Baseball

The 2009 Mets season was caertainly a season Mets fans around the country would like to forget. Near the begining of the season a lot was expected of the Mets, Sports Illustrated even predicted them to be the World Series Champs.

This season went down the drain when the Mets suffered the losses of key players Carlos Beltran, John Maine, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado and many more. The Mets had to play guys like Nelson Figueroa and Wilson Valdez in their absences.

Mets fans would just like to put this season behind us and see what Omar can do for the team this offseason.

Curtis Granderson is a nice guy. He’s the kind of man any father would be thrilled to have his daughter marry. He is one of the true ambassadors of baseball, and I don’t throw those kinds of words around willy-nilly.

But I’d trade him in a heartbeat.

The decline of the Cleveland Indians over the past two years, from playoff contender in 2007, to league average in 2008, to cellar dweller in 2009, has been perhaps the most dramatic in the major leagues.

And it (mostly) came from a different source than I thought.

Indian batters tend to be among the better ones in the league on traditional metrics, even in 2009. But their contribution hovers around league average because they aren't very clutch.

Every 1990’s little leaguers’ favorite player will be back for another year in 2010.

On Wednesday, Ken Griffey, Jr. signed a one-year deal worth $2 million plus performance incentives to stay with the Seattle Mariners for at least one more season.

Griffey turns 40 on November 21, but many still remember him as “The Kid.”

Who was more valuable to the White Sox: Robin Ventura or Joe Crede?

Which outfielder would you rather have in your all-time Sox lineup: Jermaine Dye or Shoeless Joe Jackson?

Is Luis Aparicio the greatest shortstop the Windy City has ever known?

More importantly, which Chicago White Sox player had the greatest ever offensive season at his position?

Major League Baseball has been asking fans this question in an effort to choose each team's best collection of stars. They are calling it MLB 9s.

Ben Sheets, the former Milwaukee Brewers' ace, has not filed for free agency this year. He hasn't needed to. For the last year, Sheets, 31, sat on the free agent market, the most notable in-season free agent. Last offseason, the New York Mets and Texas Rangers were in hot pursuit of Sheets.

Christmas shopping for all of us is about 30 days away.

For the Yankees and General Manager Brian Cashman, he may be starting his shopping in six days.

Friday, November 20 will mark the beginning of Major League Baseball's free agency period for all teams and all players.

So far, the 30 teams have six more days to re-negotiate with their players before they hit the open market for good.

Last year, the Yankees spent $161 million to get CC Sabathia, $82.5 to get A.J. Burnett, $180 million to get Mark Teixeira, and traded for Nick Swisher.

I repeat my assertion that the Reds need a solid shortstop to be an authentic contender for the Central Division championship. I have had my fill of Juan Castro's, Felipe Lopez's (though look at him now), Enrique Cruz's and Alex Gonzalez's until I could puke.

Jeff Keppinger filled in for nearly a year and did an adequate job. I think they sent him to Houston while my back was turned shortly before the season began.