Spring training is often met with a sense of optimism that is at times overwhelming. Players claim they are in the best shape of their lives, teams act as if they have identified missing pieces that kept them from contention the previous season, and many fans begin to believe that this season will be the one to remember. Yet the tone can quickly change if an unfortunate injury surfaces in early Spring.
One textbook example of spring training woes occurred in 2015 when Yu Darvish suffered a season ending injury. That injury occurred only after one inning of Spring Training, yet the impact of that injury held the Texas Rangers back for the rest of the season.