Photo by rchdj10
You always get a special kick on Opening Day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when you’re a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen,
Joe DiMaggio
At yesterday’s Twin Opener (at home, in Minnesota, in March), something wonderful did happen for all of us who had somehow survived the 2019 Polar Vortex. The sun came out, the temperature climbed to a lofty 49 degrees, the Twins played some baseball that counted – and the home squad came away with a victory! In this post, BBRT will take a brief look at the Twins opener, as well as recount some of the highlights from Opening Day around MLB. Note: BBRT will treat all of yesterday’s games as though they occurred on Opening Day – even though the season actually opened on March 20 in Tokyo. For some thoughts on that, click here.
2019 Opening Day in Minnesota.
As the game time approaches, the sun seems a little brighter, the sky a little bluer, the air a little warmer and the grass a shade greener. Once the game begins, the ball hops off the bat with an especially sharp crack, the pitches seem to have more zip and whir-r-r than ever and the fielders move with a unique combination of grace and energy. In the stands, the beer is crisp and cold and the hot dogs steam in the cool of early spring. The fans cheer on their old and new heroes and follow this opening contest with pennant-race intensity – the most intense among them logging each play in the new season’s first scorecard. Baseball Is Back!
Baseball Roundtable … March 26, 2013
The 2019 Twins Home Opener drew an officially counted 39,519 hardy fans. The sky was partly cloudy, with the field occasionally bathed in sunlight and the game time temperature was a brisk (but comfortable) 49 degree. The Twins, appropriately (for this is Minnesota) gave out Twins-logo-ed “puffer” vests to the first 30,000 through the gates. I can testify that the give-aways were put to immediate and good use by at least 80 percent of the crowd.
The day featured all the usual Opening Day hoopla – player introductions, the giant on-the-field flag for the national anthem, an F-16 flyover and a first pitch thrown out by fomer Twin and 2006 American League MVP Justin Morneau.
As it is for nearly all Opening Day games, this contest featured what was expected to be a solid pitching match-up. The visiting Cleveland Indians sent two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to the mound, while the Twins countered with 2018 All Star Jose Berrios. It was clear from the start that neither would disappoint. Berrios got through the top of the first on just nine pitches (eight strikes), while Kluber was even more efficient – putting down the Twins in order in the bottom of the frame on just seven pitches (six strikes). It was more of the same in the second inning: Berrios – three up-three down on eight pitches (six strikes) and Kluber retiring the Twins in order on six pitches (all strikes). So after two innings, we had seen a total of 27 pitches, with only four outside the strike zone.
Things didn’t change a whole lot over the course of the game – played in two hours and 18 minutes and featuring just two runs (both by the Twins) on a two-team total of six hits, with two walks, two hit batsmen and 19 strikeouts.
It’s always an honor to pitch Opening Day … It’s exciting. It’s the beginning of a new season … That being said, I think we have five guys who could have pitched Opening day,”
Corey Kluber.
I should note that Kluber – after getting through four perfect innings on just 30 pitches (25 strikes) – did come down to earth a bit as the game progressed. While he needed just 11 pitches to get out of the fifth, his strike-to-ball ratio was six-to-five – and in the sixth inning, he needed 15 pitches (eight strikes/seven balls). In the seventh inning, after collecting just one hit and one walk over six frames, the Twins finally mounted some offense – all driven by newcomers to the team. DH Nelson Cruz singled to left. Then, after an Eddie Rosario whiff, 1B C.J. Cron singled to center. Third baseman Marwin Gonzalez doubled them both home. And, that was the offense for the day.
Kluber pitched seven innings, giving up just two earned runs (four hits, one walk, one HBP and five strikeouts). Berrios lasted 7 2/3, giving up no runs on two hits, one walk and ten strikeouts. Tyler Rogers came on to get a four-out save for the Twins – striking out three. And, the fans went home happy in their cozy “puffer” vests.
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OPENING DAY AROUND BASEBALL
Another Free-swinging Season?
The 2018 season was the first in MLB history in which there were more strikeouts than base hits. If Opening Day is any indication, we are headed there again. Here are a few totals from the day’s 15 games.
