Baseball's Opening Day used to be simple. It was always on a Monday, the first game played was always the Cincinnati Reds vs another National League team, the first game was always played in daylight, and it was always in North America. It all worked just fine. We liked it that way.

A few years ago, things started getting different. The first game of a given season would be anyone but the Cincinnati Reds, it might be played in Tokyo or London or Australia, it started being played on a Sunday (or even a Saturday, because of the International Time Zone) as a night game, and it might even be an interleague game (!). It was squirrelly.

Today is Opening Day 2016. A Sunday. With a fairly full slate of games (including interleague play!) instead of just a single night game on ESPN, which had sort of become the new tradition. Until it wasn't anymore. And tomorrow is being recognized as a sort of official MLB Opening Day, too, which is too much for me to even try to deal with right now.
So the season hasn't even started yet and my head is already spinning.

But it's all OK. Baseball is back. That's all that matters.

My allegiance to the St Louis Cardinals is going to be a little soft this year, shall we say, not to mention heretical: I'm pulling for the Cubs. Because of my appreciation of the Chicago Cubs team this year, my long-running appreciation of Joe Maddon's managing, my love of Wrigley Field and Chicago, and my fervent desire to see a FULL STOP put to the Cubs fans' 'lovable losers' nonsense, I will not be surprised or upset if they upend the Redbirds in the division and go on to win the World Series.

In the National League West I'll be rooting for our hometown nine, the San Francisco Giants. Great ballpark, probably the best radio/tv crews in the Bigs, a very competitive lineup (I especially like Pagan and Posey), and this season they'll be wearing matte finish batting helmets for the first time.

Elsewhere and otherwise (especially in the American League), I won't have any favorite teams and will simply allow the game and individual players to delight me.

I have paid zero attention to spring training, haven't watched a single inning. Can't wait for the season to start later today.

Tags: baseball