Seven-and-a-half million dollars is a lot of money to pay to a relief pitcher who walked a career-high 4.98 batters per nine innings in the previous season.

That is especially true if the reliever in question also struck out a career-low 7.09 strikeouts per nine innings in that season.

Yet general manager Jim Hendry and the Chicago Cubs made just such an investment this winter when they inked left-handed hurler John Grabow to a two-year pact.

What can the Chicago Cubs do for an encore in 2010?

2009 started off with the highest of expectations, but a season of hope and promise quickly turned into one of dismal performances and despair.

A team that was predicted to win the National League by most "experts" did not even qualify for the playoffs.

Their season was derailed by injuries early and often, and a manager, front office, and city of fans were left scratching their heads, wondering what the hell happened to a 97-win ball club.

Oakland is coming off three straight losing seasons and Billy Beane, Bob Geren and Co. think that they have the right combination of good young pitching, potentially great defense, and scrappy, hard-nosed hitters to end the streak in 2010.

In Adrian Beltre the Boston Red Sox have acquired a Gold Glove third baseman to replace another Gold Glove third baseman in Mike Lowell. But the Red Sox may have gotten more than they bargained for.

Mike Lowell’s Quick Demise

2009 was a tough year for San Diego Padres fans, starting with getting used to not watching the all-time save leader Trevor Hoffman close out games and then their ace, Jake Peavy, was sent to the Chicago White Sox midseason. 

The release of the longest tenured general manager in MLB would follow, as Kevin Towers made way for 36-year-old Jed Hoyer, former assistant GM of the Boston Red Sox.  The question becomes will the Padres blend together quickly enough to compete in the National League West this year? 

There is hope Padre fans and there is life after Jake Peavy...I promise.

Not to put unneeded pressure on 6'10" righthander Chris Young, but, well, the San Diego Padres' 2010 season is riding on that over-the-top right arm. They're counting on him to be the new team ace and they're counting on him to stay healthy, something Young hasn't done over the last two seasons.

The next five weeks will go a long way in determining if J.R. Towles will begin to hit or go down like Robbie Wine in the history of once-promising Houston Astros catching prospects who end up more slag than successful.

Towles enters the spring entrenched in a duel with fellow good field-no hit backstop Humberto Quintero for the right to keep the starting seat warm long enough for top farmhand Jason Castro to hone his skills before wresting the position.

For Towles, the stakes couldn't be higher.

The Yankees experienced a magical 2009 season that resulted in their 27th championship. Everything fell into place in just the right way, and they avoided any and all unfortunate mishaps.

Alex Rodriguez was able to break out of his October nightmare, even after a crippling hip injury nearly derailed his season before it began.

Every season is different and provides a whole new set of obstacles, and this 2010 Yankee team is no different.

Not since Shawon Dunston have the Cubs had one of the top middle-infield prospects in baseball, but that has changed. There's a kid skyrocketing through the Cubs' organization that might show up at Wrigley Field at some point in 2010.

If you haven't heard of Starlin Castro, here's your introduction.

Since bringing an end to a long history of setbacks and tragedy by winning the 2002 World Series, the Angels have had a stranglehold on the AL West, winning the division four of the last five years. After winning the division by 21 games in 2008, things tightened up considerably last season. The hard-hitting Rangers finally got some pitching, riding the Angels' coat tails into September.