Kuzul

The term “Opening Day” has a special place in every baseball fan’s heart, but for a Cincinnati legend like Johnny Bench, it is the biggest day of the year.

Day—not days, not week. Day.

However, for baseball traditionalists, MLB‘s Opening Day festivities in recent years have watered down the moment. As the greatest catcher of all time and Kingsford believe, the league is trying to do too much with the day when it should be simple.

Bench, of course, spent his entire 17-year Hall of Fame career with the Cincinnati Reds. Being the first team in professional baseball, the Reds traditionally had the honor of kicking off each season by playing the first game of the year. That tradition has gone away, especially now that MLB has played games overseas before the start of the regular season stateside.

This season, there will be three games played Sunday, capped off by a World Series rematch between the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals. The rest of the league will then play on the true Opening Day on Monday.

If Bench had it his way, Opening Day would be exactly what the name implies. Thirty teams. Fifteen games. One day.

[Kingsford]

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

New York Yankees relief pitcher Andrew Miller left Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves after being struck in the wrist by a line drive. He was later diagnosed with a fracture.

Continue for updates.

Miller Cleared to Pitch

Friday, April 1

Jack Curry of the YES Network reported a Miami hand specialist gave Miller the go-ahead to pitch without surgery. Pain tolerance will dictate what he’s able to do.

Miller Speaks on Injury

Thursday, March 31

“It’s my right hand, I don’t really need it,” Miller told reporters while discussing his intention to try to play through his injury.

Miller added that he “doesn’t see any reason why he can’t pitch” and said that if he’s told by a doctor that he can’t play, that he would “probably find another doctor.”

Miller’s Injury Details Revealed

Thursday, March 31

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported it’s Miller’s “intention to tough it out” and be active for Opening Day. However, Heyman noted the Yankees will wait to hear from a hand specialist.

On Wednesday, the Yankees announced that Miller’s CT scan showed a chip fracture in his right wrist and added that Miller will visit a hand specialist to determine the next step.

Curry previously reported that X-rays were negative.

Cashman Comments on Miller Injury

Wednesday, March 30

According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman provided an update on Miller, saying he had “at least a bruised right wrist.”

Miller Struck in Hand by Liner

Wednesday, March 30

According to the Wall Street Journal‘s Jared Diamond, Miller “immediately” walked off the mound and into the dugout after being hit with a line drive right on the wrist.

Diamond also reported that Miller slammed down his glove and threw his cap, describing the injury as a “big concern.” Showing that kind of emotion can’t be a good sign, as it could mean that Miller’s injury is severe.

Miller Looking to Pick Up Where He Left Off from 2015

The 30-year-old was looking to build off a stellar first season with the Yankees in 2015 in which he put up one of the finest years of his career.

In 61.2 innings pitched, Miller recorded 36 saves and gave up just 14 earned runs while striking out 100 batters. With Dellin Betances as the eighth-inning man, the back end of the Yankees bullpen was difficult to break down.

But with New York’s acquisition of Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds during the offseason, Miller saw manager Joe Girardi take away his closer role in January.

However, because of Chapman’s 30-game suspension, which the league handed down at the start of March, Cashman said that Miller “absolutely” was the team’s closer, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.

With no Chapman and maybe no Miller now, the Yankees might have to turn to Betances to take over the closer role for the start of the regular season. Normally the setup man, Betances recorded nine saves last season while Miller battled a forearm injury.

Thankfully for New York, it had a number of options for the closer role in case a scenario like this played out. With a player such as Betances, who has a career 1.78 ERA in 181.2 innings, the Yankees should be fine until Chapman and Miller return.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman may have switched to first base just last year, but a veteran player like him would not make excuses for botching a routine play like this, regardless of whether he’s still learning a new position.

In the bottom of the first inning of Wednesday’s spring training game, New York Mets third baseman David Wright hit a soft pop-up to first that should have been the second out of the inning. However, Zimmerman initially went a step or two too far back and had to correct himself.

Then, “Oh my goodness, that’s embarrassing.” You can say that again.

Wright’s routine pop-up fell in for a “single” as Zimmerman ate dirt, and there were smiles all around when the fielder and runner met at first base. Fortunately for the Nationals veteran, Wright did not wind up scoring.

[MLB.com] 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is a man of many talents.

On the diamond, the two-time All-Star can get on base, crush the ball and drive in runs.

Off the field, he is a master of the keyboard.

