Major League Baseball Kicks Off 150th Season
Ashton England
This past week, Major League Baseball celebrated Opening Weekend for the 150th time. The season has not disappointed thus far, showcasing many star prospects who have finally debuted, the new look of many rebuilding ballclubs, and some big names in new places. Even after 150 years, Major League Baseball never fails to disappoint, and year 150 is poised to be the best yet.
Over the past few seasons, Major League Baseball has tracked many young prospects in numerous organizations that were projected to make a big splash once they reached the big leagues. For some of these guys, 2019 has become the year for them to show what they have to offer. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Chris Paddack of the Padres, Eloy Jimenez of the White Sox, and Pete Alonso of the Mets are just a few of the aspiring stars finally getting their shot this season. As many of the stars of baseball grow older, more room for the young guys to fill in on off days or even replace retiring stars is opening. 2019 is shaping up to be a year of younger players emerging as many teams face rebuilding years ahead. Fans have much to look forward to as the future of the MLB comes to fruition this year.
Last season, multiple ballclubs had little success and found themselves at the bottom of the league standings. Many of the teams that found themselves in last place in their divisions last year had big offseasons, acquiring players through big trades or calling up talent from within their own farm systems. Most notably, the San Diego Padres signed on Manny Machado long-term to try to bolster their roster. Another trade to mention was the Cincinnati Reds trading for Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig in exchange for an aging Homer Bailey with the Dodgers. Even the Philadelphia Phillies, who found themselves in third place in their division at the end of the season, went out and signed or traded for Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, David Robertson, J.T. Realmuto, and Jean Segura in their go-for-broke attempt to win the NL East Division in 2019. This season, many teams are looking to transform themselves from laughingstocks to postseason contenders, and fans can look forward to seeing new faces in October 2019.
As mentioned earlier, stars like Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, and Andrew McCutchen find themselves donning a new jersey this season. But many stars around the league find themselves calling new cities home this year. The St. Louis Cardinals went out and acquired Paul Goldschmidt from the Diamondbacks in a trade, a team Goldschmidt had played for his entire career. Matt Harvey, the former Mets star and Cincinnati Reds pitcher, looks for a revival of his career now in Anaheim with the Los Angeles Angels. Troy Tulowitzki and DJ LeMahieu, both former Rockies stars, now don the pinstripes in the Bronx for the New York Yankees. Of many faces in new places, the changes of scenery is all it takes for some players’ careers to take a turn for the better. 2019 will be exciting as fans watch to see how these players can elevate their new ballclubs to greater heights.
An exciting offseason, hot start, and new contenders through week one are all it has taken to shape the 2019 season into MLB’s most exciting season yet. For season 150, fans are going to need some popcorn to watch all of the new contenders battle for a ticket to October.
