A-Rod, Valentine among early stories to watch

A-Rod, Valentine among early stories to watch

JEFF KOWALSKY/EPA

Keep a close eye on Bobby Valentine as the new Red Sox skipper could have his hands full in Boston.

Now that the baseball season has officially opened three times - in Japan a week ago, at the new Marlins Park in Miami for prime time national TV on Wednesday night and finally everywhere else on Thursday and Friday - its time to sit back and enjoy the ride as everything unfolds from here to October or November. There are, however, some teams and people who, in particular, will bear close watching.

The Dodgers

The $ 2.15 billion sale of the t eam from Frank McCourt to the group headed by Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten has not even been officially ratified and already it has had significant impact all over baseball.

It is not a coincidence that once it became clear the new Dodger ownership intends to flex its large-market muscles, the rival NL West Giants locked up righty starter Matt Cain to a six-year, $ 127.5 million deal and Cincinnati opened its vault with a record 12-year, $ 251.5 million deal for first baseman Joey Votto.

And now we know why Angels owner Arte Moreno, who has been ever so gradually making moves to become top dog in the L.A. market, was so aggressive in signing Albert Pujols to that 10-year $ 254 million deal. He, too, saw the Blue Monster coming with all the billionaires lining up to buy the Dodgers.

Say this for Reds owner Bob Castellini: He took a big market risk on Votto, who would have surely commanded a Pujols-like deal when he hit free agency after 2013, but d id so by using the $ 25 million per year revenue sharing money hes been saving up over the last 10 years. Thats what revenue sharing was designed for. It remains to be seen how the Votto deal impacts All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips with whom theyve been negotiating for over a year although Reds GM Walt Jocketty said the two sides are expect to get a deal in the next few days.

Meanwhile, the Phillies, with San Diego native Cole Hamels poised to be the biggest pitching prize in next winters free-agent market, are the next club that has to worry about the newly financially fortified Dodgers.

Bobby Valentine

So far, Bobby V has done a good job of keeping a stiff upper lip when it comes to the myriad of Red Sox spring woes and the rumors he hasnt exactly been on the same page with rookie GM Ben Cherington, especially regarding the Daniel Bard situation.

With the thumb surgery to Andrew Bailey throwing the closer situation into chaos, the front offices failure to acquire at least one proven starter for the back of the rotation, and the growing inevitability that $ 142 million misfit, Carl Crawford, is never going to be the player that he was in Tampa Bay, Valentine has to be thinking this was not what he signed up for when he replaced Terry Francona last winter.