A gust of wind is filling the sails. The Cubs are reigning World Series champions, a feel-good story 108 years in the making. Team USA won its first World Baseball Classic, providing a jolt of national pride and heightened awareness during the hazy days of spring training.
It almost feels like Major League Baseball has real momentum entering the 2017 season, where anything seems possible, where all dreams begin at home plate.
The Diamondbacks are another matter.
They are a team in transition, from manager to methodology. They have a pitching rotation that could surprise or sputter.