We are eight days removed from the World Baseball Championship and only two sleeps away from Opening Day, but who’s counting? A better question is, “How does Major League Baseball top a 2016 campaign that saw the end of a 71-year old Goat Curse?” If you’re a fan of pitching, Sunday promises a solid start.
Those damn Yankees get things started on the road against the Rays as Masahiro Tanaka, everyone’s second favorite Tanaka, gets the Opening Day nod for NY nearly two years to the day of his MLB debut. If you’ll remember, Hiroshi “Kamikaze” Tanaka knocked himself cold for the 3rd time last week but personally, I think he’s just trying to stay out of the lineup. On the bump for the Rays is Chris Archer, looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristic 9-19 year.
Mid-day sees the Giants travel to Arizona to take on the D-backs and I wouldn’t mind being poolside in Right-Center for this pitcher’s duel. Madison Bumgarner, a man that needs no introduction, as he lets his postseason resume do the talking, is opposite Zack Greinke, looking to drive his ERA back below 3. Greinke has “some ‘splainin’ to do” if he wants to prove that he is worth the 6-year, $206.5 Mil contract signed prior to last year’s less-than-stellar stat line.
Sunday Night Baseball likely starts the season off with a bang of the mitt rather that the bat as the defending World Series Champs take on their NL Central foe. Cubs/Cards is one of, if not, the best current MLB rivalry. Lester vs. Martinez, under the lights, in St. Louis promises to be the cherry to this Opening Day Sunday. This is the “must-see” game of the week.
Opening Day is my Christmas. 2016 was a great year for baseball fans but there ain’t no use living in the past. In the words of the late, great George Jones, “I’ve got my motor runnin’ for a wild weekend.”
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