For the first time in awhile, I really am excited for Opening Day, not just here in the Mile High City, but all throughout baseball. It seems as though we have moved past the steroid era, and the black clouds seem to be clearing out. So much hope and sense of renewal fills the air on these days. As far as I can remember, the weather was always nice(of course being in Colorado helps where we get over 300 days of sunshine!) and even when it wasn't, that helped with the memories of that season. It is a fresh start! The cold is slowly diminishing away, and the skin is beginning to embrace the warmth of the sun. Baseball teams are ready to put the past behind them, and focus on the present. Now, since all 32 teams each play 162 games a year, I won't be following each team as closely. I've just got better things to do. But, let's go ahead, and take a preview of the teams I will be following.
1. Colorado Rockies- I live here it's just that easy! I love the Rox as well, and if they can blend the strong young hitters, and somehow find a way to get at least halfway decent fucking pitching, the Rockies can make a run in the division. Tulo is returning, along with Cuddayer, and the youth between Josh Rutledge, Eric Young Jr., and Miguel Olivo, the Rockies will continue to excite LoDo. It's just going to be tough playing in the same Division as the World Series champion Giants, and a very rich LA Dodgers team.
2. New York Yankees- They've been my favorite team since I was signed by them at age 5 in the tea-ball league. The Yankees are baseball, whether you want to admit it or not. In sports, you try to win championships with building the best team. How do you build the best team? You get the best players! New York is one of the oldest cities in the US, and one of the most popular in the world. So why not try to build the best team in one of the most popular sports worldwide!?! The Yankees' symbol is so synonymous to baseball, people who don't watch sports know what it is. People may say they are the Lakers or Cowboys of baseball. No, they are the Yankees of those sports. The Broncos just paid a shit ton of money for Peyton Manning. The Lakers paid a lot of money for Shaq to stay in LA as long as he did. The best players want a lot of attention and money, and the Yankees can bring that too the table every time. Anyway, this is Mariano Rivera's last year he announced, and I would be surprised that if the Yankees win the series to see Derek Jeter return for another year. They need more pitching, Hughes and Pettite can't last an entire season, and CC Sabathia can only win so many games. If the Yankees are going to be successful, they have got to stay healthy, and Robinson Cano has to have a great year. Cano should and probably will be the face of the franchise continuing on after Jeter, so his health his very important.
3. San Francisco Giants- The defending champs have basically everything you need in a legitimate contending baseball team. That's why they've won 2 out the past 3, not playing 3 consecutive years in the series. The pitching between Joe Cain, Ryan Voglesang, Barry Zito, Madison Bumgardner and Tim Linncecum is so deadly. Putting basically the franchise around Buster Posey is genius, and Pablo Sandoval "Kung Fu Panda" who is coming off an epic World Series performance, lead what is a well rounded lineup. Now if they can find a way to resign Brian Wilson, they will need to get a solid closer. Defending the throne is never easy, but they have all the tools to continue this recent success.
4. Toronto Blue Jays- Man did they open up the checkbook this off season! They picked up Jose Reyes , Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson from the Marlins, signed knuckle ball pitcher R.A. Dickey, and signed Melky Cabrera who is looking to redeem himself after the suspension last season for steroid use. To go along with the huge bat of Jose Bautista, on paper this looks to be an immediate contending team. They do play in the AL East, and it is always a tough division. I think that they have a legitimate chance to make a run for the postseason. It will be good to see a team like this, that hasn't done very well for awhile, try to go far, and let's see if all that money they spent can take them far.
5. Detroit Tigers- Keeping Justin Verlander was smart. Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera, and Max Scherzer are All Stars in their own right, and if Victor Martinez can manage to stay healthy all year, they should be able to contend in what now seems to be a slightly weaker division. Can they defend the American League Pennant? They do have the pitching to get there, but the bats can't freeze the way they did in the Series last year. Valverde is no longer the closer, so that should be helpful to the bullpen.
So that's it boys and girls! Those are the teams that I'm gonna be following until the All Star Break at least. So grab your gloves, put on those ball caps, throw on the jerseys and get ready. Opening Day is here!!!
Shua Out!
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