Kuzul

Technically, I may be a little late with these "preseason" predictions because the regular season officially started early Wednesday morning in Japan...but honestly who watched the games in Japan anyways?This past offseason has been one for the ages as we saw names like Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Jose Reyes all switching teams. This regular season shapes up to be even more exciting and interesting, especially with the addition of a second Wild Card. Division titles now mean even more, and there is a chance that we could see someone completely unexpected make the playoffs.How will everything shape up after October? Here is my opinion.Begin Slideshow

For as long as I can remember, I've been an avid reader. From Dr. Seuss to Chuck Klosterman, from Robert Ludlum to Christopher Moore, I've read a lot of books. As with any good book, it's not out of the ordinary to read it more than once. Growing up, one that I read multiple times was The Baseball Hall of Shame: Volume Two—often doing so simply to make sure that my recollection of the outrageous (and often hysterical) miscues was right.Now, twenty years after inducting their last class, authors Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo return with The Baseball Hall of Shame: The Best of Blooperstown.Nash and Zullo spared nobody from enshrinement: legends of the game, like Joe DiMaggio and Christy Mathewson are members. So are those players who would be just another name if not for their mishaps, like Randall Simon and George Wilson.Steve Bartman, Jeffrey Maier? They are Hall of ...

The sun is shining and the birds are chirping, which of course means it's time to sit on our computers and play fantasy baseball.If you haven't had your draft yet, you've come to the right place. With Opening Day less than one week away, now is the time to build your foundation for the summer.We all know that stars can propel your team to the title, but which one should you select with your first pick? Just scroll down to find out.1. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit TigersWith Albert Pujols' numbers declining, Cabrera is the best option for the first overall pick.He won't be stealing many bases (2 SB last year), but he's going to produce some monster power numbers. Last season he drove in 105 runs, hit 30 homers and and posted a ridiculous .448 on-base percentage.You can expect similar numbers from him in 2012.2. Albert Pujols, 1B, Anaheim AngelsAlthough ...

If the New York Mets are going to have any chance of finishing over .500 this season, then they are going to need to get a lot of outstanding performances from their starting pitchers.The Mets' rotation is set entering the season, but they still have a number of questions about the health and abilities of their starters.It is very possible that the Mets' rotation looks a lot different at the end of the year. Pitchers may be dealt and prospects may come up from the minors to replace ineffective starters.Begin Slideshow

If you are like me, you have been eagerly following the Detroit Tigers' search for their fifth starter.This is the fourth in my series.The Plot ThickensHeading into this spring, it seemed as though the Tigers had some strong internal candidates for the job.They had the young phenom in Jacob Turner.They had the fireballing lefty in Casey Crosby.They had the enigmatic, yet talented Andy Oliver.And they had three relatively unknown soft-tossing lefties in Drew Smyly, Duane Below and Adam Wilk.At first, it seemed like this would be a very hard decision, but for all the right reasons. All six candidates started out strongly.But one by one, they fell by the wayside.First, Turner flamed out and, thanks to nagging injuries, was sent to Triple A camp.Next, Crosby got a case of the wilds, and was likewise shipped.And just as it appeared that Oliver had separated himself from the rest, he came crashing ...

Daniel Bard's success as a starter could very well prove to be the key to a 2012 playoff run for the Boston Red Sox.Then again, he's just as likely to be relegated back to bullpen duty.But with two rotation spots up for grabs, all indications point towards the 26-year-old at least beginning the season in Bobby Valentine's starting-five. As of this writing, Bard and fellow system-product Felix Doubront figure to fill the fourth and fifth spots, with 2011's jack-of-all-trades Alfredo Aceves returning to the 'pen.Nothing's official yet, but can they really send Bard back at this point? Assuming he has nailed down a starting role, what, if anything, has his performance in camp told us? Clearly, a lot of what happens in spring has to be chalked up to pitchers trying out new pitches, tinkering with arm slots, working out the kinks in their mechanics, etc. So the spirit of this ...

Every year, there is a new closer or five who step up and have a big year. These guys bring big results for their team and for their fantasy owners. This always makes it a fun and worthwhile adventure to look for a sleeper closer. They can, and often do, pay off big time.  Carlos Marmol, CubsMarmol's season is off to a slow start. Actually, it is off to a no-start. He is out with a hand cramp, but will be back soon, and he is in a position to have a solid season. One thing we know about Marmol is that he is going to get strikeouts. Last year, he had a strikeout rate of over 12 batters per nine innings. In five years as a big league reliever, he has averaged 108 strikeouts a season. There is always that risk with Marmol that his control problems will get the better of him and ...

Fantasy owners who missed out on Jose Bautista and other monster bats need not worry—James Loney and more will still be available to add some seriously underrated pop to your lineup. Each year, participants look for steals. The expectation is that these late-rounders produce just enough to suffice. The players on this list will do more than that. They're that final piece—the one that transitions your squad from middle of the pack to top dog. Best of all, you can sneak them late.   James Loney, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers Loney is consistent for a .288 batting average, 160 hits, 12 home runs and 85 RBI. These aren't bad stats at all. Loney turns 28 this season, so he's now in the thick of his prime. That being said, there are no more excuses for Loney not to burst through the ceiling he's made for himself. The Dodgers' financial situation ...

No matter the scoring style your fantasy baseball league uses, it is so important to find players who can steal bases consistently.Steals are not easy to accumulate, and many players rarely attempt to steal bases at all. Finding guys who not only can steal bases but who attempt to steal often is hard. Let's look at three speed demons who will help your team rack up stolen bases and gain an advantage over your league rivals. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red SoxThe Red Sox outfielder has been one of baseball's fastest players since he arrived to the big leagues in 2007, but the problem was that he didn't get on base consistently.Last year, Ellsbury had a career year and batted .321 while in the leadoff spot a lot of the time. Ellsbury proved he could stay healthy last season and comes into 2012 in good health.Ellsbury stole 39 bases last season, but he ...

The fact that manager Bobby Valentine and Red Sox brass have been so non-committal about announcing a starting rotation leads one to believe there might be one last deal in the works.Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston.com speculated on that possibility yesterday, quoting Valentine as saying, “There might be some situations I need to wait on before I make any declarations.’’ Don't misunderstand me—there has been absolutely no indication from the team about making a move, and no rumors are floating around about a trade.But what other "situations" could Valentine possibly be waiting on? Like Sherlock Holmes and the dog that did not bark, I am looking at what is not there.1. Everyone within the Red Sox organization has been bending over backwards to say how happy they are with the pitchers they have—but no starters have been named beyond the top three (Lester, Beckett, Buchholz).2. Even if we assume Felix Doubront gets a shot, ...