All of the individual opening days having occurred, the teams could begin to settle into the idea of the long season, and getting off to a hot start.
Expos at Mets
Notable only because it was a scheduled Sunday doubleheader, something you just don't see anymore, thanks to the MLB Players Association. The teams split. Expos pitcher Wayne Twitchell managed to walk five batters in the first 1.1 innings of game 1, before being pulled. Ross Grimsley pitched a shutout for the Expos in game 2.
Another sign of the times? Gary Carter caught both ends of the doubleheader. All 18 innings.
Cubs at Pirates
Cubs won this game 4-3, but something else caught my eye. Bill Buckner stole two bases in this game. Not exactly remembered for his speed and agility, thanks largely to his time in Boston when his knees were shot. He stole both off the battery of Jerry Reuss and Manny Sanguillen. I don't know anything about Reuss' pickoff move, but I know he was a lefty, which tends to suppress steals of second. Not a junkballer either. The James/Neyer Guide to Pitchers says he threw mostly fastballs, and quotes Steve Yeager as saying he might throw as many as 5 curveballs a game. Sanguillen was known as an average defensive catcher.
Bruce Sutter was no doubt relieved to get the save after his prior performance.
Dodgers at Braves
Bruce Froemming, to whom I dedicated several posts last year in his final year of umpiring. was behind the plate for the first time during the 1978 season. To put his career in perspective, this was already his 1.128th game, and his 282nd behind the plate. Dodgers won. Get used to it.
Royals at Indians
The Royals look like they are going to run. U.L. Washington stole 3 bases in this game, and Wilson added another. That's two games, and six steals. Whitey Herzog manages. Royals win.
Blue Jays at Tigers
Willie Upshaw made his major league debut as a pinch hitter for John Mayberry, who had just come over from the Royals 5 days ago. Upshaw went 1-for-2, .
Garth Iorg debuted as well. His brother Dane debuted with Philadelphia on the exact same day the year before. Together the brothers would play 18 years in the majors.
Cale Iorg plays A+ ball in Lakeland (Tigers), Eli Iorg plays AA ball in Corpus Christi (Astros) and Isaac Iorg played in the Braves and Blue Jays minor league systems, wrapping up his career in 2004. Cale may be a prospect, or may not be, depending on how much baseball skill he lost during a two year Mormon mission.
Orioles at Brewers
The Brewers are still scoring runs in bunches, behind Cecil Cooper's 4 RBI. They chase Scott McGregor in the 4th inning, burdening him with 10 earned runs. Needless to say, McGregor is not the early season leader in ERA. He is, however, a talented pitcher, and his season-ending ERA will show it.
If you are keeping track (unlikely), the Brewers have now scored 40 runs in three games. I wonder if the Yankees are excited about facing them in the next series. Baltimore's pitching staff isn't exactly a pushover.
Red Sox at White Sox
Two teams named Sox. Two complete games. Boston's from the Spaceman Bill Lee was a shutout. The other from White Sox 37-year-old Wilbur Wood. Jim Rice homered. He's gonna have a good year.
Twins at Mariners
Smalley (MIN) and Bochte (SEA) each homer. Those are your MLB leaders in home runs.
Yankees at Rangers
Ed Figueroa went the distance and gave up only one run, and managed to strike out only two. But that's not why I'm mentioning the game.
Willie Randolph went 2-for-5 and stole a base. Fast forwarding 30 years, he needs some good news this week.
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Brewers, Reds and Dodgers have yet to lose. Astros, Braves and Orioles have yet to win. One of those teams is out of place.
