Welcome Back Notes for 3/31/14

Opening Day, few things are so important in sports.  Huge hype for the first of 162 games of an incredibly long 6-month season.  Immense pressure for starting pitchers that rivals late September playoff run only to be immediately followed by a game that means next to nothing in the big picture of a .60th of a percent of the season.  But that is the beauty of baseball, the season is made up of tiny almost insignificant numbers that mean very little alone, similar to one hit, one strikeout or one blown call but when to compound them day after day, month after month they make or break a team.

Today, saw the first use of instant replay by the Cubs that was upheld and the first overturned call by the Brewers.

Grady SIzemore went 2 for 4 with a home run the Red Sox in his first game in 2 years.  Always a great player with the Cleveland Indians it is nice to see him play at this level after being plagued by numerous injuries.

Johnny Cueto spent all last year up and down with injury problems, today pitched brilliantly striking out 8 against the NL-Champ Cards.

And speaking of birds:

• Nelson Cruz of the Orioles hit a homerun
• Kolten Wong of the Cards went 1-3
• Jose Reyes left the Jays game with injury

Billy Hamilton started the season 0-4 with 4 strikeouts in a still close 1-0 game in the 9th.

MVP Andrew McCutchen was mortal at only 1-3 in a 10th inning nail-biter.

Stephen Strasburg was knocked around (6 ER) but Anthony Rendon and Adam LaRoche saved his hide.  With Rendon hitting a 10th inning 3-run shot.

The Phillies and Rangers pitchers missed the bus and the hitters hit off the tee for the game scoring 24 combined runs.  Ryan Sanberg and Jimmy Rollins have no problems right now after a grand slam… but that greatly overshadowed a 1-6 night, ouch.  Only one player did not safely get on base, Mitch Moreland, who felt left out and might have faked an injury in the 9th out of shame.

Jose Abreu is hitting .500 with a double after his first pro game with the ChiSox.  You have to root for this kid, he comes to America and chooses to play for one of the worst records in baseball.  That is love of the game.  (I hope this club contends because of this kid some day.)

And another Sox was not too shabby, Chris Sale went 7 innings striking out 8.

Still to play tonight are Mike Trout and Jose Fernandez two of baseballs best players and both players were in diapers when Derek Jeter won his first World Series.

I never thought I would utter these words:  Off to watch the Marlins and Rockies.

Fantasy Sleeper: Kolten Wong

Don’t miss out on this kid especially managers in the keeper leagues.  The second sack is a very shallow  position and everyone is going to be over paying for Robinson Cano and Dustin Pedroia and this could be a late to cost minimal free agent pick up.

This spring Kolten has just been flat-out nasty:

K Wong .372 16G 43AB 9R 16H 29TB 5DB 1TP 2HR 8RBI

At a weak position and a near nothing risk it would be foolish not to take him at the basement deal that could have him as productive as Wil Myers in 2014 and unlike Myers you won’t have to wait until June for his call up, Wong will start with the club from Opening Day.  And also unlike Myers who the Rays relied on heavily for production the Cardinals are deep with hitting and Wong will have the comfort of hitting near the bottom of the order and not relying on his bat for wins.