*** Reds Opening Day Rained Out! Rescheduled Friday March 30th. All bets are off but hope folks can make it. 

Join your favorite Pencilstorm writers for MLB Opening Day at The Library Bar on Thursday March 29th. First pitch for the Reds vs Nationals is 4 pm and I wouldn't be  late if you plan on catching Homer Bailey on the hill as he might be headed for the showers by 4:30.

The Tribe open the season later that evening on the West coast against Brian Phillips and the Seattle Mariners. 

Reds Win Total 73.5?  It's funny. The Reds have been awful the past few seasons but they have been a surprisingly fun team to watch. When future hall of famer Joey Votto is locked in, every AB is must watch TV. And he is locked in most of the time. Billy Hamilton ABs are must miss TV but the guy is a human highlight reel on the base paths and especially in center field. (Watch This)

I want to say the team will improve in 2018 but the pitching once again looks historically bad. How bad? The Pencilstorm fantasy baseball league drafted 360 players. Exactly three Reds pitchers were chosen. Luis Castillo, Raisel Iglesias, and Homer Bailey. Actually, I chose Homer as my last pick and he isn't even starting for my fantasy team despite being the Reds opening day pitcher. That's rough.

If Reds manager Brian Price had any sense and/or balls, he would read Chapter 9 in Brian Kenny's amazing baseball book Ahead of the Curve and just eliminate the starting pitcher for 2018. Every pitcher goes through the line-up one time and they all pitch roughly equal innings. This would mathematically guarantee to improve the team's win total. But who wants use numbers when you can rely on tradition? Price's inability to accept reality and think outside the box will finally cost him his job this year.

That reminds me of a story I once wrote: What if Dusty Baker was Bryan Price?

And.......        The Reds Will Remember the Dusty Baker Years Fondly.

Anyway,  I'm an optimist so I like the Reds to combine dumb luck with magic to get 74 wins. 

Cleveland Indians 94.5 wins. The only thing not to like about this Tribe squad is that everything looks too good. Nobody in the AL Central can touch them so it's all about knocking off the Astros or Yankees in the playoffs. Payroll reality sets in next year so it's do or die time on the North shore. I'll take the over. 98 wins.

Colin Gawel wrote this at Colin's Coffee in between serving customers. Excuse the typos please. Colin and The Bowlers are playing Little Rock Bar Sunday April 29th 2-5pm.