Joakim Soria

Opening Day is just over a week away, and it is time to look at what this season holds for the Kansas City Royals.

With many new players being added to the team over the past year, many will be looking for players that have been on the team in the past to step up their game and take charge this season.

The following is my guide to five players that will be very crucial to the club's success in 2011.

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He stands at only 5'7", 170 lbs, but don't let his lack of size fool you.

Royals' lefty Tim Collins is one of the more underrated pitchers in the majors and has been an underdog nearly everywhere he has played.

Whether it was at Worcester High or while he played in the Toronto Blue Jays' organization, Collins has always flown under the radar.

He was even overlooked after putting together a 2.02 ERA and fanning 108 batters in just 71 innings while playing for three organizations in 2010.

One of the major weaknesses of the Royals team last season was its lackluster bullpen.

This season, there promises to be many new faces in what should be a unit that will be a work in progress from the start of the season.

New additions such as Tim Collins and Louis Coleman should likely help bridge the gap to star closer Joakim Soria, and hopefully improve a 'pen that has been very inconsistent in recent years.

The following slides feature the players that I have predicted to make this 'pen in '11.

Enjoy.

Baseball fans rejoice; Spring Training started yesterday and the regular season is just a month and a half away.

With the season rapidly approaching, the closer situation of each team is becoming clearer. As one of the most important roles on a baseball team, a closer can be the difference between a good team and a championship one.

Interested to see which teams have shaky and stable closer situations? Read on.

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As fantasy baseball drafts quickly approach, I thought it would be helpful to provide a quick reference cheat sheet for closers.

Remember, don't take a closer too early, as there is value to be had late in drafts.

AL East

It's almost time for pitchers and catchers to report to their spring training cites. This means the men who each team count on to secure a win will be reporting. In the last inning in a close game, the team's manager calls on his best bullpen pitcher to come into the game and shut the door. The closers role is one of the most important roles on a baseball team. Let us countdown the Top 10.

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The Kansas City Royals made news this offseason when they announced that the team would be willing to deal All-Star closer Joakim Soria for the right price.

Many began to think that the club was going to deal the talented 26-year-old Soria, especially after it was reported that Soria himself said that he would be willing to go to a team like the New York Yankees.

Now, after most of the MLB offseason dust has settled, Soria is still a Royal. Here are some reasons KC will not trade him and he is here to stay in Kansas City.

When Trevor Hoffman announced his retirement yesterday, immediate talk about his Hall of Fame candidacy, his 601 saves, and his reputation as a great Padre surfaced. I do consider him worthy of the hall of fame as he, along with Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner, were the most effective closers who did it for the longest time. But it seems as if they’re a dying breed.

As Trevor Hoffman joins Billy Wagner in riding off into the sunset, the MLB is arguably down to just one great, longtime closer.

MLB trade rumors never go away, even when things on the baseball front quiet down around the holidays, as is usually the case.

We've seen some pretty big free agent signings this offseason, chief among them being Carl Crawford and Cliff Lee. There have also been some pretty big trades, such as the Adrian Gonzalez and Zack Greinke deals.

But spring training is still many moons away, and there is still plenty of time for GMs around baseball to work out some last minute deals.

With that in mind, here are 15 players that could be dealt before spring training starts.

There has been some recent speculation that the Royals would be willing to trade All-Star closer Joakim Soria for the right price.

Royals GM Dayton Moore has already made some fireworks of his own this offseason when he dealt former Cy Young Winner Zack Greinke and starting shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt to Milwaukee for Alcides Escobar and three prospects.