Since 1994 when baseball structured each league to provide three divisional buckets for its teams, there have been two occasions where a single division – right from the start – turned into an extended, dueling banter of “Whatever you can do (in this case, win), I can do too.” In […]
On August 15, 2015, Boston’s Jackie Bradley, Jr. came to the plate six times. His first essay in the batter’s box resulted in a two-run homer. He then doubled, and then struck out to put a small, but fleeting damper on his afternoon at Fenway. After the whiff, he doubled […]
In 2002, reigning NL MVP Barry Bonds opened the season looking like he had taken a couple of days – rather five months – off. Through the Giants’ first three games for that encore campaign, Bonds collected six hits with five going for extra bases. There was a double and […]
In 1987, homers ruled. Mark McGwire launched 49 to obliterate the existing rookie record. Over in the NL, Andre Dawson matched that tally, making the ’87 season the first since 1961 to see multiple players climb so high. In all, 28 players hit at least 30 home runs, more than […]
When it comes to Dodgers kapowing a ballgame with a walk-off home run over the last half century, Andre Ethier is king. 2008 saw the first example of this flair, kind of a supporting role in the team’s drama that season. The following year, the 27-year-old grabbed hold of the […]
From 1973 through 1981, Richie Hebner participated in eight Opening Days. “Participated,” while accurate, fails to match the power of the corner infielder’s impact in those contests. He went 18-for-33 (.545), scored 13 runs and whammed his way to making a baker’s dozen of those safeties go for extra bases […]
When Barry Bonds drew 232 walks in 2004 to annihilate the previous single-season record and set a standard which feels unbreakable, he didn’t exactly erupt from the outset. On Opening Day, he drew one free pass and then in the following contest, collected another (this one of the intentional variety). […]
Since 1901, no Dodgers starting pitcher has accumulated more Opening Day wins than Don Drysdale and his five. The Hall of Fame right-hander owed some of that success to the Cubs, whom he bested in both 1960 and 1963. Drysdale went the distance in both of the victories, with the […]
In 1927, Lou Gehrig produced an 11.4 oWAR (this is bWAR, with the defensive element removed). This explosive display is the showcase of all showcases for first basemen, the unsurpassed mark for the position. And thus, Gehrig gets us started on a fun offensive dream team, one made up by […]
Following this opening, there’s a little more than a thousand words devoted to connecting the three AL MVP finalists from 2024 to the past. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig are going to be referenced, as will Honus Wagner and Rogers Hornsby. Ted Williams and Stan Musial are brought up, as […]