The sun is out early today and it’s a very important day on the calendar for Phillies fans. It’s Opening Day! This Phillies team is expected to do better than the previous teams in the past 5 years or so, don’t look now but it’s been 10 years since the Phillies have made the playoffs. Will they make it this year? We’ll know that answer in about 6 months, an impressive 162-game schedule awaits the Phils but it all starts today.
My co-host from the Phillies Talk Podcast, Matt Veasey, and I will be up at the stadium and taking some notes for our next podcast. Matt also did some research on if you are going to the game, there are some new ‘bag’ restrictions in place. Thank goodness he posted this for us at Twitter, it kind of puts a bit of a crimp in my plan to bring my backpack as I have for years, but I’ll adapt, here’s the list of approved ‘bags’ into the ballpark.
Headed down to @PhilliesCBP for the #Phillies game on #OpeningDay on Friday afternoon? Make sure you’re aware of their new bags policy. pic.twitter.com/SppZMO453u
— PHILLIES BELL (@philliesbell) April 8, 2022
At 3:05 PM a brand new season will start up, Aaron Nola taking the mound for the 5th opening day duty for him. He has started Phillies Opening Day off since 2018 – that takes him into a rare company with the Phillies, Nola needs one more start on Opening Day to catch Chris Short who has 6 and with 5 now, he ties Grover Cleveland Alexander. Steve Carlton leads the team with 14 Opening Day starts and Robin Roberts has 12.
With today’s opponent, you may think that the Oakland A’s will be a push-over, but a Major League baseball team is never to be underestimated. Pitching for the Oakland A’s for Opening Day is Frankie Montas who was 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA last season in 32 starts. The A’s will probably play a spoiler role this season, but they have a knack for getting little-known players and making stars out of some of them.
If you’re going or watching from home, enjoy the game, and lets go Phillies!