Preview/Prediction

Earlier today, New York Mets GM Sandy Alderson sat down with ESPN's Adam Rubin and addressed several of the issues surrounding the team heading into 2011.

Rubin is an excellent Mets writer and definitely asked the questions fans are most concerned about. Alderson, to his credit, answered all of them fairly well, but left a lot to the interpretation of the fans.

Craig Kimbrel took Braves Nation by storm in his first stint with the Braves in 2010, and looks to be the closer going forward in 2011.

Kimbrel, 22, possesses great closer-like stuff. An upper-90s fastball to go along with a plus slider, and Kimbrel has all the potential in the world to be a perennial All-Star as a closer. He’s been a top prospect for the Braves the last few years, and 2011 could very well be his breakout year.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

The Angels players, all personally offended by the public’s plea for outside help, will rally behind the return of Kendry Morales and Tim Salmon. 

Torii Hunter, who for so long called for Carl Crawford to become a Halo, will pretend he was happy with the roster all along. 

Tampa Bay Ray fans are watching their team fall apart by the seams of Matt Garza's 95 mile per hour fastball.

The Chicago Cubs have acquired SP Matt Garza, a minor league pitcher and OF Fernando Perez for a plethora of young players including OF Sam Fuld and RHP Chris Archer, the 2010 Minor League Baseball Pitcher of the Year.

“Every year players come out of nowhere to become success stories. Look no further than R.A. Dickey. He signed a minor-league deal last January, became a fixture in the starting rotation in May, and finished the season with 11 victories and a 2.84 ERA. I believe some of our offseason acquisitions can be this year’s version of R.A.”

New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson stated this in an e-mail to fans earlier today, and he could very well be projecting the future.

Word came out today from Kirby Arnold of The Herald up in Everett that the Mariners have asked Chone Figgins to slide back over to third base.

Figgins has agreed to do so. Not that he'd really have a choice, and it's silly to think he wouldn't want to.

Though he bounced around during his days with the Angels, third base is quite obviously Figgins' best position.

Going into the 2010 off season, the Baltimore Orioles had seemingly the same needs as they do every off season: first base, shortstop, third base, closer, and starting pitching.

They tried to get by, like they do every year, with the cheap patch-work signing of Cesar Isturis, who failed miserably, hitting just .230 in the process. Thankfully, this year he will be in a more suitable role of back-up utility infielder, where he still could hold some value off the bench.

There is a lot of talk about how Brian Cashman failed this offseason.  When he failed to land "the big fish," which is Cliff Lee, the entire 2011 season became a bust.  He is preaching "patience;" a very taboo word in this city, with this team.  

The question on peoples' minds is this: what are we being patient for?  What moves does Cashman have lined up that the Yankee Universe is unaware of?  The answer is down on the farm.

The world series was won.  The parade is over.  Now it's time to look at the division as a whole and really ponder about who is going to come out on top in 2011.  Many changes have been made to all teams in the division and fans from Los Angeles, San Diego, Arizona, Colorado and especially San Fransisco all know that their team has a chance to compete.  Let's go down the list of teams in the division and see who has the best shot of coming out on top in the NL West.