Five Things I Think I Think
I know, I know it’s only opening weekend there are still 159 games to go for most teams. No need to panic if your team is 0-3 like my Braves or pop champagne if your team is 3-0 like the Mets and Orioles. Wait What?!?! The Mets and Orioles are undefeated still! Here is what I’m taking from opening weekend.
1) Beat The Streak really is a great, but amazingly difficult game. You can win 5.6 million dollars if you’re able to compile a 56-game hitting streak choosing from the entire pool of Major League players on each day. They now have a feature where you can double down and pick two players, but if one doesn’t get a hit your streak goes to zero. Sounds simple enough to just pick a guy to get a hit. It’s not. We’re four days in and I like to think I know a thing or two about baseball. I’m 3 for 8 in picking players and only hit the double down once for my longest streak being two.
2) I underrated the Mets. All of us took the 74.5 wins for boys from Queens to go under the total and they’re making us look foolish sweeping opening weekend from the Braves. Frank Francisco who was terrible in Toronto closed out all three wins. The lineup is better than you realize as long as David Wright is healthy, Daniel Murphy is a professional hitter, and Lucas Duda has 25 homer potential. They still won’t contend I think, but .500 is definitely in play.
3) I want to see Yoenis Cespedes in the Home Run Derby. Here’s a link to the 462-foot bomb that he hit to center field. Former Mariners third baseman and current color commentator Mike Blowers said he’s “never seen a ball hit to that part of the ballpark in Oakland, not even in batting practice.”
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=20411309&topic_id=&c_id=oak&tcid=vpp_copy_20411309&v=3
4) The Tigers offense could be potentially historic. Miguel Cabrera is already locked in and having Prince Fielder behind him only is getting him pitches to hit. Makes you wonder if Ryan Braun’s numbers were more skewed from having Prince protection rather than anything “illegal.” Alex Avila who people thought might have been a fluke All-Star looks like he’ll continue to grow. Or maybe the Red Sox pitching is just that bad.
5) The Brewers just need to stop letting Yovani Gallardo face the Cardinals. I understand he’s your marquee pitcher, but when he’s 1-7 with a 5.66 ERA in his career against St. Louis. How about you save him for the 2nd series and go with Greinke/Marcum/Wolf and let Yoga take on the Cubs on Monday, a team that he’s 4-1 with a sub 3.00 ERA in his career. The result instead 3.2IP, 7H, 5BB, 6ER and FOUR home runs given up in a loss to the rival Cardinals.
What did you take away from Opening Weekend? Let us know in the comments!
-Bryan Mapes
Three Up, Three Down 
I learned Tampa is going to win the world series.
As a Cubs fan this hurt but give up on Marmol & Wood. Too much walks and not enough control. Starting staff ERA under 1.60, but Wood (27.00) & Marmol (22.50) is doing more harm and help
Definitely the Cubs bullpen has been troublesome, I think Samardizija going to the rotation might have hurt it a bit, he was really good in the 2nd half out of the bullpen. With the Cubs looking to the future, wouldn’t be surprised if both guys are on the block.