Opening day in North America is tomorrow, April 4th. As with last week’s opener in Japan, doesn’t seem to be a lot of build-up by MLB. To wit, tomorrow’s debut of the Marlins’ new digs will share attention with 12 pre-season games, including at least one that will likely still be in progress when the first pitch is thrown in Miami.
One of the great rites of the start of the baseball season is the naming of opening day starting pitchers. This year’s roster includes several making their first opening day start, including Brandon McCarthy, Stephen Strasburg, Tommy Hanson, Justin Masterson, Johnny Cueto, John Danks, Colby Lewis, Wandy Rodriguez, Jake Arrieta and Bruce Chen.
Roy Halladay and CC Sabathia (highlighted below) will be moving up the list of pitchers with the most opening day starts, with Halladay moving into a tie for 10th place on that list. Eight of the other 12 pitchers in the top 10 and ties are HOFers with one of the other four a certainty to also make the Hall.
Rk | Player | #Matching | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tom Seaver | 16 | Ind. Games | 7 | 2 | .778 | 3.13 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.2 | 96 | 35 | 8 | 20 | 81 | 1.15 |
2 | Jack Morris | 14 | Ind. Games | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3.39 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 106.1 | 99 | 40 | 9 | 39 | 75 | 1.30 |
3 | Randy Johnson | 14 | Ind. Games | 7 | 2 | .778 | 2.49 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 97.2 | 75 | 27 | 9 | 38 | 107 | 1.16 |
4 | Steve Carlton | 14 | Ind. Games | 3 | 9 | .250 | 4.30 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 92.0 | 92 | 44 | 11 | 29 | 66 | 1.32 |
5 | Robin Roberts | 13 | Ind. Games | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4.03 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 105.0 | 101 | 47 | 12 | 23 | 37 | 1.18 |
6 | Roger Clemens | 13 | Ind. Games | 6 | 3 | .667 | 4.08 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 88.1 | 71 | 40 | 6 | 37 | 72 | 1.22 |
7 | Bert Blyleven | 12 | Ind. Games | 3 | 3 | .500 | 3.21 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 87.0 | 73 | 31 | 7 | 26 | 57 | 1.14 |
8 | Dennis Martinez | 11 | Ind. Games | 2 | 5 | .286 | 3.65 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69.0 | 61 | 28 | 10 | 26 | 48 | 1.26 |
9 | Fergie Jenkins | 11 | Ind. Games | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2.58 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 80.1 | 65 | 23 | 7 | 11 | 47 | 0.95 |
10 | Warren Spahn | 10 | Ind. Games | 4 | 4 | .500 | 3.10 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 81.1 | 78 | 28 | 8 | 21 | 38 | 1.22 |
11 | Juan Marichal | 10 | Ind. Games | 6 | 2 | .750 | 1.73 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 83.0 | 65 | 16 | 4 | 20 | 57 | 1.02 |
12 | Bob Gibson | 10 | Ind. Games | 2 | 2 | .500 | 3.00 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 75.0 | 61 | 25 | 7 | 23 | 61 | 1.12 |
13 | Don Sutton | 9 | Ind. Games | 4 | 3 | .571 | 2.63 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 65.0 | 47 | 19 | 9 | 20 | 44 | 1.03 |
14 | Rick Sutcliffe | 9 | Ind. Games | 5 | 3 | .625 | 4.71 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 57.1 | 53 | 30 | 8 | 26 | 33 | 1.38 |
15 | Nolan Ryan | 9 | Ind. Games | 5 | 3 | .625 | 3.84 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 58.2 | 44 | 25 | 5 | 28 | 59 | 1.23 |
16 | Steve Rogers | 9 | Ind. Games | 2 | 4 | .333 | 3.43 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 57.2 | 54 | 22 | 2 | 13 | 37 | 1.16 |
17 | Brad Radke | 9 | Ind. Games | 4 | 2 | .667 | 4.25 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55.0 | 62 | 26 | 9 | 7 | 36 | 1.25 |
18 | Gaylord Perry | 9 | Ind. Games | 4 | 3 | .571 | 3.82 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 68.1 | 61 | 29 | 7 | 13 | 44 | 1.08 |
