Hot MLB Storylines to Follow in May

As we begin the MLB season's second month, we are not without some major questions. It will be exciting to see how a number of different situations play out as the season progresses.

The end of April saw some surprise teams contending, more surprising teams scuffling, an other-worldly performance from one player and the arrival of two highly touted prospects.

So as we begin the month of May, here is a quick look at some of the biggest storylines to follow in MLB.

What Happens Next for Jair Jurrjens?

An All-Star last season after going 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA, Jurrjens had a tough second half in which he went 1-3 with a 5.88 ERA—and that has carried over to the 2012 season.

The No. 2 starter to open the season, Jurrjens opened the season with a 9.37 ERA over his first four starts and that earned him a demotion to Triple-A.

He was at the center of trade rumors all offseason, but with his early struggles his trade value has undoubtedly decreased. Looking to contend and with a number of young pitchers capable of filling his spot, it will be interesting to see what happens next with the 26-year-old right-hander.

Could Will Middlebrooks Push Kevin Youkilis to the Bench?

It has been an odd season in Boston so far to say the least. The team has had to deal with injuries to a number of key players and stumbled to a 4-10 start before rattling off a seven-game winning streak to pull back to respectability.

Perhaps the biggest story of the season thus far has centered around new manager Bobby Valentine and third baseman Kevin Youkilis. The new skipper called out the veteran, saying he is not "physically or emotionally into the game."

That was brought about by Youkilis' early-season struggles as he is hitting just .219. Things have only gotten worse—he recently landed on the DL with a back injury.

His injury opened the door for top prospect Will Middlebrooks (.333 BA, 9 HR, 27 RBI at Triple-A) who made his debut yesterday night and went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.

If he continues to hit, the Red Sox could seriously consider benching their one-time superstar, and with Youkilis in the final guaranteed year of his contract it will certainly be an interesting situation to watch in the month ahead.

Can the Cardinals Keep Winning Without Their Two Aces?

While losing Albert Pujols in free agency was no doubt a blow, many people (myself included) pointed to the return of Adam Wainwright as something that would go a long way towards easing the loss of Pujols.

Instead, Wainwright has struggled over his first five starts, going 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA as he has looked like a shell of his once-dominant self.

Making matters worse, Chris Carpenter has been shelved since spring training with a bulging disk in his neck and nerve irritation in his shoulder, an injury that will sideline him indefinitely.

In his absence, rookie Lance Lynn (4-0, 1.33 ERA) has stepped up big, alongside the equally impressive trio of Kyle Lohse (4-0, 1.62 ERA), Jake Westbrook (3-1, 1.30 ERA) and Jaime Garcia (2-1, 2.78 ERA).

That has led to a 15-8 start for the Redbirds, but one has to wonder if they're largely unproven and over-performing staff can continue to carry the team or if they will begin to falter as the season wears on.

What Can the Yankees Get out of 40-Year-Old Andy Pettitte?

Andy Pettitte last took the mound against the Rangers in the 2010 ALCS, going seven innings and allowing five hits and two runs, taking a tough-luck loss.

It was an effective finish to what was his best season since 2005, as he went 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA and made the AL All-Star team during the regular season.

He retired following the 2010 season, and did not pitch last year, but he was brought back on a one-year, $2.5 million deal this offseason to provide some depth to the Yankees rotation.

However, with Michael Pineda now out for the season and Freddy Garcia (12.51 ERA) and Phil Hughes (7.48 ERA) struggling mightily the team went from signing him as an insurance policy to now relying on him to make a significant contribution once he's ready.

The 40-year-old is getting close to returning, perhaps following one more minor league start and the Yankees could certainly use the 2010 version of Pettitte, although they'd likely settle for a serviceable back-of-the-rotation starter.

Are the Detroit Tigers Contenders or Pretenders?

After signing Prince Fielder and already with superstars Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander on the roster, the Tigers were an preseason favorite of many to not only run through the AL Central but to make a serious run at a title.

That was backed up with a 9-3 start, as everything seemed to be clicking in Detroit. However, since then they have gone 3-8, including a sweep at the hands of the Mariners.

Delmon Young recently ran into trouble with the law, longtime Tiger Brandon Inge has been released and three of the team's starters and their closer have ERAs over 5.00.

Meanwhile, the Indians and White Sox have both looked solid early on this season and if nothing else the AL Central may not be the cakewalk it was once expected to be.

On paper, the Tigers still have as much talent as any team in baseball, but they need to figure things out and get back on track if they are to be viewed as legitimate title contenders.

Who Will Be the Next Big-Time Prospect Called Up?

The end of April brought about the promotions of baseball's top two prospects with Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and Angels outfielder Mike Trout called on early as reinforcement for their big league clubs.

