Ryan Rowland-Smith of the Diamondbacks sports his team's official "Opening Series" baseball cap, which is on sale for $38.99 on the MLB official website. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt talks to Alessandro del Piero, center, of the Sydney FC soccer team and Adam Goodes of the Sydney Swans Australian rules football club during a staged “Day of Champions” event introducing athletes from Sydney's major sports to this week's baseball guests. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The circular pitch at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground has been converted to a baseball diamond, complete with infield dirt, temporary fences and a very wide foul territory. Joosep Martinson/Getty Images

Adrian Gonzalez of the Dodgers holds a cricket bat signed by Australian Test captain Michael Clarke that was presented to him by New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith and a beer company are driving a petition toward the White House to make opening day a national holiday.

It might be a fine idea for fans of Major League Baseball, as long as they can find opening day.

The first pitch is not in the United States this season. The first game is not even going to be played in the Northern Hemisphere, or in front of a crowd full of seasoned fans who are worried about their team’s pitching rotation and have been anticipating the start of the 2014 season since October.

If you are a baseball fan and wish to see the first pitch of the season, either drink a lot of coffee or set your alarm clock.

The 2014 Major League Baseball season starts in Sydney, making for the king of all road trips. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks flew 15 hours west, across the International Date Line, to start the season Saturday on a circular cricket field transformed into a baseball diamond.

On the calendar in the U.S., the teams will play two games on Saturday: the first at 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT, the second at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. It's the ultimate day-night doubleheader.

And if that isn't zany enough: The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will fly back home and resume spring training with exhibition games, not the regular season. On top of that, ESPN is promoting the Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres game on March 30 as opening day, despite the fact that the Dodgers will have opened their season already.

Traditionalists might wonder if this is this any way to start the season — their fears exacerbated by the fact that this is the season in which instant replay will be introduced to bail out umpires on close calls.

So, why bring the game Down Under? This is not a test run for Major League Baseball to put a team in Australia and take a step into making the World Series truly a world series. It is a goodwill tour, exposure for Major League Baseball, a chance to sell jerseys, caps and baseball cards, or perhaps sell subscriptions to MLB TV for games shown online. It is a brand-building trip.

“The globalization of our game continues to be paramount to Major League Baseball, and Australia is an essential part of our long-term efforts to grow the sport,” MLB commissioner Bud Selig said in a press release. “We look forward to writing an exciting new chapter in international baseball history at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground next March.”