Baseball’s two best catchers have received different tagging orders.

Buster Posey is supposed to take the easy way out. Joe Mauer is expected to defend home plate with his life.

The Twins have instructed Joe Mauer to block the plate. (AP Photo)

Advantage Posey, and his surgically repaired left ankle.

A lot of people don’t see it that way. But if you’re tired of seeing catchers turned into piñatas, you know it’s past time baseball collided with reality.

It’s simply bad business to lose a player like Posey for an entire season when you don’t have to. To which traditionalists clutch their chests and proclaim: Catchers have to defend home plate!

Yes, they do, but not the way defending it has evolved. According to the rules, fielders aren’t allowed to obstruct the basepath until they have the ball.

Catchers plant themselves like human walls, determined to repel incoming runners come hell, high water or an extended stay on the disabled list.

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Posey wasn’t even blocking the entire plate when the Florida Marlins’ Scott Cousins leveled him last May 25. Posey, the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year, suffered a broken leg and three torn ankle ligaments. The San Francisco Giants’ hopes of defending their World Series crown were carted away with him.

Manager Bruce Bochy has since politicked to change the rules. He’d like to see a neutral zone established, where a catcher could try to tag a runner without being demolished.

His campaign generated some support, but MLB has shown little interest. So the Giants have told Posey to stop blocking the plate. Just play matador and swipe-tag at runners.To old-schoolers, it seems so very San Francisco.

But peace, love and baseball pacifism don’t play in the heartland. The Minnesota Twins have told Mauer, who spent so much time on the DL last year he should play in bubble wrap, to keep playing the old-fashioned way.

“I think if you’re going to be a catcher, you have to be prepared to have a collision,” Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. “That’s part of the business.”

So were spitballs and 154 straight day games. Injuries are part of every sport, but responsible sports do all they can to minimize them.

That’s why players supposedly can’t block basepaths and catchers wear protective gear. The gear is designed to protect them from errant baseballs, which weigh 5¼ ounces. It doesn’t offer much help against a 220-pound human missile.

Just ask Posey. He couldn’t walk for three months, much less bounce his newborn twins on his knee.

Within days of Posey’s injury, the Houston Astros’ Humberto Quintero and Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ryan Doumit had similar collisions. They were lucky enough to just sprain ankles and go on the 15-day disabled list.

Francisco Cervelli on the New York Yankees sustained a concussion blocking home plate in September. The same Francisco Cervelli who broke a wrist blocking home plate in a spring training game in 2008.

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— Previews: NL West | AL Central

Carlos Santana’s promising rookie season with the Cleveland Indians was wiped out by a knee injury in 2010. The drip-drip-drip of carnage only occasionally gets real notice.

Following the famed Pete Rose demolition of Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star Game, Fosse was never the same. But he had the comfort of knowing he tried his best to prevent the National League from winning an inconsequential game.

At least Buck Martinez was playing a real game when he broke his leg blocking the plate in 1985. He played only 81 games the following season before his major league career ended.

And Rick Dempsey is probably still having flashbacks of his 1987 rendezvous with Bo Jackson, who knew a thing or two about delivering a hit.

“I started to think how lucky I was that I only broke my thumb,” Dempsey said afterward. “Had I gotten the ball in time and done what I normally do—get down on both knees and block the plate from the runner—as fast as (Jackson) was running and as big as he was, he probably would’ve either separated or broke my shoulder, or even possibly broke my neck.”

Something like that is probably what it will take for baseball to act. If only the players union was as determined to protect catchers from injury as it was about protecting its members from drug testing.

One reason it isn’t is because so many members agree with Ryan. Collisions are just part of the business. They are, and that isn’t going to change with any new rule. If the winning run is barreling home, even Posey will be tempted to sacrifice his body.

But there are ways to increase the odds that players will walk away from the showdown. Until baseball tries them, teams will have to decide the issue for themselves.

To collide or not to collide?

As much as Twins fans may love tradition, they probably wish Mauer got the same orders Posey just received.

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—The logical, understandable and, for most, normal reaction would have been to be upset, maybe even furious.

That isn’t how Gerardo Parra reacted, however.

Gerardo Parra hit .292 in 2011. (AP Photo)

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Gold Glove-winning left fielder arrived at camp Wednesday morning and praised new teammate Jason Kubel, who plays the same position and will collect $15 million over the next two years. Because general manager Kevin Towers signed Kubel as a free agent, he appears destined to be the team’s opening day left fielder. That would leave Parra without a home on the diamond just one season after hitting .292 and being rewarded for his defense in his third major league season.

