IT IS OPENING DAY!!!!

It is Opening Day in the 2012 baseball season and I could not be more excited to finally have something to write about.  It’s been a long 5 months here on the blog.  We’ve written various pieces, recounted the 2011 season that was, talked about the MVP voting and free agency. We’ve gone into great detail about the future of every team as the 2012 season approaches (30 Teams in 30 Days sucks and Max did a great job keeping that in line for Opening Day).  We’ve forcasted the 2012 season (expect a more succinct post on our bold predictions and our Cy Young/MVP predictions probably tomorrow), and filled space with ranking everything under the sun.  But Now? Now, it’s time for actual baseball, the voice of Vin Scully, the crack of the bat, the closer walking in, and the walk off win.  It’s baseball season and here is what I’m looking forward to…

Manny being Manny…

Justin Verlander’s encore.

Jose Bautista’s sweet swing and watching him pull 40 more balls deep out of the park.

Albert Pujols wearing a different shade of red and the entire city of Los Angeles falling in love with The Machine.

Clayton Kershaw’s curveball.

Mariano Rivera walking out to Sandman for the last 40 more times.

Stephen Strasburg owning Washington DC.

The inevitable fried chicken and beer jokes as the Red Sox win and win and win or lose, and lose and lose.

A rookie’s first hit, or a veteran’s milestone.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Wrigley Field.

Rick Porcello’s breakout year…finally.

The Astros winning their first game and standing alone in first place.

Yankees fans complaining as they sit in fourth place in June.

Martin Prado being Martin Prado again.

Jason Heyward discovering the magic of his first at bat over and over again.

Adam Wainwright’s curveball.

Justin Verlander’s fastball, curveball, and change up.

The left arm of Rick Ankiel.

The inevitable who the hell is this guy performance that was Sam Fuld in 2011.

Buster Posey behind the dish again and Adam Dunn hitting home runs again.

Plunkings, fights, and pimping of home runs.

Jon Miller’s mispronunciation of every Latin name and Joe Morgan’s complete lack of insight while SportCenter finally has baseball highlights again.

Making fun of Orioles fans, Astros fans, Mets fans, and Cubs fans. Seeing them in the airports, restaurants, and bars and simply having something to bond over and talk about.

Watching reruns of Mark Buehrle’s flip between his legs, or the Jim Edmonds diving catch, or the David Wright barehanded catch, or the Kirk Gibson walk off home run, or the Asdrubal Cabrera barehanded play, or the Carlton Fisk homerun, or Mark McGuire’s 62nd, or Hank Aaron’s 715, or Nolan Ryan’s fight, or whatever ridiculous play of Ozzie Smith’s they want to show, same can be said of Jack Wilson, or Omar Vizquel.

Listening to Terry Francona talk about baseball.

Watching as Chipper Jones gets his due as one of the best third basemen, No. 1 overall picks, and switch hitters of all time.

Checking the standings after the first week, second week, first month, and every day in between.

I can’t wait to watch as the stories unfold, are retold, and as the cold of the northeast and midwest turns into the heat of Texas, Florida, and Arizona.  The Midsummer classic will be here before we know it.  The trade deadline, September callups, and playoff races will be here before we care to admit.  The one game, Wild Card playoff will be a night to remember and if we’re lucky, inning number 13 of Game 162 will happen again.  Baseball is back and there’s plenty to look forward to.

-Sean Morash