LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It's the most wonderful time of year for baseball fans.
That's because Thursday marked Opening Day for Major League Baseball.
At the Circa Resort and Casino, hometown hero and Hall Of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux threw out the ceremonial first pitch to start their celebrations.
Maddux is a four-time Cy Young award winner, eight-time All-Star, and graduated from Valley High School
We spoke to him about major rule changes on deck this season including a pitch clock, bigger bases, and players no longer being able to "shift" their position on the field.
For some, these changes will take time to adjust to.
However, Maddux said he sees it as a plus.
"I'm a fan of speeding the game up," Maddux said. "I mean everybody likes a fast, crisp game. With no shift, guys should hit a little bit higher this year, should create some more offense. The base running rules, it'll be interesting to see how it all works."
Maddux said with the new rules and the success of the World Baseball Classic, he's excited about the direction the game is going, both nationally and especially here in Vegas.
"Obviously, the ballpark is special," Maddux said. "In my opinion, it's probably the best in Minor League Baseball, anywhere in the country that you can go watch a game at. Our history started, I think back, in the 1970s when Mike Morgan and Marty Barrett, when those guys first came through. It's nice to see that now we have the superstars, Kris Bryant, Bryce Harper. It's cool to see."