No team has had more fun at spring training this year than the Cubs. With camp winding down, the players are doing their best to enjoy every moment they have left together in Arizona. 

The latest random team bonding experience? A piano recital Rizzo put on. 

It’s obvious from the video above that the team is a big fan of Train’s “Drops of Jupiter.” As for a recent song, Adele’s “Hello” was also a big hit:

[Twitter, h/t For The Win]

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The New York Mets will try to ease worries about the middle of their defense before the end of spring training.

The reigning National League champions boast a prolific lineup that was eighth in the league in home runs last season. They also have one of the best starting rotations in baseball.

The defense behind that excellent starting pitching, particularly up the middle, is the Mets’ area of greatest concern before the beginning of the season. They were minus-5 as a team in defensive runs saved (DRS) last season, No. 18 in the majors, according to FanGraphs.

Many of the issues last year could be traced back to the defense at shortstop, second base and in center field. They have two new players at those positions this year, but the outlook doesn’t look much better.

Yoenis Cespedes, playing center, is the returning starter from the middle of the Mets defense last season.

He’s a solid defender but does not have great range, and the Mets aren’t good on defense with him in center field. He was minus-4 last year in defensive runs saved above average (DRS) in center field for the Mets, according to Baseball-Reference.com. His DRS in left was just 4.

That showed in the Mets’ World Series loss to the Kansas City Royals. He misplayed a fly ball in the fifth inning of Game 4 to put the Royals’ first run of the game on base.

Mets manager Terry Collins toyed with the idea of playing Cespedes in center field with Juan Lagares in left when the team plays lefty pitchers. Last season the Mets would move him to left field and allow Lagares to play center against left-handers.

The rationale was that letting Cespedes stay at one position would help him be a more consistent defender. Collins said Tuesday, however, that he will “probably” stick with the conventional alignment he used in 2015, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin.

Having to split time between both left and center instead of focusing on one position probably won’t help him. For the Mets to get back to the World Series, Cespedes needs to show he can get closer to the Gold Glove defense he once played.

Cespedes is not the main issue in the middle of the Mets defense, though. Their middle infield could be problematic too.

They signed shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, another inconsistent defender, to a two-year deal. Cespedes at least had a DRS of 11 between his time with the Detroit Tigers and Mets last year, per FanGraphs. Cabrera was minus-8 in DRS in 2015, according to FanGraphs. That mark was second-worst in the league among shortstops.

The situation at second base is not much better. The Mets traded for Neil Walker in the offseason, whose DRS was also in the negative last season.

When looking at Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), Cespedes actually looks really good compared to the other two. His UZR of 15.6 was third in the league among outfielders. Meanwhile, Walker and Cabrera were both well below average.

Any one of those players’ deficiencies could be hidden if he was surrounded by plus defenders. Instead, the Mets are taking a chance by playing them all on defense at once. Their hope is that their offensive production and great starting pitching will mask those issues.

They’re trying to address those concerns now, and they will have to answer those questions all season.

They have three games remaining this spring, starting with Wednesday’s matchup with the Washington Nationals. Over those remaining games, they need to continue to show improvement in the middle of their defense and prove it won’t be as much of a liability as people expect.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For a baseball player, MLB spring training is like hand measurements and 40-yard-dash times at the NFL combine. It’s a necessary function of the evaluation process but guarantees nothing about a guy’s future prospects when games get serious.

Likewise, the performance of a team or player in spring training doesn’t indicate anything about how the regular season may end. There have been teams that looked great in the spring but flopped during the season and vice versa.

Spring training is more like a glorified health club than anything that represents high-leverage competition. It’s a means to achieve better performance when the season actually starts. The baseball world is still waiting for a player to earn the moniker “Mr. March.”

But what spring training does provide us is a blueprint for how teams may achieve their playoff goals. Injuries, breakout performances and drama can all indicate—positively and negatively—what action a team may take to chase a division crown.

We won’t come out of this year’s spring training with an idea of who might win the World Series or a division title. However, what may have been a clearer playoff picture when spring began now resembles more of an abstract painting.

Spring training hasn’t told us where the road to the playoffs may turn. But it has given us an indication as to where those turns lie.

Begin Slideshow

The 2016 MLB season starts Sunday with a triple-header of games capped by a rematch of last fall’s World Series meeting between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals on Sunday Night Baseball.

After an offseason of exciting wheeling and dealing, ongoing arguments about which team will reign supreme in 2016 and the always prevalent overreaction to spring training performances, what really matters is finally about to begin.

