# MLB: March/April 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 29, 2018, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387 "2018-03-29T01:43:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/41 "2018-03-30T19:23:55Z")
The tradition of the first pitch being in Cincinnati ended quite some time ago. 1991 or 1992. However, the Reds are always, without exception, scheduled to open at home. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/42 "2018-03-30T19:47:27Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Reds opening day is always on Thursday, then I think they always get a day off on the next day and play Saturday and Sunday to finish the series. Are they the only team that gets a day off after opening day (this season aside)? No. Days off after Opening Day are pretty common, or maybe 2 games, a day off, another game. This is because the weather this time of year can be iffy, and teams tend to have some ceremonial pomp going on before first pitch that they want to get taken care of. Better to have an open day available now rather than in August or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/43 "2018-03-30T21:38:36Z")
Is anybody else watching this Pirates/Tigers game?!?! I mean, the wild back-and-forth is crazy enough as is, but having an extra innings walk-off hit erased after a (very long) replay overturned the safe call at the plate, AFTER the Tigers celebrated their win? Then having Ron Gardenhire ejected by not one, but two umpires? I am LOVING this. Have I mentioned how great it is that baseball is back? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/44 "2018-03-30T22:04:11Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Reds opening day is always on Thursday It is? I don’t see this looking in the last few years opening day schedules, which are traditionally on a Monday, except for those couple of years recently where most of the league started on a Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/45 "2018-03-30T22:45:03Z")
The Reds used to be given the honor of opening the baseball season but that has been gone for quite a long time, In recent memory, ESPN has televised a Sunday night game, which would never involve the Reds, and the season had a staggered opening, with teams opening on the following Monday or Tuesday, with a day off in between to allow for fickle weather. Warm weather or domed stadium teams would often have a regular 3 day series scheduled since there was little or no chance of having opening day rained/snowed out. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/46 "2018-03-30T23:17:21Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The Reds used to be given the honor of opening the baseball season but that has been gone for quite a long time. That I knew, but I don’t remember them being on Thursdays. Were they? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/47 "2018-03-30T23:21:29Z")
Actually, I couldd just answer that myself. It looks like the Reds had opening day on Thursday in 2012, 2011 (those two years the league moved opening day back for everyone), then again in 1978, 1976, 1974, 1973, 1959, 1912, 1910. Looks like most of the time it was on a Monday. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/48 "2018-03-31T00:41:25Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That I knew, but I don’t remember them being on Thursdays. Were they? Yeah, I fact checked myself and discovered I was wrong and mis-remembered. Sorry about that. But the day off after Opening Day seemed to always be there, and there always seemed to be baseball the next day for a lot of teams following their respective opening days, so somehow I conflated that into thinking it was only the Reds for some reason. And it always kinda pissed me off too. Play the series in order just like the rest of the year. Anyway, what a hard game for the Reds to lose. Bailey had a pretty heroic effort given his injury history and pitched 6 innings of one run baseball (on a blown double play, too) with his highest pitch count in since forever, and Sherzer was mowing 'em down, but the Reds chased him and had multiple chances to score but just couldn’t. Amir Garrett, a young starter from last season that got shut down and sent down early after a blistering start pitched a brilliant 7th. After that Quackenbush (Duckenpubes) gave up the meat, game over. Fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck. 2-0 Nats. Actually, not sure if Quackenbush was the culprit, may have been the Reds “closer”, didn’t bother to check. Wish we still had Aroldis Chapman. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/49 "2018-03-31T04:05:20Z")
Just what every team wants, at least 16 innings in the second game of the season. At least it’s not August, with precious few days off. Cubs trying to rally now, but what a difference a day makes in baseball ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/50 "2018-03-31T04:34:46Z")
After 2 games… Joe Panik: 2 Dodgers: 0 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/51 "2018-03-31T12:37:18Z")