“I feel good because Kubel is a good player and I know he’s a good guy,” Parra said. “I’m happy because the team looks strong and the point is to go to the World Series.”

So, he wasn’t mad, but was he surprised?

“No. That’s baseball. You have to stay ready for everything,” Parra said. “You don’t know when you’ll be surprised. One day you’re here, the next day you’re on another team. I’m ready and I’m happy. I’m happy with this team.”

Parra, 24, played about a month in his native Venezuela over the winter and said he manned all three outfield positions as well as getting some work in the infield. That is smart because it appears Arizona plans to use him occasionally in left and maybe center field if it determines Chris Young needs a platoon mate (Young hit .222 against righthanders last season).

“I’d like to see (Parra) work on center field and be able to play all the positions,” manager Kirk Gibson said. “He’s very good on each corner. He isn’t as good as we think he can be in center field.”

Last year was Parra’s third full season in the majors, and he established career highs in batting average, on-base percentage (.357), slugging percentage (.427), OPS (.784) and games (141).

Kubel, 29, hit .273/.332/.434 with a .766 OPS in 99 games with the Minnesota Twins in 2011 and is nowhere near the defensive player Parra has proven to be.

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TAMPA, Fla.—Freddy Garcia didn’t want this offseason to be a repeat of his previous one, when he had to wait until February to find a minor league deal and needed a strong spring training to make the Yankees’ rotation.

After going 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 2011, no waiting was needed. And he didn’t have to take a minor league deal. Garcia re-upped with the Yankees during the winter meetings for $4 million, a nice increase over his $1.5 million salary in 2011.

Freddy Garcia won 12 games for the Yankees in 2011. (AP Photo)

“I did not want to go through that again. I signed early and enjoyed the offseason,” Garcia said Wednesday morning before Yankees pitchers and catchers worked out at Steinbrenner Field.

But about a month after he signed, Garcia’s situation changed. The Yankees acquired two starters (Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda) and Garcia’s spot in the rotation suddenly wasn’t secure. Even after the trade of A.J. Burnett, Garcia has to beat out Phil Hughes for the No. 5 job.

“If I pitch well (in spring), I will pitch,” Garcia said.

The competition for the final spot in the rotation is about all the Yankees have to figure out in spring training. Their lineup is set, their bench is complete and the first four spots in the rotation are occupied by CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Pineda and Kuroda.

Garcia knows his fight for No. 5 will make him the center of a lot of attention in the coming weeks. “I don’t worry about that,” he said. “Spring training is the time to prepare for the season, no matter what is going on.”

After all, he has his guaranteed contract. “Look at all the players who haven’t signed or signed minor league deals,” he said. “I’ve never seen so many minor league deals.”

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New Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said recently that left fielder Carl Crawford might miss the first few weeks of the regular season as he recovers from offseason wrist surgery.

But Crawford apparently has other ideas.

Carl Crawford struggled in his first year in Boston. (AP Photo)

According to The Boston Globe, Crawford already is hitting off a tee and has had no problems.

“I might surprise some people, you never know,” Crawford told the newspaper. “I have to make sure I don’t have any setbacks, but everything feels good right now.”

Crawford is eager to get off to a strong start after struggling in 2011, the first year of a seven-year, $142 million contract. He hit just .155 last April and never recovered, batting .255 with 11 homers, 56 RBIs and a .289 on-base percentage in 130 games.

The Boston Globe notes Crawford has been cleared for running and defensive drills, but he will be brought along slowly in the batter’s box.

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The Cincinnati Reds went into the offseason with a plan to stretch out lefthander Aroldis Chapman so he would be ready to compete for a rotation spot this spring.

However, The Cincinnati Enquirer notes Chapman experienced shoulder tightness in the Arizona Fall League and was unable to pitch in winter ball. That could affect his role for 2012.

Aroldis Chapman throws during a spring training workout in Goodyear, Ariz., Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

“We’re going to stretch him out to see if there’s time,” manager Dusty Baker told the newspaper. “If there’s not time and there’s not quality, you can always back off a guy (return him to bullpen).”

Chapman, who signed a six-year, $30.25 million contract as a starter after defecting from Cuba, was converted to a reliever when called up late in the 2010 season. He spent the entire 2011 season as a reliever, posting a 3.60 ERA and striking out 71 batters in 54 appearances (50 innings). During his time in the majors, he has made headlines for his triple-digit fastball, which has been clocked as high as 105 mph.

But given the circumstances, The Cincinnati Enquirer speculates Chapman could begin the season at Class AAA as a starter.

“I don’t know,” Baker told the newspaper. “We’ve got to see when we get there. It depends on our needs. I’m not opposed to going with three lefties in the bullpen. Not at all.”

