Rankings/List

MLB icons can't evaluate their baseball careers objectively until after retirement, but we sure can. Barring debilitating injuries, scandals or abrupt deterioration of skill, these accomplished individuals will eventually call themselves Hall of Famers.

First-ballot inductees are a very rare breed. Future members of that fraternity were identified as such.

And keep in mind that this sport wouldn't survive without innovative coaches, umpires and executives. Many were considered for inclusion and, as you'll read, several are undoubtedly Cooperstown-bound.

A number of players in the big leagues can wow fans with their performances on the field, but some of them also have incredibly interesting backstories about their road to the major leagues.

Many players have had to deal with personal issues or injuries and have persevered to reach the MLB. Movies have been made about players like this in the past, such as The Rookie, which was based on Jim Morris' career.

In order for MLB teams to be World Series contenders, they need significant contributions from every single player on their 25-man rosters.

Baseball is a team sport that demands that each player do what they can to ensure the success of their team. A bench player drawing a walk as a pinch-hitter in the late innings of a tight game can be just as important to a team as the slugger that wallops a three-run home run.

With Major League Baseball's spring training well in progress, we can look ahead to the 2013 season with a bit of a clearer picture. Teams and players are slowly rounding into form, looking to get their regular seasons off to the right start.

The new divisional alignment will see teams facing opponents they're not used to seeing on numerous occasions, meaning some tricky games could pop up and shake up divisional races. For teams that are in the thick of the title hunt, that'll mean they need their players to step up.

Power ranking the best MLB players under 25 relies on tasty, yet tiny samples in the big leagues. Therefore, projected performances in 2013 were weighed nearly as heavily as past stats.

Although the Milwaukee Brewers have a relatively deep farm system with many players close to the major leagues, it’s devoid of a true impact prospect. Rather, it’s top heavy with numerous high-floor players, many of whom are on pace to reach the major leagues in either 2013 or 2014.

The 2013 World Baseball Classic gets underway this weekend with Australia taking on Chinese Taipei in the very first game on Friday night (11:30 p.m. EST).

For several countries, their odds of winning the WBC championship are not quite as good as others. But every team begins with a clean slate—as the saying goes, anything can happen.

Here is a prediction for the odds of each country winning the WBC title.

Headed into the 2012 season, the Minnesota Twins’ farm system was arguably among the worst in the game.

What a difference a year can make. Entering spring training, the organization houses five top-100 prospects with more on the way.

The Kansas City Royals’ farm system has served as a pipeline to the major leagues in recent years, producing former top prospects such as Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez and Danny Duffy, as well as a slew of late-inning arms.

With the 2013 World Baseball Classic right around the corner, it is a good time to look at some of the top baseball countries from around the globe. Not all of these nations' stars will be participating in the big event, but a number of the favorites are sending some of their best talents.

There are a number of countries that are known for producing big MLB stars. This ranking will look at current players in the MLB and the nations that they are from. The countries are not ranked in any particular order.