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Neftali Feliz is expected to be named the 2010 American League Rookie of the Year tomorrow, beating out Baltimore Orioles starter Brian Matusz and Detroit Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson.

The Texas Rangers’ electric closer set a rookie record by saving 40 games, and helped lead his team to their first ever World Series appearance. That’s quite a debut.

But where do his achievements rank among other past Rookies of the Year? Here’s a look back at the AL’s last 10 ROY award winners and their accomplishments in their rookie seasons.

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The Boston Red Sox announced today that they will pick up the $12.5 million option on David Ortiz for the 2011 season.

The move gives the Red Sox the premier DH in baseball but at a price likely above what they want to pay.

Ortiz, 34, had a strong 2010 season in which he batted .270 with 32 home runs and 102 RBI. His OPS was an impressive .899, and he was voted to his sixth All-Star team.

It was a great rebound year for Ortiz, who in 2009 was on the verge of being released midseason after struggling to hit his first home run. He still managed to slug 28, but the signs of his decline could not be ignored.

But somehow he’s back in Boston for his 15th season. Are the Red Sox going to regret this?

On the surface, no. Ortiz is still one of the best hitters in the game, as long as he doesn’t have to face left-handed pitching. His career-adjusted OPS of 134 ties him with Mark Teixeira and places him above guys like Jose Canseco, Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs.

But at his age, how long can he keep it up?

If 2011 is finally the season in which Ortiz hits a wall and isn’t able to climb over it, the Red Sox are going to be in a major hole. Not only will they be out $12.5 million, but they’ll also have to try to contend without a true middle-of-the-order bat.

Boston could have easily found a DH to replace Ortiz for a fraction of the cost. Adam Dunn, still only 30 years old, would’ve been a great option. Lance Berkman and Carlos Pena could also have been had for a reasonable price. 

There is no way a 34-year-old left-handed hitter who can’t play the field is worth $12.5 million. If the Red Sox declined the option, then Ortiz would have been lucky to get a two-year deal for $15 million on the free agent market. So why bring him back?

The answer, it seems, is loyalty. Terry Francona loves his players, and there’s no doubt that Ortiz is a great clubhouse presence. The Red Sox have the financial power to overpay certain players. But might that extra $5 million or so been better spent re-signing Adrian Beltre or maybe even signing Adrian Gonzalez to a long-term contract if Boston can acquire him?

If Ortiz reproduces his 2010 season, then GM Theo Epstein can breathe a sigh of relief. But if Ortiz regresses, then the Red Sox will have to scramble to replace his bat.

Picking up his option was a risky decision. If Ortiz can’t produce, then it’s going to turn into a very bad one.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Only one team can win the Cliff Lee sweepstakes this offseason, and it will probably be the New York Yankees. But after Lee, the drop-off in free agent starting pitching is astronomical.

There’s Brandon Webb, a former Cy Young winner who has struggled to get back on the mound and pitch with high velocity.

There’s Javier Vazquez, a veteran strikeout artist who flamed out for the Yankees after the ill-fated Melky Cabrera deal.

There’s Justin Duchscherer, a former All-Star reliever who’s switched to starting pitching but has yet to find success.

After that there’s a long list of reclamation projects (Erik Bedard, Dontrelle Willis, Ben Sheets) and former stars well past their prime (Kevin Millwood, Jamie Moyer, Freddy Garcia). Pickings are certainly slim.

As a result, teams will likely look towards the trade market to fulfill their pitching needs. Here are the top 10 pitchers who could potentially be had.

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Call it a transition year. Call it an unlucky year. Call it whatever you want, but the 2010 Boston Red Sox simply failed to meet the expectations of management, fans, and baseball pundits across the country.

There are a handful of factors worthy of blame here, including general manager Theo Epstein’s reluctance to part with prospects to shore up the bullpen or acquire a top-flight pitcher like Cliff Lee. But pointing fingers is no way to win a World Series.

So with the 2010 Red Sox season officially in the books, let’s forget the past and take a closer look at the decisions that will help shape the 2011 Boston Red Sox. First up, Boston’s free agent and arbitration-eligible players.

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Jacoby Ellsbury had an injury-shortened season for the Boston Red Sox after he collided with the freight train otherwise known as third basemen Adrian Beltre and fractured four ribs on April 11. He appeared in only 18 games, hitting .192 and stealing seven bases after leading the AL with 70 steals in 2009.

Ellsbury also came under fire from his coaches and teammates for rehabbing his injury in Arizona instead of traveling with the team. With rookie Ryan Kalish seemingly ready for the big show, could Ellsbury now be expendable?

He’s still an electric player. He twice led the AL in stolen bases and, though his .344 career on-base percentage is not particularly good for a lead-off hitter, he did still manage to score 98 runs in 2008 and 94 runs in 2009. He’s also an exceptionally good fielder and isn’t due to become a free agent until 2014.

The Red Sox could use Ellsbury as a major trade chip to fill up other holes on the roster. Here are 10 trades that would help make Boston into a World Series contender in 2011.

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Roy Halladay is the presumptive favorite for National League Cy Young after leading the Philadelphia Phillies to an NL East title. But what about his candidacy for the MVP award?

