Opening Day 2011 for Major League Baseball

By: Frank Iacono

What is Opening Day?

Opening Day marks the beginning of a new Major League Baseball season. To baseball enthusiasts, Opening Day not only represents a fresh start for all 30 major league baseball teams but unites millions of fans from around the country. As a child, I waited all winter-long for pitchers and catchers to report to spring training because it meant that the start of the grapefruit league games were not too far away. As an adult, I still get excited about opening day as it carries with it a sense of rejuvenation and rebirth. Joseph Paul “Joe” DiMaggio (a.k.a. Joltin’ Joe and The Yankee Clipper) once said, “You always get a special kick on Opening Day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when you’re a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.”

Twelve Major League Baseball teams are scheduled to usher in Opening Day 2011 on Thursday, March 30th including the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants who battle the Los Angeles Dodgers. Other National League games feature the Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds, and San Diego Padres at St. Louis Cardinals. American League games include the Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees and California Angels at Kansas City Royals.

2011 Major League Baseball Season Preview

As the 2011 Major League Baseball season starts there are several very interesting stories and questions that are sure to make this season a “must watch” for all baseball fans. For instance, will the Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series; will the Cincinnati Reds win the NL Central; will the Boston Red Sox win the AL East over the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees; will Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins be concussion-free; will the Texas Rangers return to the playoffs; and will the San Francisco Giants repeat as champions?

Here are my predictions for the upcoming season:

National League

EAST
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Florida Marlins
4. New York Mets
5. Washington Nationals
 
CENTRAL
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

WEST
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Colorado Rockies
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. San Diego Padres
5. Arizona Diamondbacks

National League Wildcard: Colorado Rockies
National League Champion: Philadelphia Phillies

American League

EAST
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

CENTRAL
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Kansas City Royals

WEST
1. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners

American League Wildcard: New York Yankees
American League Champion: Boston Red Sox

2011 World Series Champion: Philadelphia Phillies

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