Kuzul

It’s Opening Day, which means it’s time to put the spreadsheets away and head out to the ballpark for pampered grass, the smell of garlic fries and a rousing nine innings of pure bliss.

What better way to enjoy this event than sharpening your pencil and getting lost in a baseball game by keeping score?

That may not be for everyone. Perhaps you’re more into chatting, watching the Hydro Races and anticipating the start of The Wave.

Each fan has a unique way of enjoying a ballgame. We all have our own special love for the game. Some refuse to miss a pitch or leave early, and some just want to hang out and beat the traffic in the eight inning.

So for those of you who want to try something new this season at Safeco Field, this slideshow is for you. From food to views to people. This your guide to enjoying a unique experience at the House That Griffey Built.

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The San Francisco Giants have been dominating their Cactus League opponents throughout the start of spring training.

Excited and ready to gear up for back-to-back World Series championships, the Giants seem to be heading down the right road. Veterans and rookies alike are playing great baseball, and Giants fans should be starting to get the itch that only comes when it’s time for baseball to begin.

I headed down to Scottsdale, Arizona last weekend to take a look at the Giants for myself, and they looked to be in great shape. Here’s how I rate their performances thus far.

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While many baseball experts already count the New York Mets out of playoff contention this early in the spring, the Mets have many athletes that can surpass expectations enough to make a legitimate comeback in 2011.

As the team continues to work hard in Port St. Lucie, here is a list of the seven recovering New York Mets that will have the biggest impact on the 2011 MLB season.

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How do you fix a team that has lost 100 games twice in three seasons?

That’s the glaring question that general manager Jack Zduriencik and manager Eric Wedge are tasked with in 2011.

After a few nice trades and additions propelled the team a giant step forward in 2009, they took another giant step back in 2010. Though most assumed that ’09 team overachieved, the additions to the club last season led those same pundits to believe we’d at least see a similar outcome, perhaps even a better one.

With pitchers and catchers doing bullpen sessions and position players trickling in ahead of the mandatory report date this Friday, the team is getting a chance to have a hard, long look at their squad early.

It’s a good thing, too, because there are questions that must be answered post-haste.

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Spring training is here and there’s already panic in the Bronx.

The New York Yankees’ offseason will not go down in the history books among the all-time greats.

They missed out on Cliff Lee. Their best acquisition was Rafael Soriano, which isn’t to say that he’s bad, just that the ridiculous contract they gave him is. They alienated Derek Jeter—arguably the most beloved player in franchise history—by handling the negotiations through the media. To add insult to injury, Andy Pettitte decided to call it a career.

The Yankees enter 2011 with a lot of questions that need to be answered if they are going to compete with the revamped Red Sox in the American League East.

One thing that they don’t have to worry about is their ace, CC Sabathia. He has been as reliable as anyone in baseball since the 2007 season.

However, they do have to worry about that opt-out clause in his contract after this year. If Sabathia chooses to exercise it, he will be a free agent, and that will leave the Yankees scrambling to ensure that they don’t lose him.

They do have a great bargaining chip in the minors in Jesus Montero, whom they can dangle to acquire a new ace for 2012. Since the free-agent pitching market next winter is going to be pretty bad, a trade would seem to be their best bet to acquire a new ace.

Here are 10 guys that the Yankees could take a look at if Sabathia decides to bolt from New York after 2011.

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It is no secret that the New York Yankees will be shopping for starting pitching.

How desperately has yet to be seen, as spring training just started and all eyes will be on the mound. It is comforting that the Bronx Bombers have the trade-bait to lure teams.

Trades with teams who don’t look to be in contention pre-All-Star break are especially likely, as it then makes perfect sense to begin looking towards next season and to trade a top pitcher who still has market-value.

Rumors are swirling of talks between the Yankees and Chicago White Sox trade, specifically about Edwin Jackson and how much he would cost for the Bombers to attain him.

Is this trade a good idea for the Yankees?

This is tough question, as even I can’t decide if Jackson would excel in the Bronx. The Yankees have to see what holes can be filled internally and what prospects and players they are willing to give up. 

So, let’s weigh out both 10 pros and cons on whether trading for Edwin Jackson is worthwhile.

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Following in the footsteps of his father, Tom Gordon, 22-year-old Dee Gordon is currently on the fast track to play in the major leagues for one of baseball’s highest profile teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Gordon is currently ranked first on Baseball America as the Dodger’s top prospect.

Widely considered as a tremendous hitter and fielder, Gordon may also be the best all-around athlete in the highly talented farm system.

With the hype surrounding Gordon, there is a great chance that he will be starting at shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers by the end of the season.

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Albert Pujols is the face of the St. Louis Cardinals and the superstar of his era. In fact, he’s likely up there with Ozzie Smith and others who are considered Cardinals legends.  As a result, when he asked for a Spring Training deadline to negotiate a contract extension, I figured they would be able to get it done.

Instead, with less than two weeks to go until that deadline is up, negotiations are not going well. The talks are being held in private, so this could very well be smoke and mirrors, but if he does end up becoming a free agent, there is a very real possibility that he will be gone when the 2012 season begins.

I would love to see Albert Pujols finish his career in St. Louis and stick with one team for his entire career.  Having said that, here are 10 reasons why he will not finish his career with the Cardinals.

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Andy Pettitte announced his retirement from baseball at Yankee Stadium today, bringing an end to a 16-year career that saw him a 240-138 record between his time with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.

The five-time World Champion was a fan favorite everywhere he went and he shone in the playoffs as if it was his own stage. His 19 postseason wins are the most in baseball history.

The winningest pitcher of the last decade, Pettitte today leaves a legacy that is only bettered by Whitey Ford among Yankee southpaws. That was four decades ago, and Pettitte has certainly left his mark on the game.

While postseason victories and playoff clinches became his calling card, Pettitte had his moments in the regular season, too.

With only 10 spots to fill, there’s a lot of games that had to be left out, but here’s a list of his 10 greatest games.

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The Chicago Cubs have already traded for starting pitcher Matt Garza and traded away starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny this winter, and it seems very possible that that will be enough for GM Jim Hendry. There is relatively little else Chicago could do at this point, with the key free agents off the market and the team unlikely to leapfrog the Brewers and Reds into the top spot in a rational prognosticator’s picture of the 2011 NL Central division.

Of course, miracles happen every day (see Wells, Vernon), so perhaps the Cubs can find a diamond somewhere in the January rough and make themselves into a more legitimate contender either in 2011 or in the longer term. Read on for five deals the Cubs could try to swing to turn their fortunes for the better.

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