For true baseball fans, the only thing that will get them through the winter is the thought of teams showing up in Florida and Arizona for spring training. Once the famous “Pitchers and Catchers” report is underway, the boys of summer begin another marathon campaign. America’s Pastime continues to captivate the nation. Every year, a new set of controversies arise, only to be overcome by the will of organizations and fans. To paraphrase a famous writer, the rumors about his death are greatly exaggerated every year. For the upcoming 2010 campaign, the drama is sure to be heavy. If you’re particularly into baseball, you may want to upgrade your satellite TV package with a subscription to MLB Extra Innings. Here are five stories to follow throughout the year.
1. How about those Yankees? Can those perennial favorites make it back to the World Series? The Red Sox seem intent on avoiding such a conclusion, having made a number of big signings. Adrian Beltre should represent a power drive from the hot corner, while John Lackey should provide intensity at the top of the rotation. They’re good, but so are those damn Yankees. Hopefully there will be drama later in 2010 as 2009 was decided in August. September’s deathmatches are what baseball fans on satellite TV crave.
2. Can Rocky get up off the mat? The Phillies returned to the World Series, only to be defeated by the Bronx giant. Many questions remain: about Cole Hamels, about the bullpen (especially Brad Lidge) and about Jimmy Rollins. You have to question the ability of a superstar who can’t keep it up year after year. Rollins, Lidge and especially Hamels will be under intense HD scrutiny throughout the year. The Phillies need all of them back if they want to be at the top.
3. Watch for West, young man. There were one or two successful trades, but the real story was that Seattle fielded a stronger team. By removing the strikeout-prone Beltré and adding the wily Chone Figgins, the Mariners improved. Adding Cliff Lee was a huge step forward, as Lee is one of the best shooters in the game. Meanwhile, the Angels, perennial favorites in the American League West, lost Lackey and Figgins. Will there be a change in the power rankings?
4. Many questions linger from La-La Land to the Rocky Mountains. For many satellite TV subscribers on the East Coast, it’s all about the pleasure of watching Wild West nights all summer long. Baseball fans marvel at the seemingly endless stream of contests. Joe Torre’s Dodgers have a lot of questions to answer, while the Rockies will try to bounce back from a terrible postseason run.
5. A big city renaissance? Enough of the failures of the Cubs and the Mets. The time has come for these two storied franchises to return. Keep an eye on your nightly satellite TV broadcasts to see if it will happen.