2012 MLB Predictions: Lingering Questions for MLB's Top Contenders

There is not one Major League Baseball team that can walk into spring training and say that they don't have at least one question they must have answered before determining whether or not this will be their year. 

For some teams, the questions are a little bit bigger and will not be answered right away. Optimists will find some way to put a positive spin on everything coming out of spring training. Pessimists will declare the end of the world when their team loses one exhibition game. 

There are a lot of things that teams have to figure out before they can make the postseason. Here are the biggest questions staring top teams right in the face. 

St. Louis Cardinals

How will the loss of Albert Pujols affect this team?

It is easy to look at Carlos Beltran joining the fold, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman each having full seasons and Adam Wainwright returning and think that everything will be great for the defending champions. 

But, Beltran is one pitch away from pulling a muscle, Berkman's career was buried coming into the 2011 season, and Wainwright is still coming back from Tommy John surgery. 

On top of all that, the rock in the middle of the lineup is gone. While the Cardinals were smart not to pay as much as Los Angeles did for Pujols, the short-term effects could be significant. 

Texas Rangers

How quickly will Yu Darvish adjust to Major League Baseball?

The Rangers spent a total of over $100 million to land the Japanese ace. By all accounts, he will be worth the investment, but how quickly he reaches his ceiling is going to determine where the Rangers stand in the American League. 

They still boast a deep lineup, and the rotation looks better today than it did after Game 7 of the World Series. 

Getting Darvish acclimated to pitching every fifth day and keeping his confidence high even when he struggles is paramount to the Rangers' postseason hopes. 

Cincinnati Reds

Is the rotation strong enough to support the offense?

Acquiring Mat Latos from San Diego was a smart move for the pitching-starved Reds, and he should fit in nicely at the top of the rotation. Johnny Cueto had a nice year, but there are signs he will regress some this year.

Beyond those two, there are a lot of "ifs" pitching-wise. Bronson Arroyo, Homer Bailey and Aroldis Chapman could fill out the 3-4-5 spots, but no one knows what to expect from them. 

The bullpen is a lot deeper after acquiring Sean Marshall from the Cubs and signing Ryan Madson last month. The offense, led by 2010 NL MVP Joey Votto, will be one of the best in the league. 

Philadelphia Phillies

What are Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins going to do?

Pitching reigns supreme in the City of Brotherly Love, but the offense will have to score some runs to help out Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. 

Utley and Rollins are the keys that make the offensive machine run. We saw what happened to the lineup last year when they were either on the disabled list or struggling at the plate. 

With Ryan Howard injured—and being ineffective against left-handed pitching anyway—Utley and Rollins will have to produce like they did when this team won the World Series in 2008. 

New York Yankees

How will Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda adjust to the American League East?

The Yankees' starting rotation underwent a makeover this offseason. They landed 23-year-old Michael Pineda in a trade with Seattle and signed Hiroki Kuroda on the same day. 

It is going to be a seismic shift for them going from the American and National League West into the brutal American League East. 

Pineda and Kuroda have to join CC Sabathia as dominant starters that can carry the rotation in the regular season and playoffs.

Things may start off slow—particularly for Pineda, due to his age and experience level—but they are good enough to learn from early mistakes and be the No. 2 and 3 starters this team desperately needs. 

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