Image via Complex Original
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.
It’s Derek Jeter’s Last Season
Kids of the ‘90s are waving goodbye to the last of their childhood icons, and Derek Jeter is one of the hardest bedroom posters to take off of the wall. The Captain’s farewell tour is especially compelling in 2014 because the Yankees will need all the fairytale charm they can get to make the postseason. Jeter’s career has been a storybook so far, so we’ll see if the magic can continue.
Two Words: Billy Hamilton
As fans, we have an obsession with the idea of LeBron James or Usain Bolt playing wide receiver in the NFL. Those hypotheticals are fun to play with, but athletic crossover isn’t as easy as it sounds, even for freaks. Ask Brock Lesnar, who was cut by the ’04 Minnesota Vikings during the preseason. But, if you ever wondered what it would be like to put the speed of a world-class sprinter on the base paths, then Billy Hamilton is the guy to watch. He’s a veritable comic book hero with arguably the quickest feet in the history of the sport. Seriously, dude makes it to first in 3.3 seconds. Hamilton is an answer to baseball’s sabermetrics devotees who have made the stolen base as rare as a Kennedy half-dollar coin.
Another Two Words: Andrelton Simmons
Casual baseball fans might not be familiar with this guy yet, but they will be. While his bat is the major question mark going into the 2014 season, Andrelton Simmons is the best defensive shortstop in the game today. In his second full season in the league, expect Simmons to establish himself as a genuine star. And, with heir apparent Starlin Castro regressing and Jose Reyes’ health in question, Simmons could leave the 2014 season as one of baseball’s best shortstops.
How will the Seattle Mariners perform?
Seattle’s coming off of a losing season, but—before making the playoffs last year—the Pittsburgh Pirates hadn’t finished above .500 since Wayne’s World was in theaters. The M’s shelled out for Robinson Cano who should provide run support for perpetual Cy Young candidate Felix Hernandez. Seattle brass was criticized for dumping a Brinks truck’s worth of cash in Cano’s driveway, but we’ll see if it pays off this summer.
Everyone Hates the Dodgers (and the Dodgers Are Really Good)
Last season, the Los Angeles Dodgers went from a hobbled franchise to an absolute title contender quicker than you can say “Yasiel Puig.” While the transformation was fun to watch, most of the National League (the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks, principally) grew to resent the team for dripping too much swag juice on the field. Swag juice is just one side effect when you have the highest payroll in MLB at $235 million.
The 2014 Dodgers will likely be fueled with the same 50-50 mix of undiluted fearlessness and YOLOfuckery. If there are fewer than a dozen bench-clearing brawls in the NL West this season, it’ll be a miracle.
Prospects to Watch: Oscar Taveras and Javier Beaz
The Cubs rebuilding process hasn’t gone exactly to plan since hiring Theo Epstein in 2011, but Javier Beaz might be the answer. Beaz, a 21-year-old shortstop with incredible power, is one of the most celebrated prospects in baseball and he’ll likely introduce himself to the Wrigley Field faithful in 2014. Clark Street’s been a bastion of drunkenness and misery for over a century, but the future (finally) looks promising with this collection of prospects.
However, Chicago’s ascension to the top of the NL Central won’t be easy because the St. Louis Cardinals are nurturing their own star of the future. Oscar Taveras is a free-swinging outfielder with limitless potential. He’ll begin the year in AAA Memphis, but he might see some time in the Busch Stadium grass this summer.
How Will Ryan Braun and Albert Pujols bounce back?
We watch professional sports to see the embodiment of human excellence, and—if anything—mainlining a liter of Siberian tiger testosterone in the on-deck circle only exaggerates that quality. That’s not to say that professional athletes should use performance-enhancing drugs, but I think fans are generally willing to amnesty a slugger’s medicine cabinet in exchange for 500-foot home runs. Ryan Braun won’t have a problem being accepted by Brewers fans, and the media shitstorm awaiting him in Milwaukee will be a whole lot less intense than in New York or Los Angles. In sum, there’s no reason to believe that Braun won’t return to form in 2014.
Pujols, on the other hand, will be battling a different kind of adversity: health and age. His time with the Angels has been marred with injury and the pressure of living up to his enormous contract, but—with Mike Trout becoming the face of the team and hitting in front of The Machine—Pujols is in position to have a monster year.
The Tampa Bay Rays are the smartest organization in sports.
A lot is made of baseball’s collective bargaining agreement as it relates to competitive balance, but somehow the Tampa Bay Rays are able to win with an annual budget that rivals your neighborhood bodega. And, the Rays don’t just compete, either; they’re chesty, poised and a bona fide favorite to reach the World Series. While they’ll likely finish last in the AL in attendance, the Rays are a Rocky-style underdog with Johnny Manziel-like hubris. They’ll be the most entertaining team on the field, even if no one is watching.
There Will Be Fewer Blown Calls
With expanded replay in 2014, baseball is finally joining the fold. While adding another potential delay to a game that’s already chock-full of delays is a little daunting, at least your manager has a challenge in his pocket. Let’s just hope that this doesn’t make manager vs. umpire arguing a thing of the past, because that interaction is bananas.
MLB Is Flourishing Right Now
With revenues of more than $8 billion dollars in 2013 and cable deals that make Miguel Cabrera’s recent contract look like a newspaper subscription, Major League Baseball is alive and kicking—just like the NFL, but without all the bruised brains and chronic memory loss. Sure, baseball has its fair share of problems, like David Ortiz adjusting his batting gloves for three straight minutes between every pitch, but overall the league is as strong as its ever been. Hop on board.
