A whole new ball game: Why time begins on opening day
It appears that the biggest shock of the 2012 MLB season so far is the fact that it started in Tokyo on 28th March.
Most of the baseball fans in North America have been focussed on the Miami Marlins versus the reigning champions, St Louis Cardinals. So, many were confused and angry that the Japan Opening Series took place. Social media sites were awash with irate fans venting their fury at the start of the season happening on foreign shores. I do have some sympathy with this view as the MLB is advertising “Opening Day” games that are a week after the Mariners-Athletics series.
The Mariners-Athletics two game series in Tokyo was shared. Both games were tight until late in each game, the first going to eleven innings and the second opening up in the seventh inning. The first game was a delight for the Japanese crowd as Ichiro Suzuki had 4 hits for the Mariners and was won by Dustin Ackley’s home run and single in the eleventh. Game two was a tight affair as well until the seventh inning when Yoenis Cespides and Josh Reddick put the A’s ahead with home runs. Bartolo Colon retired the first 13 batters to give the A’s a share of the series.
I’m looking forward to the officially titled, but incorrectly worded, Opening Day for the season. This is when the season starts in earnest, and the weeks of planning, testing, trialling, failing, hoping, dreaming of Spring Training are put into motion. So far, I’ve seen plenty of games and been introduced to some of the established order and the new wave of hopefuls (an America’s Got Talent with Balls?). ESPN America is covering baseball in the UK again this year so I’ll be watching the opening pitch on Wednesday 4th at 7pm ET, or midnight as I’ll call it!
I have to admit that the Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training performances haven’t overly filled me with confidence so far. A .360 record is the second worst in the Grapefruit League and they’ve suffered some heavy defeats like a 19-4 mauling by the Twins and a 8-0, 3 hit restricted, loss to the Boston Red Sox. Having said that, they are unbeaten in the last 4 games so perhaps momentum is being built for the opening day matchup against the New York Yankees. I’m hoping that the Rays can get into post season again, and perhaps not leave it so late like last year’s final day victory.
The big off ballpark news was the impending sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Magic Johnson led consortium for over $2 billion. Seems that the real winner is current owner Frank McCourt who, according to his divorce proceedings, hasn’t got a lot of cash. That is about to change.
I’m enjoying reading around the subject as every time I read an article, or watch a game, something new gets mentioned. For example, I now know that a Gold Glove isn’t related to Michael Jackson impersonators and sabermetrics aren’t a new form of exercise advertised by Davina McCall (or any other “celebrity” with a fitness DVD coming out). Here’s to competitive baseball and 2,430 regular season opportunities to increase my knowledge….
