Cardinals vs Marlins 2012 MLB Season Opener Preview

With a new manager, a revamped roster and a brand new ballpark, the Miami Marlins are ready for the 2012 MLB season opener against the St. Louis Cardinals tonight. While everyone in baseball will be wrapping up their Spring Training and preparing for the season, the Fish and the Redbirds will take center stage in primetime tonight.

“To be able to play the first game there, it’s something I am going to remember forever,” said Cardinals outfielder and Miami native, Jon Jay. “The Dolphins’ stadium wasn’t really a baseball ballpark. It’s going to be nice for the community to have a real baseball park.”

Marlins Park in Downtown, Miami, Florida, will be the site for this 2012 MLB season opener. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM ET live on ESPN. Tonight’s pitching matchup will be: RHP Josh Johnson (Marlins) vs Kyle Lohse (Cardinals). First-year Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is projected to have the following lineup against the defending champs tonight:

1. (SS) Jose Reyes
2. (OF) Emilio Bonifacio
3. (3B) Hanley Ramirez
4. (OF) Mike Stanton
5. (OF) Logan Morrison
6. (1B) Gaby Sanchez
7. (C) John Buck
8. (2B) Omar Infante
9. (SP) Josh Johnson

“We expect to win,” said Marlins new shortstop Jose Reyes. “The kind of club we have, we’re going to compete, no doubt.”

Guillen, who’s never at a loss for words expects all his players to respond to the efforts the organization and the community has put fourth in the building of this brand new park. For years, the Marlins and the Miami Dolphins shared the same venue, winning two World Series rings. With a shinny new building, Guillen expects a whole lot more than that from his players.

“You can have a beautiful house with a beautiful view,” Guillen said. “But if the people living in the house stink, it ain’t going to be so beautiful.”

For the Cardinals, they start their title defense on the road and with the home-team grabbing all the attention. With a new skipper at the helm in former minor league instructor Mike Matheny, the Cardinals projected batting order goes as follows:

1. (SS) Rafael Furcal
2. (OF) Carlos Beltran
3. (OF) Matt Holliday
4. (1B) Lance Berkman
5. (3B) David Freese
6. (C) Yadier Molina
7. (OF) Jon Jay
8. (2B) Tyler Greene
9. (SP) Kyle Lohse

“It looks like a spaceship,” Matheny said of Miami’s newest structure. “There’s a buzz in every home opener. The buzz in our place is ridiculous.”