After a long offseason the 2013 MLB season is back with a full schedule of opening day games following the first game of the season on Sunday night between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros in the first game of a new American League rivalry.
Last season saw some excitement in the playoffs as the San Francisco Giants won the World Series for the second time in three years and now the NL West will have even more competition with the re-vamped Dodgers, who have spent over $200 million on payroll after acquiring Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Hanley Ramirez last season.
The season has many contenders for the World Series and it isn't the usual names like the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, but teams like the Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds. Each of those teams, along with the Giants, Angels and Atlanta Braves could be considered favorites to make it, as are the Washington Nationals.
The Dodgers have spent over $215 million on the 2013 payroll after coming under new ownership and the team has a major amount of talent with Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Gonzalez along with unknown star Yasiel Puig, who was a surprise signing out of Cuba. The team could go both ways when it comes to wins, as they didn't make the playoffs after the big trade last season, but will a full spring training under their belts, they should be able to mesh better for the season.
The Toronto Blue Jays made a big play for the 2013 season with two huge trades and they may have picked the perfect time to do it, as both the Yankees and the Red Sox are both looking like they will have down seasons and the Orioles may have used all their magic up last year. The team acquired RA Dickey and Jose Reyes as well as Josh Johnson to add to talent like Jose Bautista and Brandon Morrow.
The Giants just locked up Buster Posey and already have Matt Cain for years and after coming off of another World Series championship, the team is favorites out west. Brandon Belt is ready to break out and Pablo Sandoval will try to build on his excellent World Series performance. If Tim Lnicecum can get back to his old ways, the Giants will be hard to beat.
Some other teams that are ready to take a step to the next level includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves as well as the reds, who had a great season last year before falling apart in the playoffs. The Tigers looked like champs last season, but the Giants ripped them apart, but they have the talent to get back to the big dance again.
Predictions: Some winners include the Yankees, Angels, Blue Jays, Mariners, Mets and Giants.
HERE is the full Opening Day schedule:
1:05 Boston Red Sox New York Yankees ESPN
1:05 Miami Marlins Washington Nationals FSFL/MASN
1:10 San Diego Padres New York Mets FSSD/SNY
1:35 Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh Pirates WGN/ROOT
2:10 Colorado Rockies Milwaukee Brewers ROOT/FSWI
4:10 San Francisco Giants Los Angeles Dodgers ESPN
4:10 Kansas City Royals Chicago White Sox FSKC/CSN
4:10 Detroit Tigers Minnesota Twins FSD/FSNO
4:10 Los Angeles Angels Cincinnati Reds FSW/FSOH
7:05 Philadelphia Phillies Atlanta Braves ESPN2
10:05 Seattle Mariners Oakland Athletics ROOT/CSCA
10:05 St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Diamondbacks ESPN2
