Fan News

Ah, the dark horse, that mythical beast of spring.

You know the profile: A player on the fringes—maybe a rookie, maybe a veteran—who winds up winning not merely a roster spot but a starting gig on the strength of his March performance. Between the stretching and bullpen sessions, it's what makes this time of year exciting.

So who will emerge as 2015's MLB dark horses? By definition, it's difficult to predict. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off their first spring training games this week as it's become abundantly clear that baseball is officially back.

Over the next month, management will be closely evaluating the roster in order to determine which 25 players will make the cut for Opening Day on April 6 against the San Diego Padres.

With the start of 2015's third month, each new MLB season is officially in its infancy. 

And as with a young child, spring training is often associated with good vibes and happy feelings regarding the long road ahead. 

If New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has his way, Derek Jeter will be the last captain in franchise history.

Multiple international baseball players have made enormous impacts over the last few seasons. As the talent keeps coming, international bonus money pools continue to rise from year to year. 

It was one game, two at-bats. Also, it's spring training. So take this with a boulder-sized grain of salt. Still, when it comes to Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies, any good news is welcome.

On Tuesday, Howard delivered some good news.

The Seattle Mariners will take the field for the first time since September tomorrow when they play the San Diego Padres in their opening spring training game.

We'll be able to get a glimpse of what the 2015 Atlanta Braves will look like when their spring training games begin on Wednesday. 

There are still lots of questions to be answered this spring training. Who wins the second base job? Who platoons with Jonny Gomes in left field? How does the bullpen shake out? Who is the fifth starter in the rotation?

About a week has gone by since spring training officially started for the Arizona Diamondbacks. A fresh start is exactly what's needed in the desert after producing the MLB's worst record in 2014.

Offseason acquisitions such as Yasmany Tomas and Jeremy Hellickson should have the fanbase confident that a turnaround isn't too far away.

Here’s the first look at the 2015 Lester’s Legends designated hitter rankings.

1. Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays

Edwin Encarnacion has averaged 86 runs, 37.3 home runs and 104 RBI over the past three seasons. He’s a great bet for power, but as a .265 career hitter, he could hurt you in the batting-average category. Encarnacion also has first base eligibility.