Play Ball!

"The trouble with baseball is that it is not played year round." -- Gaylord Perry

So I was driving home from work yesterday and as I got off 295 onto Russell Street (which runs right next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, for you non-Baltimoreans), the traffic pattern had completely changed. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I remembered -- it's opening day and the Orioles open at home.

Opening Day is probably my favorite sports day of the year. Baseball being back makes me ridiculously happy.

I love that I get to watch Baseball Tonight -- and I love that Tino Martinez is a new analyst.
I love that I get to read the outlandish columnists in the New York Post and the New York Daily News write about the Yankees.
I love that I'm going to get lots of e-mails from my crazy college friends about why the Yankees/Mets/Mariners/Red Sox are better than the Yankees/Mets/Mariners/Red Sox.
I love that I'm back in Baltimore and Camden Yards is literally ten minutes down 83 and I can go to baseball games for $5 on Friday nights.

It's kind of cool to be in a city where Opening Day is like a federal holiday. There were so many people downtown yesterday. And there were tents set up and vendors on every corner. And as I drove by Camden Yards, the lights were on again and I could hear the music and the announcer. And I could see the people outside on Eutaw Street. And it made me ridiculously excited. Next year I'm taking off of work and going to Opening Day. I feel like that's an experience every baseball fan should have.

But of course, it wouldn't be Opening Day without some controversy.

My friend Pete informed me today that in yesterday's home opener at Shea Stadium, Mets closer Billy Wagner entered the game to Metallica's, "Enter Sandman." Anybody who knows baseball knows that "Enter Sandman" has been Mariano Rivera's -- possibly the greatest closer of all time -- entrance song since 1996.

I don't necessarily think the Mets should have made Wagner choose a different song, but I think somebody should have been like, "hey buddy -- you realize that's the theme song of the best closer in the history of major league baseball." In all honesty, it's a free country -- the guy can enter to whatever song he wants.

But that song has become iconic in baseball. It's like if the Mets played "New York, New York" after a home victory. Or people emphasized the "O" in "The Star Spangled Banner" in any other stadium than Camden Yards. Or any other ground crew started doing the YMCA during the 7th Inning Stretch.

I'm a traditionalist -- some things shouldn't be messed with. If Rivera played for the Red Sox and that was still his signature song, I'd say the same thing.

Plus, it's not exactly like Wagner is lights out. That's a pretty presumptuous song choice for somebody who still has a lot to prove. Kind of like A-Rod using "Encore" for his at-bat music last season ... talk to me about encores when you get your first ring, Alex.

On another controversial note, some stupid fan threw a syringe at Barry Bonds during the Giants home opener yesterday. While I don't condone throwing things at players on the field, part of me thinks that is like perfect poetic justice. In all honesty, it makes me happy that Bonds was booed every time he did anything yesterday. And give credit to the "fans" -- some of those signs were pretty damn creative.

Theeeee Yankees won their opener and I even got to see some of it (let's be honest, I fell asleep after the 2nd inning). Just seeing Derek Jeter in the batter's box made my night. A columnist in the Post today called their performance an "orgy of hits." You've gotta love New York tabloid "journalism." But I feel good about this team ... I think after our long drought of 5 1/2 years, the Yankees will win the World Series in 2006. Speaking of 5 years ... did you know the Red Sox had the longest active streak of Opening Day losses at 5 until yesterday, when they finally won?

I'm not sure you can understand how depressed it makes me that I won't be able to watch every Yankee game now that I'm in Baltimore and don't have the YES network. If anyone wants to spring for DirectTV, I'll be eternally grateful.

So here's to the start of another baseball season :)