So before Opening Day arrives, let’s set the stage with a rundown of the game’s 50 best players heading into the season.

For position players, offensive production, defensive metrics such as defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rate per 150 games and track record of success were taken into account with an eye on potential indicators of regression such as batting average on balls in play.

For pitchers, performance, pure stuff, durability and track record of success were factored into the equation, with fielding independent pitching and the aforementioned BABIP making up the two biggest potential indicators of regression.

That being said, a certain level of subjectivity always goes into a list like this.

The simple question “Would I rather have Player A or Player B if I were building a team?” also played a part in determining where each of the following players landed in the rankings.

Let’s kick things off with a few guys who just missed the cut before diving into the best 50 players in the game at the start of the 2016 regular season.

Begin Slideshow

The countdown to Opening Day is down to mere days, and with each passing hour, the anticipation and excitement for the return of meaningful baseball only grows. That anticipation doesn’t just lie with fans, either. It affects players, pundits, managers and front office executives as well.

For those last two groups, that excitement and anticipation is mixed with pressure and anxiety. Final roster decisions need to be made, putting them in potentially uncomfortable positions, especially when it involves delivering bad news to players about their Opening Day status.

Does a dominant spring ensure a player’s spot in an Opening Day rotation? Is a former All-Star’s career over? Will there be fisticuffs in the first night game of the season?

We’ll hit on all of that and more in this week’s edition of Fact or Fiction.

Begin Slideshow

The Detroit Tigers agreed to send catcher Bryan Holaday to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday in exchange for catcher Bobby Wilson and right-handed pitcher Myles Jaye.

Holaday, 28, has spent parts of the last four seasons in Detroit as a backup. He hit .281/.292/.453 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 2015. The Rangers may be looking at Holaday to compete with Robinson Chirinos, who has raw power but has never been an every-day option.

Wilson, 32, split the 2015 season with the Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays. He hit .189/.255/.250 with one home run and 14 runs batted in. A backup throughout his career, most of which he’s spent with the Los Angeles Angels, Wilson will likely slot into Holaday‘s vacant backup spot. He may even wind up as the team’s third catcher.

Jaye, 24, was traded to Texas in the offseason. A former 17th-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays, he has also spent time with the Chicago White Sox in addition to Texas. This will be his third organization since the beginning of the 2015 season.

“I’d like to thank the Texas Rangers for everything. First class organization! Looking forward to the road ahead with Detroit,” Jaye tweeted.

Overall, this is a deal that won’t move too many needles. Jaye and Holaday are the two biggest pieces moving. Jaye has a chance to be an end-of-the-rotation starter if certain things break right, while Holaday probably tops out as the better of two players in a catching platoon.

There won’t be any World Series games won or lost here. Just two teams looking to make the best of their organizational situations as we head into the regular season. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

March Madness might be in full swing right now, but you know what’s only a few days away from beginning? The baseball season, meaning that, for the next six months, sports fans will get to experience America’s pastime nearly every single night.

As great as the smell of the fresh-cut grass inside of a stadium is, here’s your guide to the best food, uniforms and promo nights that fans should really be excited about. Because, whether your favorite team wins or not, these are a few things that every fan can enjoy.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs Change Name to the Cheesesteaks for One Game

Playing in the shadows of Philadelphia—where cheesesteaks are like communion to locals—the Lehigh Valley IronPigs are doing something to pay homage to the delicacy and changing their name to the Cheesesteaks for one game only.

I’m not sure if this has ever been done before by a sports franchise or not, but it’s pretty awesome to see—and the uniforms are straight fire!

Milwaukee Brewers’ Jalapeno Popper Dog

The name itself makes it sound like this Jalapeno Popper Dog that the Milwaukee Brewers are debuting at Miller Park this year will be incredible—and extremely spicy. But what makes it so good is all the ingredients.

How does a local hot dog with cheese sauce, fried jalapeno and a sausage roll sound to you? If you’re anything like me, it sounds like heaven.

Sure, the dog will be a challenge to eat, but I have a feeling it’s well worth it.

Buffalo Bisons’ Star Wars Night

One of the things that makes minor league baseball so unique are the various promotional nights teams run throughout a season.

And while MLB teams do things like giveaways and other contests, it’s their minor league affiliates that pull out all the stops—and the Buffalo Bisons’ Star Wars Night is one that has become quite the tradition over the years.

