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April 4, 2016Indians Home Opener postponed due to weather. What now?
April 4, 2016Warmer weather? A shotgun start? Here are a few facts and changes we’d like to see happen to Opening Day in Major League Baseball.
By now, you’ve read our Roundtable on the impending season of Cleveland Indians baseball. With first pitch just two hours away, here are a few statistics to tide you over in preparation of the Indians’ Opening Day contest against the Boston Red Sox on Monday April 4.
• The Cleveland Indians are 57-56 all-time in season opening games (22-21 at home, 35-35 on the road).
• Opening Day records by ballpark
o League Park: 11-4
o Municipal Stadium: 9-13
o Jacobs/Progressive Field: 2-4
• Setting the tone? The Indians have qualified for the playoffs eleven times since 1901. Those clubs went a combined 8-3 in Opening Days.
• Corey Kluber will make his second consecutive Opening Day start in 2016. Bob Feller holds the all-time record for most Opening Day starts as an Indian with seven Game 1 appearances.
o Feller famously threw an Opening Day no-hitter in 1940, defeating the White Sox in Comiskey Park 1-0.
• This season marks the first time Cleveland hosts Opening Day since 2012. The Tribe has not won their home Opening Day contest since a 10-8 victory in 2008.
Opening Day is one of the high holy days of the sporting year. I am on record extolling its virtues. Thousands of fans fill the nation’s ballparks ready to see what the boys of summer can do. There is magic in the air as hope and optimism abound. Yet as wonderful as Opening Day is, it can still be improved. Below are a handful of changes that would help Opening Day reach even higher heights.
• All thirty clubs start on the same day. Nowadays, Opening Day is preceded by Opening Night. The 2016 season kicks off on Sunday April 3 when St. Louis visits Pittsburgh, the Blue Jays battle and Rays, and a prime time World Series rematch as the Mets face the Royals in Missouri. While I can appreciate the spotlight and enjoy the immediacy of a Fall Classic rematch, it takes away some of the league’s marathon metaphor by having six clubs open up before the others. A compromise might be to have the league’s premier matchup finish the day on ESPN under the bright lights.
• Only warm weather cities/domes host. The forecast for Cleveland on Monday? A high of 45, a 70% chance of rain, and the threat of snow. Now that sounds like April in the Forest City. While there is an unmistakable joy in hosting the first game of the year, it can be a tall order to sit through such conditions for three to four hours. Instead, I propose the following teams be designated as regular Opening Day hosts: Mariners, Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Astros, Rays, Marlins, Braves, Blue Jays, Brewers, Cardinals, Giants, and Reds. Obviously this notion may receive some pushback, which I completely understand. It would take Opening Day away from fifteen cities and their fans. I would not necessarily make such an arrangement permanent, but I would be curious to experiment with it and see if we have fewer cancellations. In the long run it may not make a significant difference. How different is weather in Detroit on April 4 versus April 8? Still, if it prevents a few rainouts or snowouts it may be worth considering.
• Opening Day always falls the first Monday in April. Major League Baseball knocked this one out of the park in 2016. The season begins precisely when we are hungriest for spring to properly arrive. The past few seasons followed the same pattern, minus a late March Australian dalliance in 2014. With a long season and recently elongated postseason, having a punctual first pitch becomes more paramount.
• Make Opening Day a federal holiday. Opening Day is unmatched in its pageantry and excitement. If the above suggestions were put into place then the only natural conclusion is to declare the first Monday in April a federal holiday so that baseball fans across the country are free to either attend the game in person or watch on TV. Imagine out of town fans having a long weekend to travel and see their beloved club open on the road while experiencing another city’s traditions and experience. Host cities would have record turnouts as businesses either end the work day early or release their employees to take in the ballgame.
These suggestions by no means suggest that Opening Day is broken. Far from it. Opening Day offers relief from four months of non-baseball activities. An entire postseason of anticipation and frustration culminates in a glorious rebirth with every team simultaneously in first place. It is especially anticipated in Cleveland this year. A deep rotation and a rebuilt defense make fans believe anything can happen. Odds are anything will; it all starts on Monday. Let’s play ball.
2 Comments
For the national holiday, some states already celebrate Cesar Chavez Day on March 31st. Why not make that a federal holiday (and national opening day)?
While it is a state holiday in Texas, few places actually shut down business. Considering his non-violent tactics w/ unionizing and fighting for better labor laws, he would be a worthwhile highlight for such a day.