Preview/Prediction

The New York Yankees have once again failed to reach their goal of winning a World Series Championship.  While the team was solid, it won nothing last year but a single playoff series.  Granted, it sounds pretentious to 29 other teams to call a trip to the ALCS a failure, but in Yankee town, that’s all it is.

The 2010 Free Agent class for hitters is similar to many Free Agent classes of the past.  It contains many aging sluggers nearing the end of their careers, players coming off outstanding years; or terrible ones, and then the three guys that every team wants to have suit up for them.  Everyone knows the headliners of this years class, the speedy Carl Crawford, the shaggy power threat Jayson Werth, and the talented slugger Adam Dunn.

With free agency now in full force, there seem to be a select number of elite players up for grabs.

Of course, we all know Cliff Lee is a free agent, but who else is out there, and what's their story?

Everyone expected the Yankees to be a player in re-signing players, but there seems to be more difficulty in returning players.

As a fan of the Atlanta Braves, we have had much to complain about for the past few years.  However, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I believe we should also consider a few things that we can give thanks for as fans of this great franchise.

The fact is that 2010 was just a starting point for what should be a nice few years of success in Atlanta.  I do predict the Braves should be very competitive in 2011 and battle the Phillies again for the NL East title.  I honestly think this year the Braves should win the division as long as there are no major injuries.

As the 2010 season wound down, people like myself couldn't help but check the transaction wires around the league. The playoffs serve as a chance for some teams to be victorious, but for most, it's a chance to jump start their 2011 campaign.

In the following pages, I have outlined nearly every move that every club has made since their season ended.

Keep in mind, as the off-season progresses, so will this article. I will update it weekly, adding notes to every team with every new transaction or roster move.

You know, it wasn't that long ago that Andruw Jones was ruling the NL East alongside his buddy Chipper Jones (no relation).

Andruw played 11 full seasons from 1997-2007 with the Braves after getting a call-up late in the 1996 for the Braves' playoff push.

In seven of those 11 full seasons, Andruw eclipsed the 30-plus home run mark. Once he hit 41 and another time 51. Andruw was, no doubt, a slugger.

Ever since Alex Anthopolous has taken over as General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, nothing but excitement has surrounded the team.

He has said that he is committed to building a strong franchise that will have the ability to compete for many many years.  He has managed to build a strong farm system that continues to grow, while still managing to field a team that can compete in the toughest division in baseball.

Rumors rumors everywhere.  Where will Cliff Lee land?  The Yankees, duh.

It seems every off season that pitching is the biggest issue for those teams looking to make a big splash in free agency.

So many question marks remain for the Yankees this off-season.

Will Cliff Lee go for the money in the Bronx, or will he stay close to home and return to Texas? Will Derek Jeter be in a different uniform next season, and if so who is the starting shortstop for the Yankees? Is Andy Pettitte coming back for one last title run? Will Posada, Montero or Cervelli be the starting catcher? What is the bullpen going to look like?

I would like to start by saying congratulations to Terry Collins for winning the New York Mets vacant managerial position. He competed against three very deserving candidates and managed to come out on top. Therefore, I say good luck over the next two years.

That’s also an interesting point. Terry Collins reportedly will only be signing a two-year deal, through the end of the 2013 season.