Baseball Season

Let's get back to sports, and talk about the opening of the 2008 baseball season, AKA Yankee Stadium's swan song.

1. The Yankees opened up last night with a picture perfect win over the Blue Jays. I would have paid top dollar to have been there when Joba emerged from the pen in the middle of the 8th. Over the past decade, there were few moments in sports that exhilarated me more than Metallica welcoming Mariano Rivera to the mound with "Enter Sandman." Well, move over Mo. Joba is as big as New York right now and embodies the future of the Yankees. The crowd went crazy for him last night, and I don't see the excitement lessening any time soon. New York has waited months for the return of the Joba, and now that he's here, we're gonna enjoy it.
2. The Yankees have the most likeable opening day team since 1998. Period. I find myself saying this every year, but this year it is actually true. The glue of our championship teams was our rotation of blue-chippers, guys who were good but not coveted. Well we're back to dealing with homegrown Yankees now, and there's no one more loveable than a true Yankee. We didn't make a push for Torii Hunter, we stuck with tiny, pudgy Melky. Even though there is no doubt Santana is more valuable to a team than whatever the Twins wanted from us, we stuck with the chips we had. That is why, no matter how Hughes, Kennedy, Joba, Melky, Posada, Pettite, Cano and the Captain fare this year, we will cut them a slight break. Because these guys are real members of our family, for better or for worse.
3. Seeing Joe Girardi jog out of the Yankees dugout last night was like an episode of the Twilight Zone. I mean, who else over the last 12 years has meant more to New York sports than Joe Torre. Jeter comes close, that's about it. As much as I loved Torre, it is time for a change. They say any company muct change its brass to remain competitive. Granted, I could manage the Yankees to the playoffs, but we're in the business of winning championships. Moneyball might say that winning playoff games is 100% luck, but how could you contribute dynasties and the Sox blistering 7 game romp of the Indians and the Rockies a stroke of luck? It's more than luck, and any team needs the perfect fit at manager to succeed in the playoffs. The Yankees have found the right fit.
4. Predictions:
Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers win divisions; Yanks and Phils are Wild Cards. Yanks v Mets World Series, Yanks Champs. Too easy...oh ya, and Jeter's the MVP.
Did I mention I'm a Sox fan?