Here We Go: MLB Opening Day

Temperatures are climbing in some places, while other places around the country didn't get the memo and are continuing to be snowed upon. As March rolls into April it is time to kick off the ultra-marathon known as Major League Baseball. The offseason has managed to shake the league beyond recognition; many teams have new faces and also a lack of familiar faces. These roster changes will have a direct impact upon the next few months and the outcome of the upcoming season.

The trading and brokerage firm the past few months had to have been the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays went from the twenty third largest payroll in 2012 ("MLB Salaries", CBSSports.com) to the tenth largest ("2013 Payrolls and Salaries For Every MLB Team", DeadSpin) in one offseason. They acquired Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, and former Miami Marlins Jose Reyes and Josh Johnson. With all the acquired talent, the Blue Jays' only worries should be injuries and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays ironically ended up with former Blue Jays Yunel Escobar and Kelly Johnson. However, those two combined with the prior roster of the Rays should have a threat for the Al East teams. The late powers of the Al East, the Yankees and the Red Sox, have aged and receded.

In other areas of the American League, multiple teams have made improvement to attempt to overthrow long time kings of their respective divisions. For example, the Chicago White Sox have built a decent team to try to take on the Detroit Tigers. Out west, the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland A's put together all star lineups to try and give the Texas Rangers who themselves have aged and lost talent, such as Josh Hamilton, to up and coming teams, like the LA Angels.

Meanwhile, the National League has its own power houses. The East is one of the most competitive divisions in the National League. Stephen Strausberg and Bryce Harper are starting to have an edge on the elite three, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and the Philadelphia Phillies. A power struggle is occurring in the NL Central; the Cincinnati Reds, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Pittsburgh Pirates all should be relatively close in the upcoming season. The least hyped division, however, would be the NL West. The San Francisco Giants, who've won two titles in three years. Other members of the division include the Dodgers, who are rebuilding from a recent bankruptcy, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, who've been strong in recent years.

It looks like an interesting season in baseball. The long, odyssey-like journey of season should allow for lots of twists and turns throughout the season.

MLB Season in Review

The 2012 Major League Baseball season was an exciting instalment into the never ending book of big league baseball. Boston busted, rookies shined, and the Giants won big in 2012. This was the first year that there was a all-or-nothing, wildcard game to get into the playoffs.  This complicated things quite a bit, after the Oakland Athletics stole the pennant from the Rangers, who went to the wildcard play-off game and were beaten out by Tampa. So, after two consecutive years going to the World Series and losing, the Texas Rangers didn't even make it into the post-season. There were also a handful of teams who completely they busted. Philidelphia, after losing Halladay to injury, finished at .500 and third in the NL East. Back in the American League, the Boston Red Sox went through the floor under Bobby Valentine; they finished dead last in the East Division.

Now, fast forward to the post season. We had the National League, the Reds being overtaken in the Giants in five games, while the Cardinals also had to take five games to oust the Washington Nationals. Things were just as tight in the AL. The Yankees took the maximum length of series to put end to the Orioles hopes. On the other hand, the Lions took five games to stop the A's in their tracks. I initially thought that the Reds would win the series against the Giants, and I thought the Nationals had the pitching ability to overtake St. Louis.

On to the next round, I don't think anyone saw the Yankees being swept, though, they never  seem to get further then the League Championship Series. It was an extremely close race between the defending Cardinals and the Giants. San-Fran eventually was able to advance over St. Louis in seven games. 

On to the World Series, I was not expecting a sweep, and neither was the majority of  baseball-loving America. But a sweep it was - the San Francisco Giants won their second title in three years. It's no repeat, but it is definitely a feat of note.

Now let's talk awards. Tomorrow is the announcement for Cy Young Awards, and Thursday is when the MVP award winners will be known. I think that R.A. Dickey will get the National League Cy Young, since he had multiple one-hitters and a minuscule earned run average. Justin Verlander, David Price, or Jared Weaver are deserving of the American League Cy Young Award, though I think it will go to David Price, as he personally had a remarkable year, while Verlander and Weaver both have a "another day at the office" sense to their seasons. Now let's talk MVP. Hands down, the American League MVP would be Miguel Cabrera for winning the triple crown. Thought, Mike Trout is definitely a candidate. The national league is another story though. Yadier Molina or Ryan Braun could definitely have a chance at getting the MVP, but if it were up to me, I think that R.A. Dickey is the most deserving.

The previous baseball season was a hit, and baseball fans can only hope for 2013 to be just like 2012.