19 | Phil Niekro | 9 | Ind. Games | 0 | 7 | .000 | 7.31 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 44.1 | 53 | 36 | 9 | 16 | 27 | 1.56 |
20 | Livan Hernandez | 9 | Ind. Games | 4 | 4 | .500 | 4.45 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56.2 | 58 | 28 | 5 | 15 | 36 | 1.29 |
21 | Roy Halladay | 9 | Ind. Games | 4 | 3 | .571 | 3.75 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60.0 | 61 | 25 | 10 | 12 | 46 | 1.22 |
22 | Mark Buehrle | 9 | Ind. Games | 4 | 1 | .800 | 3.68 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51.1 | 46 | 21 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 1.17 |
23 | CC Sabathia | 8 | Ind. Games | 1 | 1 | .500 | 5.40 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43.1 | 47 | 26 | 4 | 19 | 35 | 1.52 |
24 | Roy Oswalt | 8 | Ind. Games | 2 | 4 | .333 | 3.48 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54.1 | 55 | 21 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 1.20 |
25 | Pedro Martinez | 8 | Ind. Games | 3 | 1 | .750 | 2.76 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49.0 | 37 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 64 | 1.00 |
26 | Greg Maddux | 8 | Ind. Games | 6 | 1 | .857 | 2.10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55.2 | 48 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 44 | 1.06 |
27 | Charlie Hough | 8 | Ind. Games | 4 | 1 | .800 | 3.08 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 52.2 | 40 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 1.20 |
28 | Dwight Gooden | 8 | Ind. Games | 6 | 1 | .857 | 3.81 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 54.1 | 56 | 23 | 8 | 12 | 42 | 1.25 |
29 | Tom Glavine | 8 | Ind. Games | 5 | 3 | .625 | 3.70 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 48.2 | 44 | 20 | 4 | 17 | 31 | 1.25 |
30 | Kevin Appier | 8 | Ind. Games | 1 | 5 | .167 | 3.80 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.0 | 45 | 19 | 4 | 24 | 37 | 1.53 |
Of these pitchers, Bert Blyleven (MIN, TEX, PIT, CLE, CAL) and Gaylord Perry (SFG, CLE, TEX, SDP, SEA) have made opening day starts with the most franchises. Livan Hernandez (FLA, SFG, MON-WSN, MIN) is right behind them. Nolan Ryan is the only pitcher with at least 3 opening day starts for each of 3 or more different franchises (CAL, HOU, TEX).
Jeremy Guthrie will start for the Rockies on Friday, missing his birthday by 2 days. These are the only times a pitcher has had an opening day start on his birthday.
Rk | Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | App,Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | GSc | WPA | RE24 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ryan Drese | 2005-04-05 | TEX | LAA | L 2-3 | GS-7 ,L | 7.0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 52 | 3.86 | -0.015 | 0.625 | .824 |
2 | Jon Lieber | 2001-04-02 | CHC | MON | L 4-5 | GS-7 | 7.0 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 56 | 3.86 | -0.048 | -0.508 | .834 |
3 | Bert Blyleven | 1979-04-06 | PIT | MON | L 2-3 | GS-7 | 7.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 60 | 2.57 | 0.103 | 1.453 | 1.029 |
4 | Catfish Hunter | 1976-04-08 | NYY | MIL | L 0-5 | GS-7 ,L | 7.0 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 6.43 | -0.314 | -1.961 | .541 |
5 | Bert Blyleven | 1973-04-06 | MIN | OAK | W 8-3 | CG 9 ,W | 9.0 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 62 | 2.00 | 0.135 | 1.087 | .701 |
6 | Marty Pattin | 1971-04-06 | MIL | MIN | W 7-2 | CG 9 ,W | 9.0 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 63 | 2.00 | 0.291 | 2.006 | .761 |
Bruce Chen joins a group of 52 other pitchers making their first opening day start at the age of 34 or older. Of those 52, only these 16 have had a second opening day start.
