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The Cincinnati Reds continued a solid offseason today, avoiding arbitration with pitcher Johnny Cueto with a four-year, $27 million contract.

Cueto, 24, was one of the Reds’ best pitchers last season, setting a career high for wins (12) and innings (185.2). Cueto finished the regular season a 3.64 ERA and a team-high 138 strikeouts.

In signing Cueto, the Reds have locked up yet another promising young player. Earlier this offseason, the Reds signed outfielder Jay Bruce to a six-year, $51 million deal and first baseman Joey Votto for three years and $38 million.

The Reds have been able to keep their NL Central winning team almost entirely intact while adding quality veteran bats.

The hero of the San Francisco Giants and last year’s World Series MVP, Edgar Renteria was brought in on a one-year, $3 million contract, Fred Lewis signed a one-year, $900k deal and Jeremy Hermida received a minor-league contract for 2011.

All in all, it’s been a very solid offseason for the Reds. Keeping last year’s best offensive team in the National League, as well as a solid starting pitching staff together was the best move the Reds made.

To keep that rotation together, the Reds also exercised their $11 million option on Bronson Arroyo, and then added two years and $23.5 million.

The Reds also have the luxury of having the best left-handed pitching prospect in baseball, Aroldis Chapman ready to take the ball in 2011.

Chapman, the sixth ranked prospect in baseball, throws harder than anyone in the game, able to regularly hit triple digits on the radar gun.

In 15 appearances last season, Chapman posted a 2.03 ERA with 19 strikeouts in just 13.1 IP. His mark of 12.83 K/9 is outrageous. He could fit in as a young, powerful starter or a lights out closer of the future.

The Reds were the best offensive team last season, leading the NL in every major offensive category, and were tied for the best fielding percentage as well. That same team, as well as some quality additions, will take the field in 2011 and defend their Central crown.

Reds fans have a lot to look forward to next season, and on top of it all, it could be a Red October.

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The 2010 baseball season wasn’t the best for many players. There were some big names who had down seasons and will look to rebound in 2011.

There are a ton of factors that can contribute to a down season. Injuries, a poor lineup, and even the media can keep players in a slump for the entire season.

Let’s take a look at 10 players who will have bounce-back seasons in 2011.

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Recent comments from New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman have fans screaming for his head. In just three short days, Cashman has become public enemy No. 1 in New York after his comments on two New York radio shows. 

Most feel that being the general manager of the biggest wallet in baseball is one of the easiest jobs you could get.

Your goal every offseason? Sign the biggest and best free agents available. Don’t win the World Series in 2008? No problem. Just go out and write checks to Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia and lo and behold…a World Series title! Problem solved. It’s that easy to be Brian Cashman, right?

Well, in the biggest market in the world, with the harshest media in the world, Cashman has to watch what he says at all times and be sure not to step on the very wealthy toes of the Steinbrenner Empire.

Cashman may have done just that.

One of the biggest questions of the Yankee offseason this year concerned their franchise shortstop, Derek Jeter. Coming off the worst statistical season of his career, how much was Jeter worth? The two sides fired back and forth for weeks before the Yankees finally came to their senses and resigned Jeter for three years and $51 million.

But when asked about Jeter’s future with the Yankees on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio, Cashman said he would be “surprised” if Jeter was still the Yankees’ shortstop by the end of his new deal.

Listen folks, Cashman is not wrong. You know it’s true, whether you’re willing to admit it or not.

Jeter is 36-years-old. He’s older than every other shortstop and he’s too old by baseball standards to stay at his position. When the time comes for Jeter to change positions, the outfield is where he’ll go. It’s going to happen so get ready.

Now, I don’t necessarily think Jeter can move to center field of all places, a corner position would probably better suit him, but he will have to change positions. The list of players to finish their career at shortstop is way too short to think Jeter will add his name to it.

Not to mention that the Yankees have a far superior defensive shortstop waiting to take over in Eduardo Nunez. Yes, Jeter won a Gold Glove in 2010, but let’s be real here for a second—he didn’t deserve it. Yes, he had an excellent fielding percentage (.989), but his limited range kept him from making a lot of plays, which didn’t count against him.

