Kuzul

Baseball season is in full swing! Yet, there is still one question we don’t know about the game of baseball as it stands today.

No, it has nothing to do about the current MLB standings or anything, but rather, about the hottest WAGs in MLB history. 

Sure we all know of the many girlfriends and wives our favorite baseball players have had over the years, but which girls are the hottest?

Are some of today’s current baseball girlfriends hotter than the girls of yesterday?

Or are wives the way to turn when talking about representing America’s Pastime in the most sexiest way?

Forget bringing a ball and a bat to this game; just bring your best pair of eyes and hold on tight, for you are about to enter a ride through what it is like as a major leaguer.

Here now are the 25 hottest WAGs in MLB history. Enjoy.

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With just four days away from Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, there is no better way to ring in the new season than to bring you the hottest fans in baseball.

We may not know what the 2011 baseball season will hold for our favorite teams, but one thing is for sure, these sexy fans will be with you for the long 162-game journey.

And you thought spring training was hot? You better hold on tight for this one-of-a-kind ride through the beautiful side of Major League Baseball.

Who knows, maybe you will be lucky enough to see some of these hot goddesses roam a ballpark near you.

Here are MLB’s hottest fan bases. Enjoy.

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The American League Central Division is filled with many talented players heading into the 2011 season.

Some of them have been around for many seasons and have become great veterans and leaders in the clubhouse, while others are younger up-and-coming stars, looking to make their mark in the big leagues.

Some of these players right now could be Hall of Famers, while others have the full potential to become not only All-Stars in the Majors, but Cooperstown bound as well.

Injures and lack of production have also hurt some of the players on this list in the past, so they will be looking to bounce back in 2011. In just one week, the boys of summer will finally be back, in search for their destiny this season.

The division is still up for grabs, but could very easily be determined by many of these players.

Here are the top 20 AL Central players to watch in 2011.

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When fans think of the Boston Red Sox, many players quickly come to mind: Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester and new comers Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez are certainly some of them.

But no player has become a bigger icon and face of the Red Sox then the man known around baseball as Big Papi, David Ortiz.

Since 2003, Ortiz has essentially become the heart and soul of the Red Sox for eight years and counting.

From his home run power, to his intimidating physical stature, to his big bright smile, Big Papi is certainly a player that has become recognizable around the world.

Who could forget those two magical nights during the American League Championship Series in October 2004, when Ortiz not only won Game 4 for the Red Sox on a game-winning home run in the bottom of the twelfth inning, but helped them win Game 5 as well, getting the game-winning hit just one night later in the bottom of the fourteenth inning.

Besides being a six-time All-Star and two-time World Series Champion, Ortiz has averaged just about 30 HRs over his past four seasons in Boston, hitting .270 with 32 HRs and 102 RBI in 145 games in 2010.

Now at 35-years-old, Big Papi will once again try and silence those fans who believe he will struggle during the 2011 season.

Does Ortiz have one more big year left though?

Make no mistake about it, Ortiz has struggled for three straight years at the start of the season, so much so that many baseball fans believed he would never be able to recover. 

Here are his last three stat lines in the month of April over the past three seasons:

• April 2008: .198  5 HR  21 RBI in 96 ABs
• April 2009: .230  0 HR  12 RBI in 87 ABs
• April 2010: .143  1 HR  4  RBI in 56 ABs

Even with those dismal numbers, Ortiz has yet to be bothered by an early season struggle, breaking out the majority of the time after the July All-Star break, having just enough time to help the Red Sox and their playoff push down the stretch.

His days with a 1.000 OPS maybe over, but Big Papi has still been as reliable and consistent a player as he was three years ago.

Sure, Ortiz is getting up there in age, but being a part of what should be baseball’s best lineup will only help him on his quest to be successful once again.

Even if he fails to hit 20 HRs or drive in 100 RBI, there will be enough pieces in the Red Sox lineup that will help pick up the slack, and kind of shield any struggle left by Ortiz.

There is simply no doubting Big Papi though, as he still has what it takes to be one of the American League’s most feared hitters in 2011.

When it’s all said and done, David Ortiz will simply be the David Ortiz we all know he can be this upcoming season, a guy that cannot only hit 25+ HRs and drive in 100+ RBI, but become the icon and face of the Red Sox yet again in 2011. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It’s almost that time of year again. In exactly one month, Cleveland Indians pitchers and catchers will report to Goodyear, Arizona to kick-off Spring Training and the 2011 Major League Baseball season. Yes, I know things can change from now until February 14, but lets just say, if the season started today, what starting pitchers would make up the Tribe’s five-man rotation?

Every baseball fan knows pitching wins championships, but will the Tribe be heading north to Cleveland without a single left-handed starter in their rotation? We just had two of the best left-handed starting pitchers in the game a little over two seasons ago, in former Cy Young Award winners C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee didn’t we?

Will those vacant shoes finally be filled in 2011?

Here is a look at the Indians starting rotation as it stands today.

