On Friday (US time) the 2014 Major League Baseball season kicked off in Australia with National League Western Division rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks playing a two-game series while the other 28 teams are still making their final cuts in the final week of spring training.

With the start of a new season comes the inevitable truth that brings joy to some teams and absolute misery to others; nothing from the previous season matters.

This year’s spring training has surely been met with mixed reactions, but it isn’t exactly telling of how everyone will perform when the regular season kicks into high gear next Sunday.

Here are five pitchers who have certainly turned heads in Spring Training; some for the better, and others not so much.

Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers

Luckily for the Dodgers, Spring Training is merely a scrimmage rather than a life or death scenario. At the end of the 2013 season, Kershaw agree to a seven-year $215 million extension after winning his second NL Cy Young Award; however, as soon as he took to the mound in Arizona it looked as if a slightly less-talented twin version of himself was filling in.

In 14 2/3 innings Kershaw managed to record 10 strikeouts, but allowed 15 earned runs for an ERA of 9.20, one of the highest for a starting pitcher. The harsh reality is that it was seemingly similar to other players who have gotten huge paydays only to see their numbers take a nose dive like former pitcher Kevin Brown.

Fortunately for everyone, including Kershaw, those theories were put to rest as he was tapped to make the Opening Day start against the Diamondbacks at which he was back to his usual self. Kershaw lasted 6 2/3 innings only allowing one earned run while striking out seven on his way to his first win of the season.

Ricky Nolasco Minnesota Twins

Back in early December, the Twins inked Nolasco to a four-year deal worth roughly $49 million, becoming one of the first players in well over 20 years to receive a contract offer from a team who has traditionally given large contracts to players from within their organization.

With more than their reputation on the line, the Twins have the utmost faith that Nolasco can right their sinking ship. Unfortunately, spring training hasn’t exactly reassured their beliefs. In 14 innings thus far Nolasco has only managed to strike out eight batters, but has allowed 11 earned runs, setting his ERA at 7.07.

Nolasco’s record currently sits at 0-2, but it the grand results may worsen once the regular seasons starts. Nolasco has been an NL pitcher since he made his debut back in 2006 and his interleague numbers sit at 8-11 with a 4.66 ERA. Perhaps this may be a telling tale of things to come for him and the Twins.

CC Sabathia New York Yankees

Prior to the start of spring training in 2013, Sabathia reported to Tampa in the best shape of his life, but he ended up posting some of the worst stats of his career. Now in 2014, Sabathia has dropped an even more considerable amount of weight and, once again, reported to Tampa in the best shape of his life.

Fortunately for him and the Yankees this has proved to be a good thing. Since coming into the Majors with the Cleveland Indians in 2006 Sabathia’s best spring came in 2011 when he posted a 3.31 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings.

Every other year his ERA came in somewhere over 5.50 on average. In 2014, Sabathia has pitched 17 innings, has struck out 16 batters and has posted a 1.59 ERA.

This is an amazing stride going into a season and looking like a whole new person. Traditionally a dramatic weight loss spells disaster; however, Sabathia really seems to have worked out the kinks in his game.

C.J. Wilson Los Angeles Angels

In 2013, Wilson was forced to become the ace and the leader after Jered Weaver broke his arm early in the season. As a result, Wilson had one of the best seasons of his career, 17-7 with a 3.39 ERA and 188 strikeouts.

For those who felt like it was a fluke, rest assure that Wilson does not agree with that notion. This spring Wilson is leading all pitchers with 28 strikeouts and has done so in 21 2/3 innings of work.

Even though his Spring Training record is 1-2, the more important stat to look at is his 2.49 ERA and the fact that he has yet to give up a home run. Wilson is truly looking dangerous for batters in 2014.

Madison Bumgarner San Francisco Giants

The torch has certainly passed through the ranks of the Giants from Tim Lincecum to Matt Cain and now onto Bumgarner, who will be the Opening Day starter in 2014. In only four full seasons with the Giants, Bumgarner has proved himself as one of the elite pitchers of the future in the Majors, and if spring training is any bit of an indication you had better start chiseling his name into this year’s NL Cy Young Award.

It might behoove Bumgarner to save some of his strength for the regular season because his 3-0 record, 16 strikeouts and zero runs allowed in 17 innings of work is unheard of. With the exception of the strikeouts Bumgarner is leading all pitchers in almost every pitching category this spring. Apparently missing the playoffs is a great way to motivate someone to perform better.