Most Americans (at least before the current depression) retired in their late 60s or early 70s, or not at all. Baseball players, even those with the most longevity, retire while they are still young.

Mickey Mantle retired in 1968 at the tender age of 36. Like old generals, old players never die, but unlike old generals, Mickey Mantle never fades away.

The Oakland Athletics might not be done with their busy offseason yet.

A source told the Contra Costa Times that the A's are interested in Seattle Mariners' infielder Chone Figgins.

The current talk, according to the source, involves Oakland sending current third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and "perhaps a pitcher" to Seattle in exchange for Figgins.

Entering the 2011 season, the Mets are a team of low expectations and "what ifs." The fans don't think their team is going very far this season, but don't tell Jose Reyes that. Reyes says he has thoughts of MVP in his mind with spring training just 18 days away.

Shut out from signing Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford and Adrian Beltre (Ouch!), the Angels overreacted and made a trade for Vernon Wells. Guess there really is one born every minute.

Wells' seven-year, $126 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, which has been one of the worst deals in baseball since it was signed in 2006, is now the Angels' problem, or at least $86 million of it is.

But money is just one reason for Angels fans to hate this deal.

Let's take a look at some other reasons...

What is the going rate for a cerebral college pitcher with a continually developing arsenal, increasing strikeout rate, and a perennial winner?  How about a fourth round draft pick in the 2009 amateur draft by the New York Yankees.

Adam P. Warren is a 6'1", 200lb right hand pitcher from New Bern, NC.  He played his high school ball at New Bern High, where he earned the New Bern Journal's "Baseball Player of the Year" award.  An honor roll student, he graduated fifth in his class.

One of the keys to winning your fantasy baseball league is maximizing your players' potentials by playing them only in their most ideal circumstances. What do I mean by that?

Many Major League Baseball hitters have strengths and weaknesses, most notably hitting versus right or left-handed pitchers. For a pitcher, an example might be that your pitcher only pitches well at home or on the road. So how can you use this on draft day to your advantage? 

This winter was a cold one for the Tampa Bay Rays, there's no doubt about that. Losing the face of the franchise, the MLB saves leader, and one of the top two starting pitchers will make it that way for a team.

There's questions galore with this club coming into 2011, from wondering who will be in what role in the bullpen, to how players will be switched around in several different positions.

These, in my mind, our the top five questions, or concerns, for the Rays entering this spring.

Oakland Athletics center fielder Coco Crisp has established himself as a top outfielder in the game of baseball. His tremendous speed and awareness makes him a perfect player to patrol the outfield.

On top of his defense, Crisp has established himself as a top leadoff man in the big leagues. His quick hands help him get on base and quick feet make him a threat to steal every time he reaches base.

When asked to name his top five favorite center fielders to watch, Crisp had a tough time coming up with a list.

As the 2011 Major League Baseball season is just over two months away, it's appropriate to start thinking about the key pieces for every team this season.

While we saw the Giants win the World Series with a pitching-heavy formula, their championship counterparts, the Texas Rangers, road Josh Hamilton's bat the majority of the way there.

Every team has high expectations coming into the season, and here is a list of players who will have to produce in order for their teams to meet them.

Be prepared for some surprises, as several big-name players have changed teams.

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.