MLB Bullets Is Ready For The Show

One week down, 25 to go.

Let's get straight to the links.

• Josh Hamilton has returned to Texas and neither he nor his family were greeted warmly. Ken Rosenthal thinks that Hamilton brought this upon himself by not just shutting up about Texas and the Rangers.
• The Dodgers traded Aaron Harang and cash to the Rockies for Ramon Hernandez. The Rockies then immediately designated Harang for assignment. That's got to hurt for all parties involved. Harang got traded to a team that doesn't want him and the Rockies gave up Hernandez for a player they didn't even want. The Rockies will try to trade Harang, but in any case they're saving about a million dollars in the deal.
• The Dodgers also seem to want to make a Pirate out of Clayton Kershaw. No, I don't get the point of this either.
• Albert Pujols said he'll retire rather than stink and collect a paycheck at the end of his contract. Good news for the Angels, if true.
• The Padres just keep upsetting their fans. In this case, it's partial season-ticket holders.
• The Rays have apologized after their mascot held up a tasteless sign. Not a "sorry if you took offense" apology but a real apology. The fan who created it isn't sorry and is planning on doing it again.
• Jake Peavy wants to hit and is no fan of the DH. His manager, Robin Ventura, likes having the two leagues having different rules.
• I doubt this is the "worst bobblehead ever" as Mike Oz of Yahoo! says, but the Cardinals certainly are giving out a dumb one.
• After all the debate about the wisdom of the move, Jose Fernandez did very well in his major league debut. Of course, it was against the Mets.
• In reference to Hernandez, Dave Cameron of FanGraphs asks whether the Marlins see increased attendance when a Cuban pitcher is scheduled to start. No, but they seem to like left-handed knuckleballers
• Twenty-two of the twenty-five players on the Marlins roster make less than what the Marlins Park home run sculpture costs. There goes Donovan Solano's plans to build one in his back yard.
• Mac Engel says that as good as Yu Darvish's near-perfect game was, Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game was better.
• Nothing is imminent, but the Astros would like to buy the Pacific Coast League New Orleans Zephyrs and move them to suburban Houston. The Iowa Cubs are close enough to Chicago, Tom.
• Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. will not give a contract extension to manager Charlie Manuel before the season ends. Also, despite speculation that there would be tension between the two, the relationship between Manuel and his heir apparent Ryne Sandberg appears to be good.
• Twins pitcher Anthony Swarzak could have died from an infection of his gums.
• The Brewers have so many injuries, they're starting to look like an episode of M.A.S.H., except not as funny. Well, funnier than the later seasons, I guess.
• Freddie Freeman was placed on the disabled list and he's not happy about it.
• The Diamondbacks hope their long, extra-inning win over the Cardinals serves as team catalyst.
• Bryce Harper is a fan of Al Kaline and George Brett and the feeling is mutual.
• Last season, the Orioles only lost nine out of 38 one-run games. They've already lost three this season.
• Blue Jays fans have already turned on R.A. Dickey.
• Austin Jackson's hot start fuels the Tigers.
• The San Francisco Giants got their World Series rings. I'm going to assume that Nate Schierholtz will get his on Thursday when the Giants come to town.
• John Lackey pitched in his first game since Tommy John surgery and left because of injury.
• Finally, Joe Sheehan of SI.com gives odds on the chances that the young stars of the game will receive a long-term contract extension from their current teams. Anthony Rizzo is one of the players he gives odds on.

The Iowa baseball team beat Nebraska, 6-5 on Sunday.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. No, it won't because today is the home opener.