MLB Playoffs

When Bud Selig decided to introduce the wild card to MLB's playoff system in 1994, many people thought it was a blemish on baseball's tradition and history. Fast forward to the modern day, and you would be hard-pressed to find any baseball fan who does not appreciate what the wild card system has done for the game. It has benefited the league from an economic standpoint, it has created a more competitive and balanced league and it has created a better experience for baseball fans.

The 2011 season is nearly upon us and the anticipation in the air is palpable. There is still time for teams to make improvements and increase their chances at a successful season.

But as the available free agents dwindle, the 2011 picture is coming into clearer focus.

Which teams have the best shot at the postseason will depend on a number of factors.  Some say pitching rules the day, others hang their hats on offensive outbursts.

The following is a list of all 30 teams, from worst to first, which ranks their chances at making the playoffs in 2011.

Did the ball hit the ground?  Does it matter? 

We all saw it, or at least we think we did. 

2005 American League Championship Series, game two, White Sox versus Angels.  It's tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. AJ "always in trouble" Pierzynski is batting with two strikes.  Angels pitcher Kelvim Escobar throws a low pitch; AJ swings and misses. Strike three, inning over, extra innings here we come...but no.  Pierzynski has advanced to first base. 

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.

The 2011 Toronto Blue Jays already have a different feel to them. 

The Jays will be in an unfamiliar position when the 2011 season begins: Playoff hopefuls. 

How many times has a Jays fan been able to say that since 1993? Not many. This year’s club is focused more on manufacturing runs instead of relying on the long ball.   

Does that work in the power-laden American League East? It worked for the Tampa Bay Rays. 

New Year's Day is nearly upon us, and perhaps no MLB team is looking forward to a fresh start in 2011 more than the Los Angeles Dodgers.

From the ugly proceedings of the McCourt divorce to the departure of Manny Ramirez to the retirement of Joe Torre, the Dodgers had their fair share of pitfalls in a year that saw them fail to capture a third consecutive NL West division title.

This past year presented Atlanta Braves fans with plenty of moments to relish.

This was the first time the Braves had reached the playoffs since 2005 and was the final season for venerable manager Bobby Cox.

But, I'm staying away from those topics for this slideshow.

Instead, I'm focusing on singular moments over the course of the calendar year that Braves fans will be talking about for years to come rather than events that involved a culmination of years/months of dedicated work to draw their fanfare.

I don’t know if you noticed two things, but the Oakland A’s with their ragtag, no-name pitching staff and always-youthful roster somehow stumbled their way to an 81-81 (.500) record last season in the suddenly wide-open American League West.

A common criticism of Major League Baseball, besides the lack of a salary cap or parity, is the unfair scheduling and division setup. The division setup in both leagues is very unusual. The American League West has four teams, the National League Central has six teams and every other division has five. This adds up to 14 teams in the AL and 16 in the NL, which has led to uneven scheduling.

So I am suggesting a dramatic change in both leagues.The new division format should be just like the National Football League, which also has an excellent rotating scheduling system.

Carl Crawford has agreed to a seven-year, $142 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. But what does that mean for Boston's AL East rival, the New York Yankees?

Well if nothing else, we now know the Red Sox have big league money and are willing to spend it.

Just last weekend, Boston traded for San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez. The first baseman is expected to get a deal worth an estimated $154 million over seven-years.