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The Toronto Blue Jays have clearly proven they can slug with anyone in baseball in 2010. They are first in the American League in home runs (225), first in total bases (2,225), and fourth in OPS (.766).

While those are great number, it takes a combination of offense, defense, and pitching to win baseball games. If they Blue Jays are going to get back to the top of the AL East anytime soon, they are going to need some starting pitching.

It was on of the greatest games in one of the most magnificent, amazing seasons in the history of sports.

In 1968, New York's most beloved team, the New York Mets, had finished a dismal ninth in the 10-team National League, but by July 1969, they were doing something they had never done before. They were winning games fairly consistently.

The Yankees won a roller coaster last night to take back first place, but like I said, last night—it doesn’t mean much if they can’t win tonight to stay atop the AL East.

Every year we wind up hearing about a group of MLB stars that are reaching for the stars, so to speak, when it comes to playing for either a new gig in another town or an extension in their current digs.

This year there are plenty of players out there who are swinging for new deals, and I thought I would highlight a few of them for you today.

Interestingly enough, it will be where these players land and for how much that will inevitably take over the headlines, but for now, it's what they are doing to shop themselves in an otherwise volatile FA market.

Let's begin.

At the beginning of the month, the Reds called up phenom prospect Yonder Alonso to help provide some power off the bench.

Alonso is one of the more ballyhooed prospects to come up through the Reds' farm system in recent memory, and the 7th overall pick from 2008 put together a productive year in Louisville this year (.296 with 12 homers and 56 RBIs in 101 games).

It was another nail-biting, extra innings game for the New York Yankees who needed to win and did.

Now, the Bombers are back in first place after losing it for 24 hours to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Only a half-game separates the two ball-clubs making Wednesday night’s outcome a declaration for who ever wins. That is until next week when the Rays come to the Bronx for four games.

Perhaps the biggest storyline in the 2011 offseason for Mariners' fans will be the development, and potential big league assignment of Dustin Ackley. The second-overall pick in the 2009 draft has transitioned to second base, and after what seemed to be a lackluster destiny for Ackley in the outfield—likely a corner position with Franklin Gutierrez around—has turned into one where Ackley has a reasonably probability of out producing most players at his position at the plate.

I have heard some grumblings while riding on the Atlanta Braves' bandwagon about Derek Lowe and his rather tepid performance as a starter since signing his 4 year, $60 million contract. 

However, I tend to disagree.  Although his ERA has been over 4 both of the years he has worn a Braves uniform, he has been an innings eater, has tended to strike batters out well (5.1 K/9 in 2009, and 6.2 K/9 this year), and has usually had a good strikeouts to walks ratio (1.76 in 2009 and 2.09 this year). 

It has been a season to forget for many teams.

While many teams, whether it be from front office mismanagement, injuries, or simply bad player performances, have disappointed in 2010, among them the Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, and Dodgers. Fortunately for these teams, however, it could be worse.

They could be the Orioles, Royals, Mariners, Nationals, Pirates, or Diamondbacks.