2005 Baseball Season Outlook

The trades and off season free agent signings will have a dramatic effect on some teams. Superstar players and young emerging stars have new homes now. Pedro Martinez has left Boston to go to the Mets, Randy Johnson has added another solid starting pitcher to the Yankees rotation, Sammy Sosa unfortunately has left the Cubs and now will be appearing in a Baltimore uniform, the Braves have snatched pitching ace Tim Hudson from Oakland, and Adrian Beltre leaves the Dodgers and joins the Mariners to provide another steady, potent bat in the lineup. They should all bring improvement to each team.
The Montreal Expos have relocated to Washington D.C. They are now known as the Washington Nationals. Despite the new venue and fresh faces added, the team will finish toward the bottom of their division. I don't expect the team to bring in large attendance, but some tickets will be sold just because baseball fans want to see the new ballpark. It will be at least a few years before anything relatively big happens as the team is in the rebuilding stage.
Of course baseball wouldn't be complete in the 2005 season without the chase for Hank Aaron's homerun record. All eyes are on Barry Bonds, who remains in the spotlight of the media. The pressure is all on his shoulders to break the record, which barring from a rare major career ending injury he will accomplish this feat. On the negative side of baseball, steroids is still the main issue at focus. Bonds and players like Jason Giambi are being hounded with questions and scrutinized. They both have expressed their feelings openly and in a subtle manner.
Having a book put out about steroid use by former major leaguer Jose Canseco doesn't help their situation or baseball either. It's another way to draw more negative attention to players. Steroid testing with harsh consequences is the best way to go I think. If a player is found to have used or currently use steroids penalize them. This doesn't mean to slap them with a small fine and suspend them for a couple of games, but to bare down on them through the most strict measures, letting them know just how serious the problem is and that their actions will not be tolerated. If found guilty suspend such players for half a season, take away their extra bonuses, special clauses in contracts, and other perks. As far as I'm concerned they don't deserve them in the first place, much less by violating the rules and regulations of baseball. If players have to learn the hard way so be it.