Comments on: Most Opening Day Starts, last 8 years (2011 Phillies are loaded)

By: Tmckelv

Tmckelv — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:40:06 +0000

I guess Sabathia gets off to bad starts....1-1 with 5.79 ERA in 7 opening days.

By: Nash Bruce

Nash Bruce — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:33:38 +0000

so should we just go ahead, skip the season, and hand the Phillies the NL pennant this year?
Um.......actually, yeah, I think so.

By: Spartan Bill

Spartan Bill — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:18:42 +0000

How many of you would have guessed that Ben Sheets had the best stats of the 11 listed pitchers?

By: BSK

BSK — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 06:56:12 +0000

So Andy is counting out the Phillies as of Opening Day this year?!?!?!?!

By: Bix

Bix — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 03:16:22 +0000

@2
Pretty sure the Red Sox have 4: Beckett, Dice-K, Lackey, and Wakefield.

By: Evan

Evan — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 21:47:26 +0000

The Cardinals have 3 in Carpenter, Wainwright and Westbrook.

By: John Autin

John Autin — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:28:44 +0000

In both 2005 and '06, the Cubs opened on the road, Carlos Zambrano started, the Cubs scored 16 runs and won, but Zambrano got no decision, lifted after 4.2 IP. In the 2005 game, Zambrano left with a 9-3 lead, but he had just walked 2 straight to force in a run and Dusty Baker had seen enough.

On Opening Day 2008, Zambrano and Ben Sheets both pitched blanks into the 7th. The game was scoreless until the 9th, when Kerry Wood allowed 3 runs to the Brewers; but Eric Gagne needed only 3 batters to squander the lead, serving a 3-run HR to Kosuke Fukudome. Milwaukee scored in the 10th, and Gagne was credited with the win.

Last season, Zambrano got knocked out in the 2nd, charged with 8 runs , en route to a 16-5 loss.

By: mccombe35

mccombe35 — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:41:45 +0000

Buehrle would be 8 for 8, but Contreras snuck one in there in '07. He (Contreras) was actually the best pitcher in baseball during late '05 to early '06 finished '05 going 8 - 0 with a 2.09 ERA started '06 going 9 - 0 with a 3.31 ERA (got a couple "cheap" wins at the end of that run in '06. When he was 7 - 0 his ERA was 2.62)

By: John Autin

John Autin — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 18:43:22 +0000

P.S. to my #4 -- Brad Radke made 9 Opening Day starts in the 10 years from 1996-2005.

Also: Other active pitchers with 5 or more Opening Day starts (besides those listed above):
-- 8, Livan Hernandez
-- 6, Bartolo Colon
-- 5, Tim Hudson

By: John Autin

John Autin — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 18:34:57 +0000

Mike @1 re: Santana -- Yes, it's interesting that Johan didn't start Opening Day in 2005, after winning 20 games, the strikeout title and the Cy Young Award in '04. Brad Radke, the "established #1," got the O.D. assignment. Unfortunately for us Mets fans, Santana's 5-year string of Opening Day starts will not continue this year.