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MLB Opening Day: Top lineup for each team

By Benjamin Chase

MIAMI, FL - APRIL 11: God Bless America is performed during the Opening Day game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves at Marlins Park on April 11, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Miami Marlins via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 11: God Bless America is performed during the Opening Day game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves at Marlins Park on April 11, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Miami Marlins via Getty Images) /
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MLB Opening Day
ARLINGTON, TX – JULY 07: Garret Anderson /

Los Angeles Angels

Catcher: Buck Rodgers 7
First Base: Rod Carew/Wally Joyner 6
Second Base: Bobby Grich 8 (9)
Third Base: Doug DeCinces/Troy Glaus 6
Shortstop: Jim Fregosi 9
Left Field: Garret Anderson 9 (13)
Center Field: Mike Trout 5
Right Field: Tim Salmon 11 (12)
Designated Hitter: Don Baylor 6
Starting Pitcher: Jered Weaver 7

10+ Starts: Anderson 13, Salmon 12, Brian Downing 11, Darin Erstad 10

The California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels have been around for less than 60 years, but they actually have surprisingly decent numbers at each position, with current superstar Trout being the lowest number at 5, and many teams with much longer histories have positions with lower amounts. Baylor is a name that comes up with a number of organizations at DH.

MLB Opening Day
HOUSTON – 1999: Craig Biggio (L) and Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros sit in the dugout during a 1999 season MLB game at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Steve Babineau/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Houston Astros

Catcher: Brad Ausmus 9
First Base: Jeff Bagwell 15
Second Base: Craig Biggio 14 (19)
Third Base: Ken Caminiti 8
Shortstop: Roger Metzger 8
Left Field: Jose Cruz 8 (11)
Center Field: Cesar Cedeno 9 (10)
Right Field: Terry Puhl 8 (9)
Starting Pitcher: Roy Oswalt 8

10+ Starts: Biggio 19, Bagwell 15, Cruz 11, Cedeno 10

The “Killer B’s” easily top this list, which is no surprise, as the Astros have only been around since 1962. Impressively, many of the names on this list started many Opening Days together (Ausmus, Bagwell, Biggio, Caminiti, Oswalt). The Astros did move to the American League in 2013, but currently, they have had a different designated hitter every season since coming over to the AL, so that position was left out. Evan Gattis is the only one of those DH’s that is still on the roster and could be the first Astros DH with multiple MLB Opening Day starts.

Next: Athletics/Blue Jays

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