Preview/Prediction

How do you decide which division in Major League Baseball is the best?

Last year, I attempted to do this and went as far as ranking the divisions, from worst to first. My pick for best team was unpopular, and I’m here to say I was wrong.

With the baseball season just around the corner, here’s a look at my 2010 preseason predictions.

American League Champions:

Yesterday, I took a look at the updated starting nine position players for each American League East team. Today, I will cover the updated starting nine position players for each American League Central team.

Minnesota Twins

1. Denard Span, CF

2. Orlando Hudson, 2B

3. Joe Mauer, C

4. Justin Morneau, 1B

5. Michael Cuddyer, RF

6. Jason Kubel, DH

7. Delmon Young, LF

8. J.J. Hardy, SS

9. Nick Punto, 3B

It's finally here. I'm sorry for the delay. It's been tough balancing two blogs (this and 500 Days of Zobrist , the fantasy baseball blog) so I've kind of slacked a little the past week on posts here at Remember '51.

I think most Cubs fans would agree that the Friendly Confines felt like an "ivy-covered burial ground" a few too many times last season.

Yes, a few players actually had pretty decent seasons and the Cubs finished second in baseball's largest division—but it just wasn't good enough.

Five games over .500 is not at all what Cubs fans, or the Cubs themselves, were expecting coming off of back-to-back division titles.

This season's team is full of new faces though, as evidenced by the finalized roster for Opening Day.

We’re less than 96 hours away from Major League Baseball Opening Day and the hype machine is running at dangerous levels. What better time for a balls-out National League Predictions Column.

Within you’ll find predictions on everything from specific team records to precise player stat lines, from Rookie of the Year picks to playoff breakdowns for every series.

The best part? Every prediction is guaranteed to be 100 per cent spot on. You can take it to the bank.

One year after assuming the reins of a 100-loss team in Seattle, general manager Jack Zduriencik has imprinted his seal on the organization and provided manager Don Wakamatsu with enough talent to win the division. He followed up a busy 2009 with a very active offseason. In an extremely short period of time, he has turned over most of a mediocre lineup and added a second dominant pitcher to the top of the rotation. Additionally, he signed his young ace (Felix Hernandez) to a multi-year deal that should keep Seattle relevant in the AL West for the foreseeable future.

The Angels won the A.L. West again last season after posting a record of 97-65, but the team that takes the field on Opening Day will be substantially different than the one that eliminated the Boston Red Sox in the 2009 ALDS.

The 2010 New York Yankees are the odds-on favorites to repeat as World Series Champions. They are stacked with some of baseball’s best (and richest) players, playing in the prime of their careers.

After this season though, Derek Jeter will need a new contract.

Many media outlets and fans alike have spent copious amounts of time discussing and debating Derek Jeter’s next contract. Jeter, 36, is in the final year of his 10-year, $189 million deal.

So how much should Jeter get in his next contract?

The season hasn’t started yet and the Rangers have already been rocked by disaster—revelations of manager Ron Washington’s cocaine use (on ONE occasion) have placed the organization under a level of scrutiny (and criticism) that will almost certainly have an effect on the ballclub.

Pitching has routinely been a problem in Arlington, and it will continue to be an issue for at least one more season. Last year was successful, especially by Texas standards, but the team will be hard pressed to match the achievement in 2010.