Tuesday's Frosty Mug

Some things to read while the internet ruins everything.

There's not much else going on, so I guess I'll lead with spring training previews again today:

• Scott Miller of CBS Sports' preview includes notes on Rick Peterson, Jim Edmonds and Chris Capuano.
• If you're headed to Arizona, Brian Anderson has his list of favorite parks, lodging and other attractions to see while you're there.
• You might also find the Journal Sentinel's Spring Training map useful.

Could this be one of the Brewers' final springs in Maryvale? AZ Snakepit has one of the more thorough posts you'll ever see on spring training economics and the financial plight of the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority (ASTA), the state organization charged with providing adequate facilities to all sixteen Cactus League teams. The Brewers' lease at Maryvale ends in 2012, and the post cites Brewers' VP for business operations Rick Schlesinger as saying the Brewers would be willing to extend the lease "as part of a renovation of Maryvale Baseball Park and an understanding of the city's development plans for the Maryvale neighborhood."

Unfortunately, it appears the renovation/new stadium well has run dry in Arizona, although the Cubs seem content to pump every last drop out of it. The ASTA has spent $184 million since inception on six new parks currently used by nine Cactus League teams, but suffered a budget shortfall last year and is projected to come up $234 million short by 2031.

Elsewhere, Ryan Braun's bat should be nice and warm when he arrives at spring training: He competed (and took second place) in a home run derby at the University of Miami's FanFest on Saturday (h/t Brewerfan.net). Current 'Canes catcher Yasmani Grandal won the derby, hitting twelve home runs over two rounds.

As you may know, Prince Fielder hits a home run every now and then as well. Baseball Musings covered Fielder in their Players A to Z series yesterday, and David Pinto said he wouldn't be surprised if Fielder wins an MVP award sometime in the next five years.

On projections and other stuff:

• Joe Posnanski projects the Brewers to win 77 games and finish fourth in the Central.
• Exile to Critic Road asks the question we've all wondered: Which Brewer best parallels the characteristics of every Beatles album?

Around baseball:

Nationals: Signed outfielder Willy Taveras to a minor league deal.
Rangers: Signed Endy Chavez to a minor league deal.
Rays: Signed reliever Joaquin Benoit to a minor league deal.

I'm moving Mark Mulder talk to the "non-Brewers" section, because I think it's become clear he won't be joining the team anytime soon. What he'll do instead, though, is anyone's guess. It was reported Sunday night that Mulder had retired but Gregg Clifton, his agent, denied the claims. Then Eric Chavez, Mulder's former teammate, spoke to Mulder and told MLB.com's Jane Lee that Mulder is "done." Now Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that Mulder is "stepping back for a while." I guess that's not technically retirement, but it's close enough.

Wisconsin Sports Tap continued their preview of the NL Central yesterday with a look at the Astros. The situation isn't very good in Houston at this point, and will probably get worse before it gets better.

Looking to set up shop in Speculationville this spring? MLB Trade Rumors has a list of players who will be out of options when they report to camp this week: Odds are, a fair number of them will be available on the cheap by the end of camp.

I didn't watch the NBA All Star Game over the weekend but the coverage was still inescapable, as over 100,000 people crammed into the new Texas Stadium to watch it from really far away. Perhaps the only good thing about it was this idea Kevin Kaduk of Big League Stew presented in response: Major League Baseball should have an All Star Game at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.

On this day in 1980, Harvey Kuenn had to have his right leg amputated following four surgeries to remove a blood clot. Kuenn would go on to take over as manager of the Brewers midseason in 1982 and guide the team to its only World Series.

Happy birthday today to Johnny Raburn, who spent the 2009 season as a utility infielder with Huntsville and Nashville and turns 31 today.

Oh, and never double-book your sausage.

Drink up.