Eight more teams open their seasons today. The Braves and Marlins get their NL East battle started in Miami this afternoon as John Smoltz returns to the rotation to face Josh Beckett. Smoltz last started against the Marlins on 5/22/2001, not long before his last start on 6/9/2001 vs. the Yankees. He’s 10-3 vs the Fish as a starter, and did not allow a single run vs. the Marlins as a reliever in 31 1/3 innings.
Beckett had a good 2004 despite the injuries. His K and BB numbers were still good; he just needs to stay healthy have have better support this season.
The Dodgers and Giants renew their age-old rivalry in San Francisco this afternoon. Barry Bonds won’t be playing, but I’m sure there will be plenty of talk about the beleaguered slugger. It should be even more interesting on the field as Boston’s #4 starter from 2004 becomes the Dodgers opener. Derek Lowe takes the mound against Giants ace Jason Schmidt. Two different approaches here. Schmidt will be using his power to get as many strikeouts as he can. Lowe will try to use his finesse to get his infielders as many chances as possible. On offense, it’s the all-age team vs. Moneyball with money.
The Cardinals visit Houston to face their NLCS challengers. Chris Carpenter didn’t get a chance to pitch in the post season, but he’ll open for St. Louis this evening. Roy Oswalt gets the opener over Cy Young winner Roger Clemens. While the Cardinals still have their offense intact, the Astros have been decimated by the departure of Carlos Beltran. They’ll need the best they can get from Oswalt and company this season.
The final opener pits the Rangers against the Angels somewhere in the Los Angeles/Anaheim area. 2004 Surprise Ryan Drese gets the opening day nod vs. the somewhat disappointing Bartolo Colon. The 18-12 record was fine, but he would have won over 20 with an ERA well under 5.00. Drese was effective vs. the Angels last year despite a lack of strikeouts. He kept the ball in the park and only walked 2 in 13 2/3 innings, good enough for 2 wins and a 1.98 ERA.
Enjoy!