The calendar still says March, but the Major League Baseball season wouldn't wait until April to get started. So while the season is a just a over a week old some big story lines have emerged.

First off, the Major League Baseball season started down under.  It was the first MLB opening day game in Australia. The sold out crowd watched the two-game "Opening Series" as the Dodgers took on and defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the "historic Sydney Cricket Ground."

First off, the beard is back and unwell in California. That's right. The previously dominant closer Brian Wilson choked big time while facing a less than frightful San Diego Padres lineup in the eighth inning. He gave up a huge home run and an RBI single, thus wasting starter Hyun-Jin Ryu's 7-inning scoreless gem. The Dodgers went on to lose 3-1.

Despite one sour outing, Wilson still demands respect. For those that don't remember, Wilson was a pivotal member of the San Francisco Giants' 2010 championship run. Thus he is is and always will be the man. In remembrance of that, Padres players didn't beat him up in the media. 

"They're all just one game, but when you're facing a team like the Dodgers, full of great players, Brian Wilson, a guy who knows how to get it done in those situations, it's not easy to do what our hitters did," fellow close Huston Street said. "To come back and get three right there in that situation, especially after leaving guys on base early, that's what this team is going to have to do to win. We're going to have to battle all year long."

Meanwhile back east, the Dodgers' former borough rival New York Yankees look to capture an unparalleled 28th World Series title. But can they do so despite not being favored by really anyone? Certainly it looks like the Yankees will finish near the top of the AL East and possibly win a playoff series, but with the tenacious Baltimore Orioles and reigning World Series Champ Boston Red Sox on tap it will be tough.

Derek Jeter is entering his final year in pin stripes and the only thing he wants to accomplish over the next year is to go out on top. The owner of five championship rings and numerous other accolades, the dashing shortstop aims to start a family after putting down the glove and bat.

Can the Yankees' newest player, Japanese import Masahiro Tanaka, take some of the pressure off Jeter and the other Yankee hitters? That seems likely, judging that Tanaka is coming off of a 24-0 undefeated regular season on the mound. He achieved the impressive feat while playing for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.

Who do you think will be crowned World Series Champion at the end of the 2014 MLB season? Can the Pittsburgh Pirates finally breakthrough after a promising playoff, draught-ending season last year? Let us know in the comments section below.