Parity reigns in Major Leagues

Barry Zito thought about the San Francisco Giants' chances and waspretty pleased. Payroll no longer is supreme when it comes to WorldSeries titles.

"In 2002, the wild card won. In '03, the wild card won. And in'04, Boston was the wild card and won," Zito said. "That's what'sgreat about baseball."

Parity reigns in the Major Leagues, where there have been sixWorld Series champions in six seasons for the first time since thelate 1980s. So while watching the expected - Barry Bonds' home runs,Dice-K hoopla in Boston and New York Yankee turmoil - look forsurprise teams to emerge.

Last spring, who expected the St. Louis Cardinals to win the WorldSeries? How many people thought the Cardinals had a chance after theyfinished the regular season 83-78?

"There's no division today that you can say, 'This team is goingto win for sure,' " Commissioner Bud Selig said. "I can see in someof the divisions three or four teams competing right to the end. Inevery division there's enormous competition."

There's no shortage of teams hoping for big turnarounds, as the2007 season opens Sunday night.

The rebuilt Chicago Cubs, who hope to keep their Series titledrought from reaching a century, brought in Lou Piniella to set offsparks from the manager's office, then committed $272 million toAlfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis.

Philadelphia, building a team around Ryan Howard, added pitchersFreddy Garcia and Adam Eaton.

"There are more teams with high expectations because of what'stranspired in recent years," Arizona Manager Bob Melvin said."Ownerships with $60-to-70 million payrolls are saying, 'Why can't wedo it?' "

Need more examples?

Milwaukee, trying to push ahead in a weak National League Central,signed St. Louis postseason star Jeff Suppan to a $42 million deal.

Toronto added two-time American League MVP Frank Thomas in aneffort to break the New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox hegemony in theAL East.

"There is so much parity that you don't go into a three-, six-,nine-game stretch where you're playing any patsies anymore," Bostonpitcher Curt Schilling said.

Across the Major Leagues, there are story lines large and small.

Much attention will be focused on Bonds ... on and off the field.

He enters with 734 homers, 21 shy of Hank Aaron's record. Inaddition, the 42-year-old left fielder needs 159 hits to reach 3,000,70 RBI to get to 2,000 and 143 runs to reach Rickey Henderson'srecord of 2,295.

He also takes the field with a unique clause in his $15.8 million,one-year contract. With Bonds under investigation by a grand jury forpossible perjury in his 2003 testimony on steroids, the San FranciscoGiants insisted on a provision that states the team can terminate theagreement if he's indicted.

While the probe into steroids by former Senate Majority LeaderGeorge Mitchell, which is starting its second year, is looking atmany players, Bonds is the most prominent target.

With the hubbub, Selig hasn't committed to be in the seats for No.756, and Bonds might be unwanted by MLB when the Giants host the All-Star game at their ballpark by the bay on July 10.

"Let them investigate. Let them, they've been doing it this long,"Bonds said after his first spring training workout. "It doesn't weighon me."

Others are heading for big numbers, too.

Tom Glavine, the ace of the New York Mets' staff while PedroMartinez recovers from rotator cuff surgery, needs nine wins to reach300.

Randy Johnson, back with the Arizona Diamondbacks after snarlingthrough two unsuccessful seasons with the New York Yankees, startsthe season with 280 wins.

San Diego's Trevor Hoffman - a former Charleston Wheelers'infielder - is 18 saves shy of 500. Sammy Sosa, trying to restart hiscareer with the Texas Rangers after a year off from the game, needs12 homers to reach 600. Houston's Craig Biggio is 70 hits shy of3,000.

Then, there's Roger Clemens. The seven-time Cy Young Award winneris likely to add to his 348 wins and 4,604 strikeouts. The 44-year-old Rocket won't decide until May whether to pitch for Houston, theYankees, Boston or stay retired.

"There's days where I'm excited about it, maybe I should try it,and then three days later I'm thinking that there's no way," Clemenssaid. "I don't know that I can put my body through that again."

The unhappy Yankees are coming off their ninth straight AL Easttitle but another uneasy offseason. Manager Joe Torre nearly wasfired after the first-round playoff loss to Detroit, Johnson and GarySheffield were traded and the team told Bernie Williams there was noroom for him back in the Bronx.

The Yankees haven't won the Series since 2000, and Alex Rodriguezhas hinted that he might opt out of his $252 million contract afterthis season if he doesn't find success and appreciation.

"I want to be a Yankee and I understand my contract," A-Rod saidcoyly. "I understand my options."

Boston made the biggest offseason splash, bidding $51,111,111 forthe rights to Japanese star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, then signedhim to a $52 million deal. Even if he doesn't throw a gyroball - apitch that appears to be more fiction than fact - Dice-K has lookeddominating at times during spring training.

"He's not from this planet. He's coming from somewhere else. He'sawesome," Baltimore's Melvin Mora said after twice taking calledthird strikes against Dice-K.

Pittsburgh enters with 14 straight losing seasons, two shy of therecord set by the Philadelphia Phillies from 1933-48, and is one ofthe few teams with virtually no title hopes. Atlanta, which droppedto 79-83 after 14 consecutive division titles, also wants to climbback above .500.

Quick bursts are the key for many. Piniella is among seven newmanagers, joined by Florida's Fredi Gonzalez, Oakland's Bob Geren,San Diego's Bud Black, San Francisco's Bruce Bochy, Texas' RonWashington and Washington's Manny Acta.

"It's important for every team, including ours, to get off to afast start," Piniella said. "It really buoys confidence and canpropel you to a really good season."

Some teams spent lavishly to fill holes.

The Los Angeles Angels brought in outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. for$50 million, then fretted when his name came up in an ongoing humangrowth hormone case. San Francisco gave Zito $126 million, therichest contract for a pitcher, and even lowly Kansas City partedwith big money, giving Gil Meche $55 million.

Others already are looking ahead to potential holes next winter,when Atlanta's Andruw Jones, Minnesota's Torii Hunter and Seattle'sIchiro Suzuki can become free agents.

For the Washington Nationals, one of the few teams with no playoffhopes, it will be their last season at RFK Stadium before moving totheir new ballpark rising along the Anacostia River, south of theCapitol.