As you might have already noticed, Da Box is silent this week. The reason? An upgrade and relaunch!

Very soon now, Batter's Box will be operating with some brand spankin' new software. As a result, there will be a number of spiffy new features and some additional bells and whistles. Amongst ourselves, we've been calling it "Batter's Box 3.0" (a name coined by Coach Kent), and we're hoping it will be the springboard to something better and more interesting -- a better-looking site with more original content and more writing that's worth reading. (It will look similar to what we have now, just better).

NEW! See the end of this message for new query contact information.

As a service to all the forgetful men out there: It's Valentine's Day today.

With spring training just around the corner, most teams have their rosters mostly set. There could still be a significant trade or three, and some GM might suddenly realize that the missing piece that will push his team's offence over the top is none other than free agent Brad Fullmer. But for the most part, what you see is what they've got.

You know the drill...

Seems like less and less is happening every day...

Anyone watch Monday Report last night?

Character-clause? I dunno what makes a baseball writer qualified to determine someone's character. Last time I looked, no writer has walked on water, or taught a whole village to fish.

Magglio got what now?

Here are a few of the things going on in the Tepid Lukewarm Stove League ...

Anything new to talk about today?

So, did anything happen yesterday?

Some tidbits to start you off:

Quick Hit QOTD: Who are the best players in the history of the game as teenagers? Note, this is more about how good they were when they were teens, not the 18-year-old who hits .240 with two steals in 150 AB and turns out to be Ty Cobb.

Make Your Own Roundup Appetizers:
- Barry Larkin leans toward retiring -- not going to be a "Red Jay," may be a rare (?) one-team Hall of Famer.
- Yankees expect healthy Giambi to play 1B, slugger may check in at 6'5", 175#.
- What rumours? Piazza marries way out of his league.
- WIth apologies to the Commodores, Jeff Nelson looks to cut a new record: "Three Times a Mariner".
- What else you got?

We haven't really posted a "Question of the Day/Make Your Own Roundup" thread for this weekend, though some have joined in the fun of imagining the early 1990s without The Trade. Still, just about every single active thread has someone "breaking the news" of Sammy Sosa's move from Wrigley to Camden Yards. So here are the ...

Questions of the Weekend:
- Did the Cubs get enough in return for the future 600-homer guy?
- What will Sosa's final home run total and place on the home run list be?
- Will you, personally, be more likely to attend an Orioles/Jays game with Sammy in visitors brown?
- Does the deal do anything at all to the balance of power in the AL East?
- BONUS TRIVIA: What player who has appeared with the Cubs, Rangers and Orioles has the third-most career home runs behind Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro, with 253?

It's 2:30 a.m., I'm exhausted and baseball seems very far away. It's only the last week of January and pitchers and catchers haven't even broken out the sandpaper and Neet's Foot Oil yet. But still ... sighhhhh ... we gotta have some sort of ...

Question of the Day: Who's your all-time favorite player, and why? Most surprising, creative -- but honest (e.g. don't go with Jim Abbott to win the "good guy" vote. We're all Simon Cowell-types here at Batter's Box) -- answer wins a Scooby snack.