Major League Baseball

Opening Day, better than you think

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:55 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

It is finally here.

As a player, no matter how long you have played this game Opening Day is always special. The buzz in the crowd is like no other day in the regular season. There are military flyovers, capacity crowds, monstrous American flags, full rosters getting introduced on the field, and special performances of our National Anthem. If memory serves, one of the best Opening Day anthems I heard in uniform was Tony! Toni! Tone! in 1998 at Candlestick Park. (I know, I never would have thought that either.)

As a player, you love Opening Day. But it's difficult to fully appreciate the moment until after your playing days are over. You are one of just 750 baseball players from around the world putting on an MLB uniform for Opening Day, but you rarely think about these things when you're actually in uniform.

Most players knew they would be here. For others, it was a battle throughout spring training to earn a spot on the team. For them, this day is even better. They can finally breathe, relax, and take it all in for a few minutes before the real work begins. 

I was fortunate to experience Opening Day as a major leaguer six times. What most people don't realize is that you almost always get at least two Opening Day celebrations as a player each year: yours and at least one other team's on the road.

In 1999, as a member of the Detroit Tigers, I was a part of three Opening day celebrations: at the Rangers', at the Yankees', and then finally on April 12th in Detroit. That opener in Detroit was the final Opening Day of old Tiger Stadium. By the time we got to that game we were already 1-5. Those were lean years in Motown.

Nevertheless, it is finally here. Opening Day for all. Enjoy!

Be sure to tune it to Fox Sports 1 for five live hours of MLB WhipAround Opening Day coverage. We'll be on air from 1:00 -€“ 5:00PM ET and then from 7:00 - 8:00 PM ET. It will be me, Frank Thomas, Kevin Burkhardt and Chris Myers covering all of Opening Day.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball