As usual in the game of baseball, the phenomenal disappointments and the overwhelming achievements of high-profile players stick for about one year. After that, the ‘what have you done for me lately’ questions arise. Baseball fans have a very short memory. With satellite TV MLB packages, fans can have their questions answered day and night with access to games nation-wide. The same goes for bar owners who want to keep their clientele’s attention. Here are five big questions that need to be addressed.
1. Who is Cole Hamels and why isn’t he the same as in 2008? If you’re a World Series MVP, a killer fireballer throwing from the left side, you should not suddenly lose your way one night in Philadelphia. Unfortunately for the Phillies, something along those lines happened to Cole Hamels in 2009. To say the Phillies suffered because of it is an understatement. They probably lost the World Series because of it. 2010′s model of Cole will be on prominent display around the country. The Phillies will need him.
2. How long will the Ortiz drama play out? David Ortiz was one of the game’s premier sluggers until mid-2008. After that, injuries and underachieving have dogged him on a daily basis, along with a severely damaging steroids accusation. Was that the reason for the decline of David Ortiz? No one knows for sure, but with the Red Sox looking for some punch in their less-powerful lineup, Ortiz will factor into the equation in a big way. For any bar owner looking for a quick fix in the way of sports packages, getting the NESN HD network is a sure-fire way to bring in loyal Boston fans.
3. Will Austin Jackson stand up in Detroit? Sports fans love young sensations, and Detroit’s new center fielder may be just that. For years heralded as the Yankees premier minor-league outfielder, Jackson was placed in center field on day one of the 2010 season and it appears to be his job to lose. Speed and confidence are in no short supply. Scouts will be focused on Jackson’s progress to evaluate the Yankees trade all year long.
4. Which bullpen hurler will step up in Philadelphia? For a World Series team, the Phillies had an awful lot of trouble in the bullpen in 2009. Brad Lidge followed one of the all-time best seasons as a closer in 2008 with one of the worst all-time seasons as a closer. For the Phillies to get back and do damage in October, they will need something along the lines of the previous Lidge model.
5. Can Alex Rodriguez remain the clutch hero? For years, it was A-Fraud and dozens of other humiliating monikers which haunted Alex Rodriguez. He’s not a clutch hitter, many said, nor a champion at all. Then came 2009, and A-Rod became a playoff legend, compiling one of the finest postseasons ever. Was it a fluke or is A-Rod ready to step up into the pantheon of baseball gods? Check the YES HD network for the latest.
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