The change is coming people, and rather than make a comment about Jeter not finishing his career with the Yankees, he simply said he wouldn’t finish at shortstop.

After the Derek Jeter comments, the Brian Cashman “greatest hits” catalog kept growing.

During a Q&A with New York radio host Mike Francesca, Cashman was asked: “When you look at this Yankees’ team right now, on paper, before you make a move for a pitcher and clearly you will…who’s a better team this morning (Tuesday morning) on paper, Yankees or the Red Sox in your mind?”

Cashman’s answer? “Red Sox.” Is he wrong? Again, no.

Cashman went on to say that the Yankees have the superior bullpen and their position players are comparable to the Red Sox, but what sets them apart is that the Red Sox have the better starting pitching; that they have their starters set while Cashman is still looking for a fourth and fifth starter.

As it stands right now, the Yankees’ starting rotation is made up of CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett. After that, it’s a huge question mark. You can forget about Cliff Lee. You can forget about Carl Pavano. Heck, you can forget about Armando Gallarraga.

As Cashman said, the Yankees are going to sign a starting pitcher, but who they’ll sign is another issue entirely.

So until the Yankees find a way to improve their starting rotation, the Red Sox are the better team and Cashman is not wrong for saying so. And instead of claiming Cashman has no confidence in his team, perhaps the Yankees can use his statements as motivation this season.

Should Cashman have made these comments about Jeter and the Red Sox? Maybe, maybe not. But is what he said wrong? No. He’s right about Jeter and, at the moment, he’s right about the Red Sox.

The truth hurts people, we all know that, and whether or not you feel a monkey could do his job, the fact is that Cashman, like all general managers, has made both good and bad deals while with the Yankees.

Yankees fans don’t like hearing that the face of the franchise won’t stay at shortstop. They also don’t like hearing that their hated rivals are a better team.

However, they’ll have to get used to it, because it’s all true.

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The Dodgers know how they’re going to start the games, having assembled their starting rotation before December started, but how they’re going to end their games is another issue.

They enter the season with some big questions surrounding their closer, Jonathan Broxton.

Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Dodger officials will only be giving Broxton about a month’s worth of rope before they pull him from the closer’s role should he struggle, and it could be even less if Broxton doesn’t throw well in spring training.

Spring training might not be the best place to evaluate how a pitcher will perform during the regular season, especially not for a relief pitcher. However, if new manager Don Mattingly doesn’t like what he sees, there’s no reason to think he’ll give Broxton as much of a chance as Joe Torre did.

Broxton struggled for most of the season, finishing with just 22 saves and a 4.04 ERA.

Broxton’s up-and-down season finally came to an ugly end in late July. On Jul. 18, Broxton gave up two runs in the ninth against the St. Louis Cardinals, blowing a 4-3 Dodger lead and completing a four-game Cardinals sweep.

Less than two weeks later, against the San Francisco Giants, Broxton gave up an eighth inning, go-ahead two-run home run to Pat Burrell, sending the Dodgers to a 2-1 loss.

Manager Joe Torre finally removed Broxton from the closer’s role on Aug. 18. He would make just five more appearances the rest of the season, blowing two more saves in three chances. Broxton finished the 2010 season with seven blown saves overall, his fourth straight season with six or more.

Entering the 2011 season, Broxton is the Dodgers closer. Even if he doesn’t show much in spring training, he’ll likely still start the season in the ninth inning, but he’ll have to have a great April to stay there.

Making matters worse, Broxton’s name was thrown around in a rumored trade, which would have brought Prince Fielder to Chavez Ravine. That deal never really had any legs, but just the fact that Broxton might have been included illustrates how weak his position is within the organization.

For now though, Broxton is still in Dodger blue, but should he struggle again, the Dodgers have a few in-house replacements.

Hong-Chih Kuo took over as closer after Broxton was removed from the job. Kuo, who saved nine games in as many chances in Broxton’s place, was a 2010 All-Star and finished the season with a 1.20 ERA in 56 appearances and a 4.06 K/BB rate.

