Last week, all the baseball fans in the world spoke the world's greatest words: "Pitchers and catchers report."
The cold winter is over; the smell of green grass and the pop of the ball in a glove are soon to fill the spring air.
With this baseball season, though, comes a few interesting questions.
First, will the Phillies rotation pan out?
When Cliff Lee joined the Philadelphia Phillies after weeks of negotiations with Texas and New York, it came as a surprise to many fans.
Why did Lee turn down so much money with the Yankees? Why did he leave Nolan Ryan's tutelage with the Rangers?
Lee is a genius for signing with the Phillies. The core of the roster returns, and with Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels pitching alongside him in the rotation, the pressure of being a team's ace will be spread out among three pitchers.
If the Phillies can stay healthy, it's hard to imagine any other team winning the National League Pennant.
Second, how will the American League Central Division shape up?
The White Sox spent some serious cash, the Indians continued to hope and pray their players develop, the Tigers added a few big names, the Royals are, well, still the Royals, and the Twins bid adieu to a fair amount of their bullpen.
The Twins are chasing their third straight division crown (their sixth in 11 seasons), and, if healthy, post one of the most solid rotations and defensive lineups in the league.
Justin Morneau should be back at full strength after a concussion, and the addition of Tsuyoshi Nishioka will provide a spark in the middle infield.
While Alexi Casilla will be a decent option to play at second or short (whatever Nishioka isn't playing), he has yet to prove himself worthy of playing everyday.
Third, will the Yankees make the playoffs?
Face it folks, the Yankees are getting old, and the appeal of playing in pinstripes isn't what it used to be. Tampa Bay is getting stronger, Boston has put together an impressive lineup and even Toronto is becoming more competitive. C.C. Sabathia is the ace of the rotation, no doubt about it, but who pitches after him is a problem.
The Red Sox's additions of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Bobby Jenks add power, speed and solid pitching to an already top-tier team, and the only real question mark (besides the possibility of injuries) that remains is whether or not the rotation can rebound from a dismal last season.
Fourth, what will happen with Albert Pujols?
He has definitively stated that contract negotions would not happen during the season, but the fact that (possibly) the best hitter of all time has an expiring contract will hang over the St. Louis Cardinals no matter what Pujols insists otherwise.
If the Yankees are struggling in July, and the Cardinals are out of playoff contention, I wouldn't be surprised to hear trade talks develop between the two teams.
What I do think will happen is something similar to Joe Mauer's contract situation two years ago.
Negotiations between Pujols and the Cardinals have been confidential, much like the Twins and Mauer, so I would expect the Cardinals to present Pujols with a "lifetime" deal midway through spring training that he will sign.
Finally, can the San Francisco Giants put together another dream-like season and win the World Series?
This one is tough to imagine, but perhaps it is the perfect storyline for a team of "misfits." The National League West Division has grown tougher with off-season moves by Colorado, Los Angeles, San Diego and Arizona, but the Giants are still the team to beat.
Buster Posey will play a full season at the catcher position.
Tim Linecum is a ‘freak' on the mound, and the hometown crowd at AT&T Park is always a factor in close games.
Expect the Giants to run the division again, but a championship repeat still remains a tough item to sell.
See you in October, baseball fans.
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