If you were to ask 10 pitchers to describe what it means to get the ball on Opening Day, nine would gush about receiving the honor and one would be Felix Hernandez, for whom the novelty wore off about a half-decade ago.
In a macro sense, of course, it really doesn't matter who starts the first game of the season - come October, all being well, each team's five starters will have taken the mound the same number of times - but this is baseball, folks, where every symbolic gesture, no matter how inconsequential, gets blown out of proportion.
With that in mind, here's a mostly subjective ranking of the 30 pitchers who have received the "huge honor" - Jose Quintana's words, not mine! - of getting to start the first game of the 2017 season for his respective team.
30. Scott Feldman, Reds
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (3rd)
3.97
4.24
After de facto ace Anthony DeSclafani went down with an elbow injury in March, the Reds' options for Opening Day were either Feldman or four guys you've never heard of, meaning their lineup for Monday's opener will be comprised of Feldman, Joey Votto, and ... seven guys you've never heard of.
29. Ricky Nolasco, Angels
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (4th)
4.42
4.14
Hey, Ricky, you're so fine (in 2013) / you're so fine (in 2013), you blow my mind (in 2013) / Hey, Ricky.
28. Jhoulys Chacin, Padres
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (2nd)
4.81
4.01
If you're curious as to where the Padres are right now, as an organization, consider that their Opening Day starter was unable to hang onto his spot last year in an Angels rotation that featured, at various points, Brett Oberholtzer, David Huff, and a lanky Grateful Dead fan pretending to be Tim Lincecum.
27. Kendall Graveman, Athletics
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
4.11
4.39
26. Edinson Volquez, Marlins
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (5th)
5.37
4.57
It should've been Jose Fernandez. RIP, Nino.
25. Jeremy Hellickson, Phillies
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (2nd)
3.71
3.98
24. Kevin Gausman, Orioles
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.61
4.10
Few pitchers were as dominant at home in 2016 as Gausman, who managed a 2.67 ERA and 3.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio in a dozen starts at Camden Yards. That augurs well for his first career Opening Day assignment, except he also managed a 7.04 ERA and allowed six homers in three starts against the Toronto Blue Jays last year, so, yeah, you're to make your own prediction as to how Monday plays out.
23. Junior Guerra, Brewers
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
2.81
3.71
22. Jon Gray, Rockies
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
4.61
3.60
Bud Black: Alright, fellas, who wants to start Opening Day?
*All five starters stare at their shoes*
Bud Black: We open on the road, guys.
*Jon Gray's hand shoots up the fastest*
21. Ervin Santana, Twins
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (2nd)
3.38
3.81
20. Dallas Keuchel, Astros
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (3rd)
4.55
3.87
19. Felix Hernandez, Mariners
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (10th)
3.82
4.63
Though he's more of a figurehead in Seattle these days, King Felix also hasn't surrendered more than two earned runs on Opening Day since 2010. For reference sake, his presumed batterymate for Monday, Mike Zunino, was one year into his tenure at the University of Florida in 2010.
18. Marco Estrada, Blue Jays
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.48
4.15
He remains underrated even after earning Cy Young votes in 2015 and an All-Star berth last year, but Estrada has truly turned himself into a legitimate top-end guy with that changeup of his. I mean, just look at it:
17. Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (3rd)
4.37
4.12
16. Danny Duffy, Royals
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.51
3.83
Would it surprise you to learn that Duffy, who landed a five-year, $65-million extension in January, tied with Chris Sale for the highest strikeout rate (25.7 percent) among qualified American League pitchers in 2016? No? Okay, then, liar.
15. Julio Teheran, Braves
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (4th)
3.21
3.69
14. Rick Porcello, Red Sox
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.15
3.40
The unexpected 2016 AL Cy Young award winner continues to do the impossible, as Porcello somehow managed to get bumped down the depth chart the season after being named the top pitcher in his league.
13. Gerrit Cole, Pirates
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.88
3.33
12. Chris Archer, Rays
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (3rd)
4.02
3.81
11. Carlos Martinez, Cardinals
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.04
3.61
Even Adam Wainwright knows the Opening Day gig rightfully belongs to Martinez, one of just three pitchers to make 29 starts or more with an ERA at least 30 percent better than league average after adjusting for park effects (i.e. 130 ERA+) in each of the last two seasons. The other two? Max Scherzer and Madison Bumgarner.
10. Jose Quintana, White Sox
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.20
3.56
9. Justin Verlander, Tigers
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (9th)
3.04
3.48
Rumor has it Brad Ausmus was hankering to give Michael Fulmer the Opening Day assignment in recognition of the 24-year-old taking home the AL Rookie of the Year award, but abandoned that idea after seeing the Twitter maelstrom Kate Upton unleashed after Verlander, her fiancee, lost out on the 2016 Cy Young.
8. Yu Darvish, Rangers
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
Yes
3.41
3.09
7. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (4th)
3.60
2.92
6. Jon Lester, Cubs
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (6th)
2.44
3.41
When Lester takes the mound Sunday to kick off the Cubs' title defense, it'll be tough not to think about David Ross, who will wistfully watch his old buddy on TV from his living room, presumably, with tears streaming down his face and Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You" blaring in the background.
5. Corey Kluber, Indians
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (3rd)
3.14
3.26
4. Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees
First Opening Day start?
2016 ERA
2016 FIP
No (3rd)
3.07
3.51
Everyone: You can't pitch in the big leagues with a tear in your ulnar collateral ligament!
