Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is one of the most sacred days in professional sports. A time where baseball fans can officially move past a cold winter while also leaving behind the bad memories from the previous season, Opening Day remains a highly anticipated event across the globe. While the 2014 MLB season officially began on March 22 with a two-game set between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamonbacks in Australia, the Dodgers and NL West rival San Diego Padres opened play in the United States on Sunday, March 30, with San Diego taking their opener 3-1.
LA and San Diego will resume their series on Tuesday, April 1 but a handful of teams are making final preparations before opening their respective campaigns on March 31. The defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox will begin their quest toward a repeat with a road trip to Baltimore, signifying the 74th time Boston has opened the season away from Fenway Park. With an overall record of 55-57-1 on Opening Day in their history, the Red Sox will surely be looking to add an early victory over a team expected to compete for the American League East title.
While Boston and Baltimore prepare for their openers, usual contenders in the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics among others are also looking forward to beginning their 2014 schedules. The Yankees made numerous moves in the offseason to help bolster their starting rotation and line-up and while they’ll surely be looked upon as a serious threat in the American League, talented teams in Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Detroit and Texas are others who hold the capability of playing meaningful baseball late in the season.
Though the 2014 season is already underway, here’s a few Opening Day-themed quotes to help usher in one of the best timeframes in professional sports.
“We're getting close to opening day. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.” -- Sparky Anderson, former Detroit Tigers manager referencing one of his former ball clubs
“Opening Day is like Christmas, except it’s warmer.” -- Pete Rose
“Today is Opening Day in baseball. Out in Yankee Stadium, Billy Martin just threw out the first punch.” -- Legendary talk show host Johnny Carson taking a harmless jab at former Yankees manager Billy Martin
“A home opener is always exciting, no matter if it’s home or on the road.” -- Yogi Berra
“You look forward to Opening Day like a birthday party when you're a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.” -- Joe DiMaggio
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