Kuzul

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey looks supernaturally natural at home plate.

The 2010 National League Rookie of the Year hit .305 with 18 home runs in the 2010 regular season, then helped lead the team to its first World Series title since 1954. Posey coolly strokes the ball with power to the opposite field and seems never to miss when an opposing pitcher makes a mistake.

Posey also possesses maturity beyond his years when it comes to handling pitchers and calling a game, making him a complete package and a blue-chip prospect. Yet he is not the most talented or exciting young player in the league.

Major League Baseball is teeming with guys who will play their age 25-or-younger seasons in 2011, but who are already among the elite producers in the game.

Where do your team’s young anchors fit? How many make the list of the top 25? The answer might tell you a lot about the future for your team.

Begin Slideshow

Felix Hernandez will make two more big-league starts for the Seattle Mariners before turning 25 years old on April 8. For a guy who still has not reached that age, Hernandez has posted phenomenal numbers already in his career. He won his first American League Cy Young Award in 2010, hurling 249.2 innings and posting a stellar 2.27 ERA.

Seattle should handle Hernandez with care, since he faced over 1,000 batters last season and may be an injury risk due to the resulting strain on his arm. He will finally be (in physiological terms) fully mature in 2011, though, so now might be the time to ride him back toward contention. More Cy Young honors might well be in his future.

He is not alone, of course. The big leagues are replete with promising young pitchers, many of whom will be 25 years old or younger in 2011. Having a stockpile of young hurlers is a key ingredient to success for any franchise, so this is a crucial question: Who are the best young arms in the league?

In the following slides, you will find a power ranking of baseball’s 25 best young pitchers who will be 25 or younger in baseball age in 2011. To qualify for the list, a pitcher needed to have pitched in the majors already. Where does your favorite team’s ace fall? How many youngsters make the list for your side? The answers may help inform the future prognosis of your franchise. Read on.

Begin Slideshow

There is nothing more intimidating for a hitter than being stared down by a power pitcher who can blow a fastball right by them. Fans also get excited as these pitchers light up the radar gun and rack up the strikeouts.

The rankings on this list will be determined by a combination of the pitchers’ talents, stats and their ability to bring the heat.

Begin Slideshow

MLB trade rumors never go away, even when things on the baseball front quiet down around the holidays, as is usually the case.

We’ve seen some pretty big free agent signings this offseason, chief among them being Carl Crawford and Cliff Lee. There have also been some big trades, such as the Adrian Gonzalez and Zack Greinke deals.

But spring training is still many moons away and there is still plenty of time for GMs around baseball to work out some last-minute deals.

With that in mind, here are 15 players who could be dealt before spring training starts.

Begin Slideshow

It’s the ultimate variable in sports. It’s the frustration of every fan when one man makes a blind call. It’s simple, however: Umpires are the last true holders of sports destiny.

The NBA and NFL can pause everything and revert to replays. Baseball can do the same, but only in very specific instances. Even though home-runs can now be replayed, it’s only a recent development. Umpires can make a pitchers life hell on every single pitch. They can aggregate an entire city on what they consider to be a strike.

All in all, Umpires may have the hardest job in my humble opinion. That doesn’t mean that they don’t blow it twice as much as any other sport.

Let us take a fun look at the 5 worst calls in baseball history. For sake of this list, they have to have video proof. Little League, as you will see, is certainly not barred from the terrible umpire association.

Begin Slideshow

Cliff Lee signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, Brandon Webb went to the Texas Rangers, and the Milwaukee Brewers managed to acquire Zack Greinke from the Royals in a trade.

So, with most of the big name pitchers off the market, teams are looking to fill their rotation spots with middle-of-the-road guys.

The remaining class of free agent pitchers features some older veterans like Jeff Suppan, some high-risk, high-reward guys like Ben Sheets and some solid, but not spectacular, pitchers like Carl Pavano.

Here’s a list of the 10 best free agent starting pitchers who have yet to be signed.

Begin Slideshow

This off-season has already seen the three biggest free agents switch teams for the lure of a nine-figure contract, and two of the biggest names in the game traded to title contenders.

As more and more free agents agree to terms, we begin to see a clearer picture of what to expect next season.

Pitchers and catchers will begin reporting in less than two months and opening day is just over three months away.

With next season rapidly approaching, let’s take a moment to stare into my crystal ball and examine 50 bold predictions for the upcoming year.

Begin Slideshow

The New Year is quickly approaching and as baseball fans pour over the latest Hot Stove news, now is as good a time as any to look back at the 2010 season.

From a bevy of great pitching performances, to an unlikely home run king, to the Giants improbable World Series run, the 2010 season was a memorable one.

So here are the top 50 players from the 2010 season, from the subjective view of one sports writer. I welcome you to inform me where you disagree with my rankings, as this is certainly up for debate.

Begin Slideshow

MLB Free Agency is still on the minds of everyone in baseball as the Hot Stove continues to simmer.

The biggest names have already been signed to mega deals, which has left clubs around baseball looking for what’s left.

But December and January are usually when the biggest free-agent bargains can be found for relatively cheap. Already there have been some great deals on some solid players so far.

I apologize if it sounds like a late-night infomercial, but the point is that there have been some really good signings that don’t include triple digits and a buyout clause. Here are the 10 smartest signings so far.

Begin Slideshow

Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee and Jayson Werth have grabbed all the headlines with their lucrative nine-figure contracts, but many of this off-seasons free agents remain unsigned.

For some players like Adrian Beltre and Rafael Soriano, their big day is a foregone conclusion, but others won’t be so lucky. Whether due to age or declining skills, many players may have to wait until Spring Training to sign a contract, that is, if they can find work.

With that in mind, let’s examine 15 players who could have to wait until March before finding a new home for the season.

Begin Slideshow