One of my off-season responsibilities for the PawSox is to work on a few items that go in the media guide each year including something called the "Alumni Report."  It's a list of every former Pawtucket player who appeared in a major league game last season along with his stats.

77 former PawSox players appeared in big league games last year, including 44 position players and 43 pitchers.  Dustin Pedroia played in the most games (154) while David Riske and Billy Traber each appeared in one.

So how well do you know your former PawSox?  Here are 10 fairly difficult questions that I put together after doing my research (the answers appear at the end).

1.  What former Pawtucket player tied for the American League lead in HR last season?

2.  Name the two former PawSox who earned World Series rings in 2009.

3.  What former Pawtucket pitcher was a 16-game winner last year? (the most wins of any former PawSox hurler in 2009)

4.  What former PawSox pitcher appeared in the most big league games last season?

5.  Name the six former PawSox who were chosen for the All-Star Game in 2009.

6.  What former Pawtucket player led the American League in being hit by pitches?

7.  Three of the four oldest players to appear in American League games last season were former PawSox.  Name them.

8.  Who was the only former Pawtucket player to play for three different major league teams in 2009?

9.  What former PawSox player is the active MLB leader in career pinch-hit HR with 19?

10.  What team other than Boston, had the most former PawSox on its roster during the course of the 2009 season?

ANSWERS:

1.  Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena with 39 HR to tie New York's Mark Teixeira.  It's pretty amazing that no one hit 40 HR in the American League last year isn't it?

2.  Kevin Cash and Freddy Guzman who both played for the Yankees during the regular season.

3.  This was a big surprise - Jorge De la Rosa of Colorado who went 16-9, meaning he had one more win than Bronson Arroyo, Jon Lester, Derek Lowe, and Joel Pineiro.

4.  Atlanta's Mike Gonzalez who pitched in 80 games

5.  Jonathan Papelbon, Tim Wakefield, Carlos Pena, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Freddy Sanchez.

6.  Cleveland's Kelly Shoppach who got plunked 18 times.

7.  Tim Wakefield (42), John Smoltz (42), and Brian Shouse (40).

8.  Infielder Josh Wilson who played for Arizona, San Diego, and Seattle.

9.  Matt Stairs who belted 5 pinch-hit HR for the Phillies last season.

10.  The St. Louis Cardinals had six former PawSox appear in games last season:  Trever Miller, Joel Pineiro, Chris Duncan, Julio Lugo, Joe Thurston, and John Smoltz.  The Brewers ranked second with five former PawSox. 

How did you do?  Let me know in the comments section.

Today is February 5^th.  The birth date of Hank Aaron . . . Roberto Alomar . . . and Devern Hansack.

(photos courtesy of Kelly O'Connor)

I don't know the first two baseball greats, but I would certainly like to wish a Happy 32^nd Birthday to the right-handed pitcher who answers to two nicknames - "Señor Slider" and "The Snake."

In case you missed it, Hansack re-signed with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent a couple of weeks ago and is a strong candidate to pitch for Pawtucket for the fourth straight season if his shoulder is healthy.  Devern dislocated it in his first outing of 2009 (April 13^th in Buffalo) and missed the rest of the year.

But PawSox fans certainly know what Hansack is capable of when healthy.  He led the team in strikeouts in 2007 and 2008, and the last time he pitched at McCoy Stadium, "The Snake" threw six hitless innings in a playoff win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on September 4, 2008.

Devern has also pitched in 9 games for Boston between 2006 and 2008, going 2-2 with a 3.70 ERA.

While I'm happy to hear that Hansack could be in Pawtucket this season, I was disappointed to learn that pitcher Billy Traber is still looking for an opportunity to pitch in 2010.

I exchanged e-mails with the 30-year-old lefty this week, and Billy wrote that several teams have expressed interest but none have offered a contract yet.

Traber was 7-8 with a 3.52 ERA for the PawSox last year, but he excelled as a reliever posting a 2.32 ERA.  He earned a brief promotion to Boston in August, where he "saved the bullpen" in a lopsided loss at Yankee Stadium by pitching 3.2 innings after John Smoltz had allowed eight earned runs in the first four innings.  It was the last time Smoltz pitched for Boston.

