# MLB: Opening Day! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 4, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958 "2010-04-04T23:52:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [April 4, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/1 "2010-04-04T23:52:23Z")
Anyone else watching? It’s been a while since I thought about how much I hate Bobby Valentine. Bobby V: I think when it’s all said and done, Marco Scutaro hitting 9th is going to make a big difference when it’s all said and done. Ravech: Why’s that? Bobby V: I believe he can play the game of baseball. 2 minutes later: Bobby V (regarding Mike Lowell): I think he can hit a few homeruns over that fence over the course of the season when it’s all said and done. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/2 "2010-04-05T00:36:08Z")
Forgot. Thank for reminding me. How did Yanks get their 2. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/3 "2010-04-05T01:02:52Z")
Back-to-back HRs from Posada and Granderson. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/4 "2010-04-05T06:36:53Z")
Awesome win for the Sox, and an incredibly intense game no matter who you were rooting for. Love these see-saw back and forth games - _this_ is why the Yankees/ Red Sox rivalry is the Greatest Rivalry in Sports™. The only cloud on this silver lining was some absolutely horrid umpiring. Two bad calls at first base by Angel Hernandez, robbing Pedroia of a hit and knocking Cameron from his perch at first (the latter particularly egregious, as it was fairly obvious even from a distance that Cameron was safe). And the home plate umpire’s strike zone apparently excluded anything below the belt. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/5 "2010-04-05T14:18:35Z")
It is a good thing there’s no East Coast bias on ESPN. Been far too long since they’ve shown the Yankees/Red Sox. But, at least today we’ll get to see that there are other teams in the league. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/6 "2010-04-05T14:30:03Z")
Pity they had to bring in Steven Tyler for “God Bless America” when Ronan Tynan was available. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/7 "2010-04-05T14:46:25Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > It is a good thing there’s no East Coast bias on ESPN. Been far too long since they’ve shown the Yankees/Red Sox. What other game should they have shown last night? Blame MLB for setting up the first game as Sox/Yankees, not ESPN for showing it. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/8 "2010-04-05T15:09:02Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > It is a good thing there’s no East Coast bias on ESPN. Been far too long since they’ve shown the Yankees/Red Sox. > > But, at least today we’ll get to see that there are other teams in the league. It isn’t an east coast bias. It is a ratings bias. You know like every other network has. Or did you think today’s Padilla vs Duke showdown would generate as many viewers? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/9 "2010-04-05T15:33:30Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > It is a good thing there’s no East Coast bias on ESPN. Been far too long since they’ve shown the Yankees/Red Sox. C’mon, they haven’t showed a Yankees-Red Sox game in _months_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/10 "2010-04-05T15:43:16Z")
My office will be having a lunch bar-b-que to celebrate the the Cardinals impending victory in Cincinnati this afternoon and eventual march to a world series victory. So, I got that going for me. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/11 "2010-04-05T16:54:38Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > C’mon, they haven’t showed a Yankees-Red Sox game in _months_. 😃 But they have shown [two Yankee and two Red Sok games](http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1959&Itemid=52). ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/12 "2010-04-05T18:43:47Z")
Man I love the first week free preview of the Comcast MLB package. Watching 6 games at once when the season is fresh and new :). But there is no way I’m paying for the rest of the season. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/13 "2010-04-05T18:48:56Z")
> [@cards](#): > > My office will be having a lunch bar-b-que to celebrate the the Cardinals impending victory in Cincinnati this afternoon and eventual march to a world series victory. So, I got that going for me. I, as the lone Reds fan representative on this board, would like to dispute your assessment of an impending win…but I can’t, because we have Aaron Harang pitching, and you’ve got Chris Carpenter. Still, it stands at 4-2 right now, so the fat lady ain’t warming up yet. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/14 "2010-04-05T19:22:54Z")
This just in: Albert Pujols is pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/15 "2010-04-05T19:24:32Z")
The Nationals are losing 11-1, and I’m pretty sure have just been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/16 "2010-04-05T20:04:17Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I, as the lone Reds fan representative on this board, would like to dispute your assessment of an impending win…but I can’t, because we have Aaron Harang pitching, and you’ve got Chris Carpenter. > > Still, it stands at 4-2 right now, so the fat lady ain’t warming up yet. You do not stand alone! I am sure a bottom of the ninth rally is forthcoming. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/17 "2010-04-05T21:18:09Z")
Interesting start to the Cubs season. Zambrano gets absolutely shelled and yanked in the second inning. People have been talking about a kinder, more restrained Zambrano this season and to his credit he didn’t go ballistic on the mound when things went south following two cheap bloop hits that probably should have been caught. Still, he tried to do too much and air-mailed a throw to third in the second inning. So, while his antics seemed restrained his in-game composure sure didn’t improve. Jason Heyward crushed a monster 3-run job in his first MLB AB and hit a rocket line drive that was caught in his second. He’s really good. My fantasy team is looking pretty good with him and Pujols. Marlon Byrd started his Cubs career with a 3-run job of his own. It’s just one AB and the ball barely squeaked over the center field wall, but it’s already a huge improvement over Bradley. Fukudome is 2-for-2 with a single and a double and his approach at the plate looks like vintage Ichiro. It’s too early to get excited but here’s to hoping he’s figured something out. Aramis Ramirez was out of position defensively on the aforementioned Zambrano error and probably caused him to botch the throw by forcing him to adjust at the last second. He’s gotta be rusty in the field, he’s usually better than that. He made up for it by mashing a big 2-run HR in the top of the 3rd on a really tough pitch at his shoestrings. Lets hope he starts the season hitting. Soriano hasn’t done shit. He’d better get cracking, the fans will not tolerate an extended slump to start the season with Colvin sitting on the bench. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/18 "2010-04-05T22:09:32Z")
It’s going to be a long, long season in Toronto. As an aside, Ontario has three uniquely Canadian holidays during the season; Victoria Day, Canada Day, and the August civic holiday. The Blue Jays are home for none of them. Would it be that fucking hard to schedule them home for maybe one of those damned days? ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/19 "2010-04-05T22:30:46Z")
> [@howye](#): > > You do not stand alone! I am sure a bottom of the ninth rally is forthcoming. Looks like we have murders row in the Cards line up, now that Yadier is going to be hitting grand slams all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958/20 "2010-04-05T22:47:25Z")
Poor Royals fans. Your bullpen, right now, is really crappy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-opening-day/534958.md?page=2)