The sun is shining in Baltimore this morning. The rain from the storms that rolled through last night still stains the concrete and combined with the overwhelming sounds of birds chirping it gives the city an almost tropical feel. It will be warm today, partly cloudy and baseball will return to Baltimore.
Spring is a time of renewal and the Orioles seem to be taking to that trend. After three excellent games of baseball against the Rays the Orioles open Camden Yards this season with a 3-0 record for the first time since 1997 when they started 4-0. The starting pitching was great; the bullpen was solid; the offense was timely and the defense – well the defense was just stellar.
Today is not the day for hardcore analysis. Today is not the day predictions and projections. Today is not the day for sabermetircs. Today is about the purity of baseball, the grandeur of the experience. it is about fathers and sons, groups of friends, freshly mowed grass and the silliness of fireworks in the daytime.This is about the unbridled hope and enthusiasm that comes with every new season that some way somehow this will be out year. The year of the Bird, “Why Not?”, the year that this collection of men finally wake up and decide to send shockwaves through the American League. The year that ESPN finally has to pay attention to us, the year that make Michael Wilbon apologize for the on-air PTI tirade against us.
There is no way to truly predict the future in this game, there are too many variables and the humanity of the game lends itself to a certain amount of chaos, but we do know this – the Orioles are playing today and downtown Baltimore will be packed.
That is the thing about this team and this city, even when they are bad opening day is still a party. Why? Because its baseball, its spring, its the Orioles. There is a certain tradition in this city and a love for this team that is simmering under the surface. Walking through my neighborhood last night the citizenry has certainly dusted off the jerseys and jackets in preparation for this day.
Now the soaring birds take their show back to Baltimore, a city so hungry for a winner. There is a palpable feeling in the atmosphere of the city right now. You can almost feel this city waiting for something. They are waiting to explode and embrace this team again. They just want a winner. They are ready to fill the park, buy the swag and cheer themselves hoarse. They just want a winner. They are ready to be on a first-name basis with every player on this team. They are ready for baseball.
They just need a winner.
The 2011 season really starts today. Have fun Baltimore.
Go birds.
