Team to Beat: The Boston Red Sox. It's odd to think, after growing up as a fan witnessing the hapless trials and travails of the Red Sox, that we are now in an era of Red Sox dominance, but it seems to be the case. They have one of the league's top rotation, and a typically powerful lineup. The old philosophy of the champ staying on top until they have been dethroned is particularly applicable to the Red Sox, especially given that, aside from the aforementioned line of defense, they certainly seem to be in the best position to succeed come autumn.
Sleeper: The Atlanta Braves. Mark Texeira turned out to be a positive acquisition for the Braves last year, and I think his first full season in Atlanta will be an All Star year if his performance last summer and fall was any indication. I also, if for no other reason that my standing as a Braves fan, smell a Mike Hampton comeback that will be one for the ages. Such a prediction might seem brazen, particularly since Hampton is a banged up 35-year old Major League pitcher. He's a resilient athlete, though, and he looked fantastic this spring. Couple his potential re-emergence in an already stout rotation with what should be a formidable Braves lineup, and a potential revival of one of baseball's most tired baseball cities could be in the cards.
Biggest Offseason Acquisition: Johan Santana. This is probably the easiest question I've ever had to answer in a Toe to Toe column. Santana was an absolute slam dunk for the New York Mets. Perhaps I jumped the gun in labeling the Mets a World Series team the past couple pre seasons, but Santana's presence at the top of their rotation makes me think this will be their year. I'm not going to lie, it would be nice if the Mets could best the Yankees to stake their claim as The Big Apple's best team, so Hank Steinbrenner can eat his arrogant words.
Player to Watch in 2008: Francisco Liriano. In a preseason column, a question like this almost necessarily implies that the player discussed will be a talented no-name on the verge of stardom. However, in this case, I simply can't resist the opportunity to talk about Liriano, who missed the entire 2007 season as a result of the dreaded Tommy John surgery. It took but one year of witnessing Liriano's nasty stuff for me to realize he was the best pitcher I had ever seen, and I expect him to have a fantastic year -- even if he was recently sent down to the minors to shore up his game.
Mitchell Report Legacy: It is a tricky task to determine just how much impact the Mitchell Report and its ensuing controversy will have on baseball in the long term. Its effect will be determined by the track record of the game's young elite talents over the course of the next ten years. It's safe to say after "Clemens-Gate," however, that a decidedly negative perception will persist in regards to substance enhancers and their use in professional baseball.
