MLB: What you need to know as baseball begins

Plus: Statistical milestones under assault

After months of tense negotiations, Major League Baseball begins its regular season today. No one can profess to know what will happen in this unprecedented 60-game sprint—not even the players. We might see starting pitchers treat the season as an experiment and throw every four days. We might see assaults on some statistical milestones: a .400 average, an .800 slugging percentage and a 1.12 ERA. We might even end up with a middle reliever as a real contender in the Cy Young race.

Our expert SportsMoney contributors, though, have put their heads together to come up with a guide to a season that has thrown all of us a curve. Why bother with the exercise? Just remember that old Yogi Berra quote: If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.

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On The Rise

The shorter season could actually help the Angels end their playoff drought. They're not the only team that stands to benefit from the condensed schedule: These five other clubs should see their chances improve in this unusual format. Keep a particular eye on the Rays, who have vital pitching depth, and the White Sox, who may not get another batting title out of Tim Anderson but should still have a potent lineup—and are in a great position for 2021 as well. The Yankees won't be sneaking up on anyone, but their under-the-radar first-base platoon should be a dynamic duo.

Which players could excel in 2020? Whether you're just looking for a fantasy sleeper or you're actually focused on the field, here are some names to watch. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was largely seen as a disappointment last year, but the advanced metrics suggest he could be in for a big season. The Marlins' Sandy Alcantara looks like the next Lucas Giolito, and his teammate Elieser Hernandez should bounce back after some historically bad luck. Mets closer Edwin Diaz, too, should get back on track after a season that wasn't nearly as bad as you might think. And Max Muncy should star for the Dodgers.

Our stats expert crunched the numbers to come up with MLB's best changeup, curveball, slider, sinker and, of course, fastball. Jacob deGrom will be looking this year to become only the third pitcher to have won three straight Cy Young Awards, but advanced metrics suggest he'll face tough competition from a National League rival.

Trouble Ahead

The Tigers will be trying to modernize their hitting philosophy under a new hitting coach while conducting an odd experiment at third base. In the meantime, they might want to bring in that center-field wall a bit.

The Indians entered Spring Training 2.0 with at least two starting outfield spots unsettled. As they head into their opener on Friday, that may still be the case.

Jose Quintana's dishwashing injury leaves the Cubs a pitcher short in a rotation that already lacked depth. Two other players who should worry their teams: Both the Cardinals' Kolten Wong and the White Sox' Alex Colome are due to decline.

Some huge contracts will come off the books this year, including Masahiro Tanaka, Jordan Zimmermann and Shin-Soo Choo. But this season could have severe repercussions on free agency.

The Last Word

“Usually when regular people walk past you, nothing is made of it. Yasiel Puig is not a regular person.”

Brian Chandler

The Twitter account that broke the news that Yasiel Puig would sign with the Braves didn't belong to an MLB insider like Jeff Passan or Ken Rosenthal or Buster Olney, but to a fan who happened to be in a hotel lobby. Brian Chandler tells us about his moment in the media spotlight.