30 things you need to know before MLB’s opening day

Following baseball has become a year-long event. Sure, there’s technically an offseason, but player movement is so frequent that sometimes it’s hard to keep up.

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For some, this isn’t an issue. If you’re on social media 24/7, or constantly reading up on your favorite websites, you’re probably well prepared for the season — which begins with three games on Sunday, then the traditional openind day on Monday. If you’re one of those fans, you know David Price signed with the Boston Red Sox. You know the Arizona Diamondbacks traded for Shelby Miller. You even know what team Juan Uribe plays for.

(AP) In today’s busy world, some people just don’t have the time to follow baseball in December. Maybe you’re too busy with other sports. Maybe you’re a very important person with real-life responsibilities. Whatever it is, we’re not here to judge.

We’re here to help, actually. For fans who stopped following baseball immediately after the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets in the World Series, we’ve compiled a list of the 30 things to know heading into the 2016 season. We’re recapping the major moves, big storylines and what people will be talking about as the 2016 season begins. So let’s get to it!

1. The Cubs might just break their 108-year drought
The Chicago Cubs enter the 2016 season as the odds on favorite to win the World Series, which is an unusual spot for the lovable losers to find themselves. After their surprise run to the NLCS last season, the Cubs went big in the offseason, adding John Lackey ($32M), Jason Heyward ($184M), Ben Zobrist ($56M) and Dexter Fowler ($13). Their young core will be a year better and they return Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta. Expectations are sky high on the North Side this season — so are the stakes. (Mike Oz)

2. Bryce Harper said baseball is “tired”
The Washington Nationals’ star outfielder has always done things his way. Now he’s hoping the rest of MLB will follow suit in an effort to liven up the game and attract new fans. Harper is hoping to see more personality and less attention being paid to baseball’s unwritten rules. Given Harper’s passionate pleas and his ability to lead by example, we can’t wait to see what he has in store. (Mark Townsend)

3. People are STILL talking about Jose Bautista’s bat flip
A new season usually brings fresh perspectives and new storylines. That doesn’t apply to Bautista’s bat flip heard ’round the world though. The repercussions and reverberations are still being felt some six months later, and they are still fueling the “baseball etiquette” debate, which is turning into a brooding culture war by the month. Of course, the home run and resulting bat flip are still being celebrated as well in the form of baseball cards and bobblehead dolls. It’s simply an iconic moment that could define baseball for years to come. (Townsend)

4. A-Rod is closing in on Babe Ruth
Alex Rodriguez enters the season just 27 home runs away from tying Babe Ruth for third on the all-time leaderboard. While Rodriguez is 40, he did manage to hit 33 home runs in 2015. Tying, and eventually passing, Ruth could become a reality late in the season. Prepare your hot takes now. (Chris Cwik)

5. David Price signed the biggest contract of the offseason
The Boston Red Sox needed an ace and that’s exactly what Price will provide them. Now that he’s in town after signing a $217-million deal, the rest of Boston’s inconsistent yet intriguing rotation can fall in line with a lot less pressure on them to carry the load. And just that little stability could be the difference between Boston making the playoffs or suffering a third straight losing season. (Townsend)

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6. Big Papi is hoping to lead the Red Sox on one more postseason run
It’s difficult to imagine Big Papi going away quietly, and the Red Sox should be extra motivated to ensure that doesn’t happen. The good news is Boston has a deeper and more stable roster, meaning it can withstand a few disappointing performances. It would be most fitting though if it’s Ortiz who leads their charge from worst-to-first. (Townsend)

7. Barry Bonds is back
The Miami Marlins hired Barry Bonds as their hitting coach, and that should make for an entertaining story line. Whether you love of hate Bonds, you can’t question his mastery at the plate. Whether he can pass that along to other hitters is the question, and whether he can handle the usual amount of drama that comes with being employed by the Marlins. (Cwik)

8. The D-backs got Zack Greinke and went all in
Nobody figured the Arizona Diamondbacks to be big players this offseason, but that’s what makes the Hot Stove season so much fun. The D-backs surprised everyone, swooping in to sign Zack Greinke ($206.5M) at the last minute. Then they traded for Shelby Miller, signaling a win-now philosophy. It makes sense, since Paul Goldschmidt is in his prime. The D-backs have their doubters. Playing in the same division as the Giants and Dodgers doesn’t help either. But the D-backs at least made themselves a fascinating team for 2016. (Oz)

