Philadelphia Phillies

This was not the debut that Cole Hamels had been hoping for. From all the hype of his spring training progress you half-expected him to go out and throw a no-hitter, and since it was against the lowly Washington Nationals, it might as well have made it a perfect game. 

Instead, Hamels labored through 5 innings. He gave up 5 hits, walked 4, and allowed 2 earned runs. It did not look pretty, but he was effective enough, and most importantly he didn't allow the "big inning" that plagued him during his 2009 campaign. 

On April 4, the National League got its first taste of what the American League has had to deal with for much of the last decade.

Although I certainly do not play for the Washington Nationals, I think I can make a safe assumption about what their first impression was.

Damn, Roy Halladay is good.

Two days ago, he made his Opening Day debut for the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Nationals were his first victim There was a festive attitude at the ballpark before the game, and even the Nationals fans (who seemed to be outnumbered at the stadium) were full of hope.

The 2009 Philadelphia Phillies team hit 10 home runs more than the year before and scored 21 more runs and had 26 more RBI.

The offense led the team to its second straight National League pennant. They fell short in six games to the New York Yankees, but heck, Chase Utley tied Reggie Jackson's record of five home runs in a single World Series.

You ain't seen nothing, yet.

Monday's 11-1 thrashing of the Washington Nationals on Opening Day was no mirage.

Sure the team will go into funks, but no more less than 10 runs scored in a week.

A tradition of Opening Day disappointment for the Philadelphia Phillies was nowhere to be found as perennial ace Roy Halladay took to the mound against the Washington Nationals Monday.

The former Cy Young Award winner dominated the lowly Nationals for most of the outing, with his only rough patch coming in the first inning. He allowed his only run in the first inning, then proceeded to throw six scoreless innings.

Those of you who regularly visit the Phillies’ BR page know that featured columnist Gary has appropriately analyzed the Phillies’ five “keys” to the 2010 season during the last few weeks.

Just as a refresher, here are Gary’s five keys:

1. How will the fifth starting pitcher fare?
2. Can Cole Hamels go back to the future?
3. Which Raul Ibanez will show up this season?
4. Will the bullpen sink or swim?
5. Which Brad Lidge shows up?

Tough to argue with any of them.

First off, I would just like to wish everybody a very happy, secular, non-denominational day of spring and painted egg collecting.

But for most of us, the most special part of this day is the first night of baseball in America.

Tonight at 8pm (or probably 9pm because of ESPN’s commercials), the New York Yankees will take on the Boston Red Sox in what will be the first day of baseball for the 2010 season. As die-hard a hockey fan as I am, nothing feels like Opening Day baseball, especially when the fate of your team is unknown.

The National League East should be one of the easiest divisions to predict in all of baseball.

Everyone knows the Washington Nationals are dead on arrival for at least another year so put them in the cellar and etch it in stone. The Philadelphia Phillies are almost as sure a thing at the top based on lineup, rotation, and history.

Contrarily, the New York Mets look distinctly more start-and-stop than the other three clubs so put them in fourth.

The 2010 Major League Baseball season begins Sunday night with the Yankees in Boston to play the Red Sox. Fast forward six months, and here you have it, the final standings...

American League East

We’re less than 96 hours away from Major League Baseball Opening Day and the hype machine is running at dangerous levels. What better time for a balls-out National League Predictions Column.

Within you’ll find predictions on everything from specific team records to precise player stat lines, from Rookie of the Year picks to playoff breakdowns for every series.

The best part? Every prediction is guaranteed to be 100 per cent spot on. You can take it to the bank.

By: Eddie Dice

(www.sportscappingpros.com)

Baseball Season has sprung upon us and optimism is spread all over camp. The 0-0 Washington Nationals are zero games back of the dominant Phillies and the upstart Atlanta Braves. This is what makes opening day special and keeps fans all across the nation glued to the TV all summer long.

For years the NL East has been dominated by one team. In the '90s, it was the Braves, and with a three-year reign the Fightin' Phillies are now the beasts of the East.

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