Instant Replay: Let's hope the umps don't let their simmering resentment sabotage replay by turning it into an unnecessary ordeal. I watched a crew during the WBC spend an eternity discussing whether a ball was a home run, then an eternity looking at a replay, one in which the call appeared obvious at a glance, before finally returning to the field. The consolation: they got the call wrong on the field and right after the replay.

Switching Leagues: Despite the consensus that the American League is superior, the National League has now won two of the last three World Series. And someday it will win an All-Star Game again. (The last NL victory came in 1996!) Still, while top AL players have fared well crossing over to the NL—Manny Ramirez and CC Sabathia were dominant after interleague trades last year—the reverse hasn't been true. Two former NL outfielders who will be in the spotlight: Oakland's Matt Holliday, who will have to prove he can hit outside Denver's Coors Field, and Tampa's Pat Burrell, who could be a sorely needed extra power bat if his swing can catch up with all the hard stuff in the junior circuit.

West Coast Stars: Junior Griffey, at age 39, is going home to Seattle, a shadow of the "Kid" who went home to Cincinnati a decade ago. Manny Ramirez remained with the Dodgers, though he was unhappy to accept a two-year deal. And we know the risks when Manny is unhappy. Jason Giambi is out of New York and back in Oakland, the scene of what gossip columns refer to as "happier times." And 45-year-old Randy Johnson is now a San Francisco Giant and just five wins away from 300 career victories—quite likely the last pitcher who will ever achieve that milestone. How will the notoriously surly and sulky Big Unit adjust to pitching in the shadow of the undersize Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum?

Rare Rookies: Future salary and rights considerations dictated that Tampa Bay pitcher David Price, already a postseason standout, and Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters—think Joe Mauer with more power—start the season in the minors. Both should arrive in the majors before summer and should be eagerly anticipated by fans.

We Were Family:Willie Stargell, the young Barry Bonds, Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski, Elroy Face, the Waner brothers ("Big" and "Little Poison"), Honus Wagner. That was the glory that was the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates will have to boost their win total by an unlikely 24 games to avert an MLB record 17th consecutive losing season. But don't feel too sorry for Pittsburgh. The city still has the Steelers and Sidney Crosby.

A-Rod: He carries more baggage than your average airline. And he will never again see himself cast as baseball's golden boy as he chases Barry Bonds's tarnished career home-run mark. A lesser narcissist would be humbled. Rest assured that A-Rod isn't (even though he is taking a long look at himself in the mirror), and will, at some point, be at the center of some new melodrama this season.

© 2009