In a world of uncertainty, there are only a few constants you can count on every baseball season.
The Yankees will possess the highest payroll, the Pirates will have a losing season, a beloved superstar will be brought down by steroid use, and lastly, the Cubs will have an epic collapse.
kAm%9:D :D ?@E E@A D64C6E :?7@C>2E:@? E96 4@>>:DD:@?6C’D @77:46 <66AD F?56C HC2AD] xE’D 2 724E[ D@ >F49 D@ E92E x H@F=5 E2<6 >J =:76’D D2G:?8D E@ '682D 2?5 C62A E96 36?67:ED]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 x E2<6 =:EE=6 AC:56 :? E96D6 4@?DE2?ED[ x 5@ 6?;@J — 7C@> E96 A6CDA64E:G6 @7 2? pDEC@D 72? — E96 :>>:?6?E 56>:D6 @7 E96 rF3D’ D62C49 7@C 2 (@C=5 $6C:6D 6249 J62C]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 366? `_` J62CD[ E96J 56D6CG6 :E[” :D E96 C6D@F?5:?8 >6DD286 x H@F=5 C646:G6 7C@> ?@?\3:2D65 72?D]k^Am
kAm$@ 9@H 52C6 x C6G6= :? E96 A2:? @7 rF3D 72?D]k^Am
kAmqFE :? E@52J’D (63\5C:G6? DA@CED >65:2[ x 92G6 E@ E2<6 2 DE2?5 282:?DE E96 32?5H28@? rF3 DJ>A2E9:K:?8 DA@CED ;@FC?2=:DED AC@?@F?4:?8 6G6CJ J62C[ “%9:D :D E96 rF3D J62C]”k^Am
kAmtG:56?46 :? A@:?E :D v6?6 (@;4:649@HD<:[ 2 46=63C2E65 D6?:@C HC:E6C 7@C t$!} %96 |282K:?6 2?5 D6?:@C ?2E:@?2= 4@=F>?:DE 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^t$!}]4@>Qmt$!}]4@>k^2m[ H9@ :DDF65 E9:D 2CC@82?E 564C66 @? yF=J e]k^Am
kAm“%96 rF3D 2C6 8@:?8 E@ H:? E96 }{ r6?EC2=[ 2?5 E96J’C6 8@:?8 E@ H:? :E 2D 4@>7@CE23=J 2D D:EE:?8 @? 2 A:?<[ 4FD9J D@72 :? @?6 @7 E9@D6 C@A65\@77 2C62D 2E 2 {2D '682D ?:89E4=F3] ]]] qJ ~4E] c[ E96 =2DE 52J @7 E96 C68F=2C D62D@?[ E96 rF3D H:== @H? E96 }{ r6?EC2= — D@>6E9:?8 :? E96 7:G6\82>6\=625 G2C:6EJ D@F?5D 23@FE C:89E]”k^Am
kAm(96? E9:D AC@8?@DE:42E:@? H2D AF3=:D965 2E E96 p==\$E2C 3C62<[ E96 rF3D H6C6 cc\cc 2?5 D2E a `^a 82>6D 324< @7 E96 }{ r6?EC2=\=625:?8 r2C5:?2=D]k^Am
kAmu2DE 7@CH2C5 E@ E@52J’D DE2?5:?8D[ E96 rF3D 2C6 7@FC 82>6D 23@G6 ]d__ 2?5 2 5:DE2?E D64@?5 E@ E96 D:KK=:?8 eg\da #653:C5D]k^Am
kAmvC2?E65[ E96 24BF:D:E:@? @7 |2EE w@==:52J H2D 2 3@@DE F?7@C6D66? EH@ >@?E9D 28@[ 3FE :D?’E E92E H92E 32D632==’D 2== 23@FE[ >2<:?8 EC256D 2?5 25;FDE:?8 C@DE6CD 7@C E96 DEC6E49 CF?nk^Am
