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Over the past couple of seasons, it has certainly seemed like Major League Baseball has been dominated by pitchers.

Certainly the numbers would support such an argument, although the dominance doesn’t quite measure up to the “Year of the Pitcher” that would aptly describe the 1968 season.

Still, with the wealth of talent out there right now on the mound, combined with the use of specialty pitchers that have given managers more options for match-ups, it’s hard to argue that pitchers don’t have the advantage right now.

Entering the 2012 season, here is a ranking of that wealth of MLB pitching talent.

Note: Rankings are based on numbers posted in 2011. While historical numbers are indeed important, this article is about pitcher rankings heading into 2012 based on last year’s performance.

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The buzz around MLB during Spring Training is palpable, as several top prospects prepare to dazzle their teams with their skills and attempt to make the roster before teams break camp in early April.

 While each prospect carries a set of labels that define their skills (five-tool ability, blazing fastball, sharp command, speed demon, etc.) showing off those skills at the major league level is vastly different from performing at the lower levels in the minors.

 Baseball history is littered with “can’t-miss” prospects who flamed out at the top, and this spring, a number of prospects will be out to prove that they won’t become one of those failed investments.

 Some of the prospects have already impressed with September call-ups last season, while others will be making their debuts on Opening Day. Whatever the case, each of these prospects will be out to show that they are indeed ready for prime time.

 Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

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An agent’s primary job is to get his client, in this case an MLB player, the most money he can. And one MLB agent in particular stands head and shoulders above the rest—Scott Boras.

On Thursday afternoon, in a packed press conference at Comerica Park, the Detroit Tigers officially introduced their newest acquisition, prized free agent first baseman Prince Fielder.

Fielder, who with the help of Boras inked a nine-year, $214 million deal in the city his father previously called home, will make $23 million annually for the first two years of the deal and $24 million for the final seven.

Before everyone starts decrying how free agents and ridiculous contracts are ruining baseball, let’s not forget the simple law of economics—supply vs. demand.

With a short supply of top-tier players and a high demand from teams coveting those players, the price remains high. It really is that simple.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that fans, pundits, experts, analysts and others will view deals like the one signed by Fielder as ridiculous in nature.

Here is a list of contracts signed by Scott Boras clients that may be viewed as particularly egregious.

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Now that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has been removed from the clutches of former girlfriend and movie star Cameron Diaz, he has moved on to bigger and better things…so to speak.

USA Today reported on Friday morning that the Yankees slugger is now an item with former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson, and that the two have been seen together vacationing in Cabo San Lucas and Miami.

Wilson, who won the Miss Galaxy competition in 1998 before moving on to bigger and better things herself, retired from the ring in 2008 and was married to former WWE wrestler Peter Gruner, aka Billy Kidman, for five years.

So, just who is Torrie Wilson and why has she gained the affection of A-Rod? Let’s take a look.

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Major League Baseball’s annual winter meetings will be starting on Monday in Dallas, and if previous years are any indication, next week should be an active week for transactions.

Owners and general managers from all 30 teams will be on hand to discuss not only the state of baseball today, but also to interact with their peers and set about the business of formulating plans for next season.

Many of the agents for pending free agents will also be on hand, and by the end of the day next Thursday, there will no doubt be some deals made in the halls and rooms of the Dallas Hilton Anatole.

We will take at 10 possible scenarios that could possibly take place starting next Monday in Dallas.

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With the new collective bargaining agreement now in place in Major League Baseball, some teams are smiling, including the Boston Red Sox.

The new five-year CBA calls for a shift in compensation for Type A free agents, so while Jonathan Papelbon will cost the Philadelphia Phillies two first round draft picks, the Red Sox won’t lose anything by going after Ryan Madson, Heath Bell or Francisco Rodriguez.

What this now means for Red Sox GM Ben Cherington is that he won’t face the prospect of losing draft picks if he chooses to sign one of those free agent closers to replace Papelbon, and it also means he could potentially have more prospects at his disposal as trade chips because he won’t be losing additional draft picks.

So, just how will Cherington proceed now? There has been no word about whether or not he will proceed with internal candidates Daniel Bard or Bobby Jenks as closer, or whether he’ll go after the likes of Madson or Bell.

