OPENING DAY!!
For different reasons not necessarily because of something that happened in the game, some of my more special Opening Days I attended were in 1976, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1999 and 2006. I'm not going today. I just didn't try to get tickets. I'll be happy at home today. I WILL be happy because of or in spite of my Mets.
My Mets? I saw today's line-up:
SS - Cora
2B - Castillo
3B - Wright
1B - Jacobs
LF - Bay
CF - Matthews Jr.
RF - Francoeur
C - Barrajas
SP - Santana
I'd would be starting Angel Pagan in CF and batting him lead-off. My starting catcher would be Josh Thole.
With what we have to work with, those are the only changes I'd make.
Josh Thole and Fernando Martinez would be on this team if I were in charge and Matthews would not.
I am still a little miffed that Bobby Parnell is not on the Opening Day roster.
Otherwise, it is what it is. (what a lame saying).
And now there's the game from last night. First I want to tell the Commssioner, Give Opening Day back to Cincinnati!
I know it was only game one of 162 for the defending Champion Yanks, OR a good way to start 2010 if you're part of The Nation. Here's a quick re-cap of my conflicts, or lack:
Of course, I was born into this world a Met fan. The first season I can say I watched start to finish and everything is still recorded in my mind would be 1975. I bought baseball cards, watched some on TV and played outside mimicking my guys prior to that. But 1975 is when I became a freshman student of baseball. My POP was a Yankees fan and I rolled right along with him through '75-'77. By the end of '77 and entering '78, things really started to change. The old BRONX ZOO was in full effect, I learned more and more about this NYY BOS rivalry, and coming off the 1975 World Series, I just started gravitating to the Sox. YAZ quickly became my favorite player outside Flushing. When Thurman Munson died, it doused a simmering "hate" for the Yanks I was developing. By 1981, my YankHate had gone full blown.
My Yank hate must be explained somewhat. If they aren't playing the Mets, and they're not playing Boston, I will root for the Yanks. Hate is misleading when I say it. I'm an antagonist. I can be quite sharp tongued and loose lipped about them. But deep down inside, I like them. Maybe it was George Steinbrenner....and some other things thrown in. It has more to do with the fans, certain fans, Those fans. You know who you are.
The Yanks are loaded and are a real good bet to repeat. Here's my obligatory shot in the arm, and cheap shot to the groin. The double steal by Jeter and Gardner shows a dimension Joe (National League minded) Girardi can wreak havoc with. That was no cheap HR Granderson hit. After one game, whether I hate him or not, ARod looked in top form, and the A.L. East better think of something quick to stop him.
Jorge Posada? He giveth and taketh away. He showed a quick bat pulling the inside pitch off the screen for a HR, and we saw the increasingly occuring and mystifying Passed-Ball. The Battery is already leaking acid. Ouch!
Right now the bullpen is as effective a bridge to MO as that bridge that collapsed in Minnesota a couple of years ago.
When I was making coffee this morning I noticed Joba's picture on the back of the milk carton.
It's only one game....I know. My Opening starts in two hours from now. I'm just gargling with a little
Hate-orade so I don't choke on that Saltine cracker the Yanks served up last night.
As far as the Sox....I had Mike Cameron here with the Mets. He strikes me as a round peg in a square hole in Boston. Last night did nothing to ease my jitters about the RedSox offense going into this season. And Beckett? He'll be alright. He's never really been the greatest pitcher in Fenway, especially early. I'm waiting to see Lackey take his turn for the BoSox. Beltre at third base? His defense isn't a concern. His bat is.
While I'm on the subject of hate and being this is my first Opening Day in the BloggerHood, I guess it's time for full discloser.
Fan of - Mets, Red Sox. Mets vs. RedSox? No conflict. I am a Mets fan. And as I said, the Yankees trail third. I have a rooting interest in the White Sox for family reasons.
I am a National League Fan!!! I do not support the DH!!
I am a traditionalist and will tend to look favorably OR fairly towards the "original sixteen teams".
In direct conflict with the above statement....teams I "hate" are (in order):
National League:
L.A. (back-stabbing) Dodgers
Philthadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs
S.F. (spineless, jellyfish, flat-leavin') Giants
Arizona D-Backs
Houston Astros
San Diego Padres
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Colorado Rockies
Washington Nationals
Florida Marlins
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals
American League:
Yankees
Baltimore Orioles
Happy Opening Day to All, and to All Good Luck this season.
Let the Hate begin.
Not really, just having a little fun.
Let the Hate begin.
Not really, just having a little fun.
BTB
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