Kuzul

While the 2010 MLB offseason has been quiet thus far, rumors have been surfacing on various players going to various teams. The free agents get most of these rumors, as they can sign with any team. However, other players under contract have been getting looks, and a trade involving that star can send shockwaves throughout baseball.

Already we’ve had one major trade this offseason. Florida Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla was traded to the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Michael Dunn and utility man Omar Infante. If a trade sending Uggla to the Braves, who already had an All-Star second baseman in Martin Prado, can happen, then there are many others that can.

Some of the following trades may happen due to the player being unhappy, others due to the team being unhappy. Others could just simply be two teams seeing the right pieces to their own respective puzzles.

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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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The Boston Red Sox were plagued with injuries throughout the 2010 season.

Beckett, Pedroia, Youkilis, Martinez, Varitek, and the list goes on and on.  But one factor that remained constant throughout this season was closer Jonathan Papelbon.

For somebody who claimed they had never trained harder in their life after last season’s postseason ninth-inning blow-up, I don’t believe it for a second.

Papelbon has just been terrible this year.  For someone who is making over $6 million as a closer he has just been a tremendous letdown.  To think this team is going to win 90 games with all the injuries and inconsistencies is unbelievable.

Johnny Pap has blown eight saves this year and there is still a weekend series with the Yankees left.  The biggest problem with Papelbon this season has been his inability to go to a second pitch.  As a closer you can’t go out on the mound and think a mid 90s fastball is going to get the job done.

His demeanor and facial expression seems that he has is not the same fun-loving Irish step-dancing guy that won a World Series in 2007.  I guess a lot can change in three years’ time.

Moving on to next season, Papelbon is due to make over $9 million.  An absurd amount of money for someone who is going to be 30 and is on pace to set career highs in era, whip, runs allowed, and blown saves.  In my mind, Papelbon was the biggest letdown of this Red Sox team.

It’s a simple as this, Papelbon has to go.  Unless he drastically improves over this offseason the Red Sox front office should try and trade him.  Who knows what team would want to pick up that salary, otherwise the Sox are going to have to deal with another year of him as their closer.

The Red Sox have young arms waiting in the wings headlined by Daniel Bard and Michael Bowden.  Bard has already proved to be an asset to the Red Sox bullpen and his numbers are only improving.

Bard ranks first in holds in the American league and his era is two runs lower than Papelbon.  He is also five years younger then Papelbon and is a much more cost-efficient option right now.  I also love his 100 mph fastball and the way he goes about pitching is all-business.

There’s a lot of upside for the Red Sox and Daniel Bard.  As long as Jonathan Papelbon is still there the job will not be in his possession.  If not next year, then after next season, Daniel Bard will be holding down the closer position in Boston for a long time.

Papelbon can’t have another season like he did this year or nobody is going to want to pay him.  He needs to improve or the only team that is going to pay him on the open market is the Yankees. 

That’s still a full season away.  There is a lot of animosity toward Papelbon these days in Boston.  That’s because he was a full-blown disaster this season.

For that very reason the Boston Red Sox will miss the postseason for the first time since 2006.

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The Boston Red Sox are for all intents and purposes finished with their 2010 season. It has been a long and tough campaign which saw them virtually eliminated by their own inability to stay on the field.

Too many key injuries will derail any team let alone a team faced with a game of musical chairs with Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.

The Red Sox still retain a solid core of players and with the chance that Tampa Bay may not be able to afford some its talent with expiring contracts, those Red Sox fans already moving onto the 2011 season have a few reasons to smile.

With that said this is a team that needs a few serious improvements and here are the top five changes that need to be made in order to both make the playoffs and contend for a World Series in 2011.

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The 2010 MLB season is drawing to a close, and while many teams and their fans are looking to the postseason, others are already looking to next year. In the case of some players, next year could bring major changes.

Recently, there have been reports of players being unhappy with their situations and requesting trades, most notably Colby Rasmus of the Cardinals and Prince Fielder of the Brewers. Other players look like they have been wanting out for a while, and as a result they may do just that.

