Baseball

The 2000s were a hell of a decade for baseball.

We saw home run power, the walk become en vogue, the Red Sox win as many World Series as the Yankees, and the statistical revolution take over almost all MLB front offices.

When trying to craft an all-decade team, a number of considerations come up:

It's finally here. I'm sorry for the delay. It's been tough balancing two blogs (this and 500 Days of Zobrist , the fantasy baseball blog) so I've kind of slacked a little the past week on posts here at Remember '51.

I recently asked for other bloggers and readers to post their predictions for the 2010 season. Several bloggers have already posted their predictions, so I definitely suggest that you cruise around the Twins blogosphere to see them (I am hoping to make a list of links to the sites at some point today).

I think most Cubs fans would agree that the Friendly Confines felt like an "ivy-covered burial ground" a few too many times last season.

Yes, a few players actually had pretty decent seasons and the Cubs finished second in baseball's largest division—but it just wasn't good enough.

Five games over .500 is not at all what Cubs fans, or the Cubs themselves, were expecting coming off of back-to-back division titles.

This season's team is full of new faces though, as evidenced by the finalized roster for Opening Day.

We’re less than 96 hours away from Major League Baseball Opening Day and the hype machine is running at dangerous levels. What better time for a balls-out National League Predictions Column.

Within you’ll find predictions on everything from specific team records to precise player stat lines, from Rookie of the Year picks to playoff breakdowns for every series.

The best part? Every prediction is guaranteed to be 100 per cent spot on. You can take it to the bank.

The Texas Rangers claimed Seattle Mariners 1B Ryan Garko off of waivers on Wednesday. 

Garko, acquired this offseason by the Seattle Mariners, was expected to spell Casey Kotchman at first base, but his skill set did not match the Seattle Mariners' expectations.

Drafted: Fifth Round, 2008 (Portsmouth, RI)

Height: 6′2″; Weight: 195 lbs

Born: April 27, 1990

This is where I choose to slot Westmoreland. While his future is in question following his recent surgery, his talent is too great to ignore…but there are too many questions in play to slot him ahead of Kelly, Reddick, or Kalish.

One year after assuming the reins of a 100-loss team in Seattle, general manager Jack Zduriencik has imprinted his seal on the organization and provided manager Don Wakamatsu with enough talent to win the division. He followed up a busy 2009 with a very active offseason. In an extremely short period of time, he has turned over most of a mediocre lineup and added a second dominant pitcher to the top of the rotation. Additionally, he signed his young ace (Felix Hernandez) to a multi-year deal that should keep Seattle relevant in the AL West for the foreseeable future.

The Angels won the A.L. West again last season after posting a record of 97-65, but the team that takes the field on Opening Day will be substantially different than the one that eliminated the Boston Red Sox in the 2009 ALDS.

The 2010 New York Yankees are the odds-on favorites to repeat as World Series Champions. They are stacked with some of baseball’s best (and richest) players, playing in the prime of their careers.

After this season though, Derek Jeter will need a new contract.

Many media outlets and fans alike have spent copious amounts of time discussing and debating Derek Jeter’s next contract. Jeter, 36, is in the final year of his 10-year, $189 million deal.

So how much should Jeter get in his next contract?