the appetizer.”

Aaron Judge credits his mom for his Yankees career

Aaron Judge has detailed how important his parents’ positive upbringing was in his eventual success. He cited the influence of his mother, in particular, when it came time to decide which baseball team to play for.

“I know I wouldn’t be a New York Yankee if it wasn’t for my mom,” he told MLB in 2017. “The guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff.”

Aaron Judge isn’t the only one who has celebrated his parents. Patty and Wayne Judge were named the 2024 George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year for instilling strong principles on and off the field to their son. Patty and Wayne currently reside in Linden, California.

Jeff Celentano’s inspirational baseball drama The Hill hit a home run all the way to the top of Netflix’s United States charts after hitting the platform on Jan. 20, 2024.

Beloved by audiences (but not quite meeting the mark for critics) the movie tells the story of Rickey Hill, a young boy suffering from a degenerative spinal disease who dreams of becoming a baseball player. Moreso than his physical shortcomings, it’s his devout Christian father who stands in his way, not wanting his son to pursue a life as strenuous.

The poorer Reviews of The Hill on Rotten Tomatoes describe Celentano’s film as “preachy,” “hokey,” and suffering from too much “telling” and not enough “showing,” resulting in a slim 44 percent rating. Viewers, however, couldn’t disagree more. The movie is currently sporting a 97 percent audience score with comments highlighting its family friendliness and Christian message.

Does Rickey Hill in the movie The Hill really exist?

Yes. The Hill takes from Rickey Hill’s real life to write its faith-led narrative of perseverance. Jeff Celentano met Hill after his brother overheard him talk to someone on the phone about needing a film director for a script about his life.

Being a huge fan of classic sports movies, the Breaking Point director was taken by the project from the start and dedicated to getting it through the finish line. The Hill took 17 years to make. After repeatedly losing funding, it was finally shot in 2021 in Georgia as a stand-in for Hill’s home state of Texas.

Hill, who is played by Colin Ford in the film, was born with a disability, undergoing multiple surgeries in his legs between ages 1 and 4, and later being diagnosed with degenerative spine disease. He grew up with pain but never stopped doing physical activities for fun. Speaking on the Your Biggest Breakthrough podcast, Hill said he didn’t “have any money so all [he] did was hit rocks, continuously.”

In another interview with Father Edward Looney, Hill also described his Baptist minister father’s influence on his childhood, saying he was “tough,” “strict” and d with the “independent fundamental Baptists.” As seen in the film he wasn’t the most ive of dads when it came to his son’s sporting dreams, but Hill is a devout Christian to this day because of his upbringing.

Realizing he had an eye for hitting those rocks he played with, Hill decided to become a baseball batter. He trained to improve his running and made it as far as the minor leagues until his condition finally became unbearable. Hill played professional baseball for four years in teams like the Lethbridge Expos, the Rio Grande Valley Whitewings, the Texas City Stars, and the Grays Harbor Loggers.

Now that baseball has truly returned post-COVID, Netflix lets fly with several entertaining ballpark-related titles to choose from — a couple might even be as good as taking in one of the summer’s greatest pastimes live. At the very least, a good baseball movie should fill the void whenever a game gets rained out.

Take a swing or two at these flicks, and you won’t feel as though you’ve struck out. (And don’t worry, none of these picks are as long as a real baseball game.)

Moneyball

This baseball movie revolves around a real team, as the Oakland Athletics’ 2003 season forms the center of this sports drama. Following the unorthodox roster decisions made by A’s general manager Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt), you get to see how he put together one of Major League Baseball’s most formidable — and cheapest — ball clubs of the modern era. Jonah Hill and Chris Pratt also star.

Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story

This documentary follows Chinese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang from his time as an up-and-coming star player with the New York Yankees, all the way to his climb back into the big leagues. Unfortunately, Wang was hobbled by several injuries, causing the Yanks to part ways with him in 2008 after four disappointing seasons, but also leaving him to bounce around the majors on what became a remarkable, seven-year journey of redemption.

The Battered Bastards of Baseball

This Netflix documentary tells the story of the Portland Mavericks, an independent minor league ball club founded by Bing Russell, the late actor, and father of iconic Hollywood actor Kurt Russell. Kurt, who was the team’s vice president and designated hitter, and his mother, Lou, lead the movie’s simple, straightforward-yet-whimsical storytelling that would only fit a team like this. All 80 minutes of this piece deliver a real-life story so surreal, it gives the Indians from Major League a run for their money.