The following is a list of 10 players who could be in a different uniform next season. Some, like those listed above, are almost guaranteed to be gone, while others on this list are long shots and likely will remain with their current team, at least in my opinion.

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We have finally reached the payoff portion of the fantasy baseball season: the playoffs! It’s been a grueling 22-week season, but if you’re lucky enough to still be reading fantasy baseball articles, now is the time to really ramp it up.

This is the point in the year where one hot bat could decide your season—or a dead-armed pitcher could ruin it no matter how well his team has done thus far. Below are ten guys who are either destroying your championship dreams or carrying you to the promised land.

And just a heads up, next week will be the final By The Numbers of 2010, so we’ll be going through some of my hits and misses way back from my Mock Draft Reports in the preseason. Be sure to tune in!

Four

That is the Yahoo! rank over the past two weeks for Neil Walker. The Pirates second baseman has been on fire, blasting five home runs and driving in 16 runs. Many had no idea that Walker had been batting third for Pittsburgh for some time, and he’s clearly been taking advantage of the lineup.

The home runs are a huge surprise, considering he only had five for the season prior to this most recent hot stretch. But it’s important to realize that he wasn’t a slouch either, batting in the .300 range for most of the season. He is exactly the kind of random spark plug to add a few home runs and bring your team a title.

Two

Rafaeul Furcal has had two stolen bases since returning from the DL on September 3rd. The fact that he is already active on the base paths is a great sign that he is over his back issues and needs to be plugged back into lineups immediately, especially considering he had a 3-4 game on Monday.

When healthy, he can be one of the best shortstops in fantasy. He provides a high batting average (.316), stolen bases (nine seasons of 20+ stolen bases), and even a bit of power, exhibited by his five home runs in July. All owners, and especially those of the day-to-day Elvis Andrus, need to make sure their league is not one of the 25% in which he is available.

600

That’s the number of career saves by Trevor Hoffman, who achieved the feat Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals. An absolutely huge feat that could not have come any sooner, as his struggled throughout the season. Not to mention, the emergence of John Axford significantly delayed the accomplishment longer than anyone expected.

As a result, his 600th save may be his last; the Brewers really have no reason to go with the Hoff over Axford from here on out. This should give Axford a boost down the stretch and essentially makes Hoffman waiver fodder, and subsequently less likely to reemerge ever again. Bow your heads baseball fans, a legend like Hoffman doesn’t come around every day.

You can’t resist reading more…

Lane Rizzardini has been playing fantasy sports for over 10 years. His earliest memory was drafting Fred Lane in 2003, only to find out Fred’s wife had shot him in the offseason. You can find more of Lane’s writing over at BrunoBoys.net.

You can contact him at Lanerizz@gmail.com or through his Twitter page.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In a year of stunning rookie performances, Cuban defector and Reds uber-prospect Aroldis Chapman made his major-league debut on Tuesday, facing three batters in one inning of work. The 22-year-old was electric, hitting 103 mph on the radar gun.

More importantly, because Chapman was called up on August 31st, that means that he will be eligible for the postseason roster. If the Reds make the playoffs, Chapman will have the chance to become the latest in a glorious line of rookie call-ups who have had an impact in the postseason before they had a chance to have an impact in the regular season.

Here is a by-no-means exclusive look at some of the most memorable rookie call-ups who have contributed in the postseason in recent years.

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It’s time to continue our journey around the league, looking at each team’s closer situation.  The AL East is home to the greatest closer in baseball, but there are plenty of other situations worth noting.  Let’s take a look:

Baltimore Orioles

Current Closer: Alfredo Simon
Waiting in the Wings: Mike Gonzalez
Closer of the Future: Kam Mickolio?

Have the Orioles made the switch to Gonzalez yet? 

We all know it’s just a matter of time, as it should be.  While Simon thrived early on, he has had too many issues to trust him in the ninth inning.  A 1.56 WHIP from your closer?

No thank you. 

Plus, the team is paying a lot of money for Gonzalez, who was expected to be the closer. 

