Written by Jessica Heckmann
To many sports fans, the beginning of spring symbolizes one thing: baseball. This year, Major League Baseball started the season four days earlier than usual.
MLB started Thursday, March 31, and according to MLB Senior Vice President Katy Feeney, each team had the choice of playing Thursday or Friday.
The early start means that the regular season will finish Sept. 28, with postseason play beginning three days later.
The World Series will start Oct.19,with game seven being scheduled for Oct. 27. Those dates are a week earlier than the past two years, but most MLB managers are not complaining.
“I’m thrilled to death,” Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland said in USA Today. “It makes a lot of sense. It’s rough playing in November with the weather being so cold.”
The New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 for the first official win of the day, with Yankees closer Mariano Rivera getting his560th save, making him 41 saves away from matching all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman.
The San Francisco Gi- ants, reigning World Series Champions, lost to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1. Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw out-dueled the Gi- ants’ Tim Lincecum,with each pitcher going seven innings. The Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 4-2,and the St. Louis Cardinals played the San Diego Padres and lost in the first extra-inning game of the year.The final score was 5-3 in 11 innings.
Friday, all other teams began their seasons. Last year, the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 9-5, with a great start from Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson. Hard- ing sophomore and Rangers fan Ashley Alexander went to Arlington for OpeningDay and said she is looking forward to a season in which the Rangers prove themselves.
“Opening Day this year was fantastic,”Alexander said. “I’m mostly looking forward to watching our pitching improve and become a force to be reckoned with without Cliff Lee. C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis will hold it down, along with our younger guys who have been brought in and are getting their feet wet. We have a lot to prove this season. And I know we’ve got the bats, bullpen and field ready to get it done.”
Predictions were proven wrong as the Tampa Bay Rays lost to the Baltimore Orioles 4-1. The Chicago Cubs lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Houston Astros 5-4.
With more than 160 games to go, there is no telling which team will end up on top.
