Baseball is Back
Monday, April 04, 2005
In my previous post I discussed the Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees rivalry and how it should not be interfered with. I'm glad to see it was left untouched for opening night in the Bronx, so now I hope the same remains true when the two clubs meet in Boston for the Red Sox home opener. So what were my impressions of opening night?
The Yanks beat the Sox 9-2 in one of the worst opening day defeats by a defending World Champ. Oh well. The Yanks have this thing where they beat up on the Sox in the regular season anyway. Should the Red Sox be worried? Not at all. One game down, but still 161 still left to play.
Randy Johnson pitched very well, holding the Sox to only one run in his six innings of work. Is a guy that old supposed to be that good in April? I didn't think so, but then again Randy Johnson isn't your average over-40 pitcher.
Much was made about David Wells' record in Yankee Stadium. What some people failed to point out is that just about all of those games were as a Yankee. I could win at least one game as a Yankee pitcher when I have that lineup behind me. Welcome to Boston Wells.
You can tell the city of Boston is suffering from the absence of hockey. Why do I say that? Because the Red Sox team captain, catcher Jason Varitek, sported a "C" as the captain of his team on his jersey, a characteristic that is found everywhere in hockey and at a few locations in Major League Baseball. Say what you will, but I think the "C" has got to g in baseball.
I don't know what was worse for sports fans in Boston last night; the fact that the Red Sox were blown away by the Yankees or the fact that Celtics fans had to sit through listening to Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell sing the National Anthem, as paid off his bet to Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. The two governors made a friendly wager on the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. Needless to say Governor Romney won...Luckily Mrs. Rendell helped her husband out a little.
Today is opening day for the rest of the league. So seeing as it's time for predictions I will make mine.
NL East - Braves AL East - Yankees
NL Central - Cardinals AL Central - Twins
NL West - Giants AL West - Angels
NL Wild Card - Phillies AL Wild Card - Red Sox
World Series - Yankees over Phillies
Call me optimistic if you will. I am, of course, a desperate Phillies fan.