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On the first day of the UL's 43rd season saw three shutouts and four other teams held to one or two runs, as multiple aces lost to supposedly-lesser counterparts. Topping the list of upsets was Montreal rookie Darren Oliver, who upended four-time Cy Young winner Dwight Gooden with a 4-1 win at Stade Olympique.

MON 4, TOR 1
Darren Oliver had a big-league debut for the ages. The rookie southpaw outpitched 4-time Cy Young winner Dwight Gooden, allowing a single run, striking out eight, and doubling in his first at-bat to boot.

CLE 5, WAS 0
Matt Young anchored a shutout  and Mike LaValliere delivered a bases-loaded double in the ninth, as the visiting Barons handed Bret Saberhagen and Washington an opening day loss after new President Bob Dole threw out the first pitch at Griffith Stadium.

MAN 3, BOS 2
Wally Joyner and Roberto Kelly homered off Pat Hentgen and closer Heathcliff Slocumb got the save despite allowing a pair of runs in the ninth. Lloyd Moseby was 4-for-4 in his Feds debut.

BRO 1, FLO 0
Kevin Brown outduelled Mike Mussina at Ponce de Leon Stadium, scattering four hits over 7.2 innings. Mussina allowed a single unearned run in the first inning.

HAV 9, SEA 3
The hosting Leones clubbed the Caveman, serving up 10 hits and eight runs in the first three innings. Howard Johnson homered and drove in three, and Kevin Mitchell added three RBIs, as Mark Langston cruised to the win.

STL 3, DET 0
In a rematch of 1992 pennant winners, Dave Schmidt anchored a combined 5-hit shutout. Rafael Palmeiro hit two doubles and drove in a run in his Dark Reds debut.

KEY 6, DEN 3
Scott Bankhead, the losingest pitcher in the league last year (with 20), spoiled Roger Clemens' Denver 14ers debut. Clemens gave up 10 hits and six runs in just five innings. Tim Salmon homered and drove in a pair, and Brent Mayne doubled twice.

CHI 2, SEA 1
John Olerud and Eric Davis each drove in a run, and Erik Hanson shut down the Toppers lineup for a 2-1 win. Tony Gwynn's 3-for-4 accounted for half of the visitors' runs.

LA 3, SF 2, 14 inn.
In a battle of bullpens, Spider righthander Todd Stottlemyre blinked first, giving up the go-ahead run in the top of the 14th on a Pat Tabler RBI groundout. LA's Derek Lilliquist loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning before inducing a Mark Grace flyout to center to end the game.

Washington's rotation has two former Cy Young winners at the top of the rotation, but it was #4 starter David Wells who recorded the season's first no-no, blanking the Atlanta Hilltoppers on Apr. 25. The 28-year-old righthander was 0-2, 9.18 in his first four starts before handcuffing the Red Blobs.

A 2nd round pick in 1987, Wells has struggle to get his footing in the United League. The no-hitter was just his 15th win in his sixth UL season, to go with a 5.60 career ERA and 1.48 career WHIP. The feat game the day after #3 starter Bob Knepper shut out the Toppers on three hits.

With some GMs bemoaning the paucity of talent in the 1993 Draft, it seemed apropos to visit this tune about a GM whose scouts, unfortunately, have let him down repeatedly over time.  The ditty should be a warning to GMs far and wide: ensure you have scouts with good baseball acumen in place, or face the pain that this GM does.  It also helps to have some chutzpah and be willing to make that decision which could make or break your plans.  Sometimes you gotta have faith and take a leap.  

Back to our poor GM.  His scouts, as detailed in the first stanza, may think a little too highly of themselves to be effective.  Now, let’s sing along and send the call out now!  Click here to follow along!  

I've never seen a five-tool through the mesh
I cut my teeth on world series rings in the newsreels
And who is good is just a guess
All these guys are clowns; no high-pick envy

But other scouts are like Pedro, Bob Moose, Jay Bell in the 2nd round
McGee, Pena, Shelby going downtown
We don't scare; we're drafting Cadillacs of our dreams

But all my scouts are like Maddox, Johnson, Ripken is a great piece
Kevin Brown, Clemens, Finley?  Must unleash
My scouts don't care; they weren’t smart enough to judge them fair

And in the minors they’ll toil (toil)
Skill don't run in their blood
Some kind of luck just ain't with us
All the guys we draft just suck
Chaney’s now our ruler (ruler)
He drafted that guy Man-ny
And baby he’ll rule, he’ll rule, he’ll rule, he'll rule
Our entire league of fantasy

My scouts can die; I’ve blown my load
I lost my dollars all in vain; that’s not smarty
And everyone knows my scouts just blow; I’m not fine with this
I hate wasting money

And other scouts are like C-Rob, Juan G., hearing bats make sonic booms
Edmonds, Salmon, mashin’ balls to the moon
We don't scare; we're drafting Cadillacs of our dreams

But my scouts are like Appier, Mo Vaughn – that pick makes me say “sheesh!”
Moyer, David Nied, Mitchell Page we must release!
My scouts unaware; they weren’t smart enough to judge them fair

And in the minors they’ll toil (toil)
“Guts” don't run in their blood
That kind of tough just ain't in us
We crave a different kind of suck
Let me be your ruler (ruler)
You can call me Peter V
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Our entire league of fantasy