It begins today when – who else? – the World Champion Boston Red Sox open in the Bronx against bitter rival New York Yankees.
Curt Schilling will miss the game, still recovering from the ankle injury that led to the bloody sock during last year’s playoffs. A coast away, Barry Bonds is sidelined, too, recovering from knee surgery and perhaps his perpetual bad mood. While Bonds’ pursuit of Hank Aaron’s home run record remains on hold, the rest of the game will move on. Much is different this year, with a new team in Washington – via Montreal. Anaheim’s team was rechristened the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, even though they’re only slightly farther from Tinseltown than the newly named Nationals are from Baltimore. D.C.’s team plays their first game April 4, traveling up I-95 to Philadelphia. After years of threatening to move, the Expos finally did so. Thirty-six seasons in Montreal and not one championship.And there’s more change. For the first time, an initial positive test for performance-enhancing drugs will result in a 10-day suspension.Frank Robinson remains their manager, and much of the roster has stayed the same. Until the commissioner’s office sells the franchise, it will be among the league’s lowest spenders, even when revenues start skyrocketing. Lots of players have moved on to new teams, too. Sammy Sosa, Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre, Derek Lowe, Carlos Delgado and Magglio Ordonez all wear new caps this season. Atlanta moved John Smoltz back into the starting rotation for the first time since 1999, and obtained 20-game winner Tim Hudson from Oakland. The Braves are confident they can reach their 14th straight division title, and perhaps their first Series championship since 1995.
Roger Clemens decided to spend a second season with his hometown Astros, who fell one win short of reaching the World Series for the first time. After winning his record seventh Cy Young Award, and hiking his career wins to 328, the 42-year-old Rocket needs just two wins to pass Steve Carlton for ninth place on the career list.
Detroit, trying to avoid a 12th straight losing season, will host the All-Star game on July 12. By then, the Yankees either will be on their way to restoring the usual order against the Red Sox, or New York owner George Steinbrenner will be creating a ruckus.
The Yankees’ payroll will be nearing the $200 million mark on opening day, likely $70 million more than any other team. New Yankee Randy Johnson faces old Yankee David Wells in the April 3 night opener. Sox ace Schilling likely won’t return until mid-April while he completes his recovery.
The Red Sox celebrated their first championship since 1918 in every hamlet of New England last year, and now head into the season trying to win consecutive titles for the first time since 1915-16.
The Yankees are waiting for their turn.
“Anything less than winning a World Series,” Johnson said, “isn’t acceptable.”
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