Preview/Prediction

Entering their 10th anniversary season, the Washington Nationals have completed the transformation from perennial bottom-feeders to one of the most feared units in baseball, but before the team makes its supposed march to the World Series, it will convene in Viera, Florida, for spring training. 

A long offseason is nearing the end, so it's time to take a look at how the Cincinnati Reds look entering spring training.

During the long offseason, plenty of things happened with the Reds. The team traded key players, added pieces and got healthy. That last part may be the biggest key to the 2015 season.

The 2014 Reds were stung by the injury bug early and often. Injuries to key players throughout the season were too much to overcome and ultimately led to the team missing the playoffs for just the second time in five years.

After an exciting winter, the Seattle Mariners are nearly ready to begin the 2015 season.

Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 20 to officially start spring training. Coming off of an encouraging 87-75 season and bolstered by some key offseason acquisitions, Seattle appears to be in its best shape to compete for the postseason in a number of years.

First, Cubs fans had to wait for months for the team to sign ace Jon Lester. Now, it has seemed like an even more excruciating wait for spring training since there's so much excitement surrounding this much-improved team. 

Opening Day is just two months away, and, for the first time in five years, there is hope on the north side of Chicago. The front-office tandem of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have stayed the course, and 2015 may be the first year the fruits of their labor are rewarded with 80-plus wins.

Spring training is a few weeks away, and it will be a time where top prospects can show their potential in front of fans, major league players and coaches.

Some prospects, of course, will be more developed than others, but the ones who are more developed will likely be aiming to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training.

The Boston Red Sox have had an eventful offseason, but without a true ace, they can't expect to seriously contend for a World Series.

ST. LOUIS — There were times when he was on a naval ship somewhere on the other side of the world that Lt. Mitch Harris wondered if his dream to play major league baseball would ever become more than that or would remain only a dream.

He knew the odds were against him. Having to complete a five-year active duty requirement following his graduation from the United States Naval Academy meant that he could not begin a professional career until 2013, when he was 27 years old, an age when many baseball careers are ending, not just getting started.

The rumor mill doesn't care what the calendar says. Just because we sit only two weeks away from the start of spring training and about a month off from Cactus and Grapefruit League action getting underway doesn't stop it from spinning, and this past week has seen the mill pick up some serious speed.

Reigning NL Manager of the Year Matt Williams is a powerful man because he's the one who gets to hand over the Washington Nationals' lineup card on Opening Day 2015. 

From top to bottom, bullpen to backstop, Washington's roster is built to win right now.

The 2015 Opening Day roster for the Atlanta Braves will look much different than the 2014 Opening Day roster.

That roster included Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Evan Gattis and Ervin Santana, among others. 

Those players were a key part of the Braves' 2014 season but will not be around for the 2015 season.

That is a product of the free-agency era as well as a team that underachieved and finished a disappointing 79-83 for the year.