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Happy 2011 Opening Day!

Posted by Sean Forman on March 30, 2011

It's been a long cold winter here in Philadelphia. In honor of Thursday and Friday, the greatest days of the year, here are some Opening Day features we have here at B-R:

Give them a try, and enjoy baseball's return.

11 Responses to “Happy 2011 Opening Day!”

  1. mccombe35 Says:

    HAPPY OPENING DAY!

    I don't post much but love what B-F puts out here. Keep up the good work!

  2. John Autin Says:

    Congratulations, everyone -- we made it through another offseason.

    B-R -- the only database that also works as a hot stove!

  3. Lawrence Azrin Says:

    @2/... John Autin Says: "...B-R -- the only database that also works as a hot stove!"

    ...And it's environmentally friendly too...

    Counting down the minutes till noon today and the start of 2011 MLB...

  4. Casey Abell Says:

    Great to have baseball back, but so far it's deja-1968-vu all over again. Thirty-eight runs in six games, about six-and-a-half per game for both teams combined. I'm writing as LA and San Fran have slumbered through five scoreless on their way to a very possible 1-0 verdict.

    Sure, it's just a half-dozen games with the top pitchers. But a sign of things to come? Ouch.

  5. kds Says:

    Hey Casey, Not only is it just a few games, but it is still March and not exactly hot hittin' weather out there. Probable sleet, maybe snow predicted here. (Washington, DC.) Why did they start the season on a Thursday in freezing, freaking March anyway?

  6. Casey Abell Says:

    Just for fun I used this terrific site to check the actual opening day from 1968. There were ten contests that averaged 6.2 runs per game for both teams combined. Four shutouts including a 1-0 score and a couple of 2-0 efforts. Not to mention a couple games that ended 2-1 and 3-1.

    Hm, sort of looks like today...though as I type LA just scored to lead 1-0 and they're still threatening. Okay, the "rally" is based on a couple errors. But what the hey, maybe they'll get to seven runs a game today!

    Or maybe not. The "rally" fizzled after the single tally. 1-0.

  7. John Autin Says:

    @5, Kds -- Because the word "doubleheader" has been expunged from the MLB dictionary.

  8. Casey Abell Says:

    Hey, I don't really think we'll see 1968 all over again, if only because of the DH and we're starting from a higher level: 8.76 runs per game last year compared to 7.54 in 1967. But offense has done nothing except decline since 2006, so we might sink close to or even below eight runs a game this year.

    And Selig is talking about an attendance increase? Um, I dunno.

  9. Casey Abell Says:

    LA scratches out another run in the eighth. Broxton coughs up a homer to Burrell in the ninth but hangs on for the 2-1 win. Today's average: 6.83 runs per game. The 1968 average: 6.84 runs per game.

    Nah, just a coincidence. Just a few games. Doesn't mean anything.

    At least I hope it doesn't mean anything.

  10. John Autin Says:

    Casey @8 -- Yes, scoring has declined each year since 2006, but let's keep it in perspective -- the total drop is less than 10%. There have been bigger changes than that in several single seasons throughout MLB history.

  11. Neil L. Says:

    One game does not a season make but ...... fireworks at the Rogers' Centre. Bautista's upper deck bomb, Arencibia etc. Go get 'em Jays.