Hope springs eternal on opening day for all 30 Major League clubs.  Some, of course, are more hopeful than others.

The Houston Astros host the Cleveland Indians at 6 pm at Minute Maid Park. The Astros hope to improve on their not disgraceful 2014 showing after losing more than 100 games three seasons in a row and being unavailable on TV for a large part of the local market.  A retooled outfield with George Springer and Jake Marisnick as anchors should help as well as a bullpen that should not give away too many wins even if it is still in search of a true closer.  Starting pitching is not a joke – at least for the first 2 spots with Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh.  The big questions are Brad Peacock and Brian Oberholtzer.  The Astros must have more than 10 wins from at least one of them.  On the offense front, it’s even possible that the team will have a player with more than 40 home runs for the first time since Lance Berkman in 2006.  Look for either Springer, Evan Gattis or Chris Carter to start out hot and have a chance to hit 40 bombs.  Jose Altuve shows all the signs of being the real deal – but the team needs at least one other star.  Maybe it will be Springer or Luis Valbuena.    Red predicts the Astros will be relevant until at least mid-August and will have their first winning season in recent memory – although just barely at 82-80.

Meanwhile, in Arlington, the Rangers home opener against the Astros will be on April 10.  The Rangers might be lucky to avoid 90 losses this season.  Yu Darvish is gone for the year which is bad news for a pitching staff that had the third highest collective ERA in baseball last season.  After starters Yovani Gallardo and Derek Hollandand the bullpen is filled with holes.  The Rangers do lead the majors in having the most players named after musicians commonly known by one name  –  but beyond Prince Fielder and Elvis Andrus the everyday lineup is fairly makeshift.  Adrian Beltre and Neftali Feliz probably won’t finish the season in Rangers Red or Blue or whichever color they are wearing now.  The “Ball Park” (or whatever it is called now) is still a great place to watch a game.  Red will probably visit at least once and predicts the Rangers will go 70-92 and finish in last place in the AL West.