Rain in the New York area postponed the Yankees' 2008 Season Opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday afternoon, according to MLB.com. The game will be played on Tuesday night at 7:05PM EST, with Chien Ming-Wang facing off against Roy Halladay.

Torii Hunter believes that the Minnesota Twins will miss him more than Johan Santana this season, according to the Star Tribune. "Yeah, well, you know for me, I think pitchers give you one game, that's it," Hunter said Sunday at the Metrodome. "Pitchers give you one, that's it. So you miss Johan; Johan, he's going to win one game for you, but the other four, it's somebody else's turn." "I think they'll miss a position player before they miss a pitcher. So, you're going to miss Johan, but I think they've got four or five pitchers out there -- you know, Scott Baker and other young guys, but they have so much talent, and I think that's going to be key for those guys, is pitching. Hitting, I don't think they're going to have a problem at all."

The Reds have severed ties with veteran reliever Mike Stanton, according to a Yahoo.com report. Before Monday?s season opener against Arizona, the Reds bought out the final season of Stanton?s two-year contract. The 40-year-old lefthander was designated for assignment. Stanton?s deal, which will pay him $3M this year, also included a club option for 2009. First-year Reds' Manager Dusty Daker said the news left Stanton ?in shock.?

The Blue Jays and outfielder Alex Rios are inching closer to agreeing on the terms of long-term a contract extension, according to the Globe And Mail. "It looks better today than it did yesterday," Paul Kinzer, Rios's agent, said Sunday. "It has to get done," Kinzer added. "Both sides want it done before the opener." The Blue Jays will kick off their season early Monday afternoon against the Yankees.

Several major league scouts believe that the Yankees should have upped their bid and traded for Johan Santana this winter, according to the New York Daily News. The Yankees might have a bright future with the young stable of talent they refused to deal in exchange for Santana, but scouts believe 2008 will be a rough season for the Bombers. "I love their future," said one scout. "But if you think those young guys aren't going to take their lumps at times this season against American League lineups, you're dreaming."

The Dodgers chose speed over power when they picked up Juan Pierre in free agency, but now they have fast-tracked the outfielder to their bench in year No. 2 of his $44M contract, according to ESPN.com. The day before his team's Monday opener against the Giants, first-year Dodgers' Manager Joe Torre announced Andre Ethier will play left field.

The New York Mets have named Mike Pelfrey their fifth starter, meaning that Orlando Hernandez will start the 2008 regular season on the 15-day disabled list, according to the Associated Press. "He's a big, strong kid and has a bright future ahead of him," Manager Willie Randolph said. "It's time for him to step up and really get his career going. He'll get an opportunity to do that, and I have confidence in him. He's got great stuff. He's had a nice spring, he really has. He's had a couple bumps and bruises there, but that's spring training for everyone."

The San Francisco Giants have placed Omar Vizquel and Noah Lowry on the disabled list, according to The Sports Network. Vizquel had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in February, and Lowry underwent surgery on his left forearm earlier this month.

Jay Gibbons was released Sunday by the Orioles, who lost patience waiting for the outfielder to regain the form that enabled him to hit 26 home runs in 2005, according to an Associated Press report. Gibbons batted .189 with no homers and four RBIs in 16 games this spring training after playing in only 84 games last season. Baltimore owes him $11.9M for the next two seasons as part of a $21.1M, four-year deal he agreed to in January 2006.

The Rockies have optioned Cory Sullivan to Triple-A Colorado Springs and given Scott Podsednik the fifth and final outfielder spot, according to the Associated Press. Pitcher Ryan Speier and catcher Edwin Bellorin were also sent to Colorado Springs by the team.