Few things excite a fanbase like the promotion of a big-time prospect—so who will be the next top youngster to earn a promotion and try to provide a spark for the big league team? The two most likely players seem to be:

1B Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs (.374 BA, 7 HR, 24 RBI)

Acquired via trade from the Padres this offseason, Rizzo won't be called up until the Cubs are ready to hand first base over to him full time and Bryan LaHair (.390 BA, 5 HR, 14 RBI) has done everything in his power to keep his job.

A move to the outfield by LaHair could accommodate both, but one way or another Rizzo will make his way to Chicago sooner rather than later.

SP Trevor Bauer, Arizona Diamondbacks (5-1, 2.36 ERA, 12.1 K/9)

Taken third overall in last year's draft, Bauer was hailed as the most big league-ready player in the draft and advanced all the way to Double-A after signing last year.

He's there once again to open the 2012 season, and after Josh Collmenter (9.82 ERA) got bumped to the bullpen it could only be a matter of time before Bauer gets the call.

Can the Orioles Continue Their Impressive Start?

The Orioles have been the surprise of the season to his point, with a 15-9 record that has them just a half game out of first place in the AL East.

Their offense is tallying over four runs per game, led by Matt Wieters (6 HR, 15 RBI), Chris Davis (.333 BA, 5 HR, 13 RBI), Nolan Reimold (.313 BA, 5 HR, 10 RBI) and Adam Jones (.326 BA, 6 HR, 12 RBI)—and that is with J.J Hardy (.185 BA) and Mark Reynolds (.143 BA) struggling mightily.

On the other side of things, their pitching has been phenomenal, as their 2.94 team ERA ranks second in the AL. Jason Hammel (3-1, 1.97 ERA) leads the rotation, while Jim Johnson (7 saves, 0.00 ERA) has been a revelation at closer.

They couldn't have asked for a better start to the season, but are they for real? The month ahead will go a long way towards determining the answer to that question.

What Will Matt Kemp Do for an Encore to His Other-Worldly April?

.409 BA, 12 HR, 25 RBI, 25 R, 36 H

Those are Kemp's numbers through his first 24 games, as he leads the league in all of the above categories aside from RBI where he trails teammate Andre Ethier by two.

If there is anything to nitpick about his start, it is the fact that he only has two steals so far which hurts his chances of the 50-50 season he alluded to in spring training.

Nonetheless, he is the best player on the planet right now and while there is no way he can keep up his current statistical pace (81 HR, 168 RBI) he could make a serious run at the Triple Crown.

One thing is for sure, he is playing at a level we haven't seen in a while and baseball fans should enjoy watching it while they have the chance.

Can Albert Pujols and the Angels Right the Ship?

After spending a combined $317.5 million to sign Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, many were quick to put the Angels among the favorites in the American League, and rightfully so.

Adding Wilson gave them arguably the best pitching staff in the AL, as he joined Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana. Meanwhile, the lineup had holes but adding Pujols gave them a bona fide superstar and made the entire lineup better. At least in theory.

Instead, the team has stumbled out of the gates to a 9-15 start that leaves them in last place in the AL West. Meanwhile, the Rangers continue to dominate as baseball's best team.

Pujols (.208 BA, 0 HR, 5 RBI) is off to the worst start of his career and the lineup as a whole ranks 13th in the league in both batting average and runs scored.

The pitching has been terrific aside from Santana (0-5, 6.16 ERA) and closer Jordan Walden—who recently lost his job to Scott Downs—and if they could start getting some run support they still have as talented a roster as anyone in the AL. They need to do a major 180, though, if they want to be contenders in 2012.

Will Bryce Harper Play His Way out of a Return to the Minors?

The Bryce Harper era is upon us in Washington, but for how long remains to be seen.

Harper was called up in a move that corresponded with Ryan Zimmerman hitting the disabled list, as the Nationals looked for a way to tide the offense over while Zimmerman recovers from a shoulder injury.

With that in mind, all signs have pointed to Harper being optioned back to the minors once Zimmerman returns, but it is certainly not out of the question that he plays his way into staying with the team.

The Nationals outfield has been a mess this season, with the likes of Xavier Nady (.130 BA), Rick Ankiel (.233 BA), Roger Bernadina (.186 BA) and Mark DeRosa (.081 BA) have split the at bats in left and center field.

That poor play, combined with an injury to Michael Morse that has kept him from making his season debut to this point, could be enough of a reason for the Nationals to turn over a starting job to Harper if he shows even the slightest signs of being ready for an expanded role.

With the team pitching out of their minds and sporting a 14-9 record to lead the NL East, the time is now for contention in our nation's capital. How Harper performs in the next week will likely determine how big of a role he plays in the 2012 season.