After months of speculation Johnny Damon was introduced as a Detroit Tiger this week giving Detroit a viable option at the top of their order. It’s no secret that Damon is no spring chicken at age 36, but the guy can still get it done. He brings 14 years of experience to the locker room and the ability to get on base, run the base paths intelligently, and knock in 75-80 runs a year. Damon’s arm isn’t what it used to be in the outfield, but he can still play out there or just be the Tigers’ DH. Should the Tigers make it to the playoffs in 2010, they’ll have a guy who has a wealth of experience playing in the postseason with both the Red Sox and Yankees. The Tigers are hoping to build off of their 2009 season where they choked on the final days to lose the AL Central to the Minnesota Twins.

The city of Philadelphia was disappointed last year as their Phillies lost in six games to the New York Yankees in the 2009 World Series. After winning the World Series in 2008, Philadelphia has become a baseball-crazed town, but time will tell if the team can keep up such a high level of success. The Phillies off season saw Cliff Lee leave and Roy Halladay join the a already impressive roster. Halladay’s career winning percentage of .661 is staggering considering he spent his entire career in Toronto. If the 2008 version of Cole Hamels shows up this season the National League will have its hand full with the Phillies pitching staff. At the plate the Phillies are set for years with perennial All Stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in the lineup. Raul Ibanez had a breakout year last season knocking out 34 home runs and making his first trip to the All Star Game. If the Mets power packed lineup stays healthy than the Phillies might be in for a fight in NL East, but otherwise expect to another division crown to be put up on the mantle in Philly.

Hall of Fame shortstop Luis Aparacio is lending his retired #11 number to the Chicago White Sox’s new signing Omar Vizquel. The 42-year-old Vizquel and the 75-year-old Aparacio are two of the most decorated professional baseball players to ever come out of Venezuela. Aparacio played ten years out of his three decade long playing career in Chicago winning a Golden Glove awards and leading the league in stolen bases for years. Vizquel, now in the twilight of his career, has model himself after Aparacio breaking the baseball great’s record for most games played at shortstop in 2008. Vizquel asked Aparacio if he could wear the #11 for Chicago to honor him and the legend agreed. Vizquel has played for the Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, and most recently with the Texas Rangers. In 2009, Vizquel was used in mostly a backup infielder role playing in 62 games and did not commit a single fielding error all season. Seeing Vizquel play in Chicago wearing #11 will be great to see this season as two legends of past and present pay homage to each other.

ESPN ranked the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun as the Preseason #3 best MLB fantasy player behind only Albert Pujols and Hanley Ramirez this past week as the left fielder goes into the 2010 season. The Brewers didn’t make the playoffs in 2009, but Braun had a great year personally batting .320 with 32 HR’s and 114 RBI’s. Braun has had three of the best seasons any player has had in the MLB since he hit 37 HR’s as a rookie in 2007 winning the NL’s Rookie of the Year Award. He represented the USA at the World Baseball Classic starting in left field and won the Silver Slugger Award in 2009 for the second year in a row. The 26-year-old has accomplished incredible things in just three seasons, but only made $1,032,500 last season with his pay increasing year-by-year according to the 8 year contract extension he signed with the Brewers in ‘08 worth up to $51 million. The Brewers are likely to lose Prince Fielder eventually, but Braun contract will ensure they have one of baseball’s best hitters in their lineup for years to come. The real question is whether the Brew Crew can surround Braun with enough talent to make it to the playoffs while playing in a division with bigger market teams like the Cubs and the Cardinals.