MLB

Opening Day is a time of hope and optimism around Major League Baseball.

In an era of parity, it's not hard to envision at least 20 cities believing a postseason trip is within reason.

New York Mets fans have adopted patience during this period of rebuilding. Actually, there has been no choice but to be patient, considering the plan the organization has implemented. To be fair, it has begun to yield results. 

We established not too long ago that, though baseball players can enjoy longer careers than most athletes, there comes a time when even the best of 'em have to know when to hang up their spikes.

Finding a bunch of players on the verge of a "breakout" season isn't necessarily all that hard. Finding a bunch of almost universally-undrafted players who are on the verge of a "breakout" season? That's a little tougher.

Anyone can make a case for the Rays' Matt Moore, the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo or the Mets' Matt Harvey, all young promising players ready to take the step from good to great as breakout candidates in 2013. But each of them were selected in every draft out there, often in the middle rounds.

I made it to Opening Day.

This year, Opening Day meant more than most years, since I was the one that almost went on the DL. Instead, I stood on the field Monday in Milwaukee, looking at the steel roof above the green grass and loving that it was once again baseball season. It was an amazing feeling, talking with so many media friends and having everyone from Doug Melvin to Ryan Braun pausing to ask how I was feeling. 

The Braves started off the 2013 season on the right foot with a 7-5 victory over Philadelphia.

And the atmosphere at Turner Field was electric. 

The offseason acquisitions of B.J. and Justin Upton created a buzz around the Braves, and fans were even more excited when they learned Chipper Jones would be throwing out the first pitch. 

The Detroit Tigers showed the Minnesota Twins and the rest of the American League what they can expect all season with a 4-2 Opening Day victory.

The Tigers got timely hits, manufactured runs, unveiled the closer-by-committee experiment and as expected, got outstanding starting pitching from the ace, Justin Verlander.

In recent weeks, several teams have locked up franchise icons, including the Giants' Buster Posey, the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright and the Tigers' Justin Verlander. Without these key players hitting free agency in coming years, teams will have to work with what remains. 

A few players stand to gain tremendously from these signings, but will need to put up good numbers this season if they want to cash in on long-term deals this offseason. Here are my top five free agents in need of a strong 2013 campaign.

Any news that involves Dylan Bundy and an “elbow injury” is never good.

It's really quite simple. Catch a perfect game: get a fancy watch. 

Susan Slusser, the San Francisco Chronicle's A's beat writer, gives a baseball-mad world a beautiful moment that will restore your faith in humanity—or faith that ace pitchers can still have some class.