Here's hoping that a team gives Traber an opportunity to pitch this season.  In the meantime, the mere mention of his name gives me another opportunity to show this great photo by my friend Kelly O'Connor.  It shows Billy going to great lengths to give a fan an autographed ball at McCoy Stadium last season.

When Jeff Natale shows up at spring training in a few weeks, he's likely to hear the same question over and over again from former teammates and coaches.

"Wow Nat - how much weight did you lose?"

(photo courtesy of Kelly O'Connor)

The 27-year-old infielder has followed a rigorous fitness regimen this winter in hopes of having a big year with Pawtucket in 2010.

"I've lost 20 pounds since the end of last season," Natale told me.  "I went from being about 195 pounds to about 175 right now.  I feel great.  I feel more athletic, I look better, and when you look good and feel good you play good.  That's the goal for this year."

In the off-season, Jeff works at a baseball/softball training facility near Boston called Frozen Ropes.  The owner had been following a fitness routine for several months and recommended it to Natale.

"It's been a lot of hard work," Jeff said.  "I started doing a program called CrossFit which is like a combination of gymnastics, Olympic weight lifting, and a heck of a lot of running.  The combination of those three things has enabled me to get much stronger and in better overall shape."

Over the past two seasons, Natale has only played in 108 games.  In 2008 he broke his arm in April and missed nearly 2 ½ months.  Last season, Jeff endured two stints on the disabled list due to a strained oblique muscle.

"I want to win a position this year," Natale said.  "I don't want to just make a team; I want to be an everyday player coming out of spring training.  That motivated me to try a different program and really start to get myself into optimal shape."

There's no question that Natale can hit.  In five minor league seasons, he has a career batting average of .298 and a Moneyball-esque OBP of .432.  Former PawSox manager Ron Johnson (now Boston's first base coach) raves about Natale's ability to consistently have good at-bats, and told Jeff that if he can improve defensively at second base, he can make it to the major leagues.

"I talked to RJ on the phone a couple of times in the off-season and I know he has confidence in me," Natale said.  "I'm just hoping that he'll speak highly of me up there and I think that he will.  He really encouraged me to get into the best shape possible and do all ground ball work.  He said to not even worry about my offensive game too much and just concentrate on the defensive side."

"I've been doing a lot of agility training and running every day and it's going to help me get to balls a little bit quicker," Jeff continued.  "I've been taking ground balls a lot more this off-season than I ever have before and I'm been throwing more than I ever have before as well.  I just feel that being a better athlete is going to help me tremendously defensively and if I can keep swinging the bat the way I have been, hopefully I'll be in good shape."

I know I speak for my broadcast partner Steve Hyder when I say that we would love to have Natale back in Pawtucket this season.  Not only because he's one of the toughest outs in the International League, but because of "At Bat With Nat" - the hysterically funny interviews that he does once a week for our pre-game show (you can listen to them here).

"Looking at the guys that we've picked up, we've got a whole slew of new guys that need to be initiated to the team," Jeff said with a laugh.  "I'll be learning a lot about these guys during spring training and I can't wait to share some of those stories with our fans.  Hopefully, some embarrassing stories."

I'm not a big tattoo guy.

I suppose I don't mind something small and personal, but I can't imagine covering my body like it's graffiti on a playground wall.  I often wonder if the heavily-inked generation will still like their tattoos when they get older and the artwork is stretched out over sagging skin.

If that makes me sound old and unhip that's OK - I'm both.

But here's what I do like - the tales behind the tats.  In recent years I've talked to several Pawtucket players about their ink.  Here are a few of the more interesting stories.

Joe McEwing has a tattoo on his shoulder that says, "Can't Do It."  It was a motivational reminder of all the people that told him he would never be a major leaguer.

Lincoln Holdzkom is covered with tattoos including a skeleton head eating an eyeball.  He lost count of how many tattoos he had, but can tell you approximately how many hours he has spent in the tattoo parlor chair.

Trent Durrington has a tattoo that says DMD 2010.  The letters were for the last names of Durrington and two of his friends who planned to drive their motorcycles around the continent of Australia in the year 2010.  I wonder if that is in the works?

Chip Ambres has several tattoos including a cougar on his arm and a panther on his chest (he's a fan of big cats).  He also has a tattoo of a lock while his wife has a tattoo of a key to show their bond.

David Pauley has the date of his major league debut tattooed on his arm.  It signifies that he proved the doctors wrong who said he couldn't take part in sports after battling an illness called lorenzo trachea malacia as a kid.