Base hits – 197 (13.1 per game)
Strikeouts – 247 (16.5 per game)
Home Runs – 48 (3.7 per game)
Total runs scored – 124 (93 by winning teams, 33 by those on the losing side).
The most popular score of the day was 2-0, with four games ending by that tally (Twins over Indians; Mets over Nationals; Tigers over Blue Jays; Padres over Giants). There was a fifth shutout, as the A’s topped the Angels 4-0.
The most runs scored by any team on the day were 12, by three teams: Cubs over Rangers 12-4; Mariners over Red Sox 12-4; and Dodgers over Diamondbacks 12-5.
AN OPENING DAY RECORD FOR HOME RUNS – DEPENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.
It was reported that a record 48 home runs were hit on Opening Day – the old record was 46. For BBRT, it kind of depends on how you look at it. Seven of those round trippers were hit by the Mariners and A’s – who had already opened the season March 30 in Tokyo. Maybe an asterisk is in order? Still, while all 48 homers were not hit by players in their team’s opening game, since neither the Mariners’ nor the A’s pitchers gave up a home run yesterday, all the home runs surrendered were by pitchers pitching in their teams opening game. I guess that clears that up.
Dodgers set Opening Day Dinger Mark
The Dodgers topped the Diamondbacks (in LA) on Opening Day by a 12-5 score. In the process, the Dodgers smacked an Opening Day single-team home run record with eight long balls. Joc Pederson and Enrique Hernandez each went deep twice, while Corey Seager, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger and Austin Barnes added one apiece.
In Honor of the Final Four – A Baseball Double Double
For just the second time in MLB history, both starting pitchers in an Opening Day game notched double-digit strikeouts. Of course, it should be no surprise, they were the 2018 National League Cy Young Award winner (Jacob deGrom) and a three-time CYA winner and 2018 runner-up (Max Scherzer).
As the Mets topped the Nationals 2-0, deGrom got the win – going six scoreless innings, with five hits, one walk and ten whiffs. Scherzer took the loss, despite giving up just two hits (and two earned runs) in 7 2/3 frames, with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
The other time it two Opening Day starters fanned ten or more in the same game? April 7, 1970, when Orioles bested the Indians 8-2 in Cleveland. Orioles’ starter Dave McNally went the distance, giving up two runs on four hits, with three walks and 13 strikeouts. Cleveland starter Sam McDowell went 6 1/3 innings before walking the bases loaded with one out in the seventh. In his 6 1/3 frames, McDowell (who took the loss) was credited with giving up three earned runs on three hits, with five walks and eleven strikeouts.
Another Reason Why I Don’t Like the DH
When Brewers’ starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin popped a solo home run off Cardinals’ starter Miles Mikolas with two out in the bottom of the fifth, he joined some good company, He adds his name to a short list of active pitchers with opening Day homers – Madison Bumgarner (two in 2017) and Clayton Kershaw (2013). It proved to be an important homer, as it gave the Brew Crew a 5-3 lead and they held on for a 5-4 win.
Tim Beckham Takes Chris Sale Deep Twice – and That’s a Real Surprise
The Mariners’ Tim Beckham could not have been too happy to see Chris Sale on the mound on Opening Day. Beckham was zero-for-fifteen in his career against Sale, with nine strikeouts (no walks). The nine whiffs were his most against any pitcher (he has also fanned nine times against Mark Estrada). What happened on Opening Day? Beckham took Sale deep twice – going two-for-five and plating three runs. By the way, the two round trippers ties for the most long balls Beckham has hit against any hurler (he has hit a pair of career home runs against seven different pitchers).
Like Father – Like Son
Fernando Tatis, Jr. – starting at shortstop fort the San Diego Padres – singled in his first MLB at bat (off Madison Bumgarner of the Giants). The hit came in the bottom of the seventh and was one of two singles he would get in the game – won by the Padres 2-0.
His father, Fernando Tatis made his debut for the Texas Rangers – starting at 3B (against the White Sox) on July 26, 1997. He also began His MLB career with a single in his first at bat.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com
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