At this time last year, the Detroit Tigers were just another team coming off a string of losing seasons, and Ryan Howard was a burgeoning talent with one major award in his trophy case.
Six months later, the Tigers were one of the best teams in baseball, a 95-win club on its way to the World Series, and Howard was about to win everything but the Nobel Peace Prize.
So which team will be this year's Tigers? And who'll blossom into a mega-talent, like Howard did?
The answers to these questions, and many others, will begin to unfold tonight as another baseball season begins with the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals hosting the New York Mets in a rematch of last year's National League Championship Series.
This season could bring a conclusion to one of the most public and controversial ordeals in the game's history. Barry Bonds needs 22 home runs to break Hank Aaron's record of 755. Unlike other record marches, this one may not be widely celebrated, as Bonds' link to baseball's steroid era, in the eyes of some, remains a pox on the game.
Anything can happen in baseball, and last year's World Series champions are proof. The Cardinals had the 13th-best winning percentage in the majors but got into the postseason tournament, went on a roll, and won it all.
Today, there is hope in all major-league cities. A new season is here. Here is a look ahead at some story lines worth following:
Yankees-Red Sox. The hype seems to have died down - they only played each other once in spring training - but the game's hottest rivalry remains intact. The Red Sox outbid the Yanks for Japanese phenom Daisuke Matsuzaka in November. The Yanks will look to beat out the Sox for Roger Clemens.
Boston has few weaknesses as it looks to rebound from last year's 86-win disappointment.
The Yankees could be equally strong, though there are question marks in their starting rotation. The Yanks have won 10 of the last 11 American League East titles, but no World Series since 2000. Owner George Steinbrenner doesn't breath fire the way he once did, but there's no doubting that he's restless.
Angels-Dodgers. Is this the year these two So-Cal teams meet in the World Series? The Angels have plenty of talent, led by Vladimir Guerrero, and a tremendous bullpen with Francisco Rodriguez and Scot Shields. The Dodgers' pitching staff should be among the best in the NL.
