Opening day

It's 39 degrees and drizzling in Chelmsford, Massachusetts this morning but it feels like summer as the long awaited opening day is here. I know the season started last Tuesday in Japan for the Athletics and Red Sox but, even for many Boston and Oakland fans, it didn't feel much like opening day. Not with the games at 6 AM in the morning and not with knowledge that everyone else was still in spring training and that the Athletics and Red Sox would return to spring training a couple of days later. Now the season is starting for real and the next seven months will be a pleasure to follow regardless of the outcome.

The Tigers open up against the Royals today at 1:00 PM. The forecast calls for temperatures in the 50s and cloudy skies with some showers later in the afternoon. It looks as if they'll be able to get the game in before the heavier stuff comes though. It will be Justin Verlander versus Gil Meche. These are the line-ups:

Detroit Tigers
SS Edgar Renteria
2B Placido Polanco
DH Gary Sheffield
RF Magglio Ordonez
3B Miguel Cabrera
1B Carlos Guillen
C Pudge Rodriguez
LF Jacque Jones
CF Brandon Inge

Kansas City Royals
CF David DeJesus
2B Mark Grudzielanek
3B Alex Gordon
RF Jose Guillen
DH Billy Butler
LF Mark Teahen
1B Ross Gload
C John Buck
SS Tony Pena

To learn more about the Kansas City Royals, check out these blogs:

Royals Review
Royals Authority
Royally Speaking

And for one more Tigers season preview, go to Detroit Tigers Thoughts.