Rk | Player | #Matching | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Charlie Hough | 8 | Ind. Games | 4 | 1 | .800 | 3.08 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 52.2 | 40 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 1.20 |
2 | Jamie Moyer | 4 | Ind. Games | 1 | 2 | .333 | 4.07 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.1 | 28 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 1.36 |
3 | Jerry Koosman | 4 | Ind. Games | 1 | 1 | .500 | 4.71 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28.2 | 31 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 1.33 |
4 | David Wells | 3 | Ind. Games | 1 | 1 | .500 | 4.41 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.1 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 1.35 |
5 | Rip Sewell | 3 | Ind. Games | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.00 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 27.0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.70 |
6 | Ray Kremer | 3 | Ind. Games | 1 | 1 | .500 | 4.58 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17.2 | 27 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1.53 |
7 | Woody Williams | 2 | Ind. Games | 0 | 1 | .000 | 9.00 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 2.33 |
8 | Virgil Trucks | 2 | Ind. Games | 1 | 1 | .500 | 3.00 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15.0 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 1.00 |
9 | Jack Quinn | 2 | Ind. Games | 0 | 2 | .000 | 4.20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15.0 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1.27 |
10 | Fritz Ostermueller | 2 | Ind. Games | 0 | 0 | 10.29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1.86 | |
11 | Sal Maglie | 2 | Ind. Games | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 2.35 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15.1 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 1.11 |
12 | Sam Jones | 2 | Ind. Games | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 3.86 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14.0 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0.79 |
13 | Mark Gardner | 2 | Ind. Games | 0 | 0 | 4.35 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.1 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 1.65 | |
14 | Ken Forsch | 2 | Ind. Games | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.56 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17.1 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0.75 |
15 | Spud Chandler | 2 | Ind. Games | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2.35 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15.1 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0.98 |
16 | Babe Adams | 2 | Ind. Games | 1 | 1 | .500 | 4.32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.2 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1.20 |
Among this year’s opening day starters, only Roy Halladay has previously had a hit in an opening day game. Here are the opening day pitchers who have helped their own cause most often, showing the games in which they got a hit.
Rk | Player | #Matching | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SH | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Juan Marichal | 6 | Ind. Games | 19 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | .500 | .529 | .625 | 1.154 | 2 |
2 | Livan Hernandez | 5 | Ind. Games | 14 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .462 | .462 | .462 | .923 | 1 |
3 | Dwight Gooden | 5 | Ind. Games | 16 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1 |
4 | Tom Glavine | 5 | Ind. Games | 13 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .583 | .583 | .667 | 1.250 | 1 |
5 | Wes Ferrell | 5 | Ind. Games | 22 | 21 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | .381 | .409 | .429 | .838 | 0 |
6 | Pete Alexander | 5 | Ind. Games | 15 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .571 | .600 | 1.071 | 1.671 | 0 |
7 | Lon Warneke | 4 | Ind. Games | 16 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .267 | .267 | .267 | .533 | 1 |
8 | Bob Lemon | 4 | Ind. Games | 12 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .583 | .917 | 0 |
9 | Sad Sam Jones | 4 | Ind. Games | 13 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | .667 | .769 | 1.111 | 1.880 | 0 |
10 | Don Drysdale | 4 | Ind. Games | 13 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | .364 | .462 | 1.091 | 1.552 | 0 |
Finally, none of this year’s opening day starters are rookies. In fact, it has been a very long time since any pitcher made his career debut as an opening day starter. These are the only ones to do it.
Rk | Gcar | Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | App,Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | GSc | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Al Gerheauser | 1943-04-24 | PHI | BRO | L 4-11 | L | 4.0 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 11.25 |
2 | 1 | Jim Bagby | 1938-04-18 | BOS | NYY | W 8-4 | W | 6.0 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 4.50 |
3 | 1 | Lefty Grove | 1925-04-14 | PHA | BOS | W 9-8 | 3.2 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 9.82 |
For Gerheauser, the last to do this, it would be his only opening day start.