It is Opening Day in baseball in the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. The Tampa Bay Rays meet the Toronto Blue Jays for the first of a 162-game schedule. The action begins at 4:10 p.m. EDT.
Hard throwing southpaw David Price will meet the right-handed, knuckle ball slinging, R.A. Dickey. Both are former Cy Young Award winners. One hits the mid-90's consistently, the other is barely able to exceed 80 mph with his pitches. Your approach to hitting when you are in the opposing batter's box could not be more different.
Hard throwing southpaw David Price will meet the right-handed, knuckle ball slinging, R.A. Dickey. Both are former Cy Young Award winners. One hits the mid-90's consistently, the other is barely able to exceed 80 mph with his pitches. Your approach to hitting when you are in the opposing batter's box could not be more different.
Today no one, save the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Diego Padres, has a won-lost record. March 31st is the first game of the year for most teams. All have a shot at first place in their division, and spots in Divisional, League, and World Series games.
All true baseball fans are hopeful this year will be THE year for THEIR team. Whether your team spent more than $235 million on payroll in 2014, like the Dodgers, or less than $45 million on payroll, like the Houston Astros, you have a shot at the pennant.
All true baseball fans are hopeful this year will be THE year for THEIR team. Whether your team spent more than $235 million on payroll in 2014, like the Dodgers, or less than $45 million on payroll, like the Houston Astros, you have a shot at the pennant.
The New York Mets won the World Series in 1969 against the powerhouse Baltimore Orioles. The Arizona Diamondbacks had to beat the perennial favorites the New York Yankees in 2001, the same team the Florida Marlins had to beat to win the World Series in 2003. Each of the winners in those years was not supposed to walk away with a World Series ring.
When the baseball season opens fans from all over the country have hope. My hope is that Joe Maddon, two-time Manager of the Year of the Tampa Bay Rays, gets to win his first World Series. In his words, he gets to "Eat Last."
The opening of the baseball season also reminds me why I get up in the morning and why I write this blog. I have hope beyond baseball. I have hope that my fellow Americans will show more empathy regarding their less fortunate cousins and that will cause them to elect politicians who will work for all Americans, not just the rich.
I hope the world will become a place where religion becomes a vehicle of peace rather than a reason to hate other people and murder them. Finally, I hope the world is a much better place to live for Elizabeth, Maddie, Evan, Grayson, Landon, Matthew, Tim, Sarah, Zack, Nick, Greg, and all the other children of the world.
Play ball!
Woo Hoo! 9-2 Rays.
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