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9. The Giants spent big on pitching while hoping the even-year thing works out
About those Giants: They kept up with the D-backs and signed Jeff Samardzija ($90M) after missing out on Greinke. Then they signed Johnny Cueto ($130M) after that. Add Madison Bumgarner and that could be a great rotation. The Giants also added Denard Span ($31M) to help their outfield. It’s 2016 — an even year — so the Giants not only have a big offseason on their side, but the pattern of World Series-winning too. (Oz)

10. MLB changes rules on take-out slides
Players will no longer be allowed to go out of their way during takeout slides. Contact between players is still possible, but the slider cannot go out their way or change their path in order to make contact with a fielder. Violators will be called out for interference. The “neighborhood play” will also be reviewable under the new policy. (Cwik)

11. Dusty Baker is back in search of a World Series championship
The one thing that has eluded Baker as a manager is the same thing the Washington Nationals desperately seek: a World Series championship. Together now, both sides hope their mix of experience and talent will create a championship-winning recipe. It won’t be easy in a top-heavy National League, but all of the ingredients seem to be there. (Townsend)

12. There are four other new managers
The Nationals weren’t the only team seeking a new direction. The Dodgers hired first-time manager Dave Roberts, hoping his upbeat personality will push them deeper in the postseason. With Roberts in, that means Don Mattingly is out in Los Angeles. He’s now the manager of the Miami Marlins, where he’ll be charged with overseeing a perpetually unsettled franchise. Meanwhile, Seattle and San Diego also turned to someone new, hiring first-time managers Scott Servais and Andy Green, respectively, in hopes of turning their disappointment into success. (Townsend)

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13. Donny Baseball and the no-facial-hair policy
Don Mattingly moves to Miami, and he’s taking the old Yankees policy regarding facial hair with him. Marlins players are expected to be clean-shaven, and Mattingly has already proved he’s serious about the issue. While he’ll ultimately be judged for how the team performs on the field, the policy does seem silly and outdated, even if it reminds us of his Simpsons cameo. (Cwik)

14. We’re in the middle of the young shortstop explosion
Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor and Xander Bogaerts emerged as future stars last season. This year, Addison Russell and Corey Seager could make that leap. And don’t forget about J.P Crawford, Trea Turner and Orlando Arcia, all of who could be promoted this season. After years of less-than-stellar performance at short, the position is exploding with talent again. (Cwik)

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15. Aroldis Chapman got traded to the Yankees, then suspended
The Yankees were determined to build a dominant bullpen this winter. To prove that, they acquired Aroldis Chapman from the Reds despite not knowing how MLB would handle his domestic incident from October. The Yankees now know Chapman will miss the first 30 games of the season, which is a small price in comparison to the difference he should make upon his return. (Townsend)

16. Jose Reyes is in trouble too
Jose Reyes is subject to a suspension under MLB’s new domestic violence policy. He was accused of getting into an altercation with his wife in November, and faced criminal charges. Those charges have been dropped after Reyes’ wife refused to cooperate with prosecutors, but Reyes is still subject to a lengthy suspension from commissioner Rob Manfred. (Cwik)

17. Detroit is trying to contend again
Lest you think the Detroit Tigers were just going to slip into rebuilding mode after that last-place finish in 2015, they went out and spent a bunch of money to challenge for the AL Central title again. Specifically, the Tigers signed Jordan Zimmermann ($110M) and Justin Upton ($132M) to rejuvenate both the lineup and the rotation. They brought on Francisco Rodriguez to help the bullpen too. The Tigers want that elusive title and they’re willing to spend big money to get it. (Oz)

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18. Yankees didn’t sign anybody
The New York Yankees didn’t sign any player to a major-league contract this offseason. That seems insane based on how they’ve treated free agency in the past, but it’s true. Instead, the Yankees opted to make shrewd trades, bringing in Starlin Castro, Aaron Hicks and the aforementioned Chapman. It wasn’t the offseason we’re used to seeing from the club, but it was still effective. (Cwik)

19. The Mets will get a full season of Yoenis Cespedes
Cespedes didn’t land the mega-deal everyone anticipated this winter, and that turned into quite a deal for the Mets. Cespedes’ return “home” means the Mets will have the centerpiece of their offense back for at least the 2016 season, and perhaps beyond. That’s a pretty exciting development for Mets fans considering the impact Cespedes made and what the team became following his arrival. It could be a game-changer in the NL too, as the Mets now look like a complete team. (Townsend)

20. And people are going nuts about the Mets rotation
The entire Mets roster has improved, but the starting rotation remains its treasure. With arms like Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, it’s impossible to not focus on the possibilities that exist. Oh, and yes, Bartolo Colon is still there too, providing intentional and unintentional entertainment. But let us not forget the impending return of Zack Wheeler, whose potential is also through the roof. (Townsend)