Aaron Bates has his father's initials on one arm and his mother's maiden name on the other.

Paul McAnulty has two baseball bats crossed together with feathers coming off of the ends.  It's a nod to his Native American heritage (his ancestors were part of the Chumash tribe).

Adam Stern has a Canadian Maple Leaf over the Olympic rings on his chest after playing for Team Canada in 2004.

Josh Reddick has several tattoos including a University of Georgia Bulldog on his shoulder.

Manny Delcarmen has a tiger tattoo on his back.

The 2010 Pawtucket roster could include a player with an abundance of tattoos in outfielder Darnell McDonald.  In fact, when I spoke to him recently, he was already anticipating his next tattoo since his wife is due to deliver their second child this week.  

"There will definitely be some new ones after the baby is born," McDonald told me.  "For me, the tattoos are therapeutic and when it's all said and done, you'll be able to see my life history on my body.  Things that I've been through . . . the people that mean a lot to me . . . religion . . . those are the things that are the basis for my tattoos."

I'd love to hear from you.  The address is dhoard@pawsox.com.

And if you Twitter, you can follow my tweets at http://twitter.com/Dan_Hoard

One of the joys of being part of the Pawtucket Red Sox family is working for Ben Mondor (shown here with my son Sam).

 The PawSox owner is extremely generous - as any civic cause in Rhode Island will quickly attest - and he treats the Pawtucket players and staff as if we were family.

He's also one of the all-time great storytellers.

I love to drop by Ben's office and throw out names of some of the great players who have worn the Pawtucket uniform.  Here are Ben's off-the-top-of-his-head memories of five all-time PawSox legends.

Jim Rice: 

"He's the best.  A great guy and he's very misunderstood by the media because he's a private guy.  It's an insult that they waited 15 years to put him into the Hall of Fame.  This was the most feared hitter in baseball in the '70's.  Look at his achievements - they're unbelievable.  Good God, he won the Triple Crown when he was here and it hasn't been done since.  Nobody's even come close."

Wade Boggs:

"A good friend . . . and a pain in the butt.  He won five batting titles and people used to rave about his bat control.  You know how he developed that?  When he was with us and we had a homestand, he would walk in practically every morning and want to take batting practice.  So I would take a kid working on the ground crew or somewhere else and I'd say, 'Look Wade, this kid is not going to be able to throw strikes.  They're going to be high, low, inside, outside,' and he would say, 'That's what I want.'  And he would do that for two or three hours a day.  And when they were finished, they would go pick up the balls and do it again.  That's how he developed that great bat control - right here at McCoy against kids who couldn't throw proper batting practice.  He made a heck of a name for himself."

Nomar Garciaparra:

"He was a great athlete.  When the Red Sox promoted him from Trenton, Ed Kenney called me and said they wanted me to keep an eye on him because they were worried that they were bringing him up to Triple-A too fast.  So we would just sit down and talk.  I tell you one thing - he shot one of baseball's theories to hell:  Not swinging at the first pitch.  He would always swing at the first pitch and hit about .347.  He was a great fielder, he could turn the double play like nobody's business and he didn't toot his own horn." 

Roger Clemens:

"If want to win a free beer from your buddies at the saloon, ask them this question, 'What's the only team that Roger Clemens pitched for where he finished with a losing record?'  It's Pawtucket - he was 2-3.  He was just a young kid out of the University of Texas and he was only with us for a couple of months.  The guy could pitch.  I used to watch in his later years and think half of it was intimidation.  He threw so hard and was so good that they were never comfortable in the batters box."   

Manny Ramirez:

"Manny was my favorite ballplayer of all time.  He spent a month with us on rehab and he loved it here.  He lived like a king, didn't have to worry about all of those major league rules, and he supplied us with a lifetime of stories in one month.  I remember one game, it was about the fifth or sixth inning and I heard the manager say, 'Where's Ramirez?' because there was nobody in left field.  It seems that Manny had been talking to a clubhouse kid whose father had a barbershop on Newport Avenue.  So he hopped in his car and went to get a haircut in the middle of a game - uniform and all.  The manager went nuts, but we thought it was hysterical.  Like him or don't like him, he certainly entertained us."

I'd love to hear from you.  The address is dhoard@pawsox.com.