He is in the best position to take over for Broxton again if needed, but given his history of arm problems, may not be able to handle the job for as much of the season. His 56 appearances in 2010 were the most of Kuo’s career. Over the last five seasons, Broxton averaged almost 72 appearances.

Can Kuo handle being the Dodgers closer for most of the season and the workload that comes with it?

If not, the Dodgers will need a plan C, or even a plan D.

Plan C could start with Vicente Padilla, who made 16 starts for the Dodgers last season, going 6-5 with a 4.07 ERA. The Dodgers’ biggest strength right now is their starting rotation, and Padilla simply adds additional depth. The Dodgers can feel comfortable knowing they can expect at least 200 IP from each of their starters, meaning Padilla can stay fresh in the bullpen.

Should Broxton struggle early in the season, and if manager Don Mattingly is unwilling to push Kuo very far, Padilla could be a well-rested option.

Mattingly may have to employ a closer-by-committee if Broxton can’t get the job done, putting in whichever reliever has the hottest hand.

Broxton is the Dodgers closer, for now. The question is, how long will it last?

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Mets manager Terry Collins has given us a glimpse into how he plans to use his players in 2011.

The Mets are looking forward to finally having a lineup that includes a healthy Jose Reyes, who says he expects to put up MVP-like numbers, Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran. All three are looking to come back from injuries that kept them out for parts of the 2010 season.

According to Kevin Kernan of the New York Post, Reyes will bat leadoff with Angel Pagan behind him to maximize the Mets’ speed advantage. David Wright, who drove in 103 runs last season, will bat third, followed by Beltran, who still does not know whether he will play center or right field, and Jason Bay, who says he is fully recovered from the concussion that ended his season. Sophomore Ike Davis will bat sixth.

The next two spots in the lineup will be occupied by catcher Josh Thole and whomever wins the competition for second base.

Thole, a left-handed hitter, will split time with Ronny Paulino, a righty. Last season, Thole hit just .143 against lefties, while Paulino hit .358.

Heading into spring training, the Mets’ second base job is wide open. Most feel that Luis Castillo, the Mets’ second baseman on paper, will be released, but GM Sandy Alderson recently said that Castillo is safe and will be given every opportunity to win the job. Castillo is owed $6 million in 2011.

Daniel Murphy, Brad Emaus and Justin Turner will also contend for the second base job during spring training.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Mets’ game has always been their speed. Having Reyes and Pagan at the top of the batting order should give the Mets plenty of stolen base and run scoring opportunities. Last season, Reyes and Pagan combined for 67 stolen bases and 163 runs, and that was with Reyes missing 29 games.

As a team, the Mets led the National League with 130 stolen bases last season.

David Wright, who bounced back nicely from a down 2009 season to hit 29 home runs with 103 RBI, should benefit greatly from having two speedy, high OBP guys in front of him. The same can be said for Beltran, Bay and Davis.

More guys on base means more chances to drive them in, which means more runs scored which means, well, you get where I’m going with this.

The Mets have an excellent combination of speed and power in their lineup and if they can stay healthy, this can be one of the best offenses in the National League.

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If the Mets want to retain their shortstop past the 2011 season, they may have to start negotiating soon.

Jose Reyes, who will become a free agent for the first time in his career at the end of this season, addressed the issue at a Citi Field Kids charity event on Wednesday.

“I don’t want to talk about my contract during the season,” Reyes said. “I want to focus on doing my thing, trying to help this team win a lot of ballgames.”

Earlier this offseason, the Mets picked up the $16 million option on Reyes’ contract, a four-year, $23.25 million deal he signed in 2006.

The Mets are in a tough spot, which only becomes harder if Reyes wont negotiate during the season. Coming off two injury plagued seasons, Reyes’ stock has never been lower. He says he’s finally 100 percent, and a healthy Jose Reyes is something the Mets would love to have.

He’s always been the driving force behind their offense. Basically, when Reyes is healthy, the Mets score runs; it’s as simply as that.

Last season, in 133 games, Reyes hit .282 with 30 stolen bases and an OBP of .321.

The Mets do have a few options here, but none are particularly attractive.

They could sign Reyes to a long-term contract before the season starts and hope he’s able to stay healthy for a change.