Bringing actors in to reenact some of the famous scenes from the film and other cool festivities, Bisons players will don their own customized Star Wars jerseys, with this year’s being an all-black design inspired by Darth Vader.

Toronto Blue Jays’ Chicken & Waffle on a Stick

The Toronto Blue Jays enjoyed a deep run in the postseason in 2015, and they’re hoping that some extra protein and carbs will help give them the strength to go even further this year, because the team announced a new dish: Chicken & Waffles on a Stick.

Where else can a fan go to get something as good as chicken mixed with the sweetness of a waffle and take in some awesome baseball? Here’s your answer—the Rogers Centre at a Jays game this year.

Minnesota Twins’ Red Alternate Jersey

For as long as I can remember, the Minnesota Twins have always sported either white, gray or navy blue tops throughout their history. Not anymore, though.

That’s because the Twins unveiled some sick new jerseys that they’ll be wearing this season, with a whole lot of red being the emphasis. These uniforms will be paired with alternate caps during home games.

Some may think they’re a little too in your face, but, come on, it’s about time the Twinkies changed up their look a bit.

Gary SouthShore RailCats’ Top Gun Night

Much like the aforementioned Star Wars Night from the Buffalo Bisons, the Gary SouthShore RailCats are paying homage to a classic movie, too, by busting out their bomber jackets and aviators for Top Gun Night this year.

Wearing unis that are modeled after Maverick’s flight suit from the film, the team will take the field in style, with the jerseys being auctioned off after the game for charity.

It’s the 30th anniversary of the movie, so this should remind everyone to never lose that lovin’ feeling while at a RailCats game.

Kansas City Royals’ Champions Alley Burger

After winning their first World Series in 30 years, the Kansas City Royals figured they just had to give their fans something to snack on to celebrate for the year after. So that’s exactly what they did.

Creating the Champions Alley Burger—which also has a hot dog version—the Royals’ new sandwich is everything one would want to chow on while at Kauffman Stadium, as it’s tempura-battered and stuffed with bacon and cheese, then served with some slaw on top.

Anyone who can take one of these down can definitely claim to being a champion—because the thing is massive.

Rochester Red Wings’ Batman Night

Of all the promotion nights that are going on in baseball this season, the Rochester Red Wings’ Batman Night might just be my favorite—because they don’t hold anything back in making it great.

In addition to bringing in the actor who played Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie (Lee Meriwether), the team is also rolling in a replica Batmobile—which is awesome.

Voted as one of the top 10 promo nights in MiLB in 2014, the Red Wings know that the Batman will save the day and bring plenty of fun to fans in attendance.

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Yellow Alternate Jersey

Finally, the Pittsburgh Pirates decided to bring back their yellow “We Are Family” jerseys that became so popular after the 1979 World Series team—and they’ll be wearing them for every Sunday home game throughout the 2016 season.

Originally leaked by a staffer accidentally on Twitter, once the news broke about the new threads, I’m sure everyone in the Steel City began thinking of players like Willie Stargell and Dave Parker, who helped make the mustard-colored tops so famous.

Props to the Pirates for honoring their past and breaking these out for more than just one or two games, too.

Texas Rangers’ Chicken & Donut Skewer

Everything is always bigger in Texas, so of course the Texas Rangers wanted to make sure they could get as many different tastes together in one dish to make the ultimate snack for fans.

Enter this Chicken & Donut Skewer, which is a 12-inch skewer with fried chicken and donut holes on it that’s then drizzled with spicy buffalo honey sauce.

It sounds like an absolute blast in the mouth, so make sure to prepare yourself before housing it.

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Cheeseburger Dog

How does a foot-long hot dog made of chargrilled hamburgers and mixed with bacon, green peppers and cheese sound? Oh, and then to top it all off, how about deep-frying it and topping it with smoked bacon and secret sauce?

If your mouth isn’t watering right now, you might not be American.

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Cheeseburger Dog might be a heart attack on a plate, but it’s worth the hospital trip, because it looks incredible.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Meatball-Filled Bread Cone

The summer is normally a time for scoops of ice cream inside of a cone, but the St. Louis Cardinals are trying to make it the time for, get this, meatballs and a cone. No joke.

Stuffing four meatballs and sauce into an Italian bread cone, the Cards are giving fans one of the most unique dishes I think I’ve ever seen at a ballpark before—and definitely one that reminds me of my grandmother.

