A little baseball to warm things up...

To some of us, it's always baseball season, and thankfully the folks at Baseball America agree. Last week they began listing the top prospects in each big league organization, and though they have only gone through a few teams so far, it has a local flavor.

Waubonsie Valley product Michael Bowden is listed as the Boston Red Sox' No. 2 prospect, and BA says that he "has little left to prove" in the minors and possesses the organization's best control. He beat the White Sox in his big league debut and might get a long look next spring.

Meanwhile, Kaneland grad Casey Crosby has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow that caused him to miss the entire 2008 season. But he showed enough during the instructional league season that BA lists the lefty as the No. 4 guy in the Detroit organization. Should Crosby start the season with West Michigan, the Tigers' Class A affiliate, he may have the chance to pitch close to home when the Whitecaps visit Kane County over Memorial Day weekend.

Speaking of the Cougars, pitcher Trevor Cahill, who played in Geneva in 2007, was named the Oakland organization's pitcher of the year for the second consecutive season. The 20-year-old right-hander made his way up to Double AA his past season and pitched for the United States team in the Beijing Olympics. He should also be one of the A's top prospects and will more than likely make his big league debut in 2009.