As the temperatures slowly rise and winter turns to spring, the sporting world begins to get ready for America’s pastime, baseball. Spring training is underway with pitchers, catchers and other players having already reported to the field. Baseball is on the horizon and the St. Louis Cardinals will begin their defense of their World Series title.
“I am personally most excited about watching the Cardinals defend their World Series Championship,” senior Seann Matthews said. “I will be there opening day to see them get their rings.”
Every year when spring training comes around, the baseball world scrutinizes offseason moves and predicts what the upcoming season will bring. This spring training was full of offseason moves, but it may have been the team that did not make the moves that will be in spotlight over the next six months. One of those teams is the Washington Nationals, who have been improving over the past few seasons. With their young, talented core lead by pitcher Steven Stausburg and minor league outfielder Bryce Harper they could make a run at the National League East crown.
“I think the Nationals are going to do some special things,” Matthews said. “The Nationals are going to surprise a lot of people and could compete with the Phillies and make the playoffs for the first time.”
Other teams who have been so close in past years are thinking this could be their season after last year’s Arizona Diamondbacks worst to first turnaround. The Toronto Blue Jays are included in that talk, and people believe that they could possibly compete for the American League East crown. They have all-star slugger Jose Bautista headlining their lineup, along with a young nucleus including pitcher Rickey Romero, catcher and designated hitter J.P. Arencibia and shortstop Yunel Escobar.
“Toronto has been the third wheel in the AL East to the Yankees and Red Sox for some time,” senior Colby Conner said. “If Bautista can play at a high level and the pitching performs, they have a chance to win.”
The big winner this offseason was the newly renamed Miami Marlins. South Beach got a bit hotter this winter with big free agents signings of shortstop Jose Reyes, pitchers Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano, who was traded from the Cubs. Prior to these signings the Marlins had talent. Now with an even talented roster, they have a chance to become the class of the National League.
“Miami has spent a lot of money on some good players to try and be competitive again,” Conner said. “It goes against how they found success in the past, but I like it.”
The biggest name in free agency, Albert Pujols shocked the baseball world when he signed a 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols, who had just won his second World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, at first looked like he would stay in St. Louis before meeting with the Marlins and a third unknown team, the Angels. On the morning of Dec. 10, Pujols announced that he had indeed left St. Louis for Los Angeles with a contract worth $254 million. St. Louis, who had seen him as a hero, has since lost affection for the first baseman and will try to repeat as champions without the future Hall of Fame slugger.
“I hope he struggles terribly,” Matthews said. “He is amazing. He can hit no matter where he is, but again I hope he sucks, that traitor.”
When speaking of spring training we cannot forget to talk about the hometown team, the two-time defending American League champion Texas Rangers. The Rangers, who are celebrating their 40th year in Arlington this season made some buzz of their own this offseason by resigning key players like shortstop Elvis Andrus to a three-year deal, catcher and first baseman Mike Napoli to a one-year deal and outfielder Nelson Cruz to a two-year deal. They also added depth to their already strong young pitching rotation by signing Japanese phenomenon Yu Darvish to a six-year deal. Darvish is expected to be the Rangers opening day starter when the Rangers host the Chicago White Sox on April 6. After falling short of the World Series title last fall, the Rangers also made some changes within their organization by moving closer Neftali Feliz to the starting rotation. This will be the first time he will start after two seasons in the MLB.
“Losing CJ Wilson was a huge blow to the Rangers,” junior Natasha Eskandar said. “But I am interested to see the success rate of Yu Darvish. It was also great that they managed to resign most of their free agents.”
Another big story this past winter was the Prince Fielder saga. The 28 year old first basemen lead the Milwaukee Brewers to their first playoff berth since 2008. Fielder let it be known that most likely he would not be returning to Milwaukee once the season was over. Fielder met with multiple teams in the offseason, and as with the Pujols frenzy, there was an unknown team in the bidding for Fielder as well. That mystery team became known on Jan. 26 when Prince signed a nine-year deal with the Detroit Tigers. The odd notion around the signing was that Detroit already had one, if not the most talented, first baseman in the league in Miguel Cabrera. In the wake of the Fielder signing, Cabrera announced that he would move to third base and Fielder would remain at first.
“It is not a very good defensive move, especially because Miguel Cabrera will be displaced from first base,” Conner said. “Despite the negative effect on defense, it gives the Tigers one of the most powerful lineups in the league.”
The season will be underway in just a few days, when the Miami Marlins christen their brand new, state-of-the-art-ballpark against the defending world champion St. Louis Cardinals. It will be six months of great plays, exciting games and unbelievable talent, and of course there will be an underdog or two.
“I am looking forward to see how all the changes in the lineups of teams are going to change the standings and eventually who makes the playoffs,” Eskander said.
