The Yankees are successful on opening day, beating Detroit, 6 – 3, at home. Curtis Granderson, whose health was a concern before the start of the game because of a strained right oblique muscle, makes a diving catch of a line drive hit by Will Rhymes in the 1st, then breaks a 3 – 3 tie with a solo homer off Phil Coke in the 7th. Mark Teixeira had earlier hit a three-run blast to tie the score in the 3rd. New Yankee starting C Russell Martin scores twice in his debut in pinstripes as Joba Chamberlain picks up the win and Mariano Rivera the save.

The day is marred by a tragic incident at Dodger Stadium after the opener between the Giants and Dodgers. Bryan Stow, a 42-year-old paramedic and father of two, is assaulted by Dodger fans for nothing more than wearing a Giants cap and suffers injuries that leave him in a coma. His family will later sue Dodgers owner Frank McCourt for cutting back on security and lighting in the parking lot where the assault occured. After an intensive investigation, Los Angeles Police will arrest a suspect on May 22nd.

It’s Opening Day in Major League Baseball and the Reds win in dramatic fashion in Cincinnati to start off the National League’s schedule. Trailing 6 – 3 in the bottom of the 9th, they rally for four runs against Brewers closer John Axford when Ramon Hernandez slugs a three-run walk-off homer with two outs for a 7 – 6 win. Milwaukee starts the game with a bang as Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez open the contest with back-to-back homers off Edinson Volquez; Ryan Braun, Drew Stubbs and Joey Votto also go yard in the wild contest.

2011 – Two persons are selected by Major League Baseball from among 10,000 applicants to live the ultimate fan dream this season. 37-year-old Mike O’Hara, a New York Yankees fan from Los Angeles, CA, and 25-year-old ex-actor Ryan Wagner of Baltimore, MD will spend the season in the “MLB Fan Cave” watching every single one of the 2,430 regular-season games and every postseason contest in a room equiped with multiple television screens at 4th and Broadway in New York City. They will blog about the experience for mlb.com and various social networking web sites and be featured on MLB.TV. Their lair will be visible from the street through 14-foot windows, and they will be joined from time to time by visitors, including a large number of major league ballplayers, for parties, interviews and special events.

One of last season’s concussion victims, Mets OF Jason Bay, is sidelined again, but for a different reason. He suffers a strained muscle in his rib cage and will likely start the season on the disabled list. Other prominent players who will miss the start of the season with injuries include Phillies closer Brad Lidge, Mariners CF Franklin Gutierrez, Astros P J.A. Happ and Giants closer Brian Wilson.

Major League Baseball creates a new 7-day disabled list for players who have suffered concussions, following a number of serious incidents last season, and controversy about concussions in professional football and hockey. Players will need to be evaluated by a medical specialist before they are allowed to return to action.

With starting C Jason Kendall unavailable for the first month of the season, the Royals acquire Matt Treanor from the Rangers for future considerations. In other moves, the Rockies acquire IF Josh Fields from the White Sox, also for future considerations, and the Padres land IF Alberto Gonzalez from Washington in return for minor league P Erik Davis.

The Red Sox round out their bullpen by sending veterans Hideki Okajima and Alfredo Aceves to AAA Pawtucket in order to clear spots for Matt Albers and Dennys Reyes, who have outpitched the two this spring.

A thief breaks into the spring training home rented by Tampa Bay players Evan Longoria, David Price and Reid Brignac in Port Charlotte, FL and makes off with $50,000 worth of jewelry and electronics. Among the items pilfered is an AK-47 automatic rifle belonging to Longoria.