Here is the result in plain text:
Here in the frozen north country, we feel more February heat from our toaster than from the sun. But that isn’t the kind of heat this column cares about right now.
The kind of heat that really matters in baseball these days is the heat being felt by the teams, front offices and managers that are under the most pressure to make 2025 the year — or else.
So who are those teams, front offices and managers? We asked that question of the 32 baseball executives, former executives, coaches and scouts who took part in our annual spring training preview survey. Let’s take a look at the teams they think are feeling the heat.
MARK SHAPIRO, ROSS ATKINS, JOHN SCHNEIDER AND THE BLUE JAYS (22 VOTES): From the day they called up Vlad Guerrero Jr. in 2019, it feels as if the Blue Jays have been on the clock. But six years and zero postseason wins later, this seems like the year the alarm goes off.
What about the odds they can extend Vlad before he cuts off contract talks on Tuesday and prepares to head for free agency? What happens if they can’t? What are the ripple effects on Bo Bichette and the still-talented cast around them? The rest of the baseball world is intently focused on all of that.
JED HOYER, CRAIG COUNSELL AND THE CUBS (12 VOTES): Their curse-busting World Series was (gasp) nine years ago. Their last postseason win was (what?) eight years ago. And the Cubs are now entering their fifth season since Theo Epstein headed off to figure out the inner secrets of the pitch clock. So one voter said this as clearly as it can be said: “The Cubs have to win.”
