There weren't any deals to report today, but two interesting managers held court this afternoon.

Fantasy team owners can get some help from the comments of Angels manager Mike Scioscia and new Brewers manager Ron Roenicke.

To begin, Scioscia indicated that the team is very confident that 1B Kendry Morales will return from injury at full strength as early as spring training. Scioscia mentioned that his team lacked balance between hitting and pitching and the loss of Morales was difficult to overcome.
Scoscia said there is urgency to add offense to the club the lack of team depth was very evident. He said that no "high profile" free agent has been ruled out. The translation means that the team is in the hunt for Carl Crawford, Adrian Beltre and Cliff Lee or any combination of the three if the terms so dictate. Of course, Scioscia noted how important pitching is to all baseball clubs, but he singled out that a return to form of lefty Scott Kazmir as very important for the club. He noted that Kazmir has been outstanding before and he thinks that Kazmir can do it again.

Scioscia was very specific about what the lineup lacked last year. He wants to improve the on-base percentage more than anything else. He mentioned that his club fell off in that category and they have to return to form.

Another key for Scioscia and the Angels is Maicer Izturis. Scioscia trusts Izturis to play at least 100 games at a very high level. He said that Izturis will play somewhere, and 3B is the likely spot. He also mentioned Alberto Callaspo and Brandon Wood as options at 3B. However, it makes sense that Adrian Beltre would be a good addition for the halos. If they can acquire Beltre, the team can use Izturis to spell Beltre at third, Eric Aybar at short and Howie Kendrick at second. As a super- sub, if healthy Izturis is important to Mike Scioscia. Izturis is seen as a leadoff hitter for the manager. Frankly, I was surprised he even mentioned Wood. We should take note of all that.

Scioscia indicated he was not happy with the defense of Mike Napoli behind the plate. Even though he played at 1B and designated hitter, Scioscia thinks of Napoli as a catcher first. That's where he wants Napoli to play and succeed. There was a bit of impatience in his voice. He took time to mention Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson and Hank Conger as all potential catchers for the 25 man roster. I'm sure Napoli is getting the message. Be cautious when drafting Mike Napoli until spring training trends have developed.

Scioscia took time to mention that new Japanese import lefty Hisanori Takahashi will work out of the pen and not be part of the rotation. Scioscia said that Takahashi might be listed as a starter in some circles, but he's a reliever for the Angels. Scioscia mentioned that Takahashi didn't give up a home run to a left-handed hitter last year. The manager wants pitchers to finish games beyond the 6th inning.

Eric Aybar is fairly well established at SS. However, Scioscia feels Aybar is much better when he hits lower in the order. That's where he wants Aybar to bat next season. That's significant for fantasy owners, as Aybar will see fewer at-bats from the back end of the lineup.

The owner and the general manager of the Angles have had a history of leaving negotiations when they are prolonged or if a team is seen to be using the Angels as a bargaining chip for other clubs. So far, that must not be the case as the Angels are still in the hunt for the biggest available prizes. If we see them drop out, we'll know that management has had enough with posturing or being played against another club.

While Mike Scioscia knows every player on his roster inside out, new Brewers manager Ron Roenicke is just beginning to familiarize himself with his club. He had few answers to questions in this afternoon's session. Here are some of the highlights:

When asked if Prince Fielder "would still be a Brewer?" Roenicke said that decision would be up to the general manager. He said he didn't know the player and he would have little to add to the conversation if he were asked for an opinion. Rumors here indicate that the team is shopping Fielder.

Roenicke is thrilled to have Sean Marcum on his staff. Especially because it will compliment ace Yovanni Gallardo. Roenicke indicated that Marcum will help Gallardo become a better pitcher.

The new skipper said he was almost certain that a "combination" of Carlos Gomez and Lorenzo Cain would patrol CF next season. That came as a surprise because there has been great talk about the Brewers being fed up with the lack of productivity from Gomez. However,
Roenicke said he feels Gomez is a "mult-tooled player" and that working in combination with Cain will help take pressure off both players. He did indicate that Gomez needs to learn much more plate discipline as opposed to chasing pitches away from the plate. He used his hands to demonstrate the hitting zone that he wanted Gomez to concentrate on. In short, I'm not buying that Gomez plays for the Brewers next season.

Jonathan LuCroy will be the catcher for the Brewers. They are in the market for a seasoned defensive backup.

Roenicke mentioned that he wasn't sure where lefty Manny Parra would pitch. Would it be as a starter or in the pen? Isn't that the same issue we've heard with Parra for years now. The Brewers really need to find a role for him.

That's it for tonight. If anything breaks late, I'll know about it in the morning. But for now, good night to all and to all a good night.