Lineup

BASEBALL PREVIEW 2011

50 RADAR LOVE

Fascination with the fastball is greater than ever. It's the golden age of speed freaks

By Tom Verducci

58 BANGERS AND MASH

Here's a look at which hitters are best at handling heaters, hammers, splitters and cutters

66 THE LEGION OF ARMS

Can the Phillies' rotation of super friends make foes go SPLAT! and win the World Series?

By Gary Smith

74 SCOUTING REPORTS

SI analyzes each division, breaks down each team with help from a rival scout, and predicts who will win it all

128 WHAT IF...?

Bartman never interfered, and the Cubs won the NL pennant and went to the 2003 World Series

By Jeff Greenfield

FINAL FOUR

NCAA TOURNAMENT

ROCKING THE CHALK

Top seeds tumbled during a wild weekend, resulting in a four-for-all that no one saw coming

By Tim Layden

Page 36

• The keys to beating each of the four teams

Departments

6 Leading Off

14 Letters

18 Editor's Letter

20 Scorecard

New, disturbing allegations involving the Fiesta Bowl CEO

30 Just My Type

Troy Polamalu on the lockout and losing

By Dan Patrick

33 Faces in the Crowd

136 Point After

Ochocinco tackles football, er, f√∫tbol

By Joe Posnanski

ON THE COVER Photographs by Walter Iooss Jr. Insets: John Iacono (Cano); Heinz Kluetmeier (Crawford); Rob Tringali/Sportschrome/Getty Images (Hamilton); G Fiume/Getty Images (Heyward); Brad Mangin (Posey); Al Behrman/AP (Votto)

PHOTO

BRAD MANGIN (POSEY)

GIANT TASK AHEAD Catcher Buster Posey and San Francisco will try to repeat as World Series champions.

PHOTO

GREG NELSON (NCAA)