The new MLB season is under way, and last season's sensation -- the Rally Monkey -- has already been replaced by this season's new fad: Closer-by-committee.

But you can be sure that by the time pennant races heat up in August, some team will come up with a ridiculous mascot that will sweep the nation. (Let's hope not.)

While you are getting up to speed on everything baseball, check out the complete scoop on what's trendy and what's passe in baseball this season:

WHAT'S HOT, WHAT'S NOT FOR BASEBALL 2003
Category	Hot	Not Hot
Bandwagon team	Philadelphia Phillies	Minnesota Twins
Seats team	Green Monster barstools	D-Backs hot tub
Stadium giveaway	Bobble-bellies	Bobble-heads
Icon	Anything but the Rally Monkey	That frickin' Rally Monkey
Breakout HR hitter	Josh Phelps (TOR)	Jay Gibbons (BAL)
Breakout pitcher on a bad team	Kris Benson (PIT)	Mike Maroth (DET)
First-name superstar	Magglio	Andruw
Asian sensation	Hee Seop Choi (CHC)	Hideki Matsui (NYY)
Minor-league franchise	Brooklyn Cyclones	Milwaukee Brewers
1-2 combo	Oswalt-Miller (HOU)	Schilling-Johnson (ARI)
Hat	Anything pinwheel	Black K.C. Royals
GM	Theo Epstein (BOS)	J.P. Ricciardi (TOR)
Endorsement contract	Book Clubs	Video-game headliner
Ballpark food	Retro (Good ol' hot dogs)	Asian-themed food
Place to catch homers	Great American Ball Park	Waveland Ave. (Wrigley)
Hobby for ex-players	Broadcast booth	Minor-league ownership
Medical situation	Groins	Shoulders
Brothers	The AL East Giambis	The Montreal Hernandez's
Players' road-trip must	Puerto Rico nightlife	Montreal nightlife
Starting pitching	Pair of aces	Depth
Clutch bullpen	Closer-by-committee	Smoltz's double-nickel
Movie subject	Umpires	Way-too-old rookies
He's due for hardware ...	Manny Ramirez	Scott Rolen
We're already sick of ...	Talk of a Ken Griffey revival	The hype around rookie Marlon Byrd
Rivalry	Angels-A's	Yankees-Red Sox
Music played before at-bat	50 Cent	Creed
Players' electronic must-have	GameBoy Advance SP	Color-screen celly
Pitch	Pure heat	Nasty slider
Historical homage	Bonds passes Mays in HR	Goodbye to Minny baseball
Fashion trend	Brims ultra-flat	Back pocket inside-out
Jersey	Phillies Thome	Rangers A-Rod
Relocated player	Billy Koch (White Sox)	Livan Hernandez (Expos)
Development trend	Asian poaching	Latin "academies"
Lating America pipeline	Cuba	Panama
Fan distraction	War with Iraq	Contraction
Cubs savior	Mark Prior	Kerry Wood
Managerial mind	Mike Scioscia (ANA)	Joe Torre (NYY)
Who gets the credit?	It's the GM	It's the manager
Who gets the blame?	It's the manager	It's the owner

It wouldn't be a Hot/Not preview list without a few picks from Page 2. Remember, these are the picks for fashion-forward fans, not fans of conventional wisdom:

PAGE 2' PICKS
Category	Hot	Not
NL East	Phillies	Braves
NL Central	Cubs	Astros
NL West	Dodgers	D-Backs
AL East	Red Sox	Yankees
AL Central	White Sox	Twins
AL West	A's	Angels
NL Wild Card	Mets	Cardinals
AL Wild Card	Twins	Mariners
NL MVP	Jim Thome	Jeff Kent
AL MVP	Magglio Ordonez	Rey Ordonez
NL Cy Young	Mark Prior	Randy Johnson
AL Cy Young	Pedro Martinez	Mike Mussina
NL Rookie	Marlon Byrd	Hee Seop Choi
AL Rookie	Brandon Phillips	Hideki Matsui
World Series Champ	Low-budget A's	Big-budget Yankees

Dan Shanoff is a columnist for Page 2. His "Daily Quickie" commentary appears every weekday morning.