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How soon is too soon?  This is the question baseball fans all around the country are asking when it comes to Washington Nationals rookie phenom, Bryce Harper. At just 18 years old, Harper has a realistic chance to reach the big leagues at sometime in 2011, which would make him the youngest player since New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez to play in the Major Leagues.

Harper’s stats over the past few seasons look like something straight out of a video game. 

For a kid who should be a junior in high school, Harper played this past season at the College of Southern Nevada—a league that uses wood bats in conference play. Harper didn’t miss a beat, hitting an astounding .442 with 29 HR and 89 RBI in just 66 games.

But not only did Harper hit, he pitched as well, sporting a record of 10-1 with a 2.18 ERA in 57.2 innings pitched, and striking out 88. It is worth noting the former Sports Illustrated cover boy was reportedly clocked throwing 96 MPH on the radar gun in high school.

Shortly after being drafted first overall by the Nationals in the 2010 MLB draft, Harper agreed to a five-year contract worth $9.9 million. Although he has yet to play a game in Washington‘s minor league system, Harper did play for the Arizona Fall League after the 2010 regular season. In just nine games, Harper hit .343 with one home run and seven RBI.

Now, the question remains: Will he even need anymore minor league seasoning in 2011, or will he make the jump to the Major Leagues?

As of right now that question has yet to be answered. Not a single Nationals or baseball fan knows if in fact Harper will make the opening day roster. While he does have a legitimate shot, even if he does start in the minor leagues it won’t be for long. It took fellow phenom Stephen Strasburg just 11 minor league starts to reach the big leagues in 2010, so it shouldn’t take Harper very long given his successful track-record.

One thing is for certain though: No matter where he starts out, everyone will know the name “Bryce Harper” in 2011.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

I know what you’re thinking: How can Indians first baseman Matt LaPorta, a player who hit .221 last season, become the same type of power hitter as Colorado Rockies outfielder and NL MVP candidate, Carlos Gonzalez? 

Well, the answer to this question can be seen easier when breaking down both ballplayers.

When the Tribe traded ace C.C. Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, they received four prospects: RHP Rob Bryson, LHP Zach Jackson, OF Michael Brantley and 1B/OF LaPorta. 

Of all four players, LaPorta was deemed by far as the key and deal breaker to the blockbuster trade. 

The former seventh overall pick by the Brewers in the 2007 MLB draft though has been anything but the type of player the Indians thought they were getting two seasons ago. 

In 376 AB’s in 2010, LaPorta hit a dismal .221 with 12 HR and 41 RBI in 110 games. This came was after he soared at the AAA level in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, hitting a combined .289 with 39 HR and 134 RBI in 194 games.

Gonzalez, like LaPorta, was also a part of a blockbuster trade in 2008, being traded to the Rockies along with RHP Huston Street and LHP Greg Smith for All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday.

He, unlike LaPorta, was one of the most productive hitters in 2010. In 587 AB’s, Gonzalez hit an NL leading .336 with 34 HR and 117 RBI in 145 games.

What if I told you 2011 could be different for LaPorta?

Different in the fact that LaPorta’s numbers would be similar to that of Gonzalez’s. That he would indeed become the type of power hitter the Tribe has been searching for since the departure of fan favorites Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome.

Let’s start by comparing the stats of both ballplayers.

LaPorta has just two big league seasons under his belt while Gonzalez has three seasons. Both players though were named by Baseball America in 2008 as the top prospects in their respective organizations (LaPorta with the Brewers and Gonzalez with the Athletics). 

In order to see the comparison between both hitters, here are LaPorta and Gonzalez’s career stats through their first two MLB seasons:

Gonzalez

174 G, 580 ABs, 84 R, 152 H, 36 2B, 17 HR, 55 RBI, 41 BB, 151 SO, .263 AVG, .313 OBP.

LaPorta

162 G, 557 ABs, 70 R, 129 H, 28 2B, 19 HR, 62 RBI, 58 BB, 119 SO, .232 AVG, .307 OBP.

When comparing both players through their first two seasons in the big leagues, one can easily see that LaPorta is not far off the track of Gonzalez, as he has even hit more home runs and drove in more RBI in less plate appearances. 

Does this automatically mean that LaPorta will become the type of hitter that has Gonzalez turned into? No. But one has to wonder when looking at these numbers, if 2011 will in fact be a breakout year for LaPorta and the Indians.

Now I am not saying LaPorta will be a .336 hitter and be in the running for the AL MVP, what I am saying is maybe we haven’t simply given LaPorta his time to fully develop. 

Power hitters aren’t born as soon as they reach the big leagues. Baseball fans have seen this through many players over the last few seasons, with Gonzalez and Toronto‘s Jose Bautista being just two of them.

Baseball is a game based on numbers and stats. Sure, anyone can say a .221 AVG is below average, or driving in just 41 runs in over 100 games is not productive when just glancing at a few baseball statistics. 

It is when you actually go behind the numbers that one really get a sense of what a player may or may not become. Comparing LaPorta to Gonzalez does show a different side of what many fans do not see.

It should be interesting to see if LaPorta does in fact breakout in 2011, as there are just 97 days until we find out what the 2011 season holds for LaPorta and the Indians.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com