After a winter dominated by steroids, to Bud Selig's everlasting agony, it's finally time for a far more welcome "S" word: Spring training.

Oh, we'll continue to hear all about the hot-button issues of testing, using and abusing — not to mention tattling, courtesy of that noted man of letters, Jose Canseco.

But finally, at least temporarily, the question of the day involves which teams had performance-enhancing winters, the old-fashioned way: via trades, free agency, and rookies ready to break into the lineup.

Considering that more than $1 billion dollars was spent industry-wide on free agents, the pressure for positive impact has never been higher. That goes even for the Boston Red Sox, who head to Florida in a role they haven't held for 86 years: Defending champion.

That fact alone, coupled with the Yankees' still-painful collapse last October, is bound to make even a noted hothead like George Steinbrenner turn listless.

So, as a personal favor to The Boss, here's our annual syringe-full of lists to inject some life into a dreary winter.

Five worst winters (non-steroids division)

1. Wally Backman. He fulfilled a lifelong dream when he was hired to manage the Arizona Diamondbacks in early November — then was fired four days later after revelations of two arrests and severe financial problems.

2. Denny Neagle. The Rockies pitcher was issued a citation in December for allegedly offering a woman $40 for oral sex, a charge that caused the Rockies to terminate his contract with $19 million remaining in guaranteed money. Neagle has signed a non-roster deal with the Devil Rays — which some would say is the worst punishment of all.

3. Rocco Baldelli. The D-Rays' outfielder, a rising young star, tore up his left knee while playing backyard baseball with his 6-year-old brother, Dante, in December. Baldelli needed anterior cruciate reconstruction and is likely out until July.

4. Lance Berkman. Berkman, Houston's three-time All-Star outfielder, is also expected to miss the early part of the season after anterior cruciate reconstruction of his right knee — injured while he was playing flag football at his church.

5. Cole Hamels. A former No. 1 draft pick and top Phillies pitching prospect, Hamels underwent surgery on Feb. 3 to stabilize a fractured bone in his pitching hand. He was injured during a scuffle outside Razzles, a nightclub in Clearwater, Fla.

Special citation, miserable winter department

1. Barry Bonds. It wasn't bad enough that he had two knee operations, got further immersed in the BALCO scandal, was linked to steroids in leaked grand-jury testimony and is fingered by Jose Canseco in his new book. Now a woman claiming to be his former mistress has told Geraldo Rivera that Bonds admitted to her he used steroids — and offered the woman $20,000 to keep quiet about their affair.

Worst introduction to new team

1. Randy Johnson. The newest Yankee shoved and chewed out a cameraman who had the nerve to film him as he walked to his physical examination following Johnson's trade from Arizona to New York. The New York Post greeted Johnson warmly the next day with a screaming headline: "Big Jerk!"

2. Sammy Sosa. Sosa had what Baltimore Sun columnist Peter Schmuck termed "a diva moment" when he arrived in Baltimore for HIS physical. According to Schmuck, when the Orioles sent a personal vehicle to bring Sosa to their facility, Sosa rejected that mundane mode of transportation and demanded a limo.

Best offseason, agent division

Scott Boras. Seven of his clients — Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre, Magglio Ordonez, Derek Lowe, Kevin Millwood, J.D. Drew and Jason Varitek — signed for nearly $400 million combined. That means Boras, a former infielder who never got past Class AA, received about $20 million in commission, based on a standard 5 percent cut.

Happiest former Mariners manager

Bob Melvin, Diamondbacks. Not only did he land his dream job a few miles from his home shortly after the M's canned him, but he watched Arizona beef up with the addition of Troy Glaus, Russ Ortiz, Javier Vazquez and Shawn Green, among others.

Unhappiest former Mariners manager

Lou Piniella, Devil Rays. Piniella has watched his pathetic Devil Rays "stock up" with an amazing array of flotsam and jetsam — Roberto Alomar, Danny Bautista, Casey Fossum, Alex Gonzalez, Travis Lee, Neagle, Hideo Nomo and Josh Phelps.

Bluntest quote of winter

Ozzie Guillen, White Sox manager. Alluding to departed outfielder Carlos Lee, who angered the organization by shying away from contact at second base in a key game with Minnesota after the Twins' Torii Hunter had flattened catcher Jamie Burke at the plate, Guillen said: "We had a guy go into second base as if his wife were turning the double play."

Five 2005 breakout stars

1. Justin Morneau, Twins. The 23-year-old product of New Westminster, B.C., has all the telltale signs of an impending superstar. He had 19 homers in just 74 games last year.

2. Oliver Perez, Pirates. The 23-year-old lefty is already well-known by National League hitters, who saw him strike out 239 in 196 innings and hold the NL to a .207 average last year. If the Pirates give him a little more support, Perez's 12-10 record could improve to Cy Young caliber.

3. Jeremy Bonderman, Tigers. The pitcher from Pasco had two complete-game shutouts in his final eight starts, and at age 22 appears to have harnessed his immense potential.

4. Rich Harden, A's. Yet another young (23) flamethrower who is ready to emerge. He'll have to, with the departures of Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson.

5. Jeremy Reed, Mariners. The guy just oozes hitting potential, evidenced by consistent .300-plus seasons in the minors and a blazing .397 average in a 58-at-bat showcase last September.

Five most significant trades

1. OF Sammy Sosa and cash to the Orioles from Chicago for IF/OF Jerry Hairston, 2B Mike Fontenot and RHP Dave Crouthers. The Cubs were willing to virtually give away Sosa to anyone who would take them off his hands. If he has anything left, it will be a coup for the Orioles.

2. LHP Randy Johnson to the Yankees from Arizona for RHP Javier Vazquez, C Dioner Navarro, LHP Brad Halsey and cash. Two big questions: Can the Unit handle the New York spotlight (early omens are not promising), and can his remarkable left arm keep blowing away hitters at age 41? If so, then the Yankees got the piece that could put them back in the World Series.

3. LHP Mark Mulder to Cardinals from Oakland for RHP Dan Haren, RHP Kiko Calero and C Daric Barton; RHP Tim Hudson to Braves from Oakland for OF Charles Thomas, RHP Juan Cruz, and LHP Dan Meyer. Taken as a tandem, these deals mark the end of Oakland's "Big Three" as we knew them, and are a test of Billy Beane's acumen.

4. OF/1B Shawn Green and cash to Diamondbacks from Dodgers for C Dioner Navarro, RHP William Juarez, Danny Muegge and Beltran Perez. This was one in a series of roundly criticized moves by the Dodgers, and one of a series of eyebrow-raising moves by the Diamondbacks, supposedly buried under a mountain of debt.

5. OF Carlos Lee to Brewers from White Sox for OF Scott Podsednik, RHP Luis Vizcaino and 1B Travis Hinton. This could be the proverbial trade that helps both teams. The White Sox get a 70-steal leadoff man and a useful reliever in Vizcaino, while the Brewers get a bona fide slugger in Lee (.305, 30 HR, 99 RBI).

Five most significant free-agent signings

1. Carlos Beltran, Mets. He was the best guy on the market, and with fellow free-agent Pedro Martinez should at least make the Mets relevant again.

2. Adrian Beltre, Mariners. Most baseball people were stunned not only that the M's would make the financial commitment needed to snare Beltre, but that the major-league's home-run leader would sign on to play in Seattle — and Safeco Field. With fellow free-agent Richie Sexson, Beltre should go a long way toward solving the M's power shortage.

3. Troy Glaus, Diamondbacks. Separate from whatever impact he'll have on the 111-loss D-Backs, Glaus' four-year, $45 million contract was the biggest sign that this winter was going to be a bonanza for players.

4. Carlos Delgado, Marlins. Delgado's negotiations dragged on long enough for the Marlins to make a surprise late run, and his inclusion in an already-loaded lineup makes them the team to beat in the NL East — and maybe the entire NL.

5. Roger Clemens, Astros. Clemens' decision to return to Houston at $18 million is a mixed bag for the Astros. It saves them from the disaster of losing the Cy Young winner on top of the departures of Beltran and Jeff Kent. But the huge deal hampers their ability to rebuild around him.

Five managers/executives on the hot seat

1. Dusty Baker, Cubs manager. Baker is accustomed to unadulterated fawning, but after the Cubs blew the pennant to Florida in 2003 and self-destructed amidst internal squabbling last year, his reputation took a blow.

2. Billy Beane, A's GM. He chose to break up the team's essential pitching nucleus in a bold attempt to forestall the ravages of free agency. The A's future success depends on how well Beane evaluated the young talent they hoarded in the deals for Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson.

3. Paul DePodesta, Dodgers GM. The Beane protégé is under major heat in L.A. after a controversial stretch-drive trade that backfired last year, and a winter that saw them lose Beltre, Green and Steve Finley.

4. Ed Wade, Phillies GM. Phillies fans are not at all happy with last year's underachieving ballclub, nor this winter's reaction to it. Wade could follow Larry Bowa out the door.

5. Lee Mazzilli, Orioles manager. He nearly got fired last year, and a poor start by the Orioles could do him in.

On the hottest seat of all

Jason Giambi, Yankees. It's not easy being a pariah, even if you're being paid $10 million.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com.