Hi all.  Here’s how I see baseball on this Sunday, April 9.

Both the Mets and Yankees have gotten off to disappointing starts.  Both have looked awful the last two days-particularly the Mets losing two at home to the Marlins who are destined to lose 90 or more this season.  But neither one managed to give up a dozen runs in an inning, as the Nationals did last night in Philadelphia.  The visitors trotted out aged lefty Jeremy Guthrie and without getting out of the first inning he gave up 10 of the 12 runs the Phillies scored in that frame. The Nationals had sent outfielder Michael Taylor to the minors to make room for Guthrie and the lefty’s showing made it look like a poor choice.   In all their long history going back to the 19th century the Phillies never put up a dozen runs in a single inning-until last night. Their first six hitters in the batting order combined for 9 hits and 2 walks in an inning where 16 men came to the dish. The highlight was a bases-loaded triple by Howie Kendrick as the Phillies went on to a 17-3 demolition of the Nationals. Along with Kendrick’s 3-bagger there were 3 doubles before the dust settled. Aaron Nola got the run support.  He had finished the 2016 season with a stretch where he went 1–5 with an ERA north of 10 before an elbow strain ended his season.  He also hadn’t pitched well in spring training.  He got the support he needed and then some last night.

Meantime, some distance up I95 the Mets were taking an 8-1 thrashing from the Marlins.  It was a semi-respectable 3-1 after 6 but the Fish put up a run in the 7th and two each in the 8th and 9th.  Robert Gsellman took the loss a night after Zack Wheeler gave up 5 runs in 4 ineffective innings Friday night.  The Mets are 2-3 and the Yankees are 1–4 a week into the new season.  The Yankees blew a late lead to lose 5-4 and worse yet they lost their rookie hopeful Gary Sanchez to a biceps strain.  He’s on the 10-day disabled list to start with while the injury is evaluated.

In today’s action, the Red Sox bring out last year’s Cy Young winner Rick Porcello against the Tigers.  It’s unfortunate he can’t face Justin Verlander whose girlfriend was quite vocal stating her man should have won the award instead of the Red Sox’ Porcello. Daniel Norris is the Tigers’ starter who draws today’s assignment. When the Blue Jays meet the Rays, Marco Estrada faces Jake Odorizzi.  Jake lost the only game the Yankees have won so far and gave up 2 bombs.  He has now surrendered at least one home run in 7 starts in a row and he’s up against a team that lives by the long ball. The Yankees turn to CC Sabathia who got them their lone victory this season.  Last year he only won one game in 5 tries against the Orioles who he faces today in Baltimore. The Nats have Stephen Strasburg on the hill who was their opening day starter.  If anything can remove the bad taste of last night’s shellacking it would be a good performance by the once-dominant Strasburg. He faces Jeremy Hellickson who put up a triple on Opening Day-the first pitcher to do that since 1963. The Cubs’ Jake Arrieta faces the Brewers, who the NorthSiders took out 11-6 yesterday.  His manager said of his opening day performance that Jake looked like the Jake of 2015 who won 21 games and the Cy Young award. The surprising d-Backs, off to a 5-1 start go with Patrick Corbin today against the Indians.  The Tribe hopes Corey Kluber doesn’t give up 3 home runs as he did on Opening Day in a game they managed to win late from the Rangers. The Mets and Marlins are the Sunday  night game on ESPN.  The guys in Bristol hope the Mets’ offense shows some life as it only has in one game so far. Edinson Volquez who the Mets will remember from the 2015 World Series faces their stud Noah Syndergaard.  He left early with a blister in his first start which had Mets’ fans who are locally known as the 7-line Army concerned about today’s start.