Top 5 Storylines for MLB Spring Training

The MLB hot stove season is now a thing of the past, and once again, the annual rite of spring begins with teams reporting to camps in Florida and Arizona.

As fans begin to wake up from a long, harsh winter, they will be tuning in to their favorite teams as they prepare to begin a new season full of lofty expectations.

However, this season there will be some intriguing storylines to follow as the offseason netted a variety of transactions. Here are the top five storylines to keep an eye on as spring training begins.

5. Hanley Ramirez: Miami Marlins
At Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, many eyes will be on Miami Marlins third baseman Hanley Ramirez, as he is faced with the prospect of learning a brand new position in the wake of the signing of shortstop Jose Reyes.

Ramirez was recently forced to defend his honor after a critique by reporter Franklin Mirabal of the Dominican newspaper Hoy that greatly disparaged Ramirez’s image with the Marlins.

It will no doubt be an interesting six weeks in Jupiter.

4. Yoenis Cespedes: Oakland Athletics
Cuban outfield sensation Yoenis Cespedes signed a four-year, $36 million contract with the Oakland A’s just a few weeks ago, ending speculation as to where he would ply his trade in Major League Baseball.

Cespedes, 26, has yet to show he can actually hit major league pitching, yet he is considered to be a five-tool star who could help turn around the fortunes of an A’s franchise who has literally jettisoned every one of its stars over the past ten years.

3. Yu Darvish: Texas Rangers
Much like his Cuban counterpart, Yoenis Cespedes, Japanese pitching sensation Yu Darvish will be looking to make his mark on American soil as well.

Darvish, who posted five straight sub-2.00 ERA seasons in his native Japan, will be expected to replace the departed C.J. Wilson, who signed with the rival Los Angeles Angels in December.

2. Bobby Valentine: Boston Red Sox
After an epic September collapse that saw the Boston Red Sox say goodbye to long-time manager Terry Francona, new skipper Bobby Valentine comes on board, managing in the majors for the first time since 2002.

Valentine has already drawn criticism and praise for his plans for a more rigorous camp, however, considering what happened last year, Sox players won’t have much of an audience with many of their gripes.

1. Albert Pujols: Los Angeles Angels
Many pairs of eyes will be trained on Tempe, Arizona as superstar slugger Albert Pujols prepares for his first season as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.

Pujols, signed to a ten-year, $240 million contract in December, drastically changes a lineup that has finished no higher than ninth in runs scored over the past two seasons. While Pujols alone won’t totally change things in Anaheim, his presence in the lineup will help players like Howie Kendrick, Mark Trumbo and Vernon Wells.

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This is a guest post submitted by Mike Wright. Mike played all kinds of sports growing up and adamantly follows everything sports now that he is too old to contribute at a high level. He works with Phoenix Bats, a company that creates world-class wood bats for amateur and professional ball players around the world, and loves writing on different sports topics.

February 22, 2012 – The Dugout Doctors The MLB hot stove season is now a thing of the past, and once again, the annual rite of spring begins with teams reporting to camps in Florida and Arizona. As fans begin to wake up from a long, harsh winter, they will be tuning in to their [...]