Reflections on a New Baseball Season

Easter Sunday begins to wash into Easter Monday, my thoughts turn to the opening of the 2010 baseball season. Yes, I know that the NCAA championship game is tomorrow (poor Butler, having to face a much larger Duke team), but I'm less interested in that game than the one that will be played tomorrow in Houston. Tomorrow my beloved Giants will take to the field against the Houston Astros, and like every year, for as long as I can remember, I will be hoping for a successful season. That is, I will be looking forward to a Giants' World Series Championship.

You will say to me, but the Giants have never won such a thing, at least not since moving west. Indeed, the last time they won the championship, I was not yet born. They should have won in 1962, but Bobby Richardson had the temerity to catch that line drive off the bat of Stretch McCovey. Then there was that 1989 series against the A's -- an earthquake interrupted it and the Giants had to face Dave Stewart and Mike Moore twice. I did get to go to the 1989 series, but only because my brother-in-law decided not to return for the make-up game. Then there was the 2002 series against the Angels. Ah, they had that thing won. Just two innings away from winning it all, and then everything fell apart. Such is my history as a Giants fan.

But, hey I've gotten to follow some pretty great players over time. There's Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Bobby Bonds, Will Clark, Robby Thompson, Chili Davis, Rick Reuschel, John Burkett, Kevin Mitchell, Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent, and this year's crop!

Every year, I start out with big dreams and will do so again this year. I know that they have a chance. They have one of the best pitching rotations in baseball, with the reigning NL Cy Young winner leading the way in Tim Lincecum. Then there's Matt Cain, a resurgent Barry Zito, Jonathan Sanchez, and Todd Wellmeyer. They have an all-star closer in Brian Wilson.

Out in the field, well there are questions, but Pablo "the Panda" Sandoval is out there at third, so there's some pop in the line up. And down on the farm, there's the next star of the Giants -- Buster Posey. So, we'll have to wait and see. It is next year, after all, and the slate is clean! Go Giants!!! So, tomorrow, I will watch with great anticipation the opening of a new season!

Comments

Rial Hamann said…
"When in Rome..."

And that is why many people now living in the Detroit back the Tigers.

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