Opening Day

Yesterday was Opening Day!

What does that mean in the grand scheme of things one might ask. It means the hot dogs smelled better, the peanuts were crunchier, and stories filled the air from men and boys alike reliving their glory days on the little league field.

Once the stories were told, the hot dogs eaten, and the peanuts crunched, it was time for our favorites Major Leaguers to take the field on the grandest stage this early in the season.

For the Florida Marlins that meant players like Emilio Bonifacio, after his first major league game would go home to read a box score that said four hits, four runs scored, two RBIs, three stolen bases and an inside-the-park home run. Not a bad day of work for someone who was supposed to be made dizzy by the speed of the game. Instead the dizzying effect came from his 3.86 second sprint around the bases.

For Jordan Schafer of the Atlanta Braves the thrill of his first opening day would also come from a straight shot to center field at Citizens Bank Ballpark in his first official at bat that would result in a home run as his first professional hit. This accomplishment is a feat met only by 99 other players in the history of the game.

There were many great moments throughout the league yesterday and then there were some not so great moments.

In the case of C.C. Sabathia and the New York Yankees, $187 Million dollars does not buy what it used to as the “Bronx Bombers” fell 10-6 to the Baltimore Orioles. We won’t pretend to think that a player of the caliber of Sabathia will have an entire season of days when he cannot get out of the 5th inning, however it was a testament to the will of the Orioles players that they did not allow themselves to be intimidated by the dollar signs across the chest of a jersey that used to say Yankees.

The Cinncinnati Reds had 4 errors in 1 innings almost guaranteeing the victory for the New York Mets.

And so it went on throughout the day.

The game of our youth was being played by the men who we love to idolize. So the story goes, another opening day in the books, more memories to be shared, more victories to celebrate and more hope that this might just be there year for your team.

On opening day the national pastime once again becomes relevant. The talk of steroids and cheaters become replaced by the cheers and boos and the crowd.

The way it has been for generations, and the way the game was meant to be!