Opinion

A huge factor in the success of the San Francisco Giants over the last four seasons has been their ability to turn minor league free agents in to key contributors.

The Boston Red Sox dropped their first official matchup of the spring Saturday afternoon to the Tampa Bay Rays—overall, Boston didn’t play half bad.

With spring training underway for the Boston Red Sox, the regular season will be here before fans know it. But despite the promise of a new year, Boston should be concerned about the health of designated hitter David Ortiz.

Heading into the 2011 trading deadline, the San Francisco Giants were 60-44 and clinging to a three game lead over the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.

Spring training is here, and while some fans may be content to stick to college hoops and hockey until Opening Day arrives, others are going to want to get a closer look at all 30 teams before the season begins.

Whether you prefer the Cactus League or the Grapefruit League, this spring has plenty in store for serious MLB fans.

Below we'll highlight a trio of upcoming preseason matchups that fans won't want to miss.

The Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of some inconsistent Boston Red Sox pitching as they took the first game of spring training, 4-3.

John Lackey took the mound for the first time since 2011 for the Red Sox, allowing one run in one inning of work. He struggled early in the inning, but got more comfortable with each batter and got out the first without further damage.

When the Atlanta Braves traded Martin Prado the Arizona Diamondbacks, most thought the Braves got a good deal in return.

After all, the Braves received Justin Upton and Chris Johnson in a deal that saw the Braves give up a bunch of prospects in addition to Prado.

However, with the loss of Prado, there is one question on many people's mind—who becomes the new super utility guy for the Braves?

The voice would sometimes be hushed, even barely over a whisper. But there was no discounting its sincerity, or its candor.

The slew of microphones would be jabbed into the face of the speaker, and even inches away from his mouth, the words were difficult to pick up.

They were the E.F. Hutton of athletes in Detroit. You remember the commercials.

Due to both the volume and caliber of players confirmed to participate in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, teams are in a unique position to offer their top prospects additional playing time over the course of the spring. However, despite the additional opportunities, it’s still extremely doubtful that any of baseball’s top prospects will make an Opening Day roster. 

Earlier this month, I wrote an article about MLB players on the cusp of becoming All-Stars for the first time. Several of the names on that list are youngsters who are already impressing with their play on the field.