Tony DeMarco

Never have there been more teams with legitimate reasons for optimism than this spring. Look around, and you really can point to only a handful of situations where there is little or no chance to contend. And coming off a season when an 83-win regular season team won it all only has fueled expectations further.

But optimism dashed by the reality of another losing season often leads to changes — and here are a handful of possibilities where that could happen:

Clint Hurdle, Colorado: There are reasons to believe the Rockies can be much better, and with Hurdle in the final year of his contract, that has set up a contend-or-else scenario.

Humidor or no humidor, it appears as if there will be many more runs scored at Coors Field this season — and that is both good and bad. Take note now — the Rockies’ offense will be potent.

There is speed at the top in Willy Taveras and a rejuvenated Kazuo Matsui, and there may not be a better middle-of-the-order foursome in the league than Garrett Atkins, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe (in that order, for now).

But the Rockies’ chances in the NL West will hinge on the bottom three in a rotation that no longer includes underrated innings horse Jason Jennings, and the half-dozen relievers in front of closer Brian Fuentes.

General manager Dan O’Dowd also is in the last year of his deal, but the feeling is that a successfully rebuilt player development system that is producing impact big-league talent will buy him an extension. But it’s on Hurdle to win now.

Bill Bavasi/Mike Hargrove, Seattle: Three consecutive losing seasons aren’t sitting well in the Pacific Northwest, and the American League West appears to be far more closely packed, creating the illusion of possibility.

But it’s hard to like the hodge-podge of winter moves made by Bavasi, who is in the last year of his deal. Jeff Weaver only had two effective months all of last season, but they happened to come in September and October, making him a lot of money in the process.

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Jose Vidro’s chronic knee problems have taken a lot away from his once-potent bat, and Jose Guillen is in his ninth different place in his 11-year big-league career, and still is saying he isn’t a clubhouse problem. And the Ichiro Suzuki contract situation lingers.

You can like Felix Hernandez’s chances of a breakout season, and there is middle-infield pop from Jose Lopez and Yuniesky Betancourt, but if you’re looking for a surprise in the AL West, Texas appears to be the better possibility.

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