Our national pastime is back! With Opening Day fast approaching, ESPN The Magazine’s MLB Preview Issue, on newsstands Friday, March 22, offers a wide array of content to help get fans ready for the season.

Most fans probably think all baseballs are alike. But players know that each one has a distinctive feel, a subtle change in the height of the seams, and a difference in weight and circumference. The game of baseball is the same way: No two players or teams or games or ball fields are exactly alike. The Mag’s MLB Preview celebrates these differences, beginning with its cover boy, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who brings a whole new meaning to the term “thinking man” in his feature, “Thinking Inside the Box,” with The Mag’s Buster Olney.

In addition, the issue will be featured on the debut Baseball Tonight ESPN The Magazine MLB Preview Show Presented by T-Mobile airing Thursday, March 21 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The show will include a photo perspective from Spring Training visits to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Los Angeles Dodgers, coverage of ESPN The Magazine’s MLB Confidential, feature stories, and more. The show will also feature Baseball Tonight analyst Curt Schilling’s division-by-division predictions. Baseball Tonight also airs Friday, March 22, at 3:30 p.m.

MLB Preview Issue Features:

There’s always this year

The World Series race is wide open, but that didn’t stop The Mag from predicting the fates of all 30 clubs – and a winner.

MLB confidential

The Mag tossed some of baseball’s most wide-ranging topics at more than 100 big leaguers, including “Who is the last player you’d ever want to add to your clubhouse?”; “Which team is the hottest mess in baseball?; “Do you know of any gay players?”; “How many guns do you own?” and more.

The best baseball $365 million can buy

The Mag spent some time at spring training with the Angels and Dodgers, two teams coming off very productive off-seasons, who have spent a lot of money, and may still have some question marks. Will the moves work on the field and on the bottom line? By Eddie Matz

Handle with care

Reigning AL MVP Miguel Cabrera finally lets us in on the mystery behind Miggy – how he has overcome a drinking problem to mature into one of the game’s best hitters. By Sam Alipour

Additional Highlights:

• CBB: On the eve of March Madness The Mag’s Jordan Brenner explores six X-factors – players that start, but don’t star – players whose performance is a bellwether of their team’s success, in “Results May Vary.” For six top NCAA tourney teams, a deep run might hinge on whichever version of their X shows up. In addition, ESPN’s Andy Katz goes one-on-one with Miami coach Jim Larranaga.  
• MLS: Coach Bruce Arena is primed to lead the L.A. Galaxy to a third straight title, so why doesn’t he seem more content? The Mag’s Doug McIntyre speaks with Coach Arena at the dawn of the 2013 MLS season. With the Galaxy poised to challenge for a third straight title, the former US National Team coach had plenty to talk about in Pitch imperfect.
• Boxing: Undeterred by his breakup with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Curtis Jackson has big plans as a boxing promoter, writes The Mag’s Tim Struby in No Money, no problem. But will he beat the game, or will the game beat him?

Media Contact: Carrie Kreiswirth [email protected] 860-766-6042