March has arrived!
For the first time since Madison Bumgarner's October heroics, we're going to have some live baseball games this week. The majority of teams have playoff aspirations, but for those to come true, key players will need to have bounce-back seasons.
Whether it's a player such as CC Sabathia coming off injury, or a former top prospect looking for a bounce-back season, a hot start in spring training would be a great sign to alleviate the stress in the front office and for the fans.
Admittedly, 99 percent of the time I ignore spring-training stats, as should you. Last season, four of the top 10 players in spring OPS went on to have terrible regular seasons. Justin Verlander threw 20 scoreless innings but after a strong April went on to one of the worst seasons of his career. It's a time when players get their reps in order to get ready for the arduous 162-game season.
However, for the prospect or veteran fighting for a roster spot or a player coming back from injury, spring training can be very important. These players need to prove themselves to earn playing time or fend off a top prospect to keep their jobs.
A hot start could do just that.
- Login to post comments