Top News:
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Cool, calm Lowe tosses gem in debut — Righty throws eight scoreless innings, gets early support — PHILADELPHIA — With a frenzied crowd prepared to bring the defending World Series champion Phillies into the 2009 season, Derek Lowe wasn't provided the best setting to make a good first impression …
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Hardball Times, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, Archie Bunker's Army and Sons of Steve Garvey
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Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Schafer homers in first career at-bat — Center fielder: ‘I felt like I was floating. It was awesome’ — PHILADELPHIA — Jordan Schafer spent the past seven weeks attempting to prove that he was ready for the Majors. It took him just one at-bat to indicate that the Braves were wise to provide him this opportunity.
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves dominate Phillies in season opener — Lowe pitched eight scoreless innings; McCann, Francoeur and rookie Schafer homer — Philadelphia — Yes, it was only the first game of 162. But on Sunday night, the Braves provided a few reasons to believe things might be different this season.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
Rob Maaddi / Associated Press:
Lowe's performance leads Braves over Phillies 4-1 — Buzz up! — PHILADELPHIA (AP)—If Derek Lowe had been this dominant last October, the Philadelphia Phillies might not be World Series champions. — Lowe pitched eight superb innings, three Braves homered off Brett Myers …
David Lefort / Boston Globe:
Opener postponed until tomorrow — Due to a forecast of heavy rain in the Boston area, today's Red Sox-Rays season opener at Fenway Park has been postponed to tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. — “All of the festivities surrounding Opening Day will take place tomorrow,” Red Sox president Larry Lucchino confirmed …
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Ted Berg / SNY.tv:
What's cooking — Is faith in Murphy a sign of organizational enlightenment? — It's Opening Day and I'm revved up. — There's all the usual Christmas-in-April stuff, complete with a sleepless Sunday night spent wondering what the 2009 baseball season has in store for my Flushing Nine …
Discussion:
ESPN
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Peavy likely will be gone if Padres get off to bad start — The backdrop to a Padres season that begins today at Petco Park is that if the team falls out of playoff contention, Jake Peavy could be traded before or shortly after the All-Star break, perhaps to the Dodgers club that opposes Peavy this afternoon.
Bill Ladson / All Nats All the Time:
Acta announces starting lineup for Opening Day — About an hour after addressing his team, Nationals manager Manny Acta announced his starting lineup for Opening Day against the Marlins. — 1. Lastings Milledge — CF — 2. Cristian Guzman — SS — 3. Ryan Zimmerman — 3B — 4. Adam Dunn — LF
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Incredible shrinking payroll: 14 MLB teams cut back — Fourteen of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball will have a lower opening-day payroll than a year ago, according to USA TODAY's annual salary survey. — Ten of the 14 teams are cutting their 25-man-roster budget by at least $10 million.
Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:
Astros eager to open at home, face Cubs' Zambrano — Club thinks this time it will be fair fight with Cubs' Zambrano — As Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano visits Minute Maid Park to start the 2009 season, it's impossible to forget he was part of the Astros' lowest point last year.
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Mets' bitter past brings sweet motivation to 2009 opener … Jerry Manuel doesn't support the notion that the heartache endured over the last few seasons no longer matters for the Mets. — Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS; two straight September collapses thereafter; a disaster of a bullpen …
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Clement ends comeback bid with Jays — Righty plans to retire after nine seasons in the Majors — TORONTO — Matt Clement's comeback has come to a close. The veteran pitcher informed the Blue Jays on Sunday that he plans to retire from baseball after spending the past three years attempting …
