Spring has sprung and OSS is excited that baseball season has started!
Seattle baseball fans, tonight is the night to cheer on the Mariners as they take on their division rivals, the Angels! Seattle swept the Angels in a three-game series to open the season in Anaheim, and tonight’s meeting will be a rematch between the Mariners’ James Paxton and Halos left-hander Hector Santiago from the season’s third game, which Seattle won, 8-2.
Tonight’s home game also a number of new faces, including new manager Lloyd McClendon and superstar second baseman Robinson Cano, who signed as a free agent this winter. Fernando Rodney, Logan Morrison, John Buck, Corey Hart and Chris Young are also among the new Mariners set to be introduced tonight.
Other highlights of tonight’s home opener include:
- The Mariners will salute the Super Bowl-champion Seahawks tonight as part of their Opening Night ceremonies at Safeco Field, with quarterback Russell Wilson among several players who will be part of a pre-game presentation and the ceremonial first pitch.
- Opening Night festivities will begin at 4:40 p.m. PT, when the gates of Safeco Field open to the general public with a countdown at the Home Plate Gate. Pre-game ceremonies start at 6:30 p.m. PT.
- With catcher Mike Zunino and reliever Dominic Leone, the Mariners are the only team in the Majors with two players from the 2012 Draft on their active roster. Zunino was Seattle’s first-round Draft pick, and Leone was a 16th-round selection.
- Ibanez made his first start in left field on Monday. The 41-year-old designated hitter won’t come close to matching the 832 1/3 innings he spent in the outfield with the Mariners last year, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia has said he’d like to get him some time out there periodically.
OSS wants to wish the Mariners an exciting and injury-free season! Now… let’s play ball!