And if you Twitter, you can follow my tweets at http://twitter.com/Dan_Hoard

Imagine what it's like to get called-up to the Boston Red Sox for the first time. 

Your heart must feel like it's going to burst out of your chest.  Your cell phone is blowing up with congratulatory messages and texts from friends and relatives all over the country.  Your strengths and weaknesses are being dissected by rabid Sox fans who have never seen you play.  Several people you barely know are wondering if you can help them get tickets.

And you don't even what gate to enter at Fenway Park.

That's what the Red Sox annual rookie orientation program is all about.  To make an overwhelming experience a little less stressful so that rookies can join the team with the best possible chance of having success.

This year's 12 participants in the rookie program included 21-year-old outfielder Ryan Kalish, who spent most of last year with Double-A Portland.

(photo courtesy of Kelly O'Connor)

"It's just an honor to be part of this," Kalish told me.  "When you see the guys that have gone through the program in the past like Pedroia, Ellsbury, and Bard - it really shows that they believe in you and want you to be part of the Red Sox.  They taught us where to enter Fenway Park . . . how far away the team hotel is . . . how to act in the clubhouse as a rookie . . . how to treat the veterans with respect.  Just stuff like that - the ways of the big leagues."

In addition to daily workouts at Boston College, the prospects heard from several Red Sox coaches and players including Terry Francona, John Farrell, Kevin Youkilis, and John Lackey.  But Kalish's favorite guest speaker came from another professional sport.

"Doc Rivers," Kalish said.  "All of the speakers were great, but even though Doc isn't a baseball guy, he preached all of the same things that Tito (Francona) was saying.  It was so amazing to see the similarities between sports.  He talked about getting into a routine - the best players have a set routine that works for them.  He mentioned how the "big three" with the Celtics - Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen - all have a set routine on game day.  That was really cool.  He captured our attention from the get-go and really had a strong personality."

Kalish is coming off of an outstanding season between Single-A Salem and Double-A Portland, batting a combined .279 (.364 OBP) with 18 HR, 77 RBI, and 21 SB.  He's hoping to begin the 2010 season in Pawtucket.    

"Nothing is out of the realm of possibility for Ryan," player development director Mike Hazen told the Boston Globe.  "He had a good second half in Portland. There's a good chance he'll start at Portland this season, but there's also a chance he'll be at Pawtucket. That's not likely, but he's a talented player. If he continues to take care of what he needs to take of, he'll be (in Pawtucket) soon enough."

"My hope is to jump a level to Triple-A, but I don't control that and I'm just going to do what I can do to make their decision as easy as possible," Kalish told me.  "Hopefully I'll take care of business on the field, stay healthy, and do what I can do.  I'm confident that if I do what I can do, I'll be in Pawtucket sooner rather than later."

From there, Boston is the next step.  And if Ryan Kalish eventually gets to Fenway Park, he won't have to worry about where to enter.

Last week's Hot Stove event at McCoy Stadium gave me my first opportunity to meet Boston Red Sox uber-prospect Casey Kelly.  My first impression is that the 20-year-old pitcher has the maturity level of a seasoned major league veteran.

"I think it comes from being around minor league baseball my whole life," Kelly told me.  "Having a dad that's in baseball and a brother (Chris) than pitches in the minor leagues helps me a lot.  I've been around some very good athletes and you kind of see what works and what doesn't work.  I've seen what great players do to make themselves successful." 

Pat Kelly has been a minor league manager for nearly all of his son's life and has been working in professional baseball for the last 37 years.  That's given Casey the necessary perspective to handle the attention that comes with being one of the highest-rated prospects in the Red Sox organization.

"I try not to pay attention to that at all," Casey said.  "If you don't perform on the field it doesn't matter how high you've been ranked.  If you don't go out and perform you're not going to have a job for very long.  The hype is really nuts.  But my job is just to perform on the field and that's what I'm concentrating on right now.  You try not to focus on the media attention and the hype so I'm just trying to get into the best possible shape to be ready for spring training."

Kelly is one of 12 prospects who recently took part in the Red Sox unique rookie development which is geared toward helping minor leaguers make a smooth transition to the big leagues.

"They threw a lot at us over the course of two weeks," Casey said.  "The biggest thing that I got out of it is how to act when you get called up.  On that first day there's so much coming at you, but you still have to go out on the field and perform.  So do your job and everything else will take care of itself."

