Nationals (Cavalli) vs Cubs (Boyd): 3/26/26, 1:20pm

[Brock Beauchamp]

It's Opening Day!

[bakester]

Let's f'n go!

[Wilson A2000]

 

[Bertz]

Forecast looked spotty at times over the last few days but now it's looking pretty good assuming it doesn't drag too long

[Jason Ross]

Because I assume my life is the Truman Show and I am the main character, I'm having a good morning so far. This can only mean that the Cubs will play and win today. 

[UMFan83]

23rd consecutive season I’ve posted in a game thread on NSBB. Let’s go Cubs!

[Old Style]

Is this the earliest calendar date a season has ever started?

[Nolansomebody]

I’ve said this before on the general baseball forum, but I still can’t believe it’s already Opening Day. I’m pretty hyped to see how this team can do. Just hope it doesn’t rain today.

EAMUS CATULI!

[squally1313]

24 minutes ago, Old Style said:

Is this the earliest calendar date a season has ever started?

Earliest since last season at least

[KCCub]

Looks like Chourio has a broken hand....

Also, here's a nifty site for all you fantasy baseball savants. (Take a peep at Wrigley today)

https://www.ballparkpal.com/Park-Factors.php

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Some interesting notes from Mooney and Sharma's new article:

Quote

 

Informed that Cease’s deal would wind up in the $200 million range, the Cubs never made a formal offer as negotiations quickly accelerated before Thanksgiving. Coming off a Game 7 loss in the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays signed Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract with a heavy amount of deferrals, forcing the Cubs to pivot.

 

Quote

The Cubs made a three-year offer to All-Star closer Devin Williams but did not come close to the $51 million that the New York Mets guaranteed. The Mets and Philadelphia Phillies also outbid the Cubs for relievers Luke Weaver and Brad Keller, who each landed two-year, $22 million contracts from those respective NL contenders.

Quote

At one point, the Cubs believed Tatsuya Imai was close to landing in Chicago on a contract lower than the initial rumors and public projections, the same way Imanaga once left Nippon Professional Baseball. But the Cubs resisted giving Imai an opt-out clause after one season, a concession the Houston Astros made to close a three-year, $54 million deal with the Japanese pitcher.

 

[UMFan83]

1 hour ago, Old Style said:

Is this the earliest calendar date a season has ever started?

The international games have started earlier but in terms of traditional US/Canada Opening Day, I believe this is the earliest ever. 

[ILMindState]

 

[UMFan83]

I haven't been paying too much attention to Spring Training.  Is Amaya no longer the de facto starting catcher or is Kelly starting today due to matchups?  Kelly had a really solid season last year but Amaya has better long term potential and was promising before all the injuries last year.

[squally1313]

This works for me, even if it's basically 2025 with a couple downgrades (one because Suzuki is hurt, one because Kyle Tucker is a really, really good hitter). 

By far the Nats two biggest threats offensively are Wood and then Abrams and Lile, and they're all LH hitters, so pretty soft landing spot for Boyd. Keep the ball in the park and we should be fine on that side. Scratch some runs across and start it off right. 

 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

5 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

I haven't been paying too much attention to Spring Training.  Is Amaya no longer the de facto starting catcher or is Kelly starting today due to matchups?  Kelly had a really solid season last year but Amaya has better long term potential and was promising before all the injuries last year.

They haven't really said. I think it's gonna be a pretty equal split between them until one separates themselves. Ballesteros probably catches once a week.

[Bertz]

That top of the order is really vulnerable to a good LH reliever.  The Nats don't have any good ones, they traded their one for Harry Ford, so it should be fine.  But like this lineup is not how they should go if god forbid Seiya misses more than a week.  Unless the plan is to be more aggressive pinch hitting for Busch and PCA than we have heard.

[Bertz]

30 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

I haven't been paying too much attention to Spring Training.  Is Amaya no longer the de facto starting catcher or is Kelly starting today due to matchups?  Kelly had a really solid season last year but Amaya has better long term potential and was promising before all the injuries last year.

I'd guess the plan is something along the lines of 50/40/10 between Kelly, Amaya, and Mo.  That said catcher is like pitcher where you can safely assume injury so it'll probably just work itself out.

[chibears55]

Letssss Goooo!!!

Shaw gets the nod in RF today

Power guys hitting 1 and 2, the speed guys hitting 4 and 5, new era of baseball...

  😅😅😅

Edited March 26 by chibears55

[squally1313]

23 minutes ago, Bertz said:

That top of the order is really vulnerable to a good LH reliever.  The Nats don't have any good ones, they traded their one for Harry Ford, so it should be fine.  But like this lineup is not how they should go if god forbid Seiya misses more than a week.  Unless the plan is to be more aggressive pinch hitting for Busch and PCA than we have heard.

lol. my first mental draft was Bart writing on the chalkboard 'I will not care about lineup ordering'. Got lazy and decided to go with 'this is fine'.

[PeanutPunch33]

First time posting in a while.  I usually hibernate during the off-season 😆

So happy baseball is back.  Go Cubs!  

[chibears55]

Storm looking to arrive in the 4 o clock hour

Get a lead and hold onto it

[Derwood]

Did PCA ever bat cleanup last year?

[Bertz]

1 minute ago, Derwood said:

Did PCA ever bat cleanup last year?

Looks like 61 times??

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/pete-crow-armstrong/27769/splits?position=NP

I would have put the over under at like 20, shows what I know 

[BKHoo]

Chourio = another WBC injury.