An Ode to Opening Day

I know Alexander Pope wasn't referring to baseball when he penned, "Hope springs eternal," but to many baseball fans (including myself), those words ring true every April. Optimism runs like the rapids of the Rogue River even in a sport so critically flawed by salary and payroll imbalances. Without optimism, being a San Diego Padres fan would be nearly impossible. I can't imagine life without baseball, and without strong ties to a team being a fan would be meaningless. So I love the Padres, and I love opening day.

I must admit that I do get a certain perverse satisfaction from being a fan of a continually failing franchise. There aren't many people outside southern California (and even in southern California) that are rocking Padres gear. Baseball fans all over the country give me credit for sticking by my team and not being afraid to show it. My obsession goes further than most know, as I am sure I am the only person in the state of Texas who purchased the MLB Extra Innings package to follow the Padres out of market.

Although the Padres traditionally function as a farm club for major league teams with money, I am still on the edge of my seat following the progression of every player, every year. More often than not, my team is at the bottom of the payroll chain making player retention nearly impossible. Young talent gets their start in San Diego until they really develop and are traded away for more "future" talent. It is maddening, and I do as much complaining about ownership and management as I do rooting for my team. You could build an all star team with former Padres, and the worst part is every player says they love playing in San Diego, and most make their off season home there. Still, it's better than being a Cubs fan.

But none of that matters today, and that is why opening day is such a magical time for every baseball fan. While most analysts give four teams an honest chance to win it all, every team starts today in first place. Most Padres fans feel pretty good about the team this year. They are under new ownership and the team has a youthful feel built around speed which is much more important today as steroids are phased out of the game. The starting pitching is suspect at best, but they added a solid starter and play in the most pitcher friendly ball park in the majors. There are some really exciting young players that are sure to be stars for someone else one day, but right now they are Padres, and they should be able to compete on a nightly basis.

I could write a 50 thousand word essay on why the lack of a salary cap and the MLB players union have destroyed the game. I could tell you why American League baseball is not really baseball because of the inclusion of the designated hitter. I could complain endlessly that the Padres won't be able to afford to keep hometown hero Adrian Gonzalez, and that over the last 25 years I have been witness to the worst personnel management in the game.

But I won't. Nope. Today I will tell you that baseball is the purest sport in existence. No other sport fuses specialized physical skill and endless strategy like baseball. For sports fans that say baseball is boring, I would simply say, you don't understand the game. When you do understand baseball, every pitch is exciting. With every ball thrown towards a batter there are 50 players and 12 coaches trying to think one step ahead of their opponent.

I can't deny that the fan experience and competition of the league has led football (both college and NFL) to reign supreme in this country. For those that read my posts, you know that my passion for football is enormous. The structure and pace of the sport is far more exciting. When you compare a 17 game season to a 162 game season it is easy to understand why it's easier to invest in football in the age of attention deficit.

But, like nearly every child that grew up dreaming of playing major league baseball, the sport is in my blood. My dad and I can talk football all day long. We can enjoy 18 holes of golf (when we're not exploring nature's bounty in search of our ball). But there is something way more special about being outside and throwing the ball around, or walking into the ball park and grabbing a dog and a beer. I enjoy football on television more than actually going to the game (in most instances), but there is no replacement for being at the ball park in the sun on a warm spring afternoon. It's pure magic.

So I am going to enjoy this month more than the following six. Before optimism turns to pessimism, before my team is mathematically out of the race and selling off their marquee players, before the reality of salary limitations rears its ugly head, my team is in first place and has a chance to win it all. Here's how I see the division races shaking out:

AL East: New York Yankees

Don't blame them for baseball's problems. They just happen to have the most money and the most interest in putting a winner on the field.

AL Cent: Chicago White Sox

They would have the best pitching staff in baseball if it weren't for the Red Sox. Luckily, they don't have to play in the East and will only be challenged by the Twins within the division.

AL West: Seattle Mariners

You can't knock them for sitting idle in the off season, unlike the Angels. Seattle will supplant Mike Scioscia and perennial front running Los Angeles (or California or Anaheim).

AL Wild Card: Boston Red Sox

Dominating pitching staff. Once again the most intriguing race in baseball will be NY and Boston.

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies

No team in the National League is even close to these guys. Add the best starting pitcher in baseball in Roy Halladay, and take the New York Mets continual injury issues and you have a winner.

NL Cent: St. Louis Cardinals

Baseball royalty with the best player on the planet in Albert Pujols. Oh, and they re signed Matt Holliday so he will have protection in the lineup. Very solid starting pitching.

NL West: San Diego Padres

Yep, that's right, I said it. Hope springs eternal...So here's mine. Added speed and a variety of players that will surprise people in a division that is very winnable for any of the teams. It should be known that the Padres are picked to finish last by every analyst in the world so I might be going out on a bit of a limb. I don't care.

NL Wild Card: Atlanta Braves

Reloaded and ready to win.

World Series Matchup: New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Baseball's woes continue as the two biggest payrolls meet for a World Series rematch. Barring injuries there is no one in the league that should compete with these guys. I predicted this rematch the day after the World Series was over last year. Please get a salary cap, and quick, baseball. Please. The Phillies would be playing in their third straight World Series.

Winner: New York Yankees

Some things never change.

There it is. Just two words left to say. PLAY BALL!!!