Today starts the 2026 MLB regular season; the Yankees and the Giants take center stage for a single game opener this year. But before I get to baseball today, there is another big story out there. Yesterday, UNC fired coach Hubert Davis; the Tar Heels’ late-game collapse in the tournament against VCU is the proximal cause of the firing, but Davis’ tenure there has not been nearly up to the consistent standard of UNC basketball.
This is a big deal because Carolina basketball has been a “family matter” for years; Carolina’s coaches retire; they are not “asked to go elsewhere”. Moreover, it looks as if UNC will have to “go outside the family” for its new coach and some of the names being thrown out are at places that never realized their coaches might be tempted to leave. Rumors have it that these coaches – – among others – – are “in play”:
- Billy Donovan – – Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls
- Tommy Lloyd – – Head Coach at Arizona
- Dusty May – – Head Coach at Michigan
- Brad Stevens – – GM of the Boston Celtics
UNC’s decision to go looking for a new coach could have ripple effects down the line. The only school that would seem not to have to worry would be Duke; there is no way on the planet that UNC would offer Jon Scheyer the job nor any chance he would take it.
Now back to baseball. In the American League:
- I like the Yankees, Tigers and Mariners to win their divisions.
- If you are looking for dark horses, I suggest the Red Sox and the Royals.
In the National League:
- I like the Phillies (slightly), Cubs and Dodgers to win their divisions.
- If you are looking for dark-horses, I suggest the Giants and the D-Backs
Someone somewhere must have a potent voodoo doll targeting the Atlanta Braves pitching staff. If you look at the Braves’ roster, they have 5 “RHPs” on the Injured List and two of the five were clearly slotted to be in the starting rotation.
My pick of the Phillies to win the NL East assumes that Zack Wheeler will indeed recover from his thoracic outlet surgery and give the team several months of quality starting pitching. If that does not materialize …
I have five selections for Win Totals this season:
- The O’s won only 75 games last year, but they upgraded in the offseason specifically adding power hitting in Pete Alonso; they will be better in 2026. However, the win total for the O’s is now at 86.5 and that is too high because they have so many division games against tough opponents. Orioles UNDER 86.5 wins.
- The Tigers are the best team in a mediocre AL Central. Assuming Tarik Skubal retains most if not all of his form over the past couple of seasons, they should win the division, and the Tigers will go OVER 85.5 wins.
- The Mets won 83 games last year and lost Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso to free agency. The win total line for 2026 is at 90.5 wins; I don’t see that happening. Mets UNDER 90.5 wins
- The Reds won 83 games last year and the total this year is projected at 81.5. Hunter Greene had elbow surgery and is not expected to be back until June or July. I think that is bad news for the Reds. Reds UNDER 81.5 wins.
- The D-Backs added Nolan Arenado to a team that won 80 games last year.
The win total this year is 79.5. D-Backs OVER 79.5 wins.
The 2026 season will introduce robo-umps to the game and there will be challenges to calls of balls and strikes allowed – – maybe even encouraged. Here is the process as I understand it:
- Human umpires make the calls on balls and strikes.
- Hitters, pitchers and/or catchers can challenge, and the robo-ump’s measurements are then shown to all in the stadium and anyone watching on TV. Call is confirmed or overturned… Managers cannot challenge.
Sounds simple, right?
- Teams start with two challenges apiece and need to use them sparingly/judiciously. Successful challenges are retained; unsuccessful ones are gone.
- Extra challenges will be available for extra-inning games.
- Games played outside normal MLB venues (Mexico City games or Little League Classic games) will NOT have robo-ump technology and will “revert” to old-school baseball.
And here is how/where old-style baseball rhubarbs can remain in the tradition of baseball:
- Umpires can disallow any challenge if the umpire concludes that the player’s decision to challenge was “other players or the dugout”. It must be the pitcher, catcher or batter acting alone.
Each batter has his own specific strike zone; players have been measured to within a millimeter to determine the top and bottom of each player’s strike zone. The top is 53.5% of the player’s height and the bottom is 27% of the player’s height. The width and depth of the strike zone are determined by the dimensions of home plate.
Settle in for the start of the 2026 MLB season.
Finally, an appropriate way to usher in a new baseball season is to hear from Bob Uecker:
“The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game. He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game. Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud.”
But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………