2011 MLB Spring Training

With the first Spring Training game just 39 days away, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies hosted a behind the scenes tour of their new Spring Training facility Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

When ground broke in November 2009, it was hard to imagine what the complex would look like.

Now, just 14 months later, the transformation is incredible.

Most of the heavy earth moving equipment has disappeared and all that remains is a few minor details and some cleanup.

Hey, did you hear? The Mariners were lousy in 2010. Terrible. Awful. Dreadful.

Ah, heck. I'll just link you so you can see all the synonyms for "bad."

That poor, poor dead horse.

As the spring draws closer, the talk of pitchers and catchers starts circulating amongst the fans.

Philadelphia Phillies fans, and baseball fans in general, start to grow restless as thoughts of homeruns and Cy Young Awards dance in their heads.

With a tumultuous offseason almost over, the Phillies roster has been altered in a big way.  It will be interesting to see the effects of the big addition of pitcher Cliff Lee and the departure of right handed hitter Jayson Werth.

The Cincinnati Reds were able to sign the 2010 N.L. MVP Joey Votto to a three year $38M extension.

It allows both sides a chance to avoid the arbitration process and it gives fans peace of mind that Votto will be a Cincinnati Red for the near future.

Ok that's great, but what's going to happen in 2013?

That's the question that Reds nation is wondering about in wake of the new deal. We'll get to that in a bit, first let's try and figure out who got the better end of the deal.

As spring training rolls ever nearer, our attention begins to turn away from the big names, and we focus more on the minor leaguers, September call-ups and young players who could compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

With that in mind, here is a quick rundown of 15 players who might find themselves starting 2011 in the majors.

Jason Kipnis, Cleveland

As the football season begins to wind down, the 2011 MLB season is right around the corner with Spring Training beginning in mid-February.  

With many interesting signings during the offseason, some of the league's most dominant players have decided to switch cities and play for another organization, such as Rafael Soriano and Cliff Lee.  

As Spring Training is quickly approaching, take a look at 10 players who are the most likely to show up to camp out of shape.

* Stats compiled from ESPN

Spring Training is a time for hitters to get back into the swing of things, for pitchers to shake off the rust and for coaches and managers to figure out what their strategy for the upcoming year is going to be. 

Spring is also a time for non-roster invitees, mainly top prospects looking to make a splash and prove they can hit big-league pitching, journeyman major-leaguers looking to latch on with a team, or proven players coming back from injury.

Talent needs execution like you and I need air to live and thrive. That’s perhaps an extreme analogy but oh so true.

Joba Chamberlain knows this deep within himself.

This uniquely gifted man, lifted up by expectation that now slides down toward a thoroughly middling career because he can’t quite get a handle on “great” and his grip on “good” is slipping.

The countdown to Spring Training has begun with pitchers and catchers set to report for some teams in less than a month. It was a busy offseason in the baseball world with a ton of big names moving teams.

Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee and Jayson Werth were three of the top free agents on the market over the winter who found a new home. Now that most free agents have found a team the focus will shift to Spring Training.

Don’t despair Phillies fans. What has all of the makings of a long, frigid, snowy winter will soon be interrupted with this announcement: “Pitchers and catchers report today!”