Here are five story lines to track during the 2015 Major League Baseball season which opens on Sunday.
Here are five storylines to track during the 2015 Major League Baseball season which opens on Sunday.
CHICAGO CUBS
Is this the year the Chicago Cubs, who have long been known as 'lovable losers', snap a 107-year-old World Series title drought?
Chicago have finished below .500 the last five seasons but have been the darling of spring training after hiring top drawer manager Joe Maddon and signing ace Jon Lester to a six-year $155 million deal.
The hype machine is humming in Wrigleyville but if the Cubs are to return to the postseason for the first time since 2008 it will depend largely on the play of prospects such as centre fielder Arismendy Alcantara, shortstop Starlin Castro and first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
PACE OF PLAY
In a world where attention spans are shrinking like glaciers in the summer heat and information is consumed in 140 character Twitter-sized bites, baseball's leisurely flow has fallen out of step in a fast-paced world.
The average MLB game took 3 hours 2 minutes to play last season, nearly 30 minutes more than it did in 1981. MLB will introduce several rule changes this season as timers will be added and fines applied for lollygaggers while hitters must keep at least one foot in the batter's box.
Baseball may not be on the verge of turning into an action-packed sport but the grinding marathons of pitchers and batters stalling and fidgeting that slowed the game to a crawl may be about to end.
MARLINS' STANTON
The Miami Marlins, who have been more frugal than flamboyant when it comes to spending money, opened up the vault last year by Giancarlo Stanton to an eye-popping 13-year $325 million deal, the largest contract in North American sport.
A proven slugger who slammed 154 homers in five seasons, including a National League-best 37 last year, Stanton looked a sound investment until the 25-year-old was hit in the head by a pitch and missed the final 17 games of the 2014 campaign.
The question now is whether Stanton will return as a feared slugger or frightened hitter?
A-ROD
In recent years, New York Yankees drug-tainted third baseman Alex Rodriguez has been more lightning rod than A-Rod attracting more controversy than cheers.
Sitting out last season serving a doping ban, Rodriguez denied, sued, admitted and finally apologised for his behaviour upon returning to the Yankees this spring ready to start earning the $61 million still owed him on the 10-year $275 million deal he signed in 2007.
Rodriguez could step into the designated hitter role as he resumes his climb up baseball's all-time home run list, where he sits fifth with 654, needing seven more to move past Willie Mays into fourth.
NATIONAL TREASURE
From top to bottom Washington has the look of a World Series champion but after two postseason flops the talent-laden team must prove they can get the job done in October.
The Nats have posted the best record in the National League two of the last three seasons but have not won a playoff series.
The Nationals will be led by the best starting rotation in baseball as 2013 American League Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (18-5) joins group that already includes Stephen Strasburg (14-11) and Jordan Zimmermann (14-5), leaving Doug Fister (16-6), Tanner Roark (15-10) and Gio Gonzalez battling for the other two spots.
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