2012 – 49-year-old Jamie Moyer makes his return to the major leagues with the Colorado Rockies, a season-and-a-half after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He gives up a homer to the first Astros batter he faces, Jordan Schafer, and another to J.D. Martinez in the 4th, and leaves after 5 innings, saddled with the 7 – 3 loss. Lucas Harrell, who was barely one year old when Moyer made his debut back in 1986, pitches 7 shutout innings for the win.

Adam Dunn ties a major league record, hitting his eighth Opening Day home run, a leadoff sixth-inning shot off Texas starter Colby Lewis in Chicago’s 3-2 loss in Arlington. The White Sox’ DH, who hit two homers in the first game of the season twice while with Cincinnati in 2005 and 2007, equals the mark established by Frank Robinson and Ken Griffey Jr. as the only other players with eight round-trippers in openers.

Texas starts its defense of its American League pennant with a 3 – 2 win over the White Sox at home. Colby Lewis strikes out 9 over 6 innings for the win, outpitching John Danks. Ian Kinsler homers for the Rangers, while Adam Dunn, coming off a year in which he hit only .159, hits his record-tying 8th Opening Day homer for the Sox.

Carlos Pena is the hero as the Rays defeat the Yankees, 7 – 6, on Opening Day. Pena hits a grand slam off CC Sabathia in the 1st, and gets the game-winning hit, again with the bases loaded, off Mariano Rivera. Trailing 6 – 5 heading into the bottom of the 9th at Tropicana Field, the Rays stage a rally against the great “Mo”, when Desmond Jennings leads off with a single and Ben Zobrist triples him in; Rivera issues intentional passes to the next two batters to load the bases, but after striking out Sean Rodriguez, he gives up Pena’s game-ending hit to the base of the right field wall.

Texas starts its defense of its American League pennant with a 3 – 2 win over the White Sox at home. Colby Lewis strikes out 9 over 6 innings for the win, outpitching John Danks. Ian Kinsler homers for the Rangers, while Adam Dunn, coming off a year in which he hit only .159, hits his record-tying 8th Opening Day homer for the Sox.

“In memory of Shannon Stone and dedicated to all fans who love the game.” – Inscription on statue honoring a fan who died last season at the stadium while attending a game last season. Six year-old Cooper Stone helps to unveil the statue depicting him and his dad holding hands and having a conversation wearing their baseball caps in front of a gate at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Bruce Greene’s sculpture pays tribute to his father, who died last season while attending a game with him, as a result of falling twenty feet, onto the concrete behind the scoreboard in left field, after reaching for a ball thrown into the stands by Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton.

Roy Halladay is his masterful self as he throws 8 shutout innings, allowing only 2 hits, in leading the Phillies to a 1 – 0 Opening Day victory over the Pirates. Jonathan Papelbon records his first save in the National League, while Erik Bedard is the hard-luck loser in his debut for the Bucs. Carlos Ruiz drives in the only run with a sacrifice fly in the 7th.

Joey Votto and the Reds agree to the longest guaranteed contract in major league history, a $251.5 million, 12-year deal. The dollar amount, second only to A-Rod’s $275 million and $252 million pacts with the Rangers and Yankees, easily surpasses Ken Griffey Jr.’s $116.5 million, nine-year signing in 2000 as the richest in franchise history.

2012 – The Miami Marlins inaugurate a new name and a new ballpark, Marlins Park, but lose, 4 – 1, to the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of the National League season. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali delivers the ceremonial first pitch. Kyle Lohse dowses the home fans’ enthusiasm by holding the Marlins hitless until the 7th to earn the win, while World Series hero David Freese drives in two runs with a single in the top of the 1st.