Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins Publications

With pitchers and catchers ready to report for Spring Training and another MLB Opening Day just around the corner the Athlon Sports 2011 Baseball Annual arrives in time to provide the preseason analysis and predictions craved by fans of the national pastime from the Bronx to the Bay and everywhere in between.We take a lap around the big leagues in ''15 Things to Watch in 2011'' examining hot topics such as the Phillies' All-Star starting rotation the reloaded Red Sox and Derek Jeter's quest for 3000 hits.''Short Hops'' takes a look at the lighter side of a day at the ballpark � with Tim Lincecum hecklers the All-Twitter team a Bobby Cox tribute gone wrong and the ''Calendar of the Weird'' which chronicles oddball occurrences from 2010.In ''Penn Wise Dollar Foolish'' we decide whether the free-agent contracts signed by Carl Crawford Jayson Werth Cliff Lee and Co. were investor home runs or expensive swings-and-misses.This year's magazine also includes the following features:''Anatomy of an At-Bat'' � We pick the brain of Braves future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones who offers a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of his encounter with 100-mph-throwing Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg.''A Tale of Two Cities'' � Different ailments afflict the small market Pittsburgh Pirates and big market New York Mets but the symptom is the same: not enough wins.This year's edition also includes a team-by-team preview of all 30 clubs with rosters stats and schedules as well as a look at the farm system. We also present our predictions for the 2011 American League and National League division races playoffs and World Series as well as MVP Cy Young and Rookie of the Year. Finally we give the bird dog scouts out there a preview of the Top 25 for college baseball and our All-Prospect team headlined by Bryce Harper.

With pitchers and catchers ready to report for Spring Training and another MLB Opening Day just around the corner, the Athlon Sports 2012 Baseball Annual slides home in time to provide the preseason analysis and predictions craved by fans of the national pastime from coast to coast.We take a lap around the big leagues in "15 Things to Watch in 2012," examining Los Angeles' newest Angel, Albert Pujols; the Miami Marlins makeover, with a new stadium, logo, manager and roster; MLB's new, long-overdue HGH testing policy; and the possibility that 2012 is finally closing time for 42-year-old Yankees icon Mariano Rivera."Short Hops" takes a look at the lighter side of a day at the ballpark - with random ruminations from the "Most Interesting Men in the World" who make baseball what it is, John Mayberry's attempts to make a move on Pirates of the Caribbean starlet Antoinette Nikprelaj and the "Calendar of the Weird," which chronicles oddball occurrences from 2011.In "Penn'y' Wise, Dollar Foolish," we decide whether the free-agent contracts signed by Albert Pujols, Jose Reyes, C.J. Wilson and Co. were investor home runs or expensive swings-and-misses.This year's magazine also includes the following feature stories:"Curse Buster" Athlon Sports' Baseball Annual is the most complete preview available today. Order your copy now!

With pitchers and catchers ready to report for Spring Training and another MLB Opening Day just around the corner, the Athlon Sports 2011 Baseball Annual arrives in time to provide the preseason analysis and predictions craved by fans of the national pastime from the Bronx to the Bay and everywhere in between.We take a lap around the big leagues in "15 Things to Watch in 2011," examining hot topics such as the Phillies' All-Star starting rotation, the reloaded Red Sox and Derek Jeter's quest for 3,000 hits."Short Hops" takes a look at the lighter side of a day at the ballpark - with Tim Lincecum hecklers, the All-Twitter team, a Bobby Cox tribute gone wrong and the "Calendar of the Weird," which chronicles oddball occurrences from 2010.In "Penn Wise, Dollar Foolish," we decide whether the free-agent contracts signed by Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, Cliff Lee and Co. were investor home runs or expensive swings-and-misses.This year's magazine also includes the following features:"Anatomy of an At-Bat" - We pick the brain of Braves future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, who offers a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of his encounter with 100-mph-throwing Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg."A Tale of Two Cities" - Different ailments afflict the small market Pittsburgh Pirates and big market New York Mets, but the symptom is the same: not enough wins.This year's edition also includes a team-by-team preview of all 30 clubs, with rosters, stats and schedules as well as a look at the farm system. We also present our predictions for the 2011 American League and National League division races, playoffs and World Series, as well as MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year. Finally, we give the bird dog scouts out there a preview of the Top 25 for college baseball and our All-Prospect team, headlined by Bryce Harper.

Annual baseball preview issue of monthly sports magazine with all 9 trading cards and dual sided poster still attached inside issue.