Yanks did it with doubles instead of homers yesterday, but the pitching was excellent again. Aaron Hicks went to the 10 day DL before game time and Billy McKinney got to make his major league debut starting in left as Gardner slid over to Center of course. Yanks have 3 center fielders on the DL currently. I’m not sure if McKinney or Judge is the current CF backup. It might actually be Tyler Wade. McKinney was a CF in A ball but has only a few games over the last 3 years there. Wade is without question faster. The Walker signing is looking really good right now with Bird out, yet one more player giving flexibility when you only have 12 position players. McKinney I would trust in LF & RF and can play 1st. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/52 "2018-03-31T13:20:14Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > . . . Anyway, what a hard game for the Reds to lose. Bailey had a pretty heroic effort given his injury history and pitched 6 innings of one run baseball (on a blown double play, too) with his highest pitch count in since forever, and Sherzer was mowing 'em down, but the Reds chased him and had multiple chances to score but just couldn’t. Amir Garrett, a young starter from last season that got shut down and sent down early after a blistering start pitched a brilliant 7th. After that Quackenbush (Duckenpubes) gave up the meat, game over. Fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck. 2-0 Nats. > > Actually, not sure if Quackenbush was the culprit, may have been the Reds “closer”, didn’t bother to check. Wish we still had Aroldis Chapman. The Reds didn’t exactly “chase” Scherzer, he pitched 6 full innings, struck out 10 and threw 100 pitches, plenty for Opening Day. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/53 "2018-03-31T15:26:00Z")
Scherzer wasn’t even removed in the middle of an inning. He completed his last inning, a scoreless one. That isn’t being “chased.” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/54 "2018-03-31T16:01:50Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > After 2 games… > > Joe Panik: 2 > Dodgers: 0 Panik is the first player to homer in back to back 1-0 games. Amazing that there can still be a first like that in baseball. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/55 "2018-03-31T16:11:24Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > McKinney was a CF in A ball but has only a few games over the last 3 years there. Wade is without question faster. For the last ten years or so, I’ve lived around 10 minutes from Arm & Hammer Stadium, where the Trenton Thunder play. I’m not a Yankees fan, but I suppose I am to some degree a Thunder fan; we go to 10-15 games per year and get to know the lineup pretty well. It is always cool and a little surreal when one of them starts getting talked about casually in the major leagues. Good for Billy McKinney! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/56 "2018-03-31T16:30:55Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Panik is the first player to homer in back to back 1-0 games. Amazing that there can still be a first like that in baseball. This fact blows my mind. I am flabbergasted this never happened before. What a wonderful game! ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/57 "2018-03-31T16:53:13Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > My Dodgers look set to start strongly, and I will repeat my vow of last year not to mock the Giants whenever they fall to double digits behind in the standings. 😃 So far your vow promises to be pretty easy to stick to. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/58 "2018-03-31T19:55:04Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > The Reds didn’t exactly “chase” Scherzer, he pitched 6 full innings, struck out 10 and threw 100 pitches, plenty for Opening Day. > [@RickJay](#): > > Scherzer wasn’t even removed in the middle of an inning. He completed his last inning, a scoreless one. That isn’t being “chased.” Man, you baseball pedants are _brutal_. 😃 Wrong word choice by me…but in those last two innings they really made him work and had at least a couple 12 pitch batters fighting him off. In today’s game, where the Reds are currently taking it up the puffer valve 6-1, I saw something I had never seen before (and I’m admittedly a casual fan). Brice the pitcher was about to throw and saw that the runner from 2nd was trying to steal 3rd (Nats had no outs and another runner on 1st). So he was about to throw it to the shortstop/3rd baseman and instead ran over and the runner got caught in a brief rundown. Brice chased him back to second which was now occupied by the runner from 1st. He immediately tags the runner that was going to 3rd and looked at the ump, then around at the couple Reds infielders that were also standing around. Suddenly he tags the runner from 1st, the other guy, and back and forth a couple times between the runners to be sure. That moment of confusion by Brice on whom to tag was pretty funny. The guy from 1st was the one that ended up being out, the runner that was trying for third was allowed back to second. This can’t happen too often, apparently something to do with the base belonging to the former occupant of said base. I kinda think they both should be out since they both screwed up, but again, casual fan. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/59 "2018-03-31T20:13:52Z")
It’s amazing to me that it’s 2018 and MLB managers are still making sacrifice bunt calls out of 1954. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387/60 "2018-03-31T23:36:53Z")
This might be of interest: Mojo’s [Top 10 Baseball Freak-Outs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSjh--mEixo) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-march-april-2018/811387.md?page=4)