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CAREER WIN LEADERS

1. Cy Young, 511
2. Walter Johnson, 417
3. Grover Alexander, 373
4. Christy Mathewson, 373
5. Pud Galvin, 364
6. Warren Spahn, 363
7. Kid Nichols, 361
8. Greg Maddux, 355
9. Roger Clemens, 354
10. Tim Keefe, 344
11. Steve Carlton, 329
12. John Clarkson, 328
13. Eddie S. Plank, 326
14. Don Sutton, 324
15. Nolan Ryan, 324
16. Phil Niekro, 318
17. Gaylord Perry, 314
18. Tom Seaver, 311
19. Charlie Old Hoss Radbourn, 308
20. Mickey Welch, 307
21. Tom Glavine, 305 
22. Randy Johnson, 303
23. Early Wynn, 300
24. Lefty Grove, 300
25. Bobby Mathews, 297

1. Sam Crawford, 312
2. Ty Cobb, 297
3. Honus Wagner, 252
4. Jake Beckley, 244
5. Roger Connor, 233
6. Tris Speaker, 223
7. Fred Clarke, 223
8. Dan Brouthers, 206
9. Joe Kelley, 194
10. Paul Waner, 190
11. Bid McPhee, 189
12. Eddie Collins Sr., 187
13. Ed Delahanty, 185
14. Sam Rice, 184
15. Jesse Burkett, 182
16. Edd Roush, 182
17. Ed Konetchy, 182
18. Buck Ewing, 178
19. Stan Musial, 177
20. Rabbit Maranville, 177
21. Harry Stovey, 174
22. Goose Goslin, 173
23. Tommy Leach, 172
24. Zack Wheat, 172
25. Rogers Hornsby, 159

How many names do you recognize? It's interesting to see that triples in baseball have become a lost art. Are the stadiums smaller? Are the outfielders faster? Are their arms stronger? Or are coaches risk averse since a player can score from second on a single and the benefit of being 90 feet closer is simply to score on a sacrifice fly? We would love to hear your opinions on "where have all the triples gone?"

Active players with the most triples

• Carl Crawford 120 age 33
• Jose Reyes 115 age 32
• Jimmy Rollins 112 age 36

Ever since the first recorded game, June 19, 1846 at Elysian Field in Hoboken, New Jersey, the spirit of baseball has swept America off its feet. Although changes have altered the sport throughout the years, the foundation upon which baseball was built still remains the same. That foundation is the classic conflict between the pitcher and batter. It is this conflict that continues to amaze the older fans and attract the new ones.

1. Tris Speaker, 793
2. Pete Rose Sr., 746
3. Stan Musial, 725
4. Ty Cobb, 724
5. Craig Biggio, 668
6. George Brett, 665
7. Nap Lajoie, 657
8. Carl Yastrzemski, 646
9. Honus Wagner, 640
10. Hank Aaron, 624
11. Paul Molitor, 605
12. Paul Waner, 605
13. Cal Ripken, 603
14. Barry Bonds, 601
15. Luis Gonzales, 596
16. Todd Helton, 592
17. Rafael Palmeiro, 585
18. Robin Yount, 583
19. Cap Anson, 581
20. Wade Boggs 578
21. Charlie Gehringer, 574
22. Ivan Rodriguez, 572
23. Bobby Abreau, 565
24. 24. Jeff Kent, 560 
25. Eddie Murray, 560

It seems like Tommy John surgery for Major League pitchers has become a rite of passage. What was originally an innovative surgery performed by Dr. Frank Jobe at the Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles to save the career of an aging pitcher (Tommy John was 31 when the first surgery was performed in 1974 and had won 124 games, he missed almost two complete seasons and won another 164 games before retiring in 1989 a the age of 46). He went from an aging pitcher to an ageless pitcher. At the time Dr. Jobe gave the surgery's chances of success at 1 in 100. Pitchers now see a success rate of 92%.

Sunday night brought us a rocking Wrigley Field in the season opener between the Cardinals and Cubs. Monday brings us everything else -- the 28 other teams basking in the pageantry, bunting and, in some cases, chilly early-April weather to begin the 162-game grind that all teams hope will lead to 11 more victories in October (and November?). Fourteen games to continue a week loaded with action on the diamonds of the American and National Leagues and storylines that will start to echo the standings.

After an interminable spring training, Opening Day at last is right around the corner-perhaps the last one quite like it. Next year, Major League Baseball wants to explore the right to flex to a one-game "series" for the Opening Sunday Night game-this year, for instance, it should have been Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers going up against Madison Bumgarner of the Giants, not Cubs-Cardinals-and to stage most openers on that same Sunday afternoon, rather than getting lost amid the hype of the NCAA men's basketball championship game on that Monday. (There are three opening games actually scheduled for when the title game is in progress. Why?)

Everyone should know better than to get overly excited or overly worked up about Spring Training statistics. Come April 6, they'll be largely irrelevant (sorry about that, Kris Bryant and Mookie Betts).

But that doesn't mean the numbers are totally useless. Some of them might be providing us a little bit of a window into what's ahead.

Here are 10 examples of exhibition output that might prove meaningful when the 2015 season gets real.

The last week of Spring Training is full of decisions and opportunities- who stays, who goes, who gets released, who is going to be on the field when the season opens on Sunday, April 5 in Chicago with the Cubs hosting the Cardinals.

Every Spring Training, general managers have to deal with major dilemmas regarding top prospects: Do you bring them north because you believe they give you the best chance to win now, or do you let them simmer in the Minors to work on some areas of improvement while also keeping their service time in check?

Some interesting questions for the new season

AL East

Alex Rodriguez returns, the Red Sox debut their new lineup, and the Rays enter the post-Joe Maddon era in a division that is completely up for grabs.

More cuts this week as prospects have been sent down to Minor League camps and Spring Rosters have been slowly whittled down. Players have had their taste of the nectar of the Gods and are now back to the reality of small crowded lockers, tight locker rooms and longer days. Players are not sent down just because they are not ready or because they are not needed or because they are not the best player to put on the field. The reality of baseball's rules on free agency play a big role in who is on he Opening Day roster.

The daily routines are very different in Major League camp and Minor League camp. There is more instruction and skills evaluation at Minor League camp. Major Leaguers may get instruction but it's typically not taken unless specifically asked for. 

Things change dramatically now that games have started for all teams in Florida and Arizona. Players are now trying to accomplish various things- hit the ground running and make an impression on coaches and front office personnel, win a job on the opening day roster, put themselves on the radar as a possible call up after the season starts, make the team as a non-roster invitee and just get in playing shape. Veterans dislike the length of Spring Training and everyone else hopes it's long enough to get enough innings to plead their case.

Tomorrow is the day when the first full squad workouts begin. Some teams start as late as Friday but most start tomorrow and Wednesday.

There are some major stories in MLB this Spring that will play out over the first half of the season. 

Pitchers and catchers are in camp now and the 2015 MLB season is under way. Lots of movement throughout both leagues with many teams looking to improve their staffs over the winter. This the start of a lot of extra catchers catching a lot of bullpens. Teams extend non-roster invitee invitations to most catchers on their systems since there are so many arms that need work. These catchers are going to put those knees, ankles and backs through the paces catching multiple bullpens each day. Not much fun and the pitchers are the ones getting the looks from the coaches not the backstops.