MLB

The 2009 MLB baseball season just started, with the Atlanta Braves playing the defending champion Phillies as we speak.

On Monday, some games to watch include the AL East showdown between my Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, Texas plays the new-look Indians, and of course, the match-up which includes a storied rivalry, the Dodgers against the Giants.

Many changes took place during the offseason. As you know, the Yankees transformed themselves into contenders overnight, acquiring big bat Mark Teixeira, southpaw C.C Sabathia, pitcher A.J. Burnett, and Nick Swisher.

We have finally arrived on the eve of Opening Day after a grueling and seemingly never-ending offseason, punctuated by our resident superstar's departure to the Bay Area.

With Matt Holliday now wearing Athletic green, the Rockies are projected by the national media to struggle in replacing the power Holliday produced on a daily basis in the purple pinstripes.

Consider the Braves lineup that was posted for tonight's opening night game:

1. 2B Kelly Johnson
2. SS Yunel Escobar
3. 3B Chipper Jones
4. C  Brian McCann
5. LF Garret Anderson
6. RF Jeff Francoeur
7. 1B Casey Kotchman
8. CF Jordan Schafer
9. SP Derek Lowe

Note: All team projections were found using the FEINs projections. An explanation behind projected wins, losses, and other stats can be found here.

1. Arizona Diamondbacks

With the start of the 2009 baseball season officially kicking off today when the World Champ Philadelphia Phillies play host to the Atlanta Braves, I would like to give a manifesto of sorts to why baseball is everything good in the world, as well as being the best sport ever.

     1.    Skills over Athleticism

I admit it.

As Cubs fans, we're a bit spoiled now. The close call in 2003 and the division titles in the last two seasons have only whetted our appetite for more.

Making the playoffs just won't satisfy many of us Cubs fans any longer. We want to win a championship and finally shed that "lovable losers" tag, once and for all!

I believe that's a good thing. While the Cubs success has made it more difficult to get good seats at Wrigley Field, and has led to the occasional booing of our own players, I think it's more healthy that we want to win.

Never in the 126-year history of the Giants have fans endured five straight losing seasons.  But patrons passing through Willie Mays Plaza on their way to the bayside ballpark are faced with that formidable fact in 2009.

Usually, standing at the precipice of history suggests greatness is at hand. But for the Giants—with 2004 the last time a season ended in positive territory—it’s more like an abyss.

Yes, opening day is once again upon us, which means another group of 25 men have been assembled from the various nooks and crannies of our country. 

These men grew up places like California, St. Louis, Hawaii, and Florida.  All of them away from the passion, and love of a place like Philadelphia.

Some spent the year here last year, bringing a starving city a world championship.  Some have been added to increase the club’s chances of winning another. 

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With new stadiums come the firsts. The first strikeout thrown, the first strikeout victim hurt, the first home run hit, and the first win, loss, and save completed.

We can add a new one to that list, first Phillies fan thrown out. It may just be a dubious honor. But for a Phillies fan you should hold it with honor and pride.