Baseball Returns After Contentious Off Season

Major League Baseball opened the 2022 season a week later than originally scheduled, but the way it looked a month ago, there was no indication it would start at all. When the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Players Association expired in December 2021, the owners initiated a lockout, which extended until a new agreement was reached March 12th. Opening Day was originally scheduled for March 31st, but that would have made spring training too short to get enough work in, so the season was delayed one week. The missed games will be made up on off days, as double headers, and with a brief extension at the end of the season.

Speaking of double headers, games played as part of one will be back to nine innings, not that seven inning thing they were doing. Extra innings will still begin with a runner on second base, and the designated hitter is now universal in both leagues, 49 years after it debuted in the American League. The post season has expanded to 12 teams, and the Wild Card round will be two out of three, and not the one game abomination of recent years.

Opening Day was really Opening Two Days as some teams didn’t play until April 8th. Among the highlights on April 7th:

The Cleveland Guardians, reflagged from the former Indians, made their debut against the Royals in Kansas City. Royals rookie Bobby Witt, Jr., considered the top prospect in baseball by many observers, was 0-3 before doubling in a run and scoring one himself. Kansas City won 3-1.

In St. Louis, Albert Pujols made his return to the Cardinals after spending the last 10 years in Los Angeles with the Angels (and part of last season with the Dodgers). Announcing that he will retire after this season, Pujols is on a Farewell Tour with the Cardinals, the club he spent the first 11 years of his career with. Pujols was 0-5 as the DH, but the Cardinals beat Pittsburgh 9-0. Adam Wainwright was the staring pitcher, with Yadier Molina behind the plate. Both played for the Cardinals in Pujols’ first go round in St. Louis, and it wouldn’t surprise us if all three retired at the end of the season.

Finally, rookie Seth Beer of the Arizona Diamondbacks hit a game winning three run homer in the bottom of the ninth against the San Diego Padres. The final score was 4-2. Beer’s homer came on National Beer Day in the U.S.