The Tuesday Morning Rush for February 19, 2013

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - It's Tuesday, February 19, 2012:

CENTER STAGE: The ESPN Baseball Tour Bus stops at the Reds complex in Goodyear Tuesday.  I just saw former Red Aaron Boone.  He's here with Tim Kurkjian. Real little guy. But a wealth of baseball knowledge.

ARMED AND DANGEROUS: A good day to watch pitchers down here.  Bronson Arroyo just finished bullpen work.  Later, Chapman, Cueto, Marshall, Leake and others will be throwing live batting practice.

SLOOOOOW DOWN: Dusty Baker is pleased with what he's seen from Todd Frazier at third base so far. He had asked Frazier to work on his "first step" at third base during the off season and it looks like he did. Dusty said "We gotta slow Fraiz" down".  Asked what he meant, Dusty said Frazier has to "slow down at the plate and speed up in the field."

CARD DAY: The people from Topps Baseball Cards were in the clubhouse, having the players sign waivers for use of their image on their baseball cards.  I talked with Jason Donald, Sam LeCure and Zach Cozart and all admit it's still a thrill to see their picture on a card.  Donald, who came over in the Choo trade from Cleveland, says it's cool to see your picture in an action photo and you're able to remember that particular game and play.

INFLATION HASN'T KEPT UP: Dusty Baker remembered Topps used to pay players $500 for the rights to their images.  He bought a set a golf clubs when he got his first check in 1971.  He was on a Topps Rookie card with Don Baylor and Tom Paciorek.  From what I can gather, the players still get $500 dollars from Topps.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Dusty Baker, like many of us, collected baseball cards as a kid. And he had a very common practice. He "put the good players in the box, and put the bad players in the spokes."

I'll see you tonight on Channel 9.  It's our last good weather day in Goodyear, Cold and rain are supposed to move in on Wednesday.

Popo