Baseball, We Missed You

Spring Training: the two words baseball fans have been waiting for since the conclusion of the World Series. Yes, baseball has finally returned. I have no interest in watching the you know what. It has been a busy and productive offseason for many MLB teams. There were some interesting acquisitions, and I was busy writing stories about them. In case you've been living under a rock, I'll share some of my thoughts about the stories I've written, as well as provide links to them for your viewing pleasure.

Let's start with the defending World Series Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. For the last few months, I've heavily and harshly criticized them for the things that they've done. One story that made news during the offseason was them signing Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki. My anger was not towards Sasaki, but at the Dodgers for gatekeeping and selfishly pursuing Japanese talent from other teams. In previous stories, I've criticized Shohei Ohtani and the absurd contract he signed before the start of last season. While I do believe he's a fantastic player, no athlete is entitled to be paid close to a million dollars, regardless of their popularity. It screams entitlement and I dislike this kind of approach from players. His contract and the next person I'll be discussing should and needs to be heavily scrutinized.

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/my-thoughts-about-the-los-angeles-dodgers-asr9o0h1v

Juan Soto: Where do I begin with this hot mess? OMG?! More like WTF?! Despite many teams wanting to sign the 26-year-old World Series Champion, Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million dollar contract with the New York Mets. It's the largest contract in both MLB and sports history. There was major backlash of the deal from baseball fans, with many calling it ridiculous and others questioning his ability to be a contributor to the Mets. Meanwhile, Pete Alonso staying in Queens by agreeing to a 2-year, $54 million dollar deal. Going back to Juan Soto, I hope his ridiculous contract is worth it this upcoming season, or else the Mets will have many questions that they'll need to answer. I can guarantee you that Soto will be greeted with a chorus of boos when he returns to Yankee Stadium to face his old team.

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/more-thoughts-about-the-juan-soto-deal

The Texas Rangers: Let's talk about my beloved team. Even though they were unable to repeat as World Series Champions last season, they're poised to make some noise in 2025 and redeem themselves. They've acquired some notable players during the offseason, as well as the return of a 2023 World Series hero. Plus, my predictions for this team.

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/my-thoughts-about-the-rangers-latest-acquisitions

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/2025-texas-rangers-predictions

Finally, I've posted predictions of which American and National League teams would win their divisions and clinch Wild Card spots. I've also added my two cents about each team I selected.

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/american-league-division-winner-predictions-for-2025

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/national-league-division-winner-predictions-for-2025

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/wesley-s-2025-american-league-wild-card-picks

https://vocal.media/unbalanced/wesley-s-national-league-wild-card-picks

Other predictions for the 2025 MLB regular season

• Over/under 3 grand slams

• Over/under 40 walk-off wins

• At least one no-hitter and/or complete game

Things to look forward to

These last notes aren't Spring Training related, but they're important. The 2025 All-Star Game will take place in Atlanta this summer. Plus, three players will have their jersey numbers retired by their respective teams: Billy Wagner, David Wright, and Ichiro. Also, Elvis Andrus will be inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame. He's now a Pre and Post-Game Analyst for the newly created Rangers Sports Network. Wagner and Ichiro will both be officially inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July.

Let me know in the comments if your favorite team will make it to the playoffs or even further than that. Also, comment on your predictions for any player or players and other teams. Be sure to like this story and follow me on my socials. Finally, please consider gifting me a one-off tip at the end of this story to support me as I continue to write and publish stories to share with everyone.