Klapisch: 12 intriguing story lines for 2012 baseball season

Spring training is finally here, welcome therapy to anyone who’s been obsessing over the calendar since the Super Bowl. OK, Jeremy Lin has helped, but he’s still no substitute for the sound of that first fastball detonating in a catcher’s glove – as hopeful as the ice cream truck ringing its bell.

AP PHOTO/RETNA, GEORGE NAPOLITANO, VIA MLB NETWORK

Miami Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes gets a haircut at the MLB Network in Secaucus earlier this month. The trim will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, which planned to auction the hair on eBay.

You want intrigue? Try the coming race in the AL East. Legal drama? Watch Ryan Braun squirm. You like rooting against the odds? Put your money on Johan Santana.

There are a million reasons to be locked and loaded for the coming baseball season. Here’s our top 12 for ’12.

YU DARVISH’S BRAVE, NEW WORLD: Talk about a gamble of global proportions. The Rangers are betting $60 million on Darvish, who’s never thrown an inning in the big leagues – and that’s not even counting a $51.7 million posting fee Texas had to pay.

Does Darvish have good enough stuff to cope with, say, Robinson Cano or Albert Pujols? Can he adjust to the big leagues’ heavier, larger ball than the one used in Japan? Will Darvish be affected by pitching every fifth day instead of every sixth? And what about the Texas midsummer weather – he’s never had to deal with temperatures that can reach 100 degrees.

The Rangers have faith; they dispatched 12 scouts to Japan over the last two seasons, and are convinced Darvish’s talent will hold up in the American League. It’s true, he’s a rung higher than Daisuke Matsuzaka, but the final verdict is months away from being returned.

BOBBY VALENTINE VERSUS FRIED CHICKEN AND BEER: Valentine inherits a dysfunctional clubhouse that ended Terry Francona’s reign. That, and a somewhat flawed roster. This is no small challenge for a manager who a) hasn’t worked in the big leagues since 2002, b) is starting the season without Carl Crawford and c) will be missing the maturity and professionalism that underscored Tim Wakefield’s career.

But it’s a good sign that last year’s rogue element – Josh Beckett and Jon Lester – showed up to camp several days early. If Valentine can gain their respect and loyalty, the Sox can begin healing the wounds of their horrific September collapse. The pressure is squarely on Valentine, though, because the Sox project to 88-90 wins, which probably won’t be enough for October.

JOHAN SANTANA’S SECOND ACT: Santana long ago earned the respect of his peers for his competitiveness and willingness to pitch through pain. But now the left-hander is being asked to perform a small miracle – return to greatness after 2010 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder.

Can he? The Mets are doomed to a last-place finish with or without a healthy Santana, so the question is no doubt moot. But his relative recovery – say, 12-13 wins, 150 innings, no trips to the DL – would be a rallying point for Mets fans who are starving for good news.

RYAN BRAUN’S SUSPENSION: The Brewers were already in trouble in the Central Division the day Prince Fielder played his final game. He wasn’t coming back in 2012, which meant Braun would have to carry the Crew by himself this year.

But barring an unlikely reversal, Braun’s 50-game suspension for testing positive for elevated testosterone levels will leave the Brewers in year-long crisis. The off-season additions of Alex Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez will help, but not enough. Neither one will be able to keep Brewers fans from asking what, exactly, Braun was thinking when he cheated.

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Klapisch: 12 intriguing story lines for 2012 baseball season