Opening Day energizes the baseball world like nothing else. This apparently extends to certain players' bats.
Throughout baseball history, and especially in the past few decades, there have been many players who seemed to turn things up a notch or two in the season's first game. The list of players with big Opening Day numbers includes some names you'd expect, but also many you don't. And it's those unheralded Opening Day stars who get the spotlight here.
To be clear: Unheralded doesn't mean unknown. Some of these players made All-Star appearances. But they're included here because their Opening Day numbers are so far above their career norms that they offer a nice surprise.
Here's the All-Unheralded Opening Day Team, featuring players with at least 10 Opening Day appearances in the Expansion Era (since 1961).
1B: John Mayberry
Years active: 1968-1982
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.111 OPS
When it came to Opening Day heroics, Mayberry was on a level above even many Hall of Famers. He was, in a sense, No. 1. Mayberry made 11 Opening Day starts at first base for the Astros, Royals and Blue Jays, and had a 1.111 OPS to go along with 11 RBIs -- the only player in Major League history with those Opening Day numbers. That first-game OPS is higher than those of many current or future Hall of Fame first basemen, including Albert Pujols, Todd Helton, Jeff Bagwell, Miguel Cabrera and Eddie Murray. Mayberry's four Opening Day homers are tied for second-most all time among first basemen, along with Mark Grace, Tino Martinez, Frank McCormick, Orlando Cepeda and Anthony Rizzo. Pujols, Fred McGriff and Jeff Bagwell are tied for the most, with five.
2B: Mark Grudzielanek
Years active: 1995-2010
Unheralded Opening Day stat: .476 on-base percentage
Grudzielanek enjoyed a solid 15-year MLB career, including an All-Star berth in 1996. But on Opening Day, he was historically great among second basemen. In his 10 starts at second, Grudzielanek carried a .938 OPS in the season's first game, fueled by a .476 on-base percentage -- the second-highest mark of all time (not just the Expansion Era) among qualified second basemen, trailing Jeff Kent, Larry Doyle and Bud Myer, who each had a .500 OBP. Grudzielanek reached base via a hit or walk in 13 of his 14 Opening Day appearances, which also included four starts at shortstop. He also twice had three-hit Opening Day performances in consecutive years (2003-2004; 2007-2008). His overall Opening Day average as a starter at second: .436.
3B: Richie Hebner
Years active: 1968-1985
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.542 OPS
Hebner is the undisputed Opening Day GOAT when it comes to slugging and OPS. His 1.542 OPS and 1.042 slugging percentage are both the best not just in the Expansion Era, but all time among players with 10 or more Opening Day appearances. His .458 average is the third-highest of all time, and his six Opening Day homers are tied for third-most of all time. Hebner's Opening Day prowess included seven multi-hit games and three games with three or more hits. Over a three-year stretch from 1973-1975, Hebner went 8-for-13 with four homers in the season's first game.
SS: Alex Gonzalez
Years active: 1994-2006
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.125 OPS
Gonzalez made 11 Opening Day starts at shortstop -- eight with the Blue Jays, three with the Cubs -- and the career .243 hitter was a certified offensive beast. During those 11 games, Gonzalez hit .415 with a 1.125 OPS -- both the highest in the Expansion and Modern eras among qualified shortstops. That included six multi-hit games, highlighted by a 4-for-4 performance against the Twins in 1999. He reached base via a hit or walk on Opening Day a combined 15 times in consecutive seasons from 1999-2003.
OF: Jose Cruz
Years active: 1997-2008
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.394 OPS
Cruz had a very respectable 12-year MLB career, clubbing 204 homers, finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1997 and winning a Gold Glove in 2003. But like everyone else on this list, Opening Day is when Cruz tended to shine brightest. His 1.394 OPS on Opening Day ranks third among qualified outfielders in the Expansion Era and fourth in the Modern Era, in large part because extra-base hits -- three homers, three triples and two doubles -- accounted for more than half of his Opening Day knocks. He reached base in all but one of his 10 Opening Day appearances and had four multi-hit games.
OF: Alex Rios
Years active: 2004-2015
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.344 OPS
Rios was a 12-year vet who was better than many fans may remember. He was a two-time All-Star with the Blue Jays (2006-07) and received MVP votes in 2012 as a member of the White Sox. Four times he compiled a bWAR of 4.6 or higher, topping out at 5.9 in 2008. So perhaps it's not so surprising that he was such a standout on Opening Day. His 1.344 OPS ranks fifth in the Expansion Era among qualified outfielders, and seventh in the Modern Era. He homered four times on Opening Day, including back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015, games in which he also recorded three hits.
OF: Shannon Stewart
Years active: 1995-2008
Unheralded Opening Day stat: Five homers
Stewart was never an All-Star, though he did receive MVP votes twice, finishing fourth in AL voting in 2003. But in terms of Opening Day performances, his numbers are up there with Hall of Famers including Ken Griffey Jr., Larry Walker and Willie Mays. Stewart had an Opening Day OPS of 1.176, and his five homers are tied for fourth-most all time. One of those homers was a three-run walk-off shot for the Twins in 2004, which came in the middle of a nine-game Opening Day hitting streak that saw Stewart collect 17 hits from 2000-2008.
DH: Jermaine Dye
Years active: 1996-2009
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.192 OPS
Though Dye only had 52 career plate appearances as a DH, this spot is open to anyone at any position, so he gets the nods. And he's earned it. Because even with two All-Star appearances, a World Series MVP and a couple of seasonal MVP votes, Dye was a largely unheralded star for much of his 14-year career. His Opening Day exploits track with that reputation. His 1.192 Opening Day OPS was higher than those of Hall of Famers Griffey, McGriff, Dave Winfield, David Ortiz, Reggie Jackson and others. He also reached base safely in all 11 of his Opening Day appearances and collected two or more hits in five of those games.
C: Todd Hundley
Years active: 1990-2003
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.256 OPS
Hundley was an overall solid hitter and backstop during his 14-year career, making two All-Star appearances and hitting a career-high 41 homers in 1996, but he became an on-base and slugging machine on Opening Day. His 1.256 OPS ranks second in the Expansion Era among qualified catchers and fourth all time among the group. This gaudy number owes a big thanks to Hundley's five Opening Day homers -- tied with Roy Campanella and Gary Carter for the most ever by a catcher -- four of which came in consecutive seasons from 1994-97.
SP: Rick Mahler
Years active: 1979-1991
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 0.92 ERA
Had Mahler pitched every game like he did on Opening Day, he'd have a strong case as the best pitcher in MLB history. In five career starts in season openers with the Braves, Mahler tossed three shutouts (1982, 1986, 1987) and pitched to an 0.92 ERA. Mahler was so good in these games that he didn't allow any earned runs until his final Opening Day start, in 1988.
Off the bench: John Vander Wal
Years active: 1991-2004
Unheralded Opening Day stat: 1.509 OPS
Vander Wal made a career of being a reliable bench bat, pinch-hitting 659 times during his 14 years in the big leagues and producing a respectable .751 OPS in those situations. But on Opening Day, Vander Wal was especially locked in. Whether as a pinch-hitter or not, his .455 average and 1.509 OPS did plenty to get the job done and start the season on a positive note.