On April 2, 2007, Erik Bedard and Johan Santana faced off on Opening Day in the Metrodome. Both pitchers were 28 years old, with Santana coming off of his second Cy Young Award and Bedard coming off of a breakout year that would help vault him to a career year in 2007. They were among the best the American League had to offer.
In 2012, the duo will meet up in PNC Park tonight and 2007 feels like it was a million years ago. Santana missed all of 2011 with various arm problems, but is back in pretty great form so far this year. Bedard was never really healthy again after that 2007 season, but he’s off to a pretty great start for the Pirates, striking out hitter after hitter after hitter, even if his durability’s no longer there. Neither pitcher had the career that anyone would’ve forseen for them back in 2007, and yet here we are.
I think that Santana provides a pretty difficult matchup for the Pirates’ offense, but then I’m the sort of person that thinks that if you have an arm that can throw a baseball you prevent a pretty difficult matchup for the Pirates’ offense. Bedard should at least keep them in the game.
The first pitch tonight is at 7:05.
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