Opening Day is actually upon us and the anticipation around the friendly confines of Chase Field will soon be satisfied when our ace, Ian Kennedy, takes the hill for his third consecutive opening day start. Monday will mark the first of 162 games with infinite possibilities and expectations.

Diamondbacks groundskeepers prepare the field prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants during opening day at Chase Field. Image: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

To get the ball rolling, I thought it’d be fun to compare the lineup from opening day 2012 with 2013′s lineup card now that Kirk Gibson has his guys inked and ready for battle against Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

Opening Day 2012 vs. San Francisco Giants (Win 5-4)

SS Willie Bloomquist

CF Chris Young

RF Justin Upton

C Miguel Montero

1B Paul Goldschmidt

LF Jason Kubel

3B Ryan Roberts

2B Aaron Hill

P Ian Kennedy

Opening Day 2013 vs. St. Louis Cardinals (7:10 p.m. MST)

CF Gerardo Parra

3B Martin Prado

2B Aaron Hill

C  Miguel Montero

1B Paul Goldschmidt

LF Jason Kubel

RF A.J. Pollock

SS Cliff Pennington

P  Ian Kennedy

The obvious change here is not having Justin Upton manning right field as he had been there each opening day since 2008 and hit in the number three spot each of the last three years. Aaron Hill will have the honors of hitting third in the lineup for game one.

The other changes you’ll notice are Ryan Roberts who began last season as our starting third baseman but was traded mid-season after struggling mightily early on. The club would go through two more third basemen over the course of the season (not even including John McDonald) in Ryan Wheeler and Chris Johnson.

General Manager Kevin Towers would eventually trade all four of the players that spent time on the hot corner in 2012 and totally revamped the position by bringing in Martin Prado and  veteran Eric Chavez.

Beyond third base and right field we’ll also see a different shortstop with Willie Bloomquist on the D.L. to begin the season as well as in center field with the departure of Chris Young to Oakland during the off season. It will be the first time since 2006 that someone other than Young will open the season in center field.

While the Diamondbacks work to get their position players healthy- they have three expected starters beginning the season on the disabled list- they’re going to need their starting pitchers to come out strong in April to hopefully take some of the pressure off the position players.

NOTES: The Snakes were just 1-5 against the Cardinals in 2012 including being swept at Chase Field in May. Kennedy finished with a 6.23 ERA in his 13 innings of work, losing both starts.

*The D’backs have won Kennedy’s last three opening day starts and the team has won their last six opening day games overall.

Follow me on Twitter at @ndougherty313 and our team at @venomstrikes.

Aug. 22, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero against the Miami Marlins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball announced on Thursday that the D’backs opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on April 1st will be nationally televised on ESPN 2. The game will air at 7:10pm Arizona time and will be the second game of a doubleheader. Arizona-St. Louis will follow the broadcast of the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.

Locally, the D’backs game will be blacked out on ESPN 2 and will be shown on Fox Sports Arizona with our new broadcast team of ESPN Baseball Tonight veteran Steve Berthuiame and former Arizona manager Bob Brenly on the call.

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