10 Things I Wonder

I wonder:

• If Curt Schilling will be the workhorse the Red Sox need him to be. (He will.)


• If Keith Foulke will again be the closer that brought Boston a World Series title. (He won’t, but he’ll do OK.)


• If David Wells will be traded from the Red Sox before the season starts. (He will.)


• If Manny Ramirez will be traded from the Red Sox before the season ends. (He won’t.)


• If Barry Bonds will retire after he passes Babe Ruth on the all-time career home runs list, but before he passes Hank Aaron. (He will.)


• If Roger Clemens will retire after pitching in the World Baseball Classic. (He won’t if the Astros are playing all right; he will if they aren’t.)


• If the ban on steroids and amphetamines will cause major league baseball games in late August ’06 to resemble those in late August ’66. (They will – and that’s a good thing!)


• If the newly-reloaded New York Mets will loosen the Braves’ grip on the National League East for the first time in 14 years. (They won’t.)


• If the injury-plagued Hyannis Mets will rebound from last summer’s sorry season. (They will.)


• If the free-spending Blue Jays will finish ahead of the Red Sox this year. (They won’t – unless Schilling and Foulke 'aren’t' [see above].)

Pitchers and catchers reported to eight spring training camps today. It won’t be long now!