Partners MLB

Earlier this week, I asked a question on my twitter account: “Is there a better young pitcher/hitter combination in baseball than Tommy Hanson and Jason Heyward?”

Jordan from OriolesProspects.com, and @oriolesprospects on twitter, responded with Matt Wieters and Brian Matusz. The question and answer sparked both of our interests, so we decided to construct an article in which Jordan would make the argument for his Orioles, and I would make the argument for the Braves.

We both made our arguments a bit differently.

The MLB All-Star Game has been an event of diminishing returns in recent years. The ratings have plummeted and general interest has waned over the years, leaving the Mid-Summer Classic has nothing more than a blip on the radar.

The MLB All-Star Game once had significant meaning to the players and fans who saw the best of the best square off for the only interleague matchup outside of the World Series.

Pete Rose's collision at home plate. Reggie Jackson's moonshot. Cal Ripken's home run. All were memorable moments from a game that is losing those moments and overall attraction.

Yesterday, I took a look at 10 thus-far successful pitchers whose impressive starts I attributed to luck and declared that they would be unable to maintain their good fortunes for the rest of the season (click here for that article).

While I admittedly got some schadenfreude out of it, it was kind of depressing; as one commenter observed, the list was "almost every breakout pitcher this season."

In the interest of fairness (and not seeming like a complete rain

Is that Mariano Rivera?

The arrival of Opening Day inevitably leads to speculation about which players will take home trophies at the end of the season.

In the MVP races, many have raised questions about Joe Mauer's ability to replicate his fantastic 2009 numbers and whether Albert Pujols can sustain his god-like pace for another year.

There is no consensus pick for the AL Cy Young, but in the NL it looks to be a showdown between incumbent Tim Lincecum and newcomer Roy Halladay.

As for Rookie of the Year—well, that's anyone's guess.

But the first round of individual recognitions—the All-Star Game&mdas

Last year I predicted that Zack Greinke would win the American League Cy Young award, and I nailed that one.

I thought Cole Hamels would win the National League version of the award, and, well, that didn’t turn out quite like I expected.

The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, one each for the American League and National League.

Snubs are made whether it be during the All-Star break or post-season awards.

Thus, we can classify them as underrated, if they're not getting the proper accolades from the fans or even sportswriters. This isn't fantasy world, this is real world contributors.

Here are 12 guys who performed well in 2009 but didn't get the respect they deserved.

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Contract options—whether they are vesting options or player/team options—present a headache to baseball managers who would rather play the best nine men each day without having to worry about the business side of the game.

Ah, but it matters. In fact, it matters a lot.

For example, there are two vesting options in the AL Central alone worth watching.

The Detroit Tigers, if they're smart, will not repeat the mistake they made in 2009 when they allowed Magglio Ordonez's 2010 option to vest by a mere 61 plate appearances.

The cleanup hitters. They are the backbone of a big league lineup. They are the home run hitters, the run producers and often the biggest weapon a team can put in the box. The 30 different cleanup hitters have varied success in their role, but they all serve the same purpose-to put runs on the board.

Often times the cleanup hitter is the team's best hitter, other times they are simply the guy who can change the complexion of a game with one swing. Here is a look at the best cleanup hitters in baseball.

With Spring Training in full swing, several talented veterans remain unsigned by major league clubs. With injuries (Joe Nathan) and ineffectiveness starting to show as team's put together rosters, many of these players could find a new home.

Here are five players who could instantly contribute to and improve a major league team.

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