Rankings/List

Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven were voted into the Hall of Fame today, while Jeff Bagwell fell just short with only 41.7 percent of the vote.

Players rarely make it into the Hall of Fame their first time on the ballot, some needing up to all 15 years of eligibility to get in (like Jim Rice). But that doesn't mean they are any less deserving of the honor.

The 2010 MLB season featured plenty of break-out performances. From Joey Votto and Carlos Gonzalez to David Price, there were plenty of new stars in the game.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have players that already have experienced success in their careers, but in 2010, they were considered disappointments. Whether it be due to injuries, age or just poor performances, here are 10 players that need to play much better in 2011.

Begin Slideshow

We have reached the late afternoon of Major League Baseball's offseason drama.

The shadows are getting rather long out on the stage, and many of the main characters of this play have long since finished acting out their scenes and have gone back home to rest up for the remainder of the winter.  Even some of the secondary players have reached their destinations.  Brandon Webb, welcome to Texas.  Derrek Lee, Baltimore has a great ballpark.

1. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

2. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers 

3. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

4. Josh Hamilton, OF, Texas Rangers

5. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins

6. Carl Crawford, OF, Boston Red Sox

7. Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

8. Matt Holliday, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

9. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

10. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees

Steroids have destroyed the game of baseball, which is somewhat ironic considering it also fueled its resurrection.

While Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were slugging their way through baseball's resurgence, everyone, fans and executives alike, turned a blind eye.

Now that it's all over, those same guys will find the doors to Cooperstown shut in their face. Never mind the fact that their stats more than qualify them to be enshrined among the game's greats, but the use of PED's will always keep them out.

Blockbuster trades at the major league level often tend to shake things up at the minor league level, and the Boston Red Sox trade for Adrian Gonzalez last November was no exception. The Red Sox were forced to ship three of their top prospects off to San Diego to seal the deal: RHP Casey Kelly, 1B Anthony Rizzo and OF Reymond Fuentes. That trio were ranked, respectively, as the No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6 prospects in the Red Sox organization by Baseball America just prior to their being traded.

It’s a known fact for all SF Giant fans: Pitching is not a weak link.

But previous to last year's World Series plight, it was undermined by a possible lack of hitting.

Oh, how we were wrong.

The Giants put together some moves that were at the time thought of as inadequate. As we look back, such moves have proved to be of the World Series MVP quality.

What moves could possibly benefit the Gigantes? I know it’s a story often told, but let’s discuss some trade talk that could benefit the Giants' offensive potential.

The Phillies have been a hot topic during the offseason of 2010-11. Jayson Werth is out, Cliff Lee is in and people are talking about perhaps witnessing the best pitching rotations in baseball history.

Let's not jump the gun, but on the same note, it may be tougher for the Giants to repeat as the NL West becomes more competitive.

Begin Slideshow

It's the ultimate variable in sports. It's the frustration of every fan when one man makes a blind call. It's simple, however: Umpires are the last true holders of sports destiny.

The NBA and NFL can pause everything and revert to replays. Baseball can do the same, but only in very specific instances. Even though home-runs can now be replayed, it's only a recent development. Umpires can make a pitchers life hell on every single pitch. They can aggregate an entire city on what they consider to be a strike.

On Wednesday, the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2011. There's no telling how the results will shake out, but after seeing how the voters have gone the last few years, one thing's for sure: they'll get it wrong.