kAm%96 rF3D[ @? E96 @E96C 92?5[ 5:5 ?@E9:?8 2E E96 EC256 5625=:?6 2?5 2C6 4=:?8:?8 E@ E96 ?@E:@? E92E E96J 42? 42E49 E96 C65\9@E #@4<:6D[ v:2?ED 2?5 |2C=:?D 7@C 2 H:=5\42C5 DA@E]k^Am
kAms@?’E 86E >6 HC@?8[ :E 4@F=5 92AA6?[ 3FE :D E9:D E96 2?E:4:A2E65[ 36DE\42D6 D46?2C:@ C6DF=E 7@C 2 E62> 6G6CJ@?6 A:4<65 E@ H:? E96 }{ r6?EC2=nk^Am
kAmpD E@ 4=:?8:?8 E@ E96:C }{ r6?EC2= 9@A6D[ E96 rF3D D:E 7@FC 82>6D 324< :? E96 =@DD 4@=F>? E@ E96 r2C5:?2=D WE9C@F89 |@?52J’D 82>6DX]k^Am
kAmx?DFC>@F?E23=6n }@] qFE E96 H2J E96 #653:C5D 2C6 A=2J:?8[ rF3D 72?D 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ D66 $E6G6 q2CE>2? D:?8 “%2<6 |6 ~FE E@ E96 q2==82>6” 5FC:?8 E96 D6G6?E9\:??:?8 DEC6E49 E92? E@AA=6 E96 E2=6?E65 #653:C5D]k^Am
kAm%96 rF3D A@DD6DD 2C8F23=J E96 566A6DE C@E2E:@? :? E96 =628F6[ 3FE 962=E9 92D 366? 2? :DDF6]k^Am
kAmr2C=@D +2>3C2?@[ #J2? s6>ADE6C[ %65 {:==J 2?5 #:49 w2C56? 2C6 @? E96 564=:?6]k^Am
kAmr@>A2C6 E92E E@ 2 r2C5:?2=D C@E2E:@? E92E A@DD6DD6D E96 7@FCE9\36DE t#p :? E96 =628F6 2?5 2C8F23=J E96 36DE @?6\EH@ 4@>3@ :? p52> (2:?HC:89E 2?5 r9C:D r2CA6?E6C] }@ 4@?E6DE[ C:89Enk^Am
kAmr@FA=6 E92E H:E9 @?6 @7 E96 AC6>:6C6 @776?D6D :? E96 =628F6 E92E D9@H42D6D p=36CE !F;@=D[ w@==:52J[ #J2? {F5H:4<[ |2C< s6#@D2 2?5 C@@<:6 D6?D2E:@? r@=3J #2D>FD[ 2?5 J@F’G6 7@F?5 E96 <CJAE@?:E6 E@ E96 =2E6\D62D@? C2==J 9@A6D @7 rF3D 72?D 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am
kAmp?5 2D 2 r2C5:?2=D 92E6C[ :E A2:?D >6 E@ AC2:D6 2 E62> x C@@E 282:?DE 6G6CJ 52J]k^Am
kAmqFE 6?@F89 H:E9 E96 ?2E:@?2= DFAA@CE 7@C E96 rF3D] t?@F89 H:E9 E96 6?E:E=6>6?E rF3D 72?D A@DD6DD H:E9@FE 2?J C6DF=ED]k^Am
kAmt?@F89 H:E9 E96 4FCD6D 2?5 3=2>6 82>6D] %96 2C8F>6?E E92E E96J A@DD6DD E96 36DE E62> @? A2A6C :D >@@E]k^Am
kAmr92>A:@?D9:AD 2C6 H@? H:E9 A:E49:?8[ 4@96D:G6 A=2J[ A2DD:@? 7@C E96 82>6 2?5 962CE[ 2== @7 H9:49 E96 rF3D =24< 2?5 E96 r2C5:?2=D D9@H42D6 6G6CJ 52J]k^Am
kAm$@ E@ (@;4:649@HD<: 2?5 9:D 564C66[ x D2J 2? 2A@=@8J E@ r2C5:?2=D 72?D :D :? @C56C]k^Am
kAm%2<6 2 ?F>36C @? 36:?8 3FC?65 3J E96 rF3D 2?5 86E FD65 E@ :E[ 3642FD6 :7 J@F’C6 H2:E:?8 7@C E96 }@CE9D:56CD E@ D:?8 2 5:776C6?E EF?6[ :E’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 =@?8 D62D@? 7@C J@F]k^Am