Kelly is a long shot to make the leap to Boston anytime soon.  This will be his first season as a full-time pitcher after splitting last year between the mound and shortstop.  The Red Sox announced in December that the former first round draft pick had decided to forgo playing a position and concentrate on pitching.

"It feels like a big weight has been lifted off of my shoulders," Casey told me.  "I wanted to do it early in the offseason so that I could get ready to focus on pitching and gear my workouts toward being a pitcher.  The earlier we did it the better.  They've told me that I have a chance to compete for a spot in Portland and that's one of my goals - to be in Double-A this year.  I think that my training up to this point has got me into a position to start there.  I think my performance in spring training will have a lot to do with that."

Wherever Kelly winds up, it will be difficult to top his 2009 numbers as he posted a 2.08 ERA in 17 Single-A starts, with a ridiculous 0.85 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) in 95 IP.  To put that into perspective, Arizona's Dan Haren had the lowest WHIP in major league baseball last year at 1.00.

"My expectations of myself are a lot higher than anybody else's," Kelly said.  "I had a very successful season last year and I'm ready to build on it.  I'm ready to be a better pitcher this year than I was last year.  I think that's the biggest thing - to try to get better and better."

Sound like a 20-year-old to you?

McCoy Stadium is best-known for being the home of the longest game in baseball history.  But soon, the home of the Pawtucket Red Sox will have another claim to fame:  A gigantic video board.

On Friday, Pawtucket General Manager Lou Schwechheimer announced that the PawSox are installing a new video board in time for the 2010 season that will be among the largest in minor league baseball.

"The video board is state of the art by one of the world class leaders, and it really will enhance the game for the fans to a level that we are thrilled to death about," Schwechheimer said.  "The board itself will be the largest video board in New England, so we are absolutely thrilled."

The video board is being designed and installed through a collaboration of Lighthouse Technologies of Hong Kong and TS Sports of Grapevine, Texas (you can see an example of their work here).

"You're going to see a big change," said TS Sports Vice President Matt Ritter.  "It's double in size from the old video board, and from wherever you are in the ballpark, you're going to look up and it will be like you're looking at the plasma TV in your house - the picture will be that clear.  There are over 580,000 individual LED lamps that make up this board.  It is 22 feet tall and 38 feet wide - one of the largest in minor league baseball.  It's the latest in LED technology.  When people come to the ballpark, they will absolutely know that the PawSox did something special." 

"Our fans - through thick and thin in a tough economy - have been very supportive of the PawSox, and our feeling is that every year we should improve the experience for the players and the fans," Schwechheimer said.  "We have continued to upgrade the playing field, the amenities in the clubhouse and weight room for the players, and now it's the fans' turn with what we think will be one of the most profound additions to the ballpark since we did the stadium renovation in 1999."

The new state-of-the-art video board will be used to show PawSox and Red Sox highlights, historical footage, and interactive elements with the players and fans.

"We want to be creative and to continue to elevate the fan experience without detracting from the game," Schwechheimer said.  "We have a tremendous amount of respect for the game on the field and we would never think about utilizing the board to detract from what fans are coming to the ballpark to see.  One of the things we are excited about is the ability to develop a little more interactivity with things like a 'smile cam.'  Our core audience is families and kids and to be able to use a high def screen of that size and magnitude to focus in on fans during breaks in the action in a feel-good way makes the experience at McCoy that much more personal and fun."

"(PawSox President) Mike Tamburro and Lou Schwechheimer are men of great integrity and they have been a pleasure to work with," Ritter said.  "One of the first things they said when I walked through the door was, 'We want something that is different from everybody else.  We want it to be the best in quality.  We want it to be crystal-clear.  And we want every fan to come in and know that there's a difference at McCoy Stadium.'  The average size of a video board at a minor league ballpark is 15 feet by 20 feet.  The PawSox have gone above and beyond for their fans by going 22 feet tall by 38 feet wide.  By sheer size alone it puts them in a category that other minor league teams can't match.  The only other teams that have something like this are ones that are building brand new stadiums where it's in the initial budget.  You don't see a lot of people upgrading to this level."

It's just another way that the PawSox intend to give their fans a major league experience at minor league prices.

Darnell McDonald hopes to be this year's Nick Green.

