Baseball 2010: What We Learned This Year

The 2010 MLB Season wraps up with the Giants winning the World Series which is great for baseball seeing a seemingly less dominant or underrated team take it all. This postseason and year really spoke to one overall theme: the Year of the Pitcher. There was 6 no hitters, one of which was in the postseason, and Two Perfect Games. The Giants dominant pitching lead this team into the postseason and to a World Series Title. Perhaps teams in the future will develop young pitchers more rather than give up hope on them and trade them away. The fact the Giants also won it with bits and pieces may cause teams to think about accumulating good players. Not great, but good. I doubt these tactics will change the ways of the larger market teams like the Yankees or the Phillies but it could help the smaller market ones.

Of course baseball can always move to improve itself. Why not take a look at expanding Instant Replay or maybe having test runs with it in the preseason? All the bad calls this year, the most notable being the Imperfect Game, must put pressure on MLB to do something. It may not happen by next season but I can feel it happening in the next few years. As for the other issue I care so deeply about, a Salary Cap possibility may have taken a step back. The fact that the Giants have won the World Series and the success of other teams that have less than a $100 million payrolls to start the season may have hurt the issue further as Bud Selig can say that not every team who spends a lot gets to the playoffs or even the World Series. Texas and San Francisco both started off the season under the $100 Million mark.

Then there is the looming free agency period ahead and to see who goes where. The biggest Free Agent this off season is Cliff Lee as he will be actively pursued by the Yankees and other large market teams. Texas will no doubt contend to keep their star pitcher but Nolan Ryan may be outmatched by the Steinbrenners. Another free agent to keep an eye is Derek Jeter. Will the Yankees keep paying him that high salary? Will they ask for a pay cut? Or will they simply look for a new Shortstop considering Jeter is 36? It's unlikely that Jeter will be a shortstop for much longer and may be asked to give it up if he stays with the Yankees.

A great season nonetheless but still room for improvement. All that's left to do is to hand out the rest of the individual awards. Buster Posey has to win NL Rookie of the Year, right?

P.S. We also need instant replay to make sure Derek Jeter isn't faking anymore "Hit by Pitch" calls. BURN!!!