They could chose not to work out a new deal before the start of the season, let it play out, and try to resign Reyes at the end of the regular season. The problem there is that Reyes will be a free agent and competition might be stiff if Reyes has a solid season.

The third option would be to not work out a new deal, let Reyes play the first half of the season and try to trade him at the deadline. The Mets have an excellent prospect in Ruben Tejada who could take over for Reyes at the shortstop position, but though he is excellent defensively, he didn’t show the Mets anything with his bat, hitting just .213 in 78 games last season.

If Reyes is playing well and the Mets don’t feel they’d be able to resign him, a trade is quite possible. However, the Mets would have to be out of the division race.

At the Winter Meetings, Mets GM Sandy Alderson told reporters that while no player is untouchable, “there are some players who would be very, very difficult [to trade].”

There are players on the Mets who are definitely difficult to trade, such as Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez, but Reyes isn’t one of them. There are plenty of teams who could use a shortstop with Reyes’ combination of speed, defensive and excellent power to the gaps. However, Reyes isn’t likely to fetch the Mets much in terms of major league ready prospects given his current trade value.

Because of the time Reyes has missed in the last two seasons (155 games total), it’s easy to forget how durable Reyes has been in the past. From 2005 to 2008, Reyes appeared in at least 153 games each season.

If Reyes is finally fully healthy, he should be able to maintain that type of durability, so the Mets do have reasons to think a long-term deal for Reyes would work out.

On the other hand, the last thing the Mets need is another bad contract on an oft-injured player, even one as beloved as Reyes.

The Mets may need to make a decision sooner rather than later.

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Yes, I know what you’re thinking. “What is he talking about? How is Albert Pujols ‘too good’?”

Well, Albert Pujols is the best player in baseball, so let’s get that out of the way. If he continues on his current path, he’ll most likely retire as one of the best ever.

So now the entire baseball world has their eyes set on St. Louis, watching as Pujols inches closer and closer free agency for the first time in his career. The Cardinals picked up the $16 million option for 2011 on the seven-year, $100 million contract Pujols signed in 2004.

Most assume that the Cardinals would re—sign the face of their franchise, but Pujols has given them until the start of Spring Training to work out a deal. Should they fail to do so, Pujols will not negotiate during the regular season and will test free agency at its conclusion.

John Heyman of SI.com is reporting that both sides are remaining silent and that no deal is close. However, Pujols is reportedly using Alex Rodriguez’s 10-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees as a benchmark.

Heyman also reports that the Cardinals may only be willing to offer Pujols a contract that would guarantee him a bit less than $200 million and that the Cardinals hope to keep the deal around seven years or less.

While most baseball insiders feel that Pujols and the Cardinals will get a deal done before the start of spring training, no one knows for sure because the talks have been so hush—hush.

It was thought that the Cardinals could get this deal done with a single offer: 10 years, $300 million. However, the Cardinals are reportedly willing to do one or the other, but not both; a 10-year deal or a shorter deal with an annual salary of $30 million.

So, if Pujols is going to use A-Rod’s contract as a starting point, or at least a reference, and the Cardinals aren’t willing to get to those types of numbers, where is Pujols going to end up?

That’s question which presents the idea that Pujols is too good. If the Cardinals are not able to give Pujols the type of deal he feels he deserves (and let’s be honest: Pujols is worth far more than A-Rod, and not just to the Cardinals), he’s not going to find much more money anywhere else.

The two richest teams in baseball, the Yankees and Red Sox, both have first base covered. The Yankees have Mark Teixeira at first base making $20 million per season, and the Red Sox just traded for Adrian Gonzalez and by all accounts will sign him to a similar deal after the season starts.

Unfortunately for Pujols, after Boston and New York, his options are limited. Ryan Howard is entrenched in Philadelphia as is Miguel Cabrera in Detroit.

The White Sox could try to trade Carlos Quentin and move Adam Dunn to the outfield, creating space for Pujols at first base. The New York Mets will have a lot of money to spend after this season, but are they willing to invest $25-30 million into a single player, even a guy like Pujols?