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21. The Dodgers pitching staff is already a mess
Clayton Kershaw is great, we all know that. But after that? This L.A. rotation in 2016 might have some problems. The Dodgers already lost Brett Anderson to injury and Hyun-jin Ryu returned from his shoulder issues slower than expected. Now he’s not likely to return until mid-May. So after Kershaw, the Dodgers line up Scott Kazmir, Japanense import Kenta Maeda, Alex Wood and either Carlos Frias or Ross Stripling. The good news is Brandon McCarthy could be back from Tommy John surgery by June. (Oz)

22. Get to know the latest MLB imports
Kenta Maeda may be the biggest name, and is playing on the biggest stage, but a number of players came over from either Korea or Japan’s NPB this offseason. Byung-ho Park is expected to be the Twins full-time DH, while Dae Ho Lee will likely take on a platoon role with the Mariners. Hyun-soo Kim may or may not play for the Orioles based on whether he’ll accept a demotion. Finally, Seung-hwan Oh, known as “The Final Boss,” will be a reliever for the Cardinals. (Cwik)

23. Orioles emptied the bank account, but they may not be much better
The Baltimore Orioles spent $280 million this offseason, most of it going to bring back Chris Davis ($161M). They also added Yovani Gallardo, retained Matt Wieters and Darren O’Day, traded for Mark Trumbo and signed Pedro Alvarez. But the Orioles were a .500 team last season and they don’t seem remarkably better, especially not with that starting pitching staff. Davis might hit 40 homers, but he might also hit .215. (Oz)

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24. People still don’t have faith in the Royals
The Royals are the reigning World Series champs. They took the previous World Series to a Game 7. So they’re a pretty good team. Thing is, people and projections still underestimate them. Some of the projections have the Royals finishing below .500 and not getting anywhere near the playoffs. Keep in mind, most of their core is back this year. They only their trade-deadline rentals — Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto. The Royals played last season with a chip on their shoulder and it got them to the World Series. What’ll happen this year? (Oz)

25. The Cardinals might be vulnerable
For the first time in a long time, the Cardinals won’t be the class of the NL Central. The upstart Cubs have unseated them at the top, while the Pirates remain pesky. St. Louis made some modest upgrades during the offseason, but still enter the regular season with more questions than normal. Time to see if they can get the devil magic working again. (Cwik)

26. MLB is still trying to speed up the game
The new rules for 2016 affecting pace of play aren’t as drastic as last season’s, but they’re still new and worth addressing. The biggest change is mound visits will be timed and limited to 30 seconds. The between-innings breaks will be pared down by 20 seconds too. Last season’s pace-of-play rules shaved six minutes and seven seconds off the average MLB game. But the league still wants more. (Oz)

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27. Extended netting to be introduced at several ballparks
After several unfortunate fan injuries hampered the 2015 season, MLB called for improved safety measures this season. The league’s suggestions included extended netting. Several teams have complied to varying degrees, which should make the fans safer. However, backlash is expected too as fans get used to a slightly altered view. (Townsend)

28. Marcus Stroman became your new favorite player
If you missed it: Marcus Stroman might have had the biggest star turn this offseason. It makes sense. He’s smart, energetic, bubbling with personality, a whiz on social media and his story is great. Last year, after a spring-training injury, he returned to Duke University finish his degree, graduated and returned in time for the postseason. He looked fantastic in the playoffs, by the way. Now he starts the season as the Blue Jays ace and a blossoming face of the game. (Oz)

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29. It’s Vin Scully’s final season
Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully has announced that this will be his final season in the booth. The 88-year-old Scully has spent 67 years with the Dodgers, and is revered around the game by all fans. We’ll be sad to see him go, but we’ll make sure to listen to him as often as possible this season. (Cwik)

30. Tim Lincecum can still be yours
Tim Lincecum ain’t what he used to be. He’s been a pitcher with an ERA above 4.00 for the last four seasons. Coming off hip surgery, Lincecum is still unsigned. He’ll find a team, because there’s interest out there. The allure of giving Lincecum a one-year deal and hoping he magically turns back into a Cy Young pitcher is too great for pass up. (Oz)

BONUS: YOU CAN STREAM MLB GAMES ON YAHOO EVERY DAY
This is specifically cool for you, the Yahoo reader. This year, Yahoo Sports is streaming an MLB game every day right here on our site. And you can watch for free. It’s the MLB Free Game of the Day and you’ll see a variety of stars and teams from all across the country. Cool, right? Keep an eye on Big League Stew as we’ll tell you the schedule of games each week.

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz

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