2019 – It’s Opening Day across Major League Baseball as all 30 teams are active, one week after a preliminary two-game opening series in Japan. A record number of homers are hit today – 48 across the majors. Leading the charge are the Dodgers, who hit an opening day record 8 long balls in their 12 – 5 win over the Diamondbacks.

ByTom

2019 – It’s Opening Day across Major League Baseball as all 30 teams are active, one week after a preliminary two-game opening series in Japan. A record number of homers are hit today – 48 across the majors. Leading the charge are the Dodgers, who hit an opening day record 8 long balls in their 12 – 5 win over the Diamondbacks.

2015 – Mariners pitching prospect Victor Sanchez passes away after spending 42 days in a coma following a swimming accident in his native Venezuela on February 13th.

ByTom

2015 – Mariners pitching prospect Victor Sanchez passes away after spending 42 days in a coma following a swimming accident in his native Venezuela on February 13th.

Mlb is back in Montrealfor the first time since 2004 as the Blue Jays play exhibition games against the Mets

ByThis Day in Baseball

Major league baseball is back in Montreal, QC for the first time since 2004 as the Blue Jays play the first of two exhibition games against the Mets. More than 46,000 fans, most sporting the colors of the defunct Montreal Expos, pack Stade Olympique to pay tribute to Hall of Famer Gary Carter and to their beloved former team. The Jays win, 5 – 4, on minor league veteran Ricardo Nanita’s run-scoring single with two outs in the 9th. Tomorrow, over 50,000 fans will be at the game in what will become an annual tradition to close out the Jays’ schedule of pre-season exhibition games.

Major League Baseball and the Players Association agree to a number of changes that toughen the major leagues’ PED policy. The penalty for a first offense goes from 50 to 80 games, suspended players will no longer be eligible for the postseason or for full a postseason share, while the number of random tests will be significantly increased.

ByTom

Major League Baseball and the Players Association agree to a number of changes that toughen the major leagues’ PED policy. The penalty for a first offense goes from 50 to 80 games, suspended players will no longer be eligible for the postseason or for full a postseason share, while the number of random tests will be significantly increased.

Mike Trout and the Angels come to terms on a $144.5 million, six-year deal

ByTom

Mike Trout and the Angels come to terms on a $144.5 million, six-year deal, keeping the 22 year-old outfielder on the team through 2020. The five-tool phenom from Millville, N.J., the American League’s MVP runner-up in his first two seasons in the majors, was the unanimous choice for the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2012.

Two-time defending American League MVP Miguel Cabrera signs an eight-year contract extension with the Tigers. Including the two years remaining on his present contract, the deal is worth $292 million, making it the biggest in major league history. It surpasses the ten-year extension signed by Alex Rodriguez in 2006 for $275 million. In fact Rodriguez had held the record since signing as a free agent with the Texas Rangers for $252 million in 2001. The huge deal makes the six-year contract for $144.6 million that Angels OF Mike Trout also signs today seem like an anecdote.

ByTom

Two-time defending American League MVP Miguel Cabrera signs an eight-year contract extension with the Tigers. Including the two years remaining on his present contract, the deal is worth $292 million, making it the biggest in major league history. It surpasses the ten-year extension signed by Alex Rodriguez in 2006 for $275 million. In fact Rodriguez had held the record since signing as a free agent with the Texas Rangers for $252 million in 2001. The huge deal makes the six-year contract for $144.6 million that Angels OF Mike Trout also signs today seem like an anecdote.

2012 – Major League Baseball opens its season at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, with a 3 – 1 Seattle win over Oakland. The two teams are tied at 1 after exchanging runs in the 4th until the Mariners, who are considered the visiting team, score a pair in the top of the 11th off Andrew Carignan. Brendan Ryan opens the frame with a double and is driven home by Dustin Ackley’s single; Ackley then proceeds to steal second and scores on a single by Ichiro Suzuki, the local favorite’s fourth hit of the night. Both starters, Felix Hernandez and Brandon McCarthy, are excellent, but the win goes to reliever Tom Wilhelmsen.

ByTom

2012 – Major League Baseball opens its season at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, with a 3 – 1 Seattle win over Oakland. The two teams are tied at 1 after exchanging runs in the 4th until the Mariners, who are considered the visiting team, score a pair in the top of the 11th off Andrew Carignan. Brendan Ryan opens the frame with a double and is driven home by Dustin Ackley’s single; Ackley then proceeds to steal second and scores on a single by Ichiro Suzuki, the local favorite’s fourth hit of the night. Both starters, Felix Hernandez and Brandon McCarthy, are excellent, but the win goes to reliever Tom Wilhelmsen.

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.

ByTom

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.

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.

ByTom

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 Blue Jays release OF Joey Gathright, brought in during the off-season for his speed and defense, after he hits .167 in 42 spring training at-bats.

ByTom

The Blue Jays release OF Joey Gathright, brought in during the off-season for his speed and defense, after he hits .167 in 42 spring training at-bats.