2.2 million baseballs are ready to go (stay tuned for Stuff You Have To Know on that topic) while 30 teams are now evenly divided into two leagues making for an uneven schedule...and away we go with a great start to the 2013 baseball season!
Opening Day results are in for everyone and there were some phenomenal happenings. Check out the following excitement:
Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers makes us think it is all still Little League. You remember when the best pitcher was also the best hitter on each team too? Well, 25 year old Clayton threw a complete game shut out and homered as well to put his team ahead. Imagine if he plays shortstop next on days he isn't pitching!
Stephen Strasburg, just 24 years old and with the Opening Day assignment for a pre season World Series favorite team, pitched like a cagey veteran. Not as stunning as Bob Feller in 1940 - http://newkssportsshorts.blogspot.com/2012/04/hrefhttpwww.html - but just as effective while facing only two hitters over the minimum. Throwing just 80 pitches, he went seven innings, gave up no runs, only three hits, and kept his pitch count down by striking out three hitters while getting ten ground ball outs. Apparently, he wants to pitch in October this year!
Bryce Harper is good at baseball. While still sporting a horrific haircut, the 20 year old was hitting 3rd in a contender's lineup on Opening Day. This is not the Houston Astros or some other "rebuilding" team we are talking about - he is placed in the most key spot for a World Series favorite, in many opinions. So surely this pressure was felt and ruffled him, right? Just like all the other spotlights he has been put under, Harper responded by exceeding expectations. This spotlight shone on a two home run performance that provided the winning margin for his team.
The pitching movement that has been in place the last three years appears to be in full force and heavy on young pitchers. The three youngest Opening Day starters combined for 23 2/3 scoreless innings with Kershaw, Strasburg, and Chris Sale of the White Sox all throwing great. At this point, after all the teams have now played, no starting pitcher over 30 years old has won a game. Pitchers are younger, throwing harder and with more movement on their pitches than ever. Combined with increased defensive positioning resulting in depriving hits, runs are hard to come by.
Interleague play happened on Opening Day for the first time ever and was so exciting for all involved, they decided to play 13 innings. Talking about young pitching and the new dominance it has, the Angels struck out 17 times Monday....and won!
Finally, free agency may be a dinosaur. Many lineups featured young stars who have already signed contract extensions through their arbitration and free agency years. The top hitters available next off season will all be in their 30's - not a formula for the new wave of baseball executives and how they think.
So climb aboard now, it is going to be a great ride and something to see. All these amazing items took place during just one game for each team....with the Cleveland Indians being in first place after all was said and done. Does it get much more exciting than that?
All this because I know more about nothing...
Opening Day results are in for everyone and there were some phenomenal happenings. Check out the following excitement:
The pitching movement that has been in place the last three years appears to be in full force and heavy on young pitchers. The three youngest Opening Day starters combined for 23 2/3 scoreless innings with Kershaw, Strasburg, and Chris Sale of the White Sox all throwing great. At this point, after all the teams have now played, no starting pitcher over 30 years old has won a game. Pitchers are younger, throwing harder and with more movement on their pitches than ever. Combined with increased defensive positioning resulting in depriving hits, runs are hard to come by.
Interleague play happened on Opening Day for the first time ever and was so exciting for all involved, they decided to play 13 innings. Talking about young pitching and the new dominance it has, the Angels struck out 17 times Monday....and won!
Finally, free agency may be a dinosaur. Many lineups featured young stars who have already signed contract extensions through their arbitration and free agency years. The top hitters available next off season will all be in their 30's - not a formula for the new wave of baseball executives and how they think.
All this because I know more about nothing...
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