Opening Morning Thoughts

I know Gabe wrote a great piece a few days ago on the opening day nightmare that Selig has created, but I wanted to make a couple of comments this morning on a missed opportunity. One of the great things about opening day is you get the best pitching match-ups possible, or at least you are supposed to. I am looking this morning at the match-up featuring Verlander against Lester. This is what opening day is supposed to be about in Major League Baseball. There is no guaranty that these two will face off again this year, and baseball needs to learn to take full advantage of these kinds of match-ups.

So many story lines in this game to watch.

Prince Fielder making his Detroit debut, which coincidentally has reignited the restaurant business in Detroit. Miguel Cabrera returning from a brutal spring training in jury. Verlander and his insane pitching arsenal coming off a season of complete dominance with the goal of even being better than before. Lester and the beer and chicken brigade trying to bounce back and regain so much of their trust equity in beantown. Bobby Valentine and his triumphant, err odd, return to the major league dugout. This match up would naturally be an easy sell and easy to hype if baseball just remained true to opening day.

Who cares about Lohse against Joshson or Felix against some future trade bait Athletic? The reality is there is something great about just letting what is opening day be opening day. Verlander against Lester. Hanson against Santana. Strasberg against that Cub guy. Halladay against some Pirate pretending to be Halladay. This is a great day and you should all be calling in sick to work to watch baseball. Don't let the schedulers take this day away. Enjoy it for what it is... the only day of the year that you will ever watch a Justin Masterson start!