“Opening Day, All Future, No Past” ~ Unknown
(MLB Logo. Found on the internet. Assuming Public Domain.)
Opening Day is magical, always has been, always will be. Right after the World Series ends, well maybe five minutes after anyway, I go into a depression, a “blue funk” if you well. I long for games and begin to look forward to those beautiful four words, “pitchers and catchers report”. From there, it’s only a few short weeks until this day each season, Opening Day. It really should be a National Holiday (The White Sox Home Opener always was and still is in my family. More on that next week).
All the teams start with a clean slate. The possibilities are endless when the current standings are “0-0” across the board. We look forward to our team leading from the first game through the end of the season. We know in our hearts that our favourite player will have yet another fabulous season. We may be cold today but know that just around the bend there will be beautiful sunny afternoons in the stands and pleasant nights as well. We know there will be no-hitters, amazing plays, unbelievable catches, game winning hits and an endless stream of games to enjoy. Everything is possible. Can you image anything better? I know I can’t.
ESPN had a montage of players and history with Carl Weathers of Rocky fame narrating it prior to the White Sox / Astros game. The segment stresses the two most important words in baseball and says it’s not several things and ends simply with “Play Ball”. Perfect.
Some other folks weighed in today on “Opening Day”:
“Today it’s time for some emotion. Baseball has been my love and my life as well as my passion for too many years to count. Bat hitting ball and glove catching ball is my symphony. Guys in the flower of their youth running to make extraordinary plays is my ballet. It starts today.” ~ Steve Stone, former major league pitcher and current White Sox TV analyst.
“I think every game is weighted the same way. I firmly believe that. But this one’s a little bit different, right? I know I’ve said this before. In Little League, you’re carrying the banners around the field. In high school, you know, you’re optimistic that you can win the state championship. It just never gets old. The first day of everything that you do when you’re a child and then it translates or transitions all the way to today. It never, ever gets old. It’s probably one of the greatest days of my life. Opening Day is exciting for me as it gets.” ~ Torey Lovullo, Colorado Diamondback’s manager.
And of course, we need to reminisce a bit and see 40-year old Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith coming onto the field and performing his trademark “move” at the Saint Louis Cardinals 1994 Home Opener. CLICK HERE.
So, what did occur on Opening Day, March 30, 2023? Here’s the outcomes and some highlights. Because of my work schedule I didn’t get to see many of these games. I watched the whole White Sox game and the Angels / As.
Atlanta Braves / Washington Nationals
12:05p Central on MLB Network
The Braves won 7-2. There was a “Pitch Clock” violation called against Braves reliever Collin McHugh in the 8th inning which GAVE the hitter, Jeimer Candelario a three- pitch walk. Ridiculous. Washington shortstop, CJ Abrams had three errors in the game, one fielding and two throwing.
San Francisco Giants / New York Yankees
12:05pC on Yes Network
The Yankees won 5-0. Anthony Volpe, the 21-year-old Yankee shortstop had a walk, stolen base and a couple good defensive plays, going 0-2 in his major league debut. Aaron Judge hit a home run on his first swing of the 2023 season. Logan Webb, the Giant’s starting pitcher set a team opening day record by striking out 12 batters but took the lost. Hall of Fame Yankee closer, Mariano Rivera threw out the first pitch. CLICK HERE to see it.
Baltimore Orioles / Boston Red Sox
1:10p on NESN
The Orioles won 10-9. Orioles’ catcher, Adley Rutschman homered in his first at-bat, went 5-5 on the day and had a career best 4 RBI day. He is the young man who shook hands with the umpire and sort took in the whole experience of his first major league game. He also hit a home run in his first at-bat in that game. He’s good for baseball.
Milwaukee Brewers / Chicago Cubs
1:20p on Marque
The Cubs won 4-0. Marcus Stroman will be in the history books as he was the first pitcher in a regular season game to have a “Pitch Clock” violation. Terrible rule. Stroman also picked up the victory after working six scoreless innings.
Detroit Tigers / Tampa Bay Rays
1:10pC on BSSUN
The Rays won 4-0. Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers had a double in the 7th inning which tied Ichiro Suzuki for 23rd on the all-time list with 3,089. Cabrera said this will be his last season.