As for the future, the Orioles have a ton of young pitching, and if someone fails in the rotation they could ultimately transition to the pen and the closer’s role.  Mickolio has struggled this season, but at 6′9″, it could take him a little longer to develop (as it often does for taller pitchers). 

With 38 Ks in 28.0 innings at Triple-A, there certainly is potential to watch.

Boston Red Sox

Current Closer: Jonathan Papelbon
Waiting in the Wings: Daniel Bard
Closer of the Future: Daniel Bard

Papelbon has been one of the best closers in baseball over the last few years, but he’s starting to show a few dents in his armor. 

Still, with a 3.20 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, to go along with his 29 saves, is anyone really complaining?  One or two bad outings, especially from your closer, get significantly magnified. 

Stay patient and don’t overreact. 

Of course, the Red Sox do have an arm ready and waiting to take the reins.  Bard has benefited from some positive luck (.208 BABIP, 87.2% strand rate), but with a fastball averaging nearly 98 mph to go with a 2.01 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, there’s a lot to like. 

The Red Sox easily could try to save some money and hand the job to Bard sooner rather then later.

New York Yankees

Current Closer: Mariano Rivera
Waiting in the Wings: Joba Chamberlain
Closer of the Future: Joba Chamberlain

There’s nothing to be said about Rivera that hasn’t already been said. 

He’s the best closer in baseball history.  Period. 

As for Joba, there certainly have been issues, but you would have to think that the Yankees would like to get him back into a significant bullpen role before long.

Otherwise, why did they give up on him as a starting pitcher so quickly? I know he’s struggled this season, but the Yankees certainly have mishandled him and we know how good he can be. 

Don’t give up on him yet.

Tampa Bay Rays

Current Closer: Rafael Soriano
Waiting in the Wings: Dan Wheeler
Closer of the Future: ?

Soriano has thrived in Tampa Bay this season, posting a 1.74 ERA and 0.84 WHIP.  At 30-years old, he definitely could have a few more years left in him to succeed. 

Then again, the Rays constantly are developing arms, so there could be any number of pitchers who ultimately emerge to take over the role down the line.  That makes it impossible to nail down who could eventually emerge as their closer of the future.

Toronto Blue Jays

Current Closer: Kevin Gregg
Waiting in the Wings: Jason Frasor
Closer of the Future: David Purcey

There were questions surrounding Gregg entering the season, but he’s done a solid job with 27 saves to go along with a 3.35 ERA and 1.27 WHIP.  As he has always done, he continues to pile up the strikeouts, with 49 Ks over 45.2 innings. 

At 32 years old, he’s not the long-term solution for the Blue Jays, but it appears likely that he could be back with the team in 2011. 

His contract has a very affordable 2011 option ($4.5 million according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts), so there appears to be little reason not to bring him back. 

Frasor has struggled at times this season, with a WHIP of 1.51 thanks to below average control (4.1 BB/9).  He’ll get occasional opportunities, but it’s Gregg’s job. 

As far as down the line, they have a kid down in Single-A named Matthew Daly (28 saves), who could develop in time, but I have a feeling that David Purcey may beat him to it. 

Having transitioned to the bullpen, Purcey has thrived this season.  In 24 major league appearances, he has posted a 2.81 ERA.  A former top prospect, he has strikeout ability and appears to be finding his niche in the bullpen. 

While he’s currently on the DL, it will be interesting to see if the Blue Jays challenge him once he returns, though, as a lefty, they may prefer to groom him to be a specialist.

What are your thoughts on these situations?

Make sure to check out our look at the other divisions in baseball:

• NL East

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Being a fan of the Boston Red Sox is never easy. After spending decades of relishing in the role as the lovable losers, the Red Sox finally won a World Series ring. In fact they went on to win more than one championship and people began to expect them to win. As a fan, I also began to believe that every year the Red Sox, my team, could win it all.

I began a ritual of placing a wager on the Red Sox every year to win the American League East and the World Series. This year, Just Bet listed the Red Sox as 3-1 underdogs to win the A.L. East, and 10-1 to win the World Series.

