It’s a beautiful time of year. The weather is warming up, the flowers are blooming, and the Mets still haven’t been (mathematically) eliminated from playoff contention. Professional baseball’s Opening Day is upon us, and there’s no better time to get up to speed with America’s pastime.
One hundred and fifty-four days have passed since the San Francisco Giant’s captured last year’s World Series, and most teams will get the new season underway today. This includes all of the local favorites, with the New York Mets, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies all in action on day one.
With so much time off, there’s been a lot of change throughout the league. Everyone starts the season on even ground, but this could be an uncharacteristically down year across the board for the local teams. The off-season was not particularly kind to many fans on this campus, so let’s catch ourselves up on the key storylines you need to know about as the games get underway:
Philadelphia Phillies: Last year’s squad finished in third place in the division, and the road to improvement won’t be easy. All-Star catcher Carlos Ruiz was suspended for the first 25 games of the season after testing positive for a banned substance, and new outfielder Delmon Young is still recovering from ankle surgery. The top of the division only got stronger, but the Phillies won’t be significantly weaker either. Call them victims of circumstance, but another third place finish could be in the making here.
New York Yankees: It’s never smart to bet against the Yankees, especially coming off of an American League Championship series appearance. The 2013 Yankees, however, will start the year without half of their starting offense, all due to various injuries. Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter (sorry, ladies) all begin the year on the disabled list. It’s questionable whether A-Rod will take part in this season at all. Even riding the emotion of Mariano Rivera’s final season, this could be the year that the mighty Yankees finally bottom out.
New York Mets: Any Mets fan should know that this team is playing for the future at the expense of the present. The 2013 All-Star Game might take place at Citi Field, but the Mets probably won’t be well represented in their home stadium. The team’s best two pitchers are gone, with R.A. Dickey traded away and Johan Santana requiring another shoulder surgery. Third baseman David Wright was named the team’s captain, but he won’t have much to lead. A fifth straight losing season seems more likely than not.
The Phillies are in Atlanta today, opening the season against the Braves. They return for their home opener this Friday, April 5, against the Kansas City Royals. In the Bronx, the year begins with the storied Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. Across town, the Mets are hosting the San Diego Padres.
And on that note, I’ve got a train to catch, en route to Citi Field. As long as the Mets are still in it, you always gotta believe, right?