Baseball : MLB 2011 season preview

Giants win World Series 2010

San Francisco Giants won the World Series 2010 beating the Texas Rangers 3-1 in Game 5 and taking the trophy home to the city by the Bay for the first time. The Giants last wore the crown in 1954, four years before they moved west. The unlikely Most Valuable Player for an unlikely World Series winner was Edgar Renteria, an injury-plagued shortstop whose two-year, $18.5 million contract was ridiculed because the Giants gave it to a player thought to be washed up.

• World Series title: San Francisco Giants
• AL champions: Texas Rangers
• NL champions: San Francisco Giants
• AL East champions: Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• AL Central champions: Minessota Twins
• AL West champions: Texas Rangers
• NL East champions: Philadelphia Phillies
• NL Central champions: Cincinnati Reds
• NL West champions: San Francisco Giants

2011 key dates

The 2011 season starts on Thursday, March 31, and run through Wednesday, September 28. The postseason is scheduled to begin on September 30. The 2011 World Series will begin on October 19.

• March 31 - Opening day
• July 12 - All-Star Game, Chase Field, Phoenix
• September 28 - Final day of the 2011 regular season
• September 30 - Postseason begins
• October 19 - World Series

Odds by bookmakers

These are odds to win 2011 MLB World Series Championship published by online bookmakers before the start of the season:

team	odds	team	odds	team	odds
Philadelphia	4	Minnesota Twins	24	Chicago Cubs	40
Boston Red Sox	5	Tampa Bay Rays	25	New York Mets	40
NY Yankees	7	St. Louis	26	Seattle Mariners	80
San Francisco	16	LA Angels	29	Baltimore Orioles	80
Texas Rangers	18	LA Dodgers	29	Washington Nat.	80
Ch. White Sox	20	Oakland	30	Houston Astros	90
Colorado	20	Toronto	30	Arizona	100
Atlanta Braves	20	San Diego	30	Cleveland Indians	110
Cincinnati Reds	22	Detroit Tigers	35	Pittsburgh Pirates	200
Milwaukee	22	Florida Marlins	35	Kansas City	200

While the Philadelphia Phillies won their fourth straight National League East title, they were unable to get back to the World Series for a third consecutive season, falling to the San Francisco Giant 4-2 in the NLCS. The Phillies essentially made one offseason acquisition, but it was the biggest of the offseason, adding another former Cy Young Award winner to a very accomplished staff in Cliff Lee, who starred with the Phillies in 2009. As a result, they have arguably the best rotation in all of baseball. Expectations are as high as ever in Philly, and anything less than a World Series trip in 2011 would be a disappointment.

The Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein made it clear that 2010 was going to be a rebuilding year, but he also hinted at being aggressive in the future. Bringing in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford making the Red Sox an instant World Series contender. In addition to those two key offseason additions, Boston will return a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis and Marco Scutaro to a batting order that was decimated by injuries in 2010. On paper, the Red Sox are the best team in the entire American League and could have a great shot at winning the World Series barring any injuries.

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The New York Yankees had a great 2010 campaign with a 95-67 record, but lost to the Texas Rangers in the ALCS. They also led the entire MLB in runs scored and finished in second-place in the AL East behind the Tampa Bay Rays. The New York Yankees always find themselves in the playoff race, but are not a lock to make a deep postseason run in 2011. Considering key veterans like Alex Rodriquez, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada all appear to be in the twilight of their careers, they will have to rely on the rest of their lineup to step up.

Last season's world champions, the San Francisco Giants enter 2011 as favorites to win the NL West. They will once again rely heavily on its predominantly youthful pitching staff. With an offense not expected to be at the same level as their pitching, a lot is expected from the starters. Pablo Sandoval debuted his slimmer physique this spring and San Francisco needs the Kung Fu Panda of 2009 to reemerge. A healthy and fit Sandoval will take care of third base, and Miguel Tejada was brought on board to do the same for shortstop - two positions that weren't exactly positions of weakness, but neither were exactly pictures of stability either. A lineup of Torres, Sanchez, Posey, Huff, Sandoval, Belt, Tejada, and Ross would be a force to be reckoned with in the offensively deficient NL West. On paper, the Giants have the talent to cruise through their division for yet another playoff appearance.

Coming off their first World Series appearance in franchise history, the Texas Rangers are looking to defend the American League title along with their American League West Championship. In the offseason, however, Texas lost their ace lefthander Cliff Lee, who signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. Trying to make up for the loss of Lee is no easy task and the Rangers will be noticeably hurt by his absence. Now, CJ Wilson must take command of the "ace" role as the number one starter.

Predictions for the regular season

AL East 1. Boston Red Sox 2. New York Yankees 3. Tampa Bay Rays 4. Baltimore Orioles 5. Toronto Blue Jays AL Central 1. Chicago White Sox 2. Minnesota Twins 3. Detroit Tigers 4. Cleveland Indians 5. Kansas City Royals AL West 1. Texas Rangers 2. Los Angeles Angels 3. Oakland Athletics 4. Seattle Mariners

NL East 1. Philadelphia Phillies 2. Atlanta Braves 3. Florida Marlins 4. New York Mets 5. Washington Nationals NL Central 1. Milwaukee Brewers 2. Cincinnati Reds 3. St. Louis Cardinals 4. Chicago Cubs 5. Houston Astros 6. Pittsburgh Pirates NL West 1. San Francisco Giants 2. Colorado Rockies 3. Los Angeles Dodgers 4. San Diego Padres 5. Arizona Diamondbacks