Mariano Rivera

Forget which players are the best and which would be your fantasy players.  The real question is what would be the best lineup you could make from all of the players in MLB?  You are trying to make a team that can hit, run, play defense, and pitch.  Which twelve guys would you want to win a ballgame:  eight position players, a starting pitcher, a setup man, and a closer... Here is mine. 

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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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We all know that the Yankees have another solid team heading into the 2011 baseball season.  However, there is a reason why they are not the favorites this season and it is much bigger than failing to get Cliff Lee and barely attempting to get now new Boston Red Sox, Carl Crawford.

Well, the Super Bowl is over, and that only means only thing: the countdown to Opening Day has just begun. There are 51 days left until then (as of Monday, February 7). That gives us just about a month and a half to prepare.

The Yankees have had an interesting offseason; and by interesting, I really mean disappointing. Highlighted by the failed signing of ace Cliff Lee, the Yankees also watched its two toughest division opponents go in opposite directions.

Before we look ahead to this season, let’s recap last year.

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

I spend way to much time at baseballreference.com. For real. There actually might be something wrong with me. I don't know what it is about baseball statistics and history that fascinates so much, all I know is that I've studied this stuff since I was eight years old and got my first pack of cards.

As Spring Training nears closer, baseball fever is beginning to run rampant. With only one week left in the NFL season, it's only a matter of time before people start looking south to Florida for hints at what's to come in the new season.

Over the next couple of months, I'll be breaking down a division each week before making my final predictions for how the season is going to turn out.

First up, the loaded AL East.

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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 Yankees have made an adjustment to their bullpen and the change is exceptional.

Pitcher Rafael Soriano has been welcomed to the team as Mariano Rivera’s setup man. The 31-year-old accepted a three year, $35 million contract with the bombers and will contribute to a dominating bullpen, saving games and ending them quicker.

As a possible and likely successor to Mariano’s closer position, the Yankees seem to be in good shape for the 2011 season. But do these two talented closers remind you of a previous unstoppable duo?

Is it just me, or are there any other people scratching their heads over the Yankees' personnel decisions this offseason?

This is the time of the year that the Pinstripes are supposed to re-tool for another run at another World Series crown, isn't it?

So far the Yanks have failed to sign a top-tier free agent outside of Rafael Soriano who will be paid $10 million to pitch the eighth inning in front of Mariano Rivera.