NL West

There is a new ballpark from which balls are flying out at a record pace. Home runs are jumping off the bats of both the home team and its opponents, much more so than in the team's road games, begging the question of whether this new park is going to play like Coors Field. Or at least, like Coors Field used to play.

I'm talking, of course, about Chase Field in Arizona.

This is an I told you so that I wish I wasn't right on but to start the season, offensively this team is absolutely pathetic in pressure situations. For those who say it's early, that's true and they will have chances to turn things around.

Perez can be one of the best in baseball when his game is good.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Kevin Frandsen, 2B, 26

Frandsen seemed all but a lock to get some playing time at second base this year. 

He has hit for a .324 batting average in his AAA career (450 AB).

Frandsen’s good spring training defense and .274 BA seemed like enough to get him on the team but he was sent down to the minors as one of the final roster cuts.

The Red Sox claimed second baseman Travis Denker off waivers from the San Diego Padres; the Padres nabbed him from the San Francisco Giants last year.

Denker, 23, has a .243/.333/.486 line in 37 at-bats with the Padres this year. It was his major league debut, and TSN.ca says he is "a true gamer with some pop in his bat, decent speed and pretty good plate discipline. Has solid gap power."

The New York Mets will open their new stadium, Citi Field, tonight at 7:10 p.m. EST when they host the San Diego Padres. The festivities will begin with Tom Seaver throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to Mike Piazza, and the Broadway cast of "West Side Story" will sing the national anthem.

The San Diego Padres wasted no time getting their offense going against Giants' left-hander Barry Zito, scoring three runs in the home half of the first inning, including an RBI double from right-fielder Brian Giles and an RBI single from third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Zito would only last four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four as the Padres outlasted the Giants, and a 51-minute rain delay, for a 7-3 win at Petco Park.

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

Two years ago in 2007, the Colorado Rockies stumbled out of the gate in April. They finished the month 10-16, good enough for last place in the National League West.

The team found their groove in mid-May.

If it already hasn't been confirmed that Matt Bush was a bust, then it was confirmed today.

Bush was released today by the Toronto Blue Jays, for violating their "no tolerance policy."

Bush, who is now a pitcher after being converted from shortstop, was released by the San Diego Padres on Feb. 12, 2009.

He was released after he was charged with allegedly assaulting seven high school lacrosse players.

Toronto acquired him a few days later.