“This year will be the year we improve and we won’t make the same mistakes of last year.” That is what every team has said and will say this is why opening day is the best day of the season for every single team in the league. Even the World Series champs have something to improve on as they barely made the playoffs with a sub-par record.

Welcome to the Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City Missouri First pitch is at 4:10pm ET pitting unquestionable ace Curt Schilling against newly rich big name from no-name pitcher Gil Meche. Schilling a crafty old veteran has pitched seven opening days, whereas this is to be Meche’s first.

Meche signed a monster five-year, $55 million contract in the off-season. He is now the top paid KC pitcher ever and the only ace on the staff.
The Boston Red Sox paid almost the same as KC did for Meche minus the 50 million for the negotiation privilege of Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka.

KC actually won the season series last year, five games to four as they won five of the final six meetings of 2006. A feat they have not done since the 2000 season. This definitely contributed to the Red Sox to finishing behind the Yanks and the Jays.

You may not know most of the Royals but you will notice that they will have a team this year, but best case scenario would be them finishing at the .500 level and Meche winning almost twenty games for the upstart Royals.

Projections for the Royals opening day lineup
1. CF David DeJesus
2. 2B Mark Grudzielanek
3. RF Mark Teahen
4. DH Mike Sweeney
5. 3B Alex Gordon
6. LF Ross Gload
7. 1B Ryan Shealy
8. C John Buck
9. SS Tony Pena Jr.

Versus the lineup of the Red Sox
1. SS Julio Lugo
2. 1B Kevin Youkilis
3. DH David Ortiz
4. LF Manny Ramirez
5. RF J.D. Drew
6. 3B Mike Lowell
7. C Jason Varitek
8. CF Coco Crisp
9. 2B Dustin Pedroia

For these two teams the focus on opening day has to be on pitching as both are starting their ace’s and will rely heavily on them throughout the year. But Kansas City has some intriguing youngsters as they continue to build within. Alex Gordon is so good that he has made an everyday player and a very good third baseman in Mark Teahan shift to the outfield.

I have to give the edge to the BoSox for the opening day game as Meche is still new to putting his team on his back, as he is just barely a winning pitcher over the course of his career posting a 55-44 win-loss record. #38 has the ball and he knows how to use it. Though the game is in KC the Sox Nation is sure to be heard.

Look for Boston to throw out their future ace hopeful Josh Beckett against Odalis Perez in their next game in KC with a one o’clock start time on April 4th.

Written by contributing editor Scott Penny