MLB

As anyone who has read examples of my past writing can attest, I tend to focus a lot of my historical analysis pieces on the Hall of Fame. Today, I will divert myself from that path a little bit to argue my Hall of Fame case for a great in our generation whose contributions have been highly underrated: Scott Rolen.

Players are always listed too high for the amount of use they will get, whether you realize it or not.

Sometimes a player jumps up the list even though they had a serious injury during the season.

Next season the Minnesota Twins will finally have a place to call their own. After sharing the dreadful indoors at HHH Metrodome with the Vikings since 1982, the people of the Twin Cities finally had enough. Target Field broke ground just in the nick of time—before the US economy plunged.

Ever since Andy McPhail took over as General Manager, Baltimore Orioles fans have had this year circled. This is supposed to be the year that we saw signs that all of the waiting and developing prospects was going to show itself. However, as Spring Training is ¾ done, it seems that something unforeseen could stand in the way, injuries.

Every manager in baseball will say the same thing about record in Spring Training; it doesn’t matter.

Thought to be the possible fourth outfielder on the Yankee bench to start the season, Rule 5 draft pick Jamie Hoffmann struggled in Spring Training, to say the least.

Hoffmann was returned to the Dodgers today, after being taken as the first overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft in December. Hoffmann hit just .130 (3-22) as a Yankee this spring. The Yankees traded RP Brian Bruney and $25,000 to the Nationals for the first pick in the draft.

The Los Angeles Angels have dominated the American League West recently, winning five of the last six division titles. Last year their 97-65 mark netted manager Mike Scioscia his second AL Manager of the Year award.

There has been a lot of turnover for this team heading into 2010, so can he keep the Angels winning? Let's take a look at the team and their season win total projections.

Pitching

Brian Sabean’s drafting and construction of pitching depth in the organization has set manager Bruce Bochy up to be a very lucky man.

His biggest decision at the culmination of spring training?

To decide on who gets the fifth spot in the rotation.

The two most likely contestants to win that spot have been narrowed down to free-agent acquisition Todd Wellemeyer and the homegrown pitching prospect, Kevin Pucetas.

Last year the Kansas City Royals were the surprise of April. The team jumped out to an 18-11 start and led the American League Central by 3 games. The Royals then had some injury problems and faltered for the rest of the way, never contending after June 1st.

Kansas City hasn't been to the post-season since 1985 and has lost at least 93 games in seven of their last nine seasons. Let's take a look at who they have this year and what their win total is projected to be.

Pitching