Game 1: Rangers vs. Indians

The Rangers had a GREAT spring... however, it is just preseason. Professionals say the Rangers are going to finish last in their division... I don't see that at all. I'm drinking the KOOL-AID... as I tend to do each season. Rangers are going to do well, this year, make the playoffs, either as a division winner, or as a WILDCARD.

Scouting Report:

Indians: What will Lee do for an encore, after a remarkable '08 season in which he became the Indians' second Cy Young Award winner in as many years and their second 20-game winner in 34 years? The Indians aren't expecting Lee to turn in a duplicate of that campaign, but they do expect the 30-year-old Lee to be a steady, guiding hand at the top of the rotation. With former ace CC Sabathia long gone, the Indians are relying on Lee more than ever. They need him to set the tone for a rotation that enters the season with no shortage of question marks and concerns. Lee certainly has the mentality for the job, as his unshakable consistency, in terms of fastball command and aggressiveness, carried him to new heights in '08. He was one of just seven pitchers since 1920 to win 22 of his first 25 decisions, and his ERA was the lowest by an AL left-hander this decade. There will, however, be a worry that Lee's career-high workload (223 1/3 innings) could affect him in '09. Lee had a rough Spring Training camp, performance-wise, but he attributed most of his struggles to working on locating his fastball.

Rangers: Millwood is making his fourth straight Opening Day start for the Rangers but still looking for his first victory in that role. He is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA in his past three Opening Day games. He pitched six strong innings last season against the Mariners at Safeco Field, taking a 1-0 lead into the sixth before allowing two unearned runs. The Rangers ended up losing 5-2. Millwood was 5-3 with a 5.09 ERA in 13 starts at home and is 20-14 with a 5.11 ERA in 45 starts at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington over the past three years. He went 1-2 with a 6.48 ERA this spring, allowing 30 hits and eight walks in 25 innings while striking out 19. But he made it through the spring without a physical setback for the first time in three years. Millwood pitched for the Indians in 2005 and won the American League ERA title before signing with the Rangers. He is 3-1 with a 4.56 ERA in four career starts against them. He made one start against them in 2008 and won, 9-4, on June 5, although he allowed four runs on nine hits in six innings.
I would like to share the probable starters list I made. I can't see it going down like this for the entire season, however, it does give an idea of how things will go if they are stay healthy and the schedule doesn't get shuffled.
Forecast: The Rangers tend to do well against the Tribe... I don't know if that is reality or just a gut feeling... I could be remembering wrong. Still, I like the Rangers in this one. Look for Millwood to go six innings and into the seventh before getting pulled. The Rangers bullpen is good and will nail down the win, with a score of 7-4.

Home Plate