Opening Day Stuff and Junk

[DOUGHBOYS]

Eduardo Nunez had an inside the park home run last year. .
The last Red Sox player to hit an inside the park homer on Opening Day was Carl Yastrzemski in 1968....

'The Captain', Derek Jeter was shown prominently during the Cubs-Marlins game yesterday.
Jeter never played on a losing team with the Yankees.
That will not be said in his management of the Marlins.
Yesterday, not one 'Captain' took the field for a team.
Even though we think of Joe Mauer, Buster Posey, and Dustin Pedroia as leaders of their teams, they have never formally been named 'Captain'.
The only Captain in baseball?
David Wright of the New York Mets.......

It keeps being said that 1968 was the last year that all teams were scheduled to play on Opening Day.
That is only sorta true.
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luthor King was shot. Baseball season was scheduled to begin on the following Monday with the usual staggered scheduling.
Players went to owners and insisted that they not play on Monday.
When King's services were scheduled for Tuesday, they also insisted on not playing on Tuesday.
The owners were upset and wavered. They felt the players should be fined or punished in some way by the Commisioner.
They weren't and baseball started on that Wednesday......

27,000 fans in Oakland on Opening Day?
Shame on you, Oakland.
The Angels-Athletics matchup is in no way, 'a rivalry'.....

Austin Hedges made ears perk in Spring Training with a few home runs.
Yesterday, he wore the golden sombrero in striking out four times.....

Who had the worst offensive fantasy day yesterday?
Our first pick, Mike Trout, went 0-6....

Aaron Nola, Clayton Kershaw, Chris Sale, Dylan Bundy, and Chase Anderson were all brilliant yesterday.
Pitching deep into games without giving up more than a run.
None of them would get the W......

Not a pitcher threw 100 pitches yesterday that I know of.
The coddling of pitchers never more evident than with Gabe Kapler's handling of Aaron Nola yesterday.
Kapler is one of the new breed of Managers.
In the past, Managers were hired for their smarts.
Now preeminently, Managers are hired for their personalities in getting along with players and Management.
Sooner or later this trend will end when WINNING becomes an issue.....

Jon Lester concerns me....

Ian Happ, that was cool....

Kyle Schwarber, you could lose 20 more pounds and never be a good left fielder....

The first word out of fans mouths when a Miami batter was introduced....."Who?"........

Hunter Pence plays like he has ants in his pants...and shirt...and socks...and hat....

Stanton could break Roger Maris home run record....

The Yankees boast the best 1-4 hitters in baseball, but as far as length of lineup, the Astros have an edge....

Thor has a 6.67 ERA after yesterday, but may have been the most impressive pitcher during Opening Day...

Alfaro benched
d'Arnaud benched
Salvy hurt
Flowers hurt
Zunino hurt
This could be a big FAAB Sunday for Catchers....

Did you notice?
Brad Peacock set up Ken Giles.
And Giles looked Gilesian.
Hmmmmm...........

Fernando Rodney being Fernando Rodney......

I'm one of the few that remembers the 1966 Orioles.
How they swept the Dodgers in four games.
Three of those games being shutouts.
52 years later, I could understand if there was a player named Jim Palmer or even Dave McNally in todays game.
Boog Powell?
What are the odds?......

Matt Davidson became the fourth player to hit three homers on Opening Day.
The list is cool in its own way.
George 'Taco' Bell hit three homers on Opening Day in 1988.
Bell was coming off an MVP season and was pissed at Management because they were moving him from outfield to designated hitter. Even refusing to DH in a Spring Training game and being fined $1000.
After hitting the three homers, a reporter expecting Bell to be happy after his game from the DH role was met with this remark from Bell, "I've got too many things on my mind to be happy."
In Bell's defense, he had a lesser mind to work with than most other folks.
Tuffy Rhodes did it.
He had a .224 lifetime batting average with just 13 homers.
And the hell of it was that he hit all three dingers off Dwight Gooden.
Dmitri Young hit three homers on Opening Day in 2005.
He was the opposite of predecessor George Bell.
"Best and loudest curtain call ever for me!"
Young also was a designated hitter in that game, making Rhodes the only positional player who has performed the feat.

[Yah Mule]

If you're gonna be Gilesian, this is the way to do it.

[Rog]

Good stuff as always Dan.
I would like to thank the rain out and a Thursday start because of that I took out Billy Hamilton and moved Matt Davidson into my lineup.
Probably the 1st and last good decision I make all year.

[The Union jacks]

Particularity enjoyed the news that Raisel Iglesias was put on paternity leave on the opening day of the season...is it too much to ask that you add 9 months in your head while in the throws of passion?

[DOUGHBOYS]

Particularity enjoyed the news that Raisel Iglesias was put on paternity leave on the opening day of the season...is it too much to ask that you add 9 months in your head while in the throws of passion?

Mike Ditka- "Have a baby on your own time!"

[Edwards Kings]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8c6Ir2okLY

[Yah Mule]

Those guys who you just know are going to screw you even as you're drafting them. Each time I acquired Aaron Hicks, a tiny voice in my mind was whispering, "you know he's going to strain his oblique or intercostal (not sure which is which), right?"

[DOUGHBOYS]

Yep Jim, and on the flip side, I managed to avoid pitchers like Garrett Richard and James Paxton every draft.
I now fully expect them to have banner, healthy years.

[DOUGHBOYS]

I believe that batting sixth in the Opening Day lineup (Trea Turner) is the lowest any top five offensive NFBC draft pick has ever batted on Opening Day.
It surely had to surprise his owners.

[Wolfpac]

Yep Jim, and on the flip side, I managed to avoid pitchers like Garrett Richard and James Paxton every draft.
I now fully expect them to have banner, healthy years.

Yep during our auction I noticed you stayed mostly quiet, but when you wanted someone you were definitely animated. I did end up with Paxton for 19 (my ace) lets go with the banner year.

[DOUGHBOYS]

It may have been the only time I was quiet in Las Vegas, Dan!
Great meeting you!

[Rog]

Maddon being Maddon
My lead-off hitter did to well yesterday I need to give him the day off after all it is a long season.

[Wolfpac]

It may have been the only time I was quiet in Las Vegas, Dan!
Great meeting you!

Double down on those sentiments, great putting a face to the best posts on this board!

[Rog]

Mr. Kenyon.
I just got an alert that Joey votto has seen a total 5 pitches in 4 at bats today. Now I know there is something wrong in the universe

[DOUGHBOYS]

I saw it myself, Rog. I Couldn't believe it.
I think he was trying to surprise Max Scherzer.
What was funny was Scooter Gennett seeing about 25 pitches following Votto in the lineup.
It worked for Gennett, he went 4-4.

By the way, is there anything in fantasy more bittersweet than seeing a 4-0-4-0 box score?

[Yah Mule]

This game is too easy for Joe Panik.

[Edwards Kings]

This game is too easy for Joe Panik.

So, early NL MVP Leader is Joe Panik....we will forget about this pretty soon, but these types of games are why baseball is so great!