Baseball season is here, which means there is hope all across the country. Of course “all across the country” does not include Kansas City, Tampa Bay or Washington. Still, only a handful of teams enter this season without a realistic chance to make the playoffs.
The NL West, NL Central and AL Central all potentially could feature four-team races. Despite the ongoing steroid mess, it is as exciting a time as ever to be a baseball fan.
Obviously the biggest question of the season is if Major League Baseball will crown an eighth different champion in the last eight years, and if so, who it will be. Here are some other issues I will be watching closely as the season progresses:
n Will Barry Bonds break Hank Aaron’s career home run record? If he does, will his enormous head finally pop like a balloon from the excitement? Will Commissioner Bud Selig manage to congratulate Bonds in an even slightly sincere manner?
n Will Red Sox Japanese import Daisuke Matsuzaka baffle opposing batters and spread Dice-K fever across the nation? If so, what are the symptoms? Most importantly, will we get to hear Manny Ramirez try to speak Japanese?
n Will the Cubs fall short again? Even the most die-hard Cubbies fans can’t be overly optimistic. Sure, the addition of Alfonso Soriano and the return of Derrek Lee will help an anemic lineup.
But Chicago’s No. 3 starting pitcher, Jason Marquis, posted a 6.02 ERA last season, and its closer, Ryan Dempster, blew nine of 33 save opportunities. And then there’s that darned billy goat.
n Will this be the year Alex Rodriguez gets his redemption in New York, or will it be the year those always-supportive Yankees fans finally finish breaking his spirit? He is off to a hot start, hitting .360 with five home runs and 13 RBIs in his first five games. But in New York, performing in April is almost irrelevant. A-Rod needs a torrid October to get the angry mobs off his back.
The possible feud between A-Rod and Derek “He Can Do No Wrong” Jeter is also intriguing. Maybe the Yanks will need to bring in Dr. Phil instead of Roger Clemens to provide midseason help.
n When will Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew break? I suggest starting a pool with your friends in which each person guesses the specific injury he will suffer or the date it will happen. I am guessing he will strain his calf on June 12.
As a Cardinals fan who also lives in L.A. and cheers for the Dodgers, I consider myself an expert on Drew’s complete lack of durability or passion for the game. The guy is made out of wax and acts like he is allergic to grass stains. In fact, when I heard Drew opted out of his contract with the Dodgers and got a big-money deal from the Red Sox, my reaction could be described as giddiness interrupted by bouts of maniacal laughter. Red Sox fans are just going to love him.
n How bad will the Nationals be? I mean, look at this team. The pitchers making up the Nats’ starting rotation won a grand total of two Major League games last season. Ouch.
Of course, everyone thought last year’s Marlins would be terrible, and they weren’t, but at least the Fish had a lot of young talent. Washington’s roster is filled mostly with washouts. This could be one of the worst teams in recent memory, so if the Nationals can somehow lose fewer than 100 games – they are 1-6 so far – they deserve a gold star and a reassuring pat on the head.
n Who will prove to be the offseason’s worst free agent signing? It’s a deep field, featuring Marquis, the overrated Juan Pierre and the overhyped Barry Zito. But my vote goes to outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., who signed a $50-million contract with the Angels. Too bad he is 32 years old, has a career batting average of .263 and is facing allegations that he bought HGH.