Eating something like this on a 100-degree summer day doesn’t sound too enjoyable, but to each his own, I suppose.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats’ ‘Bipartisan’ Jersey

Having difficultly deciding which candidate you’re going to vote for in this year’s election? Maybe the New Hampshire Fisher Cats can help, because they’re wearing a “Bipartisan” jersey that appeals to both Democrats and Republicans.

Rather than deal with debates and key issues, the Fisher Cats are torn right down the middle with these Opening Day jerseys that pay tribute to the state’s primary celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Don’t think that fans are off the hook from voting, though, because they need to decide which hat the team dons with the special uniforms—a red elephant or blue donkey cap.

Atlanta Braves’ T.E.D. (The Everything Dog)

Words can’t describe the feelings I have for this new Atlanta Braves dish called The Everything Dog or, simply, T.E.D.

I say that because I can’t quite tell if I’m excited or grossed out by this foot-long hot dog topped with pretty much everything imaginable, including french fries, chili, nacho chips, beer cheese, jalapenos and popcorn. To top it off, it’s drizzled with Coca-Cola-infused sauce. Oh, and if you needed a soft pretzel bun, you’ve got that option, too.

So. Much. Food.

Frisco RoughRiders’ Throwback Uniform Collection

There are throwback uniforms and promotional nights, and then there are the Frisco RoughRiders, who have the best uniform collection I’ve ever seen from a sports team.

The minor league affiliate of the Texas Rangers, the RoughRiders will be wearing a number of jerseys this season influenced by pop culture lore, including a Ghostbusters version, a Top Gun jersey and, yep, even a Game Boy top.

I want to know where in the hell I can get one of each, because these are absolutely incredible.

Arizona Diamondbacks’ New Uniform Rotation

The Arizona Diamondbacks haven’t been around for that long, but they’ve already seen quite the change in their design over the years—and the latest updates are just freaking amazing.

Unveiling seven new home and away uniforms for the upcoming season, the D-Backs’ new look is both fresh and progressive, bringing a different spin to baseball uniforms than what we’ve seen from other MLB teams before.

There are a lot of options to choose from, but each one of these versions brings heat!

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Cracker Jack & Mac Hot Dog

While the Pittsburgh Pirates may have won their fans over with the release of the throwback yellow jerseys I mentioned earlier, it’ll be interesting to see the reaction to the team’s newest food item, the Cracker Jack & Mac Hot Dog.

Served on pita bread, this foot-long hot dog is covered with macaroni and cheese and then, for some reason, topped with Cracker Jacks to add some sweetness and then jalapenos for some spice.

I’m not quite sure how I feel about this, but if you try it, I’ll be interested to hear the reaction.

San Diego Padres’ Uniform Changes

As much as I love what the Arizona Diamondbacks did with their new uniform designs, I think the San Diego Padres may have even beaten them with their updated look.

Not only did the team unveil a new color scheme with the unis, but the jerseys and hats themselves are amazing. The team will also keep the tradition of honoring the Navy during Sunday home games with the camo jerseys.

Some may think that brown is a little much, but paying tribute to their old-school unis, I can’t help but like them.

Texas Rangers’ Wicked Pig

The aforementioned Chicken and Donut Skewer is a lot to handle, sure, but imagine trying to eat the Wicked Pig at a Texas Rangers game this season—which, honestly, I can’t even fathom.

While it sounds like the best thing on the planet thanks to its five types of pork—pulled pork, bacon, sausage, prosciutto and ham—seeing how it’s layered to a double-decker makes it seem nearly impossible to eat.

Doused with BBQ sauce and topped with coleslaw and pork grinds, the entire meal costs $27 and will either kill you or fill you up for a week. But, wow, does it sound like a treat.

Atlanta Braves’ New Menu, Which Includes the ‘Burgerizza’

Ladies and gentleman, prepare yourself for something that only drunk college kids have probably ever even thought about trying to eat—a burgerizza.

Instead of poor 20-somethings making this in their dorm room, though, the Atlanta Braves are actually selling it to fans this season, as a 20-ounce beef patty is covered with five slices of cheese, topped with bacon and served between two eight-inch pepperoni pizzas.

If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, any of the other items that the Braves are releasing for their final season in Turner Field might do the trick, as the menu includes things like the aforementioned T.E.D., a sandwich called “The Punisher,” some more-than-loaded nachos and a concoction called “The Tater Tot Chop.”

Eat at your own risk at Atlanta games, guys.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com