Baseball pundits generally disqualify starting pitchers from MVP consideration because they only play in a fifth of the games. While this is true, it doesn’t mean that some pitchers aren’t just as valuable as the game’s best hitters.

MVP’s are typically offensive players, but there have been several pitchers to win the award. The last was Dennis Eckersley in 1992, a season in which the righty recorded 51 saves. The last NL pitcher to win the award was Bob Gibson way back in 1968. So can Halladay become the first pitcher in almost two decades to take home the award?

Let’s examine his case.

First, the numbers.

In 2010, Halladay is 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. He has thrown 250.2 innings and struck out 219. He has nine complete games, four shutouts and a perfect game. His ERA+ is 166 and his WAR is 6.9.

He’s only made 33 starts so he’s averaging 7.6 innings per start. In other words he’s doing the jobs of both a No. 2 starter and a primary set-up man, at the same time.

To illustrate this let’s try to deconstruct Halladay’s stats using two players for comparison instead of just one. Here are two Atlanta Braves pitchers whose combined numbers closely resemble Halladay’s.

Tommy Hanson: 10-11, 3.33 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 202.1 IP, 182 H, 75 ER, 14 HR, 53 BB, 173 SO

Takashi Saito: 2-3, 2.83 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 54.0 IP, 41 H, 17 ER, 4 HR, 17 BB, 69 SO

Now, if we combine them, we get Tommy Saito. Let’s compare this fictional pitcher to Halladay

Tommy Saito: 12-14, 3.23 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 256.1 IP, 223 H, 92 ER, 18 HR, 70 BB, 242 SO

Roy Halladay: 21-10, 2.44 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 250.2 IP, 231 H, 68 ER, 24 HR, 30 BB, 219 SO

Tommy Saito registers a combine ERA+ of 157 to Halladay’s 166, and a WAR of 3.2 to Halladay’s 6.9.

Halladay generally has better numbers than this pitcher, but not by a significant margin. So the question becomes how actually valuable Halladay is to his team?

If both Hanson and Saito were taken off the Braves roster, it is more than likely that Atlanta would struggle to maintain a winning record let alone challenge for a playoff spot. If Halladay suffered an injury that kept him out for the entirety of the 2010 season, where would Philadelphia be now? That’s a question Phillies fans hope they never have to answer.

Of course the fact that Halladay alone does what it takes two good players to do is a testament in itself of his value. His 6.9 WAR trails only Joey Votto (7.3), Albert Pujols (7.3), and Ryan Zimmerman (7.1) in the National League. 

He may not be the MVP this year, but he doesn’t belong very far behind the company of Votto, Pujols and Carlos Gonzalez. Give Doc his due and put him on the ballot. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In the ‘Year of the Pitcher,’ the batters never stood a chance.

There were five no-hitters thrown (but really six), including two perfect games. There were also nine one-hitters, and a major-league debut that featured 14 strikeouts by a certain Stephen Strasburg.

Several pitchers, among them Felix Hernandez, Roy Halladay, and Ubaldo Jiminez, have had so many jaw-dropping performances this year that they could populate this top 10 list all by themselves.

But 2010 was no ordinary year. It was the pitcher’s year.

So let’s separate the great from the truly sensational and rank the best pitching performances from this historic season. As always, share your thoughts below.

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Mike Lowell will be honored tonight by the Boston Red Sox with “Thanks, Mike Night”, as we say goodbye to the consummate professional after 13 remarkable seasons. Lowell has announced that he will retire at the end of this season.

It’s been a tumultuous year for the once slick-fielding third baseman. Lowell has been on the verge of being granted his outright release multiple times throughout the season, and has had to endure being relegated to the bench for the first time in his career.

But good things come to those who wait, as Lowell will finish his major league career this weekend against the New York Yankees as the Red Sox starting third baseman. Adrian Beltre, Boston’s regular third baseman and Lowell’s replacement in 2010, has left the team to witness the birth of his third child.

So with Lowell at the plate and bat at the ready, let’s take a look back at the career of one of the most humble athletes to every play the game.

Mike Lowell, we honor you.

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The list of things that went right with the 2010 Seattle Mariners season starts and ends with Felix Hernandez.

King Felix should be the favorite for the Cy Young after a stellar season that includes a 2.31 ERA (second in baseball), a 1.06 WHIP (tied for fourth in baseball), and 227 strikeouts (second in baseball). 

Ichiro Suzuki is pretty good too, recording his 10th straight 200-hit season early last week.

After that, however, the Mariners roster is a collection of misfits, underachievers, over-the-hill veterans, and colossal busts. 

Felix Hernandez is one of baseball’s best pitchers. But as that 12-12 record shows, he can’t do it alone.

Here are 10 offseason moves Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik should make to get Felix some help and put the Mariners back into the playoff race.

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Commissioner Bud Selig said in an interview today that he would be open to revisiting discussions about expanding the postseason.

“It’s a fair question. We have less teams than any other sport. Eight teams make the playoffs. One wild card in each league. We certainly haven’t abused anything.”

Major League Baseball explored the idea several years ago, but never came to a decision.

Now, with the NFL threatening to expand its regular season schedule to 18 games, Selig may feel pressured to do something to increase baseball’s revenue.

Having the All-Star game determine home field advantage in the World Series was and still remains a terrible idea. This idea may be even worse. Here are five reasons why.

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