One thing is for sure; Cherington will be looking for an elite pitcher. With John Lackey out for the 2012 season, and Daisuke Matsuzaka shelved at least until the All-Star break, Cherington will be after someone to join Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz.

Here are eight possible targets that Cherington and the Red Sox will be looking at.

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Los Angeles Angels rookie catcher Hank Conger has been given the opportunity to start over half the games thus far by Halos’ manager Mike Scioscia. Conger has responded, hitting .273 with three home runs through the first 45 games of the season.

Conger was called up last season when the roster was expanded to 40 players on Sept. 1, and with the Angels out of contention in the American League West, Conger saw action in 13 games, giving the youngster a brief glimpse of life in the majors.

Heading into spring training this season, with the departure of Mike Napoli, Scioscia declared an open audition for the starting catcher’s position.

While Jeff Mathis hit .391 and Bobby Wilson hit .304, Conger hit just .231, but Scioscia saw enough that he wanted Conger with the big club on Opening Day, electing to carry three catchers on the 25-man roster.

When Conger got his chance to start, he not only impressed at the plate, but defensively as well.

During Scioscia’s 11-plus year tenure with the Angels, he has regarded defensive abilities to be paramount among his catchers. Conger has shown an ability to not only handle the pitching staff well, but has added offense at the bottom of the order.

With Mathis hitting just .193 and Wilson essentially relegated to spot duty as the third option behind the plate, Conger is seeing more opportunities.

In an exclusive interview, Bleacher Report talked with Conger about his development in the majors, his maturation process, and his relationship with his fellow catchers.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

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As the MLB season creeps toward the end of April, all 30 teams have now played approximately 20 games each, and while there were certainly some surprises at the start, the expected cream is starting to rise to the top, while the expected bottom feeders, with some exceptions, are trending toward the bottom of the pack.

The Cleveland Indians, one of the early surprises, were swept in a shortened two-game series over the weekend by the Minnesota Twins, and their starting pitching, which carried them through the first three weeks of the season, is starting to show signs of struggles, as Carlos Carrasco was forced to leave Sunday’s game after experiencing tightness in his right elbow. Carrasco joins Mitch Talbot, who was placed on the disabled list last week with right elbow issues as well.

The Kansas City Royals, who had surprisingly joined the Indians atop the American League Central standings, were also swept over the weekend by the surging Texas Rangers. The Rangers, despite missing Josh Hamilton, scored 22 runs and have been led by Michael Young with a 14-game hitting streak, and new acquisition Adrian Beltre, who now has seven home runs and 20 runs batted in on the young season.

The Boston Red Sox, who got off to their worst start since 1945, have suddenly turned things around, sweeping their four-games series with the Los Angeles Angels, the first time the Sox swept a four-game series in Anaheim since June 1980.

Sox starting pitchers have now gone nine games in which starters have gone at least five innings while giving up less than three runs, the longest such streak since 1946. Sox starters have logged a 0.88 ERA during the current span.

In the National League, the Phillies, despite the absence of second baseman Chase Utley and closer Brad Lidge, have rallied to the top of the National League East riding a five-game winning streak, and largely on the strength of their vaunted starting rotation. The Phillies recently received bad news once again however, as current closer Jose Contreras was placed on the 15-day DL with a right elbow injury following Sunday’s win over the San Diego Padres.

The Florida Marlins are once again hanging around the top of the NL East despite payroll challenges, and also based largely on the strength of their starting rotation. Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez are doing their level best to keep the Marlins in the hunt.

So, after approximately 13 percent of games have been played, teams now can get a feel of where their strengths are, and where potential gaps may need to be addressed.

We will take a look at each team’s biggest weakness, and which particular problem needs to be addressed above all else.

For continuing coverage of Major League Baseball, follow Doug on Twitter @Sports_A_Holic.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers got off to a disastrous start in the 2011 season—none of which occurred on the actual playing field.

Already dealing with the issues concerning owner Frank McCourt and his pending divorce, San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was badly beaten and repeatedly kicked in the head in one of the parking lots at Dodgers Stadium on Opening Day.

Stow has been in a medically induced coma for the past 15 days at County-USC Medical Center. Doctors had briefly reduced his coma-induced medication, however on Saturday they were forced to return to full dosage after Stow began having seizures.

