Preview/Prediction

In 2001, the Minnesota Twins (along with the Montreal Expos) were threatened to be contracted from Major League Baseball.

Take a look at where this team has come in the time since.

Rather than folding like a cheap suit, the Twins have risen back to becoming a potent catalyst in the sport in the last decade.

The 2010 season was a special year for the Twins, as highly anticipated Target Field opened for business.

He who hesitates is lost. Or, in my experience, he who sleeps in misses the bus.

The Yankees were looking good. The assumed front-runners to nab Cliff Lee, the Yankees somehow lost him to a late arrival to the party, the Philadelphia Phillies. Apparently, Lee decided on Philly because of the "fans and a great atmosphere" and also hinted that it may have been what his wife wanted.

With Cliff Lee returning to the City of Brotherly Love, the list of free agent pitchers looks awfully unappealing. Carl Pavano is the "best" option but few teams wish to give him a sizable contract given his injury history. However, there is a Cy Young winner available in a city that will not contend anytime soon. 

Reliever Pedro Feliciano is staying put in New York, but he will be sporting a different uniform.

The life-long Met is leaving Queens to bring his talents to the Yankees. 

Feliciano is a 34-year-old lefty who inked an $8 million, two-year contract with an option for a third, to come over to the Bronx. Fans get the reassurance that GM Brian Cashman is doing his job, as this is a huge boost to counterpart Boone Logan in the bullpen.

If you’re a New York Mets fan, you might want to commit this name to memory for future reference: Cesar Puello.

As the hot stove quiets down after the major signings and trades have taken place (Cl. Lee-Phi., A. Gonzalez-Bos., C. Crawford-Bos., D. Uggla-Atl, etc.), the 2011 teams have started to take shape.  While more changes could be on the horizon, the following slides will show how I see the lineup, rotation, bench, and bullpen to look come springtime.

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Come on everybody let's sing! "It's the most wonderful time of the year, duh, duh, duh duh duh duh, blah, blah blah blah blah blah, it's the most wonderful time of the year ."

That is, except for the obscenely manic, your compulsive over eaters, and New York Yankee fans already fretting over the state of their team and the very recently improved roster of their hated rival, the Boston Red Sox.  

Most of the big free agents have already agreed to deals. But even with Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth off the market, there are still plenty of good players available for teams still looking to finish their offseason shopping.

Here's a look at the top 10 remaining free agents and where they might end up.

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The New York Yankees have to divert whatever attention is left from all the Cliff Lee drama, but there is no denying the painful disappointment still lingers.

Losing Kerry Wood to the Chicago Cubs was unexpected, but the signing of former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin gave the first ray of hope thus far in this offseason.

Why is signing Russell Martin such a positive? For two reasons:

The Boston Red Sox have once again shaken up their roster, executing a huge trade with the San Diego Padres for Adrian Gonzalez and signing one of the biggest free agents of the 2010-2011 offseason, Carl Crawford.

Returning are popular veterans David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia (can we call Pedroia a veteran now? He's achieved more in three MLB seasons than most players do in 15.) How will this play out in the lineup? Read on to find out.

After the Red Sox stabilize their pitching staff, I'll do the "Potential 2011 Red Sox Roster: Pitching Staff."