Come To Think of It: Opening Day Observations from Around the Majors

You really can't learn too much about a team or a player from such a small sample size, of course. Yet there were several interesting observations from around both leagues on what was officially opening day 2009 for all but two teams (the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies opened the major league season on Sunday night).

Let's get right to it:

• Showing that slow starts are not limited to players and teams, Comcast SportsNet TV had a rough first start. During the Chicago Cubs broadcast, the player stats showing 2008 results were incorrect many times. They also weren't showing the radar gun readings for either pitcher, for some reason.
• Speaking of the Cubs, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez hit homers as Carlos Zambrano beat Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros 4-2.
  
• Derek Lowe had a strong first start for the Braves Sunday night, pitching eight innings of two-hit ball, allowing no runs. Rookie Jordan Shafer hit a home run in his very first major league at-bat in that game as well, as the Braves beat the defending champion Phillies. 
• Which Cliff Lee will show up for the Cleveland Indians in 2009? Well, he looked more like the 2007 version that went 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA than the Cy Young winner from last season. He allowed seven runs in five innings as the Tribe lost 9-1 to the Texas Rangers.
• Two of the three big free agent signings by the New York Yankees didn't fare so well on opening day. CC Sabathia got knocked around by the Baltimore Orioles for six runs in four and one-third innings, while Mark Teixeira went 0-for-4, stranding four base runners. 
• The New York Mets pitching staff, behind Johan Santana, combined to allow only three hits to the Cincinnati Reds in a 2-1 win.
  
• In that same game, Reds Manager Dusty Baker allowed Aaron Harang to throw 114 pitches on opening day. Wow.
  
• In a probable sign of things to come, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies combined for 22 hits and 17 runs in a 9-8 Snakes victory. There were eight home runs hit in the contest, with both Tony Clark and Felipe Lopez hitting two each for the D-Backs.
  
• In another likely season-long occurrence, the Washington Nationals staff got hammered for 12 runs in a 12-6 loss to the Florida Marlins. The great Hanley Ramirez hit a homer and drove in five runs for the Fish. Adam Dunn had a homer and double and drove in four runs for the Nats.
• In a kind of feel-good story, Ken Griffey Jr. went deep and King Felix pitched eight strong innings, as the Seattle Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins and Fransico Liriano 6-1.
  
• The St. Louis Cardinals' new closer got off to an inauspicious start on Monday, as Jason Motte blew a two-run lead. The Pittsburgh Pirates exploded for four runs in the top of the ninth to defeat Motte and the Red Birds 6-4.
  
• Roy Halladay was not at his best, but he got the win as designated hitter Adam Lind had a huge game for the Toronto Blue Jays. Lind had four hits and six RBI in the 12-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander, hoping for a comeback year, was hit hard and often, giving up eight runs in three and two-thirds innings.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres and midseason trade candidate Jake Peavy 4-1. The Dodgers stole three bases against Peavy and former Cubs catcher Henry Blanco. Oh yeah, Manny Ramirez had no hits, but scored a run in his 2009 debut. 
• The Los Angeles Angels can put their rotation concerns to rest, at least for one game. Joe Saunders threw six and two-thirds innings of three-hit ball, as the Halos shut out the punchless Oakland A's 3-0.
• In a continuing demonstration of why baseball should be banned in non-domed, cold-weather cities in April, two games were postponed due to the elements. The Chicago White Sox were snowed out of their home opener against the Kansas City Royals, while the Boston Red Sox-Tampa Bay Rays matchup was rained out.
• And to think the Twins are moving out of a domed stadium for open air Target Field next season. While the Metrodome certainly had its detractors, it seems ridiculous to me that a city like Minnesota would build a new stadium without a roof. Don't make too many plans for opening day next year Twins fans, you may have to dodge a snowstorm.