As the harsh bitterness of winter diminishes and the icicles hanging from the roofs melt, everyone seems to become happier. Yes, the weather is warming up and the leaves are beautifully sprouting from the trees, but that’s not the reason excitement is in the air. No, it’s because baseball season is just around the corner.
It was a little over four months ago when the Phillies’ Shane Victorino weakly grounded out to second baseman Robinson Cano to end the World Series, in which the Yankees clinched their 27th championship in franchise history. Now, as the world is about to turn their calendar to March, the Phillies and the city of Philadelphia get prepared for another rollercoaster season. The 2009 baseball offseason was not only a busy one for the Phillies, but also all around baseball. Here are some of the most exciting people, players, and teams to look forward to for the upcoming 2010 season.
In late October of 2009, Cardinals’ manager Tony LaRussa announced that ex-Cardinal slugger Mark McGwire would become the new hitting coach for the team. Then, on January 11, McGwire admitted to his use of steroids during his playing career, particularly during the 1990’s. Since McGwire retired in 2001, there has been much speculation about whether he used steroids or not. Though there were probably more people against him rather than for him, LaRussa, who happens to be a close friend with McGwire, always backed him up. It might not have been surprising to hear McGwire admit to his use of steroids, but it was the way he did it. He told the press that he used steroids for health reasons only, and that they did not help his performance. Whether or not he told the truth is up to you, but it will sure be exciting to see how he handles the pressure of the media and fans during the season.
During the 2009 trade deadline in last July, the Phillies hoped to acquire former American League Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay form the Toronto Blue Jays. Instead, the Phillies ended up trading for Cliff Lee, and surprisingly, he turned out to be an ace and win the only two games in the World Series for the Phillies. On December 16, the Phillies made arguably the biggest trade in Major League history. In the trade, Cliff Lee was sent to the Mariners, Roy Halladay to the Phillies, and seven prospects were interchanged as well. The Oakland Athletics were also apart of this three-team deal. Roy Halladay, who some say is the best pitcher in baseball, will be pitching for the first time in the National League and Phillies’ fans are ready to see how this former Cy Young winner pitches. Have high hopes for Halladay in 2010 because he will without a doubt live up to your expectations.
Look out for the Mariners! That’s what some baseball fans are saying after their brilliant offseason performance. In addition to Cliff Lee, the Mariners signed speedy and reliant third baseman Chone Figgins, outfielder Franklin Gutierrez who had a breakout year in 2009, and they resigned future hall of famer Ken Griffey Jr. Oh, and did I mention that they already have one of the game’s best young starting pitchers, ‘King’ Felix Hernandez? The World Series may be a long shot, but expect the Mariners to be serious contenders for the playoffs.
After the 2009 season, there was much buzz around baseball, but not for those Yankees; it was for Cuban defect Aroldis Chapman. The Red Sox, Mets, Yankees, and Marlins were serious contenders for Chapman, but on January 10, the Cincinnati Reds made an ‘out of the blue’ decision by outbidding all of those teams and signing Chapman to a six-year contract worth $30.25 million. Though you may not see Chapman pitching in the Majors this season for developing reasons, keep an eye on him in the Reds farm system and for years to come.
All these exciting stories can be followed starting March 2, when the first Major League spring training game will be held. So stay tuned for the 2010 MLB season, for you won’t want to miss it!
