Touch 'Em All: The Best Of Opening Day, Pedro Martinez Q&A, & Playoff Predictions
Ladies and gents, we are so back.
Baseball has begun. The long winter months have melted and given way to spring flowers and home runs aplenty. America’s most treasured sports season is here.
However, the MLB made it really, really hard for people to take in the Opening Day action. For no reason whatsoever, the MLB App would not work for pretty much everyone who tried to use it.
Gosh, bro. On the first day of the season?! Are we serious right now, MLB?
Fortunately, it (eventually) got fixed and fans could take in all the games. Here are the best highlights from Opening Day.
Did your team win Opening Day? Were you affected by MLB App's massive flop? Let me know: john.simmons@outkick.com.
Kirk ‘Gibby’ Gibson Meets Freddie Freeman And Ichiro Suzuki Can Bring The HEAT
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners won the "Best First Pitches of Opening Day" award.
Before starting a game against the Tigers, Los Angeles welcomed franchise legend Kirk Gibson to throw out the first pitch, and Freddie Freeman caught it.
It was a moment of past excellence meeting its present iteration, as both these men have done the same thing that no one else in the franchise has ever done.
In Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, Gibson hit one of the most iconic home runs in World Series history off Dennis Eckersley with two injured legs.
In Game 1 of last year’s Fall Classic, Freeman channeled his inner Gibson and hit the sport’s only walk-off grand slam in World Series history - also on a bad leg.
This gave Joe Davis a chance to re-enact his iconic call from Game 1 of last year.
Everyone in Dodger Stadium roared in applause at the chance to see two team heroes combine to get their season off to a great start. A 5-4 win over Detroit certainly helped improve the mood too.
Seattle doesn’t have any World Series titles to celebrate - yet - but they have legends of their own that they want to honor. The team brought back 52-year-old Ichiro Suzuki to throw out the first pitch, with former teammate and current Mariners manager Dan Wilson catching.
Don’t let Ichiro’s age fool you. Even at 51, he was still able to uncork an 84-mph pitch.
I think there are several MLB teams who would gladly take Ichiro even at this age. Maybe, the White Sox?
Speaking of…
After Opening Day, The White Sox Had More Wins Than Losses
Yes, you read that right.
The pitiful (and that’s putting it lightly) Chicago White Sox ended Opening Day undefeated after demolishing the Angels 8-1 on Thursday.
While winning your first game isn’t that impressive (15 teams do it every year), this is the most positive thing we’ve been able to say about the White Sox for a long time. Last year, they set the MLB record for most losses in a season (121) and were so bad that current fans don’t want to make any up-and-coming fans suffer the pain of rooting for this team.
But hey, being 1-0 is a good step to reversing the pain! Now they are just 53 wins away from passing the record-lowest projected wins in a season by a sports book.
You can do it, Chicago! - I think.
Tyler O'Neil Is A Guaranteed Dinger On Opening Day
Tyler O’Neil has played for three teams in the past six seasons (St. Louis, Boston, Baltimore) and made the Opening Day roster each time. That’s an accomplishment in itself to have three different teams think you’re good enough for Day 1.
But you know what’s more impressive? Hitting a home run on Opening Day for an MLB record six years in a row.
This season, he did it with an opposite field three-run shot against the Blue Jays.
What a cool way to make your mark in the MLB history books.
Late-Game Drama Courtesy Of Boston And Miami
The Boston Red Sox were tied 2-2 with the Texas Rangers in the top of the ninth inning. They had two men on base and second-year outfielder Wilyer Abreu at the plate.
On a 1-0 count, he jacked the ball into the Rangers' bullpen to put his team up for good.
I love the energy as he rounds the bases. It’s just one game, but that’s the kind of statement my Sox needed after a lethargic 2024.
Not to be outdone, Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the MLB its first walk-off win of the year.
Juan Soto Chokes In The Clutch
I’m calling it right now - Juan Soto was a bust. After all, would a player worth $765 million strike out in clutch situations to win games for the New York Mets?
Apparently so.
With a chance to take the lead with a three-run blast, Soto whiffed at a wicked slider by Josh Hader to give the Houston Astros a 3-1 win.
Okay, okay, he’s not a bust. It’s one game, and he’ll have plenty of chances to redeem himself (and I suspect he will). But it's not a great start to say the least.
Late-game heroics? Records being set? The White Sox being undefeated?! All in one day?
It's good to be back, my fellow MLB fans.
Pedro Martinez Held A Public Q&A Session Near My Hometown!
On March 27th, I attended a live Q&A session with Boston legend Pedro Martinez at The Brook Casino in Seabrook, NH. For those of you who might now know, in his career, Martinez:
- Won three Cy Young awards
- Earned 8 All-Star nods
- Pitched and won Game 3 of the 2004 World Series (which the Red Sox won)
- Accumulated a 4.15 strikeout-to-walk rate in his 18-year career
There’s a reason he’s so beloved in Boston, and it's no surprise that the room of 300+ people was packed to the rafters.
Here are things I learned about Martinez from the discussion (in which he took many questions from the crowd):
- For three straight years, he requested that the Montreal Expos trade him to - horror of horrors - the Yankees. Evidently, in the final year it was oh so close to happening. All of Boston is glad it didn’t.
- Evidently, he couldn’t take anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil because he has a sensitive stomach. So if he was in pain, he fought through it.
- Martinez said he would not trade his ‘04 ring with Boston for three more anywhere else.
- He called Boston the most loyal fanbase in all of baseball. I already knew that, but it was nice to hear it from an unbiased source.
What a legend. That was one of the coolest sports experiences I’ve ever been a part of.
My World Series Pick Shouldn't Surprise You (It's The Dodgers)
Time for some playoff picks that I just know will be successful (and by "know" I mean I have zero idea).
Here are my predictions for each league's playoff teams:
AL Division Winners - East: Red Sox Central: Tigers West: Rangers
AL Wild Cards - 1. Royals 2. Yankees 3. Twins
Division Winners - East: Braves Central: Brewers West: Dodgers
NL Wild Cards - 1. Phillies 2. Diamondbacks 3. Mets
League Championship Series - Red Sox over Royals, Dodgers over Braves
World Series - Dodgers over Red Sox in 5
Rationale: Sometimes, it's best to make the most obvious choice instead of trying to seem smart by making a fringe pick. Give me the most talented team in baseball that features Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Blake Snell, and Freddie Freeman to become the first back-to-back World Series winners since the ‘98-’00 New York Yankees. Unless the entire team suffers gruesome injuries, I don’t see how you stop this train.
Expect Freddie Freeman and the Dodgers to once again hold up the World Series trophy this year. Bronx, NY 10/30/2024 CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164636 TK1)
I’m taking the Red Sox for the simple reason that they are the most-improved team in the American League. Last year, they won 81 games, and the additions of Garret Crochet, Walker Buehler, Alex Bregman, and a few sneaky good bullpen arms make this team look like a surefire playoff squad ready to wreak havoc. Since I’m also a Boston fan, I’ll be optimistic and say that they can navigate their way through a relatively weak playoff picture to ge to the Fall Classic.
I will continue to be optimistic and say that they will win a game in the World Series before being thoroughly outclassed by Los Angeles. The Dodgers should get revenge for the 2018 series.
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That's it for this edition! Do you want certain content or story angles to be featured in my weekly column? Email me: john.simmons@outkick.com. I want to hear your ideas!