Opinion

The Tommy John surgery dragon just keeps blowing fire on the hopes of teams across the land. The New York Mets and Zack Wheeler are its latest victims. 

While the Milwaukee Brewers continue to struggle through a nasty pink-eye breakout, the Toronto Blue Jays could be facing an injury bug spurred by everyday bodily functions.

The New York Yankees offense is an interesting bunch. The group features immense levels of talent, but question marks pop up throughout the lineup in the form of injury and production concerns.

That said, where there's bust potential, there also tends to be boom potential. This holds true for the Yankees offense as well.

Cliff Lee has sent Ruben Amaro Jr. his much-needed wake-up call.

Now it is up to Amaro to actually wake up.

JUPITER, Florida — Life is precious. Start with that. Life is precious and fragile, and don't think for an instant that Jason Heyward needed to walk into a brand-new clubhouse this spring to figure that one out.

The man whom the St. Louis Cardinals acquired to replace Oscar Taveras, who was killed in an auto accident last October?

Ah, spring training stats—how you tease, how you tempt, how you beguile. Our heads tell us that a torrid March doesn't portend a scalding April (never mind the months that follow), but our hearts...well, they're tougher to convince.

There's nothing wrong with optimism, and every year a handful of players carry surprisingly strong spring performances into the regular season.

For the most part, though, what happens in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues stays in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. 

Kris Bryant has been labeled a future star ever since his college days at the University of San Diego. He crushed a nation-leading 31 home runs in his junior season, and that incredible production made him the second overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft.

His effectiveness at the plate has not decreased as he has risen up the professional ladder. As hard as it is to believe, it has improved.

With just over three weeks until Opening Day, the Seattle Mariners are beginning to get a clear idea of who will come out victorious in their most intense position battles.

You know the adage about old dogs and new tricks? The Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox (among others) are hoping it doesn't apply to baseball players.

Each of those clubs is asking an important acquisition or incumbent star to switch positions this spring. That's always a gamble; sometimes it pays dividends, sometimes it comes up snake eyes.

The Texas Rangers had more trouble with injuries than any other team in Major League Baseball last season, but at least they got to enjoy ace right-hander Yu Darvish for most of the year. 

Alas, the odds of that happening again have since been downgraded to zero percent. As Rangers Executive VP of Communications John Blake announced Friday, Darvish will undergo Tommy John surgery next week: