The early action in a baseball season can sometimes mean nothing over the course of a 162-game campaign. On the other hand, the opening shots could tell the story of the entire season, as wire-to-wire champions are crowned. The 2010 MLB season has already opened the eyes of both passive and active observers, featuring no-hitters and dramatic walk-off wins that seem to hint at thrilling rides to come. Here is how these early volcanic events may end up playing out in satellite TV sports networks.

1. You might learn the name Ubaldo Jimenez. For many people, the first time the name Ubaldo Jimenez was heard came when the Rockies’ hurler threw the franchise’s first no-hitter (also the first of 2010). Jimenez was firing on all cylinders in 2009, while the start of this campaign appears to be going in the very same direction. If Doc Halladay isn’t careful, he may have a run for his money when Cy Young balloting time comes around. Jimenez is going to get a lot of exposure on HD sports networks around the country.

2. More parades and marathons might be rained on in Boston. Patriot’s Day in Boston is a big event. The Boston Marathon is going on, the Red Sox play at 11:00 A.M. and the city is enveloped in a festive atmosphere. In 2010, it arrived after the Red Sox were battered over a rainy weekend by the visiting Rays and was the day on which the four-game sweep was completed by Joe Maddon’s club. Has it been this bad in Boston before? Certainly, but not in the past 15 years. Stay tuned to the goings-on in Boston as the Yankees and Rays try to kick their AL East rivals while they’re down.

3. The new ballpark in Minnesota may make the Twins better. Many observers have been fretting over the idea of outdoor baseball in Minnesota, known for its frigid winters carrying over into spring. Luckily, the Twins got excellent weather for their opening series and promptly took two out of three games from the visiting Red Sox. Can more good things be expected to come from Joe Mauer’s club? Like all clubs, they need their pitching to come around, namely Carl Pavano.

4. The 2010 Yankees may be more frightening than the 2009 model. The Yankees came out of the box sputtering in 2009, with the mammoth expectations seeming to get to Sabathia, Burnett and everyone else involved with the $1.5 billion stadium and $200 million team experiment. After a rough adjustment period, the team calmly strode to World Series title #27. The 2010 model looks somehow leaner and meaner. The pitching has been excellent, the offense powerful – and that’s without Teixeira, Nick Swisher and Nick Johnson hitting at all.

5. Roy Halladay’s arrival has been better than anticipated. The Phillies clearly needed a rock in their pitching staff, and Roy Halladay is having no problem filling that role. Watch Doc pick apart National League lineups with a satellite TV baseball package. Few pitchers make it look so easy.

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