Nearly every baseball fan wondered just what Dominican slugger José Alberto Pujols would do after winning the World Series.
Since the Cardinals were unable to keep the three-time National League MVP in St. Louis, Pujols, who signed a reported $254 million deal for 10 years with the Los Ángeles Angels, will likely visit Disneyland.
Pujols left St. Louis with a top-10 career marks in every offensive category. He will likely break 3,000 hits, perhaps even 4,000 before he retires.
Pujols suited up for the Cardinals all of his 11 years in the majors. He has a career .328 batting average with 445 homers. The great Stan Musial made 475 hits.
Pujols has 1,329 RBIs and 1,291 runs to boot.
In the World Series against the Texas Rangers, Pujols batted .240. He hit an astounding three home runs in Game 3, and was walked five times in the seven-game series.
In the historic victory for St. Louis, the Cards were 10 1/2 games back before making the playoffs and winning World Series. Pujols helped the Cards to the World Series championship in 2006. In 2004, St. Louis was swept by the Boston Red Sox.
Pujols, who will be 32 in January, is expected to retire within 8 years.
One thing is likely: The Ángels can expect to make the playoffs this season.
Pujols is without a doubt, a future Hall of Famer.
2. Pacquiao vs. Márquez III
Juan Manuel Márquez was the answer to México's hope and prayer of knocking out Manny Pacquiao.
After two previous meetings with Pacquiao, which ended in a draw and a split-decision that favored the Filipino, Márquez was again in the ring against his nemesis.
Márquez just gives Pacquiao a hard time. A true counterpuncher that drives Pacquiao nuts.
Surrounded by the wrath of thousands of Marquez fans, Pacquiao was crowned the winner of the welterweight bout held in Las Vegas in November.
Before the bout, Márquez told reporters, "I beat him the first two fights but did not get the decision. This time I will beat him again and I will also get the victory."
Márquez, 38, may face Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on Cinco de Mayo, but nothing has been signed.
Juan Manuel remains a Mexican favorite, but at 38, can we really expect more greatness?
3. St. Louis Cardinals take the 2011 World Series
St. Louis taking the MLB World Series is certainly a different story than Albert Pujols moving to Los Angeles.
A great deal of fans continue to believe Pujols was the man behind the Cardinals victory.
After the victory, fans rallied around Pujols, asking, some praying, as to his future.
Head coach Tony La Russa retired after the win.
The single biggest accomplishment for St. Louis is that, in August, the Cardinals were 10 1/2 games behind, yet rallied to victory. St. Louis managed a postseason appearance with the fewest number of wins, 90, than any other team.
Despite a prime opportunity for the Texas Rangers in Game 6 to take the World Series, the Cardinals stretched it to a decisive seventh game.
St. Louis defeated the Rangers 6-2 in Game 7.
No. 4 Cain falls in defense
Mexican heavyweight Cain Velasquez fails to defend the title against Brazilian challenger Junior Dos Santos in Anaheim on Nov. 12. Velásquez vs. Dos Santos was the first MMA event televised on prime time by the Fox Network.
The former nightclub security guard was defeated by the veteran mixed martial arts specialist Dos Santos in the very first round. It was Velasquez, who gives away mini boxing gloves decorated with the Mexican banner, shouted he won the title a year ago for Mexicans living in the United States.
Since the loss, Velásquez, has vowed to regain control of the heavyweight title.
No. 5 Julio César Chávez, Jr. grows up
Talk about Mexican boxers and the names Juan Manuel Marquez and Julio César Chávez will likely come up.
In retaining the middleweight title with his victory over Peter Manfredo in Texas in November, Chávez Jr., the son of México's legendary boxer announced a dedication to the sport.
Chávez, Jr. (44-0-1, 31 knockouts) says he has grown up.
Citing laziness and a lack of dedication, the undefeated the native of Sinaloa wants to take his career to another level.
No. 6 Kings stay home
The Arco Arena was the home of the Sacramento Kings, northern California's only NBA team. Last year, a change nearly took place in the way of a move that would have taken the Kings to southern California.
Joe and Gavin Maloof, Sacramento Kings owners, were so close to moving and changing the name to one of the following: the Anaheim Royals of Southern California, the Anaheim Royals, the Orange County Royals or the Los Ángeles Royals.
In one of last season's home games, Sacramento fans held signs that read, "Please, Please, Please Stay" and "Stay in Sac" to encourage the Maloofs to remain in the city.
Sacramento-area business leaders blamed the city for not doing enough to keep the franchise in town.
"There's a lot of money that flows in and around the Kings. It's a ripple effect on our economy. And there's the ability to attract companies to our region. It's one of the attractions that we have: a professional basketball team, so it would be one less tool," said Steve Gándola, of the Sacramento Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
According to a study conducted by Forbes.com, the Kings were valued at $293 million, $57 million less than they were valued in 2008.
In the end, the Kings remained in Sacramento. The Maloofs are waiting to hearplans for a $387 million arena by March.
No. 7 Romo and Sánchez
Delivering Latino surnames to the NFL remains the biggest accomplishment in my book.
It's not one thing these two great quarterbacks have done. And what kind of story could it be if the pair of Latinos, Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo and Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets, made it to the Super Bowl?
Romo, who is also a scratch golfer, soccer and basketball player, is a three-time Pro Bowl player.
The first-place Cowboys are fighting to remain atop the NFC East standings (currently at 8-6-0).
Third-year quarterback for the Jets, Sánchez, desperately wants a shot at the postseason. The Jets are 8-6, in second place behind leader New England Patriots, in the AFC East standings.
Before his arrival to the east coast, Sanchez was a standout quarterback at USC.
He was sixth in USC's overall quarterback standings, going 313 of 487 passes for 3,965 yards for the Trojans and for 41 touchdowns.
No. 8 Bad fans spoil the fun
True Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers fans hope the annual preseason game continues between the two rivals despite the ugliness of a brawl, two shootouts and assaults.
Photographers captured the now-infamous photo of the fight between fans at Candlestick Park. The incident prompted mayors of both cities to unite and cite a movement calling to end agressive and intimidating behavior at the games.
Both franchises announced the likely cancellation of the preseason match next year.
With children nearby, at least four fans threw punches Outside the stadium, two men were shot in the parking lot and another man was beaten unconcious in a bathroom.
Earlier in the year, Brian Stow, a San Francisco Giants baseball fan attending a game at Dodger Stadium, was beaten by two men on the MLB Opening Day.
9. Badwater champion
Leave it up to Madera long distance runner Oswaldo López to make headlines.
The 39-year-old López, competing in his third Badwater Ultramarathon in July, finished first after having placed second for two conseutive years.
López covered the 135-mile course which has an elevation climb of more than 8,000 feet, in less than 24 hours.
10. Small towns, big dreams
The largely Latino communities of Le Grand and Mendota are about an hour's drive from each other, and both are farmworker communities dependent on agriculture for seasonal work.
This season, both high school football teams had huge accomplishments.
The Le Grand High School Bulldogs captured the Sac Joaquín division IV football championship and reached teh state championship bowl game where it lost 34-13 to Sierra Canyon High School.
The Mendota High School Aztecs went undefeated and won the Valley Division VI championship following a 41-20 win over Farmersville. Mendota finished the season undefeated.