Screwball

Sticking with true stories from the baseball diamond, the 2018 documentary Screwball shines a light on the 2013 South Florida steroid scandal that rocked Major League Baseball. Billed as a “true-crime dramedy,” this project cleverly cast child actors — seriously, kids so young they’re nowhere near old enough for a learner’s permit to drive — as the major players in the scandal. This type of “avant-garde” filmmaking was nothing like what director Billy Corben, who was behind Cocaine Cowboys, had done before. But once you get past seeing someone a fraction of A-Rod’s age actually being A-Rod, pure entertainment will ensue.

The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience

Having at least a few more laughs at the expense of baseball’s steroid era, Andy Samberg, the brainchild behind The Lonely Island’s comical contributions to society, tells the story of how juicing was stylish among the Oakland A’s of the late ’80s. With Samberg as Jose Canseco, and Akiva Schaffer as Mark McGuire, these two basically made a 30-minute rap music video, putting a spin on the real “Bash Brothers” as only they gloriously could.

Benchwarmers 2: Breaking Balls

This sports comedy stars Chris Klein (of American Pie fame) as a rookie lawyer who missed the boat to the big leagues and is desperate for another shot to make it to the show. His chance to get back on a diamond is given to him by his law firm boss, played by Jon Lovitz, who can often make an otherwise-mediocre comedy at least a decent one. Otherwise, the movie follows the usual trope; a former athlete seeks redemption by trying to lead a misfit group against the odds to victory.

Unlike scores and stats, movie preferences are subjective, of course, so our roster may not hit it out of the park for every baseball fan. But if you’re in the mood for a trip to the ballyard but can’t swing a full-length game, try batting these around.

Major League Baseball has handed out another 50-game suspension, making it two in the last seven days. The league suspended former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon of the Oakland Athletics for 50 games on Wednesday after the pitcher’s drug test revealed unauthorized testosterone usage. Colon’s suspension will be effective immediately, and will occur without pay. He is set to miss the remaining 40 games of this season and will either miss 10 games in the playoffs, or will have the suspension carry over to next season – if he ends up g another contract, that is. He will also miss out on the remaining $469,945 of his $2 million base salary this year. If he had started on Thursday, he would have made another $250,000 and, due to the suspension, he will now miss out on a chance to make an additional $850,000 in bonuses based on innings pitched. Bartolo Colon spoke on his suspension via a statement released by the Major League Baseball Players Association;

“I apologize to the fans, to my teammates and to the Oakland A’s. I accept responsibility for my actions and I will serve my suspension as required by the t Drug Program.”

The Oakland A’s currently sit a half-game out in the AL Wild-Card race and have not made the playoffs since 2006. They were preparing for an afternoon series finale with the Minnesota Twins when they received the news from clubhouse television sets. Shortly afterwards, a closed-door meeting was called. The Oakland A’s also spoke on the suspension of Bartolo Colon via their website;

“The Oakland Athletics are disappointed to learn of today’s suspension of pitcher Bartolo Colon. The organization fully s Major League Baseball’s t Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing substances from our game. Per the Basic Agreement, the A’s will have no further comment.”

Colon happens to be the fifth player that Major League Baseball has suspended under its big league drug program this season. Unfortunately, his suspension may affect the outcome of the rest of season for the A’s, as he was one of the pitchers that they were relying on for the final stretch. Colon was very thankful for getting a second chance with the A’s, but this may have been his last.

Record 42-40; 5^th in the American League East; 8.0 games back of the Yankees The Toronto Blue Jays have had an up-and-down first half of their 2012 season, which has seen the bats of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion dazzle, while ace Ricky Romero has struggled mightily. Here are our individual mid-term report cards for each of the Jays’ hitters through 83 games. The Hitters

Catcher: J.P. Arencibia Grade: C+

The starting catcher is having a very mediocre season thus far, and is on pace to carbon copy his totals from last year. His batting average is low, as are his production numbers. However, that’s not what you’re really asking for from a catcher. Arencibia has called good games for his pitchers, has shown a vastly improved blocking ability and has also thrown out an impressive amount of potential base thieves.

Backup Catcher:  Jeff Mathis Grade: B-

Mathis has done a nice job in the backup catching role. The Jays picked him up this off-season with the hope that he would do exactly what he’s done – coach their young pitchers.

