OPENING DAY 2015
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Sunday night brought us a rocking Wrigley Field in the season opener between the Cardinals and Cubs. Monday brings us everything else -- the 28 other teams basking in the pageantry, bunting and, in some cases, chilly early-April weather to begin the 162-game grind that all teams hope will lead to 11 more victories in October (and November?). Fourteen games to continue a week loaded with action on the diamonds of the American and National Leagues and storylines that will start to echo the standings.
Today
Where to begin? Masahiro Tanaka coming back to start for the Yankees? Craig Kimbrel possibly closing one out for the Padres? Max Scherzer's first twirl as a National? The triumphant returns of Cy Young Award winners Corey Kluber and (also MVP Award winner) Clayton Kershaw? Felix Hernandez vs. Jered Weaver?
There's almost too much to talk about, but beyond new Commissioner Rob Manfred throwing out the ceremonial first pitch in Washington, beyond the flyovers and the emotional national anthems and beyond everything wonderful that Opening Day means to our game and our country, how about the champs?
We pick up 2015 where we left off in 2014, with Madison Bumgarner on the mound for the San Francisco Giants, just like he was when he got Salvador Perez to pop out to Pablo Sandoval to end last year's World Series. On Monday, the Major League menu of games will fittingly come to a finale with a nightcap in Arizona, with the lefty they call "MadBum" toeing the slab against the D-backs.
Should be an exciting season with new faces on new teams and high expectations for the Padres and Indians.