Blown saves, big bombs and The Greatest highlight fascinating Opening Week

Don’t ask me what Muhammad Ali has to do with the Miami Marlins, but it was The Greatest that got the 2012 season ceremonially underway, in main land America at least, with his appearance at Marlins Park on Wednesday night. Unfortunately for the Marlins fans, that was the highlight of the night as their new high powered, speedy offence managed just a single run against Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse as his team coasted to a 4-1 victory on Opening Night.

It didn’t really get much better for the Marlins either, as they were then shutout by the Reds the following night, before Heath Bell blew his first save opportunity for Miami in the rubber match on Sunday night, meaning the Marlins enter Monday with a 1-3 record.

Heath Bell wasn’t the only one to blow a save in the Opening Week, and the Marlins aren’t the only team to finish it with a surprisingly low record either. Both the Red Sox and the Yankees were swept in their season opening series as the usually reliable pitching staffs of both teams got pummelled in a way that has seldom been seen.

For the Red Sox, the pitching was lit up for 26 runs in 29 innings against the potent Tigers, and that even includes holding them scoreless for the opening six innings in game one. Austin Jackson hit a walk-off single on Thursday, before both Miggy and Fielder hit two bombs off starter Josh Beckett in game two. If you thought that was bad, how about giving up a three run homer in the 9th and a two run blast in the 11th as they fell to 0-3 thanks to a 13-12 11 inning defeat, having led 5-0. The two major bullpen signings for the mob from Beantown, Alfredo Aceves and Mark Melancon are a gaudy 0-2 with two blown saves, nine hits and seven earned runs in just 1.0 inning combined. It can, one must assume, only get better.

While the Bobby Valentine era hardly got off to a great start, the fans of their fiercest rivals can hardly be much happier. C.C Sabathia started the 2012 season by giving up a grand slam in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. Carlos Pena, on his first at-bat in his second spell at Tampa, the beneficiary of some slack pitching. As is always the case, however, the potent Yankees offense scored enough runs for the greatest closer of all-time to do what he always does. Except, this time, he didn’t. Carlos Pena again the man of the moment as he notched a walk-off single, while Rivera allowed three hits and two walks while recording one out. Jeremy Hellickson pitched an absolute gem in game three to complete the sweep.

With the two giants of the AL East down, but clearly not out, the Orioles are in the unfamiliar position of looking down from above as they recorded an opening series sweep themselves, taking three from three at home against a lacklustre looking Minnesota Twins. The starting pitching, so average (and that’s being kind) last season allowed just one run in 22 innings across the three games, and that coming in the 22nd of those innings as Jason Hammel had his no-hitter broken by back-to-back doubles.

In another AL East versus AL Central match-up we saw the longest Opening Day game in the MLB history as J.P. Arencibia hit a three run homer in the 16th to guide the Blue Jays past the Indians, after Indians closer Chris Perez had allowed three runs in the 9th for the first of what was a slew of blown saves across both leagues in the opening few days. Indeed, there was a blown save in game two also, as Asdrubal Cabrera belted a long-ball to take the game into extras, although Toronto went on to win 7-4 in the 12th to make sure that Brendan Morrow’s 7.0 innings, one hit effort didn’t go to waste.

Elsewhere in the American League, Yoenis Cespedes smashed homers in back to back games in a series loss to the Mariners, and Albert Pujols went hitless in his Angels debut, but a sterling effort from Jered Weaver (8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER) earned the Angels an Opening Day victory that was followed by two defeats at the hands of the Kansas City Royals. Adam Dunn hit an Opening Day homer for the White Sox as he tries to put his trying 2011 campaign behind him, while new Texas closer Joe Nathan recorded an Opening Day save, followed by a blown save and loss the next day. Texas eventually won the series 2-1 on the back of a 5-0 shutout on Sunday night.

Over in the National League, the main storylines were about star pitchers making their comebacks from an injury ravaged 2011 season. Johan Santana was outstanding in 5.0 innings of work, allowing just a pair of hits and no runs as the Mets beat the Braves 1-0. Lucas Duda’s two homers in game two, and John Niese’s near no-no in game three meant an opening series sweep for the Mets.

While Santana’s story was remarkable, the Rockies had two pitchers with even more heart-warming tales of recovery. Jamie Moyer, at age 49, took to the mound on Saturday aiming to be the oldest pitcher ever to win a game in the Majors, despite missing all of last season after Tommy John surgery. While there was to be no fairytale return for the old man, teammate Juan Nicasio pitched exceptionally on his return from a broken neck, giving up one run in seven innings of work. Unfortunately for him, the bullpen blew it as the Astros began their final year in the National League with a series victory.

Things looked ominous for the Pirates as Roy Halladay tore them apart in the opener in Pittsburgh, pitching a scoreless eight innings, while allowing just two hits and no walks, but they bounced back remarkably after taking the opening loss and wound up with a surprising series victory on the back of two walk-off wins. The Phillies offence scored just six runs in the three game set, less than Miguel Cabrera managed all by himself for the Tigers against Boston, while the Pirates showed fight, skill and determination rarely seen in the last two decades at PNC Park.

Another team that recorded back-to-back come from behind victories were the Washington Nationals as they scored in the eighth and ninth innings on Opening Day to defeat the Cubbies, with Stephen Strasburg giving up just a single run in seven innings, then followed it up with a five run eighth inning on Saturday to record a 7-4 triumph. Pinch hitter Chad Tracy notching the go-ahead two RBI single.

Elsewhere in the National League, both Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley were dominant as the Dodgers took three-from-four against the Padres. While Billingsley struck out eleven in 8.1 innings, allowing just three hits and no runs, Kershaw managed just three scoreless frames before departing with the flu. Chase Headley hit a grand slam in game four to prevent the sweep and give the Friars their first win of the new season.

The Giants seemed somewhat lacklustre in their opening series against NL West rivals, the Arizona Diamondbacks, as they were swept in the three game series, committing six errors. Even Tim Lincecum was off-key, giving up three runs in the first inning on Opening Day.

And what of the defending champions? They got off to a fast start with the Opening Night win against Miami being followed by an 11-5 victory over the Brewers, for whom Yovani Gallardo gave up four home runs in 3.2 innings. Two long balls from Corey Hart and a scoreless seven innings from Zack Greinke spoiled a noble effort from Adam Wainwright on his return, having missed the entire World Series winning campaign. They were, however, able to clinch the rubber match on Sunday behind homers from veteran Carlos Beltran’s, the 304th of his career, and Shane Robinson’s first.

So, Opening Week is gone and the daily routine of late nights and jumping out of bed to check the scores first thing in the morning has well and truly started. The best part? There’s only another six months to go….