Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
When you're the Yankees, the only acceptable end to a season is one that ends with a dogpile on the pitcher's mound and a champagne-soaked locker room. The 2009 season had quite an acceptable ending, then, although it isn't one they'll be able to celebrate for too long.
The nature of expecting a championship every year is that the work toward building the next champion begins before Broadway is cleared of confetti. This year's decisions will revolve around a trio of aging stars from the title squad as well as figuring out how they'll use their leverage as baseball's richest team to improve themselves for run at a 28th title.
As always, the latter means that you'll be seeing a lot of Mad Lib headlines with "The Yankees are interested in _______," and, as always, just about any one of them could wind up being true.
In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down each of the playoff teams from a scouting perspective.
Despite their great number of strengths, no team is without their holes and the Yankees are no different. The Yankees have tightened up their defense in the last year to match up more favorably against fundamentals-oriented teams like the Angels, but that has not changed the pace they like to play at. Pace is not an often discussed factor in baseball, but a team like the Yankees thrives on controlling the pace of the action and using its steady, methodical approach to win ballgames.
While their potent offense may typically be the reason for their long games, it is the rhythm of the Yankee starting staff that will need to be disrupted. If pitchers of the caliber of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte are given breathing room, they will only be more difficult to handle.
For every Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte with a history of success in the October, the Yankees seem to have a player who has to prove himself in this coming one.
You'll hear all about from now until those players redeem themselves -- or the Yankees are eliminated.
"It's going to be a huge deal," said CC Sabathia, who will take a 7.92 ERA from his five playoff starts into Game 1 of this year's Division Series.
For a number of major league teams Mondays and Thursdays are travel days. Every Wednesday and Sunday, Fantasy Fill-Ins finds guys who should be widely available on the waiver wire and can step in for the day, helping you gain ground or hold off the pack.
On Monday we have 12 major league games on the docket but on 22 teams are playing because Tampa Bay and New York play in a double header. That means there are plenty of players to choose from on the waiver wire. If you have players in your fantasy baseball lineup from Baltimore, Detroit, Seattle, Oakland, Florida, Atlanta, Washington or the New York Mets, grab a fill-in. They all have the day off on Monday.
NEW YORK -- Legendary reputation intersected with rapid decline Thursday night in the Bronx, and the aftermath of the collision wasn't pretty. There stood John Smoltz, one of the brightest stars in baseball across the last two decades, watching what's left of his amazing career crumble to pieces on the Yankee Stadium mound.
One after another Yankee batters sliced apart Smoltz, until it was clear he had nothing more to give. Was this it? Would this be the final wheeze in his last hurrah, Smoltz's epitaph noting he'd suffered death by lefties? He's pitched so brilliantly for so many years, packing heart and soul into every outing, and yet the Red Sox have to know.
They can't win a pennant with Smoltz in the rotation.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That if the Marlins make a serious playoff push, they might look back at the second day of August as the spark. Florida, which is five games behind the Phillies in the NL East and three back of the Rockies and Giants in the NL wild-card race, was one out away from a second straight loss to wild card rival Chicago.
Then Cubs closer (and former Marlin) Kevin Gregg made two bad pitches.
Dan Uggla took a 3-1 offering from Gregg way out of Landshark Stadium. Cody Ross followed with a home run of his own to turn a 2-1 Florida loss into a 3-2 victory.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
You hear that, fantasy baseball owners? Josh Hamilton's sole purpose on this Earth is to mess with you. Really, there's no way to over-dramatize the crap he's put fantasy owners through. Initially, he would have been the crown jewel in a dynasty league with minor-leaguers. When those types finally gave up on him, he made the show for the Reds. Then, he started to catch on for the Reds, but couldn't stay healthy. So he goes to the Rangers and puts himself on a record RBI pace, only to significantly slow down in the second half. In 2009, the bona fide elite-level fantasy outfielder has only played 35 games. He's only hitting .240. And he's out until mid-July.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That Chris Carpenter is all the way back. The 2006 NL Cy Young winner has missed almost all of the past two seasons, and a chunk of this one, with injuries, but now he seems to be pitching as well as ever. The Cardinals righty tossed a three-hitter, his first complete game since Sept. 11, 2006, to beat the Reds 3-1 Thursday night.
Carpenter is 4-0 with an 0.71 ERA and a WHIP of 0.63 in six starts so far this year. Afterward, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said Carpenter should be considered among the game's best.
"I don't think anybody pitching today is better. He's right up there with [Roy] Halladay and the best ones out there. Carp's right there."
NEW YORK -- Before he nervously made his debut at the new Yankee Stadium, before he drew four walks in front of a home crowd thrilled to have him back, before the Yankees celebrated their 5-4 win over the Minnesota Twins as if it were a playoff game in October, Alex Rodriguez turned to Derek Jeter and said something.
MLB Power Rankings:Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.
What a zany week for a pair of pitchers with amazing stories: Zack Greinke is America's favorite story right now, somehow managing to be hotter than Twitter. (And if Oprah starts doing him too, I'm just quitting. And I mean everything.) Meanwhile, Rick Ankiel (you may hear word of this "podcast" we're doing about him, but that's because I'm shameless like that), a former star on the mound as well, nearly decapitates himself running into an outfield wall. And yet, life goes on. Just like our Power Rankings.
Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
In 
NEW YORK -- Can a team win the World Series with an ace sporting a 7.92 ERA and a cleanup hitter with one RBI in his past 59 at-bats in the playoffs?
For a number of major league teams Mondays and Thursdays are travel days. Every Wednesday and Sunday, 
NEW YORK -- Legendary reputation intersected with rapid decline Thursday night in the Bronx, and the aftermath of the collision wasn't pretty. There stood 
Starting Five
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Starting Five