I placed my bet and began to dream about a big payout, and another World Series ring for the Sox. I have come to realize that in late August, the dream is over. For those of you that still believe, you would be thrilled to know that at Just Bet.com the Red Sox are now18 to 1 to win the A.L. East and 35 to 1 to win it all!

At the beginning of the year if you were to tell me the Red Sox would have a slew of injuries throughout the year, and still have over 70 wins in late August, I would be thrilled.

That is exactly what has happened.

The problem is in the AL East that is just good enough for third place and roughly six games behind the leader. In any other division in baseball the Red Sox would own the lead, or be fighting for the lead, but not in the A.L. East.

The Red Sox are trailing both the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays as the season winds down and things are looking grim. It’s not that six games is an insurmountable lead, but the obstacles that stand in the way of the Red Sox are very daunting.

The first place to start is the schedule.

The Red Sox schedule to end the year is frightening. The Sox have struggled against the teams remaining on the schedule. That last stretch includes 12 games against division rivals the Yankees and Rays, a short six game trip to the West Coast, and seven out of the last ten games are on the road.

For those that would argue the Sox can make up games against Baltimore and Seattle, two cellar dwellers on the schedule, think again. The Sox are a woeful 8-8 against those teams this year and Baltimore is playing much better since Buck Showalter was hired as head coach.

I do applaud the way that the Sox played this year with all the injuries they had to endure, but it’s only gotten worse. Kevin Youkilis, Mike Cameron, and Jacoby Ellsbury are all done for the season taking both offense and defense away from this team. Dustin Pedroia recently returned from injury, but was placed back on the disabled list just three days later.

The injuries have dismantled the offense, and if you’re looking for pitching to bail out the Sox, guess again. The Red Sox are currently 20th in the league in Earned Run Average (ERA) behind several opponents that they play again before the year is over to include Oakland and (you guessed it) New York and Tampa Bay. The once unhittable Jonathan Papelbon has six blown saves on the year and an ERA over three. In short, the pitching is not living up to the hype.

The dream is over Red Sox nation; the 2010 version of your favorite team is not going to the post season. We as a nation can blame it on injuries, being in the toughest division in baseball, or just bad luck, but it’s over.

The best we can hope for is that we play spoiler in the last three game set of the season and stop the hated Yankees from winning another division title.

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Throughout the 2010 season, the Boston Red Sox have been on the cusp of making  the playoffs. With Dustin Pedroia hitting the disabled list for the second time this season, it appears that it’s finally time to throw in the towel. This team could still make the playoffs and Dustin Pedroia could be back by the end of September, but realistically, this is likely the end of the road.

It’s just been a horrible year full of growing pains for the Red Sox. They lack an identity and they’re not the team that we thought they were.

Besides Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and to an extent Daisuke Matsuzaka, the starting pitchers have been a disappointment.

Josh Beckett has been the poster boy for disappointment. Granted, he has spent a significant amount of time on the DL but really? 19 earned runs in his past three starts.

Has John Lackey really been even remotely close to good? Terry Francona will tell you he has but that’s just because he has to.

The offense exceeded expectations but they flamed out when everybody realized the season doesn’t end in July. Oh, and missing Kevin Youkilis has been a big reason for the flame out as well. Guys like Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz have quite frankly been the only impact bats on the team who haven’t been injured.

Injuries have definitely been a problem but they shouldn’t excuse the poor structure of the team. The only players on the team who have hit well have been Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz. Where is the big bat in the outfield though? Combined, Sox outfielders (Drew, Ellsbury, Hermida, Hall, Cameron, Nava, Kalish, Reddick, Van Every, Patterson, McDonald) have hit 55 home runs.

To put that into perspective, Red Sox outfielders rank dead last in the AL East in long balls. That’s right, they’re worse than the Baltimore Orioles at something.

The bullpen struggles go without mentioning.

It’s time for Theo Epstein and company to get on the phone and make some changes!

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