Albert Pujols

Money makes the world go 'round, even (and especially) in Major League Baseball.

If nothing else, money makes baseball's off-season much more interesting, with teams handing out absurdly large contracts left and right, to the likes of Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth and Cliff Lee.

I thought I'd take a look at which players had the best decade in several key areas of the game. I don't really care who hit the most homers or had the highest batting average.

While those statistics are useful, they are talked about a bit too much at the expense of some others. So let's take a look at some other things.

Note: my decade doesn't include 2000.

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With about only three months before the first regular season game, the time for baseball writers/bloggers to make their predictions about the 2011 MLB season is beginning to draw near. There are a lot of questions that will be answered in the 2011 season, such as: have the Phillies created a dynasty, can the Yankees rebound after losing out on big players this winter, and can Joey Votto carry the Reds back into the playoffs?

When making predictions for an upcoming season there are three important factors that I weigh into my decision making.

Christmas Day, 2010: Is there a better day to present you with a list of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history?

Please note: I have picked the best player for each given letter, so some players lucked out by having a name starting with an unusual letter. How else can a pretty good player like Carlos Quentin have the same odds of making my list as Stan Musial, a true all-time great.

One more note: Neither player made my list. Sorry to upset all the Carlos Quentin fans out there. Do read on.

The 2011 MLB season is just over three months away and already the free agent movement has caused a stir in the league power polls.

While the rest of the free agent situation gets sorted out and teams continue to strengthen, or weaken, we know that baseball is almost upon us.

With that in mind, every season has its surprises, for good and for bad.

The 2011 season will be no different in Major League Baseball, but it is always fun to take a look at what the season may have in store us.

The New Year is quickly approaching, and as baseball fans pour over the latest Hot Stove news, now is as good a time as any to look back at the 2010 season.

From a bevy of great pitching performances, to an unlikely home run king, to the Giants improbable World Series run, the 2010 season was a memorable one.

So here are the top 50 players from the 2010 season, from the subjective view of one sports writer. I welcome you to inform me where you disagree with my rankings, as this is certainly up for debate.

The Yankees didn't get their man this winter, but who might be heading to the Bronx next offseason?

Cliff Lee is a great pitcher and makes the Phillies the clear cut favorite to win it all next season in my opinion, but the Yankees are still a very talented team, and if they can swing a few trades here and there, they could easily wind up right in the middle of the playoff picture.

Jayson Werth's 7 year/$126 million contract has done many things to the baseball world—shocked it, confused it, angered it, and mocked it.

These types of contracts usually haven't caused players to live up to the ridiculous amount of money that they are paid.

Here's who has and hasn't lived up to the massive cash.

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Today's baseball players simply have no idea the leverage and position they hold in negotiations thanks to sacrifices of some of the game's greatest players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.

Before Curt Flood and the reserve clause, players either played or sat out.

Ownership held all the cards and ownership wasn't afraid to clench its teeth when it came to salary negotiations with some of the game's most loved and important icons.

Derek Jeter has been the subject of much debate in the off-season so far, ranging from his value as a fielder in the Gold Glove voting to his overall value as a player and icon to the New York Yankees.

Here's a debate that won't rage long with respect to Jeter: there can be no doubt that Derek Jeter is a no-brainer, first ballot Hall of Famer.

Now that the 2010 season, playoffs, post-season, and award season are all in the books, we have everything we need to take an extended team-by-team look at today's players and their Hall of Fame potential.