While spring hopes eternal for 30 clubs until a pitch is thrown in earnest, only five in each league will make it to October.
Look for the San Francisco Giants to be one of those teams.
Here's a few things to consider when Bruce Bochy's men open the 2014 season Monday night in Arizona, Madison Bumgarner versus an "undecided" Dbacks' pitcher.:
1.The Brandons: Everybody's talking about a breakout 2014 season from Brandon Belt -- and well they should -- but let's not forget the other left-hand-hitting fourth-year San Francisco infielder named Brandon; guy by the name of Brandon Crawford. Along with his defense and general reliability, the shortstop's on base and slugging numbers have improved each season, and something in the neighborhood of a .275/.335/.380 line, with 15 home runs 60 RBIs shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.
Brandon Belt's going to mash too, with expectations of across-the-board offensive climbs and a top 10 National League Most Valuable Player finish being thoroughly within reason.
2. Bounce-back candidates: Matt Cain's following up the off-by-his-standards 2013 season with a 5.91 spring ERA is meaningless. If losing ace-status to Bumgarner isn't motivation enough, a return to prominence as one baseball's best starters while pitching in a pennant race is, and the Giants simply must have Cain in top form to contend.
Newcomer Tim Hudson, returning from a gruesome ankle injury, and Angel Pagan, who lost half of his 2013 campaign to a hamstring injury, are potential Comeback Player of the Year candidates. Tim Lincecum recovered to a fair degree from his 2012 disaster last year and needs to continue in that direction.
3. The horses: Not requiring any type of comeback are catcher Buster Posey, re-signed right fielder Hunter Pence, closer Sergio Romo and lefty specialist Javier Lopez. Just expect more of the same.
Pablo Sandoval doesn't fit into the bounce-back category neatly, but he has lost weight (again), and it's going to be interesting to see how he performs in this his free agent walk year.
4. Potential problems: Marco Scutaro is a 37-year-old second baseman with back problems who just made all of two exhibition plate appearances. He's expected to start the season on the disabled list. Also, Ryan Vogelsong had a miserable 2013 (4-6, 5.73) and his been roughed up this spring.
5. The skipper. Bochy begins his ninth year at the San Francisco helm with a 1530-1530 career record, and while break-even managers don't usually merit Hall of Fame consideration, this one just might. Two World Series championships usually gets you in the conversation, and good luck finding a manager with three rings who's not already in Cooperstown. With the possible exception of the Cardinals' Mike Matheny, Bochy is the NL's savviest leader, and out-smarts his division counterparts on an almost nightly basis.
The Giants finished out of the money in 2011 after winning the World Series in 2010, only to come back as champs in 2012.
Perhaps we'll see a similar turnaround in 2014.
Howard Cole is an L.A.-based baseball writer, born in what is now the Scientology Building on Sunset Blvd., a Pence's throw from Dodger Stadium. He's also the founding director of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA). Please follow him on Twitter @Howard_Cole
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