Opinion Corner: Thirty questions on MLB

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With Spring Training in full swing, most teams in Major League Baseball will throw that first pitch in exactly 30 days. What a better time to ask 30 questions that should be answered by the October Classic.

Are the Toronto Blue Jays a real contender? The Jays made some serious offseason moves, enough to grab headlines in hockey-crazed Canada.

Will the Yankees be able to start strong with Curtis Granderson out for the first month or more of the season? The team is not the youngest squad in the Bigs. Can Boston win 81 games after remaking its roster, which includes last year’s salary-dump deal on the L.A. Dodgers.

Will Torii Hunter be able to contribute throughout the year in a powerful Detroit lineup?

Can the Royals take the next step and play as well as the team appears on paper? They acquired an ace in James Shields but the Royals’ young players need to come to form.

Can the vastly wealthy Texas Rangers top the Oakland A’s this year in the AL West? Or, will the Angels come on as strong as they are expected to and blow the division out of the water? The Angels swiped Josh Hamilton from the Rangers. All it took was $25 million per season for the next five years. Can Albert Pujols return to his St. Louis form and hit .300, knock in 30 dingers and drive in 100 runs? He probably will, but is Mike Trout for real?

Will Stephen Strasburg pitch a complete season? He hasn’t yet. Will Bryce Harper continue to amaze despite the fact he can’t buy a beer? Will Upton times 2 pay off for Hotlanta? The Braves have the pieces if both Uptons can stay healthy.

Who will win the NL Central? Is Joey Votto the greatest Canadian to currently play the game? The Reds think so. Will people finally leave Ryan Braun alone? Give him a break already. Who will replace all those horrible singers at Wrigley Field? It was a good choice to limit Seventh Inning Stretch singers. Can Houston will more than 60 games in the AL?

Will the Giants repeat? Why did Tim Lincecum cut his hair? I seriously have no idea. Maybe he should grow a beard. Can Zack Greinke overcome his anxiety disorder and post 15-plus wins in Hollywood? He has a chance if ownership lets him take a helicopter to games. Is buying a team a better strategy than building one? Magic Johnson thinks so.

Why did the Diamondbacks owner spend more than $2 million on a baseball card? Granted it is the Holy Grail of cardboard collectables. San Diego still has a team?

Which rookie will make the biggest impact in the majors? Will Meyers, Jurickson Profar or Nick Castellanos? All three are top prospects. Will Dylan Bundy pitch like the fourth overall pick from two seasons ago? Baltimore could use a big arm.

Seriously, what was ownership thinking in Miami? After getting a publically-financed new ballpark, owner Jeffrey Loria purged the team of virtually all its talent. That’s a tough sell to Miami-area taxpayers.

What was Minnesota thinking in the offseason? I have no idea. Can Twins fans already throw the towel in a month before Opening Day? I’d like to hope not.

Finally, will Joe Mauer name his twins Minny and Paul? Congrats on the news Joe.

There are thousands of storylines playing out this summer. Some are more exciting than others, but baseball is on the way. Brace yourselves, for America’s Pastime is just a month away.

Ben Rodgers is a news

writer at the Sun

Tags: sports, baseballmlb