Philadelphia Phillies / Texas Rangers
3:05pC on BSSW
The Rangers won 11-7. Bruce Bochy, the Ranger’s new manager picked up his first victory after a three-year retirement. This is the beginning of his 26th year as a manager.
Minnesota Twins / Kansas City Royals
3:10pC on BSKC
The Twins won 2-0. Salvador Perez, the Royal’s amazing catcher was named the team captain. He is only the fourth captain in the team’s history. Mike Sweeney was the last, prior to him was George Brett and Frank White. It’s a well-deserved honour in my opinion. Perez is a solid player and person.
New York Mets / Florida Marlins
3:10p on MLB Network
The Mets won 5-3. The “pitch clock” (which I hate) stuck today. A New York Mets batter, Jeff McNeil was GIVEN a strike after Pete Alsonso apparently took “too long” to get back to first after a foul ball. Ridiculous.
Pittsburgh Pirates / Cincinnati Reds
3:10pC on BSOH
The Pirates won 5-4. Hunter Green of the Reds threw a 105.2mph fastball to Andrew McCutchen which was the second fastest pitch ever recorded. McCutchen was also at the plate when Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitch which was clocked at 105.8mph on September 24, 2010.
Toronto Blue Jays / Saint Louis Cardinals
3:10p on BSMW
The Blue Jays won 10-9. The Cardinal’s Tyler O’Neil tied a major league record by hitting a home run on opening day for the fourth straight year. Wilson Contreras, the Card’s new catcher left the game in the 8th with an injured knee, they were going to do a scan on it. George Springer of the Blue Jays was 5-6 with five singles in the game. Adam Wainwright, the right-handed pitcher of the Cards sang the National Anthem before the standing room only crowd of 47,649.
Chicago White Sox / Houston Astros
6:08pC on ESPN
The White Sox won 3-2. New Sox manager, Pedro Grifol got his first win as a major league manager, while snapping the Astros’ streak of 10 straight opener wins. Dylan Cease threw was dealing, he went six and a third innings give up just 2 hits, a run while striking out 10 in his no-decision. Yas Grandal, the Sox catcher made a poor attempt to stop an Aaron Bummer pitch which allowed Astros runner Yordon Alvarez to score from third. Grandal hit a home run the next inning. Greg Vaughn two-run double in the top of the ninth gave the Sox the lead and Reynaldo Lopez worked the ninth and got the save in place of Sox stellar closer Liam Hendrix who is on the DL receiving treatments for cancer. Alex Bregman of the Astros celebrated his 29th birthday today, he was also mic’d up one inning (not a fan of that by the way).
Colorado Rockies / San Diego Padres
8:40p on BSSD
The Rockies won 7-2. C.J. Cron was 4-5 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in the victory.
Los Angeles Angels / Oakland Athletics
9:07p on NBCS-CA
The A’s won 2-1. Shohei Ohtani had a 10-strikeout outing in 6-innings. The Angels right fielder Hunter Renfroe made a spectacular a “no-look” catch on a fly ball. But the Athletics scored two runs in the bottom of the 8th to seal the victory.
Arizona Diamondbacks / Los Angeles Dodgers
9:10p on SportsNet LA
The Dodgers won 8-2. Will Smith, the Dodgers’ catcher went 3-4 and drove in 4 runs in the victory.
Cleveland Guardians / Seattle Mariners
9:10p on MLB Network
The Mariners won 3-0. Ty France hit a 3-run home run for the Seattle victory. J.P. Crawford walked in the 8th and scored on France’s home run. The walk was aided by a “Pitch Clock” violation. Not a fan of this rule.
The first day of the 2023 season is in the books. In the standings we have fifteen undefeated teams and fifteen winless teams. We had some career, season, and game “firsts” along with some great defensive plays. But mostly, we had baseball again with another 161 games to come.
Life is good.
~ Coach Mike
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Excellent, as always Mike. Thanks.
Your love of the sport is so AMAZING 🤩 Love reading your posts and love learning more about the in and outs🤩 Thank you for sharing your passion🙏