Spring Is Here...

That's right. The most hopeful time of the year has begun. It is spring training once again. The time when even the Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Devil Rays are tied for first. It's the time when fantasy teams are created and no one is injured. And it's the time Cubs fans can still believe that this is the year.

Over the next week I'll make some observations and predictions on the season, but today I wanted to touch upon some individual points that we are going to be witnessing in this, the one hundred and thirtieth year of professional baseball in the United States.

• You have to start any discussion on baseball in 2006 with one man: Barry Bonds. He is closing in fast on Babe Ruth's 714 and is not too far behind Hank Aaron's all-time mark of 755. Personally, I despise Barry Bonds. I think he is bad for baseball and National League pitchers and managers should be ashamed of themselves for intentionally walking him the way he had been. That said, I think he will pass Ruth but fall short of Aaron. His body will not be able to keep up with the day-to-day punishment and, if he has been a steroid user as BALCO seems to imply, a clean Barry will be an old Barry. Hank's record will be safe. And although he'll pass the Bambino, Barry Bonds wasn't, isn't nor ever will be the ballplayer Babe Ruth was.
• The greatest pitcher in the last half century, possibly of all-time, is looking more and more like he will retire. Baseball without Roger Clemens' splitter just won't be the same. Now, I am a die-hard Yankee fan and I may kick myself for saying this, but I think the Rocket has one more good season left in him. And that season should be played out in Fenway. Either way, I'm lucky to have seen him play. We may never see the likes of him again.
• It looks like Sammy Sosa will retire. I am going against the grain here, but why has Slammin' Sammy become so villified? Steroids? He never tested positive. We as a nation did not believe him when he testified that he hadn't, but we certainly believed Rafael Palmeiro. We were wrong about Raffi, can't we be wrong about Sammy? I will always remember Sammy Sosa as the reason 1998 was such a wonderful season (well, that and a 125-50 performance from arguably the greatest team of all-time). Have we forgotten that summer? Remember McGwire, the reticent lumberjack who couldn't handle the press? Then along came this smiling, happy Dominican who played like he loved the game and enjoyed everything that was happening. He may have lost the home run race, but he won our hearts. That is the Sammy Sosa I will always remember.
• I really wish Mike Piazza had made the switch to the AL. While I despise the designated hitter rule (I'm a baseball purist), it is part of the game. And Piazza can still hit. I fear that his going to San Diego equates to being put out to pasture. It breaks my heart. He's the best hitting catcher that ever lived. Another year in the field may cause people to think about his shortcomings as a catcher later in his career even more than they do now. The fact is, he handled pitching staffs as well as anyone and was as tough as nails guarding that plate. His arm got weaker with age, but his positives always outweighed his negatives.
• Every day player to watch in 2006: Carl Crawford. He is as exciting as they come. If he stays healthy, we are going to be enjoying his speed and abilities for the next fifteen years.
• Pitcher to watch in 2006: Dontrelle Willis. Why he wasn't the Cy Young winner last year is a mystery to me. He is a year older, more experienced, better. We're looking at a rare talent that can stifle hitters for years to come. And hopefully he remains in the National League. Dontrelle can flat out hit.
• Team to watch in 2006: New York Mets. The Braves are going down this year. It's finally going to come to an end. And the team to bring them down will be their long-time nemesis, those Amazin's. Willie Randolph did a darn good job as a rookie manager. He's smart, and will learn from his mistakes. Plus, he's got a more complete team now. Plus I love the combination of Wright and Reyes on that side of the infield. Oh, and they got that pitcher from the DR...