Big Stars Might Not Be Ready For Opening Day

With spring training a few weeks away and players starting to get into shape for the 2014 season, there are still a few players who we want to see but might not be ready for the start of the season. Bryce Harper's reckless style of play entertains everyone watching, and baseball needs a player like him who goes all-out, but it has cost him a lot of playing time. In 2013, Harper suffered a knee injury when he ran into the outfield wall against the Dodgers in May, and it limited him to 118 games. After the season ended, he had surgery on the left knee and now, according to mlb.com, Harper is able to run and hit without pain. Despite that, it's still up in the air whether Harper will be ready for Opening Day. Another young star might not be ready on March 31st. Nobody forgot Manny Machado's gruesome injury in September, when he tore a ligament in his left knee. He had surgery in October, and is ahead of schedule with the rehab but just started running recently, so it is unlikely that he will be ready on Opening Day. And then there's Justin Verlander. Verlander is coming off a down season, and just had core muscle surgery earlier this month. He is cleared to throw next week, but is not expected to be ready to be the Tigers Opening Day starter.

Harper and Machado's ugly injuries: