Site Lines: Brush up on your baseball knowledge

The great thing about baseball is that there is plenty of time to surf Web sites between pitches.

We at "Site Lines" feel it's our duty to make sure you properly prepare yourself for the major-league season upon the first pitch Sunday night. (Yeah, the A's and Red Sox played twice this week, but were you really awake to see those games?)

This week, let's look at some baseball Web sites that fly under the radar. It's not to say these sites are unknown, but they probably are known better among seamheads than among regulars at your corner bar.

John Skilton's Baseball Links

Site: baseball-links.com

The skinny: This site doesn't seem to get credit it deserves. Skilton's is the one-stop place for everything baseball. Looking for a minor-league team site? Go to Skilton's. Seeking some bats for your team? Go to Skilton's.

The call: John Skilton's site is indispensable. As the site says: "If you can't find what you're looking for, it probably doesn't exist." Beware: There are a lot of dead links there, too.

Project Prospect

Site: projectprospect.com

The skinny: This was a project of some Northern California college students who believed they could predict baseball prospects better than, say, Baseball America. The Prospect crew has created some statistical categories, and it rates the top minor-league players in every major-league organization.

The call: Watch this site grow. The work, done in spreadsheets and blogs, already has been taken seriously enough that the creators have been credentialed for the All-Star Futures Game and the Arizona Fall League. Prospects are not just numbers to this crew; it sees minor leaguers play and writes about them.

The College Baseball Blog

Site: thecollegebaseballblog.com

The skinny: This probably is the best news source for college baseball devotees (yes, they exist). You'll find updates on the country's game of the day. CBB even has its own Player of the Week awards.

The call: Not a bad site, but it seems to be Texas-centric. That said, CBB offers much original content, including blogs and columns. It does a very good job of filling a niche, all the way to the College World Series.

Giants Baseball Blog

Site: giantsbaseballblog.blogspot.com

The skinny: This site probably has the best fan perspective on the Giants. A 23-year-old Santa Rosa resident (according to a linked MySpace.com page) has offered unique analysis on every Giants move this spring. This week, the blogger published team-by-team N.L. previews, with starting lineups and rotations.

The call: This is a pretty ambitious site, but this blogger's stuff reads very well. The blogger even provides tips for next spring training, such as where to get a good house rental.

Athletics Nation

Site: athleticsnation.com

The skinny: You've heard of Red Sox Nation? Well, the best fan site for A's followers is Athletics Nation. This is part of a greater SportsBlogs Nation site, but it would stand alone very well. The blogs, especially one by a person named "Blez," hit it right where the A's fans are thinking. This week, for instance, fans blogged from Tokyo, photos and all.

The call: It's a surprisingly deep site, but the stars, however, are the fanposts, otherwise known as comments. These fans are die-hards, and aside from the wisecracks, they have some very insightful commentary.

About the writer:

• Got a cool sports Web site? Send it to Sports Editor Bill Bradley at bbradley@sacbee.com or call (916) 321-1224.