Rankings/List

The American League Central division sometimes gets lost in the shuffle with big market teams like the Yankees and Red Sox eating up the national sports headlines.

Still, the AL Central boasts a great deal of talent and is typically a closely-contested division until the final week of the season.

In the past five seasons, six players from the division have won American League MVP or Cy Young awards:

MVP: Joe Mauer, 2009; Justin Morneau, 2006.

Cy Young: Zack Greinke, 2009; Cliff Lee, 2008; CC Sabathia, 2007; Johan Santana, 2006.

With Adam Wainwright hurt, Miguel Cabrera battling alcohol addiction and the Yankees' rotation in shambles, it only makes sense that most of the talk about minor leaguers so far this spring has surrounded who can fill a need for his team at the big-league level in 2011. So much uncertainty encircles inexperienced prospects that only the most hardcore fans really take interest in minor leaguers still two or three years from MLB readiness.

Will the New York Mets toss a no-hitter in 2011? No? How about slugging a walk-off grand slam, a steal of home, a triple play or back-to-back-to-back homers?

Spring training games got underway this weekend and that means that Opening Day is just a month away.

With that in mind, here are 20 single-game accomplishments up for grabs in 2011.

Some, like a complete game or a multi-home run outing, are sure bets. Others, like hitting for the cycle are less likely, but still very much possible.

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

What makes a great leadoff hitter?

Getting on base at a high rate is a good start, but everyone in the lineup is expected to do that. A good eye always helps, but he shouldn't be afraid to swing. Speed is a bonus, but some of the fastest players in baseball hit in the bottom of the batting order.

The truth is that there's no formula for the perfect leadoff hitter. Every player approaches the game differently and every team has a different offensive style. But that doesn't diminish the importance of the leadoff man.

There are no guarantees in life and sports.

No sport has a more graceful preseason than baseball and spring training.

Within that grace is the spirit of the underdog and the non-roster invitees who strive to get their names onto the Opening Day rosters.

Who will rise to glory in April as a major leaguer, or fall into the depths of the minors?

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This is part two of a three part series where I am ranking the top 30 major league players on the Texas Rangers roster. In part one I covered players 30-21, which was mainly players on the fringe of the 25 man roster and younger players who will contribute at some point during the season. The players ranked 11-20 are not quite core players, but they are more so components of the Rangers. Every team has a few stars at the top of the roster and average players that fill out the bottom of the roster, but its the middle section of a team that puts a team over the top.

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

Much like Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander has given us three very different looks in the last three seasons.

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

Justin Morneau is very much like Prince Fielder, in that you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get.

Major League Baseball is in the air. All 30 teams have flocked to a warm weather site with the same goal in mind: Win a ring.

Whether it's veterans of the league imparting as much knowledge as they can on the young guns, or legends from the past returning to the place that they loved, spring training is a beneficial and necessary time for baseball players.