It’s Opening Day!
Let the regular season begin!
Let the regular season begin!
I knew we were in for a long season when we lined up for the national anthem on opening day and one of my players said, ‘Every time I hear that song I have a bad game.’
~Jim Leyland
Right-handed pitcher Denny McLain’s major league career came to an end on March 27, 1973 when he was released by the Atlanta Braves. Only 29 years old at the time, McLain ended his ten-year career with a 131-92 career record and an ERA of 3.39. In 1968, McLain was the first 30-game winner since 1934.
Only five days to go until Opening Day!
In a spring exhibition game on March 23, 1934, Babe Didrikson pitched the first inning for the St. Louis Cardinals. The female track and field Olympian gave up three runs against the Red Sox in Bradenton, Florida.
Congratulations to Japan on winning the World Baseball Classic championship! And congrats, as well, to Shohei Ohtani on earning MVP honors. As a United States citizen and resident, I was naturally rooting for the USA to repeat, but I certainly can’t be mad about Japan taking the title. The whole nation is so passionate about baseball, and they produce some amazing ballplayers.
Undefeated Team Japan secures its 3rd #WorldBaseballClassic title! pic.twitter.com/ehM62luyw9
โ World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 22, 2023
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โ ใใซใใใทใฅๆ(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) March 22, 2023
ใใกใณใฎ็ๆงใๆฌๅฝใซใใใงใจใใใใใพใ๏ผ#WBC2023#TeamJapan pic.twitter.com/h6dRzF0nTT
Another MVP award to add to Ohtani’s mantel. #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/obVbw01vjv
โ MLB (@MLB) March 22, 2023
This is pretty much a postseason atmosphere, and we’re getting it right in the middle of Spring Training. It’s a great team over there, and it almost makes me kind of want to go play in winter ball a little bit and see how rowdy these fans get. It looks really fun, and I was glad to be a part of it.
~Trea Turner, on the experience of playing in the World Baseball Classic
I haven’t done the research to determine just how far back the tradition of baseball teams wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day truly goes, but some believe that it may go back quite a ways. The 1899 Philadelphia Phillies introduced their new, green-trimmed uniforms on March 17th, a move that garnered headlines. Considering the Phillies wore these uniforms for the rest of the season, there remains some debate as to whether this could truly be considered a nod to St. Patrick’s Day. The modern tradition of wearing green on this day wouldn’t emerge until 1978, beginning with the Cincinnati Reds.
On March 15, 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the baseball’s first professional team when the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) agreed to allow compensated players to participate. Harry Wright assembled a ten-man team, all of whom were given a salary through November. The Red Stockings finished the season with a 57โ0 record, marking the only perfect season in professional baseball history.
A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.
~Wade Boggs