Baseball

Reigning NL Manager of the Year Matt Williams is a powerful man because he's the one who gets to hand over the Washington Nationals' lineup card on Opening Day 2015. 

From top to bottom, bullpen to backstop, Washington's roster is built to win right now.

If the Colorado Rockies are going to trade star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in 2015, it doesn't seem like a deal will happen before the regular season starts.     

The 2015 Opening Day roster for the Atlanta Braves will look much different than the 2014 Opening Day roster.

That roster included Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Evan Gattis and Ervin Santana, among others. 

Those players were a key part of the Braves' 2014 season but will not be around for the 2015 season.

That is a product of the free-agency era as well as a team that underachieved and finished a disappointing 79-83 for the year.

The signing of free agent Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210 million contract improved the Washington Nationals’ starting rotation from arguably the best to undoubtedly the best in baseball.

The Kris Bryant era in Chicago will begin in 2015. The question is: When? Or alternatively: How soon?

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the 2015 season with a roster full of new faces, but the particular collection of players is still capable of advancing to the postseason for a third consecutive year.

Trotting out the reigning National League MVP and two-time defending Cy Young Award winner tends to legitimize a team's chances, so the Dodgers will certainly benefit from having Clayton Kershaw on their side.

The St. Louis Cardinals made their biggest roster move in 2014 when they sent Allen Craig and Joe Kelly to Boston in exchange for Corey Littrell and John Lackey. It was a move that fans questioned, both logically and emotionally.

Devin Mesoraco and the Cincinnati Reds apparently have no interest in fighting each other in the arbitration process. The All-Star catcher agreed Monday to a four-year contract that buys out his three arbitration years and his first year of free agency.       

The Reds confirmed the move:

One of the most exciting parts of spring training each year is getting a chance to see some of the game's top prospects in action against big league talent.

While the preseason can be a monotonous time for established big league players, it's an exciting chance for young guys to show what they're capable of, and in some cases, it's the first chance a fanbase gets to see what could be the future of its team in a game situation.