Prior to last season, Green signed a minor league contract with Boston and was expected to be Pawtucket's starting second baseman in 2009. 

Instead, Nick won a spot on Boston's opening day roster due to an injury to Julio Lugo, and when Jed Lowrie got hurt in April, Green became the Red Sox starting shortstop.  He never spent a day with the PawSox.

McDonald is a 31-year-old outfielder who will go to spring training with Boston after signing a minor league deal.  Although the Red Sox added outfielders Mike Cameron and Jeremy Hermida this winter, McDonald hopes to earn a spot in Boston.      

"I've learned over the years to not focus on the things that I have no control over," Darnell told me from his home in Arizona.  "I go to spring training looking to make the team and you never know what's going to happen.  I think that everyone that puts on the uniform has that goal, but I love playing baseball and it doesn't matter where.  Don't get me wrong, the big leagues is the place to be, but there are a lot of variables."

Last year, McDonald not only made Cincinnati's opening day roster, but he was the Reds starting centerfielder in the season opener against the Mets.  It was the first time in his 12-year career that Darnell began a season in the major leagues.

"When you work so hard and so long to accomplish something and it finally comes true, it's hard to put into words what it means," McDonald said.  "To hear my name announced in the opening day lineup and to actually play in that game meant the world to me.  A lot of people probably thought it wouldn't happen, but I always saw that light at the end of the tunnel and had the belief that I could play in the big leagues.  I'll always remember what it was like to run out on to that field."

The former 1^st round draft pick batted .267 with 2 HR and 10 RBI in 47 games with Cincinnati and .314 with 9 HR and 40 RBI in 73 games with Triple-A Louisville.  He followed that up by batting .378 with 6 HR and 20 RBI in 19 games in the Mexican Winter League.

"I feel like the last few years I'm just coming into my own," Darnell told me.  "People develop at different speeds and I feel like I'm in my prime.  I feel like I have a lot of good years left in me, my body feels good, and I feel like I'm becoming the player I knew I could be."

I got to know Darnell last year while filling-in on some Cincinnati Reds broadcasts.  Before leaving Pawtucket to join the Reds for a few days, PawSox manager Ron Johnson (now Boston's first base coach) asked me to say hi to him.  As it turns out, RJ was a big fan of McDonald's (the player and the restaurant) and often told Darnell that he would love to have him on his team.

"We developed a friendship during all of the years that I've played against him," McDonald said.  "I've seen how he interacts with his players and I've talked to guys that have played for him, and he's good for the game.  He has a lot of fun and that's what I try to do when I play.  He's the type of guy that you want to play for and hopefully I'll get the opportunity to do that with Boston."

If Darnell doesn't make the Red Sox, he's likely to begin the season as one of the starting outfielders in Pawtucket.  The PawSox would become his 7^th International League team having previously played for Rochester, Ottawa, Durham, Buffalo, Columbus, and Louisville over the past nine seasons.

"I tell people that I'm tired of that league," Darnell said with a laugh.  "I know all of the clubhouse guys, a lot of the fans that you see every year, and that's a good thing that baseball has done for me - it's allowed me to establish a lot of friendships all over the world.  It doesn't hurt to see familiar faces in different places that you go, but hopefully I won't spend too much time in the International League this year." 

His goal is to wear a Boston uniform at some point.

"I've always been envious of players with the Boston Red Sox because there's so much history and the fans are so great," McDonald told me.  "I remember when I was playing for the Orioles, when the Red Sox came to Baltimore it felt like we were playing in Boston because there were so many Red Sox fans there.  When they called me this winter it was difficult because the Reds gave me a great opportunity last year and it was tough to leave, but getting the opportunity to play for an organization like the Red Sox is something I couldn't pass up.  I just look forward to putting on that uniform.  It has a different ring to it when you tell people you play for the Boston Red Sox."

I'd love to hear from you.  The address is dhoard@pawsox.com.

And if you Twitter, you can follow my tweets at http://twitter.com/Dan_Hoard

I love authentic jerseys.

They weren't readily available to purchase when I was a kid, and my folks wouldn't have allowed me to shell out the big bucks anyway.

The only jerseys you could buy back then were the cheap replicas and so I did.

In the baseball season, I had a Lee Mazzilli New York Mets home jersey.

My choice in hoops was a Larry Bird Boston Celtics road uniform.

