Opinion

With all the cards now on the table, and the trophy safe in Derek Jeter's arms, the overwhelming majority of fans are going to remember 2009 as the year Alex Rodriguez broke out in October, and call that the Reason they won. And in the grand scheme of things, they won't be completely wrong—but they won't be entirely right, either.

As I mentioned last week, although the Texas Rangers had a very successful 2009 season, they still have a shopping list that needs to be addressed this winter in order to build upon their success and hopefully take the next step towards making the postseason.

Today I want to cover item No. 1 on their randomly ordered list, which happens to be a veteran starting pitcher.

Kenny Williams hasn’t waited long to begin reshaping the White Sox.

With all of the hullabaloo surrounding the New York Yankees winning their 27th World Series title, I figured I would weigh in.

It's a well-known fact to anyone that knows me that I am a huge New York Mets fan. So this year, with the World Series being played between the Yankees and the Mets' bitter enemy, the Philadelphia Phillies, there was no clear-cut team that I could root for.

Ultimately, I chose to support the Phillies, for two simple reasons.

As many people at the beginning of the 2009 season predicted, the New York Yankees have returned to glory to win their 27th World Series.

But this one shouldn't count.

As with Barry Bonds, who used steroids throughout much of the 2000's, the Yankees have also used an unfair advantage.

Money.

In my opinion, the Yankees would not have won this title without the help of free agency.

After toiling in obscurity for a decade, a young team of nobodies returns their franchise to the playoffs. Led by a well-balanced lineup with just enough punch and a pitching staff with enough solid arms to hold a team down, the nobodies prove talented enough to compete, but underappreciated enough to surprise.

After earning a split through the first four games of the ALDS, the nobodies head to Oakland for a decisive game five—an all but certain on paper loss.

Word around the streets of MLB is that free-agent hitter's don't put the San Francisco Giants anywhere near the top of their list because AT&T Park isn't a "hitter's" park.

Well, if it isn't a "hitters" park, then how come Pablo "Kung Fu Panda" Sandoval hit a blistering .361 at AT&T, and just .301 on the road?

How come the entire Giants offense fared much better at home then on the road this past season?

When you lose, there's always a goat, always someone to blame.

Remember when the Cubs turned on fan Steve Bartman for stopping Moises Alou from catching that foul ball in Game Six of the NLCS against the Marlins in 2003?

Remember when Alex Rodriguez was slammed for being unable to perform in the playoffs when he batted just .159 over 13 divisional championship games against the Angels, Tigers and Indians in 2005, 2006 and 2007?

Remember Bill Buckner?

Akinori Iwamura isn't going to make the Pirates a winning baseball team.

He's a nice player and a viable starting second baseman, provided he is healthy. His bat plays well at the position—his .354 career on-base percentage is actually significantly better than Freddy Sanchez', although he does not have as much gap power—and he has an average glove for a second baseman.