We all know how he beat cancer two years ago. How he won game four of the World Series last year. And most Red Sox fans know about his control problems and seeming inability to pitch past five innings.
Now a year and a half removed from his bout with cancer, Lester seems poised to take a permanent spot in the rotation. He's pitched well this spring, and is following through on his pitches with better control as the result.
The Red Sox are going to need him to break out this year if they wish to repeat as champs.
3) Will the De...err Rays (I'm still getting used to it) win more than 75 games this year?
That's right, I said it.
The only time that those pesky Rays have ever won more than 70 games is when Lou coached the hell out of them. This year will probably be different, barring substantial injury to their pitching staff, which is among the best young staffs in the majors.
Shields just signed a lucrative deal this offseason, and is worth every penny they inked him to. Kazmir needs to avoid the DL this year, but should otherwise give the Rays the second component of their 1-2 punch with Shields.
Carl Crawford is a great asset to the team and is either over or under rated depending upon who you talk to. Carlos Pena has had a productive spring, and seems poised to show that last year was no fluke. Upton is looking to avoid the sophomore blues, and put together a similar season to last year.
Add a call-up a month into the season of a potential ROY candidate in Evan Longoria, and these Rays are going to be a little more than just pesky. They'll be the fierce creatures that instill fear into the hearts of crocodile hunters everywhere (what, too soon?).
4) Can the Nationals be more than just gnats? (I know, bad pun)
With a new ballpark, with quite possibly the largest flat screen in the world, the Nats are going to have to put asses in the seats somehow.
Winning is generally acknowledged as the best way, but there have been other methods tried (see: Disco Demolition Night).
The Nationals have an interesting lineup this year, but no pitching staff. Ryan Zimmerman should put up better power numbers than last year, as he's no longer swinging in cavernous RFK. Lastings Milledge has had a big spring, and everyone is expecting him to show why he was the Mets best prospect a few years back.
I, for one, have no idea why he was traded for such low value (Ryan Church and Schneider). If Steve Phillips wasn't on baseball tonight, I'd think he was the one who pulled the trigger on that deal.
5) Assuming the Braves' talented lineup gets them to the playoffs, will fans in Atlanta actually go to playoff games?
To me, this was a terrible sign, and made me sick. When the Braves were on the tail end of their incredible playoff run, the stadium wouldn't be sold out for NLDS games.
Granted they would lose those rounds, but what else to people in Atlanta have to do? I mean, dog fights are fine if you're into that sort of thing, but we're talking about the playoffs.
If the Braves can put it together this year (and I think they can), I'd assume the fans will return to the ballpark. If you look at this team, they have a better chance of returning to the playoffs than the Phillies do.
The lineup is about as potent as you'll get in the National League. Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar are poised to be this year's fantasy sleepers, with Escobar looking like he'll fill the void left by the departure of Edgar Renteria. Teixeira will put up his usual big numbers. Francoeur will provide a big bat in the middle of the lineup, and McCann is going to have another big year.
The pitching staff, while a little old, is at least good enough to get this team to the first round of the playoffs.
Well, there are a litany of other things I'm looking forward to, but that's a story for another day.
I'd also like to think that the first time Josh Hamilton breaks his bat, he'll turn to the batboy and say, "Pick me a winner Bobby."
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