Opening Day 2008

So far I feel like Mother Nature has cheated me out of baseball. It's the end of March and we are still battling 50 degree days and rainy days perfectly placed to ensure that we never get out on dry soil. It kind of feels like those days when you are trying to make a left turn out of your back alley and cars pass in intervals that won't allow you to make a move. Almost like someone is fucking with you...
Tonight was opening night and with the evening temps hanging out in the low 60's I opened up the windows and for the first time it sort of felt like Spring. Sitting in my living room on a Sunday Night watching whomever was on, painfully listening to Joe Morgan talk about himself and Jon Miller talk about Joe Morgan. But it's Opening Night and I love baseball and am excited to watch a game that matters...even if it does involve the Washington Nationals.
I'm still not happy with Direct TV stealing the Extra Innings package from cable...or maybe I am just mad at myself for not making the switch to the dish. I will not take for granted all the games they show on ESPN. Remember only getting Cubs and Braves games... remember how happy you were to watch the NBC game of the week when they showed an American League team... I miss Vin Scully and his solo act. The likes of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan should take notes from someone who knows what the hell he is doing.
It's nights like this where I almost go to my room looking for my 88 Topps set so I can sort through them and organize them in as many different categories as I can before bedtime...team, position, my favorite players. Now all I want is the Braves to win by more than a run so I can at least break even on the day.

**I don't think the Red Sox have the pitching to win it again this year
**Think it is the Cubies year to win it all
**Detroit will not be as good as people think...there will surely be an injury or two and if you can't pitch, you can't win games...even if you do score 1000 runs
**The Cardinals will be bad. Tickets will be available because Cardinal fans tend to be fairweather. Even with a pretty new stadium.
**Hanley Ramirez will be the National League MVP
**Manny Ramirez will be the American League MVP
**Verlander wins the Cy Young award, edging out Beckett