Will Pujols, who is an excellent fielder, relegate himself to DH for the extra money? Assuming of course there is a team willing to pay their DH that sort of cash.

One baseball agent was quoted as saying that any contract for Pujols “better start with a two” (as in the number 2).

The number of teams who can afford Pujols AND have space for him are almost non-existent. Those that can afford him but don’t have the space would have to make room in ways similar to what the New York Knicks did in the face of LeBron James’ free agency (and we all know how that worked out).

In the end, Pujols will probably have to take less money than he could get if there was a need for him in the bigger markets. We all know what Pujols is worth. If he wants $30 million annually, he’s certainly deserving of that.

He probably isn’t going to get it in St. Louis, but he could somewhere else.

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Searching high and low for a fifth starter this offseason, the Mets have signed free agent pitcher Chris Young to a one-year deal, pending a physical.

With a base salary of just $1 million, which could increase to as high as $2.5 million if he reaches certain milestones, Young is the definition of a low risk, high reward pitcher, something the Mets have been focusing on.

Issues with injury have kept Young from fulfilling the potential most saw during his 2006 and 2007 campaigns (20-13, 3.29 ERA).

In the last three seasons, Young has made just 36 starts. However, during that time, he has posted some numbers which Mets fans will find encouraging.

During that span, Young’s ground ball to fly ball ratio is 0.43.

In his previous home, Petco Park, just 6.17 percent of his fly balls (421) went for home runs.

His ERA is ridiculously better at home than on the road (1.95 at home vs. 4.66 on the road).

What does all that mean for the Mets? Well, right now, very little. However, what it does mean is that Young is moving from one of the best pitcher’s parks in baseball to Citi Field, which had the lowest Park Factor for home runs in the NL last season.

In Citi Field, a fly ball isn’t leaving the ballpark. Chris Young gives up almost exclusively fly balls. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.

However, one stat which isn’t so favorable is Young’s stolen base stats. Since 2007, opponents are 81-for-83 stealing bases against him.

If the Mets want to keep runners from taking that extra base against Young, they’ll need to get great defense out of catchers Josh Thole and Ronny Paulino.

Thole, in just 66 starts, has caught 41.9 percent of base stealers (13 of 18) with a .991 fielding percentage and a 3.753 ZR.

Paulino, for his career, has caught 30.7 percent of opposing base stealers (119 of 268).

Last season, the Mets led the National League with 130 stolen bases. San Diego finished second with 124, but the No. 3 and No. 4 spots were held down by the Washington Nationals (110) and the Philadelphia Phillies (108).

The Mets will need to lean on Thole and Paulino even more than they already were with the addition of Chris Young to their starting rotation.

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It’s been said over and over from the moment the 2010 baseball season ended: No one expects anything from the New York Mets in 2011.

Many of the so-called “experts” at ESPN have the Mets finishing behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East, which probably means the Mets will win the World Series next season.

At the conclusion of the 2010 season, which saw the Mets finish 79-83 and fourth in their division, the one thing on every Mets fan’s mind was change.

That meant goodbye Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel and hello Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins, bringing with them a new mindset and a new direction.

When Alderson and Collins were brought in, most fans thought to themselves, “OK. Now what?”

While financial restrictions have prevented the Mets from filling any of their weaknesses with the better free agents available this season, they have been able to make several improvements in the form of low risk/high reward players.

In other words, if there is a player looking to come back from injury, the Mets have been calling.

But despite the moves they’ve made, not many people are expecting much from the team in 2011. Realistically, Alderson needs at least two years to turn this franchise around, and with roughly $55 million coming off the books before the 2012 season, it stands to reason that the Mets will be players in the free agent market next year.

For now, though, Alderson has taken over a team full of holes. The Mets won’t have their ace and No. 1 starter Johan Santana until possibly the All-Star break. They’re still tied to Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo for big money. They don’t have a clear vision of who their starting second baseman or No. 5 starter will be next season.

It would be difficult for any general manager to steer a team like the Mets into contention without a bit of creativity and a ton of luck. So if the Mets go out next season and don’t reach the playoffs, if they don’t even finish much better than last season, it’s hard to hold it against Sandy Alderson.

