Melky Cabrera

In the coming weeks, one of the most impactful and controversial classes for the Hall of Fame will have judgment passed on them—at least for their first year of eligibility. One of those on the list is all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, whose career, despite being acquitted of any wrongdoing in a court of law, will forever be tied to the steroid era.

Just in case you've hibernated for the past two years, let me update you on the Giants' pitching.

Jonathan Sanchez is no longer a Giant. Ryan Vogelsong has stepped in and pitched very well. Barry Zito is playing well. Brian Wilson has a beard, Sergio Romo does too, and Javier Lopez was traded to the Giants and he has played very well.

Oh, and there's also this other guy named Madison Bumgarner, and he's pretty good.

For those Kansas City Royal fans who thought the last 15 years were the worst, wait until they get a load of next year. The Royals might have the best farm system in baseball and are gearing up for 2013, but they are officially in bottom-out mode in 2011.

Ever since Javier Vazquez made a name for himself in 2004, after giving up a grand slam to Johnny Damon in the American League Championship series, Yankee fans have dreaded the sight of the right-hander on the mound. 

When the Yankees traded for Vazquez in the 2009 offseason, mixed feelings were going around. He was coming off an incredible, Cy-Young worthy season, during which he recorded a 2.87 ERA for the Braves, but Yankee fans still had a hollow spot in their hearts for Vazquez.

The 2010 Atlanta Braves ended their season with a line-up that had seven different starters from the one that ended the 2009 season.

Brain McCann was the only stable.

Through off-season trades, signings and in-season trades, Braves General Manager Frank Wren, significantly redesigned the team's roster.

With the non-waiver trade deadline looming less than a week away (this Saturday), the Atlanta Braves are sitting in a pretty good spot.

Granted, they just lost two of three in South Florida from the now-.500 fourth place Marlins, but the club still holds the National League's second-best record (57-41) and a five game advantage over the Philadelphia Phillies.

But, there is a little room for improvement.

I know, I know.

The Braves are a first place team with good vibrations all around.

They've been one of the best teams in the game since the beginning of May and really lack any substantial holes in their line-up.

But...I like to think ahead.

And, right now, I'm thinking about how Frank Wren and Company can improve the National League's top run-scoring offense.

There are a couple of different routes the Braves could pursue to achieve this.

When Frank Wren replaced John Schuerholz as General Manager a couple of years ago, Braves’ fans were undoubtedly skeptical that he could come in and make such a difference. I think now that even the skeptics can be silenced by the performance of Frank Wren in building a ballclub that can be defined by words like "deep," "versatile," and "talented."

Tonight showed just how those words ring true about the 2010 Atlanta Braves.

It's June 1st and I have an alarming stat for Braves fans—this year's primary starting pitchers (Hanson, Hudson, Kawakami, Lowe and Medlen) are having a more successful year at the plate than the starting centerfielder, Nate McLouth. Through 51 games (nearly a third of the year!) the pitchers are hitting .184 and McClouth is hitting .179 with no signs of coming out of his slump.

Does anyone else remember the hype machine surrounding Jordan Schafer from about, say, 2007 up until 50 games into the 2009 season?

The sky was the limit for this kid.

He was (and still is) a superb glove in center and has the potential from a speed/contact standpoint to turn into something resembling an above-average Major League talent.

Pretty amazing what a 50-game suspension and a broken wrist can do to a career isn't it?