Major League Baseball Opening Day continues on Monday night when the Colorado Rockies face off with the Miami Marlins. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Currently the odds for the game have Miami favored at home to get a victory tonight.
At first glance this might not be a game many would want to watch, but we have two solid clubs here that believe they are on the rise. Colorado still has two of the best players in the game in Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki. Miami will send Jose Fernandez, one of the big surprises last season, to the mound. He sported a 12-6 record on the season and had an impressive 2.19 ERA and struck out 187 hitters on his way to winning the National League Rookie of the Year.
The Marlins are looking to turn around expectations and hoping Fernandez is the cornerstone they need. Miami has finished dead last in the National League East each of the last three seasons and dropped 100 games last year. Yet, the Marlins did finish with an 18-12 record during Spring Training, which was the best mark of any club in the National League.
Colorado is looking to improve from a last-place finish in 2013 as well, going just 74-88 on the season. They'll start Jorge De La Rosa on the hill today. He's got a rebuilt elbow and won 16 games last season. Today will be his first opening day start, which should be a special moment for him. Butterflies will certainly play a role for him, but he has had success against Miami in his carer. Current Marlins have just a .254 average against him in 71 plate appearances. If he can have a solid outing tonight the Rockies are going to be in a great spot to win.
Giancarlo Stanton is one of the most feared hitters in baseball and he's looking to get off to a hot start tonight. Miami has spent some money this off season, getting a decent first baseman in Garrett Jones and adding Rafael Furcal to play second and Casey McGehee, who can hit the long ball, to play third base. They should be a lot better this season, but so should the Rockies.
Each team will have to remain healthy.
Michael Cuddyer led the National League in hitting last season, sporting a .331 average. Justin Morneau comes over to play first base for the Rockies and he's going to provide them with a solid left handed bat to help bolster the lineup.
We don't expect either De La Rosa or Fernandez to go deep in these games, so it should be up to the bullpens. We like the Rockies to get this one on the road. They have a great lineup and can put the ball in play, which we expect them to do tonight.
Free Pick: Rockies 5, Marlins 3
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