Brad Penny

In baseball, divisions can be won or lost based on what a team does in the winter months, and perhaps more so than any other division, the NL Central could be decided by a few key off season moves.

The division looks to be a three team race between the Cardinals, Reds, and Cubs. The Brewers are also capable of making some noise, while the Astros and Pirates are in the middle of rebuilding and could see marked improvement in the years to come.

As the Philadelphia Phillies' season came to an abrupt end against the Giants in the NLCS, the offseason went about itself the next day.

We have already seen J.C. Romero's $4.5 million option not picked up and heard from Jayson Werth about him testing the free agent waters. All odds are pointing toward him not being in a Philadelphia uniform in 2011. With that being said, there are definitely some needs that this Phillies team has to address, and the most likely way to address that is through free agency.

Coming into the 2010 baseball season, there was no clearer choice than the St. Louis Cardinals as National League Central Division champs.

They had Albert Pujols, the best player in baseball, and possibly the best 3-4 combination in Pujols and Matt Holliday.

Their starting rotation, led by co-aces Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, was thought to be one of the best in baseball.

Hello and welcome to today's MLB Rumor Mill!

I haven't done a rumor mill for Major League Baseball in a couple of days, so now here is one today!

Is there a possibility that Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt could go to the New York Yankees or Washington Nationals? It could be possible.

More on that and other rumors on today's rumor mill for the MLB!

So sit back, relax, and read today's MLB rumor mill.

Hope you enjoy it!

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After a few busy days of winter meetings in the MLB, let’s take a look at the fantasy implications of some of the bigger moves:

Intimidation can be utilized in any sport and when it comes to baseball, there is no player that brings the intimidation factor better than starting pitcher Brad Penny.

At 6' 4" and 230 pounds, "The Bull", as fans like to call him, is the guy who, when you pass him walking down the street, you'd expect him to be able to chuck a baseball 98 MPH.

His size and personality are fit for an NFL tight-end. (In fact, I would be surprised if he isn't already friends with colorful Jeremy Shockey of the New Orleans Saints.)

Remarkably inconsistent.

It's a phrase that not only describes Brad Penny, but almost all the pitchers on the free agent market this winter. There are no "sure things" on the market, and any pitcher that Brewers GM Doug Melvin decides to sign will come with a big risk in one way or another for the Milwaukee Brewers.

I'll be honest, when the Giants signed Brad Penny on Aug. 31, I wasn't thinking he could recreate what he did the last time he was considered a legitimate major-league pitcher when he first strapped on the orange and black.

Not only was his time in Boston a complete disaster, his 2008 in sunny SoCal wasn't exactly something you want to remember either.

With all the hoopla surrounding the onslaught of the National Football League's Opening Weekend as well as a couple huge college football games, the San Francisco Giants' weekend series with the Los Angeles Dodgers flew almost completely off the radar.

In truth, I don't really have a beef with that—the return of such monsters as well as the renewal of storied college rivalries merit every drop of ink they got.

Every season, there are free agents who are expected to be superstars for the team they sign with.

Then there are those free agents who are less publicized, but still are able to make a significant impact on their new team. Here are some of the top underrated free agent signings of 2009.

Orlando Hudson/Los Angeles Dodgers