Opening Day/Night

So, today is Opening Day for the Red Sox, marking the beginning of the two weeks that I care intensely about baseball, which ends as soon as the Celtics start the playoffs. [Sidebar: the caring begins again once the Celtics are eliminated and ends pretty much for good once Patriot's Training Camp starts. Really, I would like to care more, but there are just too many games during baseball season. Also, it should be noted that while my "not caring" leaves me at a 4 out of 10 on the interest scale, but when it comes to sports my 4 is equal to most people's 8.] Now, as much as I enjoy the sideshow that goes along with Opening Day, I think that there will be a few things missing from it this year.

The first thing you are missing is that it is happening on a weekend. Opening Day is one of those rare days that isn't actually a holiday, but no one will say anything if you treat it like it is one at work. It lessens some of the importance of the game when it could just be like any other day of the rest of the season. The other problem is that the game isn't starting until 8 pm. Here in the Northeast it still gets pretty cold at night during spring and even though today is warm, that doesn't mean it won't still be chilly in Fenway around midnight, which is when a typical Sox/Yankee game gets to the 7th inning stretch. Afternoon games are the best in April and May, where it doesn't start to chill until the game is over. Lastly, I don't think Opening Day should ever be a game between the Sox and the Yankees because each one of those games is an event unto themselves - they don't need the extra boost that comes from Opening Day. [Extra sidebar: Not that I'm a Yankee sympathiser, but they seem to be getting a raw deal here. When was the last time the World Champions had to open their season on the road against their biggest rival? What ever happened to the victors getting the spoils?] With all that being said, I am still excited for tonight's opening festivities and game.

As for the Red Sox outlook this season, I am concerned that they didn't go out and add some power to the lineup. I know that Matt Holliday was the big fish this offseason and while I wouldn't have wanted the Sox to throw a big contract his way, but they still could have made a trade for a bat. Given the signing of John Lackey, it's not like they wouldn't have had a pitcher or two to make a deal with. I appreciate Theo's idea of pitching and defense leading the way, but that can lead to a lot of 4-3 wins and if a starter has a bad first inning and the Sox find themselves down 5 runs, I'm not totally sure they have the offense to make up that kind of deficit. You have to think that Ortiz's days of being a feared hitter are behind him. They could have used more protection in the line-up. Still, if everyone stays healthy the rotation will get them 90+ wins and into the playoffs, which is really all you want. You can't win the Series without first making the playoffs. I still think the Yankees will be a major hurdle, but I didn't fear them last year and I don't think they are significantly better this year. A third World Series Title in the last seven seasons is not out of the question.