The Mets fanbase is in a state of division. On one side are the fans who want big free agent signings and big money spent revising the team. On the other are the fans who recognize that tight financial restrictions (the Mets reportedly only had $5-10 million to spend this offseason) have prevented players like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford from making an appearance in Queens and that patience is the key word regarding the Mets.

Depending on which side you’re on, you may or may not be willing to give Alderson a pass for next season. Of course, should the Mets pull a rabbit out of their blue and orange hats and actually contend next season, it won’t matter. But if they don’t, as most people expect, there really isn’t any way to blame it on Alderson.

Then again, that’s easy to say before a bad trade or bad contract, but for now, Sandy Alderson is playing with house money.

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Now that the Yankees have finally made a big move this offseason, adding reliever Rafael Soriano as the main setup man for closer Mariano Rivera with a three-year, $35 million deal, it takes some of the focus off of the weak starting rotation.

The addition of Soriano gives the Yankees one of the best bullpens in baseball, and does actually help their starting rotation. With the addition of a lock down eighth inning pitcher like Soriano, the games essentially become seven innings long. When you take relievers David Robertson and Pedro Feliciano into account, Yankee starters can really afford to pitch just six quality innings to secure a win.

Right now, the Yankees starting rotation consists of CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett and most likely, Ivan Nova. And while they are exploring multiple options for their fifth starter, the Yankees haven’t made a move yet.

So I ask: Is it time for Joba Chamberlain to become a starting pitcher again?

To fill the fifth starter’s role, the Yankees have had their eye on guys like Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Duchscherer and Jeff Francis. Francis recently signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals, so he’s off the table and it’s unclear whether the Yankees view Duchscherer as a starter or reliever.

He missed all of 2009 due to injury and last season started just five games, going 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA. With Duchscherer, the Yankees would probably be best served to use him as a long man in the bullpen, but he would of course compete for the fifth spot in the rotation.

The Yankees might be inclined to offer Bonderman, who is still just 28, a one-year deal and hope to catch lightning in a bottle. Last season for Detroit, Bonderman went 8-10 with a 5.53 ERA in 29 starts.

While you’d be hard pressed to find many major league teams with an ace for a fifth starter (even the Phillies, for all their starting rotation strength, have Joe Blanton), but it’s the fact that the Yankees don’t know who their fifth starter will be that is the problem.

The Yankees don’t need an ace, they just need some serviceable, and with the addition of Rafael Soriano, they only need him to pitch six innings at the most in a given start.

So I’ll ask again: Is it time for Joba Chamberlain to become a starter again?

Last season, in relief, Chamberlain posted a 4.40 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 73 games. At the moment, the Yankees’ biggest strength is their bullpen. With Robertson and Feliciano able to hold down the seventh inning, Soriano in the eighth and Rivera closing out the games, how necessary is Chamberlain in the bullpen?

In 43 career starts, Chamberlain is 13-9 with a 3.67 ERA. In 2009, his longest season as a starter, Chamberlain’s ERA over the first six innings was 4.82; not exactly pretty, but if the Yankees offense can spot him some runs and bring a lead into the late innings, the bullpen can lock it down.

And of course we all remember the “Joba Rules,” which was the Yankees’ attempt to turn Chamberlain into a starter while limiting his innings. Well, having a strong bullpen, as the Yankees now do, basically is like having built-in “Joba Rules” because it means Chamberlain wouldn’t have to pitch deep into games very often.

When the Yankees enter Spring Training in about a month, they’ll have most likely added some arms to compete to the fifth starter’s role. But they should also give Chamberlain a chance to prove he can fulfill his potential as a starting pitcher, saving the Yankees both time and money.

Entering 2011, Chamberlain’s stock has never been lower and he’ll need to reestablish his worth to the Yankees. With starting pitching as important as it is and with the 2011 free agent class a bit weak on pitching, Chamberlain’s best bet to improve his value is as a starter.

If he can do so, the Yankees will have filled their fifth starter internally, or if he pitches well, use Chamberlain as a trade chip for a more established starting pitcher.

It’s a win-win situation for the Yankees and worth a look.

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