The day I’ve been waiting all winter and spring arrived yesterday: the home opener for our Baltimore Orioles. Baseball is back in Baltimore! It’s spring! And we’re gonna be competing all year.
I’ve bought season tickets just to keep abreast of the team. I’ll be there when they win. I’ll be there when they lose. Hopefully, more wins that losses. I’m expecting a 75 win season from them — just a several games shy of .500, a winning season, because that’s a realistic expectation. So I’m going to be rooting for them.
My tickets for Opening Day was extra, so I chose not to sit in my season ticket seats. I’ve got 13 games there. I need a different angle. I’m in the upper deck section 348 close to the railing. It’s on the third base side and you get pretty views of all the hits.
This I was actually a we. I invited my nephew to watch since he’s got spring break. This is actually the first uncle-ish thing I did for the kid. Weird. I must suck as an uncle. He’ll enjoy this though. Baseball could be his sport.
We take the light rail up from Severn. First time I travelled north to go to the Yard. It’s filled with strange sights, but the trains are packed. They are filled with happy Birds fans. The first visit to Birdland of the year fills everyone with joy. The nephew and I pile into the train.
We get to the yard and join the throngs of fans amassing at the gate. First, we get some soda and drinks to bring in. After entering, we get some snacks. First hot dog of the year. We make it to our seats. The atmosphere was electric. The weather was cold though. Lucky we brought our jackets. We get to our seats and cheer on the opening day ceremonies. Brooks and Boog throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The night before, the Birds won their first game of the season. The team looks to make it two in a row. Brad Bergesen, the ace of last season, is the starter. He doesn’t have it today, the top of the first inning he allows 3 runs. Our line up is raring to go.
We get those 3 runs back in the bottom half. But then our bats go cold, while Bergesen struggles all game. He allows the leadoff batters to reach base and he struggles to end innings. Meanwhile, Toronto’s starter who was wobbly in the first, walking three, settles down and gets several strikeouts. Come on! Where are our bats?
In the fourth inning, the nephew and I go for food. Last year, it was easy to get food. Walk up there was no line. Opening day is different, and we spend two innings in line missing Toronto go up 2 runs and the Orioles tying it up with Tejeda’s 2 run homer. The visitors go up again, but we storm back and take the lead. Pie pinch running for god, Matt Weiters, takes it from first to home on a single by Cesar Izturis. Last, year C-Izzy hit a homer in the bottom of the eighth to win the opener. This year it looked as if he got the game winner again. Pie was dead to rights out, but the catcher could not handle the ball. Why he was sent is a mystery? These great seats we had made all this plainly visible. Pie was only rounding third as the relay was coming home. He would’ve been out by three steps if the catch was made properly. Yet, Pie scores! PIE SCORES! THE ORIOLES ARE UP!
And then our closer comes in. The least said the better. Mike Gonzales’s line for the game 0.2 of an inning 1 walk, 1 passed ball, 2 hits, 2 earned runs. The Boo Birds were out in force. I was shaking my head. The nephew was booing loudly too. Gonzales wouldn’t be getting the grief he’s been getting if his delivery wasn’t so unorthodox. It’s a rocking motion which exaggerates his wildness.
But we lost. The final was 7-6. Blown save and all.
We cram back into the light rail and go home. Leaving the sad times behind. Maybe next time we’ll win. Next time is Monday. Who wants to go?
