OPENING DAY IN DETROIT

For Immediate Release
April 6, 2003

ESPN NEWS (Bristol)
The opening day match up between the Chicago Mobsters and the Detroit Crime, was a little different than what was expected.  Chicago General Manager, Stray Corrado thought that he should have at the very least came out on the other end of the stick at 3-2.  But his Mobsters didn’t quite help him out.    “I really though I’d come in and take three of five, maybe even take four out of five, and get off to a solid start this year”.  The Mobsters batted a low .218 for the week.  Chipper Jones, got off to a very rough start going a combined 2 for 19, and Shortstop David Eckstein, who Corrado stuck with in the number two hole, despite his starting the season off O for 20.  “We flat out stunk this week, and things are going to change, or I will make sure they do.   These guys need to play, or I will find some players who will”. said Corrado.
But on a positive note, the pitching match up of game one was a special one.  Highly touted Detroit Rookie – Mark Prior got the opening day start.  “He is something special” said Crime General Manager Sergio Ivone “Prior will get about 20 starts this year.  I’ll make sure I run him out there against the good teams, and rest him when I can against the weaker clubs in the American League”.    Prior retired the first two hitters he faced, and the became acquainted with pitching in the majors.  The third batter he faced was Mobster rookie, Eric Hinske, who properly greeted Prior with a bomb that went over the right field fence for a home run.  Prior went six inning and allowed four runs, two earned, but his nemesis was the Long ball.  He let another solo shot up to David Ortiz, and a two run shot to Mo Vaughn.  Rookie Julio Santana, pitched two scoreless innings, and Kazuhiro Sasaki last years National League Rolaids Relief man of the year, made his American League debut, and promptly picked up where he left off in the N.L., he closed down the Mobsters and game one, with three up three down, and three strikeouts.   After week one, Detroit sat in second place in the American League Central Division.   The mighty Yonge Street Stalkers went on route to a 5 and 0 record for week one, by man-handling the Coconut Creek Crushers in there MWBL debut week.   Look for the American League Central to be a highly competitive division for the first time in a few years.   The Stalkers, and Crime, should make a run at defending A.L. Central Champion Chicago Mobsters.