Is this the year the Tribe makes it back to the playoffs? Is this the year they finally top the Twins? Is this the year C.C. Sabathia makes good on his immense potential? Is this the year Juan Gonzalez actually stays healthy? Is this the year Kevin Millwood regains his all-star status?

Is this the year? We’ll start finding out Monday afternoon when the Indians open the season in Chicago against the Sox at 3:05.

Rejoice Tribe fans — baseball is back!

The Cavaliers have 10 games remaining and with the Eastern Conference standings so tight, every last win is vitally important. Sunday’s 20-point drubbing of Dallas, in which LeBron James scored 37 points and added 10 boards and seven assists, was even more crucial considering the Mavericks, at 49-24, are one of the best teams in the West. In fact, of the Cavs’ final 10 games, four come against teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings (Indiana, Detroit, Washington and Boston) while three more are against teams nipping at their heels (Philly, Orlando and New Jersey). Currently slotted seventh in the East, the Cavaliers are 1.5 games behind fifth-seeded Boston and three behind #3 Chicago. On the other hand, the 76ers are just 2.5 behind Cleveland, Orlando’s 3.5 and the Nets are four back. All of which means the Cavs control their own fate. It’s time for LeBron to put this team on his back down the homestretch.