Opening Day, like “free beer” and “Oreo cheesecake,” are two of the greatest words in the English language. During this annual prelude to summer, every team is on an even playing field and—consequently—baseball buffs are optimistic. And, with Derek Jeter entering his final season, the Rays poised to make waves in the AL East, and the Los Angeles Dodgers making more enemies than Vladimir Putin right now, there's a lot to look forward to in 2014.
There are also a lot unanswered questions about the trajectory of Albert Pujols' career, how Ryan Braun will react after his suspension, and whether or not the Pittsburgh Pirates can encore with another winning season. See? Baseball is a lot more than guys spitting chewing tobacco in the dirt and scratching their private parts.
As fans, we have no idea what to expect, but that won’t stop us at Complex Sports from at least pretending like we can see the future. After all, your team will probably be out of the pennant race by June, so let's enjoy these moments of enjoyment while we can. From Derek Jeter’s farewell tour to up-and-coming players you need to know, these are 10 Reasons to Be Excited About the 2014 Baseball Season.