Opening Day Ramblings

Just a few thoughts collected while watching the Sox end their losing streak...

-I know technically the season started last week, but it never feels to me like the season has begun until the Red Sox play their first game at Fenway Park. It could be why I was so calm about starting the season 0-6; mentally, I was treating the games in Texas and Cleveland as though they were still exhibition games (apparently so were the players). However, it's much more likely I wasn't freaking out because the team still had yet to play 96% of their games.

-People kept saying this was the 100th Opening Day at Fenway Park, which I don't get. I'm no math major but, seeing as how the place opened in 1912, shouldn't next year be the 100th Opening Day? Or is this one of those "The new decade started at 2010, no it started at 2011" kind of things? Then again, I read this in the Boston Globe and the other day they got the score of the Women's Final Four wrong despite the fact it was on the front page of the sports section. You know, I don't expect a lot from sports journalism in this day and age of saying outrageous things just to get noticed, but I do at least expect you to have the scores right.

-One of the thing about the Opening Ceremonies I wasn't a fan of was there seemed to be a lot of the Fenway Trust patting themselves on the back about all the new features. I get that they spent a lot of money on the new HD video boards and they look very nice, but having it lead off the ceremonies felt as though they were saying to the crowd, "We did all this. You should thank us. Now would be a good time for that." (Personally, I won't care about any upgrades until they figured out a way to increase the legroom.)

-It's obvious why a home team would want to take the time and introduce all the clubhouse personnel - these guys don't get a lot of recognition, but do a lot of work and have to spend just as much time away from their families as the players. This is their one moment every year to shine and get a standing ovation. But, what is the need to introduce the Yankee's staff at Fenway Park? It's the exact opposite thinking. Like the Yankee's bat boy has done anything to warrant being viciously booed. For all we know he hates the Yankees as well, but there are only 32 of these jobs in the world and the Mets weren't hiring.

-I was clearly ready to be jaded about the Opening Ceremonies... right up until the flyover. I know it's contrived, expensive and unnecessary but, damn, it is impressive.

-I've said it before and I'll say it again: I remain convinced that with no baseball skill or training in my history, I could step in today as a first base coach. Really, all you do is wait for someone to get a hit, then pat the guy on his ass and take his gloves and protective gear when he gets to you. It's one step away from holding a purse at the mall and I am all-world in that department.

-While I was happy that the game returned to being a day game a year after the Sox opened Fenway with at night, I really wish they would stop scheduling the Yankees as Opening Day opponents. Opening Days are special; all games against the Yankees are special. By combining them it almost feels like a waste. It's like putting frosting on top of more frosting - at some point you're just begging for a stomach ache.

-The other reason I don't like combining those two events is that it brings the people who only go to games to be seen out in full force. You get a lot of that crowd for Yankee games, you get even more for Opening Day, so today was just a sea of people who have money, but didn't know about this team prior to 2004. This was clear by the fact that in the 8th inning of a 3-run game, people tried to get a wave going. Interesting. Perhaps you should be paying attention to the actual game now.

-I do have one thought about the wave: one of my favorite things about old games at Fenway was when the wave would hit the wall and the people in the bleachers would wait, almost as if guessing how long the wave would take to travel that distance before starting a new wave. Always made me laugh. Of course, with Monster Seats that is gone. (Don't get me wrong though, I like those seats. Hell of a view up there.)

-I'm going to miss Papelbon when we trade him. Look, we all know it's coming so we might as well face it. He'll be someplace like Atlanta by July. But, at least he made things interesting while he was here.