First Baseman: Adam Lind Grade: C-

It’s been a tough season for Lind, who looks like he might have his timing down since returning from Las Vegas. The Jays expected more from the former Silver Slugger and he has not come close to meeting those expectations this year. However, now that he’s back in the Majors he appears to be back to his old form, though it’s really too early to tell. If not for Adam’s recent resurgence, his grade would be a D.

Second Base: Kelly Johnson Grade: C

Johnson has struggled offensively this year, while his defence has certainly been under par. After getting off to a hot start in the slugging department, his numbers have tailed off, creating a rather forgettable season. His batting average and production are very low for a starting player, meaning that he should be on the trading block.

Shortstop: Yunel Escobar Grade: C+

The Jays’ starting shortstop has underachieved quite a bit, and hasn’t been hitting for average or driving in runs. The former was expected out of Escobar, the team’s opening day lead-off man, but he’s struggled to get on base for a non-power hitting infielder. On the defensive side of things, he’s had an average season.

Utility Infielder : Omar Vizquel Grade: C

The old man has done a fine job playing infield backup. His still great glove comes in handy during late-game subs. He can start or play off the bench, and is also a great mentor for the youngsters.

Third Baseman: Brett Lawrie Grade: B+

A lot was expected from the slugging sophomore and he’s delivered. While his power numbers are lower than what last year’s stats would have suggested, the Jays’ new lead-off man has dazzled in the one-spot, collecting hits and driving in runs. Lawrie’s energy is contagious and his presence propels his team to the next level. Defensively, he’s been close to flawless this year, and has made some spectacular plays because he never gives up on the ball when it’s in play.

Utility Infielder: Yan Gomes Grade: B-

The rookie has played nearly every infield position thus far and has been solid while doing so. He’s shown a good glove on defence and has also shown slashes of power at the plate. Despite hitting for a low batting average, he’s been a very good situational hitter.

Left Fielder: Rajai Davis Grade: B

Davis has done what was asked of him, though no more and no less. He uses his speed in the outfield to track down balls, though, can be very shaky defensively. He’s stolen a few bases here, beat out a couple of infield singles there and has bunted a few guys over here.

Centre Fielder: Colby Rasmus Grade: A-

Rasmus has been one of the Blue Jays’ top hitters and run producers this year. After a cool start, the starting centre fielder has caught fire at the plate, hitting for a solid batting average along with a lot of pop. Defensively, he’s been a gazelle, covering tons of range and sacrificing his body. One of the feel-good-stories for the Jays.

Utility Outfielder: Eric Thames Grade: C-

An opening day starter, Thames has not been as good as expected. He was demoted to the minors because of his poor hitting.

Right Fielder: Jose Bautista Grade: A

What more can be said that hasn’t already been mentioned over the last two seasons? Bautista was deadly in June and leads the majors in homeruns at the midway mark. This season is another one where he’s continually damaged baseballs to left while employing his pull tendencies. He’s amongst the elite in most A.L. stats, minus his so-so batting average. A three-time All-Star, Bautista is headed to the 83rd Midseason Classic in a starting role.

Utility Outfielder: Ben Francisco Grade: C-

Francisco has been decent for the Jays. His batting average and production numbers are very low and almost non-existent, but he has contributed. His sub-par glove has added depth to the outfield.

DH: Edwin Encarnacion Grade: A+

Encarncaion has had a career year, and a no-doubter at that. Not only has he hit for a very high average, but the full-time designated hitter has emerged as a top power-hitter and run producer. He’s smashed previous career highs and has emerged as one of the best all-around players in baseball. A top five slugger in the American League, he should be a sound MVP candidate come late September. What do you think of our grades? Were we right or wrong? Sound off in the comments below.

Although the cold, white snow may make you think otherwise, baseball season isn’t that far off on the horizon. Teams will soon be heading to warm climates for spring training, with dreams of a World Series championship in each individual player’s head. Those lucky enough to be playing in the Bigs have a chance to bring their team to the sport’s ultimate glory, although those on the cusp of making it should not be overlooked either. After all, having a deep farm system is of the utmost importance – something my Toronto Blue Jays have been doing a good job of creating in recent years. In order to get the sights, sounds and smells of the ballpark into our minds once again, 2K Sports has released a short teaser trailer for MLB 2K12. It chronicles a young prospect’s ascension from the farm to the Chicago White Sox‘ roster. That elation quickly becomes reality as this year’s cover athlete, Justin Verlander, strikes out the young rookie during his first at bat. Welcome to The Show, rook.