Opinion

Much like the zombie outbreak that will inevitably consume the globe and drive humanity onto floating colonies at sea, the spread of pinkeye can only be slowed by containment.

You isolate the infected, protect the healthy and remain vigilant for any signs of the disease spreading in the community or its pillows (NSFW language).

Everyone loves a comeback story. And in MLB this upcoming season, there are many players on the trail back to greatness. Which players will bounce back from injuries or poor play and dominate once again?

This is just a checkup. It's only a glimpse into faux baseball, one where starters routinely exit after two at-bats and the final score is irrelevant. This is just to provide a sense of who isn't quite performing well when nothing matters, so read into it what you will. 

Last year, Chris Heisey finished the spring batting .310, while Skip Schumaker hit .441. Spring training performances aren't indicative of much, but it's interesting to check it out.

The Cleveland Indians are making waves early in spring training and have a legitimate shot at winning the American League Central in 2015.

If they're going to do it, though, they'll need all hands on deck. That hasn't been the case so far in spring training, and three players in particular are turning heads for all the wrong reasons.

We remind ourselves every year not to worry about what happens during spring training. It's Major League Baseball's practice season, so it's typically a good idea to heed the wisdom of Allen Iverson.

But who are we kidding? A lot of the time we just can't help ourselves. Though patience is advised, sometimes spring training makes us PANIC.

FORT MYERS, Florida — Nights were the worst. You think of a major league baseball player, you think of a dreamy life with plush hotels.

There were no dreams for Mike Napoli. Only fear. In the middle of the night. Alone. When he would jolt awake, several times each evening, because he could not breathe.

The expectations placed on George Springer have never been higher. 

As a college player at Connecticut, they were already on the rise. After the Houston Astros drafted him 11th overall in 2011, those expectations again grew, and by the time he finished his second full minor league season in 2013 with a .303/.411/.600 line to go with a 1.010 OPS, 37 home runs and 108 RBI, he was a potential star.

When Marcus Stroman's knee went, it didn't take the Toronto Blue Jays' playoff hopes with it. 

Stroman is a key cog in the Jays' rotation and the news that the 23-year-old right-hander is out for the season with a torn ACL was a painful blow, no doubt. 

At this point in the spring, players are focused on getting their work in to be ready for the start of the season. Unless you're a rookie or marginal player trying to land a job, statistics are largely meaningless.

With more than three weeks remaining before the start of the season, there is still plenty of time for a player to find his groove.

By all rights, the biggest star on the field during Thursday's exhibition between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels should have been the guy who played Ron Burgundy, Ricky Bobby and Lord Business.