The Reds have six starters (Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Bronson Arroyo, Homer Bailey, Mike Leake and Chapman) competing for five rotation spots, and they have two lefthanders (Sean Marshall, Bill Bray) in the bullpen.

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Down 13 points at halftime, No. 1 Kentucky rallies past Mississippi State Boston Herald By Jerry Tipton / McClatchy Newspapers STARKVILLE, Miss. — The largest halftime deficit in more than a year under "white-out" conditions wasn't enough to prevent No. 1 Kentucky from seeing its way to victory Tuesday night. No. 1 Kentucky Survives Upset Bid From Miss St.SLAM Online No. 1 Kentucky rallies against Mississippi StateUSA TODAY No. 1 Kentucky tops Mississippi St, 73-64Boston.com SB Nation -ESPN all 531 news articles »

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TEMPE, Ariz. – How is Mark Trumbo being rewarded for finishing second in American League Rookie of the Year balloting last seaon?

He’s being given an opportunity to earn a spot on the team, but nothing close to a guarantee.

Mark Trumbo hit 29 homers as a rookie in 2011. (AP Photo)

The Los Angeles Angels first baseman did a decent job replacing injured Kendrys Morales last season. Trumbo’s .254 average and .291 on-base percentage weren’t the stuff Hall of Famers are made of, but his 29 home runs and 87 RBIs suited the club just fine, especially coming from a guy who had 16 major league plate appearances before 2011.

But Trumbo was shut down late in the season with a stress fracture in his right foot, and the rehabilitation process has been arduous and long. But that isn’t the reason Trumbo will be fighting for a job since manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday he expects the 26-year old to be ready to go by the time spring training games start next month.

The reason Trumbo will have to fight for his job is because of the other first baseman, Albert Pujols, and the rest of the bunch Pujols leaves homeless on the diamond. Bobby Abreu and Morales are also affected by Pujols’ arrival, and now Abreu, Morales and Trumbo will have to fight for their at-bats.

And versatility on the field might be a key factor.

“I talked to Scioscia and (general manager) Jerry (Dipoto) and there’s going to be a chance for me to prove myself,” Trumbo said Tuesday. “We know Albert will be the everyday first baseman, but I’ll get time at third base and left field. Third base will be an adjustment for me, but I know I’ll have a chance.”

Trumbo has appeared in 148 games at first base in his big league career, nine in right field, one in left and one as a DH. He never has played third, but Scioscia said that as soon as Trumbo is cleared as 100 percent healthy—he will see a doctor on Feb. 28 and everyone expects him to be cleared—he’ll go full bore in left and third.

“One thing we’ll explore is versatility,” Scioscia said. “The more you can do the better it is.”

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Seton Hall Tops Georgetown, Polishing NCAA Résumé New York Times Jordan Theodore scored a career-high 29 points Tuesday night to lead Seton Hall to the signature win it needed for its NCAA tournament credentials, a 73-55 victory over No. 9 Georgetown in Newark. The Pirates (19-9, 8-8 Big East) put on an impressive … Georgetown vs. Seton Hall: Hoyas trampled by hot-shooting Pirates, 73-55Washington Post Seton Hall upsets No. 9 Georgetown 73-55San Francisco Chronicle all 236 news articles »

Sports – Google News

TEMPE, Ariz. – How is Mark Trumbo being rewarded for finishing second in American League Rookie of the Year balloting last seaon?

He’s being given an opportunity to earn a spot on the team, but nothing close to a guarantee.

Mark Trumbo hit 29 homers as a rookie in 2011. (AP Photo)

The Los Angeles Angels first baseman did a decent job replacing injured Kendrys Morales last season. Trumbo’s .254 average and .291 on-base percentage weren’t the stuff Hall of Famers are made of, but his 29 home runs and 87 RBIs suited the club just fine, especially coming from a guy who had 16 major league plate appearances before 2011.

But Trumbo was shut down late in the season with a stress fracture in his right foot, and the rehabilitation process has been arduous and long. But that isn’t the reason Trumbo will be fighting for a job since manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday he expects the 26-year old to be ready to go by the time spring training games start next month.

The reason Trumbo will have to fight for his job is because of the other first baseman, Albert Pujols, and the rest of the bunch Pujols leaves homeless on the diamond. Bobby Abreu and Morales are also affected by Pujols’ arrival, and now Abreu, Morales and Trumbo will have to fight for their at-bats.

And versatility on the field might be a key factor.

“I talked to Scioscia and (general manager) Jerry (Dipoto) and there’s going to be a chance for me to prove myself,” Trumbo said Tuesday. “We know Albert will be the everyday first baseman, but I’ll get time at third base and left field. Third base will be an adjustment for me, but I know I’ll have a chance.”

Trumbo has appeared in 148 games at first base in his big league career, nine in right field, one in left and one as a DH. He never has played third, but Scioscia said that as soon as Trumbo is cleared as 100 percent healthy—he will see a doctor on Feb. 28 and everyone expects him to be cleared—he’ll go full bore in left and third.

“One thing we’ll explore is versatility,” Scioscia said. “The more you can do the better it is.”

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TEMPE, Ariz.—Jordan Walden grew up in Mansfield, Texas, a town of fewer than 60,000 people just outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Needless to say, the overwhelming majority of his baseball-loving acquaintances root for the Texas Rangers. They definitely don’t cheer much for the Los Angeles Angels despite Walden’s being their All-Star closer.

Albert Pujols enters the American League as a lifetime .328 hitter with 445 homers. (AP Photo)

That meant none of Walden’s friends were too happy to wake him from a December slumber to inform him that the Angels, the Rangers’ chief rivals in the American League West, had just signed two of the biggest free agents on the market—Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson.

“I woke up to a bunch of phone calls and messages,” Walden said Tuesday morning before he took the field for the second official workout for the team’s pitchers and catchers. “My friends are diehard Ranger fans, so I don’t think they were too happy about it.”

— Angels ace Weaver welcomes Wilson

— Offseason grades: Angels, Marlins at head of the class

— Fantasy: Angels preview

Those moves have made the Angels the talk of the baseball world, and not just in Southern California. National media descended on Tempe for Monday’s news conference in which Pujols talked the talk before attempting to walk the walk for the only other organization he’s known besides the St. Louis Cardinals.

The national media were here again Tuesday, but the real scrum might not come until next Monday, when the team holds its first full-squad workout.

“That’s when the big bang is going to come,” said newly signed veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins, who knows something about media attention since he pitched for the New York Yankees in 2008. “You can sort of feel that something is there, something is happening, but once everyone is here, that’s when it’ll get crazy.”

The Angels had better get used to it. After living just about its entire existence in the shadow of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the franchise nestled alongside Disneyland and those rich housewives in Orange County finally has taken over the spotlight for the foreseeable future.

The timing is perfect for a couple of reasons. In order to take over an area, especially one as big and plentiful and with as many diversions as Southern California, you have to strike while there is an opening. The Los Angeles Lakers are far from being the best team in the NBA and, most important, the Dodgers over the last two years have been something of an embarrassment—on and off the field—by their standards.

And with no football team other than USC, the Angels were able to drop in and snag everyone’s attention in December by announcing deals for Pujols and Wilson on the same morning, deals that total $317.5 million. Those moves have allowed the Angels occupy center stage all winter, only briefly being upstaged by the Los Angeles Clippers trading for Chris Paul.

Now Fox Sports plans to televise every “home” spring training game this year. The team’s flagship radio station, KLAA, is doing all it can to remind fans in Los Angeles and Orange counties that it carries every regular season game. And the team, along with those two media outlets, has thrown up billboards featuring a swinging Pujols with the words “EL HOMBRE” next to him despite Pujols’ having said in the past that he doesn’t want the same nickname as Cardinal great Stan Musial, no matter the language.

But this is a new day for Pujols, so for $240 million over the next 10 years and another 10-year deal to be involved with the franchise beyond that, Pujols won’t mind the moniker being posted above gridlocked freeways.

It’s also a new time for the Angels, one like it’s never experienced. Even when the team won the World Series in 2002, the attention paid to the team was nowhere close to what it is now. They’ll be the hottest ticket in the Cactus League come March and the most in-demand summer show in the Southland barring a surprise championship run by the Clippers or Lakers.

FROM SI.COM

— American League West preview

— Verducci: Doe these aging stars have anything left?

— Fan’s guide to spring training

The Angels have missed the playoffs the last two seasons after playing into October in six of the previous eight, but it is easy to expect them to be back in the postseason this year because of their new acquisitions and the pieces they already had in place.

“We (had been) disappointed in our offseasons because things haven’t worked out for us, whether it was Carl Crawford or (Adrian) Beltre or Mark Teixeira,” said Jered Weaver, a Cy Young Award candidate. “Now we got the top two free agents in each category. We definitely look good on paper.

“But Boston looked good on paper, and things didn’t work out for them. The Yankees always look good on paper, and things didn’t work out for them. We still have to go out and prove we’re that good.”

And do it with all eyes on them.

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