The 2002 Major league Baseball season gets underway Sunday when the Cleveland Indians take on the Anaheim Angels in an American League contest in California.
Both teams made major trades in the off-season, with Cleveland sending All-Star second baseman Roberto Alomar to the New York Mets and controversial relief pitcher John Rocker to the Texas Rangers. Anaheim sent first baseman Mo Vaughan to the Mets while acquiring pitchers Aaron Sele, Kevin Appier, Dennis Cook and Donne Wall.
Bartolo Colon will start at pitcher for Cleveland. Colon had 14 wins and 12 losses last year. Anaheim will open with pitcher Jarrod Washburn, who had 11 wins and 10 losses last season.
The regular season gets underway in earnest Monday with the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks taking on San Diego, the American League champion New York Yankees at Baltimore and the Pittsburgh Pirates playing the New York Mets. The Chicago White Sox face the Seattle Mariners and Texas visits Oakland.
Also Monday, the Chicago Cubs take on Cincinnati, Colorado plays Saint Louis, and Philadelphia is on the road against Atlanta. Minnesota takes on Kansas City in the American League while the Toronto Blue Jays face Boston at Fenway Park.