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Alex Rodriguez: the 252-million-dollar man

At the start of Major League Baseball's 2001 season, BBC Sport Online's Alex Trickett profiles some players to watch.

The "boys of summer" are back.

And with them returns to the bars of America a very dear topic of conversation - baseball.

With this season more unpredictable than most, arguments about who will win the World Series in October are likely to rage.

The New York Yankees may not be the force they have been of late. The Boston Red Sox - an old divisional foe - have assembled a strong cast of players.

Out West, the Texas Rangers have invested heavily in talent.

But if an eventual winner is hard to pick, it is somewhat easier to identify some of baseball's key performers.

Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez, Texas

A thumb injury curtailed his involvement last season, but only after "Pudge" had made a brilliant start with the bat.

He is widely considered to be the best all-round catcher in the game and can match the strongest hitters for power and average.

First base: Mark Mcgwire, St Louis

McGwire chases Hank Aaron's home run record

Baseball's great modern slugger resumes with 554 career home runs to his name.

Already standing seventh on the all-time list, Mcgwire will go fourth - behind only Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays - if he belts 33 more this season.

This should be no problem if he stays healthy - he hit a record 70 home runs in 1998.

Second base: Jeff Kent, San Francisco

2000 was a year of welcome recognition for Kent.

A surprised but deserving winner of the National League MVP award, he had a batting average of .334 - easily his best ever - and will hope to improve again this year.

Third base: Chipper Jones, Atlanta

Braves star: Chipper Jones

First pick overall in the 1990 free-agent draft, Jones still has many good years ahead of him.

He showed defensive frailties last year and may move into the outfield in 2001, but his batting contributions - along with those of Andruw Jones - will remain crucial to the Braves offensive success.

Short stop: Alex Rodriguez, Texas

'A-Rod' hits with power, fields with accuracy and runs the bases with pace, but is he worth his record 10-year contract of $252m?

Most experts think so.

He is considered to be the best all-round player in the game and is only 25.

Right field: Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal

An amazing young talent.

Guerrero hit at least 35 home runs and 100 RBI (runs batted in) at an average above .300 for three straight seasons before turning 25.

It was a feat that only Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx - three of baseball's best ever batsmen - had managed before him.

Centre field: Ken Griffey Jr, Cincinnati

Ken Griffey Jr: One of baseball's purest swings

Another one chasing Hank Aaron's home run record, Griffey is some way behind McGwire but has more good years ahead of him.

Always an exellent fielder, he will be looking to regain the batting form that made him such a high profile transfer from Seattle to Cincinnati last year.

The omens are good.

He improved during the 2000 season and hit a home run off his first pitch in Spring training.

Left field: Darin Erstad, Anaheim

Bounced back from an abominable 1999 to launch an offensive assault on the record books last season.

Erstad's 240 hits were the most by anyone since Wade Boggs in 1985.

An electric base-runner, he will have much to do with any Angels success.

Pitcher: Pedro Martinez, Boston

Pedro Martinez is in a class of his own

In a class of his own.

Three times Cy Young pitching award winner in the last four seasons, Pedro is already an all-time great.

And he just gets better every year.

If the Red Sox contend for honours in 2001, his mixture of fast balls, curve balls and change-ups - all thrown with impeccable control - will be a major factor.