Jose Reyes

Albert Pujols and Michael Young have been the main headlines heading into the 2011 Major League Baseball season.

Pujols, one of the greatest players in the game's history, is seeking a record setting contract extension from the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Young, one of the most loyal players in Texas Rangers history, doesn't want to be moved to designated hitter full-time and is seeking a trade. 

For as long as most of us can remember, the Dallas Cowboys have been America's Team. 

A lot of that has to do with the teams locale, the dearth of professional teams that existed in America's heartland when the 'Boys broke onto the expansion scene in 1960.

Carmelo Anthony has been one of the most talked-about figures in sports in 2011. The saga that led to his eventual departure from Denver was incredible. As was the New York Knicks' pursuit of him and the package they surrendered to the Nuggets in the resultant 13-piece, three-team trade.

So, could the story repeat itself in the upcoming baseball season? Here, we take a quick look at five candidates for the role of Anthony—players who could give up on their team, demand a trade, or both, before the July 31st trading deadline.

The New York Mets had a very disappointing 2010 season due to all of the injuries they suffered, with Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana and Jose Reyes all missing significant time last year.  The Mets do have talent and the ability to make a playoff run.  The projected 2011 lineup looks like this:

1. SS Jose Reyes

2. CF Angel Pagan

3. 3B David Wright

4. RF Carlos Beltran

What makes a great leadoff hitter?

Getting on base at a high rate is a good start, but everyone in the lineup is expected to do that. A good eye always helps, but he shouldn't be afraid to swing. Speed is a bonus, but some of the fastest players in baseball hit in the bottom of the batting order.

The truth is that there's no formula for the perfect leadoff hitter. Every player approaches the game differently and every team has a different offensive style. But that doesn't diminish the importance of the leadoff man.

This point may be moot, due to a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme (I'm still rooting for a, "Bernie Madoff Made off with My Team's Payroll and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" promotional day) but if there is a choice for the Mets between going for it or rebuilding, they should rebuild.

We may never know if the Wilpon family, principal owners of the New York Mets, benefited or lost as a result from dealings with Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff.

However, we will soon know if the Wilpons' involvement with Madoff will cost their beloved Mets on the field.

The recent lawsuit against the Wilpons will cost them millions. It's not relevant if they win or lose in the courtroom.

There isn't a lot to look forward to when it comes to the New York Mets in 2011. There are more questions than answers surrounding this team right now, and with the lawsuit stemming from the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme hanging over their heads, fan morale is at an all-time low.

Well cheer up Mets fans! It's Spring Training, and with it comes a clean slate. Will the Mets win the World Series this season? Probably not. Can they win the World Series? Sure they can; any team can. That's why it's a clean slate.

Jose Reyes is one of the best shortstops in the game today, and teams around the majors should seriously consider trading top prospects for him.

The reason is quite simple, and I will get more in depth with the reasoning behind this in the later slides.

Off the top, the shortstop position in the majors is relatively weak and Reyes is one of the best there is, both in the field and at the plate.

Reyes has the ability to be a great leadoff hitter and he is also a threat on the bases as well. In the field, Reyes is also a solid defender at the shortstop position.

MLB Spring Training has only just started, but the MLB buzz is continuous. There is already buzz about mid-season trades to come. There's also already buzz about the free agents after this season.

Albert Pujols and C.C. Sabathia will probably continue to dominate the MLB buzz. There are some other buzz stories past Pujols and Sabathia, though.

Here are some of the latest buzz in the MLB world.

Begin Slideshow