ALEX FRANCO
STAFF WRITER
Finally, after a five month hiatus, baseball lovers of all ages will get a new Major League Baseball (MLB) season. It’s the return of the aroma of freshly cut grass, foot-long hot dogs and buttered popcorn that only MLB opening days can bring.
The season kicks off Wednesday, April 4 when the defending World Series Champions, the St. Louis Cardinals take on the newly named Miami Marlins. The remainder of the teams will begin their seasons April 5 – 6 and hunt for October begins.
Southern California will look to once again return to promise land that is the playoffs, with local teams like the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers building on promising 2011 seasons and making some important off-season moves. Look for these teams to make it awfully difficult for other teams to make it out of SoCal a winner.
The San Diego Padres finished dead last in the National League (NL) west division last year with a 71-91. The Padres will be looking to make their way out of the basement of the MLB and make great strides in progress as they look toward continuing the rebuilding process. Padres added power to their lineup this off-season with the acquisition of outfielder Carlos Quentin. The Padres lost all-star closing pitcher Heath Bell but replaced him with veteran closer Huston Street.
The Angels made some huge noise this off-season with the signing of future hall of fame first basemen, Albert Pujols and All-Star pitcher C.J. Wilson. The Angels finished second in their division at 86-76. Expect the Angels to be the favorites to win the American League (AL) west division with their juggernaut offense.
The Angels aren’t the only team in LA, the Dodgers also call LA home and were just purchased by an interest group which included NBA hall-of-famer and former Lakers great Magic Johnson to the tune of $2 billion. The Dodgers are coming off a season where they finished strong down the stretch and ended the season with a record of 82-79. Dodgers re-signed All-Star center-fielder and MVP runner-up Matt Kemp and have the Cy Young award winner for best pitcher in the NL in Clayton Kershaw who looks to only get stronger after winning 21 games last season.
Dodgers and Padres open up the season April 5, in San Diego’s Petco Park, while the Angels begin the season April 7 against the Kansas City Royals in Anaheim.