For the first time since their ALDS sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox, the Angels will hit the field for meaningful baseball tonight. Their season opens up tonight in Minnesota at 4:05 PT. For the Angels Jered Weaver (13-7, 3.91) will be taking the mound, he of course gets the nod with starters Kelvim Escobar and John Lackey starting the season on the DL. This game will also feature Torii Hunter’s much anticipated return to Minnesota. Hunter’s career began with the Minnesota organization and he spent the last nine seasons of his career with the Twins. There is bound to be some energy in the crowd as he steps up to the plate for the first time tonight. Hunter described his appreciation for the ironic scheduling, “Who set that up? How did that happen? I sign with the Angels and they open in Minnesota, the team I was with for 15 years?” The truth is usually stranger than fiction…

As the Angels open up this season they have to keep their head above water until their injured players return. Lackey is not expected back until May and Escobar is reportedly contemplating season ending surgery. In what is sure to be a tight race in the AL West the Angels can’t stumble out of the blocks, if they hope to stay close to a Seattle team that is expected to be very strong this season. The Mariners have a terrific pitching staff and the Angels will need to get healthy to out pitch them. But that talk is for later on in this season, it’s Opening Day, every team in baseball has a shot, for now. Enjoy the games…

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