1st day of MLB (NY and Bosox notwithstanding)

[WindyCityHog]

The NCAA national championship detracts....but today is the REAL start of MLB (Cincy has always been the first game....another reason I hate the "new age" of baseball)....


Today's schedule...

Kansas City @ Detroit
Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh
New York Mets @ Cincy
Cleveland @ Chicago White Sox
Washington @ Philadelphia
Oakland @ Baltimore
San Diego @ Colorado
Toronto @ Tampa Bay
Minnesota @ Seattle
Cubbies @ Arizona

I was supposed to attend the Sox-Cleveland game today....but I sold my tix.....Fishing this morning (caught 20 good slabs).....and going to a friend's tonight.....the ONLY reason I sold those tix.....Lots of Beam, fresh fish, and the hope the Illini get their tails kicked...

MLB.....watch.....and Go Cardinals.

[Amityvillehogger]

Ready to see the Cardinals, have been waiting since the World Series last year. 

[WindyCityHog]

I recommend MLB Extra Innings to all....if you're a baseball fan.

[hawkeyefan17]

I am glad the season is here. I agree WindyCityHog, first pitch in Cincinnati is the real start to the season. I get annoyed with the way MLB handles Opening Day. There should never be an Opening Night game, kind of stupid to me.

Go Cubbies!!!!!!!!

[Pragmatic PiG]

I am glad the season is here. I agree WindyCityHog, first pitch in Cincinnati is the real start to the season. I get annoyed with the way MLB handles Opening Day. There should never be an Opening Night game, kind of stupid to me.

Go Cubbies!!!!!!!!

wow

the reds just opened the way ya should

walk off HR in the 9th in front of the home fans

[maniax22bolts20]

Ready to see the Cardinals, have been waiting since the World Series last year.

For those of you near Little Rock Game 1 at Houston will be on PAX 20/22 at 6pm Tuesday. Yay for them !

[moparman]

Baseball Season doesn't start until the First Pitch is thrown out in STL.

[Porquemada]

Baseball Season doesn't start until the First Pitch is thrown out in STL.

Maybe they can break their current four game losing streak.

[Razorback Jedi]

Some great games (and duds) yesterday......

Things that stood out to me:
- Cubs  offense. 16 runs? Are you kidding me?
- Dimitri Young. Glad I have him in at least one league :-)
- Ol Perez got knocked around a bit, not the best start for a very hyped pitcher
- Looper and Hoffman each give a walk-off home run
- Pedro K's 12.
- 2 walk-off home runs....gotta love it.
- Bonderman looked VERY solid, as did the Tiger offense. (Pudge looked like an all-american)
- C Zambrano gets thrown out of the game. Cubbies are doomed if he can't keep his head in the game.
- 31 Home runs in the first 12 games
- Burhle posts a solid 8 innings for the Sox.
- Sexson goes yard twice....guess that leg is ok.
- Cy Young winner 3 years removed, Zito looks like he belongs in the minors. 3k's 3bbi, 6H, 4ER in 6 innings......oh and his team can't hit either.
- Lastly, and  certainly the least (or not the least, depends on how you look at it)... Jav Vasquez gets shelled in his first NL start since the Expos. 10 hits, 7 ER, while managing to retire only 5 batters.

Gotta love baseball!

[Amityvillehogger]

Thats why its so great!

[razormatt]

Things that stood out to me:

- Cubs  offense. 16 runs? Are you kidding me?

2 walks.  The hits won't always come, and when they don't, you gotta get on base in spite of it.  Cubs can't.

- Dimitri Young. Glad I have him in at least one league :-)
- Ol Perez got knocked around a bit, not the best start for a very hyped pitcher

The K's were still there.  If you can consistently miss bats by striking folks out, the solid outings WILL come.

- Looper and Hoffman each give a walk-off home run
- Pedro K's 12.
- 2 walk-off home runs....gotta love it.

Reds strike out 16 times in a game and luck out to hit 2 HR's in the bottom of the 9th.  Is there any team that gets luckier in-spite of having bad pitching?

- Bonderman looked VERY solid, as did the Tiger offense. (Pudge looked like an all-american)

One start does not a season make.  Plus, it was the worst team in baseball (by a wide margin), the hapless Royals.

- C Zambrano gets thrown out of the game. Cubbies are doomed if he can't keep his head in the game.
- 31 Home runs in the first 12 games
- Burhle posts a solid 8 innings for the Sox.
- Sexson goes yard twice....guess that leg is ok.

Sexson had an injured shoulder, not leg.  But it does appear OK, whatever it was.

- Cy Young winner 3 years removed, Zito looks like he belongs in the minors. 3k's 3bbi, 6H, 4ER in 6 innings......oh and his team can't hit either.

4 ER in 6 IP isn't rancid.  His control has just left him (walk numbers WAAAYYY up), walking 4.5 guys per 9 innings will just kill you.  Oakland will be in the top half of the AL of runs scored.

- Lastly, and  certainly the least (or not the least, depends on how you look at it)... Jav Vasquez gets shelled in his first NL start since the Expos. 10 hits, 7 ER, while managing to retire only 5

But of the 5 he retired, he struck two out.  Of course, the Cubs will probably be 2nd in the NL in K's this year.  I expect Vazquez to rebound well and start pitching.  He misses too many bats (and even a year ago his 1.19 WHIP is very respectable) to not be effective.