The Los Angeles police have thus far been unable to track down the suspects, and thousands of dollars have been raised for information leading to their arrest and conviction. Many people have also donated money for Stow’s medical expenses, including Giants‘ pitcher Tim Lincecum.

The Dodgers, facing mounting criticism for lax security around Dodger Stadium, reacted by hiring former Los Angeles police chief Bill Bratton to evaluate stadium procedures.

Now, the Dodgers have announced the hiring of Steve Soboroff as Vice Chairman in charge of improving the overall fan experience and strengthening community ties throughout the Los Angeles area.

Here is the official press release from the Los Angeles Dodgers regarding the hiring of Steve Soboroff:

LOS ANGELES – Civic and business leader Steve Soboroff is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers as vice chairman with responsibility for leading efforts to improve the fan experience at the stadium, strengthening ties to the region’s community and philanthropic organizations, and expanding conservation and sustainability programs at Dodger Stadium.  He will report directly to Dodger Owner Frank McCourt.

Soboroff, who begins in the new role today, will coordinate the implementation of recommendations from former Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton’s team to enhance safety, security and the overall fan experience at Dodger Stadium.  Soboroff will also step up efforts by the Dodger organization to expand the positive impacts of the Dodgers throughout Southern California.

“Steve understands this city as few others do, and his contributions have made Los Angeles a better place,” said McCourt.  “Not only will he infuse great ideas and energy to the Dodger organization, but he will use his trademark ‘get-it-done’ approach to extend the Dodgers’ positive impact on Los Angeles.   It starts with a quality fan experience in the stadium, and extends throughout the Southern California community.”

Soboroff is a former president of the City’s Recreation and Parks Commission, former CEO of the award-winning Playa Vista community, and currently board chairman of both the Weingart Foundation and the EXPO Center in Exposition Park.  As senior advisor to former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, Soboroff played a lead role in putting together the Alameda Corridor project, and is widely regarded as the person who brought the Staples Center to Downtown Los Angeles.

“The fan experience starts with a safe, comfortable, family environment, and extends from there,” said Soboroff. “That’s the recipe for success in the city’s parks, at Playa Vista and in every neighborhood throughout Los Angeles.  It is about having the right plan, and putting that plan into action.  People throughout the city and country can expect their phone to ring from me, so be prepared to talk about innovative partnerships that help kids, advance sustainability, improve transportation to and from the ballpark, and create a second-to-none fan experience.”

Soboroff also plans to meet with fans and other Dodger stakeholders to hear their ideas for improving the Dodger experience.  “You will see me in every section of the ballpark checking things out, listening to fans, and taking strong actions in a number of areas.  And I’m in a hurry,” Soboroff said.  “The Dodgers are one of the great professional sports franchises in the world, and an important civic institution in Southern California.  Frank has empowered me to set a new standard when it comes to the fan experience and the Dodgers’ impact on the Los Angeles community.”

A lifelong Dodger fan, Soboroff lived in the San Fernando Valley as a teen.  He and wife Patti raised their five children in Los Angeles. 

Considering the backlash that continues to plague the Dodgers concerning Opening Day, Soboroff’s hiring is not only necessary, it’s also welcomed.

For continuing coverage of Major League Baseball, follow Doug on Twitter @Sports_A_Holic.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

This past spring, all 30 teams in Major League Baseball had an opportunity to get a good look at many of the younger players currently in their farm systems, with a small percentage of those players getting the chance to show their stuff at the big league camps.

While some of the players received more publicity than others (Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, John Mayberry Jr.), others went through the spring under the radar, but impressed nonetheless.

As April continues on, and players who went north with their respective clubs either got injured or flamed out miserably in the first couple of weeks, some clubs have started thinking about some of those players who impressed them so much during spring training.

Will any of these younger stars impress enough to make an impact with their teams this season? That seems to be a given each season, as someone makes the jump and impresses right out of the gate.

We will take a look at each team’s most gifted prospect, and see what his impact could be, either now or in the near future. The list will be in order of teams by alphabetical order.

For continuing coverage of Major League Baseball, follow Doug on Twitter @Sports_A_Holic.

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