On Thursday, the 2018 MLB regular season opens at ballparks across the country. Opening Day isn't a national holiday, but it damn well should be in my opinion.

The Philadelphia Phillies being the new season with a six-game road trip through Atlanta and New York before opening the Citizens Bank Park portion of their schedule against the Miami Marlins on Thursday, April 5. And when the team comes home, they hope to have a new left-handed batting practice pitcher.

Earlier this week the Phillies announced they are accepting applications for a new lefty BP pitcher. Here are all the details and here is new manager Gabe Kapler explaining what the team is looking for:

Throwing batting practice is not easy! It's a couple hundred pitches a day and you're throwing to big league ballplayers who take their work seriously and don't want to worry about whether they'll get quality pitches to hit in batting practice.

Still, what a great opportunity and what a great idea by the Phillies. Throwing BP isn't the most glamorous job in the world, but you know what? You're still a part of the team. An important part of the team too. Players are sticklers for BP pitchers. They all have their personal favorites.