The greatest day of the year is here. Baseball is back, and the Dodgers and Giants cap off a schedule of six games on today's slate:
- 10:05 a.m. - Tigers at Yankees (ESPN)
- 10:05 a.m. - Braves at Nationals: Livan Hernandez will make his ninth opening day start, a number matched (by Friday) among active players by only Roy Halladay and Mark Buehrle.
- 11:10 a.m. - Brewers at Reds
- 1:10 p.m. - Angels at Royals (Fox Sports West)
- 1:15 p.m. - Padres at Cardinals (ESPN)
- 5 p.m. - Giants at Dodgers (ESPN): Clayton Kershaw vs. Tim Lincecum has to fight with Justin Verlander vs. CC Sabathia for the title of best pitching matchup of the day
Here are some opening day facts and figures:
- Since moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers are 26-27 on opening day, including 14-11 at home and 12-11 at Dodger Stadium
- The L.A. Dodgers are 3-6 against the Giants on opening day, including 3-3 at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won their last opening day matchup, 5-0 in 2008.
- If you are headed to tonight's game, auto gates will open at Dodger Stadium at 1 p.m., and the stadium will open at 1:30 p.m.
- Prime Ticket will have a one-hour pregame show beginning at 4 p.m., though the game will be televised on ESPN
- MLB Network will run a special feature on Fernando Valenzuela at 4:30 p.m., looking back at the impact of Fernandomania and the 1981 season
- Placido Domingo will sing the national anthem before the game
- Davis Gaines will perform God Bless America