For football, I was the only kid in my school that had an O.J. Simpson San Francisco 49ers jersey (it was a form of protest by this broken-hearted Bills fan after they traded away my childhood hero).

When we travel around the International League with the PawSox, we see dozens of Red Sox jerseys in the stands every night wherever we go.  For the most part, I think it's great, but I have come up with a few basic rules for proper jersey-wearing etiquette.

There are essentially three types of acceptable jerseys for a fan to wear:

1.  Any Current Player.  That's right, from the superstar to the utility man, if he's on the current roster it's OK by me.  For example, if Boof Bonser makes the Red Sox and you can actually find his jersey, feel free to shell out your $175.  But if the player you have chosen is traded or released, the jersey has to go unless he's a . . .  

2.  Team Legend.  Ideally, the style of the jersey should match the look of the player's era.  This category is open to some interpretation.  For example, in my book Nomar Garciaparra doesn't qualify as a Red Sox legend, but you might disagree.  However, if you bought a Coco Crisp jersey and are too cheap to get rid of it, you can't try to claim that he's a Sox legend.  One additional note about the "legend" category - if the player does something really bad, the jersey is no longer wearable (see my O.J. Simpson jersey).

3.  Wild-Card Category.  This can be an up-and-coming prospect, a memorable character in team history, a guy with a bizarre last name, a player that was just obtained in a trade or through free agency, or a former Pawtucket player that I really like (these are my rules after all).

Since spring training is just around the corner, perhaps you're considering purchasing a new jersey to wear in 2010.  Here are some Dan Hoard-approved choices from all 30 MLB teams.

TEAM                CURRENT             LEGEND                WILD-CARD   

Baltimore             Matt Wieters          Cal Ripken           Rick Dempsey

Boston                  David Ortiz             Ted Williams         Kevin Youkilis

While Sox            Mark Buehrle          Carlton Fisk          Gordon Beckham

Cleveland            Grady Sizemore      Bob Feller              Justin Masterson

Detroit                  Justin Verlander     Ty Cobb                 Mark Fidrych

Kansas City         Zack Greinke          George Brett          Dan Quisenberry

LA Angels           Torii Hunter            Nolan Ryan           Brandon Wood

Minnesota           Joe Mauer                Kirby Puckett        Justin Morneau

NY Yankees        Derek Jeter              Lou Gehrig            Mariano Rivera

Oakland            Andrew Bailey         Reggie Jackson      Craig Breslow            

Seattle                Ichiro Suzuki          Ken Griffey Jr.       Jay Buhner

Tampa Bay          Evan Longoria        Carl Crawford        Carlos Pena

Texas                 Josh Hamilton         Nolan Ryan            David Murphy

Toronto               Adam Lind               Roberto Alomar      Marc Rzepczynski

Arizona               Brandon Webb        Randy Johnson       Mark Grace

Atlanta              Chipper Jones         Henry Aaron           Tommy Hanson

Cubs                     Derrek Lee              Ernie Banks            Kosuke Fukudome

Cincinnati            Joey Votto               Pete Rose                Jose Rijo

Colorado              Todd Helton            Larry Walker          Troy Tulowitzki

Florida                 Hanley Ramirez      Dontrelle Willis      Dan Uggla

Houston                 Lance Berkman      Jeff Bagwell            Chris Johnson

LA Dodgers         Manny Ramirez      Sandy Koufax         Clayton Kershaw

Milwaukee          Prince Fielder         Robin Yount           Alcides Escobar

NY Mets              David Wright          Tom Seaver             Ed Kranepool

Philadelphia        Chase Utley             Mike Schmidt         Roy Halladay

Pittsburgh            A.McCutcheon       Roberto Clemente   Brandon Moss

San Diego            Adrian Gonzalez     Tony Gwynn           Trevor Hoffman

San Francisco     Tim Lincecum         Willie Mays            Pablo Sandoval

St. Louis               Albert Pujols           Stan Musial             Matt Holliday

Washington         Adam Dunn             Gary Carter             Stephen Strasburg

By the way, not everyone agrees that wearing jerseys is cool.  I caught a female comedian named Whitney Cummings on the Tonight Show last week who questioned why so many guys wear jerseys while watching their favorite teams play on TV.  As she pointed out, she